Randall J Hunt, Ph.D.
Randall Hunt is a Chief Science Officer with the Upper Midwest Water Science Center.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
My work focuses on water flow, and its effect on natural systems. This research uses a variety of approaches such as numerical modeling, ion and isotope chemistry, tracers, parameter estimation, and stochastic methods. It emphasizes a range of groundwater – surface water systems including wetland, stream, and lake interactions. More recently this work has been extended to research investigating ecohydrology of aquatic systems, effects of climate and landuse drivers, and source and transport of enteric viruses to drinking water wells and temperature through watersheds. Much of my work has focused on improving model forecasts and uncertainty estimates for decision making.
Professional Experience
2018 to 2021 - Chief Science Officer, US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
2015 to 2018 - Associate Director of Science, US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
1996 to present - Research Hydrologist, US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
2003 to present - Adjunct Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Geoscience
2000 to 2003 - Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Geoscience
1990 to 1996 - Hydrologist, US Geological Survey, Wisconsin District
1991 to 1993 - Research Fellow, US DOE, Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Program
1988 to 1990 - Hydrogeologist/Project Manager, Barr Engineering Company, Minneapolis, MN
1986 to 1987 - Leopold Research Fellow, Leopold Memorial Reserve, Baraboo, WI
Education and Certifications
Ph.D in Hydrogeology (major) and Wetland Sciences (minor) - University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1993
M.S. in Hydrogeology - University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1987
B.A. in Geology (major) and Business (major) - Gustavus Adolphus College, 1985
Affiliations and Memberships*
Professional Societies
Professional Hydrologist #60-111, State of Wisconsin
Geological Society of America
American Water Resources Association, Wisconsin Section
Society of Wetland Scientists
American Geophysical Union
National Groundwater Association
Academic and Professional Service
2014 to 2019 - Advisor to the Editor-In-Chief for the journal Groundwater
2009 to 2013 - Associate Editor for Hydrogeology Journal
2008 to 2009 - Guest Editor for "Hydrogeoecology and Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems" theme issue of Hydrogeology Journal
2005 to present - Appointed by Governor to the State of Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing Geology, Hydrology, Soil Science Joint Board (Chair 2008 - 2014)
2005 to 2006 - Guest Editor for "Analytic Element Modeling" special issue of the journal Groundwater
2002 to 2004 - Associate Editor for the journal Wetlands
1998 to 2010 - Member, University of Wisconsin System Groundwater Research Advisory Council (Chair 2003-2010)
1995 to present - Member, State of Wisconsin Groundwater Coordinating Council Research Subcommittee
1997 to present - Associate Editor for the journal Groundwater
Editorial Boards
Groundwater
Environmental Modelling & Software
Honors and Awards
2013 – Distinguished Service Award, Wisconsin Section-AWRA
2012 – Superior Service Award, US Department of the Interior
Science and Products
Integrated groundwater management: An overview of concepts and challenges
Ecohydrology and Its Relation to Integrated Groundwater Management
Groundwater regulation and integrated planning
Groundwater/surface-water interactions in the Bad River Watershed, Wisconsin
Approaches in highly parameterized inversion—PEST++ Version 3, a Parameter ESTimation and uncertainty analysis software suite optimized for large environmental models
Water-budgets and recharge-area simulations for the Spring Creek and Nittany Creek Basins and parts of the Spruce Creek Basin, Centre and Huntingdon Counties, Pennsylvania, Water Years 2000–06
High-throughput computing vs. high-performance computing for groundwater applications
Optimization techniques using MODFLOW-GWM
Applied groundwater modeling, 2nd Edition
Interactions of water quality and integrated groundwater management: Examples from the United States and Europe
Basin-scale simulation of current and potential climate changed hydrologic conditions in the Lake Michigan Basin, United States
Viruses as groundwater tracers: using ecohydrology to characterize short travel times in aquifers
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
- Data
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 135
Integrated groundwater management: An overview of concepts and challenges
Managing water is a grand challenge problem and has become one of humanity’s foremost priorities. Surface water resources are typically societally managed and relatively well understood; groundwater resources, however, are often hidden and more difficult to conceptualize. Replenishment rates of groundwater cannot match past and current rates of depletion in many parts of the world. In addition, deAuthorsAnthony J. Jakeman, Olivier Barreteau, Randall J. Hunt, Jean-Daniel Rinaudo, Andrew RossEcohydrology and Its Relation to Integrated Groundwater Management
In the twentieth century, groundwater characterization focused primarily on easily measured hydraulic metrics of water storage and flows. Twenty-first century concepts of groundwater availability, however, encompass other factors having societal value, such as ecological well-being. Effective ecohydrological science is a nexus of fundamental understanding derived from two scientific disciplines: (AuthorsRandall J. Hunt, Masaki Hayashi, Okke BatelaanGroundwater regulation and integrated planning
