Claudia C. Faunt
Claudia Faunt serves as the Program Chief for the Groundwater Availability and Use Section at the USGS California Water Science Center in San Diego, California.
As a USGS hydrologist, she has led studies that focused on regional groundwater flow systems, including the Central Valley of California. Her research has specialized in water availability, regional integrated hydrologic modeling, and hydrogeologic framework modeling. Claudia has been a hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey since 1988 and a part of the California Water Science Center since 1998. She received her Doctorate in Geological Engineering in 1994 from the Colorado School of Mines. In one of her most memorable moments, Claudia was interviewed by the news television program, 60 Minutes, to discuss groundwater resources. She also was named the Groundwater Resources Association of California’s (GRA) David Keith Todd Distinguished Lecturer for 2017; a lecture series dedicated to fostering interest and excellence in applied groundwater science and technology.
Other Publications
- Tiedeman, C.R., Hill, M.C., D'Agnese, F.A., and Faunt, C.C., 2001, Using ground-water model predictions to guide hydrogeologic data collection: MODFLOW-2001 and other modeling odysseys Conference Proceedings, eds. H.S. Seo, E. Poeter, C. Zheng, and O. Poeter, p. 195-201.
Science and Products
Water Availability of the Salton Sea Watershed
Regional Groundwater Availability Study of the California Coastal Basins
Cuyama Valley Water Availability Study
Borrego Valley Groundwater Conditions
Sustainable Groundwater Management
Aquifer Storage and Recovery
Hydrologic Modeling Software
Basin Characterization Model (BCM)
Delta-Mendota Canal: Using Groundwater Modeling to Analyze Land Subsidence
Delta-Mendota Canal: Evaluation of Groundwater Conditions and Land Subsidence
Simulating Land Subsidence
Using Numerical Models to Simulate Subsidence
Relative distance of California's Central Valley from trough to valley edge and supporting data
Central Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Well Log Lithology Database and Texture Model
Central Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Observation Data (Groundwater Level, Streamflow, Subsidence) from 1916 to 2018 (ver. 2.1, September 2023)
Central Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Groundwater Pumping
Central Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Model Setup Files
Central Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Land Use Properties (ver. 3.0, October 2023)
MODFLOW-USG model used to evaluate water management issues in the Los Angeles Coastal Plain, California
Groundwater sustainability and land subsidence in California’s Central Valley
Hydrogeologic characterization of the San Antonio Creek Valley watershed, Santa Barbara County, California
Groundwater development stress: Global-scale indices compared to regional modeling
A hybrid machine learning model to predict and visualize nitrate concentration throughout the Central Valley aquifer, California, USA
An update of the Death Valley regional groundwater flow system transient model, Nevada and California
Enhancing drought resilience with conjunctive use and managed aquifer recharge in California and Arizona
Simulating regional groundwater flow in the vicinity of the Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada
Sustainable groundwater management in California
Hydrogeology, hydrologic effects of development, and simulation of groundwater flow in the Borrego Valley, San Diego County, California
Water availability and land subsidence in the Central Valley, California, USA
Water availability and subsidence in California's Central Valley
A water-budget approach to estimating potential groundwater recharge from two domestic sewage disposal fields in eastern Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 2011-12
MODPATH Observation Process (MODPATH-OBS)
The MODPATH-OBS (Hanson and others, 2013) computer program is designed to calculate simulated equivalents for observations related to advective groundwater transport that can be represented in a quantitative way by using simulated particle-tracking data.
Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM)
The Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM) is an extensive, detailed three-dimensional (3D) computer model of the hydrologic system of the Central Valley (Faunt, 2009). The Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM) simultaneously accounts for changing water supply and demand across the landscape, and simulates surface water and groundwater flow across the entire Central Valley.
