Allen C Gellis, Ph.D.
Allen's interests are in the broad area of fluvial geomorphology, with emphasis on understanding the erosion, transport, storage, delivery, and age of fluvial sediment. Much of Allen’s research is focused on developing approaches to understand the significant sources of fine-grained sediment using geochemical tracers or fingerprints at both small and regional watershed scales.
Professional Experience
Present Assignment: Fluvial Geomorphologist for the National Water Quality Assessments (NAWQA) Regional Stream Quality Assessment Team (RSQA)
The NAWQA-RSQA program has multiple objectives: (1) to access the status of ecological conditions in broad regions of the U.S., (2) to understand the relation of contaminants, nutrients, and sediment to ecologic condition and (3) to understand the role of human and natural factors in the occurrence of contaminants, nutrients, and sediment. We have conducted studies in 3 large ecosystems of the United States- the Midwest (MSQA), the Southeast (SESQA), and the Pacific Northwest (PNSQA) with 3 regions remaining. At all the RSQA sites, I develop the data collection for the physical habitat assessments and provide training and support for USGS NAWQA personnel.
My research with NAWQA includes: 1. Using radionuclides (7Be, 210Pbex, 137Cs) to determine the source(s) and age of fine-grained sediment (<0.063mm). 2. Developing appropriate metrics to understand the relation of sediment and channel morphologic stressors on the health of aquatic habitat. 3. Analyzing regional sediment loads and concentrations. My NAWQA research and its interpretations have enormous national implications that include understanding sediment sources at regional scales and determining the physical health of our Nations' rivers. With assistance from Laurel Woodruff, a major study objective of SESQA is to determine if the USGS Geochemical Soils Database (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2014/1082/) can be used as a source library for sediment fingerprinting. We are only 2 years into the analysis, and I have not yet published any significant research papers. I did present preliminary results of my sediment sourcing research using radionuclides at the 2014 AGU National Meeting. I am expected to publish several papers over the next year.
Present Assignment: Identifying Sediment Sources in the Sediment Total Maximum Daily Load Process (10 %)
The objective of this study is to bring the science of sediment sourcing to the practitioner level. This includes research on sediment budgets and sediment fingerprinting. The practitioners we are asked to assist include local and state agencies mandated to reduce sediment loads through the Sediment TMDL program. We are currently writing an EPA manual that highlights the methods and approaches used to identify sediment sources and develop sediment budgets.
Previous Assignment: Determining the sources of fine-grained sediment in small watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay
In the Chesapeake Bay, sediment and associated nutrients are having an adverse effect on the living resources and habitat of the Chesapeake
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Geology - Dissertation Title: Suspended-Sediment Characteristics In Four Humid Tropical Watersheds Of Contrasting Land Use, Puerto Rico, Colorado State University
M.S. in Geology, Colorado State University
B.S. in Geology, State University of New York at Albany
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 51
Total nitrogen and suspended-sediment loads and identification of suspended-sediment sources in the Laurel Hill Creek watershed, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, water years 2010-11
Laurel Hill Creek is a watershed of 125 square miles located mostly in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, with small areas extending into Fayette and Westmoreland Counties. The upper part of the watershed is on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection 303(d) list of impaired streams because of siltation, nutrients, and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. The objectives of this study we
Authors
Ronald A. Sloto, Allen C. Gellis, Daniel G. Galeone
Hydrologic Data for Deep Creek Lake and Selected Tributaries, Garrett County, Maryland, 2007-08
Introduction Recent and ongoing efforts to develop the land in the area around Deep Creek Lake, Garrett County, Maryland, are expected to change the volume of sediment moving toward and into the lake, as well as impact the water quality of the lake and its many tributaries. With increased development, there is an associated increased demand for groundwater and surface-water withdrawals, as well as
