Amanda Garcia
Amanda is a Hydrologist and Groundwater Section Supervisor at the Oregon Water Science Center in Bend, Oregon. She has been with the USGS since 2000 investigating water flow, water availability, contaminant transport, and water sourcing across the groundwater-to-atmosphere continuum.
Education and Certifications
B.S. in Geosystems Engineering and Hydrogeology at the University of Texas at Austin
M.S. in Hydrogeology at the University of Nevada, Reno
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 14
Supplemental data from: Hydraulic Characterization of Volcanic Rocks in Pahute Mesa Using an Integrated Analysis of 16 Multiple-Well Aquifer Tests, Nevada National Security Site, 200914 Supplemental data from: Hydraulic Characterization of Volcanic Rocks in Pahute Mesa Using an Integrated Analysis of 16 Multiple-Well Aquifer Tests, Nevada National Security Site, 200914
An improved understanding of groundwater flow and radionuclide migration downgradient from underground nuclear-testing areas at Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, requires accurate subsurface hydraulic characterization. To improve conceptual models of flow and transport in the complex hydrogeologic system beneath Pahute Mesa, the U.S. Geological Survey characterized bulk...
MODFLOW model used to simulate multiple-well aquifer tests and characterize hydraulic properties of volcanic rocks in Pahute Mesa MODFLOW model used to simulate multiple-well aquifer tests and characterize hydraulic properties of volcanic rocks in Pahute Mesa
An improved understanding of groundwater flow and radionuclide migration downgradient from underground nuclear-testing areas at Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, requires accurate subsurface hydraulic characterization. To improve conceptual models of flow and transport in the complex hydrogeologic system beneath Pahute Mesa, the U.S. Geological Survey characterized bulk...
Filter Total Items: 31
Hydrogeologic framework and occurrence, movement, and chemical characterization of groundwater in Dixie Valley, west-central Nevada Hydrogeologic framework and occurrence, movement, and chemical characterization of groundwater in Dixie Valley, west-central Nevada
Dixie Valley, a primarily undeveloped basin in west-central Nevada, is being considered for groundwater exportation. Proposed pumping would occur from the basin-fill aquifer. In response to proposed exportation, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and Churchill County, conducted a study to improve the understanding of groundwater resources in Dixie...
Authors
Jena M. Huntington, C. Amanda Garcia, Michael R. Rosen
Detecting drawdowns masked by environmental stresses with water-level models Detecting drawdowns masked by environmental stresses with water-level models
Detecting and quantifying small drawdown at observation wells distant from the pumping well greatly expands the characterized aquifer volume. However, this detection is often obscured by water level fluctuations such as barometric and tidal effects. A reliable analytical approach for distinguishing drawdown from nonpumping water-level fluctuations is presented and tested here. Drawdown...
Authors
C.A. Garcia, K. J. Halford, J.M. Fenelon
Advanced methods for modeling water-levels and estimating drawdowns with SeriesSEE, an Excel add-in Advanced methods for modeling water-levels and estimating drawdowns with SeriesSEE, an Excel add-in
Water-level modeling is used for multiple-well aquifer tests to reliably differentiate pumping responses from natural water-level changes in wells, or “environmental fluctuations.” Synthetic water levels are created during water-level modeling and represent the summation of multiple component fluctuations, including those caused by environmental forcing and pumping. Pumping signals are...
Authors
Keith Halford, C. Amanda Garcia, Joe Fenelon, Benjamin B. Mirus
Assessing hydraulic connections across a complex sequence of volcanic rocks - Analysis of U-20 WW multiple-well aquifer test, Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada Assessing hydraulic connections across a complex sequence of volcanic rocks - Analysis of U-20 WW multiple-well aquifer test, Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada
Groundwater beneath Pahute Mesa flows through a complexly layered sequence of volcanic rock aquifers and confining units that have been faulted into distinct structural blocks. Hydraulic property estimates of rocks and structures in this flow system are necessary to assess radionuclide migration near underground nuclear testing areas. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) used a 12 month...
