Devin Lynn Galloway
Devin L Galloway is a Scientist Emeritus Research Hydrologist for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
During the mid-1970s the emerging movement in our culture and the sciences toward understanding human impacts on our environment piqued my interests in the environmental and earth sciences. In 1978 I began my career with the USGS in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, where I first became interested in hydrogeology and later studied hydrogeology at the University of Illinois. Since then I've worked on many hydrogeology projects while stationed in USGS offices in Colorado, California, and Indiana. Along the way I've been fortunate to work directly and indirectly on many interesting studies of national and international relevance related to groundwater availability and sustainability, and the role of groundwater in geologic processes.
My primary research interests have been in hydrogeologic processes involving 1) the compaction of susceptible aquifer systems and resulting land subsidence that accompanies groundwater depletion; 2) response of groundwater levels to stresses imposed on aquifer systems owing to volcanism, tectonics (earthquakes), earth tides and atmospheric loading; and 3) natural and human-induced perturbations in groundwater recharge and discharge. I have been engaged nationally and internationally in efforts to raise awareness and understanding of the inland and coastal subsidence caused by intense groundwater extraction. I am past Chair of the UNESCO Working Group on Land Subsidence and the ASCE Task Committee on Land Subsidence and have led many national and international workshops on monitoring, analyzing and modeling aquifer-system compaction and land subsidence.
Since retiring from the USGS (after 40+ years of service) at the end of 2018 as a Research Hydrologist with the Earth Science Processes Division, Water Mission Area, I volunteer with the USGS as Scientist Emeritus. I collaborate on hydrogeologic research with scientists internal and external to the USGS, and advise, collaborate with, and otherwise serve USGS Water Science Centers and other USGS Offices and Programs on hydrogeologic aspects of various earth-science projects and programs.
Education
- Master of Science Civil Engineering (MSCE, Hydrosystems-Hydrogeology), The Grainger College of Engineering, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois, 1987
- Master of Science Environmental Science (MSES, Water Resources), Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, 1978
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Biology, The College of Arts and Sciences, Indiana University, 1974
Science and Products
Detection and measurement of land subsidence using Global Positioning System and interferometric synthetic aperture radar, Coachella Valley, California, 1996-98
Time-variation of hydrothermal discharge at selected sites in the Western United States: Implications for monitoring
Modeling residual aquifer-system compaction--Constraining the vertical hydraulic diffusivity of thick aquitards
Land and water-resource development activities increase sinkhole frequency in the mantled karst region of Florida, USA
Mapping recoverable aquifer-system deformation and land subsidence in Santa Clara Valley, California, USA, using space-borne synthetic aperture radar
Delta subsidence in California: The sinking heart of the state
Aquifer-system compaction and land subsidence: Measurements, analyses, and simulations – The Holly Site, Edwards Air Force Base, Antelope Valley, California
Use of InSAR to identify land-surface displacements caused by aquifer-system compaction in the Paso Robles area, San Luis Obispo County, California, March to August 1997
Measuring land subsidence from space
Use of InSAR to identify land-surface displacements caused by aquifer-system compaction in the Paso Robles area, San Luis Obispo County, California, March to August 1997
Land subsidence in the United States
Land subsidence in the United States
Science and Products
- Data
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 70
Detection and measurement of land subsidence using Global Positioning System and interferometric synthetic aperture radar, Coachella Valley, California, 1996-98
Land subsidence associated with ground-water-level declines has been recognized as a potential problem in Coachella Valley, California. Since the early 1920s, ground water has been a major source of agricultural, municipal, and domestic supply in the valley, resulting in water-level declines as large as 15 meters (50 feet) through the late 1940s. In 1949, the importation of Colorado River water toAuthorsMichelle Sneed, Marti E. Ikehara, D. L. Galloway, Falk AmelungTime-variation of hydrothermal discharge at selected sites in the Western United States: Implications for monitoring
We compiled time series of hydrothermal discharge consisting of 3593 chloride- or heat-flux measurements from 24 sites in the Yellowstone region, the northern Oregon Cascades, Lassen Volcanic National Park and vicinity, and Long Valley, California. At all of these sites the hydrothermal phenomena are believed to be as yet unaffected by human activity, though much of the data collection was drivenAuthorsS. E. Ingebritsen, D. L. Galloway, E.M. Colvard, M. L. Sorey, Robert H. MarinerModeling residual aquifer-system compaction--Constraining the vertical hydraulic diffusivity of thick aquitards
No abstract available.AuthorsMichelle Sneed, Michael T. Pavelko, Devin L. GallowayLand and water-resource development activities increase sinkhole frequency in the mantled karst region of Florida, USA
No abstract available.AuthorsAnn B. Tihansky, Devin L. GallowayMapping recoverable aquifer-system deformation and land subsidence in Santa Clara Valley, California, USA, using space-borne synthetic aperture radar
No abstract available.AuthorsDevin L. Galloway, R. Burgmann, E. Fielding, F. Amelung, R.L. LaczniakDelta subsidence in California: The sinking heart of the state
The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta of California once was a great tidal freshwater marsh blanketed by peat and peaty alluvium. Beginning in the late 1800s, levees were built along the stream channels, and the land thus protected from flooding was drained, cleared, and planted. Although the Delta is now an exceptionally rich agricultural area (over a $500 million crop value in 1993), its uniqueAuthorsS. E. Ingebritsen, M. E. Ikehara, D. L. Galloway, D. R. JonesAquifer-system compaction and land subsidence: Measurements, analyses, and simulations – The Holly Site, Edwards Air Force Base, Antelope Valley, California
Land subsidence resulting from ground-water-level declines has long been recognized as a problem in Antelope Valley, California. At Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), ground-water extractions have caused more than 150 feet of water-level decline, resulting in nearly 4 feet of subsidence. Differential land subsidence has caused sinklike depressions and earth fissures and has accelerated erosion of theAuthorsMichelle Sneed, Devin L. GallowayUse of InSAR to identify land-surface displacements caused by aquifer-system compaction in the Paso Robles area, San Luis Obispo County, California, March to August 1997
The population in San Luis Obispo County has grown steadily during the 1990s, and some land use has been converted from dry farming to grazing to irrigated vineyards and urban areas. Because insufficient surface-water supplies are available to meet the growing demand, ground-water pumpage has increased and the resulting water-level declines have raised concern that this water resource may become oAuthorsD.W. Valentine, J.N. Densmore, D. L. Galloway, Falk AmelungMeasuring land subsidence from space
No abstract available.AuthorsDevin L. Galloway, David R. Jones, S. E. IngebritsenUse of InSAR to identify land-surface displacements caused by aquifer-system compaction in the Paso Robles area, San Luis Obispo County, California, March to August 1997
The population in San Luis Obispo County has grown steadily during the 1990s, and some land use has been converted from dry farming to grazing to irrigated vineyards and urban areas. Because insufficient surface-water supplies are available to meet the growing demand, ground-water pumpage has increased and the resulting water-level declines have raised concern that this water resource may become oAuthorsD.W. Valentine, J.N. Densmore, D. L. Galloway, Falk AmelungLand subsidence in the United States
No abstract available.AuthorsDevin L. Galloway, David R. Jones, S. E. IngebritsenLand subsidence in the United States
This report explores the role of science in defining and understanding subsidence problems, and shows that the optimal use of our land and water resources may depend on improved scientific understanding to minimize subsidence. More than 80 percent of the identified land subsidence in the Nation is a consequence of human impact on subsurface water, and is an often overlooked environmental consequenAuthorsDevin L. Galloway, David R. Jones, S. E. Ingebritsen