Michelle R. Plampin, Ph.D.
Michelle Plampin is a Research Hydrologist with the USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center in Reston, VA.
Michelle investigates various interactions between groundwater and energy production waste products, focusing on the effects of multiphase (gas-water) flow. Specific applications of her research include the potential impacts of geologic carbon sequestration on water quality in shallow aquifers, as well as the long-term hydrogeologic evolution of low-permeability aquitards that may be used for disposal of nuclear waste.
Professional Experience
Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, 2020-Present
Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Energy Resources Science Center, 2019-2020
Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Mission Area, Earth System Processes Division, Water Cycle Branch, 2017-2019
Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Mission Area, National Research Program, 2016-2017
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, 2015-2016
Graduate Research Assistant, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, 2011-2015
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, 2007-2011
Intern, Washington River Protection Solutions, Interface Management Team, 2010
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 2015 - (Adviser: Professor Tissa Illangasekare)
M.S. Environmental Science and Engineering, 2012
B.S. Engineering, 2011 - Specialty: Environmental, Minor: Public Affairs for Engineers
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
International Association for Mathematical Geosciences
International Society for Porous Media
Honors and Awards
Second Place Student Poster Presentation, 2015 MODFLOW and More Conference
Edna Bailey Sussman Foundation scholar, 2012
Engineer In Training certification, 2011
Cum Laude graduate, 2011
Guy T. McBride Jr. Honors Program graduate, 2011
Tau Beta Pi inductee, 2010
Student Employee of the Year, 2009
Science and Products
Simulations of hypothetical CO2 leakage and hydrological plume management in an underground source of drinking water at a proposed CO2 storage facility, Kemper County, Mississippi, USA
Optimization simulations to estimate maximum brine injection rates in the Illinois Basin
Model of potential multiphase methane evolution in the subsurface of Southern Ontario across a wide range of initial gas contents
Model of groundwater flow, gas migration, and reactive transport in the Virgin River Basin, SW Utah
iTOUGH2-EOS7C model used to analyze multiphase flow and hydromechanical coupling in underpressured shale at the Bruce Nuclear Site, Ontario, Canada
iTOUGH2-EOS7C model used to analyze multiphase flow and underpressured shale at the Bruce Nuclear Site, Ontario, Canada
Microbiology of the greater Bravo Dome region
Hypothetical CO2 leakage into, and hydrological plume management within, an underground source of drinking water at a proposed CO2 storage facility, Kemper County, Mississippi, USA
Geologic energy storage
Dynamic estimates of geologic CO2 storage resources in the Illinois Basin constrained by reinjectivity of brine extracted for pressure management
Possible effects of multiphase methane evolution during a glacial cycle on underpressure development in sedimentary basins: An analysis with application to the northeast Michigan Basin
Rapid-response unsaturated zone hydrology: Small-scale data, small-scale theory, big problems
Potential Pb+2 mobilization, transport, and sequestration in shallow aquifers impacted by multiphase CO2 leakage: A natural analogue study from the Virgin River Basin in Southwest Utah
Computational methodology to analyze the effect of mass transfer rate on attenuation of leaked carbon dioxide in shallow aquifers
Compositional analysis of formation water geochemistry and microbiology of commercial and carbon dioxide-rich wells in the southwestern United States
Dimensional effects of inter-phase mass transfer on attenuation of structurally trapped gaseous carbon dioxide in shallow aquifers
Glacially-induced hydromechanical coupling in shale may have caused underpressured water in the eastern Michigan Basin despite the possible presence of gas phase methane
Multiphase hydromechanical iTOUGH2-EOS7C modeling study of underpressure development in shale during glacial loading cycles at the Bruce Nuclear Site, Ontario, Canada
Multiphase flow and underpressured shale at the Bruce nuclear site, Ontario, Canada
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.
Science and Products
Simulations of hypothetical CO2 leakage and hydrological plume management in an underground source of drinking water at a proposed CO2 storage facility, Kemper County, Mississippi, USA
Optimization simulations to estimate maximum brine injection rates in the Illinois Basin
Model of potential multiphase methane evolution in the subsurface of Southern Ontario across a wide range of initial gas contents
Model of groundwater flow, gas migration, and reactive transport in the Virgin River Basin, SW Utah
iTOUGH2-EOS7C model used to analyze multiphase flow and hydromechanical coupling in underpressured shale at the Bruce Nuclear Site, Ontario, Canada
iTOUGH2-EOS7C model used to analyze multiphase flow and underpressured shale at the Bruce Nuclear Site, Ontario, Canada
Microbiology of the greater Bravo Dome region
Hypothetical CO2 leakage into, and hydrological plume management within, an underground source of drinking water at a proposed CO2 storage facility, Kemper County, Mississippi, USA
Geologic energy storage
Dynamic estimates of geologic CO2 storage resources in the Illinois Basin constrained by reinjectivity of brine extracted for pressure management
Possible effects of multiphase methane evolution during a glacial cycle on underpressure development in sedimentary basins: An analysis with application to the northeast Michigan Basin
Rapid-response unsaturated zone hydrology: Small-scale data, small-scale theory, big problems
Potential Pb+2 mobilization, transport, and sequestration in shallow aquifers impacted by multiphase CO2 leakage: A natural analogue study from the Virgin River Basin in Southwest Utah
Computational methodology to analyze the effect of mass transfer rate on attenuation of leaked carbon dioxide in shallow aquifers
Compositional analysis of formation water geochemistry and microbiology of commercial and carbon dioxide-rich wells in the southwestern United States
Dimensional effects of inter-phase mass transfer on attenuation of structurally trapped gaseous carbon dioxide in shallow aquifers
Glacially-induced hydromechanical coupling in shale may have caused underpressured water in the eastern Michigan Basin despite the possible presence of gas phase methane
Multiphase hydromechanical iTOUGH2-EOS7C modeling study of underpressure development in shale during glacial loading cycles at the Bruce Nuclear Site, Ontario, Canada
Multiphase flow and underpressured shale at the Bruce nuclear site, Ontario, Canada
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.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government