Kristie Franz

Kristie Jean Franz

Position
  • Professor and Department Chair of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences
Department
  • Geological and Atmospheric Sciences
My training is from the University of California, Irvine (PhD, Civil Engineering), University of Arizona (MS, Hydrology), and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (BS, Geology). I am currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences.

Contact Info

3023 Agronomy
716 Farm House Ln.
Ames
,
IA
50011-1051
Email
kfranz@iastate.edu
Phone
515-294-7454
Social Media and Websites

More Information

Research

My research interest is in improving our understanding and prediction of hydrologic processes, primarily runoff and streamflow. Recent studies conducted by my research group include applications of remotely sensed data for streamflow modeling and prediction, hydrologic model calibration and testing (including flood and snow models), and investigating hydrologic trends under conditions of climate and land use change.I frequently collaborate with the scientists and forecasters at the National Weather Service and design my studies such that the outcomes will be relevant to their operations. Previously I have worked on incorporating forecast verification methodologies into hydrologic operations and currently I am developing applications of remotely sensed data as input to hydrologic prediction models. I have also worked with the local communities to improve their flood modeling techniques.

Broader Impact

I frequently collaborate with the scientists and forecasters at the National Weather Service and design my studies such that the outcomes will be relevant to their operations. Previously I have worked on incorporating forecast verification methodologies into hydrologic operations and currently I am developing applications of remotely sensed data as input to hydrologic prediction models. I have also worked with the local communities to improve their flood modeling techniques.

Key Environmental Science Publications

Steffens, K., and K.J. Franz, 2011: Late 20th century trends in Iowa watersheds: an investigation of observed and modeled hydrologic storages and fluxes in heavily managed landscapes, International Journal of Climatology, DOI: 10.1002/joc.2361

Franz, K.J., P. Butcher, N.K. Ajami, 2010: Addressing snow model uncertainty for hydrologic prediction, Advances in Water Resources, 33, 820-832

Franz, K.J., T. Hogue, S. Sorooshian, 2008: Snow model verification using ensemble prediction and operational benchmarks, Journal of Hydrometeorology, 9(6), 1402-1415

Franz, K.J., T. Hogue, S. Sorooshian, 2008: Operational snow modeling: Addressing the challenges of an energy balance model for National Weather Service forecasts, Journal of Hydrology, 360 (1-4) 48-66