Authors
C. Amanda Garcia, Joseph M. Fenelon, Keith J. Halford, Steven R. Reiner, Randell J. Laczniak
Interpretation of Flow Logs from Nevada Test Site Boreholes to Estimate Hydraulic Conductivity Using Numerical Simulations Constrained by Single-Well Aquifer Tests Interpretation of Flow Logs from Nevada Test Site Boreholes to Estimate Hydraulic Conductivity Using Numerical Simulations Constrained by Single-Well Aquifer Tests
Hydraulic conductivities of volcanic and carbonate lithologic units at the Nevada Test Site were estimated from flow logs and aquifer-test data. Borehole flow and drawdown were integrated and interpreted using a radial, axisymmetric flow model, AnalyzeHOLE. This integrated approach is used because complex well completions and heterogeneous aquifers and confining units produce vertical...
Authors
C. Amanda Garcia, Keith J. Halford, Randell J. Laczniak
Transport of tritium contamination to the atmosphere in an arid environment Transport of tritium contamination to the atmosphere in an arid environment
Soil–plant–atmosphere interactions strongly influence water movement in desert unsaturated zones, but little is known about how such interactions affect atmospheric release of subsurface water-borne contaminants. This 2-yr study, performed at the U.S. Geological Survey's Amargosa Desert Research Site in southern Nevada, quantified the magnitude and spatiotemporal variability of tritium...
Authors
C. Amanda Garcia, Brian J. Andraski, Michael J. Johnson, David A. Stonestrom, Robert L. Michel, C.A. Cooper, S.W. Wheatcraft
Non-USGS Publications**
Fang, X., Cleveland, T.G., Garcia, C.A., Thompson, D.B., Malla, R., 2005. Literature Review on Timing Parameters for Hydrographs, prepared for Texas Department of Transportation: Lamar University Research Report 0–4696–1, 72p. http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/digitized/texasarchive/phase2/4696-1-lamar.pdf
Roussel, M.C., Thompson, D.B., Fang, X., Cleveland, T.G., Garcia, C.A., 2005. Time-parameter estimation for applicable Texas watersheds, prepared for Texas Department of Transportation: Lamar University Research Report 0–4694–2, 30p. http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/digitized/texasarchive/phase2/4696-2-lamar.pdf
**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
Filter Total Items: 14
Supplemental data from: Hydraulic Characterization of Volcanic Rocks in Pahute Mesa Using an Integrated Analysis of 16 Multiple-Well Aquifer Tests, Nevada National Security Site, 200914 Supplemental data from: Hydraulic Characterization of Volcanic Rocks in Pahute Mesa Using an Integrated Analysis of 16 Multiple-Well Aquifer Tests, Nevada National Security Site, 200914
An improved understanding of groundwater flow and radionuclide migration downgradient from underground nuclear-testing areas at Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, requires accurate subsurface hydraulic characterization. To improve conceptual models of flow and transport in the complex hydrogeologic system beneath Pahute Mesa, the U.S. Geological Survey characterized bulk...
MODFLOW model used to simulate multiple-well aquifer tests and characterize hydraulic properties of volcanic rocks in Pahute Mesa MODFLOW model used to simulate multiple-well aquifer tests and characterize hydraulic properties of volcanic rocks in Pahute Mesa
An improved understanding of groundwater flow and radionuclide migration downgradient from underground nuclear-testing areas at Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, requires accurate subsurface hydraulic characterization. To improve conceptual models of flow and transport in the complex hydrogeologic system beneath Pahute Mesa, the U.S. Geological Survey characterized bulk...
Filter Total Items: 31
Hydrogeologic framework and occurrence, movement, and chemical characterization of groundwater in Dixie Valley, west-central Nevada Hydrogeologic framework and occurrence, movement, and chemical characterization of groundwater in Dixie Valley, west-central Nevada
Dixie Valley, a primarily undeveloped basin in west-central Nevada, is being considered for groundwater exportation. Proposed pumping would occur from the basin-fill aquifer. In response to proposed exportation, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and Churchill County, conducted a study to improve the understanding of groundwater resources in Dixie...
