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Robert A Bean, PhD

Robert is a Physical Scientist with the USGS Colorado Water Science Center (COWSC) in Lakewood, CO.

Robert has a background in geomorphology, hydrology, remote sensing, and GIS. His research interests include sediment transport, geomorphometry, SAR, and statistical applications. He joined the Colorado Water Science Center in 2023.
 

Professional Experience

  • 2020 – U.S. Geological Survey

  • 2012-2020 – The University of Texas at Austin
     

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. 2018, University of Texas-Austin, Department of Geography and the Environment; research emphasis paleohydrology, geomorphology, remote sensing

  • M.S. 2012, Portland State University, Department of Geography; research emphasis geomorphology, riparian ecology (biogeochemical processes)

  • B.A. 2009,  Portland State University, Department of Geography, Major: Geography  
     

Honors and Awards

  • Fulbright Scholar (Botswana) – 2016/17

Science and Products

Aerial photograph of study reaches on the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado

Characterizing physical habitat of the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, prior to stream restoration projects

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is monitoring the geomorphology (bathymetry and floodplain topography) in the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, to characterize baseline conditions before planned stream restoration efforts are completed.
By
Colorado Water Science Center
Characterizing physical habitat of the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, prior to stream restoration projects

Characterizing physical habitat of the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, prior to stream restoration projects

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is monitoring the geomorphology (bathymetry and floodplain topography) in the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, to characterize baseline conditions before planned stream restoration efforts are completed.
Learn More

Phytoplankton, algal toxin, and water-quality data for Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado, 1970–2023 Phytoplankton, algal toxin, and water-quality data for Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado, 1970–2023

Blue Mesa Reservoir (Blue Mesa) is the largest storage reservoir in Colorado and is used for water supply and recreation. The reservoir consists of three distinct basins which are, moving from east to west, Iola, Cebolla, and Sapinero. This data release includes a wide variety of data collected to understand conditions that contribute to algal blooms in Blue Mesa. Data include...
By
Colorado Water Science Center

Estimates of Deicing Salt Application across States Encompassing the Delaware River Basin, United States, 2001-2023 Estimates of Deicing Salt Application across States Encompassing the Delaware River Basin, United States, 2001-2023

This data release contains three different estimates of road deicing salt applications, which utilize different sources of deicing salt data, and climate, land cover, and imperviousness data to provide spatially distributed estimates of deicing salt application for states covering the Delaware River Basin from water and calendar years 2001 through 2023 at a 30-meter spatial resolution...
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Remote sensing and in-situ data to support chlorophyll-a mapping in Blue Mesa Reservoir from Sentinel-2 imagery Remote sensing and in-situ data to support chlorophyll-a mapping in Blue Mesa Reservoir from Sentinel-2 imagery

This data set includes estimates of aquatic chlorophyll a concentration and reservoir temperature for Blue Mesa Reservoir, CO. A Random Forest modeling approach was trained to model near-surface aquatic chlorophyll a using near-coincident Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and water samples analyzed for chlorophyll a concentration. The trained chlorophyll a model was applied to Sentinel-2...
By
Idaho Water Science Center

Remote sensing of chlorophyll a and temperature to support algal bloom monitoring in Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado Remote sensing of chlorophyll a and temperature to support algal bloom monitoring in Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado

We present methods to reconstruct historical chlorophyll a and surface water temperatures from satellite-based remote sensing products for Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado, to support algal bloom monitoring. A machine learning model was trained to construct chlorophyll a concentrations from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and in situ measurements of chlorophyll a concentrations (out of bag...
Authors
Tyler King, Robert Allen Bean, Katherine Walton-Day, M. Mast, Evan Gohring, Rachel Gidley, Natalie Day, Nicole D. Gibney
By
Colorado Water Science Center, Idaho Water Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Heejun Chang, Il-Won Jung, Angela Strecker, Daniel Wise, Martin Lafrenz, Vivek Shandas, Hamid Moradkhani, Alan Yeakley, Yangdong Pan, Robert Bean, Gunnar Johnson & Mike Psaris (2013) Water Supply, Demand, and Quality Indicators for Assessing the Spatial Distribution of Water Resource Vulnerability in the Columbia River Basin, Atmosphere-Ocean, 51:4, 339-356, DOI: 10.1080/07055900.2013.777896
Martin D. Lafrenz, Robert A. Bean & Daniel Uthman (2013) Soil ripening following dam removal, Physical Geography, 34:2, 124-135, DOI: 10.1080/02723646.2013.799033

