Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Benjamin H Letcher
Ben Letcher is an Ecologist at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center in Turners Falls, Massachusetts.
Ben is a population ecologist focusing on stream habitats, science communication and the development of data systems. A collection of data systems and interactive data visualization tools can be found in our EcoSHEDS environment.
Professional Experience
1995-now USGS, Ecology section leader, Anadromous Fish Research Center, Turners, Falls, MA, and adjunct professor Department of Natural Resources
Conservation, University of Massachusetts - Amherst1994-1995 Oak Ridge Postdoctoral Fellow (with Dr. David Conover) State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY
1992-1994 Electric Power Research Institute Fellow, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
1990-1992 Wisconsin Sea Grant Fellow, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
1987-1990 URI-USEPA Cooperative Research Fellow, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
1986-1987 Research Assistant, Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA.
1985-1986 Research Assistant, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
Education and Certifications
PhD, 1994, NC State, Zoology with statistics and modeling minor
M.S. 1990, URI School of Oceanography, biological option
B.S. 1985, Trinity College, Biology
Science and Products
Brook trout vulnerability to drought: eastern component of USGS national integrated ecohydrological research
Integrating Streamflow and Temperature to Identify Streams with Coldwater Refugia in the Northeast
Enabling AI for citizen science in fish biology
Enhancing Water Temperature Monitoring Efforts across Alaska through Collaborative Leveraging of a Statewide Database
North Atlantic-Appalachian AI/ML Capabilities
Enabling AI for citizen science in fish ecology
Longer exposure to warm water increases subsequent thermal tolerance of brook trout in cold water: acclimation timing and physiology Longer exposure to warm water increases subsequent thermal tolerance of brook trout in cold water: acclimation timing and physiology
Passive integrated transponder tag data from Sawmill River, Catamaran Brook and Shorey Brook Passive integrated transponder tag data from Sawmill River, Catamaran Brook and Shorey Brook
Model Predictions, Observations, and Annotation Data for Deep Learning Models Developed to Estimate Relative Flow at 11 Massachusetts Streamflow Sites, 2017-2024 Model Predictions, Observations, and Annotation Data for Deep Learning Models Developed to Estimate Relative Flow at 11 Massachusetts Streamflow Sites, 2017-2024
Loss of acclimation response of brook trout acclimated to three thermal regimes for 2-years and then moved to a common colder temperature Loss of acclimation response of brook trout acclimated to three thermal regimes for 2-years and then moved to a common colder temperature
Passive integrated transponder tag data from the West Brook, MA, USA Passive integrated transponder tag data from the West Brook, MA, USA
Data for examining thermal equilibration rates of brook trout implanted with temperature recording tags and subjected to rapid and slow temperature changes Data for examining thermal equilibration rates of brook trout implanted with temperature recording tags and subjected to rapid and slow temperature changes
Video thumbnail. Image of man wading in stream with a line across the stream. Text reads: Eyes on Streams. The Short Story.
Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Text reads: Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo ExplorerFlow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo ExplorerFlow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Thumbnail reads: Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD).
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD)
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD)Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD)
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD)Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Longer exposure to warm water increases subsequent thermal tolerance of brook trout in cold water: Acclimation timing and physiology Longer exposure to warm water increases subsequent thermal tolerance of brook trout in cold water: Acclimation timing and physiology
Technical note: A low-cost approach to monitoring relative streamflow dynamics in small headwater streams using time lapse imagery and a deep learning model Technical note: A low-cost approach to monitoring relative streamflow dynamics in small headwater streams using time lapse imagery and a deep learning model
Negative growth in body mass of trout and salmon in a small stream network Negative growth in body mass of trout and salmon in a small stream network
How quickly do brook trout lose long-term thermal acclimation? How quickly do brook trout lose long-term thermal acclimation?
A low-cost approach to monitoring streamflow dynamics in small, headwater streams using timelapse imagery and a deep learning model A low-cost approach to monitoring streamflow dynamics in small, headwater streams using timelapse imagery and a deep learning model
A new genomic resource to enable standardized surveys of SNPs across the native range of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) A new genomic resource to enable standardized surveys of SNPs across the native range of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
Interactive Catchment Explorer (ICE) Interactive Catchment Explorer (ICE)
Flow Photo Explorer Flow Photo Explorer
EcoSHEDS EcoSHEDS
Streamflow Rank Estimation (SRE) Model Streamflow Rank Estimation (SRE) Model
Ecosheds.org Ecosheds.org
Science and Products
Brook trout vulnerability to drought: eastern component of USGS national integrated ecohydrological research
Integrating Streamflow and Temperature to Identify Streams with Coldwater Refugia in the Northeast
Enabling AI for citizen science in fish biology
Enhancing Water Temperature Monitoring Efforts across Alaska through Collaborative Leveraging of a Statewide Database
North Atlantic-Appalachian AI/ML Capabilities
Enabling AI for citizen science in fish ecology
Longer exposure to warm water increases subsequent thermal tolerance of brook trout in cold water: acclimation timing and physiology Longer exposure to warm water increases subsequent thermal tolerance of brook trout in cold water: acclimation timing and physiology
Passive integrated transponder tag data from Sawmill River, Catamaran Brook and Shorey Brook Passive integrated transponder tag data from Sawmill River, Catamaran Brook and Shorey Brook
Model Predictions, Observations, and Annotation Data for Deep Learning Models Developed to Estimate Relative Flow at 11 Massachusetts Streamflow Sites, 2017-2024 Model Predictions, Observations, and Annotation Data for Deep Learning Models Developed to Estimate Relative Flow at 11 Massachusetts Streamflow Sites, 2017-2024
Loss of acclimation response of brook trout acclimated to three thermal regimes for 2-years and then moved to a common colder temperature Loss of acclimation response of brook trout acclimated to three thermal regimes for 2-years and then moved to a common colder temperature
Passive integrated transponder tag data from the West Brook, MA, USA Passive integrated transponder tag data from the West Brook, MA, USA
Data for examining thermal equilibration rates of brook trout implanted with temperature recording tags and subjected to rapid and slow temperature changes Data for examining thermal equilibration rates of brook trout implanted with temperature recording tags and subjected to rapid and slow temperature changes
Video thumbnail. Image of man wading in stream with a line across the stream. Text reads: Eyes on Streams. The Short Story.
Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Text reads: Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo ExplorerFlow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo ExplorerFlow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Thumbnail reads: Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD).
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD)
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD)Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD)
Imagery as Streamflow Data: Introducing the USGS Flow Photo Explorer (AD)Flow is a critical variable in streams since it affects aquatic and riparian biological communities and human uses of water (i.e., recreation, public water supply, etc.). Flow regimes are changing due to anthropogenic (e.g., water withdrawals) and natural impacts (e.g., extreme weather events).