Ramon Naranjo is Research Hydrologist with the U.S Geological Survey in Carson City, NV. Interests include understanding biogeochemical processes at the sediment-water interface and characterizing flow and transport in hyporheic and groundwater systems using innovative technologies and modeling.
Recent research activities involve characterization of hyporheic flow and nutrients beneath barrier beaches and streams in the shore zone of Lake Tahoe, and using multi-depth observations of temperature in unlined agricultural canal sediments to quantify seepage losses. Near-shore water quality and lake clarity is of interest due to nutrient enrichment leading to algal blooms and ongoing efforts to quantify groundwater contributions to nutrient loads. Understanding the role of groundwater surface-water interactions as it relates to nutrient retention and cycling is an important consideration in this research. He has designed and patented new instrumentation for continuous monitoring of subsurface temperatures to evaluate spatial and temporal variability in seepage rates that allows further development of new heat as tracer model calibration and uncertainty techniques. He is actively testing new modeling software being developed to enable the coupled heat-flow and reactive transport processes. He serves as a member of the Tahoe Science Advisory Council.
Professional Experience
1992- 1997 Hydrologist, Water Quality and Hydrology, Los Alamos National Laboratory
1997- 2000 Research Assistant, University of Nevada Reno/ Desert Research Institute
2002- 2010 Environmental Scientist III, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
2004- 2012 Research Assistant, Desert Research Institute, Reno Nevada
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Hydrology, University of Nevada, Reno, 2012
M.S. in Hydrology, University of Nevada, Reno, 2000
B.S. in Environmental Science, New Mex
Affiliations and Memberships*
Invention, Patent, License Held
Device for monitoring subsurface temperatures (Patent No. 62/100,365). Exclusively licensed to Alpha Mach, Inc. 1/06/2015.
Science and Products
Quantifying watershed controls on fine sediment particles and nutrient loading to Lake Tahoe using data mining and machine learning
Nutrient Source Identification in Groundwater and Periphyton Along the Nearshore of Lake Tahoe
Quantifying Seepage Losses on the Truckee Canal, Derby Dam to Lahontan Reservoir
Lake Tahoe Nearshore Periphyton Study
Occurrence and Mobility of Arsenic in Groundwater Used for Public Supply in Southern Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada
Evaluating Artificial Storage and Recovery Potential of Bedell Flat, Washoe County, Nevada
Supplemental data and documentation of VS2DH seepage models: Incorporating temperature into seepage loss estimates for a large irrigation canal
Supplemental Data: Estimated effects of pumping on groundwater storage and Walker River stream efficiencies in Smith and Mason Valleys, west-central Nevada
Documentation of VS2DH Seepage Models: Surface Infiltration and Unsaturated Zone Characterization in Support of Managed Aquifer Recharge, Washoe County, Nevada
Supplemental Data: Surface Infiltration and Unsaturated Zone Characterization in Support of Managed Aquifer Recharge in Bedell Flat, Washoe County, Nevada
Model Archive Summary for Surrogate Regression of Fine-Sediment Particles for Lake Tahoe Tributaries
Nitrogen and phosphorus, other water quality parameters, and sediment temperature data for Incline Creek and Marlette Creek stream-lake interface, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, September 2013
Incorporating temperature into seepage loss estimates for a large unlined irrigation canal
Estimated effects of pumping on groundwater storage and Walker River stream efficiencies in Smith and Mason Valleys, west-central Nevada
Seasonal and long-term clarity trend assessment of Lake Tahoe, California–Nevada
Lake Tahoe clarity and associated conditions, 2022
Surface infiltration and unsaturated zone characterization in support of managed aquifer recharge in Bedell Flat, Washoe County, Nevada
Select techniques for detecting and quantifying seepage from unlined canals
Lake Tahoe water monitoring and research activities
Methods for installation, removal, and downloading data from the temperature profiling probe (TROD)
Linkages between hydrology and seasonal variations of nutrients and periphyton in a large oligotrophic subalpine lake
Evaluation of bias associated with capture maps derived from nonlinear groundwater flow models
Knowing requires data
Nutrient processes at the stream-lake interface for a channelized versus unmodified stream mouth
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.
