Linzy is a Public Information Officer in the Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center. Her research interests include groundwater modeling and the application of uncertainty quantification to models.
Linzy Foster is a Civil Engineer (Hydrologist) with the USGS in Austin Texas. She joined the Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center in 2012. She previously worked in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the Florida Water Science Center from 2007-2012. Her research interests include groundwater and contaminant-transport modeling, saltwater intrusion modeling, application of uncertainty quantification techniques to models, and python code development.
Professional Experience
2005-2007 Graduate Assistant, Auburn University
2007-2012 U.S. Geological Survey, Florida Water Science Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2012-active U.S. Geological Survey, Texas Water Science Center, Austin, Texas
Education and Certifications
M.S. in Civil Engineering, focus on Environmental Engineering, Auburn University, 2008
B.A. in Mathematics, Maryville College, 2000
Science and Products
Estimating Potential Effects on Streamflow from Nearby Wells in the Lower San Antonio River Basin
Edwards Aquifer Groundwater Model Uncertainty Analysis
Coastal Lowlands Regional Groundwater Availability Study
Water Budget Science in Oklahoma and Texas
Modeling Science in Oklahoma and Texas
Edwards Aquifer Studies in Texas
Groundwater Modeling at the Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
MODFLOW-NWT model used to assess historical and future trends in groundwater availability in the Trinity River alluvium aquifer, Texas
MODFLOW 6 model and ensemble used in the simulation of groundwater flow and land subsidence in the northern part of the Gulf Coast aquifer, 1897-2018 (ver. 2.0, September 2023)
Hydrogeologic Data for the Development of the Hydrogeologic Framework of the Coastal Lowlands Aquifer System Regional Groundwater Availability Study Area in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida
Groundwater-withdrawal data from the Coastal Lowlands Aquifer System in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, 1925-2018
MODFLOW-NWT model for risk-based decision-support groundwater modeling for the lower San Antonio River Basin, Texas, USA
Hydrogeology, land-surface subsidence, and documentation of the Gulf Coast Land Subsidence and Groundwater-Flow (GULF) model, southeast Texas, 1897–2018
Upper Rio Grande Basin water-resource status and trends: Focus area study review and synthesis
Hydrogeologic framework and groundwater characterization in selected alluvial basins in the upper Rio Grande basin, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, United States, and Chihuahua, Mexico, 1980 to 2015
Risk-based decision-support groundwater modeling for the lower San Antonio River Basin, Texas, USA
Extending the capture map concept to estimate discrete and risk-based streamflow depletion potential
Towards reproducible environmental modeling for decision support: A worked example
New insights into the Edwards Aquifer—Brackish-water simulation, drought, and the role of uncertainty analysis
Updated numerical model with uncertainty assessment of 1950-56 drought conditions on brackish-water movement within the Edwards aquifer, San Antonio, Texas
Estimation of capture zones and drawdown at the Northwest and West Well Fields, Miami-Dade County, Florida, using an unconstrained Monte Carlo analysis: recent (2004) and proposed conditions
Effect of hypersaline cooling canals on aquifer salinization
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
- Science
Estimating Potential Effects on Streamflow from Nearby Wells in the Lower San Antonio River Basin
The USGS Texas Water Science Center (TXWSC) developed a groundwater-flow model to estimate the potential for streamflow depletion in the Lower San Antonio River based on changes in groundwater pumping in the watershed. Results from the project can be used by the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) to better understand aquifer interactions with the river and potential groundwater pumping effects on...Edwards Aquifer Groundwater Model Uncertainty Analysis
USGS Texas Water Science Center (TXWSC) is undertaking a 1.5-year study to assess parameter and predictive uncertainty in the Edwards Aquifer Authority MODFLOW Model using both linear and non-linear techniques. The Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) uses two models simulating the periods from 2001 to 2015 (verification model) and the drought of record of 1947-1958 (drought of record model).Coastal Lowlands Regional Groundwater Availability Study
USGS is undertaking a 5-year study to assess groundwater availability for the aquifers proximal to the Gulf of Mexico from the Texas-Mexico border through the panhandle of Florida, known as the Coastal Lowlands Aquifer System (CLAS). This study is one of several within the Regional Groundwater Availability Studies of the USGS Water Availability and Use Science Program.Water Budget Science in Oklahoma and Texas
A water budget is an accounting of hydrologic components of the water cycle, transfers between the components, and their relative contributions within a water system. Water budgets help define how much water is available, how much water is used, where the water comes from, and at what rate water is replenished or consumed. In its simplest form, a water budget defines the amount of water entering...Modeling Science in Oklahoma and Texas
