The Impact of Arundo Donax on Soil Infiltration

My name is Kathryn Tippett, and I’m an undergraduate at San Diego State University studying mechanical engineering.  Last August, I joined the team of undergraduates and graduate students at the Disturbance Hydrology Lab led by Dr. Alicia Kinoshita and have never looked back.  I’ve always enjoyed spending time outdoors, so I jumped at the opportunity to spend my weekend mornings studying portions of the San Diego River.

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​My objective during this time was to study the immediate impact of Arundo donax on soil infiltration rates along Alvarado Creek.  During my first few weeks at the lab, I learned about how A. donax, an invasive species of vegetation, aids in the destruction of the ecosystem and fuels fire cycles.       

​I decided I wanted to quantify how A. donax can affect soil infiltration rates along the creek as well, so I designed a field plan and collected data to analyze in the lab.  During the process, I aided the other students in developing a new system to collect soil cores.  In March, I was able to present my project and my findings at the SDSU Student Research Symposium, which was one of the highlights of my internship so far.
Aside from my project, I’ve learned a great deal about civil engineering in general.  I learned how to survey and surveyed transects along Alvarado Creek, and partook in pebble counts to estimate stream bed materials.  I also developed important interpersonal skills when working with a team and presenting a poster to judges.  Going into this internship, I assumed that my background in mechanical engineering would be useful, but I learned that civil engineering is a far different (yet still incredibly interesting) field.  While there are some similarities between the two, I enjoyed the challenge of having to adapt to a new method of study.
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This experience has ignited an interest in civil engineering in me, and in the future, I hope to learn more about the field and continue my work with the lab.  I came into this lab with 0 knowledge of the field of disturbance hydrology, and now I joke about how the research papers that once made no sense to me are now incredibly easy to read.  I am incredibly grateful to Dr.  Kinoshita for allowing me this opportunity, and am more excited than ever when I think about my future career prospects.