Martin A Briggs
Biography
Although my specialty is in surface water/groundwater exchange processes, here at the Hydrogeophysics Branch we work on a wide range of pressing national hydrological issues. The Hydrogeophysics Branch supports state water science centers when hydro-geophysical tools and training are required, and we collaborate with academic institutions on pioneering water research. One of our central missions at the Branch is training and method development so we travel around the country giving workshops and field testing new methods. I also contribute directly to the USGS IWP and NGWOS Water Mission Area Programs, and co-advise several graduate students at the University of Connecticut. Please reach out if you are interested in our objectives, methods, and/or research.
Science and Products
A hydrological framework to improve precision of Vital Signs metrics in the Appalachian highlands
Stream flow is a fundamental driver of ecological structure and function, but its influence on bioassessment measures is poorly understood. Although extreme flow conditions (e.g., floods and droughts) have long been known to play a central role in structuring stream communities, a mechanistic understanding of the linkages between flow variables, landscape and local physical characteristics,...
Handheld Thermal Imaging Cameras for Groundwater/Surface-Water Interaction Studies
USGS scientists are using high-resolution handheld thermal imaging cameras in groundwater/surface-water interaction studies and other investigations. These cameras are used to quickly locate and characterize thermal anomalies in streams, lakes, and adjacent structures. Variations in temperature can be used to track the heat carried by flowing water, such groundwater discharge into a stream....
What does groundwater have to do with ice in Alaska?
USGS scientists are working alongside university researchers in Alaska to understand how groundwater and permafrost conditions change over time due to seasonal variations and climate change. Changes in permafrost can pose a threat to built infrastructure (like roads, homes, and pipelines) and to valued ecological resources that provide important habitats for wildlife.
Geophysics for USGS Groundwater/Surface Water Interaction Studies
Understanding the interaction of groundwater and surface water is essential to water managers and hydrologists for the development of effective water-resource policy, protection, and management. The USGS conducts applied research to evaluate the use of new or emerging hydrogeophysical tools and methods to improve our understanding of groundwater/surface-water exchange.
Thermal infrared and photogrammetric data collected by small unoccupied aircraft system for the evaluation of wetland restoration design at Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Small unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) are now often used for collecting aerial visible image data and creating 3D digital surface models (DSM) that incorporate terrain and dense vegetation. Lightweight thermal sensors provide another sensor option for generation of sub meter resolution aerial thermal infrared orthophotos that can be used to infer hydrogeological processes. UAS-based sen
Hydrogeochemical data for the characterization of stream, groundwater, and beaver-induced floodplain exchange in the East River Science Focus Area, Crested Butte, CO
The U.S. Geological Survey, along with scientists from Rutgers University, collected water chemistry, electromagnetic, redox-potential, dissolved oxygen, water flow rate, and water temperature data along stream and river corridors in multiple sub-watersheds of the East River Science Focus Area (SFA) near Crested Butte, CO. The concept of ‘river corridor’ scienc
Thermal infrared, multispectral, and photogrammetric data collected by drone for hydrogeologic analysis of the East River and Coal Creek beaver-impacted corridors near Crested Butte, Colorado
The U.S. Geological Survey collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft als) airborne thermal infrared, multispectral, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system deployed along beaver-impacted sections of the East River and Coal Creek stream corridors, near the town of Crested Butte, CO. Visual imagery was collected in jpg format, and the images wer
Thermal infrared, multispectral, and photogrammetric data collected by drone for hydrogeologic analysis of the East River and Coal Creek beaver-impacted corridors near Crested Butte, Colorado
The U.S. Geological Survey collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft als) airborne thermal infrared, multispectral, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system deployed along beaver-impacted sections of the East River and Coal Creek stream corridors, near the town of Crested Butte, CO. Visual imagery was collected in jpg format, and the images wer
Temperature and Seepage Data from the Nearshore Bottom Sediments of Five Groundwater Flow-Through Glacial Kettle Lakes, Western Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 2015-18
Hydrologic data were collected in the nearshore lake-bottom sediments of five lakes on western Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Ashumet (Falmouth), Long (Centerville), Santuit (Mashpee), Shubael (Barnstable), and Snake (Sandwich) Ponds. Water budgets of flow-through glacial kettle lakes are commonly dominated by groundwater flow into and surface-water seepage out of the la
Fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing and near-surface geophysical data collected along the Santuit River, Mashpee, MA.
