Michelle Walvoord is a Research Hydrologist in the Earth System Processes Division of the Water Resources Mission Area.
Dr. Michelle A. Walvoord is a hydrogeologist whose current research focuses on understanding hydrologic response to climate change and wildfire disturbance. With expertise in non-isothermal, multiphase subsurface flow and transport, she has led a variety of process-based vadose zone and groundwater studies in systems ranging from mid-latitude deserts to high-latitude boreal forests. Her research relies on a blend of field, statistical, and physics-based modeling approaches and typically intersects with multiple disciplines including biogeochemistry, ecology, and geophysics.
Professional Experience
Research Hydrologist, USGS Earth System Processes Division, Denver, CO (2017 – present)
Research Hydrologist, USGS National Research Program, Denver, CO (2004-2017)
National Academy of Sciences Postdoctoral Research Associate, Denver, CO (2002-2004)
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Tech
M.S. in Hydrology, New Mexico Tech
B.A. in Geology, Hamilton College
Affiliations and Memberships*
Affiliate Faculty, Geology and Geological Engineering Dept., Colorado School of Mines (2016 – present)
Graduate Faculty Appointment, Geological Sciences Dept., University of Colorado, Boulder (2016 – present)
Associate Faculty, Université Laval (2021 – present)
Member of the USGS Water Mission Area’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Employee Leadership Team (2022-present)
Member of the American Geophysical Union Hydrology Section’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee (2021-present)
Board of Directors, United States Permafrost Association (2021-2022)
Associate Editor, Water Resources Research (2015 – present)
Associate Editor, Hydrogeology Journal (2014-2017)
Member of the Terrestrial Multidisciplinary distributed Observatories for the Study of Arctic Connection (t-MOSAIC) Land-Water Processes Action Group (2019 – present)
Science Steering Committee, Permafrost Action Team for the National Science Foundation’s Study of Environmental Arctic Change Project (SEARCH) (2015 – present)
Science Advisory Board, USGS Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis (2015 – 2019)
Honors and Awards
Woo Distinguished Lecture in Hydrology, Canadian Geophysical Union, 2022
Outstanding Woman in Science Award, Geological Society of America, 2005
Langmuir Award for Excellence in Research, New Mexico Tech, 2004
Science and Products
Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE)
Potential Impacts of Prospective Climate Change on Groundwater Recharge in the Western United States
Water Level, Temperature, and Discharge of Headwater Streams in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska, 2016 and 2017
Geophysical and related field data from the West Fork of Dall Creek, AK 2017-2019
Wind-modulated groundwater discharge along a microtidal Arctic coastline
Water Resources Trend Assessments: State of the Science, Challenges, and Opportunities for Advancement
Wildfire-induced shifts in groundwater discharge to streams identified with paired air and stream water temperature analyses
Modeling post-wildfire hydrologic response: Review and future directions for applications of physically based distributed simulation
Long-term, high-resolution permafrost monitoring reveals coupled energy balance and hydrogeologic controls on talik dynamics near Umiujaq (Nunavik, Québec, Canada)
Sentinel responses of Arctic freshwater systems to climate: linkages, evidence, and a roadmap for future research
Sea-level rise and warming mediate coastal groundwater discharge in the Arctic
Heterogeneous patterns of aged organic carbon export driven by hydrologic flow paths, soil texture, fire, and thaw in discontinuous permafrost headwaters
Complex vulnerabilities of the water and aquatic carbon cycles to permafrost thaw
Saltwater intrusion intensifies coastal permafrost thaw
Integrating observations and models to determine the effect of seasonally frozen ground on hydrologic partitioning in alpine hillslopes in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA
Rapid-response unsaturated zone hydrology: Small-scale data, small-scale theory, big problems
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
- Science
Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE)
ABoVE: Vulnerability of inland waters and the aquatic carbon cycle to changing permafrost and climate across boreal northwestern North America. Carbon released from thawing permafrost may fuel terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems or contribute to greenhouse gas emission, leading to a potential warming feedback and further thaw.Potential Impacts of Prospective Climate Change on Groundwater Recharge in the Western United States
Groundwater withdrawals in the western US are a critical component of the water resources strategy for the region. Climate change already may be substantially altering recharge into groundwater systems; however, the quantity and direction (increase or decrease) of changes are relatively unknown as most climate change assessments have focused on surface water systems. We propose to conduct a broad - Data
