Carole Johnson
Carole Johnson is Acting Chief of the Hydrogeophysics Branch of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area Earth System Processes Division. Carole provides leadership to USGS hydrologists nationally on development and application of hydrogeophysical methods to groundwater studies through applied research, training, and policy development.
Biography
Carole Johnson is a hydrologist with the USGS Earth System Processes Division, Hydrogeophysics Branch in Storrs, Connecticut, where she provides leadership to USGS hydrologists nationally on development and application of hydrogeophysical methods to USGS groundwater studies through applied research, training, and policy development. Carole’s research interests include use of borehole- and surface-geophysical methods and hydraulic testing for characterization of fractured-rock aquifers. She has coauthored ~40 USGS publications on use of hydrogeophysical methods for aquifer characterization for water resources and contaminant investigations. An experienced trainer, Carole has taught numerous webinars and more than 20 hands-on workshops for scientists on geophysical field methods, data processing, and data analysis for groundwater investigations, including through USGS courses, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Groundwater Association Fractured Rock Conference workshops, and classes for licensed environmental professionals in New Jersey and around New England.
Carole currently holds a professional geologists license in New Hampshire, and serves on the board of the Environmental and Engineering Geophysics Society. Carole has a B.S. in geology from Bates College and M.S. in hydrology from the University of New Hampshire.
Science and Products
Borehole Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
Borehole nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is an emerging geophysical method being applied to hydrogeology investigations.
Spectral Gamma Borehole Logging
Spectral gamma borehole geophysical methods measure natural-gamma energy spectra, which are caused by the decay of uranium, thorium, potassium-40, and anthropogenic radioactive isotopes. Spectral gamma data can be used to identify and quantify the amount of uranium, thorium, and potassium-40 isotopes detected in boreholes.
Understanding Spectral Gamma: Fundamentals of Nuclear Geophysics
The principles essential to the interpretation of gamma, gamma-spectrometry, gamma-gamma, and various types of neutron logs include the nature of subatomic particles and the particles and photons emitted by unstable isotopes.
Geophysical Data Collected in the Cedar River Floodplain, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 2015-2017
A suite of geophysical methods was used along the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to support the hydrogeologic characterization of the alluvial aquifer associated with the river and to assess the area for suitability for larger-scale airborne geophysics. The aquifer is comprised of sand and gravel, interbedded with finer sediments, and underlain by carbonate-dominated bedrock. The aquife...
Conceptual and numerical groundwater flow model of the Cedar River alluvial aquifer system with simulation of drought stress on groundwater availability near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for 2011 through 2013
Between July 2011 and February 2013, the City of Cedar Rapids observed water level declines in their horizontal collector wells approaching 11 meters. As a result, pumping from these production wells had to be halted, and questions were raised about the reliability of the alluvial aquifer under future drought conditions. The U.S. Geological Survey...
Haj, Adel E.; Ha, Wonsook S.; Gruhn, Lance R.; Bristow, Emilia L.; Gahala, Amy M.; Valder, Joshua F.; Johnson, Carole D.; White, Eric A.; Sterner, Shelby P.
Time-domain electromagnetic soundings and passive-seismic measurements for delineation of saline groundwater in the Genesee Valley-fill aquifer system, western New York, 2016–17
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, used noninvasive surface geophysics in the investigation of the distribution of saline groundwater in the valley-fill aquifer system of the Genesee River Valley near the former Retsof salt mine in western New York. In 1994, the Retsof salt...
Williams, John H.; Kappel, William M.; Johnson, Carole D.; White, Eric A.; Heisig, Paul M.; Lane, Jr., John W.
Beware of spatial autocorrelation when applying machine learning algorithms to borehole geophysical logs
Although many of the algorithms now considered to be machine learning algorithms (MLAs) have existed for nearly a century (e.g., Rosenblatt 1958), interest in MLAs has recently increased exponentially for solving data-driven problems across a variety of fields due to the expanded availability of large, complex datasets that may be difficult...
Terry, Neil; Johnson, Carole D.; Day-Lewis, Frederick; Parker, Beth L.; Slater, Lee D. Assessment of NMR logging for estimating hydraulic conductivity in glacial aquifers
Glacial aquifers are an important source of groundwater in the United States and require accurate characterization to make informed management decisions. One parameter that is crucial for understanding the movement of groundwater is hydraulic conductivity, K. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging measures the NMR response associated with...
Kendrick, Alexander K.; Knight, Rosemary; Johnson, Carole D.; Liu, Gaisheng; Knobbe, Steven; Hunt, Randall J.; Butler, James J. Characterizing the diverse hydrogeology underlying rivers and estuaries using new floating transient electromagnetic methodology
The hydrogeology below large surface water features such as rivers and estuaries is universally under-informed at the long reach to basin scales (tens of km+). This challenge inhibits the accurate modeling of fresh/saline groundwater interfaces and groundwater/surface water exchange patterns at management-relevant spatial extents. Here we...
Lane, John W.; Briggs, Martin; Maurya, PK; White, Eric A.; Pedersen, JB; Auken, Esben; Terry, Neil; Minsley, Burke J; Kress, Wade; LeBlanc, Denis R.; Adams, Ryan F.; Johnson, Carole D.
Lithostratigraphic, geophysical, and hydrogeologic observations from a boring drilled to bedrock in glacial sediments near Nantucket Sound in East Falmouth, Massachusetts
In spring 2016, a 310-foot-deep boring (named MA–FSW 750) was drilled by the U.S. Geological Survey near Nantucket Sound in East Falmouth, Massachusetts, to investigate the hydrogeology of the southern coast of western Cape Cod. Few borings that are drilled to bedrock exist in the area, and the study area was selected to fill a gap between...
Hull, Robert B.; Johnson, Carole D.; Stone, Byron D.; LeBlanc, Denis R.; McCobb, Timothy D.; Phillips, Stephanie N.; Pappas , Katherine L. ; Lane, Jr., John W. Geophysical assessment of a proposed landfill site in Fredericktown, Missouri
In June 2018, U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collected geophysical measurements to help evaluate the suitability of a proposed landfill site for disposing mine-waste materials in Fredericktown, MO. The geophysical investigation included electromagnetic induction, electrical resistivity...
Johnson, Carole D.; White, Eric A.; Werkema, Dale D.; Terry, Neil; Phillips, Stephanie N.; Ford, Robert; Lane, Jr., John W. Geophysical assessment of a proposed landfill location in Fredericktown, Missouri
In June 2018, U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collected geophysical measurements to help evaluate the suitability of a proposed landfill site for disposing mine-waste materials in Fredericktown, MO. The geophysical investigation included electromagnetic induction, electrical resistivity...
Johnson, Carole D.; White, Eric A.; Werkema, Dale D.; Terry, Neil; Phillips, Stephanie N.; Ford, Robert; Lane, Jr., John W. Application of a towed time-domain electromagnetic (tTEM) imaging system in Jamestown, North Dakota
Time-Domain Electromagnetic (EM) methods have been used for decades in support of groundwater investigations. A new towed Time-Domain EM system called “tTEM”, designed by Aarhus University, is being tested and evaluated under a collaborative research agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The tTEM system is rapid and efficient,...
Johnson, Carole D.; Valder, Joshua; White, Eric A.; Maurya, Pradip K; Hisz, David; Lane, Jr., John W. Remembering F. Peter Haeni - "What did we learn from this?"
Frederick Peter (‘Pete’) Haeni grew up on Long Island, New York, where he developed a lifelong love of the water —–a love that continued with his family in Deep River, Connecticut, and at their Eagle Island cottage in Maine. Pete was always at home on the water — whether sailing, motor boating, or collecting geophysical data. We remember Pete for...
Johnson, Carole D.; Lane, Jr., John W. Time-domain electromagnetic soundings for the delineation of saline groundwater in the Genesee River Valley, Western New York, 2016-2017
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, is investigating the distribution of saline groundwater in the Genesee River Valley near the former Retsof salt mine (fig. 1). As part of this study, paired time-domain electromagnetic (TEM) soundings and horizontal-to-vertical spectral...
Williams, John H.; Kappel, William M.; Johnson, Carole D.; White, Eric A.; Heisig, Paul M.; Lane, J. W. Evaluating long-term patterns of decreasing groundwater discharge through a lake-bottom permeable reactive barrier
Identifying and quantifying groundwater exchange is critical when considering contaminant fate and transport at the groundwater/surface-water interface. In this paper, areally distributed temperature and point seepage measurements are used to efficiently assess spatial and temporal groundwater discharge patterns through a glacial-kettle lakebed...
McCobb, Timothy D.; Briggs, Martin A.; LeBlanc, Denis R.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Johnson, Carole D.
Fractured Rock Geophysical Toolbox Method Selection Tool (FRGT-MST)
The Fractured Rock Geophysical Toolbox Method Selection Tool (FRGT-MST) is an Excel-based tool for identification of geophysical methods most likely to be appropriate for project goals and site conditions.
FLASH: A Computer Program for Flow-Log Analysis of Single Holes
FLASH (Flow-Log Analysis of Single Holes) is a computer program for the analysis of borehole vertical flow logs.