ISCO pump samplers at a sediment gaging site, Fence Fault beach, looking downstream at the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Joseph E Thomas
Joseph Thomas is a Physical Scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Joe's work at SBSC's Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) involves spearheading research and development efforts for cutting-edge telemetry and technological tools that enable the transfer of environmental data from challenging and remote locations to cloud-hosted environments. Joe supports studies of sediment concentration and water quality in the Colorado River, tracking of endangered fish populations in the Little Colorado River, and monitoring soil moisture and temperature in forests at the base of the San Francisco Peaks outside of Flagstaff, Arizona. Recently, Joe has focused on implementing low earth orbit satellite technology for both broadband and short burst data telemetry in Grand Canyon where traditional telemetry methods are non-existent or inadequate.
Science and Products
Modernizing sensor data workflows to leverage Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud-based technologies
Drought is a major problem in the American Southwest that is expected to worsen under the effects of climate change. Currently, the Southwest Biological Science Center is monitoring the effects of drought with soil moisture probes in a range of ecosystems across an elevational gradient on the Colorado Plateau. These data are used in multiple studies to analyze the effects of drought on vegetation
Geospatial Science and Technology
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Southwest Biological Science Center, and more specifically, its River Ecosystem Science branch which includes the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC), is a preeminent science group that has more than 20 years of experience of providing high-quality, detailed science to resource managers and stakeholders primarily concerned with the effects of dam...
ISCO pump samplers at a sediment gaging site, Fence Fault beach, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
ISCO pump samplers at a sediment gaging site, Fence Fault beach, looking downstream at the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver next to Geostationary satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, Grand Canyon National Park
linkTesting of a Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver next to Geostationary satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, located just upstream of the confluence with the Little Colorado River at River Mile 61 on the Colorado River, Grand Canyon.
Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver next to Geostationary satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, Grand Canyon National Park
linkTesting of a Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver next to Geostationary satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, located just upstream of the confluence with the Little Colorado River at River Mile 61 on the Colorado River, Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon gage house, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona
A wide angle view of the historic Grand Canyon gage house, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
A wide angle view of the historic Grand Canyon gage house, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
linkThe historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
linkThe historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
linkThe historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
linkThe historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river below, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
The historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river below, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
The historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river below, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Science and Products
Modernizing sensor data workflows to leverage Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud-based technologies
Drought is a major problem in the American Southwest that is expected to worsen under the effects of climate change. Currently, the Southwest Biological Science Center is monitoring the effects of drought with soil moisture probes in a range of ecosystems across an elevational gradient on the Colorado Plateau. These data are used in multiple studies to analyze the effects of drought on vegetation
Geospatial Science and Technology
The U.S. Geological Survey’s Southwest Biological Science Center, and more specifically, its River Ecosystem Science branch which includes the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC), is a preeminent science group that has more than 20 years of experience of providing high-quality, detailed science to resource managers and stakeholders primarily concerned with the effects of dam...
ISCO pump samplers at a sediment gaging site, Fence Fault beach, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
ISCO pump samplers at a sediment gaging site, Fence Fault beach, looking downstream at the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
ISCO pump samplers at a sediment gaging site, Fence Fault beach, looking downstream at the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver next to Geostationary satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, Grand Canyon National Park
linkTesting of a Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver next to Geostationary satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, located just upstream of the confluence with the Little Colorado River at River Mile 61 on the Colorado River, Grand Canyon.
Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver next to Geostationary satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, Grand Canyon National Park
linkTesting of a Low Earth Orbit satellite receiver next to Geostationary satellite receiver at 61-mile gaging station, located just upstream of the confluence with the Little Colorado River at River Mile 61 on the Colorado River, Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon gage house, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona
A wide angle view of the historic Grand Canyon gage house, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
A wide angle view of the historic Grand Canyon gage house, Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
linkThe historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
linkThe historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
linkThe historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
linkThe historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river immediately below it, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river below, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
The historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river below, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.
The historic Grand Canyon gage house as viewed from the river below, Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Photo taken February 2023 by Joe Thomas, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center.