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
Integrating GRACE Satellite and Ground-based Estimates of Groundwater Storage Changes
Estimates of groundwater recharge rates and sources in the East Mountain area, Eastern Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 2005-12
Integrated hydrologic model of Pajaro Valley, Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, California
Hydrologic models and analysis of water availability in Cuyama Valley, California
Modeling nitrate at domestic and public-supply well depths in the Central Valley, California
Simulation-optimization aids in resolving water conflict: Temecula Basin, Southern California
Seepage investigations of the Rio Grande from below Leasburg Dam, Leasburg, New Mexico, to above American Dam, El Paso, Texas, 2006-13
Construction of 3-D geologic framework and textural models for Cuyama Valley groundwater basin, California
Knowledge, transparency, and refutability in groundwater models, an example from the Death Valley regional groundwater flow system
Groundwater depletion and sustainability of irrigation in the US High Plains and Central Valley
Hydrogeology, water chemistry, and transport processes in the zone of contribution of a public-supply well in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2007-9
A method for physically based model analysis of conjunctive use in response to potential climate changes
Planned updates and refinements to the Central Valley hydrologic model with an emphasis on improving the simulation of land subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley
Science and Products
- Science
Filter Total Items: 13
Integrating GRACE Satellite and Ground-based Estimates of Groundwater Storage Changes
Groundwater storage depletion is a critical issue for many of the major aquifers in the U.S., particularly during intense droughts. The GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellites launched in 2002, with sensors designed to measure changes in the Earth’s gravitational field at large spatial scales (≥ ~200,000 km2). These changes are primarily driven by changes in water storage on the - Data
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 65
Estimates of groundwater recharge rates and sources in the East Mountain area, Eastern Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 2005-12
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bernalillo County Public Works Division, has conducted a monitoring program in the East Mountain area of eastern Bernalillo County, New Mexico, since 2000 to better define the hydrogeologic characteristics of the East Mountain area and to provide scientific information that will assist in the sustainable management of water resources. This reportAuthorsSteven E. Rice, Dianna M. CrilleyIntegrated hydrologic model of Pajaro Valley, Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, California
Increasing population, agricultural development (including shifts to more water-intensive crops), and climate variability are placing increasingly larger demands on available groundwater resources in the Pajaro Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. This study provided a refined conceptual model, geohydrologic framework, and integrated hydrologic model of the PajaroAuthorsRandall T. Hanson, Wolfgang Schmid, Claudia C. Faunt, Jonathan Lear, Brian LockwoodHydrologic models and analysis of water availability in Cuyama Valley, California
Changes in population, agricultural development practices (including shifts to more water-intensive crops), and climate variability are placing increasingly larger demands on available water resources, particularly groundwater, in the Cuyama Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in Santa Barbara County. The goal of this study was to produce a model capable of being accurate at scAuthorsR. T. Hanson, Lorraine E. Flint, Claudia C. Faunt, Dennis R. Gibbs, Wolfgang SchmidModeling nitrate at domestic and public-supply well depths in the Central Valley, California
Aquifer vulnerability models were developed to map groundwater nitrate concentration at domestic and public-supply well depths in the Central Valley, California. We compared three modeling methods for ability to predict nitrate concentration >4 mg/L: logistic regression (LR), random forest classification (RFC), and random forest regression (RFR). All three models indicated processes of nitrogen feAuthorsBernard T. Nolan, JoAnn M. Gronberg, Claudia C. Faunt, Sandra M. Eberts, Ken BelitzSimulation-optimization aids in resolving water conflict: Temecula Basin, Southern California
The productive agricultural areas of Pajaro Valley, California have exclusively relied on ground water from coastal aquifers in central Monterey Bay. As part of the Basin Management Plan (BMP), the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (PVWMA) is developing additional local supplies to replace coastal pumpage, which is causing seawater intrusion. The BMP includes an aquifer storage and recovery (AAuthorsRandall T. Hanson, Claudia C. Faunt, Wolfgang Schmid, Jonathan LearSeepage investigations of the Rio Grande from below Leasburg Dam, Leasburg, New Mexico, to above American Dam, El Paso, Texas, 2006-13
Seepage investigations were conducted annually by the U.S. Geological Survey from 1988 to 1998 and from 2004 to 2013 along a 64-mile reach of the Rio Grande from below Leasburg Dam, Leasburg, New Mexico, to above American Dam, El Paso, Texas, as part of the Mesilla Basin monitoring program. Results of studies conducted from 2006 to 2013 are presented in this report. Seepage investigations were conAuthorsD.M. Crilley, A.M. Matherne, Nicole Thomas, S.E. FalkConstruction of 3-D geologic framework and textural models for Cuyama Valley groundwater basin, California
Groundwater is the sole source of water supply in Cuyama Valley, a rural agricultural area in Santa Barbara County, California, in the southeasternmost part of the Coast Ranges of California. Continued groundwater withdrawals and associated water-resource management concerns have prompted an evaluation of the hydrogeology and water availability for the Cuyama Valley groundwater basin by the U.S. GAuthorsDonald S. Sweetkind, Claudia C. Faunt, Randall T. HansonKnowledge, transparency, and refutability in groundwater models, an example from the Death Valley regional groundwater flow system
This work demonstrates how available knowledge can be used to build more transparent and refutable computer models of groundwater systems. The Death Valley regional groundwater flow system, which surrounds a proposed site for a high level nuclear waste repository of the United States of America, and the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), where nuclear weapons were tested, is used to explore modAuthorsMary C. Hill, Claudia C. Faunt, Wayne Belcher, Donald S. Sweetkind, Claire R. Tiedeman, Dmitri KavetskiGroundwater depletion and sustainability of irrigation in the US High Plains and Central Valley
Aquifer overexploitation could significantly impact crop production in the United States because 60% of irrigation relies on groundwater. Groundwater depletion in the irrigated High Plains and California Central Valley accounts for ∼50% of groundwater depletion in the United States since 1900. A newly developed High Plains recharge map shows that high recharge in the northern High Plains results iAuthorsBridget R. Scanlon, Claudia C. Faunt, Laurent Longuevergne, Robert C. Reedy, William M. Alley, Virginia L. McGuire, Peter B. McMahonHydrogeology, water chemistry, and transport processes in the zone of contribution of a public-supply well in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2007-9
The National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) of the U.S. Geological Survey began a series of groundwater studies in 2001 in representative aquifers across the Nation in order to increase understanding of the factors that affect transport of anthropogenic and natural contaminants (TANC) to public-supply wells. One of 10 regional-scale TANC studies was conducted in the Middle Rio Grande BasAuthorsLaura M. Bexfield, Bryant C. Jurgens, Dianna M. Crilley, Scott C. ChristensonA method for physically based model analysis of conjunctive use in response to potential climate changes
Potential climate change effects on aspects of conjunctive management of water resources can be evaluated by linking climate models with fully integrated groundwater-surface water models. The objective of this study is to develop a modeling system that links global climate models with regional hydrologic models, using the California Central Valley as a case study. The new method is a supply and deAuthorsR. T. Hanson, L. E. Flint, A. L. Flint, M. D. Dettinger, C.C. Faunt, D. Cayan, W. SchmidPlanned updates and refinements to the Central Valley hydrologic model with an emphasis on improving the simulation of land subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley
California's Central Valley has been one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world for more than 50 years. To better understand the groundwater availability in the valley, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed the Central Valley hydrologic model (CVHM). Because of recent water-level declines and renewed subsidence, the CVHM is being updated to better simulate the geohydrologicAuthorsClaudia C. Faunt, Randall T. Hanson, Peter Martin, Wolfgang Schmid - Software