Authors
Jena M. Huntington, C. Amanda Garcia, Michael R. Rosen
Detecting drawdowns masked by environmental stresses with water-level models Detecting drawdowns masked by environmental stresses with water-level models
Detecting and quantifying small drawdown at observation wells distant from the pumping well greatly expands the characterized aquifer volume. However, this detection is often obscured by water level fluctuations such as barometric and tidal effects. A reliable analytical approach for distinguishing drawdown from nonpumping water-level fluctuations is presented and tested here. Drawdown...
Authors
C.A. Garcia, K. J. Halford, J.M. Fenelon
Advanced methods for modeling water-levels and estimating drawdowns with SeriesSEE, an Excel add-in Advanced methods for modeling water-levels and estimating drawdowns with SeriesSEE, an Excel add-in
Water-level modeling is used for multiple-well aquifer tests to reliably differentiate pumping responses from natural water-level changes in wells, or “environmental fluctuations.” Synthetic water levels are created during water-level modeling and represent the summation of multiple component fluctuations, including those caused by environmental forcing and pumping. Pumping signals are...
Authors
Keith Halford, C. Amanda Garcia, Joe Fenelon, Benjamin B. Mirus
Assessing hydraulic connections across a complex sequence of volcanic rocks - Analysis of U-20 WW multiple-well aquifer test, Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada Assessing hydraulic connections across a complex sequence of volcanic rocks - Analysis of U-20 WW multiple-well aquifer test, Pahute Mesa, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada
Groundwater beneath Pahute Mesa flows through a complexly layered sequence of volcanic rock aquifers and confining units that have been faulted into distinct structural blocks. Hydraulic property estimates of rocks and structures in this flow system are necessary to assess radionuclide migration near underground nuclear testing areas. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) used a 12 month...
Authors
C. Amanda Garcia, Joseph M. Fenelon, Keith J. Halford, Steven R. Reiner, Randell J. Laczniak
Interpretation of Flow Logs from Nevada Test Site Boreholes to Estimate Hydraulic Conductivity Using Numerical Simulations Constrained by Single-Well Aquifer Tests Interpretation of Flow Logs from Nevada Test Site Boreholes to Estimate Hydraulic Conductivity Using Numerical Simulations Constrained by Single-Well Aquifer Tests
Hydraulic conductivities of volcanic and carbonate lithologic units at the Nevada Test Site were estimated from flow logs and aquifer-test data. Borehole flow and drawdown were integrated and interpreted using a radial, axisymmetric flow model, AnalyzeHOLE. This integrated approach is used because complex well completions and heterogeneous aquifers and confining units produce vertical...
Authors
C. Amanda Garcia, Keith J. Halford, Randell J. Laczniak
Transport of tritium contamination to the atmosphere in an arid environment Transport of tritium contamination to the atmosphere in an arid environment
Soil–plant–atmosphere interactions strongly influence water movement in desert unsaturated zones, but little is known about how such interactions affect atmospheric release of subsurface water-borne contaminants. This 2-yr study, performed at the U.S. Geological Survey's Amargosa Desert Research Site in southern Nevada, quantified the magnitude and spatiotemporal variability of tritium...
Authors
C. Amanda Garcia, Brian J. Andraski, Michael J. Johnson, David A. Stonestrom, Robert L. Michel, C.A. Cooper, S.W. Wheatcraft
Non-USGS Publications**
Fang, X., Cleveland, T.G., Garcia, C.A., Thompson, D.B., Malla, R., 2005. Literature Review on Timing Parameters for Hydrographs, prepared for Texas Department of Transportation: Lamar University Research Report 0–4696–1, 72p. http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/digitized/texasarchive/phase2/4696-1-lamar.pdf
Roussel, M.C., Thompson, D.B., Fang, X., Cleveland, T.G., Garcia, C.A., 2005. Time-parameter estimation for applicable Texas watersheds, prepared for Texas Department of Transportation: Lamar University Research Report 0–4694–2, 30p. http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/digitized/texasarchive/phase2/4696-2-lamar.pdf
**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.