Jared Trost
Jared Trost is a hydrologist with the Upper Midwest Water Science Center using field studies, innovative sampling equipment, statistics, and modeling to understand (1) the influences of land cover, contaminants, and unsaturated zone properties on the quality and quantity of water reaching unconfined aquifers and (2) surface-water/groundwater interactions.
Jared Trost is a hydrologist and has led several investigations on the influences of land cover, contaminants, and unsaturated zone properties on the quality and quantity of water reaching unconfined aquifers and the interactions of these groundwater systems with surface-water. He is presently the site coordinator for the USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program's Bemidji crude oil spill site and the chair of the Unsaturated Zone Interest Group (UZIG). In his capacities as the Bemidji crude oil spill site coordinator and chair of the Unsaturated Zone Interest Group (UZIG), he facilitates collaborative research and communication among scientists. Ongoing projects include:
- investigating the seasonal variability in crude oil degradation rates at a subsurface crude oil spill
- designing innovative field tools for sample collection and monitoring in soil and shallow groundwater
- investigating the effects of climate, groundwater withdrawals, and landscape properties on the stability of lake levels in glacial terrain
- estimating recharge to surficial glacial aquifers in the U.S. with the soil water balance (SWB) model
Professional Experience
Project manager at the University of Minnesota’s Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel, Minnesota from 2001 through 2008.
Education and Certifications
M.S., Water Resource Science with emphasis on soil hydrology, University of Minnesota, 2010
B.A., Biology and Chemistry, Augsburg College, 2000
Affiliations and Memberships*
2014-present American Geophysical Union
2008-present Minnesota Groundwater Association
2007-present Unsaturated Zone Interest Group (UZIG); elected chair of steering committee in December 2014
Abstracts and Presentations
Trost, J., B. Bekins, T. Christy, and B. Mason, A Direct-Push Sample-Freezing Drive Shoe for Collecting Sediment Cores with Intact Pore Fluid, Microbial, and Sediment Distributions poster presented at the Minnesota Water Resources Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota, October 18-19, 2016.
Trost, J., J. Roth, S. Westenbroek, H. Reeves, Simulation of Potential Groundwater Recharge for the Glacial Aquifer System East of the Rocky Mountains, 1980-2011, using the Soil-Water-Baland Model presented at the USGS National Groundwater Conference in Reno, Nevada, August 29-September 2, 2016.
Trost, J., N. Sihota, U. Mayer, G. Delin, E. Warren, B. Bekins, A. Berg, B. Mason, Seasonal Variability in Vadose Zone Biodegradation at a Crude Oil Pipeline Rupture Site presented at the USGS National Groundwater Conference in Reno, Nevada, August 29-September 2, 2016.
Trost, J., B. Bekins, I. Cozzarelli, and M. Erickson, Novel Methods for Sampling and Monitoring at Contaminated Sites: An Overview of Recent Developments at the National Crude Oil Spill and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, Minnesota presented at the National Monitoring Conference in Tampa, Florida, May 2-6, 2016
Trost, J., B. Bekins, T. Christy, and B. Mason, A Direct-Push Sample-Freezing Drive Shoe for Collecting Sediment Cores with Intact Pore Fluid, Microbial, and Sediment Distributions poster presented at the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, California, December 14-18, 2015
Trost, J., N. Sihota, G. Delin, and E. Warren, Seasonal Variations in CO2 Efflux, Vadose Zone Gas Concentrations, and Natural Attenuation Rates at a Crude Oil Spill Site presented at the American Geophysical Union Meeting in San Francisco, California, December 15-19, 2014.
Mason, B., Trost, J., Groundwater/Surface-water interactions downgradient from a decades old crude oil spill presented at the Minnesota Water Resources Conference, St. Paul, Minnesota, October 14-15, 2014.
Trost, J., N. Sihota, K.U. Mayer, A. Berg, B. Mason, Understanding the Seasonal Variability in Unsaturated Zone Gas Composition and Fluxes above a Subsurface Crude Oil Spill presented at the Geological Society of America Meeting in Denver, Colorado October 27-30, 2013.
Trost, J., N. Sihota, K.U. Mayer, A. Berg, B. Mason, Understanding the Seasonal Variability in Unsaturated Zone Gas Composition and Fluxes above a Subsurface Crude Oil Spill, presented at the Midwest Groundwater Conference, September 23-25, 2013, in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Trost, J., Boland, K,. Bekins, B., Cozzarelli, I., Baedecker, MJ., Eganhouse, R., Jaeschke, J., and Erickson, M. 2012. Understanding Long-Term Natural Attenuation of Crude Oil in the Subsurface. Poster presentation at the Midwest Groundwater Conference, Minneapolis, MN, October 1-2, 2012.
Trost, J., 2012. Energy and Water Quality Benefits of Managing Marginally Productive Land for Prairie Biomass Production. Abstract and presentation at the USGS National Groundwater Conference, August 6-10, 2012, Golden, CO.
Trost, J., Energy and water quality benefits of managing marginally productive land for prairie biomass production. Abstract and presentation at the Minnesota Water Resources Conference, October 18–19, 2011, St. Paul, MN
Trost, J., Boland, K., Bekins, B., Cozzarelli, I., Baedecker, M.J., Eganhouse, R, Understanding the long-term dynamics of natural attenuation of crude oil in the subsurface. Abstract and poster presentation at the Geological Society of America conference, October 9–12, 2011, Minneapolis, MN.
Trost J., Comparison of the soil-water balance and groundwater recharge among annually-harvested perennial and annual biofuel crops, poster presentation at the Minnesota Groundwater Association Conference, November 9, 2010.