Models provide the capability to simulate scenarios of possible future conditions and management options to help water-resource professionals with planning decisions. Groundwater models are commonly used to evaluate changes to the water budget of an aquifer resulting from land-use changes, water withdrawals, and climate, and how these changes affect streamflow, lake levels, water quality, and...Edwards Aquifer Studies in Texas
The Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas is one of the most productive aquifers in the Nation and is the primary source of water for the rapidly growing San Antonio area. Springs issuing from the Edwards aquifer provide habitat for several threatened and endangered species, serve as locations for recreational activities, and supply downstream users. The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center...Groundwater Modeling at the Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
The Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center performs computer simulations using MODFLOW to simulate groundwater/surface-water interaction, quantify groundwater resources, and evaluate the effects of withdrawals on future groundwater supplies for aquifers in Oklahoma and Texas. - Data
MODFLOW-NWT model used to assess historical and future trends in groundwater availability in the Trinity River alluvium aquifer, Texas
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Trinity River Authority, the Tarrant Regional Water District, the City of Dallas, and the North Texas Municipal Water District, constructed a finite-difference numerical groundwater-flow model of the Trinity River alluvium aquifer using MODFLOW with the Newton formulation solver (MODFLOW-NWT). This model, along with a surface water model and an aMODFLOW 6 model and ensemble used in the simulation of groundwater flow and land subsidence in the northern part of the Gulf Coast aquifer, 1897-2018 (ver. 2.0, September 2023)
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District and Fort Bend Subsidence District, constructed a finite-difference numerical groundwater-flow model of the northern Gulf Coast aquifer region for 1897 through 2018 using MODFLOW 6 with the Newton formulation solver to simulate groundwater flow and land-surface subsidence. Model parameter estimation andHydrogeologic Data for the Development of the Hydrogeologic Framework of the Coastal Lowlands Aquifer System Regional Groundwater Availability Study Area in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) undertook a 5-year study beginning in 2016 to assess groundwater availability for the aquifers proximal to the Gulf of Mexico from the Texas-Mexico border to the western part of the panhandle of Florida; these aquifers are collectively referred to as the coastal lowlands aquifer system. This study is one of several regional groundwater availability studies being dGroundwater-withdrawal data from the Coastal Lowlands Aquifer System in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, 1925-2018
This data release contains compiled historical groundwater-withdrawal data for the Coastal Lowlands Aquifer System in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida from 1925 to 2018. Most groundwater-withdrawals were distributed to groundwater wells and separated into water-use categories of industrial, production wells, power generation, mining, domestic, irrigation, livestock or commercialMODFLOW-NWT model for risk-based decision-support groundwater modeling for the lower San Antonio River Basin, Texas, USA
A MODFLOW-NWT groundwater/surface-water model was developed to evaluate the responses of low-flow conditions and groundwater levels within the lower San Antonio River Basin, Texas, USA under conditions of reduced recharge and increased groundwater withdrawals. There was concern that decreased recharge and increased groundwater withdrawals may adversely affect streamflow and groundwater levels. His - Publications
Hydrogeology, land-surface subsidence, and documentation of the Gulf Coast Land Subsidence and Groundwater-Flow (GULF) model, southeast Texas, 1897–2018
Executive SummaryAs a part of the Texas Water Development Board groundwater availability modeling program, the U.S. Geological Survey developed the Gulf Coast Land Subsidence and Groundwater-Flow model (hereinafter, the “GULF model”) and ensemble to simulate groundwater flow and land-surface subsidence in the northern part of the Gulf Coast aquifer system (the study area) in Texas from predevelopmAuthorsJohn Ellis, Jacob E. Knight, Jeremy T. White, Michelle Sneed, Joseph D. Hughes, Jason K. Ramage, Christopher L. Braun, Andrew Teeple, Linzy K. Foster, Samuel H. Rendon, Justin T. BrandtUpper Rio Grande Basin water-resource status and trends: Focus area study review and synthesis
