Justin K Reale, Ph.D.
Justin Reale is the Surface Water Team Supervisor at the Oregon Water Science Center.
Dr. Reale's research primarily focuses on how disturbances (such as dams, water operations, wildfire, drought, floods) alter biotic assemblages and the quality of quantity of water, sediment, and habitat in rivers and reservoirs using a combination of field (environmental sensor networks and surveys), lab (physical, chemical, and toxicological), and modeling (time-series and metabolism).
Professional Experience
Supervisory Hydrologist, Surface Water Team, Oregon Water Science Center, 2023 - present
Supervisory Hydrologist, Environmental Engineering Section, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District, 2021 - 2023
Biologist, Environmental Engineering Section, U.S. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District, 2009 - 2021
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Aquatic Ecology, 2018, University of New Mexico
Dissertation: Evaluating the effects of catastrophic wildfire on water quality, whole-stream metabolism, and fish communitiesB.S. Biology, 2009, University of New Mexico
Professional Hydrologist (Wisconsin - No. 203 -111)
Honors and Awards
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Committee on Water Quality (2020 - 2023)
Science and Products
Suspended-sediment transport and water management, Jemez Canyon Dam, New Mexico, 1948–2018
Construction and operation of dams provide sources of clean drinking water, support large-scale irrigation, generate hydroelectricity, control floods, and improve river navigation. Yet these benefits are not without cost. Dams affect the natural flow regime, downstream sediment fluxes, and riverine and riparian ecosystems. The Jemez Canyon Dam in New Mexico was constructed in 1953 by the U.S. Army
Authors
Jeb E. Brown, Anne-Marie Matherne, Justin K. Reale, K.E. Miltenberger
Non-USGS Publications**
Nichols, J., Joseph, E., Kaphle, A., Tunby, P., Rodriguez L., Khandelwal A., Reale, J., et al. Longitudinal propagation of aquatic disturbances following the largest wildfire recorded in New Mexico, USA. Nat Commun 15, 7143 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51306-9
Archdeacon, T. P., Gonzales, E. J., Reale, J. K., Henry, E. B., & Grant, J. D. (2023). Effects of seining effort on estimates of fish diversity in a sand-bed river. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(5), 538.
Van Horn, D. J., Reale, J. K., & Archdeacon, T. P. (2022). Water quality in three potential drought refuges in an arid-land river: Assessing habitat suitability for at-risk fish species. Knowledge & Management of Aquatic Ecosystems, 423, 7.
Reale, J. K., Archdeacon, T. P., Van Horn, D. J., Gonzales, E. J., Dudley, R. K., Turner, T. F., & Dahm, C. N. (2021). Differential effects of a catastrophic wildfire on downstream fish assemblages in an aridland river. Aquatic Ecology, 55, 483–500.
Gonzalez-Pinzon, R., Ball, G., Regier, P., Reale, J. K., & Van Horn, D. J. (2021). Wildfires increasingly impact western US fluvial networks. AGU Fall Meeting 2021.
Ball, G., Regier, P., González-Pinzón, R., Reale, J., & Van Horn, D. (2021). Wildfires increasingly impact western US fluvial networks. Nature Communications, 12(1), 2484.
Archdeacon, T. P., Diver, T. A., & Reale, J. K. (2020). Fish rescue during streamflow intermittency may not be effective for conservation of Rio Grande silvery minnow. Water, 12(12), 3371.
Archdeacon, T. P., Reale, J. K., Gonzales, E. J., & Grant, J. D. (2020). Effects of seining effort and site length on variability of small-bodied fish catch-rates in a sand-bed river. River Research and Applications, 00, 00.
Archdeacon, T., & Reale, J. (2020). No quarter: Lack of refuge during flow intermittency results in catastrophic mortality of an imperiled minnow. Freshwater Biology.
Regier, P. J., González-Pinzón, R., Van Horn, D. J., Reale, J. K., Nichols, J., & Khandewal, A. (2020). Water quality impacts of urban and non-urban arid-land runoff on the Rio Grande. Science of The Total Environment, 729, 138443.
Thompson, V. F., Marshall, D. L., Reale, J. K., & Dahm, C. N. (2019). The effects of a catastrophic forest fire on the biomass of submerged stream macrophytes. Aquatic Botany, 152, 36–42.
Reale, J. K. (2018). Evaluating the Effects of Catastrophic Wildfire on Water Quality, Whole-stream Metabolism and Fish Communities [PhD Thesis]. The University of New Mexico.
