Brent started with the USGS in 1992 and is a Research Hydrologist for the South Atlantic Water Science Center, Norcross, Ga. He is the principal investigator on a research study looking at the effects of seasonally water-limited conditions on the water cycle in the Southeastern U.S. He also responsible for interpretive work for several urban water-quality studies in the metro-Atlanta region.
Current Responsibilities:
Brent is the principal investigator of the research study “Actual evapotranspiration, flash droughts, water deficits, reduced vegetative growth, and wildfires — the effects of seasonally water-limited conditions in a changing climate” (2019–2023), funded by the Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Research and Development Program. The purpose of this study is to quantify the effects of climate and climatic change on seasonally water-limited catchments in the Southeastern U.S. Water-limited catchments are sensitive to droughts, that result in reduced groundwater recharge, evapotranspiration, and water deficits that can have adverse effects on trees, such as carbon starvation and hydraulic failure, and can result in wildfires. The study includes field estimates of groundwater recharge and actual evapotranspiration at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed (PMRW), in Stockbridge, Ga., and compares water cycle component estimates to other monitored watersheds in the Southeastern U.S.
Brent also works on several urban water-quality studies of streams in the metro-Atlanta region, funded through the USGS cooperative projects with local partners. The main purpose of these studies is to assess the status and trends in water-quality and relate these to land use.
Areas of Interest:
Brent’s interests in small watershed research studies include investigating hydrological and biogeochemical processes that control the movement and solute composition of water along hydrologic pathways that generate streamflow and quantifying and predicting the effects of climate and climatic change on these processes. Much of this research has been performed at the PMRW, which was part of the Water, Energy and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) Program (1991–2016) study of five diverse catchments.
Brent also has expertise in estimating streamwater constituent loads. He has developed methodology and techniques for improving streamwater load estimates and for identifying trends in concentrations and loads, and has optimized sampling designs. He was responsible for method design, estimation, and reporting of streamwater constituent fluxes and trends for the USGS’s National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN), which monitors the water quality of U.S.’s large rivers, from 1998 to 2013.
Professional Experience
1992 - present: Research Hydrologist, USGS, Norcross, Georgia
Education and Certifications
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, Geology, B.S. (1988)
Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, Hydrogeology, M.S. (1992)
Science and Products
Hydrology, water-quality, and watershed characteristics in 15 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, water years 2002–20
Evaluating the spatial and temporal variability of groundwater uptake by riparian vegetation in a humid southeastern US catchment
Hydrology and water quality in 15 watersheds in DeKalb County, Georgia, 2012–16
The evolving perceptual model of streamflow generation at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed
Monitoring and real-time modeling of Escherichia coli bacteria for the Chattahoochee River, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia, 2000–2019
Effects of climate-related variability in storage on streamwater solute concentrations and fluxes in a small forested watershed in the Southeastern United States
Quantifying climate-related interactions in shallow and deep storage and evapotranspiration in a forested, seasonally water-limited watershed in the Southeastern United States
Effects of impervious area and BMP implementation and design on storm runoff and water quality in eight small watersheds
Hydrology and water quality in 13 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, 2001–15
Spatial and temporal patterns of dissolved organic matter quantity and quality in the Mississippi River Basin, 1997–2013
Approaches to stream solute load estimation for solutes with varying dynamics from five diverse small watershed
The river as a chemostat: fresh perspectives on dissolved organic matter flowing down the river continuum
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Actual evapotranspiration, flash droughts, water deficits, reduced vegetative growth, and wildfires: the effects of seasonally water-limited conditions in a changing climate
Small Watershed Studies at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Georgia
Transport of dissolved organic matter by river networks from mountains to the sea: a re-examination of the role of flow across temporal and spatial scales
Watershed characteristics and streamwater constituent load data, models, and estimates for 15 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, 2000-2021
Precipitation, air temperature, streamflow, and water table depths from selected wells at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed, 2001 - 2003
Streamwater constituent load data, models, and estimates for 15 watersheds in DeKalb County, Georgia, 2012-2016
Data and estimates for wet deposition and streamwater solute fluxes at Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Stockbridge, Ga., water years 1986-2016
Data for estimating monthly water budgets at Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Stockbridge, Ga., water years 19862015
Stream water-quality summary statistics and outliers, streamwater load models and estimates, and peak flow modeling parameters for 13 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 39
Hydrology, water-quality, and watershed characteristics in 15 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, water years 2002–20