The Upper Rio Grande Basin (URGB) is a critical international water resource under pressure from a myriad of climatic, ecological, infrastructural, water-use, and legal constraints. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the spatial distribution and temporal trends of selected water-budget components (snow processes, evapotranspiration (ET), streamflow processes, aAuthorsKyle R. Douglas-Mankin, Christine Rumsey, Graham A. Sexstone, Tamara I. Ivahnenko, Natalie Houston, Shaleene Chavarria, Gabriel B. Senay, Linzy K. Foster, Jonathan V. Thomas, Allison K. Flickinger, Amy E. Galanter, C. David Moeser, Toby L. Welborn, Diana E. Pedraza, Patrick M. Lambert, Michael Scott JohnsonHydrogeologic framework and groundwater characterization in selected alluvial basins in the upper Rio Grande basin, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, United States, and Chihuahua, Mexico, 1980 to 2015
Increasing demand for the limited water resources of the United States continues to put pressure on resource management agencies to balance the competing needs of ecosystem health with municipal, agricultural, and other uses. To meet these needs, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a multiyear study to evaluate water resources in the upper Rio Grande Basin in the southwestern United States. The uAuthorsNatalie A. Houston, Jonathan V. Thomas, Linzy K. Foster, Diana E. Pedraza, Toby L. WelbornRisk-based decision-support groundwater modeling for the lower San Antonio River Basin, Texas, USA
A numerical surface-water/groundwater model was developed for the lower San Antonio River Basin to evaluate the responses of low base flows and groundwater levels within the basin under conditions of reduced recharge and increased groundwater withdrawals. Batch data assimilation through history matching used a simulation of historical conditions (2006-2013); this process included history-matchingAuthorsLinzy K. Foster, Jeremy T. White, Andrew T. Leaf, Natalie A. Houston, Aarin TeagueExtending the capture map concept to estimate discrete and risk-based streamflow depletion potential
A popular and contemporary use of numerical groundwater models is to estimate the discrete relation between groundwater extraction and surface-water/groundwater exchange. Previously, the concept of a “capture map” has been put forward as a means to effectively summarize this relation for decision-making consumption. While capture maps have enjoyed success in the environmental simulation industry,AuthorsJeremy T. White, Linzy K. Foster, Michael N. FienenTowards reproducible environmental modeling for decision support: A worked example
A fully worked example of decision-support-scale uncertainty quantification (UQ) and parameter estimation (PE) is presented. The analyses are implemented for an existing groundwater flow model of the Edwards aquifer, Texas, USA, and are completed in a script-based workflow that strives to be transparent and reproducible. High-dimensional PE is used to history-match simulated outputs to correspondiAuthorsJeremy T. White, Linzy K. Foster, Michael N. Fienen, Matthew J. Knowling, Brioch Hemmings, James R. WinterleNew insights into the Edwards Aquifer—Brackish-water simulation, drought, and the role of uncertainty analysis
The Edwards aquifer is an important water resource in south-central Texas, providing water for residents, businesses, and ecosystems. The aquifer is a highly complex karst system characterized by areas of rapid groundwater flow, faulted and fractured Cretaceous-age rocks, and multiple water-quality zones. Karst aquifer systems include soluble rocks such as limestone and dolomite that can convey trAuthorsLinzy K. Foster, Jeremy T. WhiteUpdated numerical model with uncertainty assessment of 1950-56 drought conditions on brackish-water movement within the Edwards aquifer, San Antonio, Texas
In 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio Water System, began a study to assess the brackish-water movement within the Edwards aquifer (more specifically the potential for brackish-water encroachment into wells near the interface between the freshwater and brackish-water transition zones, referred to in this report as the transition-zone interface) and effects on sprAuthorsLinzy K. Brakefield, Jeremy T. White, Natalie A. Houston, Jonathan V. ThomasEstimation of capture zones and drawdown at the Northwest and West Well Fields, Miami-Dade County, Florida, using an unconstrained Monte Carlo analysis: recent (2004) and proposed conditions
Travel-time capture zones and drawdown for two production well fields, used for drinking-water supply in Miami-Dade County, southeastern Florida, were delineated by the U.S Geological Survey using an unconstrained Monte Carlo analysis. The well fields, designed to supply a combined total of approximately 250 million gallons of water per day, pump from the highly transmissive Biscayne aquifer in thAuthorsLinzy K. Brakefield, Joseph D. Hughes, Christian D. Langevin, Kevin ChartierEffect of hypersaline cooling canals on aquifer salinization
The combined effect of salinity and temperature on density-driven convection was evaluated in this study for a large (28 km2) cooling canal system (CCS) at a thermoelectric power plant in south Florida, USA. A two-dimensional cross-section model was used to evaluate the effects of hydraulic heterogeneities, cooling canal salinity, heat transport, and cooling canal geometry on aquifer salinizationAuthorsJoseph D. Hughes, Christian D. Langevin, Linzy Brakefield-GoswamiNon-USGS Publications**
Brakefield, L.K., 2008, Physical and Numerical Modeling of Buoyant Groundwater Plumes, M.S. Thesis, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. http://hdl.handle.net/10415/1038
**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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