Dr. James Leenhouts is the Director of the Arizona Water Science Center
Jim joined the USGS Arizona Water Science Center in 2000. Between 2000 and 2007, Jim worked on a project in the Upper San Pedro Basin to quantify the groundwater and surface-water requirements of the riparian vegetation and later on the congressionally requested “Section 321” project to assess progress toward a sustainable groundwater yield in the basin. Jim also assisted the Pinal Creek Toxics project with sampling and analysis of manganese contamination in the Globe-Miami area of Arizona.
Jim's graduate work focused first on the development of techniques to use isotopic ratios of boron as a co-migrating tracer to track and identify sources of nitrate contamination in groundwater. Dissertation work examined soil-water/plant interactions with an objective to develop techniques for using plants as 'samplers' of geochemical signatures in soil and groundwater. Jim's work at USGS focused on stream-aquifer-plant interactions in the San Pedro River basin and later evolved to working with water resource managers and stakeholders in the group to understand the relations between groundwater withdrawals and depletion of streamflow.
Education and Certifications
B.A. Oberlin College (1990), Geology
M.S. University of Arizona (1994), Hydrology
Ph.D. University of Arizona (2000), Hydrology major; Soil, Water, and Environmental Science minor
Science and Products
San Pedro River Aquifer Binational Report
The United States and Mexico share waters in a number of hydrological basins and aquifers that cross the international boundary. Both countries recognize that, in a region of scarce water resources and expanding populations, a greater scientific understanding of these aquifer systems would be beneficial. In light of this, the Mexican and U.S. Principal Engineers of the International Boundary and W
Use of the continuous slope-area method to estimate runoff in a network of ephemeral channels, southeast Arizona, USA
The continuous slope-area (CSA) method is an innovative gaging method for indirect computation of complete-event discharge hydrographs that can be applied when direct measurement methods are unsafe, impractical, or impossible to apply. This paper reports on use of the method to produce event-specific discharge hydrographs in a network of sand-bedded ephemeral stream channels in southeast Arizona,
Simulated effects of ground-water withdrawals and artificial recharge on discharge to streams, springs, and riparian vegetation in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed of the Upper San Pedro Basin, southeastern Arizona
In the context of ground-water resources, “capture” or “streamflow depletion” refers to withdrawal-induced changes in inflow to or outflow from an aquifer. These concepts are helpful in understanding the effects of long-term development of ground-water resources. For the Upper San Pedro Basin in Arizona, USA and Sonora, Mexico, a recently developed ground-water flow model is available to help quan
Rapid estimation of recharge potential in ephemeral-stream channels using electromagnetic methods, and measurements of channel and vegetation characteristics
To classify recharge potential (RCP) in ephemeral-stream channels, a method was developed that incorporates information about channel geometry, vegetation characteristics, and bed-sediment apparent electrical conductivity (??a). Recharge potential is not independently measurable, but is instead formulated as a site-specific, qualitative parameter. We used data from 259 transects across two ephemer
Hydrologic Requirements of and Evapotranspiration by Riparian Vegetation along the San Pedro River, Arizona
This report summarizes analyses of riparian system hydrologic requirements and ground-water use detailed in U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5163, 'Hydrologic requirements of and consumptive ground-water use by riparian vegetation along the San Pedro River, Arizona,' compiled by J.M. Leenhouts, J.C. Stromberg, and R.L. Scott.
Hydrologic requirements of and consumptive ground-water use by riparian vegetation along the San Pedro River, Arizona
This study is a coordinated effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), and Arizona State University, with assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the University of Wyoming, and the University of Arizona. The specific objectives of the study were: to determine the water needs of riparian vegetation through the
Effects of stream flow intermittency on riparian vegetation of a semiarid region river (San Pedro River, Arizona)
The San Pedro River in the southwestern United States retains a natural flood regime and has several reaches with perennial stream flow and shallow ground water. However, much of the river flows intermittently. Urbanization-linked declines in regional ground-water levels have raised concerns over the future status of the riverine ecosystem in some parts of the river, while restoration-linked decre
Computer Programs for Telescopic Mesh Refinement using MODFLOW-96: MODTMR, TMRDIFF, and RIVGRID
MODTMR - A program for telescopic mesh refinement using MODFLOW
TMRDIFF - A program to provide a means of comparing computed head or drawdown in local and regional models in applications of telescopic mesh refinement.
RIVGRID - A program to construct MODFLOW data sets for head-dependent boundaries using grid-independent data sets
Science and Products
- Publications
San Pedro River Aquifer Binational Report
The United States and Mexico share waters in a number of hydrological basins and aquifers that cross the international boundary. Both countries recognize that, in a region of scarce water resources and expanding populations, a greater scientific understanding of these aquifer systems would be beneficial. In light of this, the Mexican and U.S. Principal Engineers of the International Boundary and WUse of the continuous slope-area method to estimate runoff in a network of ephemeral channels, southeast Arizona, USA
The continuous slope-area (CSA) method is an innovative gaging method for indirect computation of complete-event discharge hydrographs that can be applied when direct measurement methods are unsafe, impractical, or impossible to apply. This paper reports on use of the method to produce event-specific discharge hydrographs in a network of sand-bedded ephemeral stream channels in southeast Arizona,Simulated effects of ground-water withdrawals and artificial recharge on discharge to streams, springs, and riparian vegetation in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed of the Upper San Pedro Basin, southeastern Arizona
In the context of ground-water resources, “capture” or “streamflow depletion” refers to withdrawal-induced changes in inflow to or outflow from an aquifer. These concepts are helpful in understanding the effects of long-term development of ground-water resources. For the Upper San Pedro Basin in Arizona, USA and Sonora, Mexico, a recently developed ground-water flow model is available to help quanRapid estimation of recharge potential in ephemeral-stream channels using electromagnetic methods, and measurements of channel and vegetation characteristics
To classify recharge potential (RCP) in ephemeral-stream channels, a method was developed that incorporates information about channel geometry, vegetation characteristics, and bed-sediment apparent electrical conductivity (??a). Recharge potential is not independently measurable, but is instead formulated as a site-specific, qualitative parameter. We used data from 259 transects across two ephemerHydrologic Requirements of and Evapotranspiration by Riparian Vegetation along the San Pedro River, Arizona
This report summarizes analyses of riparian system hydrologic requirements and ground-water use detailed in U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5163, 'Hydrologic requirements of and consumptive ground-water use by riparian vegetation along the San Pedro River, Arizona,' compiled by J.M. Leenhouts, J.C. Stromberg, and R.L. Scott.Hydrologic requirements of and consumptive ground-water use by riparian vegetation along the San Pedro River, Arizona
This study is a coordinated effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), and Arizona State University, with assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the University of Wyoming, and the University of Arizona. The specific objectives of the study were: to determine the water needs of riparian vegetation through theEffects of stream flow intermittency on riparian vegetation of a semiarid region river (San Pedro River, Arizona)
The San Pedro River in the southwestern United States retains a natural flood regime and has several reaches with perennial stream flow and shallow ground water. However, much of the river flows intermittently. Urbanization-linked declines in regional ground-water levels have raised concerns over the future status of the riverine ecosystem in some parts of the river, while restoration-linked decre - Software
Computer Programs for Telescopic Mesh Refinement using MODFLOW-96: MODTMR, TMRDIFF, and RIVGRID
MODTMR - A program for telescopic mesh refinement using MODFLOW TMRDIFF - A program to provide a means of comparing computed head or drawdown in local and regional models in applications of telescopic mesh refinement. RIVGRID - A program to construct MODFLOW data sets for head-dependent boundaries using grid-independent data sets - News
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