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John C Wolf

John Wolf is a geographer with the USGS Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

I am a Geographer with the Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center in the Southeast Region.  I serve as the geographic information systems (GIS) Team Leader for the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) in Annapolis, Maryland.  As the GIS Team Leader, I am responsible for planning, coordinating, developing and applying geographic information management and analysis to address Chesapeake Bay conservation and restoration issues. 

My project and research interests include web-based cartography and information visualization, three-dimensional (3D) landscape visualization, landscape and seascape ecology, and integrated conservation and restoration assessment and targeting.

I represent GIS interests on the CBP Scientific, Technical Analysis and Reporting (STAR) Teams, the Environmental Protection Agency GIS Workgroup, the EPA Analytics and Visualization Community of Practice, and other regional and national forums.

Professional Experience

  • 2018-Present: Assistant Director, Land Change Studies, U.S. Geological Survey - Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
  • 2008-2018: Supervisory Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey - Eastern Geographic Science Center
  • 2004-2008: GIS Team Leader, U.S. National Park Service
  • 1996-2004: Chief, Landscape Analysis, Chesapeake and Coastal Watershed Service, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
  • 1991-1995: Chief, Technical Srrvices, Greenways and Resource Planning, Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Science and Products

Diagram of topics - Chesapeake Bay

A Science-Based Approach for Targeting Resources to Achieve Multiple Chesapeake Outcomes

Issue: The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) needs to accelerate progress on multiple outcomes to meet deadlines in the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement. The CBP partnership spends about $1.2B annually on activities toward achieving the Watershed Agreement, with a focus on water-quality improvement. Recent funding increases, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provide additional opportunities to...
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities
A Science-Based Approach for Targeting Resources to Achieve Multiple Chesapeake Outcomes

A Science-Based Approach for Targeting Resources to Achieve Multiple Chesapeake Outcomes

Issue: The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) needs to accelerate progress on multiple outcomes to meet deadlines in the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement. The CBP partnership spends about $1.2B annually on activities toward achieving the Watershed Agreement, with a focus on water-quality improvement. Recent funding increases, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provide additional opportunities to...
Learn More
The Wicomico River, top, and Whites Neck Creek, bottom, flow toward the Potomac River in Charles County, Md.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard is a collaborative project of the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership, with input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other science providers.
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard is a collaborative project of the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership, with input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other science providers.
Learn More

Chesapeake Bay Watershed 1:24k 10, 30 and 90-meter Riparian Buffer Zones Chesapeake Bay Watershed 1:24k 10, 30 and 90-meter Riparian Buffer Zones

This data release contains three 10-meter resolution GeoTIFFs representing 10-meter (35-foot), 30-meter (100-foot) and 90-meter (300-foot) riparian buffer zones along shorelines, rivers, streams, and other lotic (flowing) water features. The layers are binary, where the value of each cell represents the presence or absence of the buffer zone. In addition, the data release contains...
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed
Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed
Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed
Visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Sample visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed.

By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Sample visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed.

By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Connecting conservation practices to local stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed Connecting conservation practices to local stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

The Chesapeake Bay Partnership is implementing conservation practices (CPs) throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to reduce nutrient and sediment delivery to the Bay. This study intends to provide an integrated and detailed understanding of how local streams respond to these CP-driven management efforts.Key issue: To what extent do CPs positively affect the health of local streams in...
Authors
Gregory Noe, Paul Angermeier, Larry B. Barber, Joe Buckwalter, Matthew Cashman, Olivia Devereux, Thomas Doody, Sally Entrekin, Rosemary Fanelli, Nathaniel Hitt, Molly Huber, Jeramy Roland Jasmann, Kelly Maloney, Tristan Mohs, Sergio Sabat-Bonilla, Kelly Smalling, Tyler Wagner, John Wolf, Kenneth Hyer
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Geospatial standard operating procedures of the Chesapeake Bay Program Geospatial standard operating procedures of the Chesapeake Bay Program

Introduction The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) has operated a geographic information system (GIS) program since the early 1990s to address the established and growing need for and use of geospatial data, maps, and analysis within the CBP Partnership. This report is intended to detail the standard operating procedures of the CBP GIS program and address the quality assurance, quality...
Authors
John Wolf, Labeeb Ahmed, Peter Claggett, Andrew Fitch, Frederick Irani, Sarah McDonald, David Strong, Renee Thompson, Zhaoying Wei
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center
USGS Scientists Receive EPA Gold Medal for Chesapeake Science Efforts

USGS Scientists Receive EPA Gold Medal for Chesapeake Science Efforts

Several U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have been chosen to receive a 2018 National U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Gold Medal for...