Science and Products
- Science
Filter Total Items: 13
Water Availability of the Salton Sea Watershed
Throughout history, the Salton Sea has formed and dried up due to flooding from the Colorado River. It was most recently formed in 1905 when the Colorado River broke through an irrigation canal and flowed uncontrolled into the Salton Sea watershed. The Salton Sea is a terminal lake (it has no outlets). It is also in transboundary watershed, with area in both the state of California and Mexico’s...Regional Groundwater Availability Study of the California Coastal Basins
This study seeks to quantify water availability in the California Coastal Basins (CCBs). The CCBs vary greatly in their geologic, hydrologic, and climatic conditions; predominant water uses (agricultural, urban, or environmental); and how water availability changes in response to natural and anthropogenic stresses. Considering the complex dynamics of the CCBs and the history of managing water...Cuyama Valley Water Availability Study
Currently, groundwater is the only source for domestic, agricultural and municipal water use in the Cuyama Valley groundwater basin in Santa Barbara County, California. Groundwater withdrawals, mainly to irrigate agricultural crops, have resulted in water-level declines of as much as 300 feet in the area since the 1940s. To plan for sustainable future use of the groundwater, the U.S. Geological...Borrego Valley Groundwater Conditions
Groundwater is effectively the sole source of water supply for Borrego Valley, California. By the mid-2000s, agriculture, recreation (predominantly golf courses), municipal uses, and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park required about four times more water than is available through natural recharge. As a result, the U.S. Geological Survey began a cooperative study of the Borrego Valley with the...Sustainable Groundwater Management
In 2014, the State of California adopted historic legislation to help manage its groundwater, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) . According to the act, local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) must be formed for all high and medium priority basins in the state. These GSAs must develop and implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) for managing and using groundwater...Aquifer Storage and Recovery
Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is a water resources management technique for actively storing water underground during wet periods for recovery when needed, usually during dry periods. The timeframe can range from months to decades. Intentional aquifer storage, with the intent of using the water later, has been used for hundreds of years, but is being further developed and refined as demand...Hydrologic Modeling Software
The USGS has been a leader in the development of hydrologic and geochemical simulation models since the 1960's. USGS models are widely used to predict responses of hydrologic systems to changing stresses, such as increases in precipitation or ground-water pumping rates, as well as to predict the fate and movement of solutes and contaminants in water.Basin Characterization Model (BCM)
The Basin Characterization Model (BCM) is a simple grid-based model that calculates the water balance for any time step or spatial scale by using climate inputs, precipitation, minimum and maximum air temperature. The BCM can translate fine-scale maps of climate trends and projections into the hydrologic consequences, to permit evaluation of the impacts to water availability at regional, watershed...Delta-Mendota Canal: Using Groundwater Modeling to Analyze Land Subsidence
A numerical modeling approach was used to quantify groundwater conditions and land subsidence spatially along the Delta-Mendota Canal. In addition, selected management alternatives for controlling land subsidence were evaluated.Delta-Mendota Canal: Evaluation of Groundwater Conditions and Land Subsidence
In areas adjacent to the Delta-Mendota Canal (DMC), extensive groundwater withdrawal from the San Joaquin Valley aquifer system has caused areas of the ground to sink as much as 10 feet, a process known as land subsidence. This could result in serious operational and structural issues for the Delta-Mendota Canal (DMC). In response, the USGS is studying and providing information on groundwater...Simulating Land Subsidence
The California Water Science Center has been involved in multiple studies simulating land subsidence associated with groundwater withdrawal. The simulations can be used to estimate the magnitude, location, and timing of subsidence. They can also be used to evaluate management strategies to mitigate adverse effects from subsidence while also optimizing water availability.Using Numerical Models to Simulate Subsidence
The California Water Science Center has been involved in multiple studies simulating land subsidence associated with groundwater withdrawal. The simulations can be used to estimate the magnitude, location, and timing of subsidence. They can also be used to evaluate management strategies to mitigate adverse effects from subsidence while also optimizing water availability. - Data
Relative distance of California's Central Valley from trough to valley edge and supporting data
