Jaime A Painter
Biography
Knowing the amount of water society is using today and needs for the future where climate varies, and land-use and population changes is critical to understanding water availability and to assure that future water needs can be met. Understanding the relations between decisions to use water in a particular place and time and the hydrologic processes and socio-economic drivers behind those decisions are required. My research primarily focuses on irrigation water-use through the incorporation of remotely sensed earth observations (precipitation, temperature solar radiance, soil moisture) with measured water-withdrawals to detect where and when irrigation is occurring, and the volume of water used there. The goal is to provide information that can help conserve water for irrigation in the future and help secure our food supply which relies heavily on irrigation.
Professional Preparation
MS Geography. University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, 2002
BS Geography. University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, 2000
Relevant Appointments
2002-present: Geographer, Water-use Specialist, South Atlantic Water Science Center, USGS, Norcross, Georgia.
2000-2002: Student Trainee (Hydrology), Georgia Water Science Center, USGS, Norcross, Georgia.
2000-2002: Research Assistant, Department of Geography, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
Science and Products
Water Use in South Carolina, 2015
To provide estimates of water withdrawal, water use, and return flows to surface water needed for water management, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with
This ongoing program focuses on collecting, compiling, and disseminating water-use information for the State.
Water Use in North Carolina, 2015
To provide estimates of water withdrawal, water use, and return flows to surface water needed for water management, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), used data from the following sources: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, National Golf Foundation, USGS National Water Availability and Use Science Project and Duke Energy. This ongoing...
Water Use in Georgia
To provide estimates of water withdrawal, water use, and return flows to surface water needed for water management, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division (GaEPD), developed the Georgia Water-Use Program in 1979. This ongoing program focuses on collecting, compiling, and disseminating water-use ...
Flood-Inundation mapping in Georgia, North and South Carolina
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has created flood-inundation maps for selected streamgage sites in Georgia, North and South Carolina. These maps depict the approximate area that would be inundated at selected water levels, ranging from approximately top-of-bank to the maximum observed water level. The inundated areas depicted on these maps are approximate, and accuracy of the maps is a...
Geospatial (GIS) and Map Resources for the South Atlantic Region
Map and Geographical Information System (GIS) resources
Water Use in Georgia, 2010
Total water use, for 2010,was estimated at 4,680 Mgal/d which included 1,130 Mgal/d of water delivered by public suppliers to domestic, commercial and public use, and industrial customer and publics supply losses. About 6.7 Mgal/d of water was delivered from public suppliers in Alabama and Tennessee to customers in Georgia. Furthermore, 2,230 Mgal/d of water was returned to surface-water...
Geohydrology and Effects of Climate and Pumpage Change on Water Resources of the Aucilla–Suwannee–Ochlockonee River Basin, South-Central Georgia and Adjacent Areas of Florida, Progress and Significant Results, 2006—2007
Episodic droughts and increased pumpage since the mid-1970s have caused unprecedented ground-water level decline in the Upper Floridan aquifer in much of the roughly 8,000 square-mile Aucilla-Suwannee-Ochlockonee (ASO) River Basin.
To address concerns about water availability, USGS worked with Georgia Environmental Protection Division to improve understanding of the hydrogeologic...
Southwest Georgia Agricultural Water Conservation and Metering Program
During 2008-2015, the U.S. Geological Survey investigated methods to estimate agricultural water use and growing season pumping rates through the analysis of water-meter data throughout southwest Georgia. Reports are available by year.
Go to the SW Georgia Agricultural Water Conservation and...
Prioritizing river basins for intensive monitoring and assessment by the US Geological Survey
The US Geological Survey (USGS) is currently (2020) integrating its water science programs to better address the nation’s greatest water resource challenges now and into the future. This integration will rely, in part, on data from 10 or more intensively monitored river basins from across the USA. A team of USGS scientists was convened to develop...
Van Metre, Peter C.; Qi, Sharon L.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.; Dieter, Cheryl A.; Driscoll, Jessica M.; Fienen, Michael N.; Kenney, Terry A.; Lambert, Patrick M.; Lesmes, David; Mason, Christopher Allen; Mueller-Solger, Anke; Musgrove, MaryLynn; Painter, Jaime A.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; Sprague, Lori A.; Tesoriero, Anthony J.; Windham-Myers, Lisamarie; Wolock, David M.
Estimated use of water in Georgia for 2015 and water-use trends, 1985–2015
Water-withdrawal, water-use, and water-return information have been collected and compiled for each county in Georgia every 5 years since 1980 using data obtained from various Federal, State, and private agencies, as well as additional online sources. For 2015, water use, water withdrawal, and water returns were estimated for each county, water-...
