Repeat images taken in 1959 and 2022 of stream gage #09401500 on Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona. Photo taken in 1959 is USGS, public domain. The photo taken in 2022 is by David Dean, USGS, SBSC, public domain.
David J Dean
David Dean studies hydrology, geomorphology, and sediment transport of rivers in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.
As a research hydrologist with the GCMRC and SBSC, I conduct original research linking hydrology and sediment transport to fluvial geomorphic processes. My research is conducted in the Rio Grande in the Big Bend region of far west Texas, the Green and Yampa Rivers in Dinosaur National Monument, the Green and Colorado Rivers in Canyonlands National Park, the Little Colorado River and its tributaries in northern Arizona, and the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park. My research aims to quantify how hydrologic and geomorphic processes respond to factors such as climate change, large-scale water development and management, the widespread establishment of non-native riparian plants, and anthropogenic modifications to fluvial bottomlands. All of these perturbations directly affect how water and sediment are routed through fluvial drainage networks, which controls the geomorphic behavior, and biologic processes of these river systems.
Much of my work incorporates the use of acoustic instrumentation to passively monitor suspended-sediment transport processes on rivers with high suspended-sediment loads. This work is paired with measurements of geomorphic change using a variety of data and techniques including: high-resolution topographic data collected with real-time-kinematic GPS and LIDAR, aerial imagery, and analysis of historical hydrologic and geomorphic data. My work is directly relevant to the primary scientific understanding of the hydrologic and geomorphic behavior of these rivers, as well as the management actions that may help mitigate fluvial perturbations that have occurred. My work also focuses on the biogeomorphic interactions between stream flow, sediment transport, and riparian vegetation, and how those interactions can result in negative and/or positive feedbacks of geomorphic change.
Professional Experience
2014 - present: Research Hydrologist, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center
2009 - 2014: Research Associate/Lab Manager, Department of Watershed Sciences, Geomorphology Lab, Utah State University
2006: Staff Scientist, StreamLab 2006, National Center for Earth Surface Dynamics, Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory, University of MN
2005: Laboratory Instructor, Environmental Geology, University of Saint Thomas, St. Paul, MN
2002, 2004, 2006: Instructor, Geologic Field Camp in Southeastern U.S., University of Saint Thomas, St. Paul, MN
2002 - 2004: Staff Geologist, Meisch & Associates, Ltd., Environmental Consultants, Oakdale, MN
Education and Certifications
M.S., 2006-2009: Utah State University, Logan, UT. Thesis: "A River Transformed: Historic Geomorphic Changes of the Lower Rio Grande in the Big Bend Region of Texas, Chihuahua, and Coahuila"
B.A., 1997-2001: University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, majors in geology and geography
Science and Products
U.S. Geological Survey Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center: Proceedings of the fiscal year 2023 annual reporting meeting to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program
The effects of vegetative feedbacks on flood shape, sediment transport, and geomorphic change in a dryland river: Moenkopi Wash, AZ
Proceedings of the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Reporting Meeting to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program
Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology Project—Science strategy
The use of continuous sediment-transport measurements to improve sand-load estimates in a large sand-bedded river: The Lower Chippewa River, WI
The effects of requested flows for native fish on sediment dynamics, geomorphology, and riparian vegetation for the Green River in Canyonlands National Park, Utah
A river of change—The Rio Grande in the Big Bend region
Instruments, methods, rationale, and derived data used to quantify and compare the trapping efficiencies of four types of pressure-difference bedload samplers
Monitoring the results of stream corridor restoration
Assessing the hydrologic and physical conditions of a drainage basin
Self-limitation of sand storage in a bedrock-canyon river arising from the interaction of flow and grain size
The roles of flood magnitude and duration in controlling channel width and complexity on the Green River in Canyonlands, Utah, USA
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Research
River Sediment Dynamics
Measuring Suspended-Sediment Concentrations, Grain Sizes and Bedload using Acoustic Doppler Velocity Meters and Echologgers in the Lower Chippewa River, Wisconsin
Measuring Suspended-Sediment Concentrations, Grain Sizes, and Bedload using Multiple Single-Frequency Acoustic Doppler Profilers and Echologgers in the Lower Chippewa River, Wisconsin.
Discharge, topographic, suspended-sediment, and GIS data from Moenkopi Wash, AZ
Digital elevation models and water surface profiles for the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon, Canyonlands National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah
Suspended-sediment, bedload, bed-sediment, and multibeam sonar data in the Chippewa River, WI
A snapshot of stakeholder science needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin
Suspended-sediment, bed-sediment, and in-channel topographical data at the Green River at Mineral Bottom near Canyonlands National Park, and Colorado River at Potash, UT stream gages
Rio Grande 2012 Vegetation and Water Classification Data in the Big Bend Region
Geomorphic Change Data for the Little Colorado River, Arizona, USA
Repeat images taken in 1959 and 2022 of stream gage #09401500 on Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona. Photo taken in 1959 is USGS, public domain. The photo taken in 2022 is by David Dean, USGS, SBSC, public domain.
