Kyle’s primary roles and responsibilities include the application of numerical models in the assessment of groundwater availability and use. Kyle’s research interest involves developing and using new and improved analytical techniques to model complex groundwater systems

Professional Experience

2010 - Present: Hydrologist/Groundwater Modeler, U.S. Geological Survey

Education and Certifications

M.S. in Geological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 2012
B.S. in Geological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 2010

Science and Products

Science
Data
Publications

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April 30, 2018

Williston and Powder River Basins Groundwater Availability Study

The development of two nationally important energy-producing areas, the Williston structural basin (containing the Bakken Formation) and Powder River structural basin, provide a critical opportunity to study the water-energy nexus within a groundwater context. Large volumes of water are needed for energy development in these basins. The hydraulically connected aquifers in the regional glacial...

Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

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April 30, 2018

Williston and Powder River Basins Groundwater Availability Study

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February 23, 2018

Assessment of Groundwater and Surface-Water Interactions of the Niobrara River with Underlying Aquifers under Various Stress Scenarios

Project Period: 2015-2020 Cooperators: National Park Service Project Chief: Kyle Davis

Dakota Water Science Center

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February 23, 2018

Assessment of Groundwater and Surface-Water Interactions of the Niobrara River with Underlying Aquifers under Various Stress Scenarios

Project Period: 2015-2020 Cooperators: National Park Service Project Chief: Kyle Davis

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February 23, 2018

Groundwater-Flow Model for the High Plains Aquifer in South Dakota

Project Period: 2013-2018 Cooperators: Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe Project Chief: Kyle Davis

Dakota Water Science Center

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February 23, 2018

Groundwater-Flow Model for the High Plains Aquifer in South Dakota

Project Period: 2013-2018 Cooperators: Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe Project Chief: Kyle Davis

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December 18, 2017

Evaluation of Streamflow Depletion Related to Groundwater Withdrawal, Humboldt River Basin

The Humboldt River Basin (HRB) is the only major river basin that is entirely within the State of Nevada. Precipitation supplies all the water that enters the basin; consequently, the variability in climate has significant impacts on the hydrology of the area.

Nevada Water Science Center

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December 18, 2017

Evaluation of Streamflow Depletion Related to Groundwater Withdrawal, Humboldt River Basin

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November 30, 2017

Science in the Humboldt River Basin

The Humboldt River is in north-central Nevada. The river is about 330 miles long and provides water for mostly agricultural purposes. One of the largest industries in Nevada is gold mining and the majority of those mines are in the Humboldt River Basin on the Carlin Trend. Gold mines in Nevada produce 72 percent of all the gold in the U.S. and are the 5th largest in the world. In 2022, Nevada...

Nevada Water Science Center

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November 30, 2017

Science in the Humboldt River Basin

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October 23, 2024

MODFLOW 6 Groundwater Flow Model for the Des Moines River Alluvial Aquifer near Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) is a regional municipal water utility that supplies residential and commercial water resources to about 600,000 customers in Des Moines, Iowa, and surrounding municipalities in central Iowa. DMWW has identified a need for increased water supply and is exploring the potential for expanding groundwater production capabilities in the Des Moines River alluvial aquifer, wh

Central Midwest Water Science Center

November 27, 2023

MODFLOW 6 proof-of-concept groundwater model for the Mekong River Basin between Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Cao Lanh, Vietnam

A proof-of-concept MODFLOW 6 groundwater model was developed to represent the bedrock, delta, and alluvially-deposited aquifers underlying the Mekong River Basin approximately between Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Cao Lanh, Vietnam. The model was constructed using square grid cells measuring 2,200 meters on each side. The proof-of-concept groundwater model was used to simulate environmental baseline co

Nevada Water Science Center

October 30, 2018

MODFLOW-NWT model of the glacial aquifer system north of Aberdeen, South Dakota, through water year 2015

A previously developed three-dimensional groundwater flow model (https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20125183) of the three primary aquifers in the region north of Aberdeen, South Dakota, was revised to assist the City of Aberdeen with water-resource planning. The principal aquifers are the Elm, Middle James, and Deep James. The numerical model is intended to be used to (1) simulate hydrologic scenarios o

Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

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July 12, 2024

Groundwater flow model for the Des Moines River alluvial aquifer near Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) is a regional municipal water utility that provides residential and commercial water resources to about 600,000 customers in Des Moines, Iowa, and surrounding municipalities in central Iowa. DMWW has identified a need for increased water supply and is exploring the potential for expanding groundwater production capabilities in the Des Moines River alluvial aquifer, wh

Authors

Emilia L. Bristow, Kyle W. Davis

Central Midwest Water Science Center

October 20, 2023

An integrated framework for examining groundwater vulnerability in the Mekong River Delta region

The Mekong River provides water, food security, and many other valuable benefits to the more than 60 million Southeast Asian residents living within its basin. However, the Mekong River Basin is increasingly stressed by changes in climate, land cover, and infrastructure. These changes can affect water quantity and quality and exacerbate related hazards such as land subsidence and saltwater intrusi

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Kathryn Powlen, Saira Haider, Kyle W. Davis, Nina Burkardt, Sachin D. Shah, Stephanie Romanach, Matthew E. Andersen

Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center

November 27, 2019

Groundwater-flow model and analysis of groundwater and surface-water interactions for the Big Sioux aquifer, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

