After 30 years of working for the USGS in various capacities, 5 years as Scientist Emeritus, Nathan is back -- as a rehired annuitant working through database issues and providing project advice and assistance.
Nathan received his B.S. degree in Geology from the University of Missouri, Rolla and his M.A. Degree in Geology (Antarctic Geoscience) from Rice University. Subsequently Nathan spent a short stint working for Amoco Production Co. in Houston before starting with the USGS in Lawrence KS (now the KS Water Science Center). Nathan worked for the KS office for 12 years before moving to New Mexico in 2000. Nathan's work in NM has included overseeing groundwater projects at military installations, groundwater-surface water investigations in the Hondo Basin, and development of a child model to evaluate potential impacts of a Kirtland Air Force Base fuel plume on municipal supply wells. Since retiring in 2018 Nathan has been very involved in updating the groundwater database for NM, coordinated and led a geohydrologic field trip of the Albuquerque basin, and has been active in the Tijeras Creek Collaborative group that is seeking to make watershed improvements. In 2022 Nathan published a statewide assessment of groundwater levels in New Mexico using a series of composite hydrographs to characterize water-level changes over the past 40 years.
Education and Certifications
Masters, Geology
Science and Products
Composite regional groundwater hydrographs for selected principal aquifers in New Mexico, 1980–2019
Hydrogeologic framework and delineation of transient areas contributing recharge and zones of contribution to selected wells in the upper Santa Fe Group aquifer, southeastern Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1900–2050
Hydraulic and water-quality indicators of aquifer zones contributing groundwater flow to wells in the Santa Fe Group aquifer system near southeast Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2013–16
Assessment of statewide annual streamflow in New Mexico, 1985-2013
Groundwater resources of the East Mountain area, Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Torrance Counties, New Mexico, 2005
Hydrology of Eagle Creek Basin and effects of groundwater pumping on streamflow, 1969-2009
Questa baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 21. Hydrology and water balance of the Red River Basin, New Mexico, 1930-2004
Effects of channel changes on geomorphic and hydraulic characteristics of the Canadian River near Raton, New Mexico, 1965-2000
Characterization and simulation of ground-water flow in the Kansas River Valley at Fort Riley, Kansas, 1990-98
Increased Use of Cheney Reservoir for Wichita Area Water Supply Benefits Equus Beds Aquifer
Cannon Air Force Base: Seasonal Potentiometric Surfaces and Groundwater-Level Trends
Potentiometric Surfaces and Groundwater-Level Changes
USGS Post-Wildfire Hydrologic Monitoring in New Mexico
Chemical Modeling of Acid Waters Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation, Red River Valley Basin, New Mexico
Well site and construction data for observation wells in well clusters SF-3, SF-4, and SF-5, Buckman well field, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, 1987
Refined principal aquifer boundaries for New Mexico, United States
MODFLOW-LGR2 groundwater-flow model used to delineate transient areas contributing recharge and zones of contribution to selected wells in the upper Santa Fe Group Aquifer, southeastern Albuquerque, New Mexico
Science and Products
- Publications
Composite regional groundwater hydrographs for selected principal aquifers in New Mexico, 1980–2019
Groundwater is an important source of water for New Mexico. An estimated 48 percent of the total water used comes from groundwater sources, and groundwater levels generally are declining over large areas of New Mexico. Groundwater levels are affected by local and regional recharge or discharge processes. Groundwater hydrographs show the history of groundwater-level changes at a well. A single hydrAuthorsNathan C. MyersHydrogeologic framework and delineation of transient areas contributing recharge and zones of contribution to selected wells in the upper Santa Fe Group aquifer, southeastern Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1900–2050
The Santa Fe Group aquifer is an important source of water to communities within the Middle Rio Grande Basin, including the Albuquerque-Rio Rancho metropolitan area and Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. In November 1999, Kirtland Air Force Base personnel observed fuel-stained soils at the Bulk Fuels Facility on the base. Subsequent pressure tests identified pipeline leaks. Fuels stored at the BAuthorsNathan C. Myers, Paul J. FrieszHydraulic and water-quality indicators of aquifer zones contributing groundwater flow to wells in the Santa Fe Group aquifer system near southeast Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2013–16
An ethylene dibromide (EDB) plume extends approximately 5,880 feet northeast from the Bulk Fuels Facility on Kirtland Air Force Base. The leading edge of the EDB plume is about 3,700 feet upgradient from several water-supply wells. The water-supply wells are screened in the upper Santa Fe Group aquifer system. Within the upper Santa Fe Group, two primary clay-rich layers, the A1 and A2 units, sepaAuthorsRebecca E. Travis, Nathan C. MyersAssessment of statewide annual streamflow in New Mexico, 1985-2013
In 2014, the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute began a statewide assessment of the water resources of New Mexico. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute, addressed the streamflow component of the assessment by examining streamgage data for major river basins and streams in New Mexico for the study period over water years 1985–2AuthorsJoseph Anthony Affinati, Nathan C. MyersGroundwater resources of the East Mountain area, Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Torrance Counties, New Mexico, 2005