Water Level, Temperature, and Discharge of Headwater Streams in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska, 2016 and 2017
This data set includes 15-minute interval data on stream temperature, stage, and discharge from low-order streams in the Yukon River Basin in interior Alaska, collected during the summer months. The depth of the water and temperature were determined using a combined pressure transducer and temperature sensor that was deployed through the summer months. Different sensors were used in each stream anGeophysical and related field data from the West Fork of Dall Creek, AK 2017-2019
The West Fork of Dall Creek is located ~100km southwest of Coldfoot, AK along the Dalton Highway, south of the Brooks Range. The West Fork of Dall Creek is composed of unburned black spruce forest with a burn scar from the 2004 Dall City Fire. Multi-season, multi-method geophysical data were collected both within the burned and unburned areas. Geophysical techniques used include Nuculear Magnetic - Publications
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Wind-modulated groundwater discharge along a microtidal Arctic coastline
Groundwater discharge transports dissolved constituents to the ocean, affecting coastal carbon budgets and water quality. However, the magnitude and mechanisms of groundwater exchange along rapidly transitioning Arctic coastlines are largely unknown due to limited observations. Here, using first-of-its-kind coastal Arctic groundwater timeseries data, we evaluate the magnitude and drivers of groundAuthorsJulia Guimond, Casu Demir, Barret L. Kurylyk, Michelle A. Walvoord, James M. McClelland, M. Bayani CardenasWater Resources Trend Assessments: State of the Science, Challenges, and Opportunities for Advancement
Water is vital to human life and healthy ecosystems. Here we outline the current state of national-scale water resources trend assessments, identify key gaps, and suggest advancements to better address critical issues related to changes in water resources that may threaten human development or the environment. Questions like, “Do we have less suitable drinking water now than we had 20 years ago?”AuthorsSarah M. Stackpoole, Gretchen P. Oelsner, Edward G. Stets, Jory Seth Hecht, Zachary Johnson, Anthony J. Tesoriero, Michelle A. Walvoord, Jeffrey G. Chanat, Krista A. Dunne, Phillip J. Goodling, Bruce D. Lindsey, Michael Meador, Sarah SpauldingWildfire-induced shifts in groundwater discharge to streams identified with paired air and stream water temperature analyses
Within the western United States, increasingly severe and frequent wildfires may alter the magnitude, timing, and quality of water exported from burned areas by streams. Post-fire hydrologic studies often focus on peak stream flow responses to shifts in runoff generation or on annual streamflow yield response to changes in evapotranspiration following fire. However, the magnitude and duration of wAuthorsDavid Rey, Martin Briggs, Michelle A. Walvoord, Brian A. EbelModeling post-wildfire hydrologic response: Review and future directions for applications of physically based distributed simulation
Wildfire is a growing concern as climate shifts. The hydrologic effects of wildfire, which include elevated hazards and changes in water quantity and quality, are increasingly assessed using numerical models. Post-wildfire application of physically based distributed models provides unique insight into the underlying processes that affect water resources after wildfire. This work reviews and syntheAuthorsBrian A. Ebel, Zachary M. Shephard, Michelle A. Walvoord, Sheila F. Murphy, Trevor Fuess Partridge, Kimberlie PerkinsLong-term, high-resolution permafrost monitoring reveals coupled energy balance and hydrogeologic controls on talik dynamics near Umiujaq (Nunavik, Québec, Canada)
Rising temperatures in the Arctic and subarctic are driving the rapid thaw of permafrost by reducing permafrost cooling, increasing active layer thickness, and promoting talik formation. In this study, the cyrohydrogeology of a permafrost mound located within the discontinuous permafrost zone near Umiujaq (Nunavik, Québec, Canada) is characterized through the analysis of a dataset covering more thAuthorsPhilippe Fortier, Jean-Michel Lemieux, Nathan L Young, Michelle A. Walvoord, Richard FortierSentinel responses of Arctic freshwater systems to climate: linkages, evidence, and a roadmap for future research
While the sentinel nature of freshwater systems is now well recognized, widespread integration of freshwater processes and patterns into our understanding of broader climate-driven Arctic terrestrial ecosystem change has been slow. We review the current understanding across Arctic freshwater systems of key sentinel responses to climate, which are attributes of these systems with demonstrated and sAuthorsJasmine E. Saros, Christoper D. Arp, Frederic Bouchard, Jerome Comte, Raoul-Marie Couture, Joshua F. Dean, Melissa Lafreniere, Sally MacIntyre, Suzanne McGowan, Milla Rautio, Clay Prater, Suzanne E. Tank, Michelle A. Walvoord, Kimberly Wickland, Dermot Antoniades, Paola Ayala-Borda, Joao Canario, Travis W. Drake, Diogo Folhas, Vaclava Hazukova, Henriikka Kivila, Yohanna Klanten, Scott Lamoreux, Isabelle Laurion, Rachel M. Pilla, Jorien E. Vonk, Scott Zolkos, Warwick VincentSea-level rise and warming mediate coastal groundwater discharge in the Arctic
