Lillian E Gorman Sanisaca
Lillian (Lily) is a Physical Scientist with the USGS. She works on a variety of projects as an expert in the R programming language, Rshiny, and in translation of proprietary programming languages (SAS, Python, etc.) to R. Current research projects include development of RSPARROW and RSPARROW_Bayesian with Richard Alexander and of the Sediment Source Assessment Tool (Sed_SAT) with Allen Gellis.
Biography
Education
Graduate Studies, Dept. Earth and Planetary Science, Johns Hopkins University 2008-2010
B.S. Geophysics, B.S. Geology University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities, Minneapolis, MN
Professional Experience
2014-present Physical Scientist USGS MD-DE-DC Water Science Center Baltimore, MD
2013-2014 Contractor USGS MD-DE-DC Water Science Center Baltimore, MD
2013 Volunteer USGS MD-DE-DC Water Science Center Baltimore, MD
Publications
Gorman Sanisaca, L.E., Gellis, A.C., and Lorenz, D.L., 2017, Determining the sources of finegrained sediment using the Sediment Source Assessment Tool (Sed_SAT): U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2017–1062, 104 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20171062, IP-079059.
Gorman Sanisaca, L., Gellis, Allen, Lorenz, David, 2017, Sediment Source Assessment Tool (Sed_SAT): U.S. Geological Survey software release, accessed at https://my.usgs.gov/bitbucket/projects/SED/repos/sed_sat/
Science and Products
MD-DE-DC WSC Modeling Capabilities
USGS models are widely used to predict responses of hydrologic systems to changing stresses, such as increases in precipitation or ground-water pumping rates, as well as to predict the fate and movement of solutes and contaminants in water.
The USGS is at the forefront of devising new techniques and computer software to solve practical problems in the study of water resources....
MD-DE-DC Coding and Statistical Data Capabilities
This site is dedicated to Coding and Statistical Data that is produced and analyzed by scientists at the MD-DE-DC WSC. We use many tools at the USGS including software exclusively developed for, sometimes written by the USGS.
Application of the RSPARROW modeling tool to estimate total nitrogen sources to streams and evaluate source reduction management scenarios in the Grande River Basin, Brazil
Large-domain hydrological models are increasingly needed to support water-resource assessment and management in large river basins. Here, we describe results for the first Brazilian application of the SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) model using a new open-source modeling and interactive decision support system...
Miller, Matthew; de Souza, Marcelo L; Alexander, Richard B; Gorman Sanisaca, Lillian; de Amorim Teixeira, Alexandre; Appling, Alison P. Monthly suspended-sediment apportionment for a western Lake Erie agricultural tributary
Black Creek, a headwater to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie, is an agricultural basin with a mix of cropland (66%), pasture (19%), and forest (7%) linked by a road network to the rural community. Suspended sediment was collected monthly during the 2018 water year for the main stem and two sub-basins using in-situ, passive samplers that...
Williamson, Tanja N.; Dobrowolski, Edward G.; Gellis, Allen; Sabitov, Timur; Gorman Sanisaca, Lillian
Annual wastewater nutrient data preparation and load estimation using the Point Source Load Estimation Tool (PSLoadEsT)
The Point-Source Load Estimation Tool (PSLoadEsT) provides a user-friendly interface for generating reproducible load calculations for point source dischargers while managing common data challenges including duplicates, incompatible input tables, and incomplete or missing nutrient concentration or effluent flow data. Maintaining a consistent...
Gorman Sanisaca, Lillian E.; Skinner, Kenneth D.; Maupin, Molly A. Bank‐derived material dominates fluvial sediment in a suburban Chesapeake Bay watershed
Excess fine sediment is a leading cause of ecological degradation within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. To effectively target sediment mitigation measures, it is necessary to identify and quantify the delivery of sediment sources to local waterbodies.This study examines the contributions of sediment sources within Upper Difficult Run, a...
Cashman, Matthew J.; Gellis, Allen; Gorman Sanisaca, Lillian; Noe, Gregory B.; Cogliandro, Vanessa; Baker, Anna
Sediment Source Assessment Using Sediment Fingerprints
ProblemSediment is one of the most common causes of loss of stream-biologic integrity, whether in suspension in the water column, or as deposition on a stream or lake bottom. Fine-grained silts and clays are of particular concern because they can degrade habitat and often carry phosphorus and (or) other contaminants harmful to humans and aquatic...
Gellis, Allen C.; Gorman Sanisaca, Lillian E.; Cashman, Matthew J. Sediment fingerprinting to delineate sources of sediment in the agricultural and forested Smith Creek Watershed, Virginia, USA
The sediment fingerprinting approach was used to apportion fine‐grained sediment to cropland, pasture, forests, and streambanks in the agricultural and forested Smith Creek, watershed, Virginia. Smith Creek is a showcase study area in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, where management actions to reduce nutrients and sediment are being monitored....
Gellis, Allen; Gorman Sanisaca, Lillian
Determining the sources of fine-grained sediment using the Sediment Source Assessment Tool (Sed_SAT)
A sound understanding of sources contributing to instream sediment flux in a watershed is important when developing total maximum daily load (TMDL) management strategies designed to reduce suspended sediment in streams. Sediment fingerprinting and sediment budget approaches are two techniques that, when used jointly, can qualify and quantify the...
Gorman Sanisaca, Lillian E.; Gellis, Allen C.; Lorenz, David L. Identifying sediment sources in the sediment TMDL process
Sediment is an important pollutant contributing to aquatic-habitat degradation in many waterways of the United States. This paper discusses the application of sediment budgets in conjunction with sediment fingerprinting as tools to determine the sources of sediment in impaired waterways. These approaches complement monitoring, assessment, and...
Gellis, Allen C.; Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Schubauer-Berigan, Joseph P.; Landy, R.B.; Gorman Sanisaca, Lillian E.