Jeffrey Duda
I am a Research Ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey's Western Fisheries Research Center, stationed in Seattle, Washington.
Research Interests:
My research assignment is to develop and execute a research program focused upon priorities of the USGS Ecosystems mission area, in particular those projects that address complex natural resource issues related to land use, habitat restoration, and species recovery. I have had the pleasure to work in diverse ecosystems and ecoregions throughout the United States, on lands and waters contained in both National Parks and military installations. I have also worked across a range of biological scales, from single species to entire communities.
Over the past decade, I have focused much attention on studying the ecological outcomes of dam removal, especially the historic project on the Elwha River. This involved removal of two long-standing dams, with a major goal of restoring the ecosystem and the native anadromous fish populations that once thrived in the river. Working with a multidisciplinary team within the USGS, as well as strong collaborations with partners like NPS, NOAA, FWS, and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, we have developed a portfolio of long-term data sets on physical and biological attributes of the Elwha River before and after dam removal.
Recently I was a member of a dam removal science working group at the USGS John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis. We worked to understand patterns of dam removal science, and to synthesize what is known scientifically about this emerging field. This led to development of the USGS Dam Removal Information Portal, an interactive online tool for visualizing and storing scientific studies associated with dam removals nationwide.
Professional Experience
2004 to Present – Research Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA
1998-2004 – Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA
1993-1995 – Biological Technician, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory
Education and Certifications
M.S. 1998. Biology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
B.S. 1993. Biology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Affiliations and Memberships*
2015 to Present – Scientific Advisory Board, Mactaquac Aquatic Ecosystem Study
2012 to Present – Science Liaison, Board of Directors, Nature Bridge at Olympic National Park
1998 to Present – Ecological Society of America
2008 to Present – Northwest Scientific Association
2010 to Present – American Fisheries Society
Honors and Awards
2014 – NOAA Restoration Center, Excellence in Restoration Award
2013 – Northwest Scientific Association, Honorary Lifetime Membership Award
2011 – U.S. Department of the Interior, Superior Service Award
Science and Products
Increased sediment load during a large-scale dam removal changes nearshore subtidal communities
Dam removal: Listening in
Coastal habitat and biological community response to dam removal on the Elwha River
Status and trends of dam removal research in the United States
Community for Data Integration 2015 annual report
Seasonal variation exceeds effects of salmon carcass additions on benthic food webs in the Elwha River
Dam Removal Information Portal (DRIP)—A map-based resource linking scientific studies and associated geospatial information about dam removals
Influence of species, size and relative abundance on the outcomes of competitive interactions between brook trout and juvenile coho salmon
The rapid return of marine-derived nutrients to a freshwater food web following dam removal
Multiscale analysis of river networks using the R package linbin
Rapid water quality change in the Elwha River estuary complex during dam removal
Dam removal in the United States is increasing as a result of structural concerns, sedimentation of reservoirs, and declining riverine ecosystem conditions. The removal of the 32 m Elwha and 64 m Glines Canyon dams from the Elwha River in Washington, U.S.A., was the largest dam removal project in North American history. During the 3 yr of dam removal—from September 2011 to August 2014—more than te
1000 dams down and counting
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
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Increased sediment load during a large-scale dam removal changes nearshore subtidal communities
The coastal marine ecosystem near the Elwha River was altered by a massive sediment influx—over 10 million tonnes—during the staged three-year removal of two hydropower dams. We used time series of bathymetry, substrate grain size, remotely sensed turbidity, scuba dive surveys, and towed video observations collected before and during dam removal to assess responses of the nearshore subtidal communAuthorsStephen P. Rubin, Ian M. Miller, Melissa M. Foley, Helen D. Berry, Jeffrey J. Duda, Benjamin Hudson, Nancy E. Elder, Matthew M. Beirne, Jonathan Warrick, Michael L. McHenry, Andrew W. Stevens, Emily Eidam, Andrea Ogston, Guy R. Gelfenbaum, Rob PedersenDam removal: Listening in
Dam removal is widely used as an approach for river restoration in the United States. The increase in dam removals—particularly large dams—and associated dam-removal studies over the last few decades motivated a working group at the USGS John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis to review and synthesize available studies of dam removals and their findings. Based on dam removals thus farAuthorsMelissa M. Foley, James Bellmore, James E. O'Connor, Jeffrey J. Duda, Amy E. East, Gordon G. Grant, Chauncey W. Anderson, Jennifer A. Bountry, Mathias J. Collins, Patrick J. Connolly, Laura S. Craig, James E. Evans, Samantha Greene, Francis J. Magilligan, Christopher S. Magirl, Jon J. Major, George R. Pess, Timothy J. Randle, Patrick B. Shafroth, Christian E. Torgersen, Desiree D. Tullos, Andrew C. WilcoxByEcosystems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Volcano Hazards Program, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis, Oregon Water Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Volcano Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory (CRRL)Coastal habitat and biological community response to dam removal on the Elwha River
Habitat diversity and heterogeneity play a fundamental role in structuring ecological communities. Dam emplacement and removal can fundamentally alter habitat characteristics, which in turn can affect associated biological communities. Beginning in the early 1900s, the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams in Washington, USA, withheld an estimated 30 million tonnes of sediment from river, coastal, and nearAuthorsMelissa M. Foley, Jonathan A. Warrick, Andrew C. Ritchie, Andrew W. Stevens, Patrick B. Shafroth, Jeffrey J. Duda, Matthew M. Beirne, Rebecca Paradis, Guy R. Gelfenbaum, Randall McCoy, Erin S. CubleyStatus and trends of dam removal research in the United States