Authors
William S.L. Banks, William J. Davies, Allen C. Gellis, Andrew E. LaMotte, Wendy S. McPherson, Daniel J. Soeder
Suspended-sediment sources in an urban watershed, Northeast Branch Anacostia River, Maryland
Fine sediment sources were characterized by chemical composition in an urban watershed, the Northeast Branch Anacostia River, which drains to the Chesapeake Bay. Concentrations of 63 elements and two radionuclides were measured in possible land-based sediment sources and suspended sediment collected from the water column at the watershed outlet during storm events. These tracer concentrations were
Authors
Olivia H. Devereux, Karen L. Prestegaard, Brian A. Needelman, Allen C. Gellis
Fluvial sediment in the environment: a national challenge
Sediment and sediment-associated constituents can contribute substantially to water-quality impairment. In the past, sediment was viewed mainly as an engineering problem that affected reservoir storage capacity, shipping channel maintenance, and bridge scour, as well as the loss of agricultural soil. Sediment is now recognized as a major cause of aquatic system degradation in many rivers and strea
Authors
Matthew C. Larsen, Allen C. Gellis, G. Douglas Glysson, John R. Gray, Arthur J. Horowitz
Sources, transport, and storage of sediment at selected sites in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The Chesapeake Bay Watershed covers 165,800 square kilometers and is supplied with water and sediment from five major physiographic provinces: Appalachian Plateau, Blue Ridge, Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and the Valley and Ridge. Suspended-sediment loads measured in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed showed that the Piedmont Physiographic Province has the highest rates of modern (20th Century) sediment yie
Authors
Allen C. Gellis, Cliff R. Hupp, Milan J. Pavich, Jurate M. Landwehr, William S.L. Banks, Bernard E. Hubbard, Michael J. Langland, Jerry C. Ritchie, Joanna M. Reuter
Streamflow and fluvial sediment transport in Pool C, restored section of the Kissimmee River
The Kissimmee River Restoration Project was authorized by Congress in 1992 to restore more than 64 km2 (square kilometers) of river/floodplain ecosystem including 69 km of meandering river channel and 10,900 hectares (ha) of wetlands. Although biologic monitoring is an integral and active part of the Kissimmee River restoration, by 2007 geomorphic monitoring that included sediment transport was la
Authors
J. Leroy Pearman, Allen C. Gellis, Philip J. Habermehl
Synthesis of U.S. Geological Survey science for the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and implications for environmental management
The purpose of this report is to present a synthesis of the USGS Chesapeake Bay science related to the 2001-06 goals and provide implications for environmental management. The report provides USGS findings that address the science needs of the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) restoration goals and includes summaries of 1. land-use change; 2. water quality in the watershed, including nutrients, sedimen
Authors
Scott W. Ator, Vicki S. Blazer, John W. Brakebill, Donald R. Cahoon, Peter R. Claggett, Thomas M. Cronin, Judith M. Denver, Christine L. Densmore, Allen C. Gellis, Cliff R. Hupp, Jurate M. Landwehr, Michael J. Langland, Christopher A. Ottinger, Milan J. Pavich, Matthew C. Perry, Scott W. Phillips, Stephen D. Preston, Jeff P. Raffensperger, Barnett A. Rattner, Nancy B. Rybicki, Debra A. Willard
Land-use effects on erosion, sediment yields, and reservoir sedimentation: A case study in the Lago Loiza Basin, Puerto Rico
Lago Loíza impounded in 1953 to supply San Juan, Puerto Rico, with drinking water; by 1994, it had lost 47% of its capacity. To characterize sedimentation in Lago Loíza, a study combining land-use history, hillslope erosion rates, and subbasin sediment yields was conducted. Sedimentation rates during the early part of the reservoir’s operation (1953– 1963) were slightly higher than the rates durin
Authors
Allen C. Gellis, Richard M. T. Webb, S. C. McIntyre, William J. Wolfe
Channel and hillslope processes revisited in the Arroyo de los Frijoles watershed near Santa Fe, New Mexico
Detailed documentation of geomorphic changes in the landscape of more than a few years is rarely possible. Channel cross sections, channel profiles, sediment deposition behind dams, and hillslope-erosion plots, originally benchmarked within several watersheds outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the 1950’s and 1960’s, for a 1966 report that documented processes and rates of arid-region sediment produc
Authors
Allen C. Gellis, William W. Emmett, Luna Bergere Leopold
