Surface Systems Specialist, New Mexico Water Science Center
Anne Tillery has been a hydrologist in the Investigations section of the New Mexico Water Science Center since 2007. She holds a Master of Science in Earth and Planetary Science and a Bachelor of Science in Geology. She has 15 years of experience in surface water and geomorphic processes of the southwest. Her research focuses on the hydrology, hydraulics, and geomorphology of flooding in desert ephemeral channels and of debris flows following wildfires. She is currently the project chief for the Flood Analysis program in New Mexico. She conducts pre- and post- wildfire debris flow hazards assessments and documents postwildfire flooding and debris flows around New Mexico. Ms. Tillery has published studies related to postwildfire flooding and erosion, desert ephemeral-channel flow, and Holocene climate change impacts on desert geomorphology in addition to maps of stream networks and ground water levels.
Professional Experience
2007 - present: Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, New Mexico Water Science Center
2006 - 2007: Senior Staff Geologist, William Lettis and Associates, Walnut Creek, CA
2003 - 2006: Geologist, URS Corporation, Albuquerque NM
1996 - 1999: Hydrologic technician, U.S. Geological Survey, Tempe Field Office, AZ
Education and Certifications
M.S. Earth and Planetary Science: University of New Mexico, May 2003
B.S. Geology: Arizona State University, May 1999, Magma Cum Laude
B.M. Instrumental Music: Arizona State University, May 1991, Cum Laude
Science and Products
Implementing a Web-based Streamflow Statistics Tool for New Mexico (StreamStats)
Changes in Watershed Hydrologic Response Time with Post-wildfire Changes in Vegetation and Surface Fuels Along a Severely-burned, High-desert Canyon, Bandelier National Monument, NM
Prewildfire Assessments of Postwildfire Debris-Flow Hazards
Debris flows and Floods from Extreme Precipitation in September 2013, Gila National Forest, NM
Postwildfire Debris-Flow Hazards
Bandelier National Monument Postwildfire Flood Support
Floods Analysis
Analysis of the Magnitude and Frequency of Peak Discharge in the Navajo Nation and Surrounding Region, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico
A snapshot of stakeholder science needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin
Basin Characteristics and Stream Flow Data at Stream-gaged Locations in New Mexico and Surrounding Basins
Rocky Mountain Region Science Exchange 2020—EarthMAP and the Colorado River Basin
Controls on debris‐flow initiation on burned and unburned hillslopes during an exceptional rainstorm in southern New Mexico, USA
Estimating post-fire debris-flow hazards prior to wildfire using a statistical analysis of historical distributions of fire severity from remote sensing data
Effects of hillslope gully stabilization on erosion and sediment production in the Torreon Wash watershed, New Mexico, 2009–12
Prediction of spatially explicit rainfall intensity–duration thresholds for post-fire debris-flow generation in the western United States
Capturing spatiotemporal variation in wildfires for improving postwildfire debris-flow hazard assessments
Potential postwildfire debris-flow hazards—A prewildfire evaluation for the Jemez Mountains, north-central New Mexico
Updated logistic regression equations for the calculation of post-fire debris-flow likelihood in the western United States
Potential postwildfire debris-flow hazards: a prewildfire evaluation for the Sandia and Manzano Mountains and surrounding areas, central New Mexico
Postwildfire debris-flow hazard assessment of the area burned by the 2012 Little Bear Fire, south-central New Mexico
Estimated probability of postwildfire debris flows in the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy Fire burn area, southwestern New Mexico
Survey of hydrologic models and hydrologic data needs for tracking flow in the Rio Grande, north-central New Mexico, 2010
Pre-USGS Publications
Science and Products
- Science
Implementing a Web-based Streamflow Statistics Tool for New Mexico (StreamStats)
Estimates of streamflow are needed for a wide variety of applications, including water-resources planning and management, flood-plain mapping, and instream flow determinations. Surface water is the primary source of water for irrigators along major stream corridors in New Mexico and is increasingly being utilized by large municipalities. While streamflow statistics for gaged sites are readily...Changes in Watershed Hydrologic Response Time with Post-wildfire Changes in Vegetation and Surface Fuels Along a Severely-burned, High-desert Canyon, Bandelier National Monument, NM
Flash flooding can be a destructive and life-threatening response of watersheds to intense rainfall events, particularly in sparsely vegetated, or burned watersheds. Studies have been conducted to estimate the magnitude of hydrologic responses of burned watersheds to rainfall events, however the time that it takes a flood to travel through a burned watershed and reach a critical or populated area...Prewildfire Assessments of Postwildfire Debris-Flow Hazards
Debris flows are high-density slurries of water, rock fragments, soil, and mud that can have enormous destructive power. Wildfire can drastically increase the probability of debris flows in landscapes that have otherwise been stable. In 2010, the USGS developed the Cannon model to estimate postwildfire debris-flow probabilities and volumes in burned areas. In 2013, with the help of U.S. Forest...Debris flows and Floods from Extreme Precipitation in September 2013, Gila National Forest, NM