The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has been studying brook trout populations in Cape Cod groundwater-fed river systems for decades. Recently, a notable reduction in trout population in the Santuit River sparked the concern of several groups, including the Wampanoag Tribe. Brook trout population dynamics may be tied to water quality and temperature changes, which are both
Geophysical data collected within and adjacent to the Little Wind River near Riverton, Wyoming
This data release contains geophysical data collected at the Little Wind River site near Riverton, Wyoming in 2015 and 2017. The dataset contains:[1] Fiber Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing data (FO-DTS, August-September 2015) collected in the water along the river bank, [2] Electrical Resistivity Tomography data (ERT, August 2017) collected on land near the river b
Hydrologic, biogeochemical, and radon data collected within and adjacent to the Little Wind River near Riverton, Wyoming (ver. 1.1, January 2019)
The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Department of Energy, University of Montana, Northern Arapaho Tribe, and Liverpool John Moores University, is studying the interaction of a contaminated groundwater plume enriched in uranium and other trace elements with water, sediment, and biota along a 3 km reach of the Little Wind River in central Wyoming. The source of the c
Temperature and geophysical data collected along the Quashnet River, Mashpee/Falmouth MA
The temperature and surface geophysical data contained in this release have primarily been collected to support groundwater/surface water methods development, and to characterize the hydrogeological controls on native brook trout habitat. All data have been collected since 2010 along the Quashnet River corridor located on Cape Cod, MA, USA. Cape Cod is a peninsula in southeastern coastal
Temperature and Seepage Data from a Lake-Bottom Permeable Reactive Barrier, Ashumet Pond, Falmouth, MA, 2004-2015
This data release includes geospatial datasets, comma separated values (.csv) files, and associated FGDC-compliant metadata representing data collected between 2004 and 2015 as part of a study of groundwater/surface-water interaction in the area of a lake-bottom permeable reactive barrier at Ashumet Pond, Falmouth, Massachusetts. The data sets are organized by type: (1) Fiber
Temperature and geophysical data collected along the Quashnet River, Mashpee/Falmouth MA
The temperature and surface geophysical data contained in this release have primarily been collected to support groundwater/surface water methods development, and to characterize the hydrogeological controls on native brook trout habitat. All data have been collected since 2010 along the Quashnet River corridor located on Cape Cod, MA, USA. Cape Cod is a peninsula in southeastern coastal
Electrical geophysical data collected in the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve Near Moab, Utah
Quantitative evaluation of groundwater/surface water exchange dynamics is universally challenging in large river systems, because existing physical methodology often does not yield spatially-distributed data and is difficult to utilize in deeper water. Here we apply combined frequency domain electromagnetic induction (EMI) and direct contact vertical electrical sounding (VES) measure
Seasonal subsurface thaw dynamics of an aufeis feature inferred from geophysical methods
Aufeis are sheets of ice unique to cold regions that originate from repeated flooding and freezing events during the winter. They have hydrological importance associated with summer flows and possibly winter insulation, but little is known about the seasonal dynamics of the unfrozen sediment layer beneath them. This layer may support perennial...
Terry, Neil; Grunewald, Elliot; Briggs, Martin A.; Gooseff, Michael; Huryn, Alexander D.; Kass, M. Andy; Tape, Ken; Hendrickson, Patrick; Lane, Jr., John W. Formation criteria for hyporheic anoxic microzones: Assessing interactions of hydraulics, nutrients and biofilms
Recent experimental studies have detected the presence of anoxic microzones in hyporheic sediments. These microzones are small‐scale anoxic pores, embedded within oxygen‐rich porous media and can act as anaerobic reaction sites producing reduction compounds such as nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. Microbes are a key control on nutrient...
Chowdhury, S.R.; Zarnetske, J.; Phanikumar, M.S.; Briggs, Martin A.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Singha, K. Heterogeneity in hyporheic flow, pore water chemistry, and microbial community composition in an alpine streambed
The hyporheic zone, where surface water and groundwater mix, is an important microbial habitat where biogeochemical reactions influence water quality. We show that spatial variability in hyporheic flow in the East River near Crested Butte, Colorado, drives heterogeneity in streambed geochemical conditions and microbial community assemblages, but...
Nelson, A.R.; Sawyer, A.; Gabor, R.; Saup, C.; Bryant, S.; Harris, K.; Briggs, Martin A.; Williams, Kenneth ; Wilkins, M. J. Streambed flux measurement informed by distributed temperature sensing leads to a significantly different characterization of groundwater discharge
Groundwater discharge though streambeds is often focused toward discrete zones, indicating that preliminary reconnaissance may be useful for capturing the full spectrum of groundwater discharge rates using point-scale quantitative methods. However, many direct-contact reconnaissance techniques can be time consuming, and remote sensing (e.g....
