Lisa McKeon is a physical scientist who has assisted with a wide array of climate related studies since joining the Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems project in 1997.
Research Interest
Lisa provides project support for the USGS Benchmark Glacier Project creating outreach products and coordinating historic data preservation efforts.
Professional Experience
Physical scientist, USGS Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, Montana, April 1997 - Present
Education and Certifications
B.A. Zoology. 1991. University of Washington, Seattle
Science and Products
U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project
The U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project combines decades of direct glaciological data with remote sensing data to advance the quantitative understanding of glacier-climate interactions. The global loss of glaciers, and consequent implications for water resources, sea level rise, and ecosystem function underscores the importance of U.S. Geological Survey glaciology research to facilit
Modeling and measuring snow for assessing climate change impacts in Glacier National Park, Montana
Grinnell Glacier 1938-2019
Jackson Glacier 1941-2019
Kintla Glacier 1901-2019
Grinnell Glacier from Mount Gould, 1938 - 1981 - 1998 - 2015
Grinnell Ridge, Gem & Salamander Glaciers 1910 - 2017
Grinnell Glacier 1938 - 2016
Grinnell Glacier 1911 - 2016
Grinnell Glacier, circa 1888-2016
Time Series of Glacier Retreat
Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems (CCME)
Vegetation - Logan Pass
Vegetation - Sperry Glacier
Scanned field notebooks from a USGS Benchmark Glacier: South Cascade Glacier, Washington,1957 - 2022
A comprehensive inventory of maximum glacial extent in Glacier National Park during the peak of the Little Ice Age
Geodetic Data for USGS Benchmark Glaciers: Orthophotos, Digital Elevation Models, Glacier Boundaries and Surveyed Positions
Glaciers of Glacier National Park Repeat Photography Collection
Glacier margin time series (1966, 1998, 2005, 2015) of the named glaciers of Glacier National Park, MT, USA
The Glacier - Climate Connection
The Glacier-Climate Connection geonarrative tells the story of the U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project, one of the longest running studies of glaciers on Earth.
Science and Products
- Publications
U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project
The U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project combines decades of direct glaciological data with remote sensing data to advance the quantitative understanding of glacier-climate interactions. The global loss of glaciers, and consequent implications for water resources, sea level rise, and ecosystem function underscores the importance of U.S. Geological Survey glaciology research to facilit
AuthorsCaitlyn Florentine, Lisa L. MckeonModeling and measuring snow for assessing climate change impacts in Glacier National Park, Montana
A 12-year program of global change research at Glacier National Park by the U.S. Geological Survey and numerous collaborators has made progress in quantifying the role of snow as a driver of mountain ecosystem processes. Spatially extensive snow surveys during the annual accumulation/ablation cycle covered two mountain watersheds and approximately 1,000 km2 . Over 7,000 snow depth and snow water eAuthorsDaniel B. Fagre, David J. Selkowitz, Blase Reardon, Karen Holzer, Lisa L. Mckeon - Science
Filter Total Items: 62
Grinnell Glacier 1938-2019
USGS employees have taken photos of Grinnell Glacier from this vantage point many times since beginning the Repeat Photography Project in 1997. Each successive photo has shown the glacier to be smaller resulting in the growth of Upper Grinnell Lake.Image UseMost of the repeat photography images available on this website are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. Images with...Jackson Glacier 1941-2019
This vantage point of Jackson Glacier is familiar to many visitors who stop along Going to the Sun Road to view the glacier. These images are particularly descriptive of the change in the glacier's size because both images show the glacier without much seasonal snow, allowing for a more accurate assessment of the glacier's true size.Image UseMost of the repeat photography images available on this...Kintla Glacier 1901-2019
In the 118 years between photos, Kintla Glacier has receded into much smaller, distinct patches. Image UseMost of the repeat photography images available on this website are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. Images with restrictions are noted below the downloadable image.Please respect the photographer: When using these photographs, please credit the photographer and...Grinnell Glacier from Mount Gould, 1938 - 1981 - 1998 - 2015
Oblique view of Grinnell Glacier taken from the summit of Mount Gould, Glacier National Park. The relative sensitivity of glaciers to climate change is illustrated by the dramatic recession of Grinnell Glacier while surrounding vegetation patterns remain stable. Image UseMost of the repeat photography images available on this website are in the public domain and may be reproduced without...Grinnell Ridge, Gem & Salamander Glaciers 1910 - 2017
In 1910, Morton Elrod documented how Grinnell Glacier’s mass filled the basin and how the glacier was then joined with the ice apron we now call the Salamander (right). Close inspection of Gem Glacier (top-center) reveals a loss of thickness / volume over the past 107 years as well. Image UseMost of the repeat photography images available on this website are in the public domain and may be...Grinnell Glacier 1938 - 2016