A record-breaking rainstorm in Glenwood, New Mexico and the surrounding areas occurred in September, 2013 leading to widespread and destructive flooding and debris flows, including watersheds burned the previous year by the Whitewater-Baldy Complex wildfire. In the area of the Whitewater-Baldy burn scar, a highway was overtopped by flash flooding on Whitewater Creek. Many side canyon tributaries...Postwildfire Debris-Flow Hazards
Wildfire is a natural process in forest ecosystems, and occurs with varying frequencies and severities depending on landscape characteristics, climatic conditions, and the historical fire regime. Although attention often is focused on the potential damages from wildfire in the wildland-urban interface, wildfire also presents a threat to critical infrastructure including flood water conveyances and...Bandelier National Monument Postwildfire Flood Support
In the summer of 2011, the Las Conchas Fire burned 156,593 acres in the Jemez Mountains in northern NM including the upper watersheds of Frijoles and Capulin Canyons in Bandelier National Monument. The drastic removal of vegetation in the upper watersheds of these popular tourist destinations left them susceptible to dangerous and record breaking floods. As long as the threat of large post...Floods Analysis
Accurate estimations of flood discharges at bridge or culvert sites is required to provide cost-effective design of that structure. Streamflow-gaging stations, for which flood data are available, are usually located in major perennial drainage basins that are not representative of sites where common bridge and culvert designs are needed.In 1942, the USGS, in cooperation with the New Mexico...Analysis of the Magnitude and Frequency of Peak Discharge in the Navajo Nation and Surrounding Region, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico
Estimates of the magnitude and frequency of peak discharges on unregulated streams at gaging stations or ungaged stream sites in the Navajo Nation in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico are necessary for flood hazard mapping. - Data
A snapshot of stakeholder science needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin
Stakeholder science needs were determined by reviewing more than 200 recently published literature items and web pages from Colorado River Basin (CRB) stakeholders. These stakeholder communications were used to characterize over 400 stakeholder science needs by reviewing their priorities, strategies, issues, missions, and concerns related to drought in the CRB. Members of the CRB Integrated SciencBasin Characteristics and Stream Flow Data at Stream-gaged Locations in New Mexico and Surrounding Basins
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI), identified basin characteristics and estimated mean annual streamflow for a regional study of 169 USGS surface-water streamgages throughout the state of New Mexico and adjacent states. The basin characteristics and mean annual streamflows presented here will be used to derive equations - Publications
Filter Total Items: 16
Rocky Mountain Region Science Exchange 2020—EarthMAP and the Colorado River Basin
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Rocky Mountain Region (RMR) hosted USGS scientists, managers, program coordinators, and leadership team members for a virtual Science Exchange during September 15–17, 2020. The Science Exchange had 216 registered participants and included 48 talks over the 3-day period. Invited speakers presented information about the novel USGS Earth Monitoring, Analysis, and PreByEcosystems, Water Resources, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Oklahoma Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Western Geographic Science Center, New Mexico Water Science CenterControls on debris‐flow initiation on burned and unburned hillslopes during an exceptional rainstorm in southern New Mexico, USA
AbstractUsing observations from 688 debris flows, we analyse the hydrologic and landscape characteristics that influenced debris‐flow initiation mechanisms and locations in a watershed that had been partially burned by the 2012 Whitewater‐Baldy Complex Fire in the Gila Mountains, southern New Mexico. Debris flows can initiate due to different processes. Slopes can fail as discrete landslides and tEstimating post-fire debris-flow hazards prior to wildfire using a statistical analysis of historical distributions of fire severity from remote sensing data
Following wildfire, mountainous areas of the western United States are susceptible to debris flow during intense rainfall. Convective storms that can generate debris flows in recently burned areas may occur during or immediately after the wildfire, leaving insufficient time for development and implementation of risk mitigation strategies. We present a method for estimating post-fire debris-flow haEffects of hillslope gully stabilization on erosion and sediment production in the Torreon Wash watershed, New Mexico, 2009–12