Aging infrastructure coupled with growing interest in river restoration has driven a dramatic increase in the practice of dam removal. With this increase, there has been a proliferation of studies that assess the physical and ecological responses of rivers to these removals. As more dams are considered for removal, scientific information from these dam-removal studies will increasingly be called uAuthorsJames Bellmore, Jeffrey J. Duda, Laura Craig, Samantha L. Greene, Christian E. Torgersen, Mathias J. Collins, Katherine VittumCommunity for Data Integration 2015 annual report
The Community for Data Integration (CDI) continued to experience success in fiscal year 2015. The CDI community members have been sharing, learning, and collaborating through monthly forums, workshops, working groups, and funded projects. In fiscal year 2015, CDI coordinated 10 monthly forums with 16 different speakers from the U.S. Geological Survey and external partners; funded 11 collaborativeAuthorsMadison L. Langseth, Michelle Y. Chang, Jennifer Carlino, J. Ryan Bellmore, Daniella D. Birch, Joshua Bradley, R. Sky Bristol, Daniel D. Buscombe, Jeffrey J. Duda, Anthony L. Everette, Tabitha A. Graves, Michelle M. Greenwood, David L. Govoni, Heather S. Henkel, Vivian B. Hutchison, Brenda K. Jones, Tim Kern, Jennifer Lacey, Rynn M. Lamb, Frances L. Lightsom, John L. Long, Ra'ad A. Saleh, Stan W. Smith, Christopher E. Soulard, Roland J. Viger, Jonathan A. Warrick, Katherine E. Wesenberg, Daniel J. Wieferich, Luke A. WinslowSeasonal variation exceeds effects of salmon carcass additions on benthic food webs in the Elwha River
Dam removal and other fish barrier removal projects in western North America are assumed to boost freshwater productivity via the transport of marine-derived nutrients from recolonizing Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). In anticipation of the removal of two hydroelectric dams on the Elwha River in Washington State, we tested this hypothesis with a salmon carcass addition experiment. Our study waAuthorsS.A. Morley, H.J. Coe, J.J. Duda, L.S. Dunphy, M.L. McHenry, B.R. Beckman, M. Elofson, E. M. Sampson, L. WardDam Removal Information Portal (DRIP)—A map-based resource linking scientific studies and associated geospatial information about dam removals
The removal of dams has recently increased over historical levels due to aging infrastructure, changing societal needs, and modern safety standards rendering some dams obsolete. Where possibilities for river restoration, or improved safety, exceed the benefits of retaining a dam, removal is more often being considered as a viable option. Yet, as this is a relatively new development in the historyAuthorsJeffrey J. Duda, Daniel J. Wieferich, R. Sky Bristol, J. Ryan Bellmore, Vivian B. Hutchison, Katherine M. Vittum, Laura Craig, Jonathan A. WarrickInfluence of species, size and relative abundance on the outcomes of competitive interactions between brook trout and juvenile coho salmon
Resource competition between animals is influenced by a number of factors including the species, size and relative abundance of competing individuals. Stream-dwelling animals often experience variably available food resources, and some employ territorial behaviors to increase their access to food. We investigated the factors that affect dominance between resident, non-native brook trout and recoloAuthorsEmily J Thornton, Jeffrey J. Duda, Thomas P. QuinnThe rapid return of marine-derived nutrients to a freshwater food web following dam removal
Dam removal is increasingly being recognized as a viable river restoration action. Although the main beneficiaries of restored connectivity are often migratory fish populations, little is known regarding recovery of other parts of the freshwater food web, particularly terrestrial components. We measured stable isotopes in key components to the freshwater food web: salmon, freshwater macroinvertebrAuthorsChristopher M Tonra, Kimberly A. Sager-Fradkin, Sarah A. Morley, Jeffrey J. Duda, Peter P. MarraMultiscale analysis of river networks using the R package linbin
Analytical tools are needed in riverine science and management to bridge the gap between GIS and statistical packages that were not designed for the directional and dendritic structure of streams. We introduce linbin, an R package developed for the analysis of riverscapes at multiple scales. With this software, riverine data on aquatic habitat and species distribution can be scaled and plotted autAuthorsEthan Z. Welty, Christian E. Torgersen, Samuel J. Brenkman, Jeffrey J. Duda, Jonathan B. ArmstrongRapid water quality change in the Elwha River estuary complex during dam removal
Dam removal in the United States is increasing as a result of structural concerns, sedimentation of reservoirs, and declining riverine ecosystem conditions. The removal of the 32 m Elwha and 64 m Glines Canyon dams from the Elwha River in Washington, U.S.A., was the largest dam removal project in North American history. During the 3 yr of dam removal—from September 2011 to August 2014—more than te
AuthorsMelissa M. Foley, Jeffrey J. Duda, Matthew M. Beirne, Rebecca Paradis, Andrew Ritchie, Jonathan A. Warrick1000 dams down and counting
Forty years ago, the demolition of large dams was mostly fiction, notably plotted in Edward Abbey's novel The Monkey Wrench Gang. Its 1975 publication roughly coincided with the end of large-dam construction in the United States. Since then, dams have been taken down in increasing numbers as they have filled with sediment, become unsafe or inefficient, or otherwise outlived their usefulness (1) (sAuthorsJames E. O'Connor, Jeff J. Duda, Gordon E. GrantByEcosystems Mission Area, Energy and Minerals Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Volcano Hazards Program, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis, Volcano Science Center, Western Fisheries Research CenterNon-USGS Publications**
Duda, J.J., and A.J. Krzysik. 1998. Radiotelemetry study of a desert tortoise population: Sand Hill Training Area, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California. U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories Technical Report 98/39. 75 p.Duda, J.J. 1998. Home range, burrow use, and activity patterns of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the south-central Mojave Desert. M.S. Thesis. Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 60 p.**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.
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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