Brenda Densmore is the Associate Director for Hydrologic Investigations for the U.S. Geological Survey Nebraska Water Science Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Brenda Densmore (Woodward) has worked as a hydrologist for the USGS Nebraska Water Science Center since 2003 and previously as a student trainee starting in 2001. She has an undergraduate degree in fisheries and wildlife and a graduate degree in Natural Resources with emphasis in Aquatic Ecology, both from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has participated in and lead water-quality and biological monitoring programs as part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program, EPA’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment program, and EPA’s National Rivers and Streams Assessment. Brenda has taken the lead on GPS surveying for the Nebraska Water Science Center and has collected and worked with both aerial and tripod-mounted LiDAR. Since early 2007 Brenda has lead several Missouri River surveying projects, which incorporate bathymetric surveying. Surveys prior to 2008 were completed using singlebeam echosounding equipment along with GPS and an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler to measure depth, position, water-surface elevation, and velocity. Recently, Brenda and other scientists at the USGS have used a multibeam echosounder to survey the river bed and structures of the Missouri River.
Science and Products
Surveying and Monitoring Constructed Chutes on the Missouri River
Missouri River Water-Quality Monitoring in Relation to Combined Sewer Overflow Systems near Omaha, Nebraska
Velocity and Bathymetric Data near Outlet Structures for the City of Omaha Water Resource Recovery Facilities on the Missouri River, 2020
Survey Data Collection for the Bureau of Reclamation at Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Arizona, November 2020
Virtual training prepared for the former Afghanistan Ministry of Energy and Water—Streamgaging, fluvial sediment sampling, bathymetry, and streamflow and sediment modeling
Continuous turbidity data used to compute constituent concentrations in the South Loup River, Nebraska, 2017–18
Modeling Escherichia coli in the Missouri River near Omaha, Nebraska, 2012–16
Network global navigation satellite system survey to harmonize water-surface elevation data for the Rainy River Basin
Sediment loads and transport at constructed chutes along the Missouri River - Upper Hamburg Chute near Nebraska City, Nebraska, and Kansas Chute near Peru, Nebraska
Hydrographic surveys at seven chutes and three backwaters on the Missouri River in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri, 2011-13
Repeated multibeam echosounder hydrographic surveys of 15 selected bridge crossings along the Missouri River from Niobrara to Rulo, Nebraska, during the flood of 2011
Geomorphic change on the Missouri River during the flood of 2011
Monitoring of levees, bridges, pipelines, and other critical infrastructure during the 2011 flooding in the Mississippi River Basin
Hydrographic survey of Chaktomuk, the confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac Rivers near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2012
Hydrographic surveys of four narrows within the Namakan reservoir system, Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, 2011
Hydrographic surveys of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers at selected bridges and through Bismarck, North Dakota, during the 2011 flood
Science and Products
- Science
Surveying and Monitoring Constructed Chutes on the Missouri River
The construction of side-channel chutes has emerged as one method for restoring Missouri River habitat through the introduction of slow velocity and shallow depth water areas. To better understand the processes that create and maintain this habitat, the USGS Nebraska Water Science Center in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has completed hydrographic and topographic surveys of...Missouri River Water-Quality Monitoring in Relation to Combined Sewer Overflow Systems near Omaha, Nebraska
In 2012, the USGS Nebraska Water Science Center, in cooperation with the City of Omaha, began monitoring the Missouri River near Omaha to document water-quality changes in the river as the City improved their combined sewer overflow (CSO) system. The monitoring program includes both discrete and continuous data collection at four sampling sites on the Missouri River. Monitoring at each site... - Data
Velocity and Bathymetric Data near Outlet Structures for the City of Omaha Water Resource Recovery Facilities on the Missouri River, 2020
These data sets were derived from surveys at the Missouri River and Papillion Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility outfalls on the Missouri River. Each site had three transects, one at the outfall, one 45.7 meters upstream of the outfall and one 45.7 meters downstream of the outfall. Velocity and depth data were collected using an acoustic Doppler current profiler at each transect. Elevations ofSurvey Data Collection for the Bureau of Reclamation at Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Arizona, November 2020
This dataset describes survey data collected for the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the agency in charge of regulating Colorado River water control operations impounding the Lake Powell reservoir. Additional intent of the collected data was to assure consistencies among gaging elevations at Glen Canyon Dam near Page, Arizona as well as verification and alignment of a recently published topob - Publications
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Virtual training prepared for the former Afghanistan Ministry of Energy and Water—Streamgaging, fluvial sediment sampling, bathymetry, and streamflow and sediment modeling
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) created a virtual training series for the Afghanistan Ministry of Energy and Water (MEW), now known as the National Water Affairs Regulation Authority (NWARA), to provide critical hydrological training as an alternative to an in-person training. The USGS was scheduled to provide in-person surface-water training for NWARA during 2020; however, travel was halted becAuthorsJoel T. Groten, Joshua F. Valder, Brenda K. Densmore, Logan W. Neal, Justin Krahulik, Thomas J. MackContinuous turbidity data used to compute constituent concentrations in the South Loup River, Nebraska, 2017–18