Summary of suspended-sediment data for streams draining the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, water years 1952-2002
U.S. Geological Survey suspended-sediment data from 1952 to 2002 from selected stream-gaging stations draining the nontidal parts of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed were summarized to identify areas in the Watershed with high suspended-sediment loads, yields, and concentrations. The suspended-sediment load data were separated into two periods, 1952?1984 and 1985?2001. In 1985, the Chesapeake Bay Prog
Authors
Allen C. Gellis, William S.L. Banks, Michael J. Langland, Sarah K. Martucci
Twentieth century arroyo changes in Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Chaco Wash arroyo channel changes in the 20th century have become a major concern of the National Park Service. Several archeologic and cultural sites are located in the Chaco Wash corridor; thus, increased erosional activity of Chaco Wash, such as channel incision and increased meandering, may affect these sites. Through field surveys, photogrammetric analyses, and reviews of existing reports and
Authors
Allen C. Gellis
Characterization and evaluation of channel and hillslope erosion on the Zuni Indian Reservation, New Mexico, 1992-95
Like many areas of the southwestern United States, the Zuni Indian
Reservation, New Mexico, has high rates of erosion, ranging from 95 to
greater than 1,430 cubic meters per square kilometer per year. Erosion
on the Zuni Indian Reservation includes channel erosion (arroyo incision
and channel widening) and hillslope (sheetwash) erosion. The U.S. Geological
Survey conducted a 3-year (1992
Authors
A. C. Gellis
Science and Products
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- Publications
Filter Total Items: 51
Total nitrogen and suspended-sediment loads and identification of suspended-sediment sources in the Laurel Hill Creek watershed, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, water years 2010-11
Laurel Hill Creek is a watershed of 125 square miles located mostly in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, with small areas extending into Fayette and Westmoreland Counties. The upper part of the watershed is on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection 303(d) list of impaired streams because of siltation, nutrients, and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. The objectives of this study weAuthorsRonald A. Sloto, Allen C. Gellis, Daniel G. GaleoneHydrologic Data for Deep Creek Lake and Selected Tributaries, Garrett County, Maryland, 2007-08
Introduction Recent and ongoing efforts to develop the land in the area around Deep Creek Lake, Garrett County, Maryland, are expected to change the volume of sediment moving toward and into the lake, as well as impact the water quality of the lake and its many tributaries. With increased development, there is an associated increased demand for groundwater and surface-water withdrawals, as well asAuthorsWilliam S.L. Banks, William J. Davies, Allen C. Gellis, Andrew E. LaMotte, Wendy S. McPherson, Daniel J. SoederSuspended-sediment sources in an urban watershed, Northeast Branch Anacostia River, Maryland
Fine sediment sources were characterized by chemical composition in an urban watershed, the Northeast Branch Anacostia River, which drains to the Chesapeake Bay. Concentrations of 63 elements and two radionuclides were measured in possible land-based sediment sources and suspended sediment collected from the water column at the watershed outlet during storm events. These tracer concentrations wereAuthorsOlivia H. Devereux, Karen L. Prestegaard, Brian A. Needelman, Allen C. GellisFluvial sediment in the environment: a national challenge
Sediment and sediment-associated constituents can contribute substantially to water-quality impairment. In the past, sediment was viewed mainly as an engineering problem that affected reservoir storage capacity, shipping channel maintenance, and bridge scour, as well as the loss of agricultural soil. Sediment is now recognized as a major cause of aquatic system degradation in many rivers and streaAuthorsMatthew C. Larsen, Allen C. Gellis, G. Douglas Glysson, John R. Gray, Arthur J. HorowitzSources, transport, and storage of sediment at selected sites in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The Chesapeake Bay Watershed covers 165,800 square kilometers and is supplied with water and sediment from five major physiographic provinces: Appalachian Plateau, Blue Ridge, Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and the Valley and Ridge. Suspended-sediment loads measured in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed showed that the Piedmont Physiographic Province has the highest rates of modern (20th Century) sediment yieAuthorsAllen C. Gellis, Cliff R. Hupp, Milan J. Pavich, Jurate M. Landwehr, William S.L. Banks, Bernard E. Hubbard, Michael J. Langland, Jerry C. Ritchie, Joanna M. ReuterStreamflow and fluvial sediment transport in Pool C, restored section of the Kissimmee River
