Mathieu Marineu - Program Chief, Watershed Sciences - California Water Science Center.
Professional Experience
Supervisory Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, Sacramento, CA 2021-present
Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, Sacramento, CA 2018-2021
Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, Sacramento, CA 2012-2018
Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington Water Science Center, Sacramento, CA 2010-2012
Civil Engineer, RoseWater-GHD, Seattle WA, 2008-2010
Education and Certifications
University of Washington, M.S. Civil Engineering, 2010
Seattle University, B.S. Civil Engineering, 2008
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 16
Bed-material transport in the upper Esopus Creek watershed, Ulster and Greene Counties, New York, 2017–20
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program, investigated the feasibility of bedload monitoring in the upper Esopus Creek watershed, Ulster and Greene Counties, New York, from 2017 to 2020. Traditional bedload samples were collected at two locations: Birch Creek at Big Indian, New York (station 013621955), and Stony Clove Creek at Jansen Road at
Experiences in LP-IoT: EnviSense deployment of remotely reprogrammable environmental sensors
The advent of Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) has improved the feasibility of wireless sensor networks for environmental sensing across wide areas. We have built EnviSense, an ultra-low power environmental sensing system, and deployed over a dozen of them across two locations in Northern California for hydrological monitoring applications with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This paper det
Storage capacity and sedimentation characteristics of Loch Lomond Reservoir, California, 2019
In May of 2019, Loch Lomond Reservoir was surveyed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the city of Santa Cruz to assess the current storage capacity and sedimentation rates in the reservoir. Survey methods combined sonar soundings to measure bathymetry and lidar scans with GPS data to measure near-shore topography and sediment bed samples to understand reservoir bed-materialsi
Incipient bed-movement and flood-frequency analysis using hydrophones to estimate flushing flows on the upper Colorado River, Colorado, 2019
In 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Colorado River Wild and Scenic Stakeholder Group, studied the magnitude and recurrence interval of streamflow (discharge) needed to initiate bed movement of gravel-sized and finer sediment in a segment of the Colorado River in Colorado to better understand sediment movement and its relation to flow regimes of the river. The study a
Storage capacity and sedimentation characteristics of the San Antonio Reservoir, California, 2018
The San Antonio Reservoir is a large water storage facility in Alameda County, California, and is a major component of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System (RWS). The RWS is a water-supply system owned and operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and provides water for about 2.7 million people in the San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda, and San Mateo Counties. The San An
Water resources on Guam—Potential impacts of and adaptive response to climate change
The goals of this joint U.S. Geological Survey, University of Hawaiʻi, University of Guam, University of Texas, and East-West Center study were to (1) provide basic understanding about water resources for U.S. Department of Defense installations on Guam and (2) assess the resulting effect of sea-level rise and a changing climate on freshwater availability, on the basis of historic information, sea
Turbidity current observations in a large reservoir following a major wildfire
Turbidity currents are generated when denser river water plunges and flows along the bottom of a lake, reservoir, or ocean. The plunging and downstream movement are driven by density differences due to temperature and/or suspended sediment, and currents have been observed to move slowly over long distances. This study presents observations of multiple turbidity currents in a large reservoir in Cal
Sediment supply to San Francisco Bay, water years 1995 through 2016: Data, trends, and monitoring recommendations to support decisions about water quality, tidal wetlands, and resilience to sea level rise
Knowledge of the status and trends of sediment supply to San Francisco Bay is critically
important for management decisions about dredging, marsh restoration, flood control,
contaminants, water clarity (in relation to primary production), and sea level rise. Several sitespecific
studies of sediment supply to San Francisco Bay have been conducted, but no synthesis
of recent studies is available. Th
Physical characteristics of the lower San Joaquin River, California, in relation to white sturgeon spawning habitat, 2011–14
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) recently spawned in the lower San Joaquin River, California. Decreases in the San Francisco Bay estuary white sturgeon population have led to an increased effort to understand their migration behavior and habitat preferences. The preferred spawning habitat of other white sturgeon (for example, those in the C