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, established the Long-Term Trend Monitoring program in 1996 to monitor and analyze the hydrologic and water-quality conditions in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Gwinnett County is a suburban to urban area northeast of the city of Atlanta in north-central Georgia. The monitoring program currently consists of 15AuthorsBrent T. Aulenbach, Joshua C. Henley, Kristina G. HopkinsEvaluating the spatial and temporal variability of groundwater uptake by riparian vegetation in a humid southeastern US catchment
In environments with shallow water tables, vegetation may use groundwater to support transpiration (TG). This process has been carefully studied in some arid climates but rarely in humid climates—even those with severe droughts and seasonal water deficits. As such, the role of TG in humid-catchment hydrology is poorly constrained. We analysed water table fluctuations from nine monitoring wells aloAuthorsJeffrey W. Riley, Luke A. Pangle, Brent T. AulenbachHydrology and water quality in 15 watersheds in DeKalb County, Georgia, 2012–16
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management, established a long-term water-quantity and water-quality monitoring program in 2012 to monitor and analyze the hydrologic and water-quality conditions of 15 watersheds in DeKalb County, Georgia—an urban and suburban area located in north-central Georgia that includes the easternmost part of the City oAuthorsBrent T. Aulenbach, Katharine R. Kolb, John K. Joiner, Andrew E. KnaakThe evolving perceptual model of streamflow generation at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed
The Panola Mountain Research Watershed (PMRW) is a 41‐hectare forested catchment within the Piedmont Province of the Southeastern United States. Observations, experimentation, and numerical modelling have been conducted at Panola over the past 35 years. But to date, these studies have not been fully incorporated into a more comprehensive synthesis. Here we describe the evolving perceptual understaAuthorsBrent T. Aulenbach, Richard P Hooper, H. J. van Meerveld, Douglas A. Burns, James E. Freer, James B. Shanley, Thomas Huntington, Jeffery J. McDonnell, Norman E. PetersMonitoring and real-time modeling of Escherichia coli bacteria for the Chattahoochee River, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia, 2000–2019
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) is a National Park Service unit/park with 48 miles of urban waterway in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Chattahoochee River within the CRNRA is a popular place for water-based recreation but is known to periodically experience elevated levels of fecal-coliform bacteria associated with warm-blooded animals that can result in a variety of pAuthorsBrent T. Aulenbach, Anna M. McKeeEffects of climate-related variability in storage on streamwater solute concentrations and fluxes in a small forested watershed in the Southeastern United States
Streamwater quality can be affected by climate-related variability in hydrologic state, which controls flow paths and affects biogeochemical processes. Thirty-one years of input/output solute fluxes at Panola Mountain Research Watershed, a small, forested, seasonally water-limited watershed near Atlanta, Georgia, were used to quantify the effects of climatic-related variability in storage on streaAuthorsBrent T. AulenbachQuantifying climate-related interactions in shallow and deep storage and evapotranspiration in a forested, seasonally water-limited watershed in the Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States experiences recurring hydrological droughts, which can reduce water availability and can result in water-limiting conditions. Long-term monitoring at Panola Mountain Research Watershed, a small, forested, seasonally water-limited watershed near Atlanta, Georgia, was used to quantify the interactions of climatic variability with shallow and deep storage and evapotransAuthorsBrent T. Aulenbach, Norman E. PetersEffects of impervious area and BMP implementation and design on storm runoff and water quality in eight small watersheds
The effects of increases in effective impervious area (EIA) and the implementation of water quality protection designed detention pond best management practices (BMPs) on storm runoff and stormwater quality were assessed in Gwinnett County, Georgia, for the period 2001-2008. Trends among eight small watersheds were compared, using a time trend study design. Significant trends were detected in threAuthorsBrent T. Aulenbach, Mark N. Landers, Jonathan W. Musser, Jaime A. PainterHydrology and water quality in 13 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, 2001–15
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, established a Long-Term Trend Monitoring (LTTM) program in 1996. The LTTM program is a comprehensive, long-term, water-quantity and water-quality monitoring program designed to document and analyze the hydrologic and water-quality conditions of selected watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia. WateAuthorsBrent T. Aulenbach, John K. Joiner, Jaime A. PainterSpatial and temporal patterns of dissolved organic matter quantity and quality in the Mississippi River Basin, 1997–2013
Recent studies have found insignificant or decreasing trends in time-series dissolved organic carbon (DOC) datasets, questioning the assumption that long-term DOC concentrations in surface waters are increasing in response to anthropogenic forcing, including climate change, land use, and atmospheric acid deposition. We used the weighted regressions on time, discharge, and season (WRTDS) model to eAuthorsSarah M. Stackpoole, Edward G. Stets, David W. Clow, Douglas A. Burns, George R. Aiken, Brent T. Aulenbach, Irena F. Creed, Robert M. Hirsch, Hjalmar Laudon, Brian Pellerin, Robert G. StrieglApproaches to stream solute load estimation for solutes with varying dynamics from five diverse small watershed
