Aida Farag, PhD
Dr. Aїda Farag is the Project Leader at the Columbia Environmental Research Center’s, Jackson Field Research Station.
She focuses on 3 research areas: 1) The potential effects of oil and gas activities on aquatic life and is the Co-Lead for the Environmental Health Mission Area – Energy Project. This project includes 35 researchers and 65 external partners from universities, state agencies, and other federal agencies focusing research on source mobility, pathways to the environment, resilience/restoration, and beneficial reuse. 2) Restoration of Contaminated and Impaired Ecosystems. Dr. Farag convened an international workshop in 2014 and continues to advance the science of putting restoration goals upfront. 3) Fish physiology to complement toxicological investigations and Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration assistance. She uses a multifaceted approach to define not only changes at the level of the individual fish but to relate those changes to population structures in the field.
Professional Experience
2000 - present Research Fishery Biologist, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Project Leader, Jackson Field Research Station, Jackson, Wyoming.
1994 - 2000 Research Fishery Biologist, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Assistant Project Leader Jackson Field Research Station, Jackson, Wyoming.
1994 - 2000 Research Fishery Biologist, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Assistant Project Leader Jackson Field Research Station, Jackson, Wyoming.
1994 - 1994 Post-doctoral Research Associate, Wyoming Cooperative Research Unit.
1988 - 1993 Research Associate and PhD candidate, University Wyoming, Dept. of Zoology and Physiology.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, 1993. U.S. Department of Energy Fellowship
M.S. Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, 1988.
B.S. Environmental Health Management; Indiana University, Bloomington, 1981.
Affiliations and Memberships*
1985 - present, Member of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
1998 - present, Adjunct Faculty, University of Wyoming, Department of Zoology and Physiology.
2004 - present, Member of the Society of Ecological Restoration
2007 - present, Member Editorial Board Restoration Ecology, an international journal.
2011 - 2015, Member Board of Directors, Society of Restoration Ecology
2011 - 2015, Member Science and Policy Committee, Society of Ecological Restoration
2016 - present, Science Team about Energy and Plains and Potholes (STEPPE)
2019 - present, Bakken Federal Executive Group – Natural Resources Subcommittee (BFEG)
2020 - present, Research Associate Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative
2020 - present, Plant Interest Group Steering Committee, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Science and Products
Transforming ecosystems: When, where, and how to restore contaminated sites
Assessment of surface water chloride and conductivity trends in areas of unconventional oil and gas development — Why existing national data sets cannot tell us what we would like to know
Ecological risks of shale oil and gas development to wildlife, aquatic resources and their habitats
In situ and laboratory toxicity of coalbed natural gas produced waters with elevated sodium bicarbonate
A review of environmental impacts of salts from produced waters on aquatic resources
Acute toxicity of sodium bicarbonate, a major component of coal bed natural gas produced waters, to 13 aquatic species as defined in the laboratory
The chronic toxicity of sodium bicarbonate, a major component of coal bed natural gas produced waters
Mercury and selenium concentrations in biofilm, macroinvertebrates, and fish collected in the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho, USA, and their potential effects on fish health
The potential effects of sodium bicarbonate, a major constituent from coalbed natural gas production, on aquatic life
Potential effects of coalbed natural gas development on fish and aquatic resources
Potential effects of coal bed natural gas development on fish and aquatic resources
Trout density and health in a stream with variable water temperatures and trace element concentrations: does a cold-water source attract trout to increased metal exposure?