The city of Sioux Falls, in southeastern South Dakota, is the largest city in South Dakota. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the city of Sioux Falls, completed a groundwater-flow model to use for improving the understanding of groundwater-flow processes, estimating hydrogeologic properties, and analyzing groundwater and surface-water interactions for the Big Sioux aquifer in

Authors

Kyle W. Davis, William G. Eldridge, Joshua F. Valder, Kristen J. Valseth

Dakota Water Science Center

November 6, 2018

Revised groundwater-flow model of the glacial aquifer system north of Aberdeen, South Dakota, through water year 2015

The city of Aberdeen, in northeastern South Dakota, requires an expanded and sustainable supply of water to meet current and future demands. Conceptual and numerical models of the glacial aquifer system in the area north of Aberdeen were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the City of Aberdeen in 2012. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Aberdeen, co

Authors

Joshua F. Valder, William G. Eldridge, Kyle W. Davis, Colton J. Medler, Karl R. Koth

Dakota Water Science Center

September 27, 2018

Williston Basin groundwater availability, United States and Canada

The Williston Basin contains important oil and gas resources for the Nation. Freshwater supplies are limited in this semiarid area, and oil and gas development can require large volumes of freshwater. Groundwater is the primary source of water for many water users in the Williston Basin, so to better understand these resources, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessed the groundwater availabilit

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Joanna N. Thamke, Andrew J. Long, Kyle W. Davis

Water Resources Mission Area, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

September 27, 2018

Groundwater availability of the Williston Basin, United States and Canada

Executive SummaryThe Williston Basin of the Northern Great Plains is a sedimentary basin—a geologic bowl-like structure filled with layered sedimentary rocks dating as far back as the Paleozoic age. The basin, which is nationally important for the production of energy resources, spans Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the United States, and Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada. The three u

Authors

Andrew J. Long, Joanna N. Thamke, Kyle W. Davis, Timothy T. Bartos

Water Resources Mission Area, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

May 31, 2018

Construction and calibration of a groundwater-flow model to assess groundwater availability in the uppermost principal aquifer systems of the Williston Basin, United States and Canada

The U.S. Geological Survey developed a groundwater-flow model for the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston Basin in parts of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the United States and parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada as part of a detailed assessment of the groundwater availability in the area. The assessment was done because of the potential for increased demands

Authors

Kyle W. Davis, Andrew J. Long

Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

June 16, 2016

Building groundwater modeling capacity in Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia (fig. 1), is dependent on groundwater for its municipal and industrial water supply. The population of Mongolia is about 3 million people, with about one-half the population residing in or near Ulaanbaatar (World Population Review, 2016). Groundwater is drawn from a network of shallow wells in an alluvial aquifer along the Tuul River. Evidence indicates th

Authors

Joshua F. Valder, Janet M. Carter, Mark T. Anderson, Kyle W. Davis, Michelle A. Haynes, Dorjsuren Dechinlhundev

Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

February 23, 2015

Conceptual and numerical models of groundwater flow in the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation area, South Dakota, water years 1980-2009

The Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers are the largest sources of groundwater on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and are used extensively for irrigation and public and domestic water supplies. To assess the potential for decreased water levels and discharge to streams in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, conceptual and numerical models of groundwater flow in the Ogallala and Arikaree aquifers in so

Authors

Kyle W. Davis, Larry D. Putnam, Anneka R. LaBelle

Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center

June 17, 2014

Conceptual model of the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston and Powder River structural basins, United States and Canada

The three uppermost principal aquifer systems of the Northern Great Plains—the glacial, lower Tertiary, and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems—are described in this report and provide water for irrigation, mining, public and domestic supply, livestock, and industrial uses. These aquifer systems primarily are present in two nationally important fossil-fuelproducing areas: the Williston and Powder Riv

Authors

Andrew J. Long, Katherine R. Aurand, Jennifer M. Bednar, Kyle W. Davis, Jonathan D.R.G. McKaskey, Joanna N. Thamke

Water Resources Mission Area, Water Availability and Use Science Program, Dakota Water Science Center

March 13, 2014

A framework for assessing water and proppant use and flowback water extraction associated with development of continuous petroleum resources

The U.S. Geological Survey is developing approaches for the quantitative assessment of water and proppant involved with possible future production of continuous petroleum deposits. The assessment approach is an extension of existing U.S. Geological Survey petroleum-assessment methods, and it aims to provide objective information that helps decision makers understand the tradeoffs inherent in resou

Authors

Seth S. Haines, Troy Cook, Joanna N. Thamke, Kyle W. Davis, Andrew J. Long, Richard W. Healy, Sarah J. Hawkins, Mark A. Engle

Energy Resources Program, Central Energy Resources Science Center

June 28, 2013

Conceptual and numerical models of groundwater flow in the Ogallala aquifer in Gregory and Tripp Counties, South Dakota, water years 1985--2009

The Ogallala aquifer is an important water resource for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in Gregory and Tripp Counties in south-central South Dakota and is used for irrigation, public supply, domestic, and stock water supplies. To better understand groundwater flow in the Ogallala aquifer, conceptual and numerical models of groundwater flow were developed for the aquifer. A conceptual model of the Ogallala

Authors

Kyle W. Davis, Larry D. Putnam

Water Resources Mission Area, Dakota Water Science Center