Moenkopi Wash, stream gage #09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. The photo on the left was taken in 1941. The photo on the right was taken in 2015, and shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. The bridge is no longer visible. The 1941 photo was taken by USGS, public domain.
Moenkopi Wash, stream gage #09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. The photo on the left was taken in 1941. The photo on the right was taken in 2015, and shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. The bridge is no longer visible. The 1941 photo was taken by USGS, public domain.
Moenkopi Wash, looking upstream, near Tuba City, AZ, stream gage #09401400: 1941 and 2015 repeat photographs. Photo taken in 1941 is USGS, public domain, and photo taken in 2015 is by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Moenkopi Wash, looking upstream, near Tuba City, AZ, stream gage #09401400: 1941 and 2015 repeat photographs. Photo taken in 1941 is USGS, public domain, and photo taken in 2015 is by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Stream gage # 09401500 on Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC. This image is a repeat photograph of one taken in 1959 at the same location.
Stream gage # 09401500 on Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC. This image is a repeat photograph of one taken in 1959 at the same location.
Moenkopi Wash, stream gage # 09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. This photo, taken in 2015, is a match to a historic image taken in 1941 of a man on a bridge at the same location. This photo shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Moenkopi Wash, stream gage # 09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. This photo, taken in 2015, is a match to a historic image taken in 1941 of a man on a bridge at the same location. This photo shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Moenkopi Wash, looking upstream, stream gage # 09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. This photo, taken in 2015, is a match to a historic image taken in 1941 taken in the same location. This photo shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Moenkopi Wash, looking upstream, stream gage # 09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. This photo, taken in 2015, is a match to a historic image taken in 1941 taken in the same location. This photo shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park repeat photography from about 1945 and 2008 showing channel narrowing
linkRepeat photography from about 1945 (top panel) and 2008 (bottom panel) showing channel narrowing over time in a portion of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park.
Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park repeat photography from about 1945 and 2008 showing channel narrowing
linkRepeat photography from about 1945 (top panel) and 2008 (bottom panel) showing channel narrowing over time in a portion of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park.
A historic image taken in 1959 of Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona, stream gage #09401500. USGS photo. A repeat photograph of this location was taken in 2022, and can be seen here: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/moenkopi-wash-stream-gage-near-cameron-az-2022
A historic image taken in 1959 of Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona, stream gage #09401500. USGS photo. A repeat photograph of this location was taken in 2022, and can be seen here: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/moenkopi-wash-stream-gage-near-cameron-az-2022
A man stands on a bridge over Moenkopi Wash, near Tuba City, AZ, stream gage # 09401400 in a historic black and white photo taken in 1941. USGS photo.
A man stands on a bridge over Moenkopi Wash, near Tuba City, AZ, stream gage # 09401400 in a historic black and white photo taken in 1941. USGS photo.
A historic image taken in 1941 from a bridge looking upstream at Moenkopi Wash near Tuba City, Arizona, stream gage # 09401400. USGS photo.
A historic image taken in 1941 from a bridge looking upstream at Moenkopi Wash near Tuba City, Arizona, stream gage # 09401400. USGS photo.
Colorado River Basin Projects
The Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology Team has created an interactive map of USGS projects to highlight the integrated science currently conducted within the Colorado River Basin. These projects are not all inclusive of the work conducted by the USGS within the CRB, but highlight the broad range of integrated science currently conducted.
Three podcasts about the Rio Grande with David Dean. Click the link below to listen and read the accompanying article.
Science and Products
U.S. Geological Survey Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center: Proceedings of the fiscal year 2023 annual reporting meeting to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program
The effects of vegetative feedbacks on flood shape, sediment transport, and geomorphic change in a dryland river: Moenkopi Wash, AZ
Proceedings of the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Reporting Meeting to the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program
Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology Project—Science strategy
The use of continuous sediment-transport measurements to improve sand-load estimates in a large sand-bedded river: The Lower Chippewa River, WI
The effects of requested flows for native fish on sediment dynamics, geomorphology, and riparian vegetation for the Green River in Canyonlands National Park, Utah
A river of change—The Rio Grande in the Big Bend region
Instruments, methods, rationale, and derived data used to quantify and compare the trapping efficiencies of four types of pressure-difference bedload samplers
Monitoring the results of stream corridor restoration
Assessing the hydrologic and physical conditions of a drainage basin
Self-limitation of sand storage in a bedrock-canyon river arising from the interaction of flow and grain size
The roles of flood magnitude and duration in controlling channel width and complexity on the Green River in Canyonlands, Utah, USA
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Research
River Sediment Dynamics
Measuring Suspended-Sediment Concentrations, Grain Sizes and Bedload using Acoustic Doppler Velocity Meters and Echologgers in the Lower Chippewa River, Wisconsin
Measuring Suspended-Sediment Concentrations, Grain Sizes, and Bedload using Multiple Single-Frequency Acoustic Doppler Profilers and Echologgers in the Lower Chippewa River, Wisconsin.
