Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, where forest water budgets have been measured since 1955, is building a new monitoring program that will determine the sustainability of perennial streams. Streams may be expected to expand as total rain and snow amounts are increasing. However, snowpacks are smaller and drought periods are becoming more frequent, which may cause a reduction in groundwater recharge and a contraction of streams.

In this study, real time monitoring will address whether these trends will lead to an expansion or contraction of streams, their associated aquatic habitats and clean sources of freshwater for downstream end-users.