Modeling the Impacts of Sub-seasonal Environmental Variability on Devils Hole

In this study, the water level record at Devils Hole will be analyzed to extract periodic signals of earth tides and barometric pressure. Local meteorological records will then be examined to develop probability density functions for daily maximum and minimum air temperature and other climate drivers, such as wind speed, relative humidity, and solar radiation. The probability density functions will be used to develop a stochastic set of meteorological drivers, which will be combined with the water level data as model inputs. Finally, the existing hydrodynamic model of Devils Hole will be revised to allow water levels to vary. The revised model will be used to evaluate habitat suitability based on the number of four day periods during which temperature thresholds for egg hatching are not exceeded under various water level scenarios.