Matthew Miller
Matt Miller is a Research Hydrologist with the Earth Systems Modeling Branch of the Integrated Modeling and Prediction Division in Boulder, Colorado.
His current research focuses on developing integrated approaches for assessing water availability, including novel approaches for interpreting large data sets to quantify the relationships between water quality, hydrology, land use, and climate at watershed, regional, and national scales. A major theme of Matt’s research is improving process-level understanding of groundwater-surface water interaction and incorporating this understanding into water budget and water quality models. Matt is currently the Project Manager for an Integrated Water Availability Assessment (IWAAs) project in the Upper Colorado River Basin. This project aims to provide insight into how past, present, and future snow conditions – including amount, timing, melt, and transitions from snow- to rain-dominated systems – impact water supply (quantity and quality) and the ability to meet demand.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder (2008)
M.S., Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder (2004)
B.S., Zoology, University of Wisconsin, Madison (2000)
Science and Products
The importance of base flow in sustaining surface water flow in the Upper Colorado River Basin
Climate regulates alpine lake ice cover phenology and aquatic ecosystem structure
Quantifying watershed-scale groundwater loading and in-stream fate of nitrate using high-frequency water quality data
U.S. Geological Survey National Water Census: Colorado River Basin Geographic Focus Area Study
Regional scale estimates of baseflow and factors influencing baseflow in the Upper Colorado River Basin
A new approach for continuous estimation of baseflow using discrete water quality data: Method description and comparison with baseflow estimates from two existing approaches
Limnology of the Green Lakes Valley: Phytoplankton ecology and dissolved organic matter biogeochemistry at a long-term ecological research site
Continuous estimation of baseflow in snowmelt-dominated streams and rivers in the Upper Colorado River Basin: A chemical hydrograph separation approach
Discharge, water quality, and native fish abundance in the Virgin River, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, in support of Pah Tempe Springs discharge remediation efforts
Assessment of metal and trace element contamination in water, sediment, plants, macroinvertebrates, and fish in Tavasci Marsh, Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona
Multi-regional synthesis of temporal trends in biotic assemblages in streams and rivers of the continental United States
Biotic, water-quality, and hydrologic metrics calculated for the analysis of temporal trends in National Water Quality Assessment Program Data in the Western United States
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
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 42
The importance of base flow in sustaining surface water flow in the Upper Colorado River Basin
The Colorado River has been identified as the most overallocated river in the world. Considering predicted future imbalances between water supply and demand and the growing recognition that base flow (a proxy for groundwater discharge to streams) is critical for sustaining flow in streams and rivers, there is a need to develop methods to better quantify present-day base flow across large regions.AuthorsMatthew P. Miller, Susan G. Buto, David D. Susong, Christine RumseyClimate regulates alpine lake ice cover phenology and aquatic ecosystem structure
High-elevation aquatic ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate change, yet relatively few records are available to characterize shifts in ecosystem structure or their underlying mechanisms. Using a long-term dataset on seven alpine lakes (3126 to 3620 m) in Colorado, USA, we show that ice-off dates have shifted seven days earlier over the past 33 years and that spring weather conditions – espeAuthorsDaniel L. Preston, Nel Caine, Diane M. McKnight, Mark W. Williams, Katherina Hell, Matthew P. Miller, Sarah J. Hart, Pieter T.J. JohnsonQuantifying watershed-scale groundwater loading and in-stream fate of nitrate using high-frequency water quality data
We describe a new approach that couples hydrograph separation with high-frequency nitrate data to quantify time-variable groundwater and runoff loading of nitrate to streams, and the net in-stream fate of nitrate at the watershed-scale. The approach was applied at three sites spanning gradients in watershed size and land use in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Results indicate that 58-73% of the annuAuthorsMatthew P. Miller, Anthony J. Tesoriero, Paul D. Capel, Brian A. Pellerin, Kenneth E. Hyer, Douglas A. BurnsByWater Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program, California Water Science Center, Chesapeake Bay Activities, New York Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Upper Midwest Water Science CenterU.S. Geological Survey National Water Census: Colorado River Basin Geographic Focus Area Study