California's Central Valley ranges from the mountain fronts toward a central trough, mainly defined by the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers, and the relative distance from trough to valley edges is of interest. This data release provides supplemental data for the USGS Professional Paper 1766, titled Groundwater Availability of the Central Valley Aquifer, California and provides geographic informaCentral Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Well Log Lithology Database and Texture Model
These data encompass the geologic framework model for the Central Valley Hydrologic Model Version 2 (CVHM2) study. This includes (1) the Well Log Database which contains borehole information and lithology used in creating the geologic framework, (2) Well Logs with Classification Information which explains how percent coarse values were determined for each borehole, and (3) the Three-Dimensional FrCentral Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Observation Data (Groundwater Level, Streamflow, Subsidence) from 1916 to 2018 (ver. 2.1, September 2023)
This digital dataset includes three sets of observational data (groundwater level, streamflow, subsidence) used to calibrate the updated Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM2)Central Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Groundwater Pumping
This digital dataset contains datasets used to develop the Multi Node Well (MNW2) Package in CVHM2. It includes well locations, well properties for Municipal Pumping, Rural Pumping, Recovery Pumping, and Agricultural Pumping. The data release also includes pumping rates for Municipal Pumping, Rural Pumping, Recovery Pumping. Agricultural Pumping are estimated in CVHM2 by the farm process, and thusCentral Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Model Setup Files
The model setup of the updated Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM2) is similar to the original Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM). The differences in the model setup are described here as either model discretization, tidal influence, or drain flow. For model discretization, CVHM2 has 13 layers compared to 10 in CVHM. Tidal data for the San Francisco Bay and its influence on the general headCentral Valley Hydrologic Model version 2 (CVHM2): Land Use Properties (ver. 3.0, October 2023)
This digital dataset contains three types of information about the land use properties used in the updated Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM2): land use shapefile showing primary land use type for a model cell through time, soil data using the curve number for each region and zone, and farm process parameter values including crop coefficients and rooting depths.MODFLOW-USG model used to evaluate water management issues in the Los Angeles Coastal Plain, California
Seven model data sets are archived for this groundwater study. One simulation for the Los Angeles Coastal Plain groundwater model and six scenario simulations to evaluate the effects of future production well rate increases to reach maximum adjudicated rates and construction of new well fields. Simulations were run with MODFLOW-USG. - Publications
Filter Total Items: 66
Groundwater sustainability and land subsidence in California’s Central Valley
The Central Valley of California is one of the most prolific agricultural regions in the world. Agriculture is reliant on the conjunctive use of surface-water and groundwater. The lack of available surface-water and land-use changes have led to pumping-induced groundwater-level and storage declines, land subsidence, changes to streamflow and the environment, and the degradation of water quality. AAuthorsClaudia C. Faunt, Jonathan A. Traum, Scott E. Boyce, Whitney A. Seymour, Elizabeth Rae Jachens, Justin T. Brandt, Michelle Sneed, Sandra Bond, Marina MarcelliHydrogeologic characterization of the San Antonio Creek Valley watershed, Santa Barbara County, California
The San Antonio Creek Valley watershed (SACVW) is located in western Santa Barbara County, about 15 miles south of Santa Maria and 55 miles north of Santa Barbara, California. The SACVW is about 135 square miles and encompasses the San Antonio Creek Valley groundwater basin; the SACVW is separated from adjacent groundwater basins by the Casmalia and Solomon Hills to the north, and the Purisima HilAuthorsGeoffrey Cromwell, Donald S. Sweetkind, Jill N. Densmore, John A. Engott, Whitney A. Seymour, Joshua Larsen, Christopher P. Ely, Christina L. Stamos, Claudia C. FauntGroundwater development stress: Global-scale indices compared to regional modeling
The increased availability of global datasets and technologies such as global hydrologic models and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites have resulted in a growing number of global-scale assessments of water availability using simple indices of water stress. Developed initially for surface water, such indices are increasingly used to evaluate global groundwater resources.AuthorsWilliam Alley, Brian R. Clark, Matt Ely, Claudia C. FauntA hybrid machine learning model to predict and visualize nitrate concentration throughout the Central Valley aquifer, California, USA
