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Curtis V Price

Curtis Price is a hydrologist specializing in geospatial data analysis.

Curtis Price earned his M.S. in Geology from Dartmouth College and, after a few years with NASA, joined the U.S. Geological Survey. During his long USGS career, he has provided GIS technical support, tools, and training across the USGS, applying GIS to projects ranging in scale from local water-quality studies to landscape characterization for national-scale analysis. He also developed Python software used to integrate hydrography and elevation data for the National Hydrography Dataset-Plus. Price left the USGS in 2018 to join the faculty at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, where he taught geospatial technology courses and workshops (including Surveying for Geological Engineers, Remote Sensing, and three GIS courses). He returned to the USGS in 2023. He is currently a Geology Ph.D. candidate at South Dakota Mines; his dissertation research focuses on developing tools to create longitudinal stream profiles from DEMs and using these DEM derivative data to infer the surface history of Laramide terranes in the eastern Rocky Mountains.

Education and Certifications

  • B.S. Geology University of Puget Sound

  • M.S. Geology Dartmouth College

  • Ph.D. Candidate, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

  • Esri Certified Desktop Professional (ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro)

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • Geological Society of America

  • American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

Honors and Awards

  • Samuel B Heyman Service to America Aware (Sammy) nominee, 2018

  • Esri Community Esteemed MVP

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 22

User's guide for the national hydrography dataset plus (NHDPlus) high resolution

The National Hydrography Dataset Plus High Resolution (NHDPlus HR) is a scalable geospatial hydrography framework built from the High Resolution (1:24,000-scale or better) National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), nationally complete Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD), and ⅓-arc-second (10-meter ground spacing) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) digital elevation model (DEM) data. The NHDPlus HR brings modeling
Authors
Richard B. Moore, Lucinda D. McKay, Alan H. Rea, Timothy R. Bondelid, Curtis V. Price, Thomas G. Dewald, Craig M. Johnston
By
National Geospatial Program, National Hydrography

Documentation for the U.S. Geological Survey Public-Supply Database (PSDB): A database of permitted public-supply wells, surface-water intakes, and systems in the United States

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed a database containing information about wells, surface-water intakes, and distribution systems that are part of public water systems across the United States, its territories, and possessions. Programs of the USGS such as the National Water Census, the National Water Use Information Program, and the National Water-Quality Assessment Program all requi
Authors
Curtis V. Price, Molly A. Maupin
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

Anthropogenic organic compounds in source water of select community water systems in the United States, 2002-10

Drinking water delivered by community water systems (CWSs) comes from one or both of two sources: surface water and groundwater. Source water is raw, untreated water used by CWSs and is usually treated before distribution to consumers. Beginning in 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program initiated Source Water-Quality Assessments (SWQAs) at select CWSs a
Authors
Joshua F. Valder, Gregory C. Delzer, James A. Kingsbury, Jessica A. Hopple, Curtis V. Price, David A. Bender
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

Factors associated with sources, transport, and fate of chloroform and three other trihalomethanes in untreated groundwater used for drinking water

Multiple lines of evidence for indicating factors associated with the sources, transport, and fate of chloroform and three other trihalomethanes (THMs) in untreated groundwater were revealed by evaluating low-level analytical results and logistic regression results for THMs. Samples of untreated groundwater from wells used for drinking water were collected from 1996-2007 from 2492 wells across the
Authors
Janet M. Carter, Michael J. Moran, John S. Zogorski, Curtis V. Price
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

Methods to characterize environmental settings of stream and groundwater sampling sites for National Water-Quality Assessment

Characterization of natural and anthropogenic features that define the environmental settings of sampling sites for streams and groundwater, including drainage basins and groundwater study areas, is an essential component of water-quality and ecological investigations being conducted as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. Quantitative characterization of
Authors
Naomi Nakagaki, Kerie J. Hitt, Curtis V. Price, James A. Falcone
By
Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center

Percent recoveries of anthropogenic organic compounds with and without the addition of ascorbic acid to preserve finished-water samples containing free chlorine, 2004-10

This report presents finished-water matrix-spike recoveries of 270 anthropogenic organic compounds with and without the addition of ascorbic acid to preserve water samples containing free chlorine. Percent recoveries were calculated using analytical results from a study conducted during 2004-10 for the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The stud
Authors
Joshua F. Valder, Gregory C. Delzer, David A. Bender, Curtis V. Price
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) area-characterization toolbox

This is release 1.0 of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Area-Characterization Toolbox. These tools are designed to be accessed using ArcGIS Desktop software (versions 9.3 and 9.3.1). The toolbox is composed of a collection of custom tools that implement geographic information system (GIS) techniques used by the NAWQA Program to characterize aquifer areas, drainage basins, and sampled
Authors
Curtis V. Price, Naomi Nakagaki, Kerie J. Hitt
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Area-Characterization Toolbox

This is release 1.0 of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Area-Characterization Toolbox. These tools are designed to be accessed using ArcGIS Desktop software (versions 9.3 and 9.3.1). The toolbox is composed of a collection of custom tools that implement geographic information system (GIS) techniques used by the NAWQA Program to characterize aquifer areas, drainage basins, and sampled
Authors
Curtis Price

Occurrence of volatile organic compounds in selected urban streams in the United States, 1995-2003