Daily reservoir sedimentation model: Case study from the Fena Valley Reservoir, Guam
A model to compute reservoir sedimentation rates at daily timescales is presented. The model uses streamflow and sediment load data from nearby stream gauges to obtain an initial estimate of sediment yield for the reservoir’s watershed; it is then calibrated to the total deposition calculated from repeat bathymetric surveys. Long-term changes to reservoir trapping efficiency are also taken into ac
Bed-material characteristics of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, 2010–13
The characteristics of bed material at selected sites within the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, during 2010–13 are described in a study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation. During 2010‒13, six complete sets of samples were collected. Samples were initially collected at 30 sites; however, starting in 2012, samples were collected at 7 addi
Using hydrophones as a surrogate monitoring technique to detect temporal and spatial variability in bedload transport
Collecting physical bedload measurements is an expensive and time-consuming endeavor that rarely captures the spatial and temporal variability of sediment transport. Technological advances can improve monitoring of sediment transport by filling in temporal gaps between physical sampling periods. We have developed a low-cost hydrophone recording system designed to record the sediment-generated nois
Klamath Dam Removal Studies
Following the removal of four dams along the Klamath River, more naturally dynamic flow conditions may result in novel water quality, sediment transport, and geomorphic conditions leading to temporary or longer-term ecological impacts. USGS continuous and discrete monitoring data on aspects related to sediment and geomorphic conditions will be integral to post-dam removal assessments and...
Monitoring Drought Conditions in the Upper Feather River Watershed
The Upper Feather River Watershed is one of California’s regions of highest precipitation. Its runoff provides the majority of water delivered by the State Water Project, an average 3.2 million-acre feet each year feeding into Lake Oroville.
Next Generation Stream Gaging
USGS scientists and partners have developed and deployed a low-cost, low-power stream gage system that could meet California’s next generation water needs. The system is now in experimental deployment in Sonoma County, addressing post-wildfire runoff threats and is being developed for the Upper Feather River watershed in northern California - a primary source of the state's water supply. This...
Improving Water Resilience and Availability Through Cultural Prescribed Fire as a Management Tool on Yurok Tribal Lands
Climate Change is making our environment unpredictable. Increased persistence of drought is causing deaths of plants and animals across our landscapes. However, drought amongst the western United States is not a new thing. Native American populations have been living with drought since time immemorial and practiced culturally prescribed fire practices to foster the landscape for an environment tha
Incipient Bed-Movement and Flood-Frequency Analysis Using Hydrophones to Estimate Flushing Flows on the Upper Colorado River, Colorado, 2019
In an effort to better understand sediment movement and its relation to flow regimes of the Upper Colorado River in Colorado, in 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Colorado River Wild and Scenic Stakeholder Group, studied the magnitude and recurrence interval of streamflow (discharge) needed to initiate bed movement of gravel-sized and finer sediment in a segment of...
Upper Esopus Creek Tributary Bedload Pilot Study
Problem Sediment transport is a serious concern in the upper Esopus Creek watershed. The creek is a well-documented source of sediment and turbidity to the Ashokan Reservoir, which is part of the New York City water supply system. During the last 2 decades there has been a series of stream stabilization and sediment reduction projects completed in the upper Esopus Creek watershed intended to reduc
Exploring: Reservoir Capacity And Sedimentation Of The Fena Valley Reservoir Guam
The Fena Valley Reservoir, located in southern Guam, is the primary source of water for the United States Naval Base Guam and nearby village residents. At full capacity, the reservoir surface area extends approximately 0.30 mi2, and drains a watershed area of about 5.88 mi2. After reservoir construction, periodic bathymetric surveys, coupled with sedimentation models, can be used to produce...
Surrogate Monitoring of Sediment Transport using Hydrophones along the San Joaquin River and Tributaries
Traditional methods for measuring coarse bedload sediment transport by discrete physical sampling tend to be labor intensive and expensive (Gray and others, 2010). As such, bedload samples often are collected too infrequently to capture the temporal variability inherent in transport rates, which can vary significantly, sometimes by a factor of ten or more, over time periods of several minutes to...