**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

Aerial photograph of study reaches on the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado

Characterizing physical habitat of the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, prior to stream restoration projects

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is monitoring the geomorphology (bathymetry and floodplain topography) in the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, to characterize baseline conditions before planned stream restoration efforts are completed.
By
Colorado Water Science Center
Characterizing physical habitat of the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, prior to stream restoration projects

Characterizing physical habitat of the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, prior to stream restoration projects

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is monitoring the geomorphology (bathymetry and floodplain topography) in the South Platte River in Denver, Colorado, to characterize baseline conditions before planned stream restoration efforts are completed.
Learn More

Phytoplankton, algal toxin, and water-quality data for Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado, 1970–2023 Phytoplankton, algal toxin, and water-quality data for Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado, 1970–2023

Blue Mesa Reservoir (Blue Mesa) is the largest storage reservoir in Colorado and is used for water supply and recreation. The reservoir consists of three distinct basins which are, moving from east to west, Iola, Cebolla, and Sapinero. This data release includes a wide variety of data collected to understand conditions that contribute to algal blooms in Blue Mesa. Data include...
By
Colorado Water Science Center

Estimates of Deicing Salt Application across States Encompassing the Delaware River Basin, United States, 2001-2023 Estimates of Deicing Salt Application across States Encompassing the Delaware River Basin, United States, 2001-2023

This data release contains three different estimates of road deicing salt applications, which utilize different sources of deicing salt data, and climate, land cover, and imperviousness data to provide spatially distributed estimates of deicing salt application for states covering the Delaware River Basin from water and calendar years 2001 through 2023 at a 30-meter spatial resolution...
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Remote sensing and in-situ data to support chlorophyll-a mapping in Blue Mesa Reservoir from Sentinel-2 imagery Remote sensing and in-situ data to support chlorophyll-a mapping in Blue Mesa Reservoir from Sentinel-2 imagery

This data set includes estimates of aquatic chlorophyll a concentration and reservoir temperature for Blue Mesa Reservoir, CO. A Random Forest modeling approach was trained to model near-surface aquatic chlorophyll a using near-coincident Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and water samples analyzed for chlorophyll a concentration. The trained chlorophyll a model was applied to Sentinel-2...
By
Idaho Water Science Center

Remote sensing of chlorophyll a and temperature to support algal bloom monitoring in Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado Remote sensing of chlorophyll a and temperature to support algal bloom monitoring in Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado

We present methods to reconstruct historical chlorophyll a and surface water temperatures from satellite-based remote sensing products for Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado, to support algal bloom monitoring. A machine learning model was trained to construct chlorophyll a concentrations from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and in situ measurements of chlorophyll a concentrations (out of bag...
Authors
Tyler King, Robert Allen Bean, Katherine Walton-Day, M. Mast, Evan Gohring, Rachel Gidley, Natalie Day, Nicole D. Gibney
By
Colorado Water Science Center, Idaho Water Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Heejun Chang, Il-Won Jung, Angela Strecker, Daniel Wise, Martin Lafrenz, Vivek Shandas, Hamid Moradkhani, Alan Yeakley, Yangdong Pan, Robert Bean, Gunnar Johnson & Mike Psaris (2013) Water Supply, Demand, and Quality Indicators for Assessing the Spatial Distribution of Water Resource Vulnerability in the Columbia River Basin, Atmosphere-Ocean, 51:4, 339-356, DOI: 10.1080/07055900.2013.777896
Martin D. Lafrenz, Robert A. Bean & Daniel Uthman (2013) Soil ripening following dam removal, Physical Geography, 34:2, 124-135, DOI: 10.1080/02723646.2013.799033

**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.

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