Jonathan Warrick
My research focuses on the intersection of rivers and the sea. Topics include the movement of sediment within and from coastal watersheds, and how sediment can alter coastal landscapes and habitats. Recently these subjects have been addressed in my work on the Elwha River, Washington, where the largest dam removal project in U.S. history was completed in 2014.
In The News
2017, Los Angeles Times article, “Highway 1 was buried under a massive landslide. Months later, engineers battle Mother Nature to fix it”
2016, The Department of Interior and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, International RiverPrize Finalist
2015, New York Times article, “When Dams Come Down, Salmon and Sand Can Prosper”
2014, National Geographic news article, “World’s Largest Dam Removal Unleashes U.S. River After Century of Electric Production”
2013, Book, “Elwha: A River Reborn”
2012, Front-page Seattle Times article, “Dam gone, nature rebuilds Elwha River beach”
2009, Science Daily article, “Sediment Yield From The Tectonically Active Semiarid Western Transverse Ranges Of California”
2006, Environmental Science & Technology news article, “California’s Shifting Sands”
Professional Experience
Research Geologist, GS-15, 2016-present, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California
Research Geologist, GS-14, 2008-2016, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California
Research Geologist, GS-13, 2004-2008, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California
Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow, GS-12, 2002-2004, USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Menlo Park, California
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., 2002, University of California, Santa Barbara
M.Sc., 1995, University Wisconsin-Madison
B.Sc., 1993, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Science and Products
Trends in the suspended-sediment yields of coastal rivers of northern California, 1955–2010
Fine-grained sediment dispersal along the California coast
Dispersal of fine sediment in nearshore coastal waters
River turbidity and sediment loads during dam removal
Dam decommissioning has become an important means for removing unsafe or obsolete dams and for restoring natural fluvial processes, including discharge regimes, sediment transport, and ecosystem connectivity [Doyle et al., 2003]. The largest dam-removal project in history began in September 2011 on the Elwha River of Washington State (Figure 1a). The project, which aims to restore the river ecosys
The effects of wildfire on the sediment yield of a coastal California watershed
The occurrence of two wildfires separated by 31 yr in the chaparral-dominated Arroyo Seco watershed (293 km
The offshore export of sand during exceptional discharge from California rivers
Observations of coastal sediment dynamics of the Tijuana Estuary Fine Sediment Fate and Transport Demonstration Project, Imperial Beach, California
Bathymetry and acoustic backscatter: Elwha River Delta, Washington
Vegetation of the Elwha River estuary: Chapter 8 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
Elwha River dam removal-Rebirth of a river
Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington- Biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
Nearshore biological communities prior to the removal of the Elwha River dams: Chapter 6 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
Science and Products
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Trends in the suspended-sediment yields of coastal rivers of northern California, 1955–2010
Time-dependencies of suspended-sediment discharge from six coastal watersheds of northern California – Smith River, Klamath River, Trinity River, Redwood Creek, Mad River, and Eel River – were evaluated using monitoring data from 1955 to 2010. Suspended-sediment concentrations revealed time-dependent hysteresis and multi-year trends. The multi-year trends had two primary patterns relative to riverAuthorsJ.A. Warrick, Mary Ann Madej, M. A. Goñi, R. A. WheatcroftFine-grained sediment dispersal along the California coast
Fine-grained sediment (silt and clay) enters coastal waters from rivers, eroding coastal bluffs, resuspension of seabed sediment, and human activities such as dredging and beach nourishment. The amount of sediment in coastal waters is an important factor in ocean ecosystem health, but little information exists on both the natural and human-driven magnitudes of fine-grained sediment delivery to theAuthorsJonathan A. Warrick, Curt D. StorlazziDispersal of fine sediment in nearshore coastal waters
Fine sediment (silt and clay) plays an important role in the physical, ecological, and environmental conditions of coastal systems, yet little is known about the dispersal and fate of fine sediment across coastal margin settings outside of river mouths. Here I provide simple physical scaling and detailed monitoring of a beach nourishment project near Imperial Beach, California, with a high portionAuthorsJonathan A. WarrickRiver turbidity and sediment loads during dam removal