San Antonio Reservoir Bathymetric Survey and Sedimentation Study
Over time, the flow of water into the San Antonio Reservoir has caused the build-up of sediment, decreasing storage capacity. Since water storage is a crucial issue in California, up-to-date information on the reservoir is needed. To accomplish this, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission approached the USGS California Water Science Center to conduct a bathymetric (depth) survey and other...
Implementing New Acoustic Monitoring Techniques in the Trinity River
Accurate river-sediment data is fundamental to planning and managing river restoration efforts on the Trinity River, and throughout the world’s waterways. The USGS has developed a “hydrophone” that enables scientists to listen to sediment particles as they move along the riverbed in order to inexpensively and reliably record near-continuous sediment-bedload-transport data. For this study...
Little Dry Creek and Cottonwood Creek Sediment Transport Data, 2012-2018, San Joaquin Watershed in the California Central Valley
Two tributary watersheds¬ Cottonwood Creek and Little Dry Creek¬ to the greater San Joaquin watershed, in California’s Central Valley were assessed for sediment and flow dynamics, between water years (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30) 2011 and 2019. The two systems deliver suspended sediment to the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam, California. Because these two creeks are directly down river of Friant Dam, th
Bathymetry, Stage-Area, and Stage-Volume Tables for the Calaveras Reservoir, California, 2019
Dataset contains reservoir bathymetry and shoreline topography up to dam crest elevation. Data were collected using small unmanned aerial system (sUAS), multibeam sonar, and terrestrial lidar.
Loch Lomond Reservoir 2019 Survey Data
This dataset contains the digital elevation model from the bathymetric survey, along with the sediment samples, stage-area table, stage-storage table, and 20-ft contours of the reservoir.
Bathymetry, Stage-Area, and Stage-Volume Tables for the San Antonio Reservoir, California, 2018
This dataset is associated with the following Scientific Investigations Report: Marineau, M.D., Wright, S.A, and Lopez, J.V., 2020, Storage capacity and sedimentation characteristics of the San Antonio Reservoir, California, 2018: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2019-5151, 34 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20195151.
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 16
Bed-material transport in the upper Esopus Creek watershed, Ulster and Greene Counties, New York, 2017–20
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Ashokan Watershed Stream Management Program, investigated the feasibility of bedload monitoring in the upper Esopus Creek watershed, Ulster and Greene Counties, New York, from 2017 to 2020. Traditional bedload samples were collected at two locations: Birch Creek at Big Indian, New York (station 013621955), and Stony Clove Creek at Jansen Road atExperiences in LP-IoT: EnviSense deployment of remotely reprogrammable environmental sensors
The advent of Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) has improved the feasibility of wireless sensor networks for environmental sensing across wide areas. We have built EnviSense, an ultra-low power environmental sensing system, and deployed over a dozen of them across two locations in Northern California for hydrological monitoring applications with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This paper detStorage capacity and sedimentation characteristics of Loch Lomond Reservoir, California, 2019
In May of 2019, Loch Lomond Reservoir was surveyed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the city of Santa Cruz to assess the current storage capacity and sedimentation rates in the reservoir. Survey methods combined sonar soundings to measure bathymetry and lidar scans with GPS data to measure near-shore topography and sediment bed samples to understand reservoir bed-materialsiIncipient bed-movement and flood-frequency analysis using hydrophones to estimate flushing flows on the upper Colorado River, Colorado, 2019
In 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Colorado River Wild and Scenic Stakeholder Group, studied the magnitude and recurrence interval of streamflow (discharge) needed to initiate bed movement of gravel-sized and finer sediment in a segment of the Colorado River in Colorado to better understand sediment movement and its relation to flow regimes of the river. The study aStorage capacity and sedimentation characteristics of the San Antonio Reservoir, California, 2018
