Cian Dawson (he/him) is a hydrologist with the Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area Observing Systems Division.
Abstracts and Presentations
Dawson, C.B., Lane, J.W., and White, E.A., 2021, Testing of sUAS ground-penetrating radar for non-contact measurement of river bathymetry [abs.], in Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems (SAGEEP) 2021 Proceedings: Denver, Colorado, Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society (EEGS).
Dawson, C.B. and Lane, J.W., 2020, Non-contact ground-penetrating radar: results, applications, and limitations from testing in the United States [abs.], in American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California, 7-11 December 2020: Washington, D.C., American Geophysical Union.
Dawson, C.B., Lane, J.W., and White, E.A., 2020, Testing sUAS Ground-Penetrating Radar for Hydrologic Studies: Results, Lessons Learned, and Future Directions, in Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) 2020 Drone Summit, November 4-6, 2020, Houston, Texas.
Dawson, C.B., Lane, J.W., and Briggs, M.A., 2019, Low-altitude airborne surveys for hydrologic studies: lessons learned and a path forward, in 2019 American Geophysical Union – Society of Exploration Geophysicists Airborne Geophysics Workshop, June 11-13, 2019, Davie, Florida.
Dawson, C.B., Lane, J.W., White, E.A., and Fulton, J.W., 2019, sUAS Ground-Penetrating Radar for Non-Contact Bathymetry, in Third Federal UAS Workshop, May 14-16, 2019, Mountain View, California.
Dawson, C.B., Phelps, G., White, E.A., and Lane, J.W., 2019, Drone Geophysics: Lessons learned for testing and development to expand traditional geophysical methods for sUAS surveys [abs.], in American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California, 9-13 December 2019: Washington, D.C., American Geophysical Union.
Lane, J.W., Dawson, C.B., and Briggs, M.A., Unoccupied Airborne Systems and Near-Surface Geophysics: What Does the Future Hold? (Invited) [abs.], in American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, California, 9-13 December 2019: Washington, D.C., American Geophysical Union.
Lane, J.W., Dawson, C.B., White, E.A., and Fulton, J.W., 2019, Non-contact measurement of river bathymetry using sUAS Radar: Recent developments and examples from the Northeastern United States, in Fifth International Conference on Engineering Geophysics, October 21-24, 2019, United Arab Emirates Proceedings: Society of Exploration Geophysicists, doi:10.1190/iceg2019-031.1
Lane, J.W., Fulton, J.W., Onufer, A., and Dawson, C.B., 2019, Development of a drone-deployed ground-penetrating radar system for non-contact bathymetry of freshwater systems, in 2019 American Geophysical Union – Society of Exploration Geophysicists Airborne Geophysics Workshop, June 11-13, 2019, Davie, Florida.
Dawson, C.B., 2018, sUAS - Hydrogeological Applications in the USGS: in Society of Exploration Geophysicists 2018, 19 October 2018, Anaheim, California.
Science and Products
Efficient hydrogeological characterization of remote stream corridors using drones
Use of discrete-zone monitoring systems for hydraulic characterization of a fractured-rock aquifer at the University of Connecticut Landfill, Storrs, Connecticut, 1999 to 2002
An integrated surface-geophysical investigation of the University of Connecticut landfill, Storrs, Connecticut: 2000
Integration of sUAS into Hydrogeophysical Studies
Integration of sUAS into Hydrogeophysical Studies: Technology Demonstration and Evaluation
Thermal Imaging Cameras for Studying Groundwater/Surface-Water Exchange
Thermal infrared and photogrammetric data collected by drone for hydrogeologic characterization around two US Geological Survey Next Generation Water Observing Systems stream gage locations near Claryville, NY, USA
Thermal infrared, multispectral, and photogrammetric data collected by drone for hydrogeologic analysis of the East River and Coal Creek beaver-impacted corridors near Crested Butte, Colorado
Thermal infrared and photogrammetric data collected by small unoccupied aircraft system for hydrogeologic analysis of Oh-be-joyful Creek, Gunnison National Forest, Colorado, August 2017
Science and Products
- Publications
Efficient hydrogeological characterization of remote stream corridors using drones
This project demonstrates the successful use of small unoccupied aircraft system (sUASs) for hydrogeological characterization of a remote stream reach in a rugged mountain terrain. Thermal infrared, visual imagery, and derived digital surface models are used to inform conceptual models of groundwater/surface‐water exchange and efficiently geolocate zones of preferential groundwater discharge thatUse of discrete-zone monitoring systems for hydraulic characterization of a fractured-rock aquifer at the University of Connecticut Landfill, Storrs, Connecticut, 1999 to 2002
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the University of Connecticut, used a suite of hydraulic methods to characterize the hydrogeology of a fractured-rock aquifer near the former landfill and chemical-waste disposal pits at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut. Multiple methods were used to determine head, driving potential, and transmissivity, including manual open-hole wAn integrated surface-geophysical investigation of the University of Connecticut landfill, Storrs, Connecticut: 2000
A surface-geophysical investigation to characterize the hydrogeology and contaminant distribution of the former landfill area at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, was conducted in 2000 to supplement the preliminary hydrogeologic assessment of the contamination of soil, surface water, and ground water at the site. A geophysical-toolbox approach was used to characterize the hydro - Science
Integration of sUAS into Hydrogeophysical Studies
The USGS is evaluating the integration of small unoccupied aircraft systems – sUAS or "drones" – into USGS hydrogeophysical studies.Integration of sUAS into Hydrogeophysical Studies: Technology Demonstration and Evaluation
The USGS is evaluating the integration of small unoccupied aircraft systems – sUAS or "drones" – into USGS hydrogeophysical studies. The following projects are part of a Water Resources Mission Area demonstration and evaluation effort in collaboration with USGS Water Science Centers (WSCs) starting in June 2018.Thermal Imaging Cameras for Studying Groundwater/Surface-Water Exchange
USGS scientists are using high-resolution handheld and airborne thermal imaging cameras in groundwater/surface-water exchange studies and other investigations where surface temperature contrasts indicate various hydrological processes. These cameras are used to quickly locate and characterize thermal (temperature) anomalies along streams, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and across the landscape... - Data
Thermal infrared and photogrammetric data collected by drone for hydrogeologic characterization around two US Geological Survey Next Generation Water Observing Systems stream gage locations near Claryville, NY, USA
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft above land surface) airborne thermal infrared, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system (UAS or 'drone') deployed along the river corridor encompassing two U.S. Geological Survey Next Generation Water Observing Systems (NGWOS) stream gage locations near Claryville, NY, USA. One site isThermal infrared, multispectral, and photogrammetric data collected by drone for hydrogeologic analysis of the East River and Coal Creek beaver-impacted corridors near Crested Butte, Colorado
The U.S. Geological Survey collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft als) airborne thermal infrared, multispectral, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system deployed along beaver-impacted sections of the East River and Coal Creek stream corridors, near the town of Crested Butte, CO. Visual imagery was collected in jpg format, and the images were compiled automaThermal infrared and photogrammetric data collected by small unoccupied aircraft system for hydrogeologic analysis of Oh-be-joyful Creek, Gunnison National Forest, Colorado, August 2017
The U.S. Geological Survey collected low-altitude airborne thermal infrared data and visual imagery via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system deployed from the northern bank of Oh-be-joyful Creek and adjacent to the Peeler fault, approximately 6 kilometers northwest of the town of Crested Butte, in Gunnison National Forest, Colorado, on August 17, 2017. Thermal infrared still images were - Multimedia