Gilmore, Troy E.; Johnson, Mari-Vaughn V; Korus, J; Mittelstet, Aaron R.; Briggs, Martin A.; Zlotnik, V.; Corcoran, S. Quantitative guidance for efficient vertical flow measurements at the sediment-water interface using temperature-depth profiles
Upward discharge to surface water bodies can be quantified using analytical models based on temperature-depth (T-z) profiles. The use of sediment T-z profiles is attractive as discharge estimates can be obtained using point-in-time data that are collected inexpensively and rapidly. Previous studies have identified that T-z methods can only be...
Irvine, D.; Kurylyk, B.; Briggs, Martin A.
Evaluation of groundwater resources in the Spanish Valley Watershed, Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah
Groundwater resources in the Spanish Valley watershed in southern Utah were quantified for the first time since the early 1970s. The primary objectives of this study were (1) to better understand sources of recharge to, groundwater flow directions within, and discharge points for both the valley-fill and Glen Canyon Group aquifers (VFA and GCGA),...
Masbruch, Melissa D.; Gardner, Philip M.; Nelson, Nora C.; Heilweil, Victor M.; Solder, John E.; Hess, Michael D.; McKinney, Tim S.; Briggs, Martin A.; Solomon, D. Kip Residence time controls on the fate of nitrogen in flow‐through lakebed sediments
For many glacial lakes with highly permeable sediments, water exchange rates control hydrologic residence times within the sediment‐water interface (SWI) and the removal of reactive compounds such as nitrate, a common pollutant in lakes and groundwater. Here we conducted a series of focused tracer injection experiments in the upper 20 cm of...
Hampton, Tyler B.; Zarentske, Jay P.; Briggs, Martin A.; Singha, Kamini; Harvey, Judson W.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Dehkordy, Farzaneh MahmoodPoor; Lane, John W. Wetland-scale mapping of preferential fresh groundwater discharge to the Colorado River
Quantitative evaluation of groundwater/surface water exchange dynamics is universally challenging in large river systems, because existing methodology often does not yield spatially‐distributed data and is difficult to apply in deeper water. Here we apply a combined near‐surface geophysical and direct groundwater chemical toolkit to refine fresh...
Briggs, Martin A.; Nelson, Nora C.; Gardner, Philip M.; Solomon, D. Kip; Terry, Neil; Lane, John W. Multi-scale preferential flow processes in an urban streambed under variable hydraulic conditions
Spatially preferential flow processes occur at nested scales at the sediment-water interface (SWI), due in part to sediment heterogeneities, which may be enhanced in flashy urban streams with heavy road sand influence. However, several factors, including the flow-rate dependence of preferential hyporheic flow and discrete groundwater discharge...
Dehkordy, Farzaneh MahmoodPoor; Briggs, Martin A.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Singha, Kamini; Krajnovich, Ashton; Hampton, Tyler B.; Zarnetske, Jay P.; Scruggs, Courtney R.; Bagtzoglou, Amvrossios C. The dual‐domain porosity apparatus: Characterizing dual porosity at the sediment/water interface
The characterization of pore-space connectivity in porous media at the sediment/water interface is critical to understanding contaminant transport and reactive biogeochemical processes in zones of groundwater and surface-water exchange. Previous in situ studies of dual-domain (i.e., mobile/less-mobile porosity) studies have been limited to...
Scruggs, Courtney R.; Briggs, Martin A.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Werkema, Dale D.; Lane, Jr., John W. Efficient hydrogeological characterization of remote stream corridors using drones
This project demonstrates the successful use of small unoccupied aircraft system (sUASs) for hydrogeological characterization of a remote stream reach in a rugged mountain terrain. Thermal infrared, visual imagery, and derived digital surface models are used to inform conceptual models of groundwater/surface‐water exchange and efficiently...
Briggs, Martin A.; Dawson, Cian B.; Holmquist-Johnson, Christopher; Williams, Kenneth H.; Lane, John W. Hydrogeochemical controls on brook trout spawning habitats in a coastal stream
Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) spawn in fall and overwintering egg development can benefit from stable, relatively warm temperatures in groundwater-seepage zones. However, eggs are also sensitive to dissolved oxygen concentration, which may be reduced in discharging groundwater (i.e., seepage). We investigated a 2 km reach of the coastal...
Briggs, Martin A.; Harvey, Judson W.; Hurley, Stephen T.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; McCobb, Timothy D.; Werkema, Dale D.; Lane, Jr., John W.