The USGS crew heads upriver early one winter day and sees an increible sunrise on the Stikine River.
Brent M. Hall
Brent Hall is a Hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey Nebraska Water Science Center in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Brent has worked for the USGS since 2007. His work has focused primarily on water quality, particularly continuous monitoring and sampling of surface water, but he has worked on a variety of projects ranging from evapotranspiration to harmful algal blooms (HABs) to surveying to green infrastructure.
Education and Certifications
2004, B.A. Biology, Point Loma Nazarene University
2009, B.S. Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2010, M.S. Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Science and Products
Missouri River Water-Quality Monitoring in Relation to Combined Sewer Overflow Systems near Omaha, Nebraska
Continuous Water-Quality Monitoring Network
Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Groundwater Quality Monitoring
Understanding Cyanobacteria Blooms in the Willow Creek Reservoir
Bioretention Cell Monitoring, Omaha Sewer Maintenance Facility
Modeling Escherichia coli in the Missouri River near Omaha, Nebraska, 2012-16: Model Inputs and Outputs
Monitoring Data for Willow Creek Lake, Nebraska, 2012-14
Direct-push sediment cores, resistivity profiles, and depth-averaged resistivity collected for Platte River Recovery and Implementation Program in Phelps County, Nebraska
Streambed sediment data for Missouri and Niobrara Rivers, Nebraska and South Dakota, 2015
The USGS crew heads upriver early one winter day and sees an increible sunrise on the Stikine River.
The USGS boat at the Stikine River gage site, Alaska. The Stikine River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska. Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.
The USGS boat at the Stikine River gage site, Alaska. The Stikine River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska. Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.
USGS Hydrologist Randy Host performs compass calibrations for discharge measurements at the Unuk River. The Unuk River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska. This site has a Super Gage which is a conventional streamflow gage equipped with continuous water-quality monitors.
USGS Hydrologist Randy Host performs compass calibrations for discharge measurements at the Unuk River. The Unuk River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska. This site has a Super Gage which is a conventional streamflow gage equipped with continuous water-quality monitors.
Preparing the boat for isokinetic water sampling using the equal discharge increment method on the Alsek River.
Preparing the boat for isokinetic water sampling using the equal discharge increment method on the Alsek River.
Selected anthropogenic contaminants in groundwater, Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, eastern Nebraska, 1992–2020
Modeling Escherichia coli in the Missouri River near Omaha, Nebraska, 2012–16
Relating cyanobacteria and physicochemical water-quality properties in Willow Creek Lake, Nebraska, 2012–14
Sediment loads and transport at constructed chutes along the Missouri River - Upper Hamburg Chute near Nebraska City, Nebraska, and Kansas Chute near Peru, Nebraska
Comparison of water consumption in two riparian vegetation communities along the central Platte River, Nebraska, 2008–09 and 2011
Riparian evapotranspiration in Nebraska
Science and Products
- Science
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...Continuous Water-Quality Monitoring Network
The USGS Nebraska Water Science Center maintains a network of continuous water-quality monitors across Nebraska which provide near-real-time water-quality data. Continuous water-quality monitors are typically installed at or near existing USGS stream gages or wells. Parameters that are monitored at continuous water-quality sites include water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen...Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Groundwater Quality Monitoring
The USGS Nebraska Water Science Center has been collecting groundwater quality samples in cooperation with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (NRD) since 1992 in support of the NRD's groundwater management plan. The basic geochemistry and age of the groundwater was established. Well waters are sampled yearly throughout the NRD to monitor the resource and assess concentrations of...Understanding Cyanobacteria Blooms in the Willow Creek Reservoir
Willow Creek Reservoir is a 700-acre lake in northeast Nebraska. The reservoir has been experiencing frequent harmful algal blooms which pose a health threat to wildlife and humans. The USGS Nebraska Water Science Center has been working with several partners to characterize the algal blooms, investigate possible causes, correlate the algal blooms and possible causes, and deliver the information...Bioretention Cell Monitoring, Omaha Sewer Maintenance Facility
Stormwater management methodologies are shifting from the traditional storm sewer to a more green-infrastructure approach that stresses the importance of capturing, retaining and treating stormwater. The implementation of green infrastructure uses various Best Management Practices (BMPs) to mitigate the effects of stormwater on flooding and water quality. A bioretention cell is a BMP that captures... - Data
Modeling Escherichia coli in the Missouri River near Omaha, Nebraska, 2012-16: Model Inputs and Outputs