Estimating streamwater solute loads is a central objective of many water-quality monitoring and research studies, as loads are used to compare with atmospheric inputs, to infer biogeochemical processes, and to assess whether water quality is improving or degrading. In this study, we evaluate loads and associated errors to determine the best load estimation technique among three methods (a period-wAuthorsBrent T. Aulenbach, Douglas A. Burns, James B. Shanley, Ruth D. Yanai, Kikang Bae, Adam Wild, Yang Yang, Dong YiThe river as a chemostat: fresh perspectives on dissolved organic matter flowing down the river continuum
A better understanding is needed of how hydrological and biogeochemical processes control dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition from headwaters downstream to large rivers. We examined a large DOM dataset from the National Water Information System of the US Geological Survey, which represents approximately 100 000 measurements of DOC concentratAuthorsIrena F. Creed, Diane M. McKnight, Brian Pellerin, Mark B. Green, Brian A. Bergamaschi, George R. Aiken, Douglas A. Burns, Stuart E G Findlay, James B. Shanley, Robert G. Striegl, Brent T. Aulenbach, David W. Clow, Hjalmar Laudon, Brian L. McGlynn, Kevin J. McGuire, Richard A. Smith, Sarah M. StackpooleNon-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
- Science
Actual evapotranspiration, flash droughts, water deficits, reduced vegetative growth, and wildfires: the effects of seasonally water-limited conditions in a changing climate
The Southeastern U.S. experiences recurring hydrologic droughts, which can reduce water availability for human consumption and ecosystem services, leading to plant stress and reduced plant growth. This project examines relationships between drought and the water cycle in the Southeast with data from the Panola Mountain Research Watershed (PMRW) near Atlanta, Georgia and other Southeastern sites...Small Watershed Studies at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Georgia
The Panola Mountain Research Watershed (PMRW) is a 41-hectare forested watershed in the southern Piedmont physiographic province near Atlanta, Georgia. The watershed contains a naturally regenerated second-growth forest on abandoned agricultural land, typical of the Piedmont. Research at PMRW is focused on how streamflow is generated, and in particular, on how water and solutes move from...Transport of dissolved organic matter by river networks from mountains to the sea: a re-examination of the role of flow across temporal and spatial scales
The transport of dissolved organic matter (DOM) by rivers is an important component of the global carbon cycle, affects ecosystems and water quality, and reflects biogeochemical and hydrological processes in watersheds. Understanding the fundamental relationships between discharge and DOM concentration and composition reveals important information about watershed flow paths, soil flushing, connect - Data
Watershed characteristics and streamwater constituent load data, models, and estimates for 15 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, 2000-2021
This data release contains 15 datasets and associated metadata of watershed characteristics and data related to stream water quality and constituent load estimation for 15 study watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Dataset periods vary but range within 2000 to 2021. The 15 datasets are organized as individual child items. The data release includes three Geographic Information System shapefiles:Precipitation, air temperature, streamflow, and water table depths from selected wells at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed, 2001 - 2003
This dataset contains hourly average groundwater level time-series for 19 monitoring wells at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed (PMRW) from January 2001 to October 2002. The data was used in a hydrologic modeling study to test a model formulation that allowed for bi-direction fluxes between groundwater and surface water in a bucket type hydrologic model. Some wells had missing data so recordStreamwater constituent load data, models, and estimates for 15 watersheds in DeKalb County, Georgia, 2012-2016
This data release contains eight datasets and metadata related to streamwater constituent load estimation and E. coli bacteria concentration predictions at 15 watersheds in DeKalb County, Georgia for 2012 to 2016 (the water-quality model calibration data goes through 9/22/2017 and the water-quality assurance samples goes through 11/7/2017). Loads were estimated for 15 constituents: biochemical oxyData and estimates for wet deposition and streamwater solute fluxes at Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Stockbridge, Ga., water years 1986-2016
This dataset contains the data and results of an analysis estimating wet deposition and streamwater solute fluxes at Panola Mountain Research Watershed (PMRW), Panola Mountain State Park, Stockbridge, Georgia for water years 1986-2016. The PMRW is a small (41 ha), relatively undisturbed, forested headwater catchment in the Piedmont Province of Southeastern United States. This data provides the basData for estimating monthly water budgets at Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Stockbridge, Ga., water years 19862015
Data used to estimate monthly water budgets at Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Panola Mountain State Park, Stockbridge, Ga. for water years 1986-2015. Data include: (1) hourly air temperature and solar radiation data used to calculate potential evapotranspiration using the Priestly-Taylor equation; (2) unit-value streamwater stage and streamflow; (3) unit-value base flow determined from a hydrStream water-quality summary statistics and outliers, streamwater load models and estimates, and peak flow modeling parameters for 13 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia
Data include: (1) water-quality constituent outliers that were removed from the calibration of regression models used to estimate streamwater solute loads, (2) parameters used to model peak streamflow recurrence intervals, (3) models used to estimate streamwater constituent loads, (4) statistical summaries of water-quality observations, and (5) estimated annual streamwater constituent loads. - Multimedia