Trost J., Can perennial biofuel crops be used to remove pharmaceuticals (and nutrients) from the environment? Abstract and presentation at the Minnesota Water Resources Conference, October 26-27, 2009.
Science and Products
Heuristic MODFLOW models used to evaluate the effects of pumping groundwater from confined aquifers overlain by till confining units Heuristic MODFLOW models used to evaluate the effects of pumping groundwater from confined aquifers overlain by till confining units
Data Sets from the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, Minnesota, USA (ver. 4.0, July 2025) Data Sets from the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, Minnesota, USA (ver. 4.0, July 2025)
Sampling site information, well construction details, and data dictionaries for data sets associated with the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Site near Bemidji, Minnesota (ver. 4.0, September 2025) Sampling site information, well construction details, and data dictionaries for data sets associated with the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Site near Bemidji, Minnesota (ver. 4.0, September 2025)
Geophysical data from the unnamed lake at the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site, Bemidji, MN (ver. 3.0, May 2022) Geophysical data from the unnamed lake at the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site, Bemidji, MN (ver. 3.0, May 2022)
Historical data sets including inorganic and organic chemistry of water, oil, and sediments, aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and sediment grain size distribution at the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, Minn Historical data sets including inorganic and organic chemistry of water, oil, and sediments, aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and sediment grain size distribution at the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, Minn
Soil-Water-Balance (SWB) Model used to Simulate Potential Recharge for the Glacial Aquifer System East of the Rocky Mountains, 1980-2011 Soil-Water-Balance (SWB) Model used to Simulate Potential Recharge for the Glacial Aquifer System East of the Rocky Mountains, 1980-2011
UZIG research: Measurement and characterization of unsaturated zone processes under wide-ranging climates and changing conditions UZIG research: Measurement and characterization of unsaturated zone processes under wide-ranging climates and changing conditions
Weathering of oil in a surficial aquifer Weathering of oil in a surficial aquifer
A direct-push freezing core barrel for sampling unconsolidated subsurface sediments and adjacent pore fluids A direct-push freezing core barrel for sampling unconsolidated subsurface sediments and adjacent pore fluids
Simulation of potential groundwater recharge for the glacial aquifer system east of the Rocky Mountains, 1980–2011, using the Soil-Water-Balance Model Simulation of potential groundwater recharge for the glacial aquifer system east of the Rocky Mountains, 1980–2011, using the Soil-Water-Balance Model
Generalized hydrogeologic framework and groundwater budget for a groundwater availability study for the glacial aquifer system of the United States Generalized hydrogeologic framework and groundwater budget for a groundwater availability study for the glacial aquifer system of the United States
Simulation and assessment of groundwater flow and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes of the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2003 through 2013: Chapter B of Water levels and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes Simulation and assessment of groundwater flow and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes of the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2003 through 2013: Chapter B of Water levels and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Heuristic MODFLOW models used to evaluate the effects of pumping groundwater from confined aquifers overlain by till confining units Heuristic MODFLOW models used to evaluate the effects of pumping groundwater from confined aquifers overlain by till confining units
Data Sets from the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, Minnesota, USA (ver. 4.0, July 2025) Data Sets from the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, Minnesota, USA (ver. 4.0, July 2025)
Sampling site information, well construction details, and data dictionaries for data sets associated with the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Site near Bemidji, Minnesota (ver. 4.0, September 2025) Sampling site information, well construction details, and data dictionaries for data sets associated with the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Site near Bemidji, Minnesota (ver. 4.0, September 2025)
Geophysical data from the unnamed lake at the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site, Bemidji, MN (ver. 3.0, May 2022) Geophysical data from the unnamed lake at the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site, Bemidji, MN (ver. 3.0, May 2022)
Historical data sets including inorganic and organic chemistry of water, oil, and sediments, aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and sediment grain size distribution at the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, Minn Historical data sets including inorganic and organic chemistry of water, oil, and sediments, aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and sediment grain size distribution at the National Crude Oil Spill Fate and Natural Attenuation Research Site near Bemidji, Minn
Soil-Water-Balance (SWB) Model used to Simulate Potential Recharge for the Glacial Aquifer System East of the Rocky Mountains, 1980-2011 Soil-Water-Balance (SWB) Model used to Simulate Potential Recharge for the Glacial Aquifer System East of the Rocky Mountains, 1980-2011
UZIG research: Measurement and characterization of unsaturated zone processes under wide-ranging climates and changing conditions UZIG research: Measurement and characterization of unsaturated zone processes under wide-ranging climates and changing conditions
Weathering of oil in a surficial aquifer Weathering of oil in a surficial aquifer
A direct-push freezing core barrel for sampling unconsolidated subsurface sediments and adjacent pore fluids A direct-push freezing core barrel for sampling unconsolidated subsurface sediments and adjacent pore fluids
Simulation of potential groundwater recharge for the glacial aquifer system east of the Rocky Mountains, 1980–2011, using the Soil-Water-Balance Model Simulation of potential groundwater recharge for the glacial aquifer system east of the Rocky Mountains, 1980–2011, using the Soil-Water-Balance Model
Generalized hydrogeologic framework and groundwater budget for a groundwater availability study for the glacial aquifer system of the United States Generalized hydrogeologic framework and groundwater budget for a groundwater availability study for the glacial aquifer system of the United States
Simulation and assessment of groundwater flow and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes of the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2003 through 2013: Chapter B of Water levels and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes Simulation and assessment of groundwater flow and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes of the northeast Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, 2003 through 2013: Chapter B of Water levels and groundwater and surface-water exchanges in lakes
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government