Douglas A Burns
Doug is a Research Hydrologist currently working as the Coordinator of the Delaware River Basin Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS).
Doug holds an M.S. in Environmental Sciences from the Univ. of Virginia, and a Ph.D. in Water Resources Management from the State Univ. of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry. His disciplinary background is primarily in biogeochemistry and hydrology with a focus on understanding the processes that control the cycling of chemical elements through watersheds and ecosystems. An emphasis on the cycling of atmopsheric pollutants and their environmental effects is noteworthy. He has worked as a Research Hydrologist in the New York Water Science Center since 1987 on studies that include the effects of acid rain on ecosystems, the cycling of nitrogen in watersheds, and environmental mercury cycling. His investigations have also included the environmental effects of landscape disturbance such as suburban land use, climate change, and forest harvesting. A recent interest is studying the effects of ongoing and future climate change on streamflow, with an emphasis on high flows. He works collaboratively, often with several investigators from the USGS, and other agencies and universities. Study approaches applied include monitoring of water and soil chemistry, quantifying the rates of key cycling processes, experimental manipulations of landscapes, use of natural and applied isotope tracers, and statistical and process-level models. He is also active in professional societies, has organized conferences at regional, national, and international levels, and has served in leadership roles in many organizations and agencies. Other activities include chairing a proposal evaluation panel for a federal agency, working at the science-policy interface by serving as Director of the National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program, and serving on an EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Panel, as well as serving on program evaluation and advisory panels for several agencies and science organizations.
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Science and Products
Systematic variation in evapotranspiration trends and drivers across the Northeastern United States
Decreased atmospheric nitrogen deposition in eastern North America: Predicted responses of forest ecosystems
What goes up must come down: Integrating air and water quality monitoring for nutrients
Stability of mercury concentration measurements in archived soil and peat samples
Response of mercury in an Adirondack (NY, USA) forest stream to watershed lime application
Long-term changes in soil and stream chemistry across an acid deposition gradient in the northeastern United States
Results of the 2010-2011 East-Central Adirondack Stream Survey (ECASS)
The response of soil and stream chemistry to decreases in acid deposition in the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA
Variation in fish mercury concentrations in streams of the Adirondack region, New York: A simplified screening approach using chemical metrics
Modeled ecohydrological responses to climate change at seven small watersheds in the northeastern United States
Spatial and temporal patterns of dissolved organic matter quantity and quality in the Mississippi River Basin, 1997–2013
Patterns of diel variation in nitrate concentrations in the Potomac River
Non-USGS Publications**
66. Burns, D.A., Lawrence, G.B., and Murdoch, P.S., 1998, Catskill streams still susceptible to acid rain, Northeastern Geology and Environmental Sciences, 20: 294-298.
