Kristin L Jaeger
As a research hydrologist and geomorphologist, my previous research has generally followed two trajectories: 1) geomorphic response to disturbance including dam removal, surface coal mining, and invasive species and 2) characterizing patterns and controls on flow permanence of intermittent and ephemeral rivers and streams.
My current focus includes broadening flow permanence research to the Pacific Northwest region and evaluating changes in sediment and stream water temperature regimes and associated implications on river ecosystem health in Pacific Northwest mountain rivers
Professional Experience
Research Hydrologist, USGS Washington Water Science Center, Tacoma, WA (2015-Present)
Assistant Professor, Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), Wooster, OH (2012-2015)
Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (2010-2012)
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Fluvial Geomorphology, Colorado State University, 2009
M.A. Forest Hydrology, University of Washington, 2004
B.A. Biology, Colorado College, 1998
Science and Products
Coarse sediment dynamics in a large glaciated river system: Holocene history and storage dynamics dictate contemporary climate sensitivity
FLOwPER user guide—For collection of FLOw PERmanence field observations
A guidebook to spatial datasets for conservation planning under climate change in the Pacific Northwest
An integrated framework for ecological drought across riverscapes of North America
The natural wood regime in rivers
Probability of streamflow permanence model (PROSPER): A spatially continuous model of annual streamflow permanence throughout the Pacific Northwest
Water temperature in the Lower Quinault River, Olympic Peninsula, Washington, June 2016 - August 2017
Suspended sediment, turbidity, and stream water temperature in the Sauk River Basin, western Washington, water years 2012-16
The Sauk River is a federally designated Wild and Scenic River that drains a relatively undisturbed landscape along the western slope of the North Cascade Mountain Range, Washington, which includes the glaciated volcano, Glacier Peak. Naturally high sediment loads characteristic of basins draining volcanoes like Glacier Peak make the Sauk River a dominant contributor of sediment to the downstream
Hydrological connectivity in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams
Geomorphology and sediment regimes of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams
Non-USGS Publications**
**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
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Filter Total Items: 22
Coarse sediment dynamics in a large glaciated river system: Holocene history and storage dynamics dictate contemporary climate sensitivity
The gravel-bedded White River drains a 1279 km2 basin in Washington State, with lowlands sculpted by continental glaciation and headwaters on an actively glaciated stratovolcano. Chronic aggradation along an alluvial fan near the river’s mouth has progressively reduced flood conveyance. In order to better understand how forecasted climate change may influence coarse sediment delivery and aggradatiAuthorsScott W. Anderson, Kristin JaegerFLOwPER user guide—For collection of FLOw PERmanence field observations
The accurate mapping of streams and their streamflow conditions in terms of presence or absence of surface water is important to both understanding physical, chemical, and biological processes in streams and to managing land, water, and ecological resources. This document describes a field form, FLOwPER (FLOw PERmanence), available within a mobile application (app), for standardized data collectioAuthorsKristin L. Jaeger, Jonathan Burnett, Emily D. Heaston, Steve M. Wondzell, Nathan Chelgren, Jason B. Dunham, Sherri Johnson, Mike BrownA guidebook to spatial datasets for conservation planning under climate change in the Pacific Northwest
This guidebook provides user-friendly overviews of a variety of spatial datasets relevant to conservation and management of natural resources in the face of climate change in the Pacific Northwest, United States. Each guidebook chapter was created using a standardized template to summarize a spatial dataset or a group of closely related datasets. Datasets were selected according to standardized crAuthorsJennifer M. Cartwright, Travis Belote, Kyle W. Blasch, Steve Campbell, Jeanne C. Chambers, Raymond J. Davis, Solomon Dobrowski, Jason B. Dunham, Diana Gergel, Daniel Isaak, Kristin Jaeger, Meade Krosby, Jesse Langdon, Joshua J. Lawler, Caitlin E. Littlefield, Charles H. Luce, Jeremy D Maestas, Anthony Martinez, Arjan J.H. Meddens, Julia Michalak, Sean A. Parks, Wendy Peterman, Ken Popper, Chris Ringo, Roy Sando, Michael Schindel, Diana Stralberg, David M. Theobald, Nathan Walker, Chad Wilsey, Zhiqiang Yang, Andrew YostAn integrated framework for ecological drought across riverscapes of North America
Climate change is increasing the severity and extent of extreme droughts events, posing a critical threat to freshwater ecosystems, particularly with increasing human demands for diminishing water supplies. Despite the importance of drought as a significant driver of ecological and evolutionary dynamics, current understanding of drought consequences for freshwater biodiversity is very limited. WAuthorsRyan Kovach, Jason B. Dunham, Robert Al-Chokhachy, Craig Snyder, Erik A. Beever, Gregory T. Pederson, Abigail Lynch, Nathaniel P. Hitt, Christopher P. Konrad, Kristin Jaeger, Alan H. Rea, Adam J. Sepulveda, Patrick M. Lambert, Jason M. Stoker, J. Joseph Giersch, Clint C. MuhlfeldThe natural wood regime in rivers
