Donald O Rosenberry
Donald Rosenberry is a Research Hydrologist for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Don is a research hydrologist with the Earth Surface Processes Division specializing in wetland hydrology, water budgets of lakes and wetlands, and hyporheic processes. Research is focused at the sediment-water interface with an emphasis on understanding processes that control exchanges between groundwater and surface water. Don also is the coordinator of the Shingobee Headwaters Aquatic Ecosystem Project where scientists from USGS and academia work together to study physical, chemical, and biological processes of lakes, wetlands, and streams at a small-watershed scale. Don's interests in groundwater, surface water, and the dynamic sediment-water interface stem from his formative years at Bemidji State University (next to Lake Bemidji), the University of Minnesota (on the banks of the Mississippi River), and the University of Colorado (through which Boulder Creek flows).
Current Research Topics
- Ground-water surface-water exchange in hyporheic settings (CA, CO, MA, MN, PA)
- Significance of ground-water discharge to nutrient loading (MN, WA)
- Significance of ground water to water supply (CA, MN, NM)
- Relating geophysics and seepage along shoreline margins (NH, WA)
- Decadal-scale hydrology of lakes and wetlands (MT, ND, MN, NH)
Current Editorships
- Editorial Board, Hydrological Processes (2014-present)
Professional Experience
2007-present: USGS, Lead Scientist, Hydrogeology of lakes, wetlands, and streams
1985-2007: USGS, Staff research hydrologist, Hydrology of lakes and wetlands
1982-1985: USGS, Hydrologic technician
1981-1982: Continental Laboratories, Hydrocarbon well analyst, Billings, MT
Education and Certifications
University of Colorado, Boulder. Geography/Geomorphology, Ph.D. 2007
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Hydrogeology, M.S. 1985
Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN. Geology/Geography, B.S. 1981
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
Society of Wetland Scientists
Minnesota Ground Water Association
Honors and Awards
Keynote Address, Minnesota Ground Water Association annual conference (2003, 2009)
Keynote Address, Canadian Geophysical Union annual conference (2005)
Elected Fellow of Geological Society of America (2008)
Keynote Address, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality 21st Annual Water Quality Workshop, February 2011
Keynote Address, Alabama Department of Environmental Management 12th Annual Groundwater Conference, June 2012
Moos Family lecturer, Freshwater Society, June 2013
Meinzer Award, Geological Society of America Hydrogeology Division (2017)
Science and Products
Climatic drivers for multidecadal shifts in solute transport and methane production zones within a large peat basin Climatic drivers for multidecadal shifts in solute transport and methane production zones within a large peat basin
Groundwater: The disregarded component in lake water and nutrient budgets, Part 1: Effects of groundwater on hydrology Groundwater: The disregarded component in lake water and nutrient budgets, Part 1: Effects of groundwater on hydrology
A comparison of thermal infrared to fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing for evaluation of groundwater discharge to surface water A comparison of thermal infrared to fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing for evaluation of groundwater discharge to surface water
Influence of hyporheic exchange, substrate distribution, and other physically-linked hydrogeomorphic characteristics on abundance of freshwater mussels Influence of hyporheic exchange, substrate distribution, and other physically-linked hydrogeomorphic characteristics on abundance of freshwater mussels
Riverbed clogging associated with a California riverbank filtration system: An assessment of mechanisms and monitoring approaches Riverbed clogging associated with a California riverbank filtration system: An assessment of mechanisms and monitoring approaches
Groundwater – The disregarded component in lake water and nutrient budgets. Part 2: effects of groundwater on nutrients Groundwater – The disregarded component in lake water and nutrient budgets. Part 2: effects of groundwater on nutrients
Placing prairie pothole wetlands along spatial and temporal continua to improve integration of wetland function in ecological investigations Placing prairie pothole wetlands along spatial and temporal continua to improve integration of wetland function in ecological investigations
Quantity and quality of groundwater discharge in a hypersaline lake environment Quantity and quality of groundwater discharge in a hypersaline lake environment
Geophysical and hydrologic studies of lake seepage variability Geophysical and hydrologic studies of lake seepage variability
Identifying non-point sources of endocrine active compounds and their biological impacts in freshwater lakes Identifying non-point sources of endocrine active compounds and their biological impacts in freshwater lakes
Understanding water column and streambed thermal refugia for endangered mussels in the Delaware River Understanding water column and streambed thermal refugia for endangered mussels in the Delaware River
Seasonal changes in peatland surface elevation recorded at GPS stations in the Red Lake Peatlands, northern Minnesota, USA Seasonal changes in peatland surface elevation recorded at GPS stations in the Red Lake Peatlands, northern Minnesota, USA
Science and Products
Climatic drivers for multidecadal shifts in solute transport and methane production zones within a large peat basin Climatic drivers for multidecadal shifts in solute transport and methane production zones within a large peat basin
Groundwater: The disregarded component in lake water and nutrient budgets, Part 1: Effects of groundwater on hydrology Groundwater: The disregarded component in lake water and nutrient budgets, Part 1: Effects of groundwater on hydrology
A comparison of thermal infrared to fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing for evaluation of groundwater discharge to surface water A comparison of thermal infrared to fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing for evaluation of groundwater discharge to surface water
Influence of hyporheic exchange, substrate distribution, and other physically-linked hydrogeomorphic characteristics on abundance of freshwater mussels Influence of hyporheic exchange, substrate distribution, and other physically-linked hydrogeomorphic characteristics on abundance of freshwater mussels
Riverbed clogging associated with a California riverbank filtration system: An assessment of mechanisms and monitoring approaches Riverbed clogging associated with a California riverbank filtration system: An assessment of mechanisms and monitoring approaches
Groundwater – The disregarded component in lake water and nutrient budgets. Part 2: effects of groundwater on nutrients Groundwater – The disregarded component in lake water and nutrient budgets. Part 2: effects of groundwater on nutrients
Placing prairie pothole wetlands along spatial and temporal continua to improve integration of wetland function in ecological investigations Placing prairie pothole wetlands along spatial and temporal continua to improve integration of wetland function in ecological investigations
Quantity and quality of groundwater discharge in a hypersaline lake environment Quantity and quality of groundwater discharge in a hypersaline lake environment
Geophysical and hydrologic studies of lake seepage variability Geophysical and hydrologic studies of lake seepage variability
Identifying non-point sources of endocrine active compounds and their biological impacts in freshwater lakes Identifying non-point sources of endocrine active compounds and their biological impacts in freshwater lakes
Understanding water column and streambed thermal refugia for endangered mussels in the Delaware River Understanding water column and streambed thermal refugia for endangered mussels in the Delaware River
Seasonal changes in peatland surface elevation recorded at GPS stations in the Red Lake Peatlands, northern Minnesota, USA Seasonal changes in peatland surface elevation recorded at GPS stations in the Red Lake Peatlands, northern Minnesota, USA
*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