**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.
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Systematic variation in evapotranspiration trends and drivers across the Northeastern United States
The direction and magnitude of responses of evapotranspiration (ET) to climate change are important to understand, as ET represents a major water and energy flux from terrestrial ecosystems, with consequences that feed back to the climate system. We inferred multidecadal trends in water balance in 11 river basins (1940–2012) and eight smaller watersheds (with records ranging from 18 to 61 years inAuthorsMatthew A Vadeboncoeur, Mark B. Green, Heidi Asbjornsen, John L. Campbell, Mary Beth Adams, Elizabeth W. Boyer, Douglas A. Burns, Ivan J Fernandez, Myron J Mitchell, James B. ShanleyDecreased atmospheric nitrogen deposition in eastern North America: Predicted responses of forest ecosystems
Historical increases in emissions and atmospheric deposition of oxidized and reduced nitrogen (N) provided the impetus for extensive, global-scale research investigating the effects of excess N in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, with several regions within the Eastern Deciduous Forest of the United States found to be susceptible to negative effects of excess N. The Clean Air Act and associatedAuthorsFrank S. Gilliam, Douglas A. Burns, Charles T. Driscoll, Serita D. Frey, Gary M. Lovett, Shaun A. WatmoughWhat goes up must come down: Integrating air and water quality monitoring for nutrients
Excess nitrogen and phosphorus (“nutrients”) loadings continue to affect ecosystem function and human health across the U.S. Our ability to connect atmospheric inputs of nutrients to aquatic end points remains limited due to uncoupled air and water quality monitoring. Where connections exist, the information provides insights about source apportionment, trends, risk to sensitive ecosystems, and efAuthorsHelen M Amos, Chelcy Miniat, Jason A. Lynch, Jana Compton, Pamela H. Templer, Lori A. Sprague, Denice M Shaw, Douglas A. Burns, Anne Rea, Dave Whitall, LaToya Myles, David A. Gay, Mark A. Nilles, John W. Walker, Anita K Rose, Jerad Bales, Jeffrey R. Deacon, Rich PouyetStability of mercury concentration measurements in archived soil and peat samples
Archived soil samples can provide important information on the history of environmental contamination and by comparison with recently collected samples, temporal trends can be inferred. Little previous work has addressed whether mercury (Hg) concentrations in soil samples are stable with long-term storage under standard laboratory conditions. In this study, we have re-analyzed using cold vapor atoAuthorsTomáš Navrátil, Douglas A. Burns, Tereza Nováková, Jiří Kaňa, Jan Rohovec, Michal Roll, Vojtěch EttlerResponse of mercury in an Adirondack (NY, USA) forest stream to watershed lime application
Surface waters in Europe and North America previously impacted by acid deposition are recovering in conjunction with declining precursor emissions since the 1980s. Lime has been applied to some impacted watersheds to accelerate recovery. The response to liming can be considered a proxy for future recovery from acid deposition. Increases in dissolved organic carbon concentrations have been observedAuthorsGeoffrey D. Millard, Charles T. Driscoll, Douglas A. Burns, Mario R. Montesdeoca, Karen Riva-MurrayLong-term changes in soil and stream chemistry across an acid deposition gradient in the northeastern United States
Declines in acidic deposition across Europe and North America have led to decreases in surface water acidity and signs of chemical recovery of soils from acidification. To better understand the link between recovery of soils and surface waters, chemical trends in precipitation, soils, and streamwater were investigated in three watersheds representing a depositional gradient from high to low acrossAuthorsJason Siemion, Michael McHale, Gregory B. Lawrence, Douglas A. Burns, Michael R. AntidormiResults of the 2010-2011 East-Central Adirondack Stream Survey (ECASS)
No abstract available.AuthorsGregory B. Lawrence, Scott D. George, Douglas A. Burns, Barry P. Baldigo, Sophia Passy, Karen M. Roy, Katrina L. PoundThe response of soil and stream chemistry to decreases in acid deposition in the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA
The Catskill Mountains have been adversely impacted by decades of acid deposition, however, since the early 1990s, levels have decreased sharply as a result of decreases in emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. This study examines trends in acid deposition, stream-water chemistry, and soil chemistry in the southeastern Catskill Mountains. We measured significant reductions in acid deposAuthorsMichael McHale, Douglas A. Burns, Jason Siemion, Michael R. AntidormiVariation in fish mercury concentrations in streams of the Adirondack region, New York: A simplified screening approach using chemical metrics
