Alan Kasprak is a research geologist with the Southwest Biological Science Center.
Science and Products
Development of a FluEgg Model for the St. Croix River
The USGS partnered with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to collect hydraulic and water chemistry data in the lower St. Croix River for development of a model that predicts the probability of successful egg hatching and survival of juvenile invasive carp over a range of water temperature and streamflow conditions.
Lower St. Croix River Steady State Hydraulic Inputs for FluOil Workshop
This data release contains steady-state hydraulic input files for the FluOil model (Zhu and others, 2022) that describe the lower St. Croix River between St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, and Stillwater, Minnesota. These files are derived from the results of a steady-state one dimensional (1D) hydraulic model of the river reach at three discharges (10,000, 20,000, and 35,000 cubic feet per second (cfs))
Sediment budget data for Lees Ferry dune field, February-May 2019
These data were compiled to enable estimation of aeolian dune field sediment budgets calculated using remote sensing methods. The objective of the study was to evaluate sediment budgets calculated for the Lees Ferry dune field in Grand Canyon, Earth as a terrestrial analog for aeolian dune fields in Valles Marineris, Mars. These data represent digital elevation models (DEM) of the topography of th
Bathymetric, water velocity, and water temperature data on the St. Croix River between St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, and Stillwater, Minnesota, June 19-22, 2018
From June 19-22, 2018, bathymetric, water velocity, and water temperature data were collected on the St. Croix River between St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, and Stillwater, Minnesota. These data were collected with a Teledyne RD Instruments RiverRay acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) and georeferenced using a Trimble R10 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver connected to a real-time
Discharge records and sand extents along the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Phantom Ranch, Arizona
The data contained in these tables detail the areal extent of exposed sand, in square meters, along the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, and Bright Angel Creek, Arizona, within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park. Sand exposure areas are provided as a function of Colorado River discharge, as measured at Lees Ferry, Arizona, in increments of 1000 cubi
River Valley Sediment Connectivity Data, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
This workbook contains spatial data on the hydrology, sedimentology, and vegetation extent within the Colorado River corridor from 60 to 78 miles (97 to 125 kilometers) downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona. In combination with the accompanying MATLAB scripts, these data were used to generate the results within the accompanying manuscript (Kasprak et al., Quantifying and Forecasting Changes in
Geomorphic Process from Topographic FormData & Models
The repeat topographic datasets used here are digital surface models (DSMs) derived using automated photogrammetry from photographs captured via aerial overflights during May 2002, 2009, and 2013. During overflights, discharge from Glen Canyon dam was held steady at 226 m3/s, and all subsequent analyses presented here apply to stages above this constant low flow discharge. DSMs are unique from tra
Filter Total Items: 14
Terrestrial lidar monitoring of the effects of Glen Canyon Dam operations on the geomorphic condition of archaeological sites in Grand Canyon National Park, 2010–2020
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, in coordination with the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, has monitored the geomorphic condition of select archaeological sites along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon using high-resolution terrestrial light detection and ranging (lidar) topographic surveys. Many of these sites are vulnerable to degradation by n
The influence of drying on the aeolian transport of river-sourced sand
Transgression and regression of water levels (stages) have impacted the evolution of aeolian landforms and sedimentary deposits throughout geologic history. We studied this phenomenon over a five-day period of reduced flow on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, AZ, USA, in March 2021. These transient low flows exposed river-channel sand deposits to the air, causing progressive desicc
Can we accurately estimate sediment budgets on Mars?
Sediment budgets are fundamentally important for planetary science. However, only one primary method, based on remote sensing, is currently available for determining extraterrestrial sediment budgets. For determining sediment budgets on Earth, both in-situ and remote sensing methods are available. Despite the widespread use of the two methods, there has been surprisingly little research on how wel
The role of hydraulic and geomorphic complexity in predicting invasive carp spawning potential: St. Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin, United States
Since they were first introduced to the United States more than 50 years ago, invasive carp have rapidly colonized rivers of the Mississippi River Basin, with detrimental effects on native aquatic species. Their continued range expansion, and potential for subsequent invasion of the Great Lakes, has led to increased concern for the susceptibility of as-yet uncompromised lotic and lentic systems in
Future regulated flows of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon foretell decreased areal extent of sediment and increases in riparian vegetation
Sediment transfer, or connectivity, by aeolian processes between channel-proximal and upland deposits in river valleys is important for the maintenance of river corridor biophysical characteristics. In regulated river systems, dams control the magnitude and duration of discharge. Alterations to the flow regime driven by dams that increase the inundation duration of sediment, or which drive the enc
The roles of flood magnitude and duration in controlling channel width and complexity on the Green River in Canyonlands, Utah, USA
Predictions of river channel adjustment to changes in streamflow regime based on relations between mean channel characteristics and mean flood magnitude can be useful to evaluate average channel response. However, because these relations assume equilibrium sediment transport, their applicability to cases where streamflow and sediment transport are decoupled may be limited. These general relations
Quantifying plant-soil-nutrient dynamics in rangelands: Fusion of UAV hyperspectral-LiDAR, UAV multispectral-photogrammetry, and ground-based LiDAR-digital photography in a shrub-encroached desert grassland
Rangelands cover 70% of the world's land surface, and provide critical ecosystem services of primary production, soil carbon storage, and nutrient cycling. These ecosystem services are governed by very fine-scale spatial patterning of soil carbon, nutrients, and plant species at the centimeter-to-meter scales, a phenomenon known as “islands of fertility”. Such fine-scale dynamics are challenging t
