Martin A. Briggs
(he/him)Martin Briggs (he/him) is a Research Hydrologist for the Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area Observing Systems Division.
At the USGS Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch (HRSB) Marty works on a wide range of pressing hydrological issues across climates and hydrogeological terrain. As a national office, one of HRSB’s primary functions is to support regional USGS Water Science Centers through providing hydrogeophysical tools, training, and collaboration on novel water research. As central missions at the Branch are training and methods development, Marty often travels to provide workshops, participate in outreach events, and to field-test new methods that are then utilized for research applications. Although his specialty is in surface water/groundwater exchange processes, Marty works on a wide range of pressing national hydrological issues where geophysical and remotely sensed data lend insight. Marty also contributes to several Water Mission Area Programs including the Next Generation Water Observing System and co-advises graduate students at the University of Connecticut through a Cooperative Agreement, leveraging reimbursable projects. Marty asks that you please reach out if you are interested in discussing objectives, methods, and/or research related to his work.
Professional Experience
Development of new heat tracing methodology and refinement of existing methods for location and quantifying groundwater/surface water exchanges over a range of scales including the development of several software tools to improve accessibility to such methods. These tools include: VFLUX2, DTS-GUI, 1DTempPro2, GW-SW MST
Extensive characterization of groundwater preferential groundwater discharge zones and related physical processes across a range of headwater and mainstem river settings nationally
Repeat expeditions to Alaska as field team leader to characterize discontinuous permafrost dynamics using seismic, electrical, radar, thermal and mechanical methods coupled with processed-based models
Measuring and modeling dual-domain mass transfer of contaminated groundwater and natural anoxic microzones involving the novel use of combined electrical and chemical methods
Installation of sea water intrusion monitoring network on a remote Pacific atoll to monitor the effects of climate change and sea level rise on atoll fresh water and identify controlling geologic processes that were tested in a numerical modeling framework
Innovative characterization of endangered shellfish and native brook trout habitat in a variety of systems, particularly in the context of groundwater discharge to surface water
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., 2012. Syracuse University, (Hydro) Geology.
M.S., 2009. Colorado School of Mines. Hydrology.
Honors and Awards
2022 American Geophysical Union Edward A. Flinn III Award (group award)
2017 Geologic Society of America Hydrogeology Division Kohout Early Career Award
Exceptional rating, USGS performance review 2013, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21
Syracuse University College of Arts and Sciences Doctoral Dissertation Prize, 2012
Science and Products
Near-surface geophysical data collected along streams near Silverton, Colorado, USA (ver. 2.0, May 2022)
Investigation of Scale-dependent Groundwater/Surface-water Exchange in Rivers by Gradient Self-Potential Logging: Numerical Model and Field Experiment Data, Quashnet River, Massachusetts, October 2017 (ver. 2.0, November 2020)
Thermal Infrared images and field data on areas of groundwater discharge in the Farmington River watershed
Hydrologic, biogeochemical, and radon data collected within and adjacent to the Little Wind River near Riverton, Wyoming
Hydrogeochemical data for the characterization of stream, groundwater, and beaver-induced floodplain exchange in the East River Science Focus Area, Crested Butte, CO
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
Data Release for Lake Shadow Seepage Calculations from Ashumet Pond, Cape Cod, MA, 2016 - 2018
Fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing and near-surface geophysical data collected along the Santuit River, Mashpee, MA.
Temperature data collected in the Indian River Lagoon to evaluate groundwater seepage, Brevard County, Florida
2016-2017 Geophysical data from the Kuparuk aufeis, North Slope, AK
Geophysical data collected within and adjacent to the Little Wind River near Riverton, Wyoming
Electrical geophysical data collected in the shallow sediments of Snake Pond, Cape Cod, USA
An ecohydrological typology for thermal refuges in streams and rivers
Continental-scale analysis of shallow and deep groundwater contributions to streams
Groundwater discharge generates streamflow and influences stream thermal regimes. However, the water quality and thermal buffering capacity of groundwater depends on the aquifer source-depth. Here, we pair multi-year air and stream temperature signals to categorize 1729 sites across the continental United States as having major dam influence, shallow or deep groundwater signatures, or lack of pron
Ground‐penetrating radar, electromagnetic induction, terrain, and vegetation observations coupled with machine learning to map permafrost distribution at Twelvemile Lake, Alaska
Using heat to trace vertical water fluxes in sediment experiencing concurrent tidal pumping and groundwater discharge
Characterizing physical properties of streambed interface sediments using in situ complex electrical conductivity measurements
Heed the data gap: Guidelines for using incomplete datasets in annual stream temperature analyses
Small atoll fresh groundwater lenses respond to a combination of natural climatic cycles and human modified geology
Geochemical and geophysical indicators of oil and gas wastewater can trace potential exposure pathways following releases to surface waters
Aufeis fields as novel groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the arctic cryosphere
Groundwater discharges as a source of phytoestrogens and other agriculturally derived contaminants to streams
Improved prediction of management-relevant groundwater discharge characteristics throughout river networks
Characterizing the diverse hydrogeology underlying rivers and estuaries using new floating transient electromagnetic methodology
Science and Products
Near-surface geophysical data collected along streams near Silverton, Colorado, USA (ver. 2.0, May 2022)
Investigation of Scale-dependent Groundwater/Surface-water Exchange in Rivers by Gradient Self-Potential Logging: Numerical Model and Field Experiment Data, Quashnet River, Massachusetts, October 2017 (ver. 2.0, November 2020)
Thermal Infrared images and field data on areas of groundwater discharge in the Farmington River watershed
Hydrologic, biogeochemical, and radon data collected within and adjacent to the Little Wind River near Riverton, Wyoming
Hydrogeochemical data for the characterization of stream, groundwater, and beaver-induced floodplain exchange in the East River Science Focus Area, Crested Butte, CO
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
Data Release for Lake Shadow Seepage Calculations from Ashumet Pond, Cape Cod, MA, 2016 - 2018
Fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing and near-surface geophysical data collected along the Santuit River, Mashpee, MA.
Temperature data collected in the Indian River Lagoon to evaluate groundwater seepage, Brevard County, Florida
2016-2017 Geophysical data from the Kuparuk aufeis, North Slope, AK
Geophysical data collected within and adjacent to the Little Wind River near Riverton, Wyoming
Electrical geophysical data collected in the shallow sediments of Snake Pond, Cape Cod, USA
An ecohydrological typology for thermal refuges in streams and rivers
Continental-scale analysis of shallow and deep groundwater contributions to streams
Groundwater discharge generates streamflow and influences stream thermal regimes. However, the water quality and thermal buffering capacity of groundwater depends on the aquifer source-depth. Here, we pair multi-year air and stream temperature signals to categorize 1729 sites across the continental United States as having major dam influence, shallow or deep groundwater signatures, or lack of pron