The South Loup River in central Nebraska has been impaired by bacteria since at least 2004, which has resulted in the river not meeting its intended use as a recreational waterway. As part of a strategy for reducing the bacterial load in the river, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Lower Loup Natural Resources District, made continuous estimates of Escherichia coli (E. coli) andAuthorsDavid L. Rus, Brenda K. DensmoreModeling Escherichia coli in the Missouri River near Omaha, Nebraska, 2012–16
The city of Omaha, Nebraska, has a combined sewer system in some areas of the city. In Omaha, Nebr., a moderate amount of rainfall will lead to the combination of stormwater and untreated sewage or wastewater being discharged directly into the Missouri River and Papillion Creek and is called a combined sewer overflow (CSO) event. In 2009, the city of Omaha began the implementation of their Long TeAuthorsBrenda K. Densmore, Brent M. Hall, Matthew T. MoserNetwork global navigation satellite system survey to harmonize water-surface elevation data for the Rainy River Basin
Continuously recording water-level streamgages in Rainy Lake and Namakan Reservoir are used to regulate water levels according to rule curves established in 2000 by the International Joint Commission; however, water levels at streamgages were referenced to a variety of vertical datums, confounding efforts to model the flow of water through the system, regulate water levels during periods of high iAuthorsJeffrey R. Ziegeweid, R. Jason Silliker, Brenda K. Densmore, Justin KrahulikSediment loads and transport at constructed chutes along the Missouri River - Upper Hamburg Chute near Nebraska City, Nebraska, and Kansas Chute near Peru, Nebraska
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, monitored suspended sediment within constructed Missouri River chutes during March through October 2012. Chutes were constructed at selected river bends by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help mitigate aquatic habitat lost through the creation and maintenance of the navigation channel on the Missouri River. The rAuthorsBrenda K. Densmore, David L. Rus, Matthew T. Moser, Brent M. Hall, Michael J. AndersenHydrographic surveys at seven chutes and three backwaters on the Missouri River in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri, 2011-13
The U.S. Geological Survey cooperated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Omaha District, to complete hydrographic surveys of seven chutes and three backwaters on the Missouri River yearly during 2011–13. These chutes and backwaters were constructed by the USACE to increase the amount of available shallow water habitat (SWH) to support threatened and endangered species, as required by tAuthorsJustin R. Krahulik, Brenda K. Densmore, Kayla J. Anderson, Cory L. KavanRepeated multibeam echosounder hydrographic surveys of 15 selected bridge crossings along the Missouri River from Niobrara to Rulo, Nebraska, during the flood of 2011
In 2011, unprecedented flooding in the Missouri River prompted transportation agencies to increase the frequency of monitoring riverbed elevations near bridges that cross the Missouri River. Hydrographic surveys were completed in cooperation with the Nebraska Department of Roads, using a multibeam echosounder at 15 highway bridges spanning the Missouri River from Niobrara to Rulo, Nebraska duringAuthorsBenjamin J. Dietsch, Brenda K. Densmore, Kellan R. StrauchGeomorphic change on the Missouri River during the flood of 2011
The 2011 flood on the Missouri River was one of the largest floods since the river became regulated by a series of high dams in the mid-20th century (greater than 150,000 cubic feet per second during the peak). The flood persisted through most of the summer, eroding river banks, adding sand to sandbars, and moving the thalweg of the channel in many places. The U.S. Geological Survey monitored andAuthorsEdward R. Schenk, Katherine J. Skalak, Adam J. Benthem, Benjamin J. Dietsch, Brenda K. Woodward, Gregg J. Wiche, Joel M. Galloway, Rochelle A. Nustad, Cliff R. HuppMonitoring of levees, bridges, pipelines, and other critical infrastructure during the 2011 flooding in the Mississippi River Basin
During the 2011 Mississippi River Basin flood, the U.S. Geological Survey evaluated aspects of critical river infrastructure at the request of and in support of local, State, and Federal Agencies. Geotechnical and hydrographic data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at numerous locations were able to provide needed information about 2011 flood effects to those managing the critical infrastrucAuthorsBrenda K. Densmore, Bethany L. Burton, Benjamin J. Dietsch, James C. Cannia, Richard J. HuizingaHydrographic survey of Chaktomuk, the confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac Rivers near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2012
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, Mekong River Commission, Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, and the Cambodian Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, completed a hydrographic survey of Chaktomuk, which is the confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap (also spelled Tônlé Sab), and Bassac Rivers near Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The hydrographic survey used a high-resoAuthorsBenjamin J. Dietsch, Brenda K. Densmore, Richard C. WilsonHydrographic surveys of four narrows within the Namakan reservoir system, Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, 2011
The U.S. Geological Survey performed multibeam echosounder hydrographic surveys of four narrows in the Namakan reservoir system in August 2011, in cooperation with the International Joint Commission and Environment Canada. The data-collection effort was completed to provide updated and detailed hydrographic data to Environment Canada for inclusion in a Hydrologic Engineering Centers River AnalysisAuthorsBrenda K. Densmore, Kellan R. Strauch, Jeffrey R. ZiegeweidHydrographic surveys of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers at selected bridges and through Bismarck, North Dakota, during the 2011 flood
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the North Dakota Department of Transportation and the North Dakota State Water Commission, completed hydrographic surveys at six Missouri River bridges and one Yellowstone River bridge during the 2011 flood of the Missouri River system. Bridges surveyed are located near the cities of Cartwright, Buford, Williston, Washburn, and Bismarck, N. DaAuthorsBrenda K. Densmore, Kellan R. Strauch, Benjamin J. Dietsch