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.
Anne C Tillery
Biography
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.
Education:
- 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
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
Science and Products
Date published: June 20, 2016
Status: Active 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...
Contacts: Anne C Tillery
Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center
Date published: June 25, 2015
Status: Active 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...
Contacts: Anne C Tillery
Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center
Date published: June 25, 2014
Status: Active 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...
Contacts: Anne C Tillery
Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center
Date published: June 25, 2014
Status: Active 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...
Contacts: Anne C Tillery
Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center
Date published: June 25, 2014
Status: Active 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...
Contacts: Anne C Tillery
Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center
Date published: June 25, 2012
Status: Active 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-...
Contacts: Anne C Tillery
Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center
Date published: June 6, 2006
Status: Active 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...
Contacts: Anne C Tillery
Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center
Year Published: 2017
Basin characteristics and mean annual streamflow data for streamgages in New Mexico and adjacent states, 2017
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...
Mitchell, Aurelia; Tillery, Anne C.Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center
Year Published: 2017
Prediction 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...
Staley, Dennis M.; Negri, Jacquelyn; Kean, Jason W.; Laber, Jayme L.; Tillery, Anne C.; Youberg, Ann M.
Year Published: 2017
Capturing spatiotemporal variation in wildfires for improving postwildfire debris-flow hazard assessments: Chapter 20
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...
Haas, Jessica R.; Thompson, Matthew P.; Tillery, Anne C.; Scott, Joe H.
Year Published: 2016
Potential 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...
Tillery, Anne C.; Haas, Jessica R.Attribution: Natural Hazards, Geologic Hazards Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Natural Hazards, Water Resources, Landslide Hazards, United States of America
View Citation
Tillery, A.C., and Haas, J.R., 2016, Potential postwildfire debris-flow hazards—A prewildfire evaluation for the Jemez Mountains, north-central New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific-Investigations Report 2016-5101, 27 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20165101.
Year Published: 2016
Updated 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...
Staley, Dennis M.; Negri, Jacquelyn A.; Kean, Jason W.; Laber, Jayme L.; Tillery, Anne C.; Youberg, Ann M.Attribution: Natural Hazards, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Natural Hazards, Landslide Hazards, United States of America
View Citation
Staley, D.M., Negri, J.A., Kean, J.W., Laber, J.M., Tillery, A.C., and Youberg, A.M., 2016, Updated logistic regression equations for the calculation of post-fire debris-flow likelihood in the western United States: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2016–1106, 13 p., http://dx.doi.org/ofr20161106.
Year Published: 2014
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...
Tillery, Anne C.; Haas, Jessica R.; Miller, Lara W.; Scott, Joe H.; Thompson, Matthew P.Attribution: Natural Hazards, Geologic Hazards Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Natural Hazards, Water Resources, Landslide Hazards, United States of America
View Citation
Potential postwildfire debris-flow hazards: a prewildfire evaluation for the Sandia and Manzano Mountains and surrounding areas, central New Mexico; 2014; SIR; 2014-5161; Tillery, Anne C.; Haas, Jessica R.; Miller, Lara W.; Scott, Joe H.; Thompson, Matthew P.
Year Published: 2013
Postwildfire 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...
Tillery, Anne C.; Matherne, Anne MarieAttribution: Natural Hazards, Geologic Hazards Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Natural Hazards, Water Resources, Landslide Hazards, United States of America
View Citation
Postwildfire debris-flow hazard assessment of the area burned by the 2012 Little Bear Fire, south-central New Mexico; 2013; OFR; 2013-1108; Tillery, Anne C.; Matherne, Anne Marie
Year Published: 2012
Estimated 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...
Tillery, Anne C.; Matherne, Anne Marie; Verdin, Kristine L.Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center, Water Resources
View Citation
Estimated probability of postwildfire debris flows in the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy Fire burn area, southwestern New Mexico; 2012; OFR; 2012-1188; Tillery, Anne C.; Matherne, Anne Marie; Verdin, Kristine L.
Year Published: 2012
Survey 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...
Tillery, Anne; Eggleston, Jack R.Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center, Water Resources
View Citation
Survey of hydrologic models and hydrologic data needs for tracking flow in the Rio Grande, north-central New Mexico, 2010; 2012; SIR; 2011-5207; Tillery, Anne; Eggleston, Jack R.
Year Published: 2011
Postwildfire preliminary debris flow hazard assessment for the area burned by the 2011 Las Conchas Fire in north-central New Mexico
The Las Conchas Fire during the summer of 2011 was the largest in recorded history for the state of New Mexico, burning 634 square kilometers in the Jemez Mountains of north-central 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...
Tillery, Anne C.; Darr, Michael J.; Cannon, Susan H.; Michael, John A.Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center, Water Resources
View Citation
Postwildfire preliminary debris flow hazard assessment for the area burned by the 2011 Las Conchas Fire in north-central New Mexico; 2011; OFR; 2011-1308; Tillery, Anne C.; Darr, Michael J.; Cannon, Susan H.; Michael, John A.
Year Published: 2011
Postwildfire debris flows hazard assessment for the area burned by the 2011 Track Fire, northeastern New Mexico and southeastern Colorado
In June 2011, the Track Fire burned 113 square kilometers in Colfax County, northeastern New Mexico, and Las Animas County, southeastern Colorado, including the upper watersheds of Chicorica and Raton Creeks. The burned landscape is now at risk of damage from postwildfire erosion, such as that caused by debris flows and flash floods. This report...
Tillery, Anne C.; Darr, Michael J.; Cannon, Susan H.; Michael, John A.Attribution: New Mexico Water Science Center, Water Resources
View Citation
Postwildfire debris flows hazard assessment for the area burned by the 2011 Track Fire, northeastern New Mexico and southeastern Colorado; 2011; OFR; 2011-1257; Tillery, Anne C.; Darr, Michael J.; Cannon, Susan H.; Michael, John A.
Year Published: 2011
Estimates of mean-annual streamflow and flow loss for ephemeral channels in the Salt Basin, southeastern New Mexico, 2009
Tillery, AnneAttribution: New Mexico Water Science Center, Water Resources
View Citation
Estimates of mean-annual streamflow and flow loss for ephemeral channels in the Salt Basin, southeastern New Mexico, 2009; 2011; SIR; 2011-5062; Tillery, Anne
Pre-USGS Publications
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.