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 52
Transforming ecosystems: When, where, and how to restore contaminated sites
Chemical contamination has impaired ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and the provisioning of functions and services. This has spurred a movement to restore contaminated ecosystems and develop and implement national and international regulations that require it. Nevertheless, ecological restoration remains a young and rapidly growing discipline and its intersection with toxicology is even more nasAuthorsJason R. Rohr, Aïda M. Farag, Marc W. Cadotte, William H. Clements, James R. Smith, Cheryl P. Ulrich, Richard WoodsAssessment of surface water chloride and conductivity trends in areas of unconventional oil and gas development — Why existing national data sets cannot tell us what we would like to know
Heightened concern regarding the potential effects of unconventional oil and gas development on regional water quality has emerged, but the few studies on this topic are limited in geographic scope. Here we evaluate the potential utility of national and publicly available water-quality data sets for addressing questions regarding unconventional oil and gas development. We used existing U.S. GeologAuthorsZachary H. Bowen, Gretchen P. Oelsner, Brian S. Cade, Tanya J. Gallegos, Aïda M. Farag, David N. Mott, Christopher J. Potter, Peter J. Cinotto, Melanie L. Clark, William M. Kappel, Timothy M. Kresse, Cynthia P. Melcher, Suzanne Paschke, David D. Susong, Brian A. VarelaByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science CenterEcological risks of shale oil and gas development to wildlife, aquatic resources and their habitats
Technological advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have led to the exploration and exploitation of shale oil and gas both nationally and internationally. Extensive development of shale resources has occurred within the United States over the past decade, yet full build out is not expected to occur for years. Moreover, countries across the globe have large shale resources and arAuthorsMargaret C. Brittingham, Kelly O. Maloney, Aïda M. Farag, David D. Harper, Zachary H. BowenIn situ and laboratory toxicity of coalbed natural gas produced waters with elevated sodium bicarbonate
Some tributaries in the Powder River Structural Basin, USA, were historically ephemeral, but now contain water year round as a result of discharge of coalbed natural gas (CBNG)-produced waters. This presented the opportunity to study field sites with 100% effluent water with elevated concentrations of sodium bicarbonate. In situ experiments, static renewal experiments performed simultaneously withAuthorsAïda M. Farag, David D. Harper, Don SkaarA review of environmental impacts of salts from produced waters on aquatic resources
Salts are frequently a major constituent of waste waters produced during oil and gas production. These produced waters or brines must be treated and/or disposed and provide a daily challenge for operators and resource managers. Some elements of salts are regulated with water quality criteria established for the protection of aquatic wildlife, e.g. chloride (Cl−), which has an acute standard of 860AuthorsAïda M. Farag, David D. HarperAcute toxicity of sodium bicarbonate, a major component of coal bed natural gas produced waters, to 13 aquatic species as defined in the laboratory
Water produced during coal bed natural gas (CBNG) extraction in the Powder River Structural Basin of Wyoming and Montana (USA) may contain concentrations of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) of more than 3000 mg/L. The authors evaluated the acute toxicity of NaHCO3, also expressed as bicarbonate (HCO3−), to 13 aquatic organisms. Of the 13 species tested, 7 had a median lethal concentration (LC50) less tAuthorsDavid D. Harper, Aïda M. Farag, Don SkaarThe chronic toxicity of sodium bicarbonate, a major component of coal bed natural gas produced waters
Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is the principal salt in coal bed natural gas produced water from the Powder River Structural Basin, Wyoming, USA, and concentrations of up to 3000 mg NaHCO3/L have been documented at some locations. No adequate studies have been performed to assess the chronic effects of NaHCO3 exposure. The present study was initiated to investigate the chronic toxicity and define subAuthorsAïda M. Farag, David D. HarperMercury and selenium concentrations in biofilm, macroinvertebrates, and fish collected in the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho, USA, and their potential effects on fish health
The Yankee Fork is a large tributary of the Salmon River located in central Idaho, USA, with an extensive history of placer and dredge-mining activities. Concentrations of selenium (Se) and mercury (Hg) in various aquatic trophic levels were measured in the Yankee Fork during 2001 and 2002. Various measurements of fish health were also performed. Sites included four on the mainstem of the Yankee FAuthorsDarren T. Rhea, Aïda M. Farag, David D. Harper, Elizabeth McConnell, William G. BrumbaughThe potential effects of sodium bicarbonate, a major constituent from coalbed natural gas production, on aquatic life
The production water from coalbed natural gas (CBNG) extraction contains many constituents. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established aquatic life criteria for some of these constituents, and it is therefore possible to evaluate their risk to aquatic life. However, of the major ions associated with produced waters, chloride is the only one with an established aquatic life criterionAuthorsAïda M. Farag, David D. HarperPotential effects of coalbed natural gas development on fish and aquatic resources
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a summary of issues and findings related to the potential effects of coalbed natural gas (CBNG) development on fish and other aquatic resources. We reviewed CBNG issues from across the United States and used the Powder River Basin of Wyoming as a case study to exemplify some pertinent issues. The quality of water produced during CBNG extraction is quite vaAuthorsAïda M. Farag, David D. Harper, Anna C. Senecal, Arthur E. HubertPotential effects of coal bed natural gas development on fish and aquatic resources
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a summary of issues and findings related to the potential effects of coalbed natural gas (CBNG) development on fish and other aquatic resources. We reviewed CBNG issues from across the United States and used the Powder River Basin of Wyoming as a case study to exemplify some pertinent issues. The quality of water produced during CBNG extraction is quite vaAuthorsAïda M. Farag, D.D. Harper, W.A. Hubert, A.E. HubertTrout density and health in a stream with variable water temperatures and trace element concentrations: does a cold-water source attract trout to increased metal exposure?
A history of hard-rock mining has resulted in elevated concentrations of heavy metals in Prickly Pear Creek (MT. USA). Remediation has improved water quality; however, dissolved zinc and cadmium concentrations still exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water-quality criteria. Physical habitat, salmonid density, fish health, and water quality were assessed, and metal concentrations in fish tAuthorsD.D. Harper, A.M. Farag, C. Hogstr, Elizabeth MacConnell
*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