Groundwater discharge is an important mechanism through which fresh water and associated solutes are delivered to the ocean. Permafrost environments have traditionally been considered hydrogeologically inactive, yet with accelerated climate change and permafrost thaw, groundwater flow paths are activating and opening subsurface connections to the coastal zone. While warming has the potential to inAuthorsJulia Guimond, Aaron Mohammad, Michelle A. Walvoord, Victor F. Bense, Barret L. KurylykHeterogeneous patterns of aged organic carbon export driven by hydrologic flow paths, soil texture, fire, and thaw in discontinuous permafrost headwaters
Climate change is thawing and potentially mobilizing vast quantities of organic carbon (OC) previously stored for millennia in permafrost soils of northern circumpolar landscapes. Climate-driven increases in fire and thermokarst may play a key role in OC mobilization by thawing permafrost and promoting transport of OC. Yet, the extent of OC mobilization and mechanisms controlling terrestrial-aquatAuthorsJoshua C. Koch, Matthew Bogard, David Butman, Kerri Finlay, Brian A. Ebel, Jason James, Sarah Ellen Johnston, Torre Jorgenson, Neal Pastick, Rob Spencer, Rob Striegl, Michelle A. Walvoord, Kimberly WicklandComplex vulnerabilities of the water and aquatic carbon cycles to permafrost thaw
The spatial distribution and depth of permafrost are changing in response to warming and landscape disturbance across northern Arctic and boreal regions. This alters the infiltration, flow, surface and subsurface distribution, and hydrologic connectivity of inland waters. Such changes in the water cycle consequently alter the source, transport, and biogeochemical cycling of aquatic carbon (C), itsAuthorsMichelle A. Walvoord, Robert G. StrieglSaltwater intrusion intensifies coastal permafrost thaw
Surface effects of sea-level rise (SLR) in permafrost regions are obvious where increasingly iceless seas erode and inundate coastlines. SLR also drives saltwater intrusion, but subsurface impacts on permafrost-bound coastlines are unseen and unclear due to limited field data and the absence of models that include salinity-dependent groundwater flow with solute exclusion and freeze-thaw dynamics.AuthorsJulia Guimond, Aaron Mohammad, Michelle A. Walvoord, Victor F. Bense, Barret L. KurylykIntegrating observations and models to determine the effect of seasonally frozen ground on hydrologic partitioning in alpine hillslopes in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA
This study integrated spatially distributed field observations and soil thermal models to constrain the impact of frozen ground on snowmelt partitioning and streamflow generation in an alpine catchment within the Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research site, Colorado, USA. The study area was comprised of two contrasting hillslopes with notable differences in topography, snow depth and plant commAuthorsDavid Rey, Eve-Lyn S. Hinckley, Michelle A. Walvoord, Kamini SinghaRapid-response unsaturated zone hydrology: Small-scale data, small-scale theory, big problems
The unsaturated zone (UZ) extends across the Earth’s terrestrial surface and is central to many problems related to land and water resource management. Flow of water through the UZ is typically thought to be slow and diffusive, such that it could attenuate fluxes and dampen variability between atmospheric inputs and underlying aquifer systems. This would reduce water resource vulnerability to contAuthorsJohn R. Nimmo, Kimberlie Perkins, Michelle R. Plampin, Michelle A. Walvoord, Brian A. Ebel, Benjamin B. MirusNon-USGS Publications**
Walvoord, M.A., 2002, A Unifying Conceptual Model to Describe Water, Vapor, and Solute Transport in Deep Arid Vadose Zones, Ph.D. thesis, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, 297 p.Hartsough P.C., S.W. Tyler, J. Sterling, M.A. Walvoord, 2001, A 14.6 kyr record of nitrogen flux from desert soil profiles as inferred from vadose zone pore waters, Geophysical Research Letters, 28, 15, 2955 - 2958.Walvoord, M., P. Pegram, F. Phillips, M. Person, T. Kieft, J. Fredrickson, J. McKinley, J. Swenson, 1999, Groundwater flow and geochemistry in the southeastern San Juan Basin: Implications for microbial transport and activity, Water Resources Research, 35, 1409 – 1425.Walvoord, M., 1998, Characterization of Groundwater Flow in the Southeastern San Juan Basin: Implications for Microbial Origins in the Deep Subsurface Near Cerro Negro, New Mexico, MS thesis, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM, 142 p.**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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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government