Patrick Shafroth, PhD
Patrick B. Shafroth is a Research Ecologist at the Fort Collins Science Center.
Since 1991, Dr. Shafroth has conducted research on riparian ecosystems, primarily in arid and semi-arid regions of western U.S. He and his colleagues from the USGS and other institutions have focused their work on understanding relationships between surface and ground-water hydrology, fluvial processes, and the dynamics of native and introduced riparian vegetation. This research has often been conducted in the applied context of riparian ecosystem restoration with the goal of providing solid, objective scientific information that can be used to inform riparian restoration efforts. More specific restoration-related research areas include studies of large-scale flow experiments, dam removal, effects of invasive species control and associated restoration actions, and potential interactions with climate change.
Some of Dr. Shafroth’s current research includes studies of: vegetation and geomorphic responses to experimental flow releases downstream of dams on the Bill Williams River, Arizona; the Colorado River delta in Mexico and the U.S.; and the the Colorado River in Grand Canyon; vegetation and geomorphic responses to dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, where the world's largest dam removals occurred recently; dynamics of non-native riparian plants along western rivers, including patterns of riparian vegetation recovery associated with biological control of Tamarix.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Plant Biology, Arizona State University, 1999
M.S. in Forest Ecology, Colorado State University, 1993
B.A. in Environmental Studies and Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1989
Science and Products
Geomorphic change and sediment transport during a small artificial flood in a transformed post-dam delta: The Colorado River delta, United States and Mexico
Synthesis of common management concerns associated with dam removal
Managing water and riparian habitats on the Bill Williams River with scientific benefit for other desert river systems
Riparian groundwater and baseflow studies in the Upper Colorado River Basin
Modeled streamflow metrics on small, ungaged stream reaches in the Upper Colorado River Basin
Tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda spp.) in the Colorado River basin: Synthesis of an expert panel forum
Germination and growth of native and invasive plants on soil associated with biological control of tamarisk (Tamarix spp.)
Conservation planning for the Colorado River in Utah
Incorporating climate change projections into riparian restoration planning and design
Modeled intermittency risk for small streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin under climate change
Distribution of invasive and native riparian woody plants across the western USA in relation to climate, river flow, floodplain geometry and patterns of introduction
Large-scale dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA: river channel and floodplain geomorphic change
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.
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Geomorphic change and sediment transport during a small artificial flood in a transformed post-dam delta: The Colorado River delta, United States and Mexico
The Colorado River delta is a dramatically transformed landscape. Major changes to river hydrology and morpho-dynamics began following completion of Hoover Dam in 1936. Today, the Colorado River has an intermittent and/or ephemeral channel in much of its former delta. Initial incision of the river channel in the upstream ∼50 km of the delta occurred in the early 1940s in response to spillway releaAuthorsErich R. Mueller, John C. Schmidt, David J. Topping, Patrick B. Shafroth, Jesús Eliana Rodríguez-Burgueño, Jorge Ramírez-Hernández, Paul E. GramsSynthesis of common management concerns associated with dam removal
Managers make decisions regarding if and how to remove dams in spite of uncertainty surrounding physical and ecological responses, and stakeholders often raise concerns about certain negative effects, regardless of whether or not these concerns are warranted at a particular site. We used a dam-removal science database supplemented with other information sources to explore seven frequently-raised cAuthorsDesiree D. Tullos, Mathias J. Collins, J. Ryan Bellmore, Jennifer A. Bountry, Patrick J. Connolly, Patrick B. Shafroth, Andrew C. WilcoxManaging water and riparian habitats on the Bill Williams River with scientific benefit for other desert river systems
This report details modeling to: 1) codify flow-ecology relationships for riparian species of the Bill Williams River as operational guidance for water managers, 2) test the guidance under different climate scenarios, and 3) revise the operational guidance as needed to address the effects of climate change. Model applications detailed herein include the River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) and the EcoAuthorsJohn Hickey, Woodrow Fields, Andrew Hautzinger, Steven Sesnie, Patrick B. Shafroth, Dick GilbertRiparian groundwater and baseflow studies in the Upper Colorado River Basin
Executive summary As part of an ongoing effort to understand baseflow in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) and implications for stream-dependent ecosystems, we conducted a brief review of literature related to groundwater and baseflow in the UCRB. We included primary literature, federal and state resources, databases and gray literature studies on groundwater, baseflow, and springs in the UCRBAuthorsLindsay Reynolds, Patrick B. ShafrothModeled streamflow metrics on small, ungaged stream reaches in the Upper Colorado River Basin
Modeling streamflow is an important approach for understanding landscape-scale drivers of flow and estimating flows where there are no streamgage records. In this study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Colorado State University, the objectives were to model streamflow metrics on small, ungaged streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin and identify streams that are potentAuthorsLindsay V. Reynolds, Patrick B. ShafrothTamarisk beetle (Diorhabda spp.) in the Colorado River basin: Synthesis of an expert panel forum
Executive Summary In 2001, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the release of a biological control agent, the tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda spp.), to naturally control tamarisk populations and provide a less costly, and potentially more effective, means of removal compared with mechanical and chemical methods. The invasive plant tamarisk (Tamarix spp.; saltcedar) occupies hundreds of thousandAuthorsBenjamin R. Bloodworth, Patrick B. Shafroth, Anna A. Sher, Rebecca B. Manners, Daniel W. Bean, Matthew J. Johnson, Osvel Hinojosa-HuertaGermination and growth of native and invasive plants on soil associated with biological control of tamarisk (Tamarix spp.)