Intense demand for water in the Central Valley of California and related increases in groundwater nitrate concentration threaten the sustainability of the groundwater resource. To assess contamination risk in the region, we developed a hybrid, non-linear, machine learning model within a statistical learning framework to predict nitrate contamination of groundwater to depths of approximately 500 mAuthorsKatherine M. Ransom, Bernard T. Nolan, Jonathan A. Traum, Claudia C. Faunt, Andrew M. Bell, Jo Ann M. Gronberg, David C. Wheeler, Celia Zamora, Bryant C. Jurgens, Gregory E. Schwarz, Kenneth Belitz, Sandra M. Eberts, George Kourakos, Thomas HarterAn update of the Death Valley regional groundwater flow system transient model, Nevada and California
Since the original publication of the Death Valley regional groundwater flow system (DVRFS) numerical model in 2004, more information on the regional groundwater flow system in the form of new data and interpretations has been compiled. Cooperators such as the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Energy, and Nye County, Nevada, recogniAuthorsWayne R. Belcher, Donald S. Sweetkind, Claudia C. Faunt, Michael T. Pavelko, Mary C. HillEnhancing drought resilience with conjunctive use and managed aquifer recharge in California and Arizona
Projected longer‐term droughts and intense floods underscore the need to store more water to manage climate extremes. Here we show how depleted aquifers have been used to store water by substituting surface water use for groundwater pumpage (conjunctive use, CU) or recharging groundwater with surface water (Managed Aquifer Recharge, MAR). Unique multi‐decadal monitoring from thousands of wells andAuthorsBridget R. Scanlon, Robert C. Reedy, Claudia C. Faunt, Donald R. Pool, Kristine; UhlmanSimulating regional groundwater flow in the vicinity of the Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada
No abstract available.AuthorsWayne Belcher, Donald S. Sweetkind, Claudia C. FauntSustainable groundwater management in California
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) uses data collection, modeling tools, and scientific analysis to help water managers plan for, and assess, hydrologic issues that can cause “undesirable results” associated with groundwater use. This information helps managers understand trends and investigate and predict effects of different groundwater-management strategies.AuthorsSteven P. Phillips, Laurel Lynn Rogers, Claudia C. FauntHydrogeology, hydrologic effects of development, and simulation of groundwater flow in the Borrego Valley, San Diego County, California
Executive Summary The Borrego Valley is a small valley (110 square miles) in the northeastern part of San Diego County, California. Although the valley is about 60 miles northeast of city of San Diego, it is separated from the Pacific Ocean coast by the mountains to the west and is mostly within the boundaries of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. From the time the basin was first settled, groundwateAuthorsClaudia C. Faunt, Christina L. Stamos, Lorraine E. Flint, Michael T. Wright, Matthew K. Burgess, Michelle Sneed, Justin T. Brandt, Peter Martin, Alissa L. CoesWater availability and land subsidence in the Central Valley, California, USA
The Central Valley in California (USA) covers about 52,000 km2 and is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. This agriculture relies heavily on surface-water diversions and groundwater pumpage to meet irrigation water demand. Because the valley is semi-arid and surface-water availability varies substantially, agriculture relies heavily on local groundwater. In the southern tAuthorsClaudia C. Faunt, Michelle Sneed, Jonathan A. Traum, Justin T. BrandtWater availability and subsidence in California's Central Valley
The Central Valley in California (USA) covers about 52,000 km2 and is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. This agriculture relies heavily on surface-water diversions and groundwater pumpage to meet irrigation water demand. Because the valley is semi-arid and surface-water availability varies substantially, agriculture relies heavily on local groundwater. In the southern tAuthorsClaudia C. Faunt, Michelle Sneed, Jonathan A. Traum, Justin T. BrandtA water-budget approach to estimating potential groundwater recharge from two domestic sewage disposal fields in eastern Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 2011-12
Eastern Bernalillo County, New Mexico, is a historically rural area that in recent years has experienced an increase in population and in the construction of new housing units, most of which are not connected to a centralized wastewater treatment system. Increasing water use has raised concerns about the effect of development on the available groundwater resources in the area. During 2011–12, theAuthorsDianna M. Crilley, Jake W. Collison - Software
MODPATH Observation Process (MODPATH-OBS)
The MODPATH-OBS (Hanson and others, 2013) computer program is designed to calculate simulated equivalents for observations related to advective groundwater transport that can be represented in a quantitative way by using simulated particle-tracking data.
Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM)
The Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM) is an extensive, detailed three-dimensional (3D) computer model of the hydrologic system of the Central Valley (Faunt, 2009). The Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM) simultaneously accounts for changing water supply and demand across the landscape, and simulates surface water and groundwater flow across the entire Central Valley.