Hydrologic Technician James Foreman prepares to attach an external load of equipment to an approaching helicopter as part of the nutrient loading to alpine lakes project.
Rich Sheibley
Rich is a research hydrologist for the Washington Water Science Center in Tacoma, WA.
His research interests include water quality, nutrient cycling, and groundwater-surface water exchange in lakes, streams and rivers.
Professional Experience
U.S. Geological Survey Washington Water Science Center, Tacoma, WA
Research Hydrologist October 2009 – Present
Hydrologist January 2008 – October 2009
Education and Certifications
University of California, Davis. Ph.D., Chemical Engineering with a focus on environmental modeling. June 2001. Dissertation: Nitrogen transformation kinetics in the hyporheic zo
University of Pennsylvania. Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering. May 1995.
Science and Products
Stormwater Action Monitoring (SAM)
Groundwater chemistry and groundwater-surface water interactions in the Soos Creek watershed
Nooksack river basin continuous nitrate monitoring
USGS Tacoma Seminar Series
Yakima Nitrates
National Parks North Coast and Cascades Network Critical Loads
Regional Stormwater Monitoring Program Sampling
Raging River Temperature
Lake Spokane
Upper Kittitas County
Vancouver Lake Nutrient Budget
Phosphorus SPARROW Model for the Yakima River
Temperature data collected from the Lower Yakima River from October 2018 to October 2020
Suspended-Sediment Data for the Yakima River at Kiona (USGS 12510500), Washington, June 2018 through September 2022
Daily Nooksack River Basin Nutrient Loading Estimates from 2018 to 2021
Longitudinal profiles of water temperature in Mill Creek, Mason County, Washington, measured using fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS)
Water quality and seepage estimates collected at Lake Spokane, WA, 2016-2019
Stream metabolism models for the Regional Stream Quality Assessments of the National Water Quality Program, 2013 to 2016
Water-quality and stream-habitat metrics calculated for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program's Regional Stream Quality Assessment conducted in the southeast United States in support of ecological and habitat stressor models, 2014
Geospatial database of sampled sites and watershed and riparian characteristics of Puget Sound lowland ecoregion streams sampled for the 2015 Stormwater Action Monitoring status and trends study
Hydrologic Technician James Foreman prepares to attach an external load of equipment to an approaching helicopter as part of the nutrient loading to alpine lakes project.
This picture was taken while recovering passive atmospheric deposition samplers used to evaluate the nutrient loading of alpine lakes in Washington's National Parks.
This picture was taken while recovering passive atmospheric deposition samplers used to evaluate the nutrient loading of alpine lakes in Washington's National Parks.
This picture was taken during sediment coring field work for a project evaluating atmospheric loading of nutrients to high alpine lakes.
This picture was taken during sediment coring field work for a project evaluating atmospheric loading of nutrients to high alpine lakes.
Extent and duration of cold-water areas associated with side channels and tributaries of the lower Yakima River, Washington, September 2018–20
Longitudinal water-temperature profiles in Mill Creek, Mason County, Washington
Substrate particle-size distribution, dissolved-oxygen concentrations, sediment temperatures, and groundwater/surface-water exchange in shoreline spawning habitat of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) of Lake Ozette, Western Washington
Nitrogen and phosphorus loads from groundwater to Lake Spokane, Spokane, Washington, October 2016–October 2019
Understanding the relationship between stream metabolism and biological assemblages
Evaluation of the Washington State Department of Transportation stormwater monitoring and effectiveness program for 2014–19
Quality Assurance Project Plan: Status and trends monitoring of small streams in the Puget Lowlands ecoregion for Stormwater Action Monitoring (SAM)
Preliminary assessment of shallow groundwater chemistry near Goodell Creek, North Cascades National Park, Washington
Design and methods of the U.S. Geological Survey Northeast Stream Quality Assessment (NESQA), 2016
Mercury methylation and bioaccumulation in Sinclair Inlet, Kitsap County, Washington
Design and methods of the Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment (PNSQA), 2015
Continuous-flow centrifugation to collect suspended sediment for chemical analysis
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
Filter Total Items: 15
Stormwater Action Monitoring (SAM)
The issue: Stormwater runoff often carries pollutants that degrade water quality in receiving waters. A regional-scale monitoring program is necessary to objectively measure and track progress in reducing stormwater impacts on environmental health. How USGS will help: Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are monitoring water quality and watershed health for urban and urbanizing areas...Groundwater chemistry and groundwater-surface water interactions in the Soos Creek watershed
The issue: Portions of the Soos Creek watershed are listed as impaired by the Washington State Department of Ecology for temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and bacteria. Ecology is developing a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) in the watershed for these parameters. How the USGS will help: The USGS will help the TMDL development process by providing Ecology with seasonal information on shallow...Nooksack river basin continuous nitrate monitoring
The issue: Learning more about where and how much nitrates there are in the Nooksack river basin. How USGS will help: Provide continuous nitrate concentration data at three locations. Provide validation water samples analyzing for nitrate concentration. Compute nitrate load estimates using stream discharge data coupled with newly collected nitrate concentration data.USGS Tacoma Seminar Series
Please note, the seminars are suspended until further notice. Our lunchtime "brownbag" seminars are held Tuesdays from 12pm to 1 pm unless otherwise noted. The science lectures are held at the USGS Washington Water Science Center at 934 Broadway, Suite 300, Tacoma, WA. The presentations are informal and are open to the public. Please, bring your lunch.Yakima Nitrates
The Issue: Links between nitrate application to the land surface and measured nitrate concentrations in groundwater or surface water are poorly understood in the Yakima River basin due to the variety of potential nitrate sources. Fertilizer-intensive irrigated agriculture has been prevalent in the basin for decades, and since 1994 the growth of dairy operations has resulted in numerous liquid...National Parks North Coast and Cascades Network Critical Loads
Nutrients such as nitrogen are essential for plant and animal growth and nourishment, but overabundance can cause adverse effects. Excess amounts of nitrogen from the atmosphere can cause a lake to go through eutrophication, the process in which excess nitrogen triggers a series of events that cause a lake to become fatally low in dissolved oxygen. Alpine lakes are especially sensitive to excess...Regional Stormwater Monitoring Program Sampling
The Issue: The State of Washington issues Municipal Stormwater Permits to local governments in the Puget Sound region that require them to develop and implement a stormwater management program that reduces the discharge of pollutants and protects the quality of water in rivers, streams, lakes and Puget Sound. The permitees in partnership with the State need to measure whether water quality and...Raging River Temperature
The Issue: Large, in-channel wood that helps to create and maintain healthy aquatic habitat in rivers throughout the Pacific Northwest was removed from many rivers in the past. In 2009, King County put wood back into the river to restore the Raging River watershed. To guide the county's restoration of the Raging River watershed, managers need to know the effect of restoration actions on in-stream...Lake Spokane
The Issue: Phosphorus from many different sources has caused water quality problems for Lake Spokane in eastern Washington by promoting the growth of algae and aquatic plants. Phosphorus comes from municipal and industrial point-sources upstream of Lake Spokane, as well as non-point sources like septic tanks, agricultural fields, and wildlife. Lake Spokane was listed by the Washington State...Upper Kittitas County
The Issue: Baseflows in the tributary streams in the western portion of Kittitas County are important in the late summer and fall when demands on these streams peak. An ongoing USGS Yakima River basin study indicates that groundwater and surface water are interconnected, however the hydrogeologic framework and the potential impacts of groundwater withdrawals on tributary streamflow in the bedrock...Vancouver Lake Nutrient Budget
The Issue: Vancouver Lake in Clark County, WA has been experiencing water quality problems