Painter, Jaime A.
South Atlantic Water Science Center Strategic Science Plan: 2019–23
Executive SummaryThe South Atlantic Water Science Center Strategic Science Planning Team has developed a unified strategic science plan to guide the science vision of the South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC) in response to the merging of the Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina Water Science Centers. This plan proposes a path forward...
Cuffney, Thomas F.; Garcia, Ana M.; Horowitz, Arthur J.; LaFontaine, Jacob H.; Landmeyer, James E.; McKee, Anna M.; McSwain, Kristen Bukowski; Painter, Jaime A.; Shelton, John M.; Smith, Christopher A.
Geostatistical estimation of the bottom altitude and thickness of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer
The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA) caps a shallow system of aquifers and confining units in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) that extends across 45,000 square miles of the midwestern and southern United States from Illinois to Louisiana. Irrigation water from the MRVA is required to sustain extensive crop production, which...
Torak, Lynn J.; Painter, Jaime A.
Groundwater conditions in Georgia, 2015–16
The U.S. Geological Survey collects groundwater data and conducts studies to monitor hydrologic conditions, define groundwater resources, and address problems related to water supply, water use, and water quality. In Georgia, water levels were monitored continuously at 157 wells during calendar years 2015 and 2016. Because of missing data or short...
Gordon, Debbie W.; Painter, Jaime A.
Groundwater-flow budget for the lower Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin in southwestern Georgia and parts of Florida and Alabama, 2008–12
As part of the National Water Census program in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin, the U.S. Geological Survey evaluated the groundwater budget of the lower ACF, with particular emphasis on recharge, characterizing the spatial and temporal relation between surface water and groundwater, and groundwater pumping. To evaluate the...
Jones, L. Elliott; Painter, Jaime A.; LaFontaine, Jacob H.; Sepúlveda, Nicasio; Sifuentes, Dorothy F.
Simulations of hydrologic response in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin, Southeastern United States
A suite of hydrologic models has been developed for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin (ACFB) as part of the National Water Census, a U.S. Geological Survey research program that focuses on developing new water accounting tools and assessing water availability and use at the regional and national scales. Seven hydrologic models were...
LaFontaine, Jacob H.; Jones, L. Elliott; Painter, Jaime A. Effects of impervious area and BMP implementation and design on storm runoff and water quality in eight small watersheds
The effects of increases in effective impervious area (EIA) and the implementation of water quality protection designed detention pond best management practices (BMPs) on storm runoff and stormwater quality were assessed in Gwinnett County, Georgia, for the period 2001-2008. Trends among eight small watersheds were compared, using a time trend...
Aulenbach, Brent T.; Landers, Mark N.; Musser, Jonathan W.; Painter, Jaime A.
Hydrology and water quality in 13 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, 2001–15
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, established a Long-Term Trend Monitoring (LTTM) program in 1996. The LTTM program is a comprehensive, long-term, water-quantity and water-quality monitoring program designed to document and analyze the hydrologic and water-quality conditions of...
Aulenbach, Brent T.; Joiner, John K.; Painter, Jaime A.
Groundwater conditions in Georgia, 2012–14
The U.S. Geological Survey collects groundwater data and conducts studies to monitor hydrologic conditions, better define groundwater resources, and address problems related to water supply, water use, and water quality. In Georgia, water levels were monitored continuously at 181 wells during calendar year 2012, 185 wells during calendar year 2013...
Peck, Michael F.; Painter, Jaime A.
Flood-Inundation Maps of Selected Areas Affected by the Flood of October 2015 in Central and Coastal South Carolina
Heavy rainfall occurred across South Carolina during October 1–5, 2015, as a result of an upper atmospheric low-pressure system that funneled tropical moisture from Hurricane Joaquin into the State. The storm caused major flooding in the central and coastal parts of South Carolina. Almost 27 inches of rain fell near Mount Pleasant in...
Musser, Jonathan W.; Watson, Kara M.; Painter, Jaime A.; Gotvald, Anthony J.
Evaluation and comparison of methods to estimate irrigation withdrawal for the National Water Census Focus Area Study of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin in southwestern Georgia
Methods to estimate irrigation withdrawal using nationally available datasets and techniques that are transferable to other agricultural regions were evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin focus area study of the National Water Census (ACF–FAS). These methods investigated the...
Painter, Jaime A.; Torak, Lynn J.; Jones, John W.
2015 Water Use Data Now Available
Estimated 2015 water-use data is now available in a variety of formats.
USGS News Release | USGS Publications (Circular , Fact Sheet)
USGS ScienceBase-...