Sediment erosion and deposition in two sets of paired (treated and untreated) upland drainages in the Torreon Wash watershed, upper Rio Puerco Basin, New Mexico, were examined over a 3 1/2-year period from spring 2009 through fall 2012. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of shallow, loose-stone check dams, or “one-rock dams,” as a hillslope gully erosion stabilization and mitigation mPrediction of spatially explicit rainfall intensity–duration thresholds for post-fire debris-flow generation in the western United States
Early warning of post-fire debris-flow occurrence during intense rainfall has traditionally relied upon a library of regionally specific empirical rainfall intensity–duration thresholds. Development of this library and the calculation of rainfall intensity-duration thresholds often require several years of monitoring local rainfall and hydrologic response to rainstorms, a time-consuming approach wCapturing spatiotemporal variation in wildfires for improving postwildfire debris-flow hazard assessments
Wildfires can increase the frequency and magnitude of catastrophic debris flows. Integrated, proactive natural hazard assessment would therefore characterize landscapes based on the potential for the occurrence and interactions of wildfires and postwildfire debris flows. This chapter presents a new modeling effort that can quantify the variability surrounding a key input to postwildfire debris-floPotential postwildfire debris-flow hazards—A prewildfire evaluation for the Jemez Mountains, north-central New Mexico
Wildfire can substantially increase the probability of debris flows, a potentially hazardous and destructive form of mass wasting, in landscapes that have otherwise been stable throughout recent history. Although the exact location, extent, and severity of wildfire or subsequent rainfall intensity and duration cannot be known, probabilities of fire and debris‑flow occurrence for given locations caUpdated logistic regression equations for the calculation of post-fire debris-flow likelihood in the western United States
Wildfire can significantly alter the hydrologic response of a watershed to the extent that even modest rainstorms can generate dangerous flash floods and debris flows. To reduce public exposure to hazard, the U.S. Geological Survey produces post-fire debris-flow hazard assessments for select fires in the western United States. We use publicly available geospatial data describing basin morphology,Potential postwildfire debris-flow hazards: a prewildfire evaluation for the Sandia and Manzano Mountains and surrounding areas, central New Mexico
Wildfire can drastically increase the probability of debris flows, a potentially hazardous and destructive form of mass wasting, in landscapes that have otherwise been stable throughout recent history. Although there is no way to know the exact location, extent, and severity of wildfire, or the subsequent rainfall intensity and duration before it happens, probabilities of fire and debris-flow occuPostwildfire debris-flow hazard assessment of the area burned by the 2012 Little Bear Fire, south-central New Mexico
A preliminary hazard assessment was developed of the debris-flow potential from 56 drainage basins burned by the Little Bear Fire in south-central New Mexico in June 2012. The Little Bear Fire burned approximately 179 square kilometers (km2) (44,330 acres), including about 143 km2 (35,300 acres) of National Forest System lands of the Lincoln National Forest. Within the Lincoln National Forest, aboEstimated probability of postwildfire debris flows in the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy Fire burn area, southwestern New Mexico
In May and June 2012, the Whitewater-Baldy Fire burned approximately 1,200 square kilometers (300,000 acres) of the Gila National Forest, in southwestern New Mexico. The burned landscape is now at risk of damage from postwildfire erosion, such as that caused by debris flows and flash floods. This report presents a preliminary hazard assessment of the debris-flow potential from 128 basins burned bySurvey of hydrologic models and hydrologic data needs for tracking flow in the Rio Grande, north-central New Mexico, 2010
The six Middle Rio Grande Pueblos have prior and paramount rights to deliveries of water from the Rio Grande for their use. When the pueblos or the Bureau of Indian Affairs Designated Engineer identifies a need for additional flow on the Rio Grande, the Designated Engineer is tasked with deciding the timing and amount of releases of prior and paramount water from storage at El Vado Reservoir to mePre-USGS Publications
James J. Guilinger, Andrew B. Gray, Nicolas C. Barth, Brandon T. Fong, The Evolution of Sediment Sources Over a Sequence of Postfire Sediment‐Laden Flows Revealed Through Repeat High‐Resolution Change Detection, Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 10.1029/2020JF005527, 125, 10, (2020).Tillery, A.C., Sowers, J. M., and Pearce, S., 2006, Creek and Watershed Map of San Mateo and Vicinity, Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA, 1:25,800 scale.Tillery, A., Fawcett, P., McFadden, L., Scuderi, L., and McAuliffe, J., 2003, Late Holocene behavior of small drainage basins on the Colorado Plateau: influences of Lithology, Basin Form and Climate Change, in Geology of the Zuni Plateau: New Mexico Geological Society, p. 197-207.Fawcett, P., Tillery, A. and. Gutzler, D.S., 2001, Elevation dependence of the ENSO precipitation signal in the Southwest United States in Proceedings of the American Meteorological Society Symposium on Climate Variability, the Oceans, and Societal Impact, p. 235-236.