R. Blaine McCleskey
Blaine McCleskey is a Research Chemist for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Blaine McCleskey started his career with the U.S. Geological Survey in 1997 as a chemist in the National Research Program. In 2010, he obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado where he developed a method to calculate the electrical conductivity of natural waters from its chemical composition. He is currently involved in several research projects in Yellowstone National Park, a wildfire affected watershed, and acid mine drainage sites.
Education
B.S. - Biochemistry, College of Charleston, SC, 1995
M.S. - Environmental Studies (Science track), University of Charleston, SC, 1997
Ph.D. - Environmental Engineering (Hydrologic Sciences Program), University of Colorado, 2010
Blaine McCleskey also runs and maintains the USGS Redox Chemistry Laboratory, where analytical methods for determining the redox distributions of iron, arsenic, chromium, and antimony have been developed (see puplished methods below). In addition, the lab supports many USGS projects by providing iron, arsenic, chromium, antimony, and selenium redox determinations. The lab is equipped with an ICP-AES, IC, GFAAS, HGAAS, UV-VIS spectrophotometer, and an autotitrator and we are capable of determining most inorganic constituents and specialize in difficult matrices (acid mine waters, geothermal waters, and saline waters).
Science and Products
River Chemistry in Yellowstone National Park
Water and Sediment Geochemistry Data from the Vicinity of Yellow Pine, Idaho, 2014-2015
Electrical Conductivity Data for the Snake River, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park
Fire, flood, and drought: Extreme climate events alter flow paths and stream chemistry
Sulfolobus islandicus meta-populations in Yellowstone National Park hot springs
Mobilization of mercury and arsenic from a carbonate-hosted ore deposit, central Idaho, U.S.A.
Thermodynamic properties in the Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HClO4–H2O and Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HCl–H2O systems from 5 to 90 °C
Multireaction equilibrium geothermometry: A sensitivity analysis using data from the Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, USA
Controls on the geochemical evolution of Prairie Pothole Region lakes and wetlands over decadal time scales
Ionic molal conductivities, activity coefficients, and dissociation constants of HAsO42− and H2AsO4− from 5 to 90°C and ionic strengths from 0.001 up to 3 mol kg−1 and applications in natur
Geothermal solute flux monitoring and the source and fate of solutes in the Snake River, Yellowstone National Park, WY
Investigation of total and hexavalent chromium in filtered and unfiltered groundwater samples at the Tucson International Airport Superfund Site
Dissolved gases in hydrothermal (phreatic) and geyser eruptions at Yellowstone National Park, USA
An environmental survey of Serpentine Hot Springs: Geology, hydrology, geochemistry, and microbiology
From extreme pH to extreme temperature: An issue in honor of the geochemical contributions of Kirk Nordstrom, USGS hydrogeochemist
Science and Products
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River Chemistry in Yellowstone National Park
The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) was established as a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and Yellowstone National Park to "To strengthen the long-term monitoring of volcanic and earthquake unrest in the Yellowstone National Park region". Yellowstone National Park is underlain by a voluminous magmatic system overlain by the most active hydrothermal system on Earth. TrackingWater and Sediment Geochemistry Data from the Vicinity of Yellow Pine, Idaho, 2014-2015
Samples were collected at or near baseflow conditions. Water pH and specific conductance were measured in the field, with specific conductance also measured in the laboratory and calculated based on the ionic strength of samples based on laboratory analyses. Water samples were collected for laboratory analyses using a peristaltic pump with silicon tubing. Samples were filtered through a reusablElectrical Conductivity Data for the Snake River, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS) have collaborated on monitoring the chloride flux in the major rivers of Yellowstone National Park by periodically sampling the rivers and analyzing chloride concentrations in discrete water samples since the 1970's. However, restrictions of winter travel, great distances between sites, and sampling and analytical costs have lim - Multimedia
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Fire, flood, and drought: Extreme climate events alter flow paths and stream chemistry
Extreme climate events—such as hurricanes, droughts, extreme precipitation, and wildfires—have the potential to alter watershed processes and stream response. Yet due to the destructive and hazardous nature and unpredictability of such events, capturing their hydrochemical signal is challenging. A 5‐year postwildfire study of stream chemistry in the Fourmile Creek watershed, Colorado Front Range,AuthorsSheila F. Murphy, R. Blaine McCleskey, Deborah A. Martin, Jeffrey H. Writer, Brian A. EbelSulfolobus islandicus meta-populations in Yellowstone National Park hot springs
Abiotic and biotic forces shape the structure and evolution of microbial populations. We investigated forces that shape the spatial and temporal population structure of Sulfolobus islandicus by comparing geochemical and molecular analysis from seven hot springs in five regions sampled over 3 years in Yellowstone National Park. Through deep amplicon sequencing, we uncovered 148 unique alleles at twAuthorsKate M. Campbell, Angela Kouris, Whitney England, Rika E. Anderson, R. Blaine McCleskey, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Rachel J. WhitakerMobilization of mercury and arsenic from a carbonate-hosted ore deposit, central Idaho, U.S.A.
The Cinnabar and Fern mine sites in central Idaho are primary source areas for elevated mercury and arsenic entering the South Fork of the Salmon River, which provides critical spawning habitat for bull trout and Chinook salmon. Mercury mineralization is hosted by carbonate rocks, which generate waters dominated by Ca2+ and HCO3 - at pH 7 to 9. A synoptic sampling was conducted on headwater tributAuthorsJoAnn M. Holloway, Michael Pribil, R. Blaine McCleskey, Alexandra B. Etheridge, David P. Krabbenhoft, George R. AikenThermodynamic properties in the Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HClO4–H2O and Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HCl–H2O systems from 5 to 90 °C
Fe-As mineral solubility and associated aqueous species have been intensively studied because of the environmental need to immobilize arsenic. The thermodynamic data for aqueous iron-arsenic species are inadequately characterized, however. The Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy, and heat capacity and activity coefficients were refined in the Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(V)-HClO4-H2O and Fe(II)-Fe(III)-As(VAuthorsXiangyu Zhu, D. Kirk Nordstrom, R. Blaine McCleskey, Rucheng Wang, Xiancai LuMultireaction equilibrium geothermometry: A sensitivity analysis using data from the Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, USA
A multireaction chemical equilibria geothermometry (MEG) model applicable to high-temperature geothermal systems has been developed over the past three decades. Given sufficient data, this model provides more constraint on calculated reservoir temperatures than classical chemical geothermometers that are based on either the concentration of silica (SiO2), or the ratios of cation concentrations. AAuthorsJonathan M. King, Shaul Hurwitz, Jacob B. Lowenstern, D. Kirk Nordstrom, R. Blaine McCleskeyControls on the geochemical evolution of Prairie Pothole Region lakes and wetlands over decadal time scales
One hundred sixty-seven Prairie Pothole lakes, ponds and wetlands (largely lakes) previously analyzed chemically during the late 1960’s and early to mid-1970’s were resampled and reanalyzed in 2011–2012. The two sampling periods differed climatically. The earlier sampling took place during normal to slightly dry conditions, whereas the latter occurred during and immediately following exceptionallyAuthorsMartin B. Goldhaber, Christopher T. Mills, David M. Mushet, R. Blaine McCleskey, Jennifer RoverIonic molal conductivities, activity coefficients, and dissociation constants of HAsO42− and H2AsO4− from 5 to 90°C and ionic strengths from 0.001 up to 3 mol kg−1 and applications in natur
Arsenic is known to be one of the most toxic inorganic elements, causing worldwide environmental contamination. However, many fundamental properties related to aqueous arsenic species are not well known which will inhibit our ability to understand the geochemical behavior of arsenic (e.g. speciation, transport, and solubility). Here, the electrical conductivity of Na2HAsO4 solutions has been measuAuthorsXiangyu Zhu, D. Kirk Nordstrom, R. Blaine McCleskey, Rucheng WangGeothermal solute flux monitoring and the source and fate of solutes in the Snake River, Yellowstone National Park, WY
The combined geothermal discharge from over 10,000 features in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) can be can be estimated from the Cl flux in the Madison, Yellowstone, Falls, and Snake Rivers. Over the last 30 years, the Cl flux in YNP Rivers has been calculated using discharge measurements and Cl concentrations determined in discrete water samples and it has been determined that approximately 12% ofAuthorsR. Blaine McCleskey, Jacob B. Lowenstern, Jonas Schaper, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Henry P. Heasler, Dan MahonyInvestigation of total and hexavalent chromium in filtered and unfiltered groundwater samples at the Tucson International Airport Superfund Site
Potential health effects from hexavalent chromium in groundwater have recently become a concern to regulators at the Tucson International Airport Area Superfund site. In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey sampled 46 wells in the area to characterize the nature and extent of chromium in groundwater, to understand what proportion of total chromium is in the hexavalent state, and to determine if substaAuthorsFred D. Tillman, R. Blaine McCleskey, Edyth HermosilloDissolved gases in hydrothermal (phreatic) and geyser eruptions at Yellowstone National Park, USA
Multiphase and multicomponent fluid flow in the shallow continental crust plays a significant role in a variety of processes over a broad range of temperatures and pressures. The presence of dissolved gases in aqueous fluids reduces the liquid stability field toward lower temperatures and enhances the explosivity potential with respect to pure water. Therefore, in areas where magma is actively degAuthorsShaul Hurwitz, Laura Clor, R. Blaine McCleskey, D. Kirk Nordstrom, Andrew G. Hunt, William C. EvansAn environmental survey of Serpentine Hot Springs: Geology, hydrology, geochemistry, and microbiology
Serpentine Hot Springs is the most visited site in the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. The hot springs have traditionally been used by the Native people of the Seward Peninsula for religious, medicinal and spiritual purposes and continue to be used in many of the same ways by Native people today. The hot springs are also popular with non-Native users from Nome and other communities, recreatiAuthorsD. Kirk Nordstrom, Linda Hasselbach, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Dana Skorupa, R. Blaine McCleskey, Timothy R. McDermottFrom extreme pH to extreme temperature: An issue in honor of the geochemical contributions of Kirk Nordstrom, USGS hydrogeochemist
This special issue of Applied Geochemistry honors Dr. D. Kirk Nordstrom, and his influential career spent primarily at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This issue does not herald his retirement or other significant career milestone, but serves as a recognition of the impact his work has had on the field of geochemistry in general. This special issue grew from a symposium in Kirk’s honor (affectiAuthorsKate M. Campbell, Philip L. Verplanck, R. Blaine McCleskey, Charles N. Alpers - News