The groundwater resources of about 400 square miles of the East Mountain area of Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Torrance Counties in central New Mexico were evaluated by using groundwater levels and water-quality analyses, and updated geologic mapping. Substantial development in the study area (population increased by 11,000, or 50 percent, from 1990 through 2000) has raised concerns about thAuthorsJames R. Bartolino, Scott K. Anderholm, Nathan C. MyersHydrology of Eagle Creek Basin and effects of groundwater pumping on streamflow, 1969-2009
Urban and resort development and drought conditions have placed increasing demands on the surface-water and groundwater resources of the Eagle Creek Basin, in southcentral New Mexico. The Village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, obtains 60-70 percent of its water from the Eagle Creek Basin. The village drilled four production wells on Forest Service land along North Fork Eagle Creek; three of the four wellAuthorsAnne Marie Matherne, Nathan C. Myers, Kurt J. McCoyQuesta baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality investigation. 21. Hydrology and water balance of the Red River Basin, New Mexico, 1930-2004
A study of the hydrology of the Red River Basin of northern New Mexico, including development of a pre- mining water balance, contributes to a greater understanding of processes affecting the flow and chemistry of water in the Red River and its alluvial aquifer. Estimates of mean annual precipitation for the Red River Basin ranged from 22.32 to 25.19 inches. Estimates of evapotranspiration for theAuthorsCheryl A. Naus, Douglas P. McAda, Nathan C. MyersEffects of channel changes on geomorphic and hydraulic characteristics of the Canadian River near Raton, New Mexico, 1965-2000
No abstract available.AuthorsAnne Marie Matherne, Nathan C. MyersCharacterization and simulation of ground-water flow in the Kansas River Valley at Fort Riley, Kansas, 1990-98
Hydrologic data and a ground-water flow model were used to characterize ground-water flow in the Kansas River alluvial aquifer at Fort Riley in northeast Kansas. The ground-water flow model was developed as a tool to project ground-water flow and potential contaminant-transport paths in the alluvial aquifer on the basis of past hydrologic conditions. The model also was used to estimate historicalAuthorsNathan C. MyersIncreased Use of Cheney Reservoir for Wichita Area Water Supply Benefits Equus Beds Aquifer
No abstract available.AuthorsHeather C. Ross, Nathan C. Myers, Walter R. Aucott - Science
Cannon Air Force Base: Seasonal Potentiometric Surfaces and Groundwater-Level Trends
Declining water levels and a history of high nitrate concentrations in groundwater near and on Cannon Air Force Base (CAFB) necessitated a more detailed assessment of groundwater flow directions than has been done in the past. Previous potentiometric-surface maps were sufficient for showing regional directions of groundwater flow, but more detailed seasonal (summer high-pumping and winter low...Potentiometric Surfaces and Groundwater-Level Changes
In the past, groundwater pumped from the Santa Fe Group aquifer system was the principal source of water for the Albuquerque metropolitan area of central New Mexico. The large quantity of groundwater pumping relative to recharge resulted in substantial drawdown in the aquifer system. In 2008 the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority began diverting water from the San Juan-Chama...USGS Post-Wildfire Hydrologic Monitoring in New Mexico
USGS Gages in New Mexico Wildfire AreasChemical Modeling of Acid Waters Questa Baseline and Pre-Mining Ground-Water Quality Investigation, Red River Valley Basin, New Mexico
The US Geological Survey and the New Mexico Environment Department entered into a Joint Powers Agreement as of April 30, 2001 to execute an investigation of baseline and pre-mining ground-water quality in the Red River Basin, New Mexico. The main objective is to infer the pre-mining ground-water quality at the Questa Molycorp mine site. This study was formulated because New Mexico law states that... - Data
Well site and construction data for observation wells in well clusters SF-3, SF-4, and SF-5, Buckman well field, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, 1987
This dataset provides well-site information and construction data for wells SF-3A, SF-3B, SF-3C, SF-4A, SF-4B, SF-4C, SF-5A, SF-5B, and SF-5C that were installed in the Buckman well field, Santa Fe County, New Mexico. The data include well-site information, borehole diameters and depths, well casing and screen diameters and depths, and annular materials and depths. The data were collected by contrRefined principal aquifer boundaries for New Mexico, United States
This polygon vector dataset, delineating principal aquifers in New Mexico, is a clipped and refined version of the original principal aquifers of the United States shapefile (U.S. Geological Survey, 2019).MODFLOW-LGR2 groundwater-flow model used to delineate transient areas contributing recharge and zones of contribution to selected wells in the upper Santa Fe Group Aquifer, southeastern Albuquerque, New Mexico
A three-dimensional groundwater-flow model of a 73.2 square mile area in southeastern Albuquerque, New Mexico was designed and coupled to a regional (parent) model of the Middle Rio Grande Basin with the local-grid refinement numerical code MODFLOW-LGR2. This fine-gridded local (child) model was designed to simulate the response of the aquifer to pumping stresses and simulate advective groundwat - Multimedia