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Drew A Westerman

Drew Westerman is a hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center at Little Rock.

He has worked in water resource investigations of groundwater and surface water that have included multiple states and six countries. Project responsibilities have included web-application design, Python programing, water resource computer modeling, and a full range of Geographic Information Systems endeavors. Drew graduated from University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelors of Science in Physics and a Masters in Earth Sciences and GIS. Outside of work, Drew actively contributes to the field of speleology through his caving adventures. 

 

Drew A. Westerman

Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

USGS  401 Hardin Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72211

501- 228-3643

dawester@usgs.gov

 

Education:

M.S., Integrated Science and Mathematics, University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), 2009

Graduate Certificate, in Geospatial Technology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2009

B.S., Physics with Geology minor, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2007

 

Professional Experience

November 2010 – Present: Hydrologist/ Geographic Information (GIS) Specialist

January 2009 – November 2010: Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey

o   Principal investigator of hydrologic and unsteady-state hydraulic modeling project

o   Development of a groundwater flow model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer of southeastern Arkansas.

o   Development of a preliminary watershed model of the Tigris-Euphrates River system in Iraq using GeoSFM.

o   Development of surface-water and lake hydrodynamics models that include the simulation of suspended sediments and nutrients.

o   Visualization of surface-water model inputs and results.

o   Computer system administration, through software applications assistance and code/script development.

 

Science and Products

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Sprinkler irrigation

Arkansas Water-Use Data Program

Short Title: Water-Use Data ProgramProject Chief: Drew WestermanCooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources CommissionProject Time Frame: 1985 - presentEvery 5 years since 1950, the USGS has conducted an inventory of water use in the United States. In 1978, the USGS initiated the National Water-Use Information Program to establish a nationwide water-use database. In 1985, the Arkansas Natural Resources...
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
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Arkansas Water-Use Data Program

Short Title: Water-Use Data ProgramProject Chief: Drew WestermanCooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources CommissionProject Time Frame: 1985 - presentEvery 5 years since 1950, the USGS has conducted an inventory of water use in the United States. In 1978, the USGS initiated the National Water-Use Information Program to establish a nationwide water-use database. In 1985, the Arkansas Natural Resources...
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Arkansas Well Log Archive Database Illustration

Arkansas Well Log Archive Database

Short Title: Well Log DatabaseProject Chief: Drew WestermanCooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources CommissionProject Time Frame: 2005 - presentArkansas water regulations require metering on ground-water withdrawals for all sustaining aquifers named by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC). Repercussions of these regulations have resulted in ground-water users contesting the aquifer in...
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
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Arkansas Well Log Archive Database

Short Title: Well Log DatabaseProject Chief: Drew WestermanCooperators: Arkansas Naural Resources CommissionProject Time Frame: 2005 - presentArkansas water regulations require metering on ground-water withdrawals for all sustaining aquifers named by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC). Repercussions of these regulations have resulted in ground-water users contesting the aquifer in...
Learn More
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Water Use Site Retrieval Page Icon

Arkansas Water Use Program

In 1977, the Congress of the United States recognized the need for uniform, current, and reliable information on water use and directed the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a National Water-Use Information Program (NWUIP) to complement the Survey's data on the availability and quality of the Nations water resources. Since 1985 site-specific water-use data for several categories have been...
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
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Arkansas Water Use Program

In 1977, the Congress of the United States recognized the need for uniform, current, and reliable information on water use and directed the U.S. Geological Survey to establish a National Water-Use Information Program (NWUIP) to complement the Survey's data on the availability and quality of the Nations water resources. Since 1985 site-specific water-use data for several categories have been...
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Digitized Maps of the Potentiometric Surface of the Sparta Aquifer in North-Central Louisiana, 1886 to 2012 (ver. 1.1, April 2021)

The Sparta aquifer is a primary source of groundwater in north-central Louisiana with more than 60 million gallons of water per day being withdrawn in 2015, and public supply and Industry account for over 90 percent of the water-use demand from the Sparta aquifer (Collier, 2018). Concentrated withdrawals from the Sparta aquifer have caused regional water-level declines within the Sparta aquifer (M
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Georeferenced Maps of the Thickness of the Sparta Aquifer in MS, AR, and LA, 1961 to 1996

The Sparta aquifer is a primary source of groundwater in north-central Louisiana. In 2015, more than 60 million gallons per day were withdrawn from the Sparta aquifer, of which over 90 percent was used for public supply and industrial purposes (Collier, 2018). Concentrated withdrawals from the Sparta aquifer have caused regional water-level declines within the Sparta aquifer (McGee and Brantly, 20
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Mississippi Alluvial Plain Extent, November 2017

The Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) has become one of the most important agricultural regions in the US, and it relies heavily on a groundwater system that is poorly understood and shows signs of substantial change. The heavy use of the available groundwater resources has resulted in significant groundwater-level declines and reductions in base flow in streams within the MAP. These impacts are li
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South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)

Altitudes and Thicknesses of Hydrogeologic Units of the Ozark Plateaus Aquifer System in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

A hydrogeologic framework was constructed to represent the altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units within the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (hereinafter referred to as the Ozark system). The Ozark system study area is nearly 70,000 square miles and includes parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Nine hydrogeologic units were selected for delineation within the Ozark system and
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Challenges for creating a site-specific groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central USA) from 1900 to 2010