The Kissimmee River Restoration Project was authorized by Congress in 1992 to restore more than 64 km2 (square kilometers) of river/floodplain ecosystem including 69 km of meandering river channel and 10,900 hectares (ha) of wetlands. Although biologic monitoring is an integral and active part of the Kissimmee River restoration, by 2007 geomorphic monitoring that included sediment transport was laAuthorsJ. Leroy Pearman, Allen C. Gellis, Philip J. HabermehlSynthesis of U.S. Geological Survey science for the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and implications for environmental management
The purpose of this report is to present a synthesis of the USGS Chesapeake Bay science related to the 2001-06 goals and provide implications for environmental management. The report provides USGS findings that address the science needs of the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) restoration goals and includes summaries of 1. land-use change; 2. water quality in the watershed, including nutrients, sedimenAuthorsScott W. Ator, Vicki S. Blazer, John W. Brakebill, Donald R. Cahoon, Peter R. Claggett, Thomas M. Cronin, Judith M. Denver, Christine L. Densmore, Allen C. Gellis, Cliff R. Hupp, Jurate M. Landwehr, Michael J. Langland, Christopher A. Ottinger, Milan J. Pavich, Matthew C. Perry, Scott W. Phillips, Stephen D. Preston, Jeff P. Raffensperger, Barnett A. Rattner, Nancy B. Rybicki, Debra A. WillardLand-use effects on erosion, sediment yields, and reservoir sedimentation: A case study in the Lago Loiza Basin, Puerto Rico
Lago Loíza impounded in 1953 to supply San Juan, Puerto Rico, with drinking water; by 1994, it had lost 47% of its capacity. To characterize sedimentation in Lago Loíza, a study combining land-use history, hillslope erosion rates, and subbasin sediment yields was conducted. Sedimentation rates during the early part of the reservoir’s operation (1953– 1963) were slightly higher than the rates durinAuthorsAllen C. Gellis, Richard M. T. Webb, S. C. McIntyre, William J. WolfeChannel and hillslope processes revisited in the Arroyo de los Frijoles watershed near Santa Fe, New Mexico
Detailed documentation of geomorphic changes in the landscape of more than a few years is rarely possible. Channel cross sections, channel profiles, sediment deposition behind dams, and hillslope-erosion plots, originally benchmarked within several watersheds outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the 1950’s and 1960’s, for a 1966 report that documented processes and rates of arid-region sediment producAuthorsAllen C. Gellis, William W. Emmett, Luna Bergere LeopoldSummary of suspended-sediment data for streams draining the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, water years 1952-2002
U.S. Geological Survey suspended-sediment data from 1952 to 2002 from selected stream-gaging stations draining the nontidal parts of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed were summarized to identify areas in the Watershed with high suspended-sediment loads, yields, and concentrations. The suspended-sediment load data were separated into two periods, 1952?1984 and 1985?2001. In 1985, the Chesapeake Bay ProgAuthorsAllen C. Gellis, William S.L. Banks, Michael J. Langland, Sarah K. MartucciTwentieth century arroyo changes in Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Chaco Wash arroyo channel changes in the 20th century have become a major concern of the National Park Service. Several archeologic and cultural sites are located in the Chaco Wash corridor; thus, increased erosional activity of Chaco Wash, such as channel incision and increased meandering, may affect these sites. Through field surveys, photogrammetric analyses, and reviews of existing reports andAuthorsAllen C. GellisCharacterization and evaluation of channel and hillslope erosion on the Zuni Indian Reservation, New Mexico, 1992-95
Like many areas of the southwestern United States, the Zuni Indian Reservation, New Mexico, has high rates of erosion, ranging from 95 to greater than 1,430 cubic meters per square kilometer per year. Erosion on the Zuni Indian Reservation includes channel erosion (arroyo incision and channel widening) and hillslope (sheetwash) erosion. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a 3-year (1992AuthorsA. C. Gellis - Software
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