Simple screening approaches for the neurotoxicant methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic ecosystems may be helpful in risk assessments of natural resources. We explored the development of such an approach in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, USA, a region with high levels of MeHg bioaccumulation. Thirty-six perennial streams broadly representative of 1st and 2nd order streams in the region were samplAuthorsDouglas A. Burns, Karen Riva-MurrayModeled ecohydrological responses to climate change at seven small watersheds in the northeastern United States
A cross-site analysis was conducted on seven diverse, forested watersheds in the northeastern United States to evaluate hydrological responses (evapotranspiration, soil moisture, seasonal and annual streamflow, and water stress) to projections of future climate. We used output from four atmosphere–ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs; CCSM4, HadGEM2-CC, MIROC5, and MRI-CGCM3) included in PhaseAuthorsAfshin Pourmokhtarian, Charles T. Driscoll, John L. Campbell, Katharine Hayhoe, Anne M. K. Stoner, Mary Beth Adams, Douglas A. Burns, Ivan Fernandez, Myron J. Mitchell, James B. ShanleySpatial and temporal patterns of dissolved organic matter quantity and quality in the Mississippi River Basin, 1997–2013
Recent studies have found insignificant or decreasing trends in time-series dissolved organic carbon (DOC) datasets, questioning the assumption that long-term DOC concentrations in surface waters are increasing in response to anthropogenic forcing, including climate change, land use, and atmospheric acid deposition. We used the weighted regressions on time, discharge, and season (WRTDS) model to eAuthorsSarah M. Stackpoole, Edward G. Stets, David W. Clow, Douglas A. Burns, George R. Aiken, Brent T. Aulenbach, Irena F. Creed, Robert M. Hirsch, Hjalmar Laudon, Brian Pellerin, Robert G. StrieglPatterns of diel variation in nitrate concentrations in the Potomac River
The Potomac River is a large source of N to Chesapeake Bay, where reducing nutrient loads is a focus of efforts to improve trophic status. Better understanding of NO3– loss, reflected in part by diel variation in NO3– concentrations, may refine model predictions of N loads to the Bay. We analyzed 2 y of high-frequency NO3– sensor data in the Potomac to quantify seasonal variation in the magnitudeAuthorsDouglas A. Burns, Matthew P. Miller, Brian Pellerin, Paul D. CapelNon-USGS Publications**
Harpold, A.A., Burns, D.A., Walter, T., Shaw, S.B., and Steenhuis, T.S., 2010, Relating hydrogeomorphologic properties to stream buffering chemistry in the Neversink River Watershed, New York State, USA, Hydrological Processes, 24: 3759-3771.Vidon, P., Allan, C., Burns, D., Duval, T., Gurwick, N., Inamdar, S., Lowrance, R., Okay, J., Scott, D., Sebestyen, S., 2010, Hot spots and hot moments in riparian zones: Potential for improved water quality management, Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 46: 278-298.Kerr, J.G., Eimers, M.C., Creed, I.F., Adams, M.B., Beall, F., Burns, D., Campbell, J.L., Christopher, S.F., Clair, T.A., Couchesne, F., Duchense, L., Fernandez, I., Houle, D., Jeffries, D.S., Likens, G.E., Mitchell, M.J., Shanley, J., Yao, H., 2012, The effect of seasonal drying on sulphate dynamics in streams across southeastern Canada and the northeastern USA, Biogeochemistry, 111: 393-409.Burns, D.A., Blett, T., Haeuber, R., Pardo, L., 2008, Critical loads as a policy tool for protecting ecosystems from the effects of air pollutants, Frontiers of Ecology and the Environment, 6: 156-159.Elliott, E.M., Kendall, C., Boyer, E.W., Burns, D.A., Wankel, S.D., Bain, D.J., Harlin, K., Butler, T.J., Carlton, R., 2007, An isotopic tracer of stationary source NOx emissions across the midwestern and northeastern United States, Environmental Science and Technology, 41: 7661-7667.Burns, D.A., Plummer, L.N., McDonnell, J.J., Busenberg, E., Casile, G.C., Kendall, C., Hooper, R.P., Freer, J.E., Peters, N.E., Beven, K., and Schlosser, P., 2003, The geochemical evolution of groundwater in a forested Piedmont catchment, Ground Water, 41: 913-925.Burns, D.A., and Nguyen, L., 2002, Nitrate movement and removal along a shallow groundwater flow path in a riparian wetland within a sheep-grazed pastoral catchment: results of a tracer study, New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 36: 371-385.Vitvar, T., Burns, D.A., Lawrence, G.B., McDonnell, J.J., and Wolock, D.M., 2002, Estimation of groundwater residence times in watersheds from the recession of the runoff-hydrograph: method and application in the Neversink watershed, Catskill Mountains, New York, Hydrological Processes, 16: 1871-1877.Burns, D.A., Lawrence, G.B., and Murdoch, P.S., 1998, Catskill streams still susceptible to acid rain, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, 79: 197, 200-201.
