Erin Murray is a hydrologist with the Idaho Water Science Center in Boise.
Erin is interested in water availability—including how much water there is, how it is used by people, and how our water resources change through time. Erin also studies nutrients and metals in Idaho's rivers and their resulting impact on aquatic life.
Professional Experience
Hydrologist, USGS Idaho Water Science Center, May 2022 - Present
Research Hydrologist, Boise State University, December 2021 - April 2022
Hydrologist, USDA Agricultural Research Service, February 2018 - December 2021
Hydrologist, USGS Idaho Water Science Center, October 2015 - February 2018
Hydrologic Technician, USGS Idaho Water Science Center, June 2014 - October 2015
Education and Certifications
M.S., Hydrologic Sciences, 2015, Boise State University (Graduate certificate in college teaching)
B.S., Biology, 2012, Missouri State University
Science and Products
Idaho water use, 2015
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Selenium in the Blackfoot River Watershed
Water use by source and category in Idaho counties, 2015
Science and Products
- Publications
Idaho water use, 2015
The ability to quantify water resources hinges on the understanding of water use by the population. The demand humans place on the water cycle varies across the United States, driven by both need and availability. The U.S. Geological Survey quantifies water use nationally, at the county scale, with estimates of water withdrawals and deliveries, by category of use (for example, irrigation, thermoelAuthorsErin M. MurrayNon-USGS Publications**
Schlegel, M. E., Souza, J., Warix, S. R., MacNeille, R., Murray, E., Radke, A., Godsey, S. E., Seyfried, M. S., Finney, B., Flerchinger, G., & Lohse, K. A., 2023, Seasonality and evaporation of water resources in Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed and Critical Zone Observatory, Southwestern Idaho, USA. Vadose Zone Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20278.Glossner, K. L., Lohse, K. A., Appling, A. P., Cram, Z. K., Murray, E., Godsey, S. E., Van Vactor, S., McCorkle, E. P., Seyfried, M. S., & Pierson, F. B. (2022). Long-term suspended sediment and particulate organic carbon yields from the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed and Critical Zone Observatory. Hydrological Processes, 36( 2), e14484. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14484Glossner, Kayla A.; Lohse, Kathleen A.; Appling, Alison P.; Cram, Zane K.; Murray, Erin; Godsey, Sarah; Van Vactor, Steven; Seyfried, Mark S.; and Pierson, Fred B.. (2021). Dataset of Observed Suspended Sediment and Particulate Organic Carbon Concentrations and Modeled Long-Term Suspended Sediment and Particulate Organic Carbon Yields (1994-2017) from the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed and Critical Zone Observatory in Southwestern Idaho, USA [Data set]. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.18122/reynoldscreek.25.boisestateErin M. Murray, Sarah K. Bolton, Torsten Berg, Ralph A. Saporito, Arthropod predation in a dendrobatid poison frog: does frog life stage matter?, Zoology, Volume 119, Issue 3, 2016, Pages 169-174, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2016.01.002.Murray, Erin, "Impacts of Changing Snowmelt Timing on Non-Irrigated Crop Yield" (2015). Boise State University Theses and Dissertations. 998. https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/td/998**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
- Science
Selenium in the Blackfoot River Watershed
The upper Blackfoot River receives runoff from 12 large phosphate mines. Shale waste rock that is a byproduct of mining is highly enriched in naturally occurring selenium. At optimal concentrations, selenium can be a positive nutrient and antioxidant in mammals and fish. At elevated concentrations, however, it can damage fish and animal immune systems. As early as 1996, livestock deaths attributed... - Data
Water use by source and category in Idaho counties, 2015
Water Use by Source and Category in Idaho Counties are compiled as part of the "Estimated Use of Water in the United States" series of U.S. Geological Survey Circular reports that have been published every 5 years since 1950 (Maupin and others, 2014). Idaho withdrawals in 2015 are being published as a separate dataset in support of the U.S. Geological Survey fact sheet 2018-3036. Maupin, M.A., Ke