The complex nature of groundwater and the diversity of uses and environmental interactions call for emerging groundwater problems to be addressed through integrated management and planning approaches. Planning requires different levels of integration dealing with: the hydrologic cycle (the physical process) including the temporal dimension; river basins and aquifers (spatial integration); socioecoAuthorsPhilippe Quevauviller, Okke Batelaan, Randall J. HuntGroundwater/surface-water interactions in the Bad River Watershed, Wisconsin
A groundwater-flow model was developed for the Bad River Watershed and surrounding area by using the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) finite-difference code MODFLOW-NWT. The model simulates steady-state groundwater-flow and base flow in streams by using the streamflow routing (SFR) package. The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop an improved understanding of the groundwater-flow system in tAuthorsAndrew T. Leaf, Michael N. Fienen, Randall J. Hunt, Cheryl A. BuchwaldApproaches in highly parameterized inversion—PEST++ Version 3, a Parameter ESTimation and uncertainty analysis software suite optimized for large environmental models
The PEST++ Version 1 object-oriented parameter estimation code is here extended to Version 3 to incorporate additional algorithms and tools to further improve support for large and complex environmental modeling problems. PEST++ Version 3 includes the Gauss-Marquardt-Levenberg (GML) algorithm for nonlinear parameter estimation, Tikhonov regularization, integrated linear-based uncertainty quantificAuthorsDavid E. Welter, Jeremy T. White, Randall J. Hunt, John E. DohertyWater-budgets and recharge-area simulations for the Spring Creek and Nittany Creek Basins and parts of the Spruce Creek Basin, Centre and Huntingdon Counties, Pennsylvania, Water Years 2000–06
This report describes the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with ClearWater Conservancy and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to develop a hydrologic model to simulate a water budget and identify areas of greater than average recharge for the Spring Creek Basin in central Pennsylvania. The model was developed to help policy makers, natural resourAuthorsJohn W. Fulton, Dennis W. Risser, R. Steve Regan, John F. Walker, Randall J. Hunt, Richard G. Niswonger, Scott A. Hoffman, Steven L. MarkstromHigh-throughput computing vs. high-performance computing for groundwater applications
No abstract available.AuthorsMichael N. Fienen, Randall J. HuntOptimization techniques using MODFLOW-GWM
An important application of optimization codes such as MODFLOW-GWM is to maximize water supply from unconfined aquifers subject to constraints involving surface-water depletion and drawdown. In optimizing pumping for a fish hatchery in a bedrock aquifer system overlain by glacial deposits in eastern Wisconsin, various features of the GWM-2000 code were used to overcome difficulties associated withAuthorsAnna Grava, Daniel T. Feinstein, Paul M. Barlow, Tullia Bonomi, Fabiola Buarne, Charles Dunning, Randall J. HuntApplied groundwater modeling, 2nd Edition
This second edition is extensively revised throughout with expanded discussion of modeling fundamentals and coverage of advances in model calibration and uncertainty analysis that are revolutionizing the science of groundwater modeling. The text is intended for undergraduate and graduate level courses in applied groundwater modeling and as a comprehensive reference for environmental consultants anAuthorsMary P. Anderson, William W. Woessner, Randall J. HuntInteractions of water quality and integrated groundwater management: Examples from the United States and Europe
Groundwater is available in many parts of the world, but the quality of the water may limit its use. Contaminants can limit the use of groundwater through concerns associated with human health, aquatic health, economic costs, or even societal perception. Given this broad range of concerns, this chapter focuses on examples of how water quality issues influence integrated groundwater management. OneAuthorsKelly L. Warner, Fabienne Barataud, Randall J. Hunt, Marc Benoit, Juliette Anglade, Mark A. BorchardtBasin-scale simulation of current and potential climate changed hydrologic conditions in the Lake Michigan Basin, United States
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is the largest public investment in the Great Lakes in two decades. A task force of 11 Federal agencies developed an action plan to implement the initiative. The U.S. Department of the Interior was one of the 11 agencies that entered into an interagency agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of the GLRI to complete scientific pAuthorsDaniel E. Christiansen, John F. Walker, Randall J. HuntViruses as groundwater tracers: using ecohydrology to characterize short travel times in aquifers
Viruses are attractive tracers of short (AuthorsRandall J. Hunt, Mark A. Borchardt, Kenneth R. BradburyNon-USGS Publications**
Abrams, D.B., Haitjema, H.M., Feinstein, D.T. and Hunt, R.J., 2015, Field test of a Hybrid Finite-Difference and Analytic Element regional model. Groundwater. doi: 10.1111/gwat.12319.**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.
- Software
*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