The effects of topographic surveying technique and data resolution on the detection and interpretation of geomorphic change
Change detection of high resolution topographic data is commonly used in river valleys to quantify reach- and site-scale sediment budgets by estimating the erosion/deposition volume, and to interpret the geomorphic processes driving erosion and deposition. Field survey data are typically collected as point clouds that are often converted to gridded raster datasets and the ultimate choice of grid r
Quantifying and forecasting changes in the areal extent of river valley sediment in response to altered hydrology and land cover
In river valleys, sediment moves between active river channels, near-channel deposits including bars and floodplains, and upland environments such as terraces and aeolian dunefields. Sediment availability is a prerequisite for the sustained transfer of material between these areas, and for the eco-geomorphic functioning of river networks in general. However, the difficulty of monitoring sediment a
The response of source-bordering aeolian dunefields to sediment-supply changes 2: Controlled floods of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA
In the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam in the Grand Canyon, USA, controlled floods are used to resupply sediment to, and rebuild, river sandbars that have eroded severely over the past five decades owing to dam-induced changes in river flow and sediment supply. In this study, we examine whether controlled floods, can in turn resupply aeolian sediment to some of the large source-border
The response of source-bordering aeolian dunefields to sediment-supply changes 1: Effects of wind variability and river-valley morphodynamics
Source-bordering dunefields (SBDs), which are primarily built and maintained with river-derived sediment, are found in many large river valleys and are currently impacted by changes in sediment supply due to climate change, land use changes, and river regulation. Despite their importance, a physically based, applied approach for quantifying the response of SBDs to changes in sediment supply does n
Linking fluvial and aeolian morphodynamics in the Grand Canyon, USA
In river valleys, fluvial and upland landscapes are intrinsically linked through sediment exchange between the active channel, near-channel fluvial deposits, and higher elevation upland deposits. During floods, sediment is transferred from channels to low-elevation nearchannel deposits [Schmidt and Rubin, 1995]. Particularly in dryland river valleys, subsequent aeolian reworking of these flood dep
Science and Products
- Science
Development of a FluEgg Model for the St. Croix River
The USGS partnered with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to collect hydraulic and water chemistry data in the lower St. Croix River for development of a model that predicts the probability of successful egg hatching and survival of juvenile invasive carp over a range of water temperature and streamflow conditions. - Data
Lower St. Croix River Steady State Hydraulic Inputs for FluOil Workshop
This data release contains steady-state hydraulic input files for the FluOil model (Zhu and others, 2022) that describe the lower St. Croix River between St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, and Stillwater, Minnesota. These files are derived from the results of a steady-state one dimensional (1D) hydraulic model of the river reach at three discharges (10,000, 20,000, and 35,000 cubic feet per second (cfs))Sediment budget data for Lees Ferry dune field, February-May 2019
These data were compiled to enable estimation of aeolian dune field sediment budgets calculated using remote sensing methods. The objective of the study was to evaluate sediment budgets calculated for the Lees Ferry dune field in Grand Canyon, Earth as a terrestrial analog for aeolian dune fields in Valles Marineris, Mars. These data represent digital elevation models (DEM) of the topography of thBathymetric, water velocity, and water temperature data on the St. Croix River between St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, and Stillwater, Minnesota, June 19-22, 2018
From June 19-22, 2018, bathymetric, water velocity, and water temperature data were collected on the St. Croix River between St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, and Stillwater, Minnesota. These data were collected with a Teledyne RD Instruments RiverRay acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) and georeferenced using a Trimble R10 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver connected to a real-timeDischarge records and sand extents along the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Phantom Ranch, Arizona
The data contained in these tables detail the areal extent of exposed sand, in square meters, along the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona, and Bright Angel Creek, Arizona, within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park. Sand exposure areas are provided as a function of Colorado River discharge, as measured at Lees Ferry, Arizona, in increments of 1000 cubiRiver Valley Sediment Connectivity Data, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
This workbook contains spatial data on the hydrology, sedimentology, and vegetation extent within the Colorado River corridor from 60 to 78 miles (97 to 125 kilometers) downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona. In combination with the accompanying MATLAB scripts, these data were used to generate the results within the accompanying manuscript (Kasprak et al., Quantifying and Forecasting Changes inGeomorphic Process from Topographic FormData & Models
The repeat topographic datasets used here are digital surface models (DSMs) derived using automated photogrammetry from photographs captured via aerial overflights during May 2002, 2009, and 2013. During overflights, discharge from Glen Canyon dam was held steady at 226 m3/s, and all subsequent analyses presented here apply to stages above this constant low flow discharge. DSMs are unique from tra - Publications
Filter Total Items: 14
Terrestrial lidar monitoring of the effects of Glen Canyon Dam operations on the geomorphic condition of archaeological sites in Grand Canyon National Park, 2010–2020
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, in coordination with the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, has monitored the geomorphic condition of select archaeological sites along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon using high-resolution terrestrial light detection and ranging (lidar) topographic surveys. Many of these sites are vulnerable to degradation by nThe influence of drying on the aeolian transport of river-sourced sand
Transgression and regression of water levels (stages) have impacted the evolution of aeolian landforms and sedimentary deposits throughout geologic history. We studied this phenomenon over a five-day period of reduced flow on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, AZ, USA, in March 2021. These transient low flows exposed river-channel sand deposits to the air, causing progressive desiccCan we accurately estimate sediment budgets on Mars?