Read Article

Science and Products

Diagram of topics - Chesapeake Bay

A Science-Based Approach for Targeting Resources to Achieve Multiple Chesapeake Outcomes

Issue: The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) needs to accelerate progress on multiple outcomes to meet deadlines in the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement. The CBP partnership spends about $1.2B annually on activities toward achieving the Watershed Agreement, with a focus on water-quality improvement. Recent funding increases, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provide additional opportunities to...
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities
A Science-Based Approach for Targeting Resources to Achieve Multiple Chesapeake Outcomes

A Science-Based Approach for Targeting Resources to Achieve Multiple Chesapeake Outcomes

Issue: The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) needs to accelerate progress on multiple outcomes to meet deadlines in the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement. The CBP partnership spends about $1.2B annually on activities toward achieving the Watershed Agreement, with a focus on water-quality improvement. Recent funding increases, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provide additional opportunities to...
Learn More
The Wicomico River, top, and Whites Neck Creek, bottom, flow toward the Potomac River in Charles County, Md.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard is a collaborative project of the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership, with input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other science providers.
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Data Dashboard is a collaborative project of the Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership, with input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other science providers.
Learn More

Chesapeake Bay Watershed 1:24k 10, 30 and 90-meter Riparian Buffer Zones Chesapeake Bay Watershed 1:24k 10, 30 and 90-meter Riparian Buffer Zones

This data release contains three 10-meter resolution GeoTIFFs representing 10-meter (35-foot), 30-meter (100-foot) and 90-meter (300-foot) riparian buffer zones along shorelines, rivers, streams, and other lotic (flowing) water features. The layers are binary, where the value of each cell represents the presence or absence of the buffer zone. In addition, the data release contains...
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed
Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed
Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed
Visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Sample visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed.

By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center
Visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Pollution sources by Sector in Chesapeake Bay watershed

Sample visualization of pollution sources in Chesapeake Bay watershed.

By
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

Connecting conservation practices to local stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed Connecting conservation practices to local stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

The Chesapeake Bay Partnership is implementing conservation practices (CPs) throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to reduce nutrient and sediment delivery to the Bay. This study intends to provide an integrated and detailed understanding of how local streams respond to these CP-driven management efforts.Key issue: To what extent do CPs positively affect the health of local streams in...
Authors
Gregory Noe, Paul Angermeier, Larry B. Barber, Joe Buckwalter, Matthew Cashman, Olivia Devereux, Thomas Doody, Sally Entrekin, Rosemary Fanelli, Nathaniel Hitt, Molly Huber, Jeramy Roland Jasmann, Kelly Maloney, Tristan Mohs, Sergio Sabat-Bonilla, Kelly Smalling, Tyler Wagner, John Wolf, Kenneth Hyer
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center

Geospatial standard operating procedures of the Chesapeake Bay Program Geospatial standard operating procedures of the Chesapeake Bay Program

Introduction The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) has operated a geographic information system (GIS) program since the early 1990s to address the established and growing need for and use of geospatial data, maps, and analysis within the CBP Partnership. This report is intended to detail the standard operating procedures of the CBP GIS program and address the quality assurance, quality...
Authors
John Wolf, Labeeb Ahmed, Peter Claggett, Andrew Fitch, Frederick Irani, Sarah McDonald, David Strong, Renee Thompson, Zhaoying Wei
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center
USGS Scientists Receive EPA Gold Medal for Chesapeake Science Efforts

USGS Scientists Receive EPA Gold Medal for Chesapeake Science Efforts

Several U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have been chosen to receive a 2018 National U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Gold Medal for...

Read Article
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