The San Antonio Reservoir is a large water storage facility in Alameda County, California, and is a major component of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System (RWS). The RWS is a water-supply system owned and operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and provides water for about 2.7 million people in the San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda, and San Mateo Counties. The San AnWater resources on Guam—Potential impacts of and adaptive response to climate change
The goals of this joint U.S. Geological Survey, University of Hawaiʻi, University of Guam, University of Texas, and East-West Center study were to (1) provide basic understanding about water resources for U.S. Department of Defense installations on Guam and (2) assess the resulting effect of sea-level rise and a changing climate on freshwater availability, on the basis of historic information, seaTurbidity current observations in a large reservoir following a major wildfire
Turbidity currents are generated when denser river water plunges and flows along the bottom of a lake, reservoir, or ocean. The plunging and downstream movement are driven by density differences due to temperature and/or suspended sediment, and currents have been observed to move slowly over long distances. This study presents observations of multiple turbidity currents in a large reservoir in CalSediment supply to San Francisco Bay, water years 1995 through 2016: Data, trends, and monitoring recommendations to support decisions about water quality, tidal wetlands, and resilience to sea level rise
Knowledge of the status and trends of sediment supply to San Francisco Bay is critically important for management decisions about dredging, marsh restoration, flood control, contaminants, water clarity (in relation to primary production), and sea level rise. Several sitespecific studies of sediment supply to San Francisco Bay have been conducted, but no synthesis of recent studies is available. ThPhysical characteristics of the lower San Joaquin River, California, in relation to white sturgeon spawning habitat, 2011–14
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) recently spawned in the lower San Joaquin River, California. Decreases in the San Francisco Bay estuary white sturgeon population have led to an increased effort to understand their migration behavior and habitat preferences. The preferred spawning habitat of other white sturgeon (for example, those in the CDaily reservoir sedimentation model: Case study from the Fena Valley Reservoir, Guam
A model to compute reservoir sedimentation rates at daily timescales is presented. The model uses streamflow and sediment load data from nearby stream gauges to obtain an initial estimate of sediment yield for the reservoir’s watershed; it is then calibrated to the total deposition calculated from repeat bathymetric surveys. Long-term changes to reservoir trapping efficiency are also taken into acBed-material characteristics of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, 2010–13
The characteristics of bed material at selected sites within the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, during 2010–13 are described in a study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation. During 2010‒13, six complete sets of samples were collected. Samples were initially collected at 30 sites; however, starting in 2012, samples were collected at 7 addiUsing hydrophones as a surrogate monitoring technique to detect temporal and spatial variability in bedload transport
Collecting physical bedload measurements is an expensive and time-consuming endeavor that rarely captures the spatial and temporal variability of sediment transport. Technological advances can improve monitoring of sediment transport by filling in temporal gaps between physical sampling periods. We have developed a low-cost hydrophone recording system designed to record the sediment-generated nois - Science
Klamath Dam Removal Studies
Following the removal of four dams along the Klamath River, more naturally dynamic flow conditions may result in novel water quality, sediment transport, and geomorphic conditions leading to temporary or longer-term ecological impacts. USGS continuous and discrete monitoring data on aspects related to sediment and geomorphic conditions will be integral to post-dam removal assessments and...Monitoring Drought Conditions in the Upper Feather River Watershed
The Upper Feather River Watershed is one of California’s regions of highest precipitation. Its runoff provides the majority of water delivered by the State Water Project, an average 3.2 million-acre feet each year feeding into Lake Oroville.Next Generation Stream Gaging
USGS scientists and partners have developed and deployed a low-cost, low-power stream gage system that could meet California’s next generation water needs. The system is now in experimental deployment in Sonoma County, addressing post-wildfire runoff threats and is being developed for the Upper Feather River watershed in northern California - a primary source of the state's water supply. This...Improving Water Resilience and Availability Through Cultural Prescribed Fire as a Management Tool on Yurok Tribal Lands