This data release contains the inputs and outputs from the development of Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentration models for the four Missouri River sites near Omaha, Nebraska. Model development, models, and results are published in the associated U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report Densmore and others, 2020. Load Estimator models (LOADEST) (Runkel and others, 2004) were developed from the firstMonitoring Data for Willow Creek Lake, Nebraska, 2012-14
Monitoring data were collected from the Willow Creek drainage basin and Willow Creek Lake with a focus on 2012-14. Included are datasets of meteorology; lake measurements of water levels, sediment nutrients, and physical, chemical, and biological data; streamflow and stream chemistry; and calculated nutrient loads to the lake.Direct-push sediment cores, resistivity profiles, and depth-averaged resistivity collected for Platte River Recovery and Implementation Program in Phelps County, Nebraska
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with the Platte River Recovery and Implementation Program, collected capacitively coupled (CC) resistivity data and six direct push sediment cores to identify the coarsest alluvial deposits underlying the Morse properties in central Nebraska to supplement the subsurface geologic information, for the purposes of proper siting of intentional recharStreambed sediment data for Missouri and Niobrara Rivers, Nebraska and South Dakota, 2015
Deltaic sand deposits at the head of Lewis and Clark Lake, Nebraska-South Dakota were investigated for suitability for use as a proppant feedstock resource in unconventional oil or gas production. The physical characteristics of the deposits are described in four supplemental data sets in varied file formats. First, for the direct-push cores collected at four sandbar complexes in the Missouri Rive - Multimedia
Early Morning on the Stikine River, Alaska
The USGS crew heads upriver early one winter day and sees an increible sunrise on the Stikine River.
The USGS crew heads upriver early one winter day and sees an increible sunrise on the Stikine River.
USGS boat at the Stikine River gage site, AlaskaThe USGS boat at the Stikine River gage site, Alaska. The Stikine River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska. Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.
The USGS boat at the Stikine River gage site, Alaska. The Stikine River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska. Visit USGS Transboundary River Monitoring in Southeast Alaska for more information about our research.
Sampling the Unuk River, AlaskaUSGS Hydrologist Randy Host performs compass calibrations for discharge measurements at the Unuk River. The Unuk River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska. This site has a Super Gage which is a conventional streamflow gage equipped with continuous water-quality monitors.
USGS Hydrologist Randy Host performs compass calibrations for discharge measurements at the Unuk River. The Unuk River is one of the transboundary watersheds of Southeast Alaska. This site has a Super Gage which is a conventional streamflow gage equipped with continuous water-quality monitors.
Gearing up boat at the Alsek River, AlaskaPreparing the boat for isokinetic water sampling using the equal discharge increment method on the Alsek River.
Preparing the boat for isokinetic water sampling using the equal discharge increment method on the Alsek River.
- Publications
Selected anthropogenic contaminants in groundwater, Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, eastern Nebraska, 1992–2020
A study in cooperation with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District was completed in 2019 to determine the concentration of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in groundwater in the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, eastern Nebraska. Each well was sampled twice (in June and October or November) in 2019, totaling 34 samples. Samples were analyzed for 132 CECs, which inAuthorsBrent M. Hall, Cory L. Kavan, Amanda T. Flynn, Mikaela L. CherryModeling 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. MoserRelating cyanobacteria and physicochemical water-quality properties in Willow Creek Lake, Nebraska, 2012–14
Cyanobacteria (also referred to as blue-green algae) are naturally present members of phytoplankton assemblages that may detract from beneficial uses of water because some strains produce cyanotoxins that pose health hazards to people and animals. Cyanobacteria populations observed in Willow Creek Lake during 2012 through 2014 were compared to external nutrient loading from the Willow Creek drainaAuthorsDavid L. Rus, Brent M. Hall, Steven A. ThomasSediment 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. AndersenComparison of water consumption in two riparian vegetation communities along the central Platte River, Nebraska, 2008–09 and 2011
The Platte River is a vital natural resource for the people, plants, and animals of Nebraska. A recent study quantified water use by riparian woodlands along central reaches of the Platte River, Nebraska, finding that water use was mainly regulated below maximum predicted levels. A comparative study was launched through a cooperative partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey, the Central PlatAuthorsBrent M. Hall, David L. RusRiparian evapotranspiration in Nebraska
With increasing demands being placed on the water resources of Nebraska, characterizing evapotranspiration (ET) from riparian vegetation has gained importance to water users and managers. This report summarizes and compares the results from several studies of the ET from cottonwood-dominated riparian forests, riparian grasslands, and common reed, Phragmites australis, in Nebraska. Reported resultsAuthorsBrent M. Hall, David L. Rus