Introductions of biocontrol beetles (tamarisk beetles) are causing dieback of exotic tamarisk in riparian zones across the western United States, yet factors that determine plant communities that follow tamarisk dieback are poorly understood. Tamarisk-dominated soils are generally higher in nutrients, organic matter, and salts than nearby soils, and these soil attributes might influence the trajecAuthorsRebecca A. Sherry, Patrick B. Shafroth, Jayne Belnap, Steven M. Ostoja, Sasha C. ReedConservation planning for the Colorado River in Utah
Strategic planning is increasingly recognized as necessary for providing the greatest possible conservation benefits for restoration efforts. Rigorous, science-based resource assessment, combined with acknowledgement of broader basin trends, provides a solid foundation for determining effective projects. It is equally important that methods used to prioritize conservation investments are simple anAuthorsChristine Rasmussen, Patrick B. ShafrothIncorporating climate change projections into riparian restoration planning and design
Climate change and associated changes in streamflow may alter riparian habitats substantially in coming decades. Riparian restoration provides opportunities to respond proactively to projected climate change effects, increase riparian ecosystem resilience to climate change, and simultaneously address effects of both climate change and other human disturbances. However, climate change may alter whAuthorsLaura G. Perry, Lindsay V. Reynolds, Timothy J. Beechie, Mathias J. Collins, Patrick B. ShafrothModeled intermittency risk for small streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin under climate change
Longer, drier summers projected for arid and semi-arid regions of western North America under climate change are likely to have enormous consequences for water resources and river-dependent ecosystems. Many climate change scenarios for this region involve decreases in mean annual streamflow, late summer precipitation and late-summer streamflow in the coming decades. Intermittent streams are alreadAuthorsLindsay V. Reynolds, Patrick B. Shafroth, N. LeRoy PoffDistribution of invasive and native riparian woody plants across the western USA in relation to climate, river flow, floodplain geometry and patterns of introduction
Management of riparian plant invasions across the landscape requires understanding the combined influence of climate, hydrology, geologic constraints and patterns of introduction. We measured abundance of nine riparian woody taxa at 456 stream gages across the western USA. We constructed conditional inference recursive binary partitioning models to discriminate the influence of eleven environmentaAuthorsRyan McShane, Daniel Auerbach, Jonathan M. Friedman, Gregor T. Auble, Patrick B. Shafroth, Michael Merigliano, Michael L. Scott, N. Leroy PoffLarge-scale dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA: river channel and floodplain geomorphic change
A substantial increase in fluvial sediment supply relative to transport capacity causes complex, large-magnitude changes in river and floodplain morphology downstream. Although sedimentary and geomorphic responses to sediment pulses are a fundamental part of landscape evolution, few opportunities exist to quantify those processes over field scales. We investigated the downstream effects of sedimenAuthorsAmy E. East, George R. Pess, Jennifer A. Bountry, Christopher S. Magirl, Andrew C. Ritchie, Joshua B. Logan, Timothy J. Randle, Mark C. Mastin, Justin Toby Minear, Jeffrey J. Duda, Martin C. Liermann, Michael L. McHenry, Timothy J. Beechie, Patrick B. ShafrothNon-USGS Publications**
Shafroth, P.B., J.C. Stromberg, D.T. Patten, A.E. Springer, and J.M. Wright. 1996. Ground-water recharge and riparian habitat enhancement from water discharged from New Waddell Dam into the Agua Fria River: Phase I--Planning and feasibility. Final Report to Arizona Dept. of Water Resources - Phoenix Active Management Area. Phoenix, AZ78+ap p.Shafroth, P.B., J.M. Friedman, and L.S. Ischinger. 1994. River salinity has little influence on establishment of cottonwood and saltcedar. Research Information Bulletin 94-95. NBS Information Bulletin.**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.