Notice the man standing on the glacier in the center of the historic photograph. The figure lends a frame of reference to the photo pair, allowing the viewer to more easily interpret the depth of ice and the loss of volume when compared to the 2016 image.Grinnell Glacier 1911 - 2016
The historic image shows how the upper bench of ice flowed into the main body of Grinnell Glacier. By the early 1920s, the glacier’s volume had been reduced to the point that the two pieces became disconnected. The upper bench, considered a separate glacier, was later renamed The Salamander Glacier for its salamander-like profile against the headwall. The Continental Divide runs along the ridge...Grinnell Glacier, circa 1888-2016
This historic image is one of the oldest images re-photographed among the collection. The massive wall of ice that constituted the terminus of Grinnell Glacier has receded beyond view from this point. Each summer thousands of hikers take the well-worn trail to be rewarded with the sight of the remnant Grinnell Glacier and Upper Grinnell Lake. Image UseMost of the repeat photography images...Time Series of Glacier Retreat
The retreat of glaciers (see PDF at end of page) in Glacier National Park, Montana, has received widespread attention by the media, the public, and scientists because it is a clear and poignant indicator of change in the northern Rocky Mountains of the USA. In 2017, the USGS and Portland State University released a dataset which describes the areas of the 37 named glaciers in Glacier National Park...Climate Change in Mountain Ecosystems (CCME)
Climate change is widely acknowledged to have a profound effect on the biosphere and cryosphere with many and diverse impacts on global resources. Mountain ecosystems in the western U.S., and the U.S. Northern Rocky Mountains in particular, are highly sensitive to climate change. Warming in western Montana is nearly 2 times greater than the rise in global temperatures over the last 100+ years...Vegetation - Logan Pass
Establishment of new growth and expansion of existing sparse vegetation is obvious along the upper ridge line (center of photo). Persistent snowpack in these alpine regions once deterred profusion of growth, but changing climate conditions have permitted these species to expand their range.Vegetation - Sperry Glacier
This view of the northeast portion of Sperry Glacier shows evidence of the glacier's recession as well as the advancement of conifer species and other vegetation on the glacial moraines. - Data
Scanned field notebooks from a USGS Benchmark Glacier: South Cascade Glacier, Washington,1957 - 2022
This data release is a collection of data and field notes documenting snow and ice changes on South Cascade Glacier, Washington, USA. The field records relate to glaciological research and reflect evolving interpretations of glacier mass balance, climatology, hydrology, and other glacier-related research conducted at the site between 1957 to 2022 in association with the USGS Benchmark Glacier ProjA comprehensive inventory of maximum glacial extent in Glacier National Park during the peak of the Little Ice Age
This data release consists of digitized glacier margins that represent the maximum extent of glaciers in Glacier National Park (GNP) and two glaciers on U.S. Forest Service's Flathead National Forest land during the peak of the Little Ice Age. Glacier margins are based on moraine deposits that result from active glaciation, and do not depict perennial snow and ice. Moraines are continuous arcuateGeodetic Data for USGS Benchmark Glaciers: Orthophotos, Digital Elevation Models, Glacier Boundaries and Surveyed Positions
Since the late 1950s, the USGS has maintained a long-term glacier mass-balance program at three North American glaciers. Measurements began on South Cascade Glacier, WA in 1958, expanding to Gulkana and Wolverine glaciers, AK in 1966, and later Sperry Glacier, MT in 2005. Additional measurements have been made on Lemon Creek Glacier, AK to compliment data collected by the Juneau Icefield ResearchGlaciers of Glacier National Park Repeat Photography Collection
The “Glaciers of Glacier National Park Repeat Photography Collection” is a compilation of photographs documenting the retreat of glaciers in Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.A. (GNP) through repeat photography. The collection is comprised of 58 image pairs, resulting from twenty-two years of U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) field excursions (1997-2019) for the purpose of photographically documentinGlacier margin time series (1966, 1998, 2005, 2015) of the named glaciers of Glacier National Park, MT, USA
This dataset was created to develop a time series and history of glacier recession in Glacier National Park (GNP), Montana, USA. The dataset delineates the 1966, 1998, 2005 and 2015 perimeters of the 37 named glaciers of Glacier National Park and two additional glaciers on U.S. Forest Services Flathead National Forest land (the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex) which borders GNP to the south. Estab - Multimedia
- Web Tools
The Glacier - Climate Connection
The Glacier-Climate Connection geonarrative tells the story of the U.S. Geological Survey Benchmark Glacier Project, one of the longest running studies of glaciers on Earth.
- News