Jennifer Murphy
Jenny is a hydrologist with the USGS, Central Midwest Water Science Center. Much of her work focuses on characterizing and understanding water-quality trends in the Nation's streams and rivers. Jenny also leads a team of scientists working to develop a proxy for harmful algal blooms in rivers.
Jenny has played an important role in characterizing water-quality trends with the Weighted Regressions on Time, Season and Discharge (WRTDS) model at >1,000 sites across the country using an extensive multi-agency dataset. Jenny's additional trends work includes looking at nitrate in the Mississippi River Basin, sediment in the lowermost Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers, and water quality in streams and rivers in the Delaware River Basin. Additionally, she has worked on projects ranging from the evaluation of best management practices in small agricultural drainages, to characterizing and understanding ecological flows, estimating water use at thermoelectric powerplants, and harmonizing multisource data. Her current interests are in trend studies, causal attribution of these trends, and exploring the influence of streamflow on water quality.
CURRENT & PAST PROJECTS
- Co-lead of multisource surface water-quality trends task as part of the IWAAs Delaware River Basin Regional Pilot
- NAWQA Surface Water Status and Trends team (Causal Analysis team lead)
- Evaluating agricultural best management practices in northwestern MS
- Ecological flows in the Cumberland and Tennessee River Basins
- Water-quality trends in the Mississippi River Basin
- Water use at thermoelectric powerplants
- Water quality in the lowermost Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers
Professional Experience
2020-Present, Hydrologist, USGS, Central Midwest Water Science Center, DeKalb, Illinois
2010-2020, Hydrologist, USGS, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Nashville, TN
2007-2009, Project Geologist, ECS Limited, Nashville, TN
Summer 2007, Field Geologist, US Forest Service, Lewis and Clark National Forest, Great Falls, MT
2006-2007, Research Assistant, USGS, Eastern Mineral Resources, Reston, VA
Education and Certifications
M.S., Earth and Environmental Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 2011
B.A., Geology, Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin, 2006
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 23
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 35
Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads in the lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers decreased by half between 1980 and 2015 Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads in the lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers decreased by half between 1980 and 2015
The Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) model was used to derive estimates of suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) and suspended-sediment load (SSL), their dependence on discharge, and their trends with confidence intervals, for one site each on the lowermost Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. The WRTDS model reduces uncertainty in SSCs related to variable...
Authors
Scott Mize, Jennifer Murphy, Timothy Diehl, Dennis Demcheck
Nutrient and sediment concentrations and loads in the Steele Bayou Basin, northwestern Mississippi, 2010–14 Nutrient and sediment concentrations and loads in the Steele Bayou Basin, northwestern Mississippi, 2010–14
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Vicksburg District, monitored streamflow, water quality, and sediment at two stations on the Steele Bayou in northwestern Mississippi from October 2010 through September 2014 to characterize nutrient and sediment concentrations and loads in areas where substantial implementation of conservation efforts have...
Authors
Matthew Hicks, Jennifer C. Murphy, Shane Stocks
Water-quality trends in the nation’s rivers and streams, 1972–2012—Data preparation, statistical methods, and trend results Water-quality trends in the nation’s rivers and streams, 1972–2012—Data preparation, statistical methods, and trend results
Since passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, Federal, State, and local governments have invested billions of dollars to reduce pollution entering rivers and streams. To understand the return on these investments and to effectively manage and protect the Nation’s water resources in the future, we need to know how and why water quality has been changing over time. As part of the National...
Authors
Gretchen Oelsner, Lori Sprague, Jennifer Murphy, Robert Zuellig, Henry Johnson, Karen Ryberg, James Falcone, Edward Stets, Aldo Vecchia, Melissa Riskin, Laura A. De Cicco, Taylor Mills, William Farmer
Methods for computing water-quality loads at sites in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network Methods for computing water-quality loads at sites in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network
The U.S. Geological Survey currently (2020) publishes information on concentrations and loads of water-quality constituents at 110 sites across the United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network (NWQN). This report details historical and updated methods for computing water-quality loads at NWQN sites. The primary updates to historical load estimation...
Authors
Casey J. Lee, Jennifer C. Murphy, Charles Crawford, Jeffrey Deacon
Water-quality data and Escherichia coli predictions for selected karst catchments of the upper Duck River watershed in central Tennessee, 2007–10 Water-quality data and Escherichia coli predictions for selected karst catchments of the upper Duck River watershed in central Tennessee, 2007–10
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency, monitored water quality at several locations in the upper Duck River watershed between October 2007 and September 2010. Discrete water samples collected at 24 sites in the watershed were analyzed for water quality, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci concentrations. Additional analyses
Authors
Jennifer Murphy, James Farmer, Alice Layton
Mississippi River nitrate loads from high frequency sensor measurements and regression-based load estimation Mississippi River nitrate loads from high frequency sensor measurements and regression-based load estimation
Accurately quantifying nitrate (NO3–) loading from the Mississippi River is important for predicting summer hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and targeting nutrient reduction within the basin. Loads have historically been modeled with regression-based techniques, but recent advances with high frequency NO3– sensors allowed us to evaluate model performance relative to measured loads in the...
