David O'Leary
David is the director of the USGS Utah Water Science Center.
Previously David served as Investigative Section Studies Chief of the USGS Utah Water Science Center, a Studies Chief with the USGS California Water Science Center, and a project hydrologist with the USGS California Water Science Center. David's studies have focused on understanding the physical and geochemical hydrology of desert and coastal aquifer systems including work related to natural and artificial recharge processes in desert environments and chloride intrusion in deltaic systems. He has been with the USGS since 2006.
Science and Products
Groundwater Conditions in Utah
Since 1964, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality have cooperatively published an annual report describing groundwater conditions in Utah. The annual paper reports provided data that enabled interested parties to maintain awareness of changing groundwater conditions...
Determining the fate and transport of septic-tank effluent in the southern area of Warren subbasin, California
Residents and businesses in Yucca Valley, CA rely currently on septic tanks to treat their wastewater. The local water district, Hi-Desert Water District (HDWD), is planning to construct a sewer system and wastewater treatment plant, initially serving the West, Midwest, Mideast, Northeast, and East hydrogeologic units of the Warren subbasin.
San Antonio Creek Water Availability
Located in Santa Barbara County, California, the San Antonio Creek Groundwater Basin is a rural agricultural area that is reliant on local water supplies, predominantly groundwater. Because of the growth of irrigated agriculture in the area, water demands have increased significantly, taxing local groundwater supplies. Groundwater resources are also used to supply local inhabitants, as well as...
The Effects of Artificial Recharge on Nitrate Concentrations in Groundwater in the Joshua Tree Subbasin, California
The Joshua Basin Water District (JBWD) is implementing an artificial groundwater recharge program to reverse the decline of groundwater levels and to store water in the Joshua Tree groundwater subbasin of the Morongo groundwater basin (~100 mi east of Los Angeles, CA).
Great Salt Lake - Fifty years of change through satellite images
The completion of the Railroad Causeway in 1959 divided the Great Salt Lake in half. Because all of the freshwater inflows enter the southern part of the lake, the north arm became much more saline than the south; well defined in the satellite images. Several years of greater than normal precipitation resulted in a large increase in the lake’s area during the early 1980's and the creation of a new...
Science and Products
- Science
Groundwater Conditions in Utah
Since 1964, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality have cooperatively published an annual report describing groundwater conditions in Utah. The annual paper reports provided data that enabled interested parties to maintain awareness of changing groundwater conditions...Determining the fate and transport of septic-tank effluent in the southern area of Warren subbasin, California
Residents and businesses in Yucca Valley, CA rely currently on septic tanks to treat their wastewater. The local water district, Hi-Desert Water District (HDWD), is planning to construct a sewer system and wastewater treatment plant, initially serving the West, Midwest, Mideast, Northeast, and East hydrogeologic units of the Warren subbasin.San Antonio Creek Water Availability
Located in Santa Barbara County, California, the San Antonio Creek Groundwater Basin is a rural agricultural area that is reliant on local water supplies, predominantly groundwater. Because of the growth of irrigated agriculture in the area, water demands have increased significantly, taxing local groundwater supplies. Groundwater resources are also used to supply local inhabitants, as well as...The Effects of Artificial Recharge on Nitrate Concentrations in Groundwater in the Joshua Tree Subbasin, California
The Joshua Basin Water District (JBWD) is implementing an artificial groundwater recharge program to reverse the decline of groundwater levels and to store water in the Joshua Tree groundwater subbasin of the Morongo groundwater basin (~100 mi east of Los Angeles, CA).Great Salt Lake - Fifty years of change through satellite images
The completion of the Railroad Causeway in 1959 divided the Great Salt Lake in half. Because all of the freshwater inflows enter the southern part of the lake, the north arm became much more saline than the south; well defined in the satellite images. Several years of greater than normal precipitation resulted in a large increase in the lake’s area during the early 1980's and the creation of a new... - Data
- Publications