The ecological and hydrological dynamics of reservoirs are largely influenced by their catchments, primarily because of their construction along the river continuum. Water and materials, such as nutrients and sediments, flow into the reservoirs through various hydrological pathways in their catchments. The rate, quantity and quality of these flows often depend on catchment characteristics such as land use, hydrological routing, topography, geology, soil types and climatic conditions. Nutrient delivery has gained significant attention in recent years due to its impact on water quality, ecosystem health and the overall functioning of reservoirs. Previous studies on nutrient dynamics in reservoirs have primarily focused on land uses, particularly intensified agriculture and urbanization, as major contributors of nutrients into the reservoirs. In summary, land use explains about 50% of the nutrient variation in reservoirs. However, considering the close integration of reservoirs with their catchments, we anticipate that other catchment characteristics may also influence nutrient dynamics in reservoirs.
Catchment morphology encompasses the physical characteristics as well as spatial configuration of the catchment, providing insights into the interplay between the different catchment features. Catchment morphology forms the fundamental framework for understanding and predicting the movement of water, nutrients and sediments within the catchment, potentially affecting the hydrological and ecological dynamics of reservoirs. Morphometric parameters, including catchment size, shape, and relief and drainage patterns, offer valuable insights into the spatial and temporal scales of mechanistic processes within the catchment. Therefore, our study aims to investigate how catchment morphology and landscape structure will influence nutrient dynamics in the reservoir in Nebraska.

Biographical Sketch
Uche had his bachelor’s and master’s degree in Geo-environmental Technology from the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria. His research interests are in Catchment Hydrology, Nutrient Dynamics and Landscape limnology. For his PhD, Uche is interested in understanding the interaction between hydrodynamics, nutrient dynamics and ecological processes in small reservoirs. Uche’s research is funded by the STOICH project through the National Science Foundation (NSF).