Erick R Burns
Erick is a Research Hydrologist at the USGS Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He specializes in the development of methods and tools for analysis and simulation of groundwater and heat flow in the subsurface, particularly in the volcanogenic terranes of California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
Erick Burns is a Research Geologist with the USGS Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. His research experience is varied, including groundwater flow and transport, geothermal energy, geostatistical methods and stochastic analysis, process thermodynamics, agricultural water pollution, and seawater intrusion. Additionally, Erick has taught hydrology and geostatistics courses.
Non-USGS Partners:
- U.S. Department of Energy - Geothermal Technologies Office
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Bioresource Engineering, Oregon State University, 2004
M.S. Mathematics, Oregon State University, 2004
M.S. Hydrologic Sciences (Groundwater), University of Nevada - Reno, 1996
B.S. Geology (extended major: Geophysics), Northern Arizona University, 1994
Science and Products
Thermal effect of climate change on groundwater-fed ecosystems
Simulation of groundwater storage changes in the eastern Pasco Basin, Washington
Are the Columbia River Basalts, Columbia Plateau, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, USA, a viable geothermal target? A preliminary analysis
Evaluating geothermal and hydrogeologic controls on regional groundwater temperature distribution
Groundwater availability of the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho
Simulation of groundwater flow and the interaction of groundwater and surface water in the Willamette Basin and Central Willamette subbasin, Oregon
Understanding heat and groundwater flow through continental flood basalt provinces: insights gained from alternative models of permeability/depth relationships for the Columbia Plateau, USA
Numerical simulation of groundwater flow in the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
Contemporary seismicity in and around the Yakima-Fold-and-Thrust Belt in eastern Washington
Evaluation of long-term water-level declines in basalt aquifers near Mosier, Oregon
Groundwater status and trends for the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho
Three-dimensional model of the geologic framework for the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 36
Thermal effect of climate change on groundwater-fed ecosystems
Groundwater temperature changes will lag surface temperature changes from a changing climate. Steady state solutions of the heat-transport equations are used to identify key processes that control the long-term thermal response of springs and other groundwater discharge to climate change, in particular changes in (1) groundwater recharge rate and temperature and (2) land-surface temperature transmAuthorsErick Burns, Yonghui Zhu, Hongbin Zhan, Michael Manga, Colin F. Williams, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Jason B. DunhamSimulation of groundwater storage changes in the eastern Pasco Basin, Washington
The Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group and younger sedimentary deposits of lacustrine, fluvial, eolian, and cataclysmic-flood origins compose the aquifer system of the Pasco Basin in eastern Washington. Irrigation return flow and canal leakage from the Columbia Basin Project have caused groundwater levels to rise substantially in some areas, contributing to landslides along the Columbia River. WaAuthorsCharles E. Heywood, Sue C. Kahle, Theresa D. Olsen, James D. Patterson, Erick BurnsAre the Columbia River Basalts, Columbia Plateau, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, USA, a viable geothermal target? A preliminary analysis
The successful development of a geothermal electric power generation facility relies on (1) the identification of sufficiently high temperatures at an economically viable depth and (2) the existence of or potential to create and maintain a permeable zone (permeability >10-14 m2) of sufficient size to allow efficient long-term extraction of heat from the reservoir host rock. If both occur at depthAuthorsErick R. Burns, Colin F. Williams, Terry Tolan, Joern Ole KavenEvaluating geothermal and hydrogeologic controls on regional groundwater temperature distribution
A one-dimensional (1-D) analytic solution is developed for heat transport through an aquifer system where the vertical temperature profile in the aquifer is nearly uniform. The general anisotropic form of the viscous heat generation term is developed for use in groundwater flow simulations. The 1-D solution is extended to more complex geometries by solving the equation for piece-wise linear or uniAuthorsErick R. Burns, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Michael Manga, Colin F. WilliamsGroundwater availability of the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho
The Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System (CPRAS) covers about 44,000 square miles of southeastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and western Idaho. The area supports a $6-billion per year agricultural industry, leading the Nation in production of apples, hops, and eight other commodities. Groundwater pumpage and surface-water diversions supply water to croplands that account for about 5 percAuthorsJ. J. Vaccaro, S. C. Kahle, D.M. Ely, E.R. Burns, D.T. Snyder, J.V. Haynes, T. D. Olsen, W.B. Welch, D. S. MorganSimulation of groundwater flow and the interaction of groundwater and surface water in the Willamette Basin and Central Willamette subbasin, Oregon
Full appropriation of tributary streamflow during summer, a growing population, and agricultural needs are increasing the demand for groundwater in the Willamette Basin. Greater groundwater use could diminish streamflow and create seasonal and long-term declines in groundwater levels. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) cooperated in a study to develoAuthorsNora B. Herrera, Erick R. Burns, Terrence D. ConlonUnderstanding heat and groundwater flow through continental flood basalt provinces: insights gained from alternative models of permeability/depth relationships for the Columbia Plateau, USA
Heat-flow mapping of the western USA has identified an apparent low-heat-flow anomaly coincident with the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, a thick sequence of basalt aquifers within the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG). A heat and mass transport model (SUTRA) was used to evaluate the potential impact of groundwater flow on heat flow along two different regional groundwater flow paths. LAuthorsErick R. Burns, Colin F. Williams, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Clifford I. Voss, Frank A. Spane, Jacob DeAngeloNumerical simulation of groundwater flow in the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
A three-dimensional numerical model of groundwater flow was constructed for the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System (CPRAS), Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, to evaluate and test the conceptual model of the system and to evaluate groundwater availability. The model described in this report can be used as a tool by water-resource managers and other stakeholders to quantitatively evaluate proposeAuthorsD. Matthew Ely, Erick R. Burns, David S. Morgan, John J. VaccaroContemporary seismicity in and around the Yakima-Fold-and-Thrust Belt in eastern Washington
We examined characteristics of routinely cataloged seismicity from 1970 to the present in and around the Yakima fold‐and‐thrust belt (YFTB) in eastern Washington to determine if the characteristics of contemporary seismicity provide clues about regional‐scale active tectonics or about more localized, near‐surface processes. We employed new structural and hydrologic models of the Columbia River basAuthorsJ. Gomberg, B. Sherrod, M. Trautman, E. Burns, Diane SnyderEvaluation of long-term water-level declines in basalt aquifers near Mosier, Oregon
The Mosier area lies along the Columbia River in northwestern Wasco County between the cities of Hood River and The Dalles, Oregon. Major water uses in the area are irrigation, municipal supply for the city of Mosier, and domestic supply for rural residents. The primary source of water is groundwater from the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) aquifers that underlie the area. Concerns regarding thAuthorsErick R. Burns, David S. Morgan, Karl K. Lee, Jonathan V. Haynes, Terrence D. ConlonGroundwater status and trends for the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho
Well information and groundwater-level measurements for the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, were compiled from data provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and seven other organizations. From the full set of about 60,000 wells and 450,000 water-level measurements a subset of 761 wells within the aquifers of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) then was uAuthorsErick R. Burns, Daniel T. Snyder, Jonathan V. Haynes, Michael S. WaibelThree-dimensional model of the geologic framework for the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington
No abstract available.AuthorsErick R. Burns, David S. Morgan, Rachael S. Peavler, Sue C. Kahle - News