Dam decommissioning has become an important means for removing unsafe or obsolete dams and for restoring natural fluvial processes, including discharge regimes, sediment transport, and ecosystem connectivity [Doyle et al., 2003]. The largest dam-removal project in history began in September 2011 on the Elwha River of Washington State (Figure 1a). The project, which aims to restore the river ecosys
AuthorsJonathan A. Warrick, Jeffrey J. Duda, Christopher S. Magirl, Chris A. CurranThe effects of wildfire on the sediment yield of a coastal California watershed
The occurrence of two wildfires separated by 31 yr in the chaparral-dominated Arroyo Seco watershed (293 km
AuthorsJ.A. Warrick, J.A. Hatten, G.B. Pasternack, A.B. Gray, M.A. Goni, R. A. WheatcroftThe offshore export of sand during exceptional discharge from California rivers
Littoral cells along active tectonic margins receive large inputs of sand and gravel from coastal watersheds and commonly lose this sediment to submarine canyons. One hypothesis is that the majority of coarse (sand and gravel) river sediment discharge will be emplaced within and immediately “resupply” local littoral cells. A competing hypothesis is that the infrequent, large floods that supply theAuthorsJonathan A. Warrick, Patrick L. BarnardObservations of coastal sediment dynamics of the Tijuana Estuary Fine Sediment Fate and Transport Demonstration Project, Imperial Beach, California
Coastal restoration and management must address the presence, use, and transportation of fine sediment, yet little information exists on the patterns and/or processes of fine-sediment transport and deposition for these systems. To fill this information gap, a number of State of California, Federal, and private industry partners developed the Tijuana Estuary Fine Sediment Fate and Transport DemonstAuthorsJonathan A. Warrick, Kurt J. Rosenberger, Angela Lam, Joanne C. T. Ferreira, Ian M. Miller, Meg Rippy, Jan Svejkovsky, Neomi MustainBathymetry and acoustic backscatter: Elwha River Delta, Washington
Between February 22 and March 3, 2010, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC), acquired bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data from the Elwha River Delta, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington, under PCMSC Field Activity ID S-6-10-PS. Three ancillary surveys were conducted when sea conditions were too rough for surveying outside the harbAuthorsDavid P. Finlayson, Ian M. Miller, Jonathan A. WarrickVegetation of the Elwha River estuary: Chapter 8 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
The Elwha River estuary supports one of the most diverse coastal wetland complexes yet described in the Salish Sea region, in terms of vegetation types and plant species richness. Using a combination of aerial imagery and vegetation plot sampling, we identified 6 primary vegetation types and 121 plant species in a 39.7 ha area. Most of the estuary is dominated by woody vegetation types, with mixedAuthorsPatrick B. Shafroth, Tracy L. Fuentes, Cynthia Pritekel, Matthew M. Beirne, Vanessa B. BeauchampElwha River dam removal-Rebirth of a river
After years of planning for the largest project of its kind, the Department of the Interior will begin removal of two dams on the Elwha River, Washington, in September 2011. For nearly 100 years, the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams have disrupted natural processes, trapping sediment in the reservoirs and blocking fish migrations, which changed the ecology of the river downstream of the dams. All fiveAuthorsJeffrey J. Duda, Jonathan A. Warrick, Christopher S. MagirlCoastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington- Biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
This report includes chapters that summarize the results of multidisciplinary studies to quantify and characterize the current (2011) status and baseline conditions of the lower Elwha River, its estuary, and the adjacent nearshore ecosystems prior to the historic removal of two long-standing dams that have strongly influenced river, estuary, and nearshore conditions. The studies were conducted asAuthorsJeffrey J. Duda, Jonathan A. Warrick, Christopher S. MagirlNearshore biological communities prior to the removal of the Elwha River dams: Chapter 6 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
Increases in sediment delivery to coastal waters are expected following removal of dams on the Elwha River, Washington, potentially increasing sediment deposition on the seafloor and suspended sediment in the water column. Biological communities inhabiting shallow, subtidal depths (3–18 m) near the mouth of the Elwha River, between the west end of Freshwater Bay and the base of Ediz Hook, were surAuthorsStephen P. Rubin, Ian M. Miller, Nancy Elder, Reginald R. Reisenbichler, Jeffrey J. Duda - Software
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