Jeff Kennedy is a Research Hydrologist in the Arizona Water Science Center, Flagstaff Office.
My research focuses on measuring and interpreting small changes in gravity as they relate to the hydrology of alluvial basins in the southwestern U.S. Current projects focus on basin-scale monitoring of aquifer-storage change in response to pumping and artificial recharge in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
As the geophysics specialist at the Arizona Water Science Center, I oversee the Southwest Gravity Program, a joint effort of the New Mexico, Arizona, and California Water Science Centers to collect high-quality repeat microgravity data for hydrology studies throughout the western U.S.
Science and Products
Southwest Gravity Program
The Southwest Gravity Program provides high-precision time-lapse gravity (repeat microgravity) data for hydrologic studies in the southwestern US. Recent projects include monitoring recharge underneath ephemeral-stream channels, monitoring aquifer-storage change in unconfined and compressible aquifers, measuring storage change at surface-spreading and injection-well artificial-recharge facilities...
Forecasting Total Dissolved Solids Concentrations of Groundwater from the Lower Colorado Water Supply Project
The USGS seeks to increase understanding of the groundwater system in the vicinity of the Lower Colorado Water Supply Project well field and to estimate future groundwater levels and total dissolved solids concentrations in the wells and the long-term viability of the Lower Colorado Water Supply Project.
Aquifer storage-change monitoring in Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico
USGS, in cooperation with the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, began repeat microgravity measurements in 2015 to monitor aquifer-storage changes in the Albuquerque basin.
Aquifer storage-change monitoring in the Big Chino Subbasin, Yavapai County, Arizona
The Big Chino Subbasin is a groundwater basin that includes the Verde River headwaters in Yavapai County in north-central Arizona. Groundwater in the Big Chino Valley discharges to wells (by pumping), by evapotranspiration, and to the upper Verde River springs, which form the headwaters of the Verde River. Groundwater also discharges to short perennial reaches of Williamson Valley Wash, Walnut...
North Phoenix aquifer monitoring with repeat microgravity
The City of Phoenix has traditionally relied on surface-water supplies from the Salt, Verde, and Colorado River watersheds. To increase water-supply resiliency and flexibility, the City is expanding its Artificial Storage and Recovery (ASR) operations in the north Phoenix area. USGS is measuring small changes in gravity caused by groundwater-storage changes to better understand where and when...
AzWSC Capabilities: Hydrologic Gravity Monitoring
Gravity is a measurement of mass: the greater an object's mass, the stronger its gravitational pull. By measuring changes in gravity over time, inferences can be made about changes in mass. In hydrology, this can be used to study water in the subsurface. If the amount of groundwater in a particular area increases over time, through processes such as infiltration of rainfall or aquifer recharge...
Science and Products
- Science
Southwest Gravity Program
The Southwest Gravity Program provides high-precision time-lapse gravity (repeat microgravity) data for hydrologic studies in the southwestern US. Recent projects include monitoring recharge underneath ephemeral-stream channels, monitoring aquifer-storage change in unconfined and compressible aquifers, measuring storage change at surface-spreading and injection-well artificial-recharge facilities...Forecasting Total Dissolved Solids Concentrations of Groundwater from the Lower Colorado Water Supply Project
The USGS seeks to increase understanding of the groundwater system in the vicinity of the Lower Colorado Water Supply Project well field and to estimate future groundwater levels and total dissolved solids concentrations in the wells and the long-term viability of the Lower Colorado Water Supply Project.Aquifer storage-change monitoring in Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico
USGS, in cooperation with the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, began repeat microgravity measurements in 2015 to monitor aquifer-storage changes in the Albuquerque basin.Aquifer storage-change monitoring in the Big Chino Subbasin, Yavapai County, Arizona
The Big Chino Subbasin is a groundwater basin that includes the Verde River headwaters in Yavapai County in north-central Arizona. Groundwater in the Big Chino Valley discharges to wells (by pumping), by evapotranspiration, and to the upper Verde River springs, which form the headwaters of the Verde River. Groundwater also discharges to short perennial reaches of Williamson Valley Wash, Walnut...North Phoenix aquifer monitoring with repeat microgravity
The City of Phoenix has traditionally relied on surface-water supplies from the Salt, Verde, and Colorado River watersheds. To increase water-supply resiliency and flexibility, the City is expanding its Artificial Storage and Recovery (ASR) operations in the north Phoenix area. USGS is measuring small changes in gravity caused by groundwater-storage changes to better understand where and when...AzWSC Capabilities: Hydrologic Gravity Monitoring
Gravity is a measurement of mass: the greater an object's mass, the stronger its gravitational pull. By measuring changes in gravity over time, inferences can be made about changes in mass. In hydrology, this can be used to study water in the subsurface. If the amount of groundwater in a particular area increases over time, through processes such as infiltration of rainfall or aquifer recharge... - Data
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*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