Authors
Brian Pellerin, Brian A. Bergamaschi, Robert Gilliom, Charles Crawford, John Saraceno, C. Frederick, Bryan Downing, Jennifer C. Murphy
Non-USGS Publications**
Murphy, J.C., G.M. Hornberger, and R.G. Liddle, 2014, Concentration–discharge relationships in the coal mined region of the New River basin and Indian Fork sub-basin, Tennessee, USA. Hydrological Processes 28: 718-728.
Debra Perrone, Jennifer Murphy, and George M. Hornberger (2011), Gaining Perspective on the Water−Energy Nexus at the Community Scale. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45 (10), pp 4228–4234
DOI: 10.1021/es103230n.
DOI: 10.1021/es103230n.
**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
Filter Total Items: 23
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 35
Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads in the lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers decreased by half between 1980 and 2015 Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads in the lower Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers decreased by half between 1980 and 2015
The Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) model was used to derive estimates of suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) and suspended-sediment load (SSL), their dependence on discharge, and their trends with confidence intervals, for one site each on the lowermost Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. The WRTDS model reduces uncertainty in SSCs related to variable...
Authors
Scott Mize, Jennifer Murphy, Timothy Diehl, Dennis Demcheck
Nutrient and sediment concentrations and loads in the Steele Bayou Basin, northwestern Mississippi, 2010–14 Nutrient and sediment concentrations and loads in the Steele Bayou Basin, northwestern Mississippi, 2010–14
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Vicksburg District, monitored streamflow, water quality, and sediment at two stations on the Steele Bayou in northwestern Mississippi from October 2010 through September 2014 to characterize nutrient and sediment concentrations and loads in areas where substantial implementation of conservation efforts have...
Authors
Matthew Hicks, Jennifer C. Murphy, Shane Stocks
Water-quality trends in the nation’s rivers and streams, 1972–2012—Data preparation, statistical methods, and trend results Water-quality trends in the nation’s rivers and streams, 1972–2012—Data preparation, statistical methods, and trend results
Since passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, Federal, State, and local governments have invested billions of dollars to reduce pollution entering rivers and streams. To understand the return on these investments and to effectively manage and protect the Nation’s water resources in the future, we need to know how and why water quality has been changing over time. As part of the National...
Authors
Gretchen Oelsner, Lori Sprague, Jennifer Murphy, Robert Zuellig, Henry Johnson, Karen Ryberg, James Falcone, Edward Stets, Aldo Vecchia, Melissa Riskin, Laura A. De Cicco, Taylor Mills, William Farmer
Methods for computing water-quality loads at sites in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network Methods for computing water-quality loads at sites in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network
The U.S. Geological Survey currently (2020) publishes information on concentrations and loads of water-quality constituents at 110 sites across the United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network (NWQN). This report details historical and updated methods for computing water-quality loads at NWQN sites. The primary updates to historical load estimation...
Authors
Casey J. Lee, Jennifer C. Murphy, Charles Crawford, Jeffrey Deacon
Water-quality data and Escherichia coli predictions for selected karst catchments of the upper Duck River watershed in central Tennessee, 2007–10 Water-quality data and Escherichia coli predictions for selected karst catchments of the upper Duck River watershed in central Tennessee, 2007–10
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency, monitored water quality at several locations in the upper Duck River watershed between October 2007 and September 2010. Discrete water samples collected at 24 sites in the watershed were analyzed for water quality, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci concentrations. Additional analyses
Authors
Jennifer Murphy, James Farmer, Alice Layton
Mississippi River nitrate loads from high frequency sensor measurements and regression-based load estimation Mississippi River nitrate loads from high frequency sensor measurements and regression-based load estimation
Accurately quantifying nitrate (NO3–) loading from the Mississippi River is important for predicting summer hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and targeting nutrient reduction within the basin. Loads have historically been modeled with regression-based techniques, but recent advances with high frequency NO3– sensors allowed us to evaluate model performance relative to measured loads in the...
Authors
Brian Pellerin, Brian A. Bergamaschi, Robert Gilliom, Charles Crawford, John Saraceno, C. Frederick, Bryan Downing, Jennifer C. Murphy
Non-USGS Publications**
Murphy, J.C., G.M. Hornberger, and R.G. Liddle, 2014, Concentration–discharge relationships in the coal mined region of the New River basin and Indian Fork sub-basin, Tennessee, USA. Hydrological Processes 28: 718-728.
Debra Perrone, Jennifer Murphy, and George M. Hornberger (2011), Gaining Perspective on the Water−Energy Nexus at the Community Scale. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2011, 45 (10), pp 4228–4234
DOI: 10.1021/es103230n.
DOI: 10.1021/es103230n.
**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.