Dahm, C. N., Candelaria-Ley, R. I., Reale, C. S., Reale, J. K., & Van Horn, D. J. (2015). Extreme water quality degradation following a catastrophic forest fire. Freshwater Biology, 60(12), 2584–2599.
Reale, J. K., Van Horn, D. J., Condon, K. E., & Dahm, C. N. (2015). The effects of catastrophic wildfire on water quality along a river continuum. Freshwater Science, 34(4), 1426–1442.
**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
Suspended-sediment transport and water management, Jemez Canyon Dam, New Mexico, 1948–2018
Construction and operation of dams provide sources of clean drinking water, support large-scale irrigation, generate hydroelectricity, control floods, and improve river navigation. Yet these benefits are not without cost. Dams affect the natural flow regime, downstream sediment fluxes, and riverine and riparian ecosystems. The Jemez Canyon Dam in New Mexico was constructed in 1953 by the U.S. Army
Authors
Jeb E. Brown, Anne-Marie Matherne, Justin K. Reale, K.E. Miltenberger
Non-USGS Publications**
Nichols, J., Joseph, E., Kaphle, A., Tunby, P., Rodriguez L., Khandelwal A., Reale, J., et al. Longitudinal propagation of aquatic disturbances following the largest wildfire recorded in New Mexico, USA. Nat Commun 15, 7143 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51306-9
Archdeacon, T. P., Gonzales, E. J., Reale, J. K., Henry, E. B., & Grant, J. D. (2023). Effects of seining effort on estimates of fish diversity in a sand-bed river. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(5), 538.
Van Horn, D. J., Reale, J. K., & Archdeacon, T. P. (2022). Water quality in three potential drought refuges in an arid-land river: Assessing habitat suitability for at-risk fish species. Knowledge & Management of Aquatic Ecosystems, 423, 7.
Reale, J. K., Archdeacon, T. P., Van Horn, D. J., Gonzales, E. J., Dudley, R. K., Turner, T. F., & Dahm, C. N. (2021). Differential effects of a catastrophic wildfire on downstream fish assemblages in an aridland river. Aquatic Ecology, 55, 483–500.
Gonzalez-Pinzon, R., Ball, G., Regier, P., Reale, J. K., & Van Horn, D. J. (2021). Wildfires increasingly impact western US fluvial networks. AGU Fall Meeting 2021.
Ball, G., Regier, P., González-Pinzón, R., Reale, J., & Van Horn, D. (2021). Wildfires increasingly impact western US fluvial networks. Nature Communications, 12(1), 2484.
Archdeacon, T. P., Diver, T. A., & Reale, J. K. (2020). Fish rescue during streamflow intermittency may not be effective for conservation of Rio Grande silvery minnow. Water, 12(12), 3371.
Archdeacon, T. P., Reale, J. K., Gonzales, E. J., & Grant, J. D. (2020). Effects of seining effort and site length on variability of small-bodied fish catch-rates in a sand-bed river. River Research and Applications, 00, 00.
Archdeacon, T., & Reale, J. (2020). No quarter: Lack of refuge during flow intermittency results in catastrophic mortality of an imperiled minnow. Freshwater Biology.
Regier, P. J., González-Pinzón, R., Van Horn, D. J., Reale, J. K., Nichols, J., & Khandewal, A. (2020). Water quality impacts of urban and non-urban arid-land runoff on the Rio Grande. Science of The Total Environment, 729, 138443.
Thompson, V. F., Marshall, D. L., Reale, J. K., & Dahm, C. N. (2019). The effects of a catastrophic forest fire on the biomass of submerged stream macrophytes. Aquatic Botany, 152, 36–42.
Reale, J. K. (2018). Evaluating the Effects of Catastrophic Wildfire on Water Quality, Whole-stream Metabolism and Fish Communities [PhD Thesis]. The University of New Mexico.
Dahm, C. N., Candelaria-Ley, R. I., Reale, C. S., Reale, J. K., & Van Horn, D. J. (2015). Extreme water quality degradation following a catastrophic forest fire. Freshwater Biology, 60(12), 2584–2599.
Reale, J. K., Van Horn, D. J., Condon, K. E., & Dahm, C. N. (2015). The effects of catastrophic wildfire on water quality along a river continuum. Freshwater Science, 34(4), 1426–1442.
**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.