Climate Change is making our environment unpredictable. Increased persistence of drought is causing deaths of plants and animals across our landscapes. However, drought amongst the western United States is not a new thing. Native American populations have been living with drought since time immemorial and practiced culturally prescribed fire practices to foster the landscape for an environment thaIncipient Bed-Movement and Flood-Frequency Analysis Using Hydrophones to Estimate Flushing Flows on the Upper Colorado River, Colorado, 2019
In an effort to better understand sediment movement and its relation to flow regimes of the Upper Colorado River in Colorado, in 2019, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Colorado River Wild and Scenic Stakeholder Group, studied the magnitude and recurrence interval of streamflow (discharge) needed to initiate bed movement of gravel-sized and finer sediment in a segment of...Upper Esopus Creek Tributary Bedload Pilot Study
Problem Sediment transport is a serious concern in the upper Esopus Creek watershed. The creek is a well-documented source of sediment and turbidity to the Ashokan Reservoir, which is part of the New York City water supply system. During the last 2 decades there has been a series of stream stabilization and sediment reduction projects completed in the upper Esopus Creek watershed intended to reducExploring: Reservoir Capacity And Sedimentation Of The Fena Valley Reservoir Guam
The Fena Valley Reservoir, located in southern Guam, is the primary source of water for the United States Naval Base Guam and nearby village residents. At full capacity, the reservoir surface area extends approximately 0.30 mi2, and drains a watershed area of about 5.88 mi2. After reservoir construction, periodic bathymetric surveys, coupled with sedimentation models, can be used to produce...Surrogate Monitoring of Sediment Transport using Hydrophones along the San Joaquin River and Tributaries
Traditional methods for measuring coarse bedload sediment transport by discrete physical sampling tend to be labor intensive and expensive (Gray and others, 2010). As such, bedload samples often are collected too infrequently to capture the temporal variability inherent in transport rates, which can vary significantly, sometimes by a factor of ten or more, over time periods of several minutes to...San Antonio Reservoir Bathymetric Survey and Sedimentation Study
Over time, the flow of water into the San Antonio Reservoir has caused the build-up of sediment, decreasing storage capacity. Since water storage is a crucial issue in California, up-to-date information on the reservoir is needed. To accomplish this, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission approached the USGS California Water Science Center to conduct a bathymetric (depth) survey and other...Implementing New Acoustic Monitoring Techniques in the Trinity River
Accurate river-sediment data is fundamental to planning and managing river restoration efforts on the Trinity River, and throughout the world’s waterways. The USGS has developed a “hydrophone” that enables scientists to listen to sediment particles as they move along the riverbed in order to inexpensively and reliably record near-continuous sediment-bedload-transport data. For this study... - Data
Little Dry Creek and Cottonwood Creek Sediment Transport Data, 2012-2018, San Joaquin Watershed in the California Central Valley
Two tributary watersheds¬ Cottonwood Creek and Little Dry Creek¬ to the greater San Joaquin watershed, in California’s Central Valley were assessed for sediment and flow dynamics, between water years (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30) 2011 and 2019. The two systems deliver suspended sediment to the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam, California. Because these two creeks are directly down river of Friant Dam, thBathymetry, Stage-Area, and Stage-Volume Tables for the Calaveras Reservoir, California, 2019
Dataset contains reservoir bathymetry and shoreline topography up to dam crest elevation. Data were collected using small unmanned aerial system (sUAS), multibeam sonar, and terrestrial lidar.Loch Lomond Reservoir 2019 Survey Data
This dataset contains the digital elevation model from the bathymetric survey, along with the sediment samples, stage-area table, stage-storage table, and 20-ft contours of the reservoir.Bathymetry, Stage-Area, and Stage-Volume Tables for the San Antonio Reservoir, California, 2018
This dataset is associated with the following Scientific Investigations Report: Marineau, M.D., Wright, S.A, and Lopez, J.V., 2020, Storage capacity and sedimentation characteristics of the San Antonio Reservoir, California, 2018: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2019-5151, 34 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20195151. - News