Patrick Shafroth, PhD
Patrick B. Shafroth is a Scientist Emeritus at the Arizona Water Science Center.
Since 1991, Dr. Shafroth has conducted research on river and riparian systems, 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 had strong application to resource management (particularly DOI sister agencies), by providing solid, objective scientific information to inform riparian management and restoration. Specific applications have included studies of large-scale flow experiments, dam removal, effects of invasive species control, system responses to various restoration actions, vegetation responses to drought, and system responses to high intensity wildfires.
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
Filter Total Items: 131
Modeled streamflow metrics on small, ungaged stream reaches in the Upper Colorado River Basin Modeled 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...
Authors
Lindsay V. Reynolds, Patrick B. Shafroth
Tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda spp.) in the Colorado River basin: Synthesis of an expert panel forum Tamarisk 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...
Authors
Benjamin R. Bloodworth, Patrick B. Shafroth, Anna A. Sher, Rebecca B. Manners, Daniel W. Bean, Matthew J. Johnson, Osvel Hinojosa-Huerta
Conservation planning for the Colorado River in Utah Conservation 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...
Authors
Christine Rasmussen, Patrick B. Shafroth
Germination and growth of native and invasive plants on soil associated with biological control of tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) Germination 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...
Authors
Rebecca A. Sherry, Patrick B. Shafroth, Jayne Belnap, Steven M. Ostoja, Sasha C. Reed
Incorporating climate change projections into riparian restoration planning and design Incorporating 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...
Authors
Laura G. Perry, Lindsay V. Reynolds, Timothy J. Beechie, Mathias J. Collins, Patrick B. Shafroth
Modeled intermittency risk for small streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin under climate change Modeled 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...
Authors
Lindsay V. Reynolds, Patrick B. Shafroth, N. LeRoy Poff
Distribution of invasive and native riparian woody plants across the western USA in relation to climate, river flow, floodplain geometry and patterns of introduction Distribution 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
Authors
Ryan McShane, Daniel Auerbach, Jonathan M. Friedman, Gregor T. Auble, Patrick B. Shafroth, Michael Merigliano, Michael L. Scott, N. Leroy Poff
Large-scale dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA: river channel and floodplain geomorphic change Large-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...
Authors
Amy 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. Shafroth
Abandoned floodplain plant communities along a regulated dryland river Abandoned floodplain plant communities along a regulated dryland river
Rivers and their floodplains worldwide have changed dramatically over the last century because of regulation by dams, flow diversions and channel stabilization. Floodplains no longer inundated by river flows following dam-induced flood reduction comprise large areas of bottomland habitat, but the effects of abandonment on plant communities are not well understood. Using a hydraulic flow...
Authors
L. V. Reynolds, Patrick B. Shafroth, P. K. House
Adaptive restoration of river terrace vegetation through iterative experiments Adaptive restoration of river terrace vegetation through iterative experiments
Restoration projects can involve a high degree of uncertainty and risk, which can ultimately result in failure. An adaptive restoration approach can reduce uncertainty through controlled, replicated experiments designed to test specific hypotheses and alternative management approaches. Key components of adaptive restoration include willingness of project managers to accept the risk...
Authors
Michelle P. Dela Cruz, Vanessa B. Beauchamp, Patrick B. Shafroth, Cheryl E. Decker, Aviva O’Neil
Processes of arroyo filling in northern New Mexico, USA Processes of arroyo filling in northern New Mexico, USA
We documented arroyo evolution at the tree, trench, and arroyo scales along the lower Rio Puerco and Chaco Wash in northern New Mexico, USA. We excavated 29 buried living woody plants and used burial signatures in their annual rings to date stratigraphy in four trenches across the arroyos. Then, we reconstructed the history of arroyo evolution by combining trench data with arroyo-scale...
Authors
Jonathan M. Friedman, Kirk R. Vincent, Eleanor R. Griffin, Michael L. Scott, Patrick B. Shafroth, Gregor T. Auble
Coupled hydrogeomorphic and woody-seedling responses to controlled flood releases in a dryland river Coupled hydrogeomorphic and woody-seedling responses to controlled flood releases in a dryland river
Interactions among flow, geomorphic processes, and riparian vegetation can strongly influence both channel form and vegetation communities. To investigate such interactions, we took advantage of a series of dam-managed flood releases that were designed in part to maintain a native riparian woodland system on a sand-bed, dryland river, the Bill Williams River, Arizona, USA. Our resulting...
Authors
Andrew C. Wilcox, Patrick B. Shafroth
Non-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.
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Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 131
Modeled streamflow metrics on small, ungaged stream reaches in the Upper Colorado River Basin Modeled 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...
Authors
Lindsay V. Reynolds, Patrick B. Shafroth
Tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda spp.) in the Colorado River basin: Synthesis of an expert panel forum Tamarisk 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...
Authors
Benjamin R. Bloodworth, Patrick B. Shafroth, Anna A. Sher, Rebecca B. Manners, Daniel W. Bean, Matthew J. Johnson, Osvel Hinojosa-Huerta
Conservation planning for the Colorado River in Utah Conservation 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...
Authors
Christine Rasmussen, Patrick B. Shafroth
Germination and growth of native and invasive plants on soil associated with biological control of tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) Germination 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...
Authors
Rebecca A. Sherry, Patrick B. Shafroth, Jayne Belnap, Steven M. Ostoja, Sasha C. Reed
Incorporating climate change projections into riparian restoration planning and design Incorporating 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...
Authors
Laura G. Perry, Lindsay V. Reynolds, Timothy J. Beechie, Mathias J. Collins, Patrick B. Shafroth
Modeled intermittency risk for small streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin under climate change Modeled 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...
Authors
Lindsay V. Reynolds, Patrick B. Shafroth, N. LeRoy Poff
Distribution of invasive and native riparian woody plants across the western USA in relation to climate, river flow, floodplain geometry and patterns of introduction Distribution 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
Authors
Ryan McShane, Daniel Auerbach, Jonathan M. Friedman, Gregor T. Auble, Patrick B. Shafroth, Michael Merigliano, Michael L. Scott, N. Leroy Poff
Large-scale dam removal on the Elwha River, Washington, USA: river channel and floodplain geomorphic change Large-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...
Authors
Amy 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. Shafroth
Abandoned floodplain plant communities along a regulated dryland river Abandoned floodplain plant communities along a regulated dryland river
Rivers and their floodplains worldwide have changed dramatically over the last century because of regulation by dams, flow diversions and channel stabilization. Floodplains no longer inundated by river flows following dam-induced flood reduction comprise large areas of bottomland habitat, but the effects of abandonment on plant communities are not well understood. Using a hydraulic flow...
Authors
L. V. Reynolds, Patrick B. Shafroth, P. K. House
Adaptive restoration of river terrace vegetation through iterative experiments Adaptive restoration of river terrace vegetation through iterative experiments
Restoration projects can involve a high degree of uncertainty and risk, which can ultimately result in failure. An adaptive restoration approach can reduce uncertainty through controlled, replicated experiments designed to test specific hypotheses and alternative management approaches. Key components of adaptive restoration include willingness of project managers to accept the risk...
Authors
Michelle P. Dela Cruz, Vanessa B. Beauchamp, Patrick B. Shafroth, Cheryl E. Decker, Aviva O’Neil
Processes of arroyo filling in northern New Mexico, USA Processes of arroyo filling in northern New Mexico, USA
We documented arroyo evolution at the tree, trench, and arroyo scales along the lower Rio Puerco and Chaco Wash in northern New Mexico, USA. We excavated 29 buried living woody plants and used burial signatures in their annual rings to date stratigraphy in four trenches across the arroyos. Then, we reconstructed the history of arroyo evolution by combining trench data with arroyo-scale...
Authors
Jonathan M. Friedman, Kirk R. Vincent, Eleanor R. Griffin, Michael L. Scott, Patrick B. Shafroth, Gregor T. Auble
Coupled hydrogeomorphic and woody-seedling responses to controlled flood releases in a dryland river Coupled hydrogeomorphic and woody-seedling responses to controlled flood releases in a dryland river
Interactions among flow, geomorphic processes, and riparian vegetation can strongly influence both channel form and vegetation communities. To investigate such interactions, we took advantage of a series of dam-managed flood releases that were designed in part to maintain a native riparian woodland system on a sand-bed, dryland river, the Bill Williams River, Arizona, USA. Our resulting...
Authors
Andrew C. Wilcox, Patrick B. Shafroth
Non-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.
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