66. Burns, D.A., Lawrence, G.B., and Murdoch, P.S., 1998, Catskill streams still susceptible to acid rain, Northeastern Geology and Environmental Sciences, 20: 294-298.Driscoll, C.T., Cirmo, C.P., Fahey, T.J., Blette, V.L., Bukaveckas, P.A., Burns, D.A., Gubala, C.P., Leopold, D.J., Newton, R.M., Raynal, D.J., Schofield, C.L., Yavitt, J.B., and Porcella, D.B., 1996, The experimental watershed liming study: Comparison of lake and watershed neutralization strategies, Biogeochemistry, 32: 143-174.McDonnell, J.J., Freer, J., Hooper, R., Kendall, C., Burns, D., Beven, K., and Peters, J., 1996, New method developed for studying flow on hillslopes, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, 77: 465 and 472.Clair, T.C., Burns, D.A., Perez, I.R., Blais, J., and Percy, K., 2011, Ecosystems, in: Technical Challenges of Multipollutant Air Quality Management, Hidy, G., Brook, J.R., Demerjian, K.L., Molina, L.T., Pennell, W.T., and Scheffe, R. (eds.), Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands, Ch. 6, p. 139-229.Nguyen, L., Rutherford, K., and Burns, D., 1999, Denitrification and nitrate removal in two contrasting riparian wetlands, in: Proceedings of the 20th New Zealand Land Treatment Collective Technical Session, M. Tomer, M Robinson, and G Gielen (eds.), New Plymouth, New Zealand, p. 127-131.Kendall, C., Silva, S.R., Chang, C.C.Y., Burns, D.A.., Campbell, D.H., and Shanley, J.B., 1996, Use of the d18O and d15N of nitrate to determine sources of nitrate in early spring runoff in forested catchments, in: Isotopes in Water Resources Management, Proceedings of the Symposium on Isotopes in Water Resources Management, March 20-24, 1995, Volume 1, IAEA-SM-336/29, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria, p. 167-176.Kendall, C., Campbell, D.H., Burns, D.A., Shanley, J.B., Silva, S.R., Chang, C.C.Y., 1995, Tracing sources of nitrate in snowmelt runoff using the oxygen and nitrogen isotopic compositions of nitrate, in: Biogeochemistry of Seasonally Snow-Covered Catchments, K.A. Tonnessen, M.W. Williams, M. Trantner, M. (eds.), International Association of Hydrological Sciences Proceedings, July 3-14, 1995, Boulder, CO, I.A.H.S. Publication 228, Wallingford, U.K., p. 339-347.Hendrey, G.R., Galloway, J.N., Norton, S.A., Schofield, C.L., Burns, D.A., and Shaffer, P.W., 1980, Sensitivity of the eastern United States to acid precipitation impacts on surface waters, in: Drablos, D., and Tollan, A. (eds.), Ecological Impact of Acid Precipitation, SNSF Proceedings, Oslo, p. 216-217.Allen, G., Burns, D.A., Negra, C., and Thurston, G.D., 2009, Indicator measurements for assessing the impacts of anthropogenic air pollutants on human health and ecosystems, EM: The Magazine for Environmental Managers, Oct. 2009, p. 20-25, Air and Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA.Burns, D.A., 2005, What do hydrologists mean when they use the term flushing? Hydrological Processes, 19: 1325-1327.**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.