Hydrologic budgets to determine groundwater availability are important tools for water-resource managers. One challenging component for developing hydrologic budgets is quantifying water use through time because historical and site-specific water-use data can be sparse or poorly documented. This research developed a groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central USA) from 19
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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Hydrogeology and hydrologic conditions of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system

The hydrogeology and hydrologic characteristics of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system were characterized as part of ongoing U.S. Geological Survey efforts to assess groundwater availability across the Nation. The need for such a study in the Ozark Plateaus physiographic province (Ozark Plateaus) is highlighted by increasing demand on groundwater resources by the 5.3 million people of the Ozark Plat
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Water Resources, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma

A hydrogeologic framework was constructed to represent the altitudes and thicknesses of hydrogeologic units within the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system as part of a regional groundwater-flow model supported by the U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program. The Ozark Plateaus aquifer system study area is nearly 70,000 square miles and includes parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missour
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Water Resources, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Lithology, hydrologic characteristics, and water quality of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of Van Buren, Arkansas

A study to assess the potential of the Arkansas River Valley alluvial aquifer in the vicinity of Van Buren, Arkansas, as a viable source of public-supply water was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Little Rock, District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. An important study component was to identify possible changes in hydrologic conditions following installation of James
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Water Resources, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Aquifers of Arkansas: protection, management, and hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of groundwater resources in Arkansas

Sixteen aquifers in Arkansas that currently serve or have served as sources of water supply are described with respect to existing groundwater protection and management programs, geology, hydrologic characteristics, water use, water levels, deductive analysis, projections of hydrologic conditions, and water quality. State and Federal protection and management programs are described according to re
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Water Resources, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Mean annual, seasonal, and monthly precipitation and runoff in Arkansas, 1951-2011

This report describes long-term annual, seasonal, and monthly means for precipitation and runoff in Arkansas for the period from 1951 through 2011. Precipitation means were estimated using data from the Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model database; while total runoff, groundwater runoff, and surface runoff means were estimated using data from 123 active and inactive U.S. Ge
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Water Resources, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Simulation of the June 11, 2010, flood along the Little Missouri River near Langley, Arkansas, using a hydrologic model coupled to a hydraulic model

A substantial flood event occurred on June 11, 2010, causing the Little Missouri River to flow over much of the adjacent land area, resulting in catastrophic damages. Twenty fatalities occurred and numerous automobiles, cabins, and recreational vehicles were destroyed within the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service Albert Pike Recreation Area, at a dispersed campsite area in the surroundi
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Water Resources, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Enhancements to the Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) groundwater-flow model and simulations of sustainable water-level scenarios

Arkansas continues to be one of the largest users of groundwater in the Nation. As such, long-term planning and management are essential to ensure continued availability of groundwater and surface water for years to come. The Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) model was developed previously as a tool to evaluate groundwater availability within the Mississippi embayment, which enc
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Water Resources, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Analysis and inundation mapping of the April-May 2011 flood at selected locations in northern and eastern Arkansas and southern Missouri

Precipitation that fell from April 19 through May 3, 2011, resulted in widespread flooding across northern and eastern Arkansas and southern Missouri. The first storm produced a total of approximately 16 inches of precipitation over an 8-day period, and the following storms produced as much as 12 inches of precipitation over a 2-day period. Moderate to major flooding occurred quickly along many st
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Water Resources, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Simulated effects of hydrologic, water quality, and land-use changes of the Lake Maumelle watershed, Arkansas, 2004–10

Lake Maumelle, located in central Arkansas northwest of the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock, is one of two principal drinking-water supplies for the Little Rock, and North Little Rock, Arkansas, metropolitan areas. Lake Maumelle and the Maumelle River (its primary tributary) are more pristine than most other reservoirs and streams in the region with 80 percent of the land area in the e
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Water Resources, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Simulation of the effects of groundwater withdrawals on water-level altitudes in the Sparta aquifer in the Bayou Meto-Grand Prairie area of eastern Arkansas, 2007-37

A groundwater-flow model of the Mississippi embayment was used to evaluate changes in water-level altitudes before (scenario 1) and after (scenario 2) the addition of wells that simulate potential future pumping from the Sparta aquifer in the Bayou Meto-Grand Prairie area of eastern Arkansas for the 30-year period from 2007 through 2037. Water-level altitudes at six model cell locations from the t
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Water Resources, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Effects of Simulated Land-Use Changes on Water Quality of Lake Maumelle, Arkansas

Lake Maumelle is one of two principal drinking-water supplies for the Little Rock and North Little Rock metropolitan areas. Lake Maumelle and the Maumelle River (its primary tributary) are more pristine than most other reservoirs and streams in the region. However, as the Lake Maumelle watershed becomes increasingly more urbanized and timber harvesting becomes more frequent, concerns about the sus
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Water Resources, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Water Use Site Retrieval - Lower Mississippi Gulf Arkansas

In 1977, the Congress of the United States recognized the need for uniform, current, and reliable information on water use and directed the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a National Water-Use Information Program (NWUIP) to complement the Survey's data on the availability and quality of the Nations water resources.

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Water Resources, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Water Well Construction Reports

Water Well Constrution Reports entered online. 

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Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Real-time flow meter on an Arkansas irrigation well
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Science and Products