Sediment budgets are fundamentally important for planetary science. However, only one primary method, based on remote sensing, is currently available for determining extraterrestrial sediment budgets. For determining sediment budgets on Earth, both in-situ and remote sensing methods are available. Despite the widespread use of the two methods, there has been surprisingly little research on how welThe role of hydraulic and geomorphic complexity in predicting invasive carp spawning potential: St. Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin, United States
Since they were first introduced to the United States more than 50 years ago, invasive carp have rapidly colonized rivers of the Mississippi River Basin, with detrimental effects on native aquatic species. Their continued range expansion, and potential for subsequent invasion of the Great Lakes, has led to increased concern for the susceptibility of as-yet uncompromised lotic and lentic systems inFuture regulated flows of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon foretell decreased areal extent of sediment and increases in riparian vegetation
Sediment transfer, or connectivity, by aeolian processes between channel-proximal and upland deposits in river valleys is important for the maintenance of river corridor biophysical characteristics. In regulated river systems, dams control the magnitude and duration of discharge. Alterations to the flow regime driven by dams that increase the inundation duration of sediment, or which drive the encThe roles of flood magnitude and duration in controlling channel width and complexity on the Green River in Canyonlands, Utah, USA
Predictions of river channel adjustment to changes in streamflow regime based on relations between mean channel characteristics and mean flood magnitude can be useful to evaluate average channel response. However, because these relations assume equilibrium sediment transport, their applicability to cases where streamflow and sediment transport are decoupled may be limited. These general relationsQuantifying plant-soil-nutrient dynamics in rangelands: Fusion of UAV hyperspectral-LiDAR, UAV multispectral-photogrammetry, and ground-based LiDAR-digital photography in a shrub-encroached desert grassland
Rangelands cover 70% of the world's land surface, and provide critical ecosystem services of primary production, soil carbon storage, and nutrient cycling. These ecosystem services are governed by very fine-scale spatial patterning of soil carbon, nutrients, and plant species at the centimeter-to-meter scales, a phenomenon known as “islands of fertility”. Such fine-scale dynamics are challenging tThe effects of topographic surveying technique and data resolution on the detection and interpretation of geomorphic change
Change detection of high resolution topographic data is commonly used in river valleys to quantify reach- and site-scale sediment budgets by estimating the erosion/deposition volume, and to interpret the geomorphic processes driving erosion and deposition. Field survey data are typically collected as point clouds that are often converted to gridded raster datasets and the ultimate choice of grid rQuantifying and forecasting changes in the areal extent of river valley sediment in response to altered hydrology and land cover
In river valleys, sediment moves between active river channels, near-channel deposits including bars and floodplains, and upland environments such as terraces and aeolian dunefields. Sediment availability is a prerequisite for the sustained transfer of material between these areas, and for the eco-geomorphic functioning of river networks in general. However, the difficulty of monitoring sediment aThe response of source-bordering aeolian dunefields to sediment-supply changes 2: Controlled floods of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA
In the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam in the Grand Canyon, USA, controlled floods are used to resupply sediment to, and rebuild, river sandbars that have eroded severely over the past five decades owing to dam-induced changes in river flow and sediment supply. In this study, we examine whether controlled floods, can in turn resupply aeolian sediment to some of the large source-borderThe response of source-bordering aeolian dunefields to sediment-supply changes 1: Effects of wind variability and river-valley morphodynamics
Source-bordering dunefields (SBDs), which are primarily built and maintained with river-derived sediment, are found in many large river valleys and are currently impacted by changes in sediment supply due to climate change, land use changes, and river regulation. Despite their importance, a physically based, applied approach for quantifying the response of SBDs to changes in sediment supply does nLinking fluvial and aeolian morphodynamics in the Grand Canyon, USA
In river valleys, fluvial and upland landscapes are intrinsically linked through sediment exchange between the active channel, near-channel fluvial deposits, and higher elevation upland deposits. During floods, sediment is transferred from channels to low-elevation nearchannel deposits [Schmidt and Rubin, 1995]. Particularly in dryland river valleys, subsequent aeolian reworking of these flood dep - News