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, urban indicator sites were monitored to (1) characterize the stream quality from drainage basins with predominantly residential and commercial land use, and (2) determine which selected natural and anthropogenic factors affect stream quality. A total of 869 water samples were collected from 37 urban s
Authors
David A. Bender, Gregory C. Delzer, Curtis V. Price, John S. Zogorski
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

Study design and percent recoveries of anthropogenic organic compounds with and without the addition of ascorbic acid to preserve water samples containing free chlorine, 2004-06

The National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began implementing Source Water-Quality Assessments (SWQAs) in 2002 that focus on characterizing the quality of source water and finished water of aquifers and major rivers used by some of the larger community water systems in the United States. As used for SWQA studies, source water is the raw (ambient) wat
Authors
Joshua F. Valder, Gregory C. Delzer, Curtis V. Price, Mark W. Sandstrom
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center, National Water Quality Laboratory

Enhanced Historical Land-Use and Land-Cover Data Sets of the U.S. Geological Survey

Historical land-use and land-cover data, available from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the conterminous United States and Hawaii, have been enhanced for use in geographic information systems (GIS) applications. The original digital data sets were created by the USGS in the late 1970s and early 1980s and were later converted by USGS and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to a g
Authors
Curtis V. Price, Naomi Nakagaki, Kerie J. Hitt, Rick M. Clawges
By
Water Resources Mission Area

Occurrence and potential human-health relevance of volatile organic compounds in drinking water from domestic wells in the United States

BackgroundAs the population and demand for safe drinking water from domestic wells increase, it is important to examine water quality and contaminant occurrence. A national assessment in 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey reported findings for 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) based on 2,401 domestic wells sampled during 1985–2002.ObjectivesWe examined the occurrence of individual and multiple
Authors
Barbara L. Rowe, Patricia Toccalino, Michael J. Moran, John S. Zogorski, Curtis V. Price
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Nevada Water Science Center, Dakota Water Science Center
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3D Elevation Program (3DEP) - Your Source for 3D Elevation Data

High quality 3D elevation data are critical to flood risk management, resource management, conservation, alternative energy, agriculture, infrastructure management, and a broad range of other nationally significant applications. 3DEP is a cooperative program, managed by the USGS on behalf of the community, with the goal to complete national coverage of 3D elevation data in 8 years.
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area, National Geospatial Program
link

3D Elevation Program (3DEP) - Your Source for 3D Elevation Data

High quality 3D elevation data are critical to flood risk management, resource management, conservation, alternative energy, agriculture, infrastructure management, and a broad range of other nationally significant applications. 3DEP is a cooperative program, managed by the USGS on behalf of the community, with the goal to complete national coverage of 3D elevation data in 8 years.
Learn More
link
The ecology teams quantitatively sample fish and mussels semiannually in the spring and fall

WaterSMART: Improving Tools for Assessing and Forecasting Ecological Responses to Hydrologic Alteration

WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) is a program of the Department of the Interior that focuses on improving water conservation and helping water-resource managers make sound decisions about water use.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center
link

WaterSMART: Improving Tools for Assessing and Forecasting Ecological Responses to Hydrologic Alteration

WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) is a program of the Department of the Interior that focuses on improving water conservation and helping water-resource managers make sound decisions about water use.
Learn More
link
NHD

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD)

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) represents surface waters of the United States including, rivers, streams, lakes, and coastal features. The Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) is comprised of hierarchical polygons called hydrologic units that represent surface area over which water drains to a point. Both datasets are updated by stewards and are available by subsets of the United States.
By
Core Science Systems Mission Area, National Geospatial Program
link

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD)

The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) represents surface waters of the United States including, rivers, streams, lakes, and coastal features. The Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) is comprised of hierarchical polygons called hydrologic units that represent surface area over which water drains to a point. Both datasets are updated by stewards and are available by subsets of the United States.
Learn More

12-digit hydrologic unit outlet (pour) points for the NHDPlus V2.1 WBD snapshot

This USGS data release consists of three datasets representing three derived outlets or "pour points" for each 12-digit hydrologic unit (HU12) in the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) snapshot delivered with NHDPlus V2.1. The three related pour point locations, each delivered in a stand-alone dataset, are: "from" (fpp) and "to" (tpp) points that identify the location where flow leaves the HU12 poly
By
National Geospatial Program, Nevada Water Science Center, National Hydrography

A Selective Drainage Toolbox to Hydroenforce Culverts and Other Features in Lidar-Derived Digital Elevation Models

This is release 1.0 of the Selective Drainage Toolbox. These tools are designed to be accessed using ArcGIS Desktop software (versions 9.3.1 to 10.4.1). The toolbox is composed of a collection of custom tools that implement geographic information system (GIS) techniques that can be used to identify and enforce drainage hydro features in digital elevation models- with a specific applicability to hi
By
National Geospatial Program

Delineation of the hydrogeologic framework of the Big Sioux aquifer near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, using airborne electromagnetic data

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, began developing a groundwater-flow model of the Big Sioux aquifer in 2014 that will enable the City to make more informed water management decisions, such as delineation of areas of the greatest specific yield, which is crucial for locating municipal wells. Innovative tools are being evaluated as part of this s
By
Dakota Water Science Center

Occurrence of volatile organic compounds in selected urban streams in the United States, 1995-2003

The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program sampled 37 urban streams throughout the United States for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from 1995 to 2003. These urban streams were selected to (1) characterize stream water quality from areas draining predominantly residential and commercial land uses and (2) determine which natural and human factors affect stream
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

Science and Products

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government