Science and Products
- Science
Quantifying watershed controls on fine sediment particles and nutrient loading to Lake Tahoe using data mining and machine learning
Since the late 1980’s, the USGS has collected discharge, sediment, and water quality data at seven major drainages under the Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP). Recently, continuous, real-time measurements of turbidity were added to the LTIMP. These data can be combined with in situ, model simulations, and remotely-sensed datasets available from the USGS, National Aeronautics and...Nutrient Source Identification in Groundwater and Periphyton Along the Nearshore of Lake Tahoe
High concentrations of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) are responsible for excessive, or nuisance algal blooms in many ecosystems world-wide, and climate change is predicted to exacerbate the problem1,2. Excessive nutrients supplied to the nearshore zone of Lake Tahoe may have significant consequences to ecological communities, water clarity, and water quality. The nearshore zone represents the...Quantifying Seepage Losses on the Truckee Canal, Derby Dam to Lahontan Reservoir
Seepage losses from the Truckee Canal poses major challenges to water managers. Seepage losses result in inefficiencies in water delivery and cause more water than is needed by farmers to be diverted from the Truckee River to meet required demands. Increased diversions from the Truckee River result in less water flowing through the lower Truckee River system and into Pyramid Lake, a terminal lake...Lake Tahoe Nearshore Periphyton Study
Periphyton, a type of algae, is growing on bottom sediment and rocks along nearshore areas of Lake Tahoe. Periphyton is seen as a nuisance and negatively impacts the recreational value of the lake. Periphyton biomass (PB) data collected along the nearshore of Lake Tahoe exhibit increasing trends over the last decade. However, the mechanisms that have caused these changes are not well understood.Occurrence and Mobility of Arsenic in Groundwater Used for Public Supply in Southern Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada
Over the past 15 years, Douglas County, Nev., has removed production wells in northern Carson Valley from use due to relatively high arsenic concentrations. To maintain the supply of water to the public, the town of Minden has been providing water to Douglas County and Carson City. Due to the projected increases in municipal demand, water resource managers are concerned that increasing pumping...Evaluating Artificial Storage and Recovery Potential of Bedell Flat, Washoe County, Nevada
Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) is a public water purveyor in northwest Nevada with responsibility for providing water to approximately 385,000 people in the Reno/Sparks metropolitan area and suburban communities north of Reno. TMWA has a conjunctive use strategy, which includes aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), to both maintain the health of local aquifers and supplement limited water... - Data
Supplemental data and documentation of VS2DH seepage models: Incorporating temperature into seepage loss estimates for a large irrigation canal
This USGS data release presents tabular data and a model archive used to estimate seepage rates at 19 locations on the Truckee Canal for the 2018 and 2019 irrigation seasons. This supplemental data release consists of two child items: (1) Model archive of two-dimensional variably saturated heat and flow models (VS2DH) used to examine seepage rates in the Truckee Canal at 19 transect locations (moSupplemental Data: Estimated effects of pumping on groundwater storage and Walker River stream efficiencies in Smith and Mason Valleys, west-central Nevada
This USGS data release consists of 15 geospatial datasets for Smith Valley and Mason Valley, west-central Nevada, including contours representing groundwater levels based on depth-to-water measurements, groundwater-level change rasters calculated from groundwater-level contours, groundwater-level change rasters calculated from depth-to-water point values, and groundwater monitoring well locationsDocumentation of VS2DH Seepage Models: Surface Infiltration and Unsaturated Zone Characterization in Support of Managed Aquifer Recharge, Washoe County, Nevada
Two-dimensional variably saturated heat and flow models (VS2DH) were used to examine seepage rates along the Birdspring drainage for the purpose of exploring the drainage channel for use in an managed aquifer recharge project. Six transect models were separately calibrated to sediment temperatures observed during episodic runoff events during water year 2017 and 2018. The models were calibrated toSupplemental Data: Surface Infiltration and Unsaturated Zone Characterization in Support of Managed Aquifer Recharge in Bedell Flat, Washoe County, Nevada