Discharge, topographic, suspended-sediment, and GIS data from Moenkopi Wash, AZ
Digital elevation models and water surface profiles for the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon, Canyonlands National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah
Suspended-sediment, bedload, bed-sediment, and multibeam sonar data in the Chippewa River, WI
A snapshot of stakeholder science needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin
Suspended-sediment, bed-sediment, and in-channel topographical data at the Green River at Mineral Bottom near Canyonlands National Park, and Colorado River at Potash, UT stream gages
Rio Grande 2012 Vegetation and Water Classification Data in the Big Bend Region
Geomorphic Change Data for the Little Colorado River, Arizona, USA
Repeat images taken in 1959 and 2022 of stream gage #09401500 on Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona. Photo taken in 1959 is USGS, public domain. The photo taken in 2022 is by David Dean, USGS, SBSC, public domain.
Repeat images taken in 1959 and 2022 of stream gage #09401500 on Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona. Photo taken in 1959 is USGS, public domain. The photo taken in 2022 is by David Dean, USGS, SBSC, public domain.
Moenkopi Wash, stream gage #09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. The photo on the left was taken in 1941. The photo on the right was taken in 2015, and shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. The bridge is no longer visible. The 1941 photo was taken by USGS, public domain.
Moenkopi Wash, stream gage #09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. The photo on the left was taken in 1941. The photo on the right was taken in 2015, and shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. The bridge is no longer visible. The 1941 photo was taken by USGS, public domain.
Moenkopi Wash, looking upstream, near Tuba City, AZ, stream gage #09401400: 1941 and 2015 repeat photographs. Photo taken in 1941 is USGS, public domain, and photo taken in 2015 is by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Moenkopi Wash, looking upstream, near Tuba City, AZ, stream gage #09401400: 1941 and 2015 repeat photographs. Photo taken in 1941 is USGS, public domain, and photo taken in 2015 is by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Stream gage # 09401500 on Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC. This image is a repeat photograph of one taken in 1959 at the same location.
Stream gage # 09401500 on Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC. This image is a repeat photograph of one taken in 1959 at the same location.
Moenkopi Wash, stream gage # 09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. This photo, taken in 2015, is a match to a historic image taken in 1941 of a man on a bridge at the same location. This photo shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Moenkopi Wash, stream gage # 09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. This photo, taken in 2015, is a match to a historic image taken in 1941 of a man on a bridge at the same location. This photo shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Moenkopi Wash, looking upstream, stream gage # 09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. This photo, taken in 2015, is a match to a historic image taken in 1941 taken in the same location. This photo shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Moenkopi Wash, looking upstream, stream gage # 09401400 near Tuba City, AZ. This photo, taken in 2015, is a match to a historic image taken in 1941 taken in the same location. This photo shows extensive vegetation encroachment and channel narrowing of Moenkopi Wash. Photo by David Dean, USGS, SBSC.
Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park repeat photography from about 1945 and 2008 showing channel narrowing
linkRepeat photography from about 1945 (top panel) and 2008 (bottom panel) showing channel narrowing over time in a portion of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park.
Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park repeat photography from about 1945 and 2008 showing channel narrowing
linkRepeat photography from about 1945 (top panel) and 2008 (bottom panel) showing channel narrowing over time in a portion of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park.
A historic image taken in 1959 of Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona, stream gage #09401500. USGS photo. A repeat photograph of this location was taken in 2022, and can be seen here: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/moenkopi-wash-stream-gage-near-cameron-az-2022
A historic image taken in 1959 of Moenkopi Wash near Cameron, Arizona, stream gage #09401500. USGS photo. A repeat photograph of this location was taken in 2022, and can be seen here: https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/moenkopi-wash-stream-gage-near-cameron-az-2022
A man stands on a bridge over Moenkopi Wash, near Tuba City, AZ, stream gage # 09401400 in a historic black and white photo taken in 1941. USGS photo.
A man stands on a bridge over Moenkopi Wash, near Tuba City, AZ, stream gage # 09401400 in a historic black and white photo taken in 1941. USGS photo.
A historic image taken in 1941 from a bridge looking upstream at Moenkopi Wash near Tuba City, Arizona, stream gage # 09401400. USGS photo.
A historic image taken in 1941 from a bridge looking upstream at Moenkopi Wash near Tuba City, Arizona, stream gage # 09401400. USGS photo.
Colorado River Basin Projects
The Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology Team has created an interactive map of USGS projects to highlight the integrated science currently conducted within the Colorado River Basin. These projects are not all inclusive of the work conducted by the USGS within the CRB, but highlight the broad range of integrated science currently conducted.
Three podcasts about the Rio Grande with David Dean. Click the link below to listen and read the accompanying article.