Rebecca Travis started her USGS career in 2012 working at the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center as a Physical Scientist working on projects ranging from air quality monitoring at a combined disposal facility in East Chicago, Indiana to groundwater level monitoring for a network of wells in Carmel, Indiana.
In 2016, she began work as a Hydrologist at the New Mexico Water Science where she has focused her efforts on studying anthropogenic contamination and focuses studies in the designated Urban Waters area of Albuquerque, NM. These studies have involved innovative passive sampling of groundwater and surface water, sampling of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and the study of geochemical processes using geochemical and age dating tracers for groundwater. Prior to working for the USGS, she spent 11 years working on source water protection and remediation projects for the state of Indiana. She has a Masters of Science in Geological Sciences from Indiana University - Bloomington.
Professional Experience
2016-present: Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, New Mexico Water Science Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
2012-2016: Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
2001-2012: Environmental Manager, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Indianapolis, Indiana
Education and Certifications
M.S. Geological Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, 2001
B.S. Geological Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, 1998
Science and Products
Assessment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Resources of New Mexico
Microbial Source Tracking and Escherichia coli Monitoring in the Rio Grande in the South Valley, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ecohydrologic and Water Quality Data Collection at Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge and the Albuquerque South Valley Community Commons
Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Middle Rio Grande (Albuquerque, N. Mex.)
National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) Rio Grande Valley Study
Science and Products
- Science
Assessment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Resources of New Mexico
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread anthropogenic chemicals that have been in use for the past 70 years. This class of compounds comprises thousands of chemicals including perfluorosulfonates (PFSAs) such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). As the use of these chemicals has grown so has their ubiquity in...Microbial Source Tracking and Escherichia coli Monitoring in the Rio Grande in the South Valley, Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Rio Grande, in southern Albuquerque, is an impaired reach for bacteria. Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria are elevated in this reach of the Rio Grande even without stormwater present, during what is referred to as “dry season”. Samples will be collected over a range of flows including during the dry season (November 1st-June30th). Water samples will be analyzed for E. coli and microbial...Ecohydrologic and Water Quality Data Collection at Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge and the Albuquerque South Valley Community Commons
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) New Mexico Water Science Center (NM WSC), in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA), and Bernalillo County (BERNCO), will measure and analyze...Urban Waters Federal Partnership—Middle Rio Grande (Albuquerque, N. Mex.)
The Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, just 7 miles south of downtown Albuquerque on the Rio Grande, will reconnect people, especially young people, with nature in this highly populated area. The USGS is gathering data that will help gauge the success of habitat restoration efforts.National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) Rio Grande Valley Study
The New Mexico Water Science Center (NMWSC) has historically conducted NAWQA data collection of groundwater and surface water-data within the former Rio Grande Valley (RIOG) study unit, which covers about 45,700 square miles in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. - Multimedia
- Publications