The natural wood regime forms the third leg of a tripod of physical processes that supports river science and management, along with the natural flow and sediment regimes. The wood regime consists of wood recruitment, transport, and storage in river corridors. Each of these components can be characterized in terms of magnitude, frequency, rate, timing, duration, and mode. We distinguish the naturaAuthorsEllen Wohl, Natalie Kramer, Virgina Ruiz-Villanueva, Daniel Scott, F. Comiti, Angela M Gurnell, Hervé Piégay, Katherine B. Lininger, Kristin Jaeger, David Walters, Kurt D. FauschProbability of streamflow permanence model (PROSPER): A spatially continuous model of annual streamflow permanence throughout the Pacific Northwest
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has developed the PRObability of Streamflow PERmanence (PROSPER) model, a GIS raster-based empirical model that provides streamflow permanence probabilities (probabilistic predictions) of a stream channel having year-round flow for any unregulated and minimally-impaired stream channel in the Pacific Northwest region, U.S. The model provides annual predictions forAuthorsKristin Jaeger, Roy Sando, Ryan R. McShane, Jason B. Dunham, David Hockman-Wert, Kendra E. Kaiser, Konrad Hafen, John Risley, Kyle BlaschWater temperature in the Lower Quinault River, Olympic Peninsula, Washington, June 2016 - August 2017
The availability of cold-water refugia during summertime river-water temperature maximums is important for cold-water fish species including Endangered Species Act listed salmonids since water temperature influences metabolism, growth, and phenology. The U.S. Geological Survey monitored water temperature at 10 sites approximately evenly-spaced along the lower Quinault River on the Olympic PeninsulAuthorsKristin L. Jaeger, Christopher A. Curran, Elyse J. Wulfkuhle, Chad C. OpatzSuspended sediment, turbidity, and stream water temperature in the Sauk River Basin, western Washington, water years 2012-16
The Sauk River is a federally designated Wild and Scenic River that drains a relatively undisturbed landscape along the western slope of the North Cascade Mountain Range, Washington, which includes the glaciated volcano, Glacier Peak. Naturally high sediment loads characteristic of basins draining volcanoes like Glacier Peak make the Sauk River a dominant contributor of sediment to the downstream
AuthorsKristin L. Jaeger, Christopher A. Curran, Scott W. Anderson, Scott T. Morris, Patrick W. Moran, Katherine A. ReamsHydrological connectivity in intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams
In intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (hereafter, IRES), hydrological connectivity mediated by either flowing or nonflowing water extends along three spatial dimensions—longitudinal, lateral, and vertical—and varies over time. Flow intermittence disrupts this connectivity, operating through complex hydrological transitions (e.g., between flowing and nonflowing phases). These transitions occAuthorsAndrew J. Boulton, Robert J. Rolls, Kristin Jaeger, Thibault DatryGeomorphology and sediment regimes of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams
The geomorphology and sediment regimes of intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) are extremely diverse, owing in large part to the substantial spatiotemporal variability of the associated hydrological regimes. We describe the geomorphological character and sediment transport processes along IRES within the context of four geomorphological zones—upland, piedmont, lowland, and floodout—toAuthorsKristin Jaeger, Nicholas A. Sutfin, Stephen Tooth, Katerina Michaelides, Michael B. SingerNon-USGS Publications**
Costigan, K.H., K.L. Jaeger, C.W. Goss, K.M. Fritz, and P.C. Goebel, 2016, "Understanding controls on flow permanence in intermittent rivers to aid ecological research: Integrating meteorology, geology and land cover." Ecohydrology. DOI:10.1002/2015WR017601Costigan, K.H., P.J. Soltesz, and K.L. Jaeger, 2015, “Large wood in Central Appalachian headwater streams: Controls on and potential changes to wood loads from infestation of hemlock woolly adelgid,” Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. DOI: 10.1002/esp.3751Jaeger K.L., 2015, “Reach-scale geomorphic differences between headwater streams draining mountaintop mined and unmined catchments.” Geomorphology 236:25-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.02.007Schriever T.A., M.T. Bogan, K.S. Boersma, M. Cañedo-Argüelles, K.L. Jaeger, J.D. Olden, and D.A. Lytle, 2015, “Hydrology shapes taxonomic and functional structure of desert stream invertebrate communities,” Freshwater Science doi: 10.1086/680518
Jaeger K.L., J.D. Olden, and N.D. Pelland, 2014, “Climate change poised to threaten hydrologic connectivity and endemic fishes in dryland streams,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 111: 13894-13899. Doi:10.1073/pnas.1320890111
Jaeger K.L. and J.D. Olden, 2012, “Electrical resistance sensor arrays as a means to quantify longitudinal connectivity of rivers,” River Research and Applications 28:1843-1852. DOI: 10.1002/rra.1554
Jaeger K.L. and E.E. Wohl, 2011, “Channel response in a semiarid stream to removal of tamarisk and Russian olive,” Water Resources Research 47: W02536 doi: 10.1029/2009WR008741.
Jaeger K.L., E.E. Wohl, and A. Simon, 2010, “A comparison of average rates of alluvial erosion between the southwestern and southeastern United States,” Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 35: 447–459. DOI: 10.1002/esp.1960Wohl E.E. and K.L. Jaeger, 2009, “Geomorphic implications of hydroclimatic differences among step-pool channels,” Journal of Hydrology 374: 148-161. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2009.06.008
Cadol D.C., E.E. Wohl, J.G. Goode, and K.L. Jaeger, 2009, “Wood distribution in forested headwater streams of La Selva, Costa Rica,” Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 34:1198-1215. DOI: 10.1002/esp.1800**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.
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