Introduction The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) concept of a national census (or accounting) of water resources has evolved over the last several decades as the Nation has experienced increasing concern over water availability for multiple competing uses. The implementation of a USGS National Water Census was described in the USGS 2007 science strategy document that identified the highest prioritAuthorsBreton W. Bruce, David W. Clow, Molly A. Maupin, Matthew P. Miller, Gabriel B. Senay, Graham A. Sexstone, David D. SusongRegional scale estimates of baseflow and factors influencing baseflow in the Upper Colorado River Basin
Study region The study region encompasses the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB), which provides water for 40 million people and is a vital part of the water supply in the western U.S. Study focus Groundwater and surface water can be considered a single water resource and thus it is important to understand groundwater contributions to streamflow, or baseflow, within a region. Previously, quantificAuthorsChristine Rumsey, Matthew P. Miller, David D. Susong, Fred D. Tillman, David W. AnningA new approach for continuous estimation of baseflow using discrete water quality data: Method description and comparison with baseflow estimates from two existing approaches
Understanding how watershed characteristics and climate influence the baseflow component of stream discharge is a topic of interest to both the scientific and water management communities. Therefore, the development of baseflow estimation methods is a topic of active research. Previous studies have demonstrated that graphical hydrograph separation (GHS) and conductivity mass balance (CMB) methodsAuthorsMatthew P. Miller, Henry M. Johnson, David D. Susong, David M. WolockLimnology of the Green Lakes Valley: Phytoplankton ecology and dissolved organic matter biogeochemistry at a long-term ecological research site
Background: Surface waters are the lowest points in the landscape, and therefore serve as excellent integrators and indicators of changes taking place in the surrounding terrestrial and atmospheric environment.Aims: Here we synthesise the findings of limnological studies conducted during the past 15 years in streams and lakes in the Green Lakes Valley, which is part of the Niwot Ridge Long-term EcAuthorsMatthew P. Miller, Diane M. McKnightContinuous estimation of baseflow in snowmelt-dominated streams and rivers in the Upper Colorado River Basin: A chemical hydrograph separation approach
Effective science-based management of water resources in large basins requires a qualitative understanding of hydrologic conditions and quantitative measures of the various components of the water budget, including difficult to measure components such as baseflow discharge to streams. Using widely available discharge and continuously collected specific conductance (SC) data, we adapted and appliedAuthorsMatthew P. Miller, David D. Susong, Christopher L. Shope, Victor M. Heilweil, Bernard J. StolpDischarge, water quality, and native fish abundance in the Virgin River, Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, in support of Pah Tempe Springs discharge remediation efforts
Pah Tempe Springs discharge hot, saline, low dissolved-oxygen water to the Virgin River in southwestern Utah, which is transported downstream to Lake Mead and the Colorado River. The dissolved salts in the Virgin River negatively influence the suitability of this water for downstream agricultural, municipal, and industrial use. Therefore, various remediation scenarios to remove the salt load dischAuthorsMatthew P. Miller, Patrick M. Lambert, Thomas B. HardyAssessment of metal and trace element contamination in water, sediment, plants, macroinvertebrates, and fish in Tavasci Marsh, Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona
Tavasci Marsh is a large freshwater marsh within the Tuzigoot National Monument in central Arizona. It is the largest freshwater marsh in Arizona that is unconnected to the Colorado River and is designated as an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. The marsh has been altered significantly by previous land use and the monument’s managers are evaluating the restoration of the marsh. In lightAuthorsKimberly R. Beisner, Nicholas V. Paretti, Anne M.D. Brasher, Christopher C. Fuller, Matthew P. MillerMulti-regional synthesis of temporal trends in biotic assemblages in streams and rivers of the continental United States
Biotic assemblages in aquatic ecosystems are excellent integrators and indicators of changing environmental conditions within a watershed. Therefore, temporal changes in abiotic environmental variables often can be inferred from temporal changes in biotic assemblages. Algae, macroinvertebrate, and fish assemblage data were collected from 91 sampling sites in 4 geographic regions (northeastern/nortAuthorsMatthew P. Miller, Anne M.D. Brasher, Jonathan G. KeenenBiotic, water-quality, and hydrologic metrics calculated for the analysis of temporal trends in National Water Quality Assessment Program Data in the Western United States
The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program was established by Congress in 1991 to collect long-term, nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater. The NAWQA Program utilizes interdisciplinary and dynamic studies that link the chemical and physical conditions of streams (such as flow and habitat) with ecosystem health aAuthorsStephen M. Wiele, Anne M.D. Brasher, Matthew P. Miller, Jason T. May, Kurt D. CarpenterNon-USGS Publications**
Miller, M.P., D.M. McKnight, R. M. Cory, M. Williams, R. L. Runkel (2006) Hyporheic exchange and fulvic acid redox reactions in an alpine stream/wetland ecosystem, Colorado Front Range. Environmental Science and Technology, 40, 5943-5949Gardner, E.M, D.M. McKnight, W.M. Lewis, M.P. Miller (2008) Effects of nutrient enrichment on phytoplankton in an alpine lake, Colorado, U.S.A. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 40(1), 55-64.Tipping, E., H.T. Corbishley, J.F. Koprivnjak, D.J. Lapworth, M.P. Miller, C.D. Vincent, J. Hamilton Taylor (2009) Quantification of natural DOM from UV absorption at two wavelengths. Environmental Chemistry, 6, 472-476.Miller, M.P., D.M. McKnight, J. Cullis, A. Greene, K. Vietti, D. Liptzin (2009) Factors controlling streambed coverage of Didymosphenia geminata in two regulated streams in the Colorado Front Range. Hydrobiologia, 630, 207-218.Miller, M.P., D.M. McKnight, S.C. Chapra, M.W. Williams (2009) A model of degradation and production of three pools of dissolved organic matter in an alpine lake. Limnology and Oceanography, 54(6), 2213-2227.Miller, M.P., D.M. McKnight, S.C. Chapra (2009) Production of microbially derived fulvic acid from photolysis of quinone-containing extracellular products of phytoplankton. Aquatic Sciences, 71, 170-178.Flanagan, C.M., D.M. McKnight, D. Liptzin, M.W. Williams, M.P. Miller (2009) Response of the phytoplankton community in an alpine lake to drought conditions: Colorado Rocky Mountain Front Range, U.S.A. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 41(2), 191-203.Fellman, J.B., M.P. Miller, R.M. Cory, D.V. D’Amore, D. White (2009) Characterizing dissolved organic matter using PARAFAC modeling of fluorescence spectroscopy: A comparison of two models. Environmental Science and Technology, 43, 6228-6234.Mladenov, N., Y. Zheng, M.P. Miller, D.R. Nemergut, T. Legg, B. Simone, C. Hageman, M. M. Rahman, K. M. Ahmed, D.M. McKnight (2010) Dissolved organic matter sources and consequences for iron and arsenic mobilization in Bangladesh aquifers. Environmental Science and Technology, 44, 123-128.Miller, M.P., B.E. Simone, D.M. McKnight, R.M. Cory, M.W. Williams, E.W. Boyer (2010) New light on a dark subject: Comment. Aquatic Sciences, 72: 269-275.Miller, M.P., D.M. McKnight (2010) Comparison of seasonal changes in fluorescent dissolved organic matter among aquatic lake and stream sites in the Green Lakes Valley. Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences, 115, GOOF12, doi:10.1029/2009JG000985.Cory, R.M., M.P. Miller, D.M. McKnight, J. Guerard, P. Miller (2010) Effect of instrument-specific response on the analysis of fulvic acid fluorescence spectra. Limnology and Oceanography Methods, 8, 67-78.Brasher, A.M.D., C.M. Albano, R.N. Close, Q.H. Cannon, and M.P. Miller (2010) Macroinvertebrate communities and habitat characteristics in the northern and southern Colorado Plateau networks: Natural Resources Technical Report, NPS/NCPN/NRTR-2010/320, 107pp.Brasher, A.M.D., T. Jones, A. Farahi, M.P. Miller, K. Kozar (2011) Pacific Islands Stream Monitoring Protocol: Fish, Shrimp, Snails, and Habitat Characterization. Natural Resources Technical Report, NPS/PACN/NRR-2011/468, 357pp.Gabor, R., A. Baker, D.M. McKnight, M.P. Miller (2014) Fluorescence indices and their interpretation. In Coble, P.G, Lead, J., Baker, A., Reynolds, D.M, and Spencer, R.G.M., eds., Aquatic Organic Matter Fluorescence Cambridge University Press.Georgek, J.L., D.K. Solomon, V.M. Heilweil, M.P. Miller (2018) Using tracer-derived groundwater transit times to assess storage within a high-elevation watershed of the Upper Colorado River Basin. Hydrogeol. J., 26, 467-480, doi:10.1007/s10040-017-1655-4.Bowman, W.D., D.R. Nemergut, D.M. McKnight, M.P. Miller, M.W. Williams (2014) A slide down a slippery slope-alpine ecosystem responses to nitrogen deposition. Plant Ecology and Diversity, 8, 727-738, doi:10.1080/17550874.2014.984786**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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