James Webber
James's research broadly focuses on surface water-quality studies designed to understand how in-stream conditions are changing over time and the drivers of such changes. Current projects are focused on assessing the effects of watershed management in urban and agricultural settings.
Biography
Education
M.S., Forest Resources, 2012, The Pennsylvania State University
B.S., Environmental Resource Management, 2010, The Pennsylvania State University
Professional Experience
2012 – Present Hydrologist, USGS Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center, Richmond, VA
Publications
Ator, S.W., Blomquist, J.D., Webber, J.S., and Chanat, J.G., 2020, Factors driving nutrient trends in streams of the Chesapeake Bay watershed: Journal of Environmental Quality, v. 49, no. 4, p. 812–834.
Noe, G.B., Cashman, M.J., Skalak, K., Gellis, A., Hopkins, K.G., Moyer, D., Webber, J., Benthem, A., Maloney, K., Brakebill, J., Sekellick, A., Langland, M., Zhang, Q., Shenk, G., and others, 2020, Sediment dynamics and implications for management: State of the science from long-term research in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA: WIREs Water, v. 7, no. 4, p. e1454.
Porter, A.J., Webber, J.S., Witt, J.W., and Jastram, J.D., 2020, Spatial and temporal patterns in streamflow, water chemistry, and aquatic macroinvertebrates of selected streams in Fairfax County, Virginia, 2007–18: Scientific Investigations Report 2020–5061, 106 p.
Hyer, K.E., Denver, J.M., Langland, M.J., Webber, J.S., Böhlke, J.K., Hively, W.D., and Clune, J.W., 2016, Spatial and Temporal Variation of Stream Chemistry Associated With Contrasting Geology and Land-Use Patterns in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Summary of Results from Smith Creek, Virginia; Upper Chester River, Maryland; Conewago Creek, Pennsylvania; and Difficult Run, Virginia, 2010–2013: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5093, p. 211.
Hyer, K.E., Jastram, J.D., Moyer, D.L., Webber, J.S., and Chanat, J., 2015. Evaluation and application of regional turbidity-sediment regression models in Virginia. Technical Paper in Proceedings of papers of the 5th Federal Interagency Hydrologic Modeling Conference and the 10th Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference, Reno, NV, April 19-23.
Science and Products
Hydrologic Monitoring and Analysis to Support Water Resource Management in the City of Roanoke
The U.S. Geological Survey, partnering with the City of Roanoke and Virginia Tech, are working to monitor the water volume and quality in streams throughout the City of Roanoke. There are currently six monitoring stations within the city. Water-quality data are collected at five stations through real-time monitors and manual sampling to support the estimation of suspended sediment loads. The...
Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay watershed—A century of change, 1950–2050
ForewordSustaining the quality of the Nation’s water resources and the health of our diverse ecosystems depends on the availability of sound water-resources data and information to develop effective, science-based policies. Effective management of water resources also brings more certainty and efficiency to important economic sectors. Taken...
Clune, John W.; Capel, Paul D.; Miller, Matthew P.; Burns, Douglas A.; Sekellick, Andrew J.; Claggett, Peter R.; Coupe, Richard H.; Fanelli, Rosemary M.; Garcia, Ana Maria; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Terziotti, Silvia; Bhatt, Gopal; Blomquist, Joel D.; Hopkins, Kristina G.; Keisman, Jennifer L.; Linker, Lewis C.; Shenk, Gary W.; Smith, Richard A.; Soroka, Alexander M.; Webber, James S.; Wolock, David M.; Zhang, Qian
Nutrient trends and drivers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The Chesapeake Bay Program maintains an extensive nontidal monitoring network, measuring nitrogen and phosphorus (nutrients) at more than 100 locations on rivers and streams in the watershed. Data from these locations are used by United States Geological Survey to assess the ecosystem’s response to nutrient-reduction efforts. This fact sheet...
Hyer, Kenneth E.; Phillips, Scott W.; Ator, Scott W.; Moyer, Douglas L.; Webber, James S.; Felver, Rachel; Keisman, Jennifer L.; McDonnell, Lee A.; Murphy, Rebecca; Trentacoste, Emily M.; Zhang, Qian; Dennison, William C.; Swanson, Sky; Walsh, Brianne; Hawkey, Jane; Taillie, Dylan
An approach for decomposing river water-quality trends into different flow classes
A number of statistical approaches have been developed to quantify the overall trend in river water quality, but most approaches are not intended for reporting separate trends for different flow conditions. We propose an approach called FN2Q, which is an extension of the flow-normalization (FN) procedure of the well-established WRTDS (“Weighted...
Zhang, Qian; Webber, James S.; Moyer, Douglas L.; Chanat, Jeffrey G. Potomac tributary report: A summary of trends in tidal water quality and associated factors
The Potomac Tributary Report summarizes change over time in a suite of monitored tidal water quality parameters and associated potential drivers of those trends for the time period 1985 – 2018, and provides a brief description of the current state of knowledge explaining these observed changes. Water quality parameters described include surface...
Keisman, Jennifer L.; Murphy, Rebecca; Devereux, Olivia H.; Harcum, J.; Karrh, R.; Lane, M.; Perry, E.; Zhang, Qian; Wei, Zhaoying; Webber, James S.; Petenbrink, Meghan Nicole
Spatial and temporal patterns in streamflow, water chemistry, and aquatic macroinvertebrates of selected streams in Fairfax County, Virginia, 2007–18
Urbanization substantially alters the landscape in ways that can impact stream hydrology, water chemistry, and the health of aquatic communities. Stormwater best management practices (BMPs) are the primary tools used to mitigate the effects of urban stressors such as increased runoff, decreased baseflow, and increased nutrient and sediment...
Porter, Aaron J.; Webber, James S.; Witt, Jonathan W.; Jastram, John D.
Science to support water-resource management in the upper Roanoke River watershed
Flooding, excessive sedimentation, and high bacteria counts are among the most challenging water resource issues affecting the Upper Roanoke River watershed. These issues threaten public safety, impair the watershed’s living resources, and threaten drinking water supplies, though mitigation is costly and difficult to manage.Urban development, land...
Webber, James S.; Jastram, John D. Sediment dynamics and implications for management: State of the science from long‐term research in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
This review aims to synthesize the current knowledge of sediment dynamics using insights from long‐term research conducted in the watershed draining to the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the U.S., to inform management actions to restore the estuary and its watershed. The sediment dynamics of the Chesapeake are typical of many impaired...
Noe, Gregory B.; Cashman, Matthew J.; Skalak, Katherine; Gellis, Allen; Hopkins, Kristina G.; Moyer, Douglas L.; Webber, James S.; Benthem, Adam; Maloney, Kelly O.; Brakebill, John; Sekellick, Andrew; Langland, Michael J.; Zhang, Qian; Shenk, Gary W.; Keisman, Jennifer L.D.; Hupp, Cliff R.