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Peter R. Wright

Peter's current work includes studies of groundwater flow and quality at the Jackson Hole Airport and use of DNA analyses to assess pathogenic organisms in geothermally influenced springs in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, and Teton County, Wyoming.

Peter started his career in 1992 with the Ohio District, where he coordinated field activities for the Basewide Monitoring Program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and worked on groundwater and surface-water quality and microbial studies. In 1998 Peter moved to Billings Montana (working for the Wyoming District) to coordinate the field activities for a water-quality assessment of the Yellowstone River Basin by the National Water Quality Assessment Program. Since moving to Montana Peter has worked on groundwater and surface-water quality studies and ecological studies including NAWQA, Powder River Basin ecology and EPA’s EMAP and NRSA programs. 

Education and Certifications

  • B.S. Environmental Science. 1989. Allegheny College, Meadville, PA

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 13

Robotic environmental DNA bio-surveillance of freshwater health

Autonomous water sampling technologies may help to overcome the human resource challenges of monitoring biological threats to rivers over long time periods and large geographic areas. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute has pioneered a robotic Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) that overcomes some of the constraints associated with traditional sampling since it can automate water sample
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Idaho Water Science Center, National Innovation Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center

Hydrogeology and water quality in the Snake River alluvial aquifer at Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyoming, water years 2011 and 2012

The hydrogeology and water quality of the Snake River alluvial aquifer at the Jackson Hole Airport in northwest Wyoming was studied by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Jackson Hole Airport Board, during water years 2011 and 2012 as part of a followup to a previous baseline study during September 2008 through June 2009. Hydrogeologic conditions were characterized using data colle
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Water Resources Mission Area, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Groundwater-quality and quality-control data for two monitoring wells near Pavillion, Wyoming, April and May 2012

In June 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency installed two deep monitoring wells (MW01 and MW02) near Pavillion, Wyoming, to study groundwater quality. During April and May 2012, the U.S Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, collected groundwater-quality data and quality-control data from monitoring well MW01 and, following well redevelop
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Water Resources Mission Area, Colorado Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Sampling and analysis plan for the characterization of groundwater quality in two monitoring wells near Pavillion, Wyoming

In June 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency installed two deep monitoring wells (MW01 and MW02) near Pavillion, Wyoming to study groundwater quality. The U.S Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, designed a plan to collect groundwater data from these monitoring wells. This sampling and analysis plan describes the sampling equipment that
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Water Resources Mission Area, Colorado Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Hydrogeology and water quality in the Snake River alluvial aquifer at Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyoming, September 2008–June 2009

The hydrogeology and water quality of the Snake River alluvial aquifer, at the Jackson Hole Airport in northwest Wyoming, was studied by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Jackson Hole Airport Board and the Teton Conservation District during September 2008-June 2009. Hydrogeologic conditions were characterized using data collected from 14 Jackson Hole Airport wells. Groundwater lev
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Water Resources Mission Area, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Assessment of ecological conditions and potential effects of water produced from coalbed natural gas development on biological communities in streams of the Powder River structural basin, Wyoming and Montana, 2005-08

Ongoing development of coalbed natural gas in the Powder River structural basin in Wyoming and Montana led to formation of an interagency task group to address concerns about the effects of the resulting production water on biological communities in streams of the area. The interagency task group developed a monitoring plan and conducted sampling of macroinvertebrate, algal, and fish communities a
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Water Resources Mission Area, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Ecological assessment of streams in the Powder River Structural Basin, Wyoming and Montana, 2005-06

Energy and mineral development, particularly coalbed natural gas development, is proceeding at a rapid pace in the Powder River Structural Basin (PRB) in northeastern Wyoming. Concerns about the potential effects of development led to formation of an interagency working group of primarily Federal and State agencies to address these issues in the PRB in Wyoming and in Montana where similar types of
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Water Resources Mission Area, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Ecological Status of Wyoming Streams, 2000-2003

The ecological status of perennial streams in Wyoming was determined and compared with the status of perennial streams throughout 12 States in the western United States, using data collected as part of the Western Pilot Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP-West). Results for Wyoming are compared and contrasted in the context of the entire EMAP-West study area (west-wide) and clima
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Water Resources Mission Area, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Data collection for the assessment of aquatic communities in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana, 2005

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Water Resources Mission Area, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center

Water-Quality Assessment of the Yellowstone River Basin, Montana and Wyoming-Water Quality of Fixed Sites, 1999-2001

The National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey initiated an assessment in 1997 of the quality of water resources in the Yellowstone River Basin. Water-quality samples regularly were collected during 1999-2001 at 10 fixed sites on streams representing the major environmental settings of the basin. Integrator sites, which are heterogeneous in land use and geology, were e

Suspended-sediment concentration and pool sedimentation data for the Gibbon River, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, September 2000 through October 2001

This report presents data on streamflow, suspended-sediment concentration, geomorphic measurements of pools, and particle-size distribution of surficial bed material, collected along a 5-mile reach of the Gibbon River in Yellowstone National Park. The study was done in cooperation with the National Park Service. The Park Service was concerned about the potential effects that road reconstruction wo

Ground-water resources in the vicinity of Cortland, Trumbull County, Ohio

The city of Cortland lies on the southeast ern shoreline of the 12.3-square-mile Mosquito Creek Lake in Trumbull County, Ohio. Cortland relies upon public wells completed in the Cussewago Sandstone for potable water. The Cussewago Sandstone, the principal aquifer in the study area, is a subcrop of the glaciofluvial sediments in the lake; the unit dips gently towards the southeast. Thickness of the
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Sampling Astoria Hot Springs

Occurrence of pathogen Naegleria fowleri in northwestern Wyoming hot springs

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Water Resources Mission Area, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Occurrence of pathogen Naegleria fowleri in northwestern Wyoming hot springs

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Collecting a groundwater sample using a mobile laboratory at Jackson Hole Airport

Jackson Hole Airport Groundwater Study

In 2008 the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Jackson Hole Airport Board and Teton Conservation District, began a study designed to characterize the alluvial aquifer at the Jackson Hole Airport. The purpose of this study was to determine the direction of groundwater flow, calculate hydraulic gradients, and characterize groundwater quality both upgradient and downgradient of airport...
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Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Jackson Hole Airport Groundwater Study

In 2008 the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Jackson Hole Airport Board and Teton Conservation District, began a study designed to characterize the alluvial aquifer at the Jackson Hole Airport. The purpose of this study was to determine the direction of groundwater flow, calculate hydraulic gradients, and characterize groundwater quality both upgradient and downgradient of airport...
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Low Concentrations of De-icing Chemicals Reaching Jackson Hole Groundwater

Low concentrations of chemicals commonly used at airports for de-icing planes were detected in samples of groundwater collected from the Snake River...
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Melting snow near Miles City created measurable flow in Reservation Creek. This site is only visited when there are high flows,
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Processing a sample for detection of N. fowleri
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Collecting a water sample for Naegleria fowleri detection in a Yellowstone National Park Hot Springs
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Cutting through 2-ft thick ice to sample Yellowstone River, Sidney MT
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Pipetting for DNA analysis using loop-mediated isothermal amplification
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Stacy M Kinsey collecting eDNA sample from Snake Riv nr Astoria HS
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Processing a sample for detection of N. fowleri
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