This USGS data release presents tabular data and photos used to determine (1) the duration of flow, subsurface temperature, and concurrent infiltration along an ephemeral channel and (2) vertical change of soil moisture, texture, and pore-water chemistry in the unsaturated zone at selected locations. The data were collected to investigate the feasibility of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) for aquifModel Archive Summary for Surrogate Regression of Fine-Sediment Particles for Lake Tahoe Tributaries
This USGS data release presents Model Archive Summaries (MAS) and tabular calibration data used to develop surrogate regressions to estimate fine sediment particles flowing into Lake Tahoe. Fine sediment particles in the size range of 0.5 to 16.0 micrometers (μm) represent the primary size range of suspended sediment responsible for clarity reduction in Lake Tahoe. Models will be used to create esNitrogen and phosphorus, other water quality parameters, and sediment temperature data for Incline Creek and Marlette Creek stream-lake interface, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, September 2013
This data set contains the following parameters: sediment and water temperature, dissolved nitrate plus nitrite dissolved, ammonium, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, soluble orthophosphate, dissolved phosphorus, total phosphorus, and dissolved organic carbon. - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 19
Incorporating temperature into seepage loss estimates for a large unlined irrigation canal
Quantifying seepage losses from unlined irrigation canals is necessary to improve water use and conservation. The use of heat as a tracer is widely used in quantifying seepage rates across the sediment–water interface. In this study, field observations and two-dimensional numerical models were used to simulate seepage losses during the 2018 and 2019 irrigation season in the Truckee Canal system. NAuthorsRamon C. Naranjo, David Smith, Evan J. LindenbachEstimated effects of pumping on groundwater storage and Walker River stream efficiencies in Smith and Mason Valleys, west-central Nevada
The Walker River originates in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and flows nearly 160 miles to its terminus at Walker Lake in west-central Nevada. The river provides a source of irrigation water for tens of thousands of acres of agricultural lands in California and Nevada and is the principal source of inflow to Walker Lake. Extraction of groundwater for agricultural use became prevalent in the late 195AuthorsGwendolyn E. Davies, Ramon C. NaranjoSeasonal and long-term clarity trend assessment of Lake Tahoe, California–Nevada
The clarity of Lake Tahoe, observed using a Secchi disk on a regular basis since the late 1960s, continues to be a sentinel metric of lake health. Water clarity is influenced by physical and biological processes and has declined in the five decades of monitoring, revealing differences between summer (June–September) and winter (December–March). This document summarizes key findings of a study of LAuthorsRamon C. Naranjo, Paul Work, Alan Heyvaert, Geoffrey Schladow, Alicia Cortes, Shohei Watanabe, Lidia Tanaka, Sebnem ElciLake Tahoe clarity and associated conditions, 2022
Lake Tahoe’s clarity remains a key indicator of overall ecosystem status, and scientific understanding about factors affecting lake clarity continues to evolve. The purpose of this briefing memorandum is to summarize the status of clarity metrics and drivers of change discussed in the 2022 TSAC Data Synthesis and Analysis report. Consistent with the Lake Tahoe Total Maximum Daily Load analyses, tAuthorsAlan Heyvaert, Ramon C. Naranjo, John Melack, Shohei Watanabe, Geoffrey Schladow, Sudeep ChandraSurface infiltration and unsaturated zone characterization in support of managed aquifer recharge in Bedell Flat, Washoe County, Nevada
Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) expands the portfolio of public water supply and improves resiliency to drought and future water demand. This study investigated the feasibility of ASR in the Bedell Flat Hydrographic Area using land-based methods including in-channel managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and rapid infiltration basins (RIB). Bedell Flat, one of two flow-through groundwater basins near RAuthorsTodd Caldwell, Ramon C. Naranjo, David Smith, Christian KropfSelect techniques for detecting and quantifying seepage from unlined canals
Canal seepage losses affect the ability of water conveyance structures to maximize efficiency and can be a precursor to canal failure. Identification and quantification of canal seepage out of unlined canals is a complex interaction affected by geology, canal stage, operations, embankment geometry, siltation, animal burrows, structures, and other physical characteristics. Seepage out of unlined caAuthorsEvan J. Lindenbach, Jong Beom Kang, Justin B. Rittgers, Ramon C. NaranjoLake Tahoe water monitoring and research activities
Several decades ago, deteriorating water quality and clarity in Lake Tahoe prompted the initiation of environmental programs in the Lake Tahoe basin. Data on seasonal sediment loads from tributary streams, and nutrient loads from surrounding streams and groundwater aquifers, were needed to document the causes of this deterioration, the local and regional effectiveness of environmental programs, anAuthorsRamon C. NaranjoMethods for installation, removal, and downloading data from the temperature profiling probe (TROD)
This document provides a brief method overview on the deployment and removal of the temperature profiling probe developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 2015 and referred to as SensorRod or temperature rod (TROD). The TROD is suitable for short- to long-term deployments (days to years) for evaluating thermal gradients in soils and sediments beneath surface water. Applications include evalAuthorsRamon C. NaranjoLinkages between hydrology and seasonal variations of nutrients and periphyton in a large oligotrophic subalpine lake
Periphyton is important to lake ecosystems, contributing to primary production, nutrient cycling, and benthic metabolism. Increases in periphyton growth in lakes can be indicative of changes in water quality, shifts in ecosystem structure, and increases in nutrient fluxes. In oligotrophic lakes, conservationists are interested in characterizing the influence of hydrological drivers on excessive peAuthorsRamon C. Naranjo, Richard G. Niswonger, David Smith, Donald O. Rosenberry, Sudeep ChandraEvaluation of bias associated with capture maps derived from nonlinear groundwater flow models
The impact of groundwater withdrawal on surface water is a concern of water users and water managers, particularly in the arid western United States. Capture maps are useful tools to spatially assess the impact of groundwater pumping on water sources (e.g., streamflow depletion) and are being used more frequently for conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater. Capture maps have been dAuthorsCara Nadler, Kip K. Allander, Greg Pohll, Eric D. Morway, Ramon C. Naranjo, Justin HuntingtonKnowing requires data
Groundwater-flow models are often calibrated using a limited number of observations relative to the unknown inputs required for the model. This is especially true for models that simulate groundwater surface-water interactions. In this case, subsurface temperature sensors can be an efficient means for collecting long-term data that capture the transient nature of physical processes such as seepagAuthorsRamon C. NaranjoNutrient processes at the stream-lake interface for a channelized versus unmodified stream mouth
Inorganic forms of nitrogen and phosphorous impact freshwater lakes by stimulating primary production and affecting water quality and ecosystem health. Communities around the world are motivated to sustain and restore freshwater resources and are interested in processes controlling nutrient inputs. We studied the environment where streams flow into lakes, referred to as the stream-lake interface (AuthorsRichard G. Niswonger, Ramon C. Naranjo, David Smith, James E. Constantz, Kip K. Allander, Donald O. Rosenberry, Bethany Neilson, Michael R. Rosen, David A. StonestromNon-USGS Publications**
Cobourn, J, Saito, L, Brock, J, Naranjo, R, Susfalk, R, Chandra, S. 2008. Ground water-surface water interactions along the Truckee and Carson Rivers. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Special Publication SP-08-23Naranjo, R.C. 2012 Hyporheic flow, residence times and nitrogen reactions in a riffle-pool sequence, Truckee River, NV. Dissertation, University of Nevada, Reno. Fall 2012.Sada, D.W., M. Stone, K. Acharya, R.C Naranjo. 2007. Examining Relationships Between Near Bed Velocity and Turbulence and Benthic Community Structure at the McCarran Ranch Restoration Site, Lower Truckee River, Nevada. Desert Research Institute Report.Naranjo, R.C., J.J. Warwick and R. French, 2000. Runoff from a military deposition site in a semiarid, highland environment; comparison of environmental results with those predicted by the WEPP model (in Proceedings; AWRA's spring specialty conference; Water resources in extreme environments, Kane,) Technical Publication Series - American Water Resources Association, 00-1 303-308.Naranjo, R.C., 2000. Overland Flow Simulations of the Upper Burning Ground, Herlong CA, M.S. Thesis, University of Nevada, Reno.**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.
- News
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government