Christina L Stamos-Pfeiffer
Christina is a Hydrologist Emerita with the California Water Science Center's Groundwater Availability and Use Assessments Program.
Christina completed her bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1984. After graduating, she supported petroleum geologists at Standard Oil of Ohio and British Petroleum in San Francisco. While a graduate student at San Diego State University, she worked as a micropaleontologist, did consulting work for her professors, and in 1987 became a student hydrologic technician for the USGS in the San Diego Projects Office. She completed her master’s degree in geology with an emphasis in groundwater hydrology in 1989 and started her decades-long career as a hydrologist for the USGS. During her USGS tenure, her studies and field work in California coastal and desert alluvial basins entailed designing and installing multiple-well monitoring wells, interpreting water-level and water-quality data, investigating complex regional hydrogeologic systems, quantifying groundwater budgets, and simulating groundwater flow. As a supervisory hydrologist for the Groundwater Availability and Use Assessments Program, her primary duties included developing cooperative studies and reviewing technically complex interpretive reports. She retired on December 30, 2023 but continues to mentor other hydrologists and physical scientists on innovative techniques to investigate and determine sources, age, and chemical character of groundwater. As a Hydrologist Emerita, she continues to collaborate with the groundwater-specialist team for the California Water Science Center, hydrologists from other USGS Water Science Centers across the nation, and the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Science and Products
Artificial recharge through a thick, heterogeneous unsaturated zone
Water-level and land-subsidence studies in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins
Evaluation of geohydrologic framework, recharge estimates and ground-water flow of the Joshua Tree area, San Bernardino County, California
Regional water table (2004) and water-level changes in the Mojave River and Morongo ground-water basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Regional Water Table (2002) and Water-Level Changes in the Mojave River and Morongo Ground-Water Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Comparison of ground-water flow model particle-tracking results and isotopic data in the Mojave River ground-water basin, southern California, USA
Geologic Setting, Geohydrology, and Ground-Water Quality near the Helendale Fault in the Mojave River Basin, San Bernardino County, California
Evaluation of artificial recharge in the Mojave River Ground-Water Basin, California
Simulation of ground-water flow in the Mojave River basin, California
Water Supply in the Mojave River Ground-Water Basin, 1931-99, and the Benefits of Artificial Recharge
Data and water-table map of the Mojave River ground-water basin, San Bernardino County, California, November 1992
Use of D-C resistivity to map saline ground water
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Artificial recharge through a thick, heterogeneous unsaturated zone
Thick, heterogeneous unsaturated zones away from large streams in desert areas have not previously been considered suitable for artificial recharge from ponds. To test the potential for recharge in these settings, 1.3 x 106 m3 of water was infiltrated through a 0.36-ha pond along Oro Grande Wash near Victorville, California, between October 2002 and January 2006. The pond overlies a regional pumpiAuthorsJohn A. Izbicki, Alan L. Flint, Christina L. StamosWater-level and land-subsidence studies in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins
Since 1992, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Mojave Water Agency (MWA), has constructed a series of regional water-table maps for intermittent years in a continuing effort to monitor groundwater conditions in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins. The previously published data, which were used to construct these maps, can be accessed on the interactive map. TheAuthorsChristina L. Stamos, Carolyn S. Glockhoff, Kelly R. McPherson, Raymond J. JulichEvaluation of geohydrologic framework, recharge estimates and ground-water flow of the Joshua Tree area, San Bernardino County, California
Ground water historically has been the sole source of water supply for the community of Joshua Tree in the Joshua Tree ground-water subbasin of the Morongo ground-water basin in the southern Mojave Desert. The Joshua Basin Water District (JBWD) supplies water to the community from the underlying Joshua Tree ground-water subbasin. The JBWD is concerned with the long-term sustainability of the underAuthorsTracy Nishikawa, John A. Izbicki, Joseph A. Hevesi, Christina L. Stamos, Peter MartinRegional water table (2004) and water-level changes in the Mojave River and Morongo ground-water basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
The Mojave River and Morongo ground-water basins are in the southwestern part of the Mojave Desert in southern California. Ground water from these basins supplies a major part of the water requirements for the region. The continuous population growth in this area has resulted in ever-increasing demands on local ground-water resources. The collection and interpretation of ground-water data helps loAuthorsChristina L. Stamos, Julia A. Huff, Steven K. Predmore, Dennis A. ClarkRegional Water Table (2002) and Water-Level Changes in the Mojave River and Morongo Ground-Water Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
The Mojave River and Morongo ground-water basins are in the southwestern part of the Mojave Desert in southern California. Ground water from these basins supplies a major part of the water requirements for the region. The continuous population growth in this area has resulted in ever-increasing demands on local ground-water resources. The collection and interpretation of ground-water data helps loAuthorsGregory A. Smith, Christina L. Stamos, Steven K. PredmoreComparison of ground-water flow model particle-tracking results and isotopic data in the Mojave River ground-water basin, southern California, USA
Flow-path and time-of-travel results for the Mojave River ground-water basin, southern California, calculated using the ground-water flow model MODFLOW and particle-tracking model MODPATH were similar to flow path and time-of-travel interpretations derived from delta-deuterium and carbon-14 data. Model and isotopic data both show short flow paths and young ground-water ages throughout the floodplaAuthorsJohn A. Izbicki, Christina L. Stamos, Tracy Nishikawa, Peter MartinGeologic Setting, Geohydrology, and Ground-Water Quality near the Helendale Fault in the Mojave River Basin, San Bernardino County, California
The proximity of the Mojave River ground-water basin to the highly urbanized Los Angeles region has resulted in rapid population growth and, consequently, an increase in the demand for water. The Mojave River, the primary source of surface water for the region, normally is dry--except for periods of flow after intense storms; therefore, the region relies almost entirely on ground water to meet itsAuthorsChristina L. Stamos, Brett F. Cox, John A. Izbicki, Gregory O. MendezEvaluation of artificial recharge in the Mojave River Ground-Water Basin, California
The Mojave River Basin relies almost entirely on ground water to meet the needs of its growing population and agriculture, which has resulted in overdraft conditions. Some of the ground-water management alternatives being proposed to mitigate the effects of overdraft include artificial recharge using water from the California State Water Project (SWP) and using SWP water in lieu of ground-water puAuthorsChristina L. Stamos, Peter Martin, Steven K. PredmoreSimulation of ground-water flow in the Mojave River basin, California
The proximity of the Mojave River ground-water basin to the highly urbanized Los Angeles region has led to rapid growth in population and, consequently, to an increase in the demand for water. The Mojave River, the primary source of surface water for the region, normally is dry-except for a small stretch of perennial flow and periods of flow after intense storms. Thus, the region relies almost entAuthorsChristina L. Stamos, Peter Martin, Tracy Nishikawa, Brett F. CoxWater Supply in the Mojave River Ground-Water Basin, 1931-99, and the Benefits of Artificial Recharge
The Mojave River and the associated aquifer system are important water supplies in the Mojave Desert of southern California. The river and aquifer system are in hydraulic connection in many areas, and when flow conditions change in one, the other usually is affected. The river is an unpredictable source of water; therefore, residents of the basin rely almost entirely on ground water for their wateAuthorsChristina L. Stamos, Tracy Nishikawa, Peter MartinData and water-table map of the Mojave River ground-water basin, San Bernardino County, California, November 1992
No abstract available.AuthorsChristina L. Stamos, Steven K. PredmoreUse of D-C resistivity to map saline ground water
It has been estimated in previous studies that 23 square miles of the Oxnard aquifer, a member of a multi-layered aquifer system beneath the Oxnard plain in Ventura County, California, has been contaminated as a result of seawater intrusion. To investigate this and other potential sources of saline water, a direct-current resistivity survey was made as an alternative to the costly and time-consumiAuthorsChristina L. Stamos, Steven K. Predmore, Adel A. R. Zohdy - Science
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