Barbara A. Bekins, PhD
I study biodegradation of groundwater contaminants. Presently I serve as research coordinator of a team studying a 1979 crude oil spill at the USGS study site near Bemidji, Minnesota. Studies at the site include the fate and bioeffects of oxyhdrocarbons formed during natural attenuation, controls on degradation rates, and use of biogenic heat to estimate degradation
EDUCATION
University of California, Santa Cruz, Ph.D., 1993, Hydrogeology
San Jose State University, M.S., 1988, Mathematics
University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., 1975, Mathematics
EXPERIENCE
1990-present: Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division
2006-2008 Instructor, Stanford University, Solute Transport in Groundwater
1988-1993: Researcher and Instructor, University of California, Santa Cruz.
1979-1987: Computer Specialist, U. S. Geological Survey, Seismology Branch.
Project chief, system administrator and UNIX consultant for computer facilities monitoring earthquakes in real time.
1977-1978: Research Assistant, Stanford University Geophysics Department.
1976-1977: Mathematics Lab Director, Canada Community College.
1975-1976: Scientific Programmer, SRI International.
HONORS
Member, National Academy of Engineering, 2020
AGU Fellow, 2019
GSA Fellow, 2005
GSA Hydrogeology Division Birdsall-Dreiss Lecturer, 2003-2004
U.S. Geological Survey Meritorious Service Award, 2004
JOI/USSAC Distinguished Lecturer, 2002-2003
ARCS Foundation Fellowship, 1989-1990
University of California Regents’ Fellowship, 1988-1989
B.A. Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa
INTERNATIONAL OCEAN DISCOVERY PROGRAM PARTICIPATION
Exp. 366, Mariana Serpentine Mud Volcanoes, 12/2016-2/2017, Downhole Tools and Phys. Props.
Science Planning Committee, 2004-2007.
Leg 201, Peru Deep Biosphere, 1/2002-4/2002, Downhole Tools and Phys. Props.
U.S. Science Advisory Committee, 2000-2003.
Science Steering and Evaluation Panel, Earth's Environment, 1997-2000.
Leg 171A, Logging While Drilling, 12/1996-1/1997, Hydrologist.
Sedimentary and Geochemical Processes Panel, 1994-1996.
COMMITTEES
AGU Program Committee, 2013-2016
AGU Groundwater Technical Committee, Chair 2009-2010
National Research Council Panel on Intrinsic Remediation, 1997-2000.
JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARDS
Groundwater Monitoring and Remediation 2021-present.
Geofluids, 2007-2017.
Hydrogeology Journal, 1997-2000.
Ground Water, 1998-2003.
Geology, 1995-1998.
Science and Products
Organic contaminant transport and fate in the subsurface: evolution of knowledge and understanding
High-rate injection is associated with the increase in U.S. mid-continent seismicity
Coping with earthquakes induced by fluid injection
Sharp increase in central Oklahoma seismicity 2009-2014 induced by massive wastewater injection
Comparison of surficial CO2 efflux to other measures of subsurface crude oil degradation
A mass balance approach to investigating geochemical controls on secondary water quality impacts at a crude oil spill site near Bemidji, MN
Decadal surface water quality trends under variable climate, land use, and hydrogeochemical setting in Iowa, USA
Petroleum fingerprinting with organic markers
Impacts of an ethanol-blended fuel release on groundwater and fate of produced methane: simulation of field observations
Book review: Earthquakes and water
Factors controlling nitrate fluxes in groundwater in agricultural areas
Role of back diffusion and biodegradation reactions in sustaining an MTBE/TBA plume in alluvial media
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 88
Organic contaminant transport and fate in the subsurface: evolution of knowledge and understanding
Toxic organic contaminants may enter the subsurface as slightly soluble and volatile nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) or as dissolved solutes resulting in contaminant plumes emanating from the source zone. A large body of research published in Water Resources Research has been devoted to characterizing and understanding processes controlling the transport and fate of these organic contaminants andAuthorsHedeff I. Essaid, Barbara A. Bekins, Isabelle M. CozzarelliHigh-rate injection is associated with the increase in U.S. mid-continent seismicity
An unprecedented increase in earthquakes in the U.S. mid-continent began in 2009. Many of these earthquakes have been documented as induced by wastewater injection. We examine the relationship between wastewater injection and U.S. mid-continent seismicity using a newly assembled injection well database for the central and eastern United States. We find that the entire increase in earthquake rate iAuthorsMatthew Weingarten, Shemin Ge, Jonathan W. Godt, Barbara A. Bekins, Justin L. RubinsteinCoping with earthquakes induced by fluid injection
Large areas of the United States long considered geologically stable with little or no detected seismicity have recently become seismically active. The increase in earthquake activity began in the mid-continent starting in 2001 (1) and has continued to rise. In 2014, the rate of occurrence of earthquakes with magnitudes (M) of 3 and greater in Oklahoma exceeded that in California (see the figure).AuthorsArthur F. McGarr, Barbara Bekins, Nina Burkardt, James W. Dewey, Paul S. Earle, William L. Ellsworth, Shemin Ge, Stephen H. Hickman, Austin F. Holland, Ernest Majer, Justin L. Rubinstein, Anne SheehanSharp increase in central Oklahoma seismicity 2009-2014 induced by massive wastewater injection
Unconventional oil and gas production provides a rapidly growing energy source; however high-producing states in the United States, such as Oklahoma, face sharply rising numbers of earthquakes. Subsurface pressure data required to unequivocally link earthquakes to injection are rarely accessible. Here we use seismicity and hydrogeological models to show that distant fluid migration from high-rateAuthorsKathleen M. Keranen, Geoffrey A. Abers, Matthew Weingarten, Barbara A. Bekins, Shemin GeComparison of surficial CO2 efflux to other measures of subsurface crude oil degradation
At a spill site near Bemidji, Minnesota, crude oil at the water table has been undergoing anaerobic biodegradation for over 30 years. Previous work at this site has shown that methane produced from biodegradation of the oil migrates upward and is oxidized in a methanotrophic zone midway between the water table and the surface. To compare microbial activity measurement methods from multiple locatioAuthorsEan Warren, Natasha J. Sihota, Frances D. Hostettler, Barbara A. BekinsA mass balance approach to investigating geochemical controls on secondary water quality impacts at a crude oil spill site near Bemidji, MN
Secondary water quality impacts can result from a broad range of coupled reactions triggered by primary groundwater contaminants. Data from a crude-oil spill research site near Bemidji, MN provide an ideal test case for investigating the complex interactions controlling secondary impacts, including depleted dissolved oxygen and elevated organic carbon, inorganic carbon, CH4, Mn, Fe, and other dissAuthorsGene-Hua Crystal Ng, Barbara A. Bekins, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Mary Jo Baedecker, Philip C. Bennett, Richard T. AmosDecadal surface water quality trends under variable climate, land use, and hydrogeochemical setting in Iowa, USA
Understanding how nitrogen fluxes respond to changes in agriculture and climate is important for improving water quality. In the midwestern United States, expansion of corn cropping for ethanol production led to increasing N application rates in the 2000s during a period of extreme variability of annual precipitation. To examine the effects of these changes, surface water quality was analyzed in 1AuthorsChristopher T. Green, Barbara A. Bekins, Stephen J. Kalkhoff, Robert M. Hirsch, Lixia Liao, Kimberlee K. BarnesPetroleum fingerprinting with organic markers
Petroleum fingerprinting is an invaluable tool in forensic geochemistry. This article summarizes applications of fingerprinting in several oil spills and natural oil seepages that we have studied during the last 25 years. It shows how each unique chemical fingerprint can be used to correlate or differentiate oils. Fingerprints can provide information about processes in the environment that impactAuthorsFrances D. Hostettler, T.D. Lorenson, Barbara A. BekinsImpacts of an ethanol-blended fuel release on groundwater and fate of produced methane: simulation of field observations
In a field experiment at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) designed to mimic the impact of a small-volume release of E10 (10% ethanol and 90% conventional gasoline), two plumes were created by injecting extracted groundwater spiked with benzene, toluene, and o-xylene, abbreviated BToX (No-Ethanol Lane) and BToX plus ethanol (With-Ethanol Lane) for 283 days. We developed a reactive transport model tAuthorsEhsan Rasa, Barbara A. Bekins, Douglas M. Mackay, Nicholas R. de Sieyes, John T. Wilson, Kevin P. Feris, Isaac A. Wood, Kate M. ScowBook review: Earthquakes and water
It is really nice to see assembled in one place a discussion of the documented and hypothesized hydrologic effects of earthquakes. The book is divided into chapters focusing on particular hydrologic phenomena including liquefaction, mud volcanism, stream discharge increases, groundwater level, temperature and chemical changes, and geyser period changes. These hydrologic effects are inherently fAuthorsBarbara A. BekinsFactors controlling nitrate fluxes in groundwater in agricultural areas
The impact of agricultural chemicals on groundwater quality depends on the interactions of biogeochemical and hydrologic factors. To identify key processes affecting distribution of agricultural nitrate in groundwater, a parsimonious transport model was applied at 14 sites across the U.S. Simulated vertical profiles of NO3-, N2 from denitrification, O2, Cl-, and environmental tracers of groundwateAuthorsLixia Liao, Christopher T. Green, Barbara A. Bekins, J.K. BöhlkeRole of back diffusion and biodegradation reactions in sustaining an MTBE/TBA plume in alluvial media
A methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) / tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) plume originating from a gasoline spill in late 1994 at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) persisted for over 15 years within 200 feet of the original spill source. The plume persisted until 2010 despite excavation of the tanks and piping within months after the spill and excavations of additional contaminated sediments from the source areaAuthorsEhsan Rasa, Steven W. Chapman, Barbara A. Bekins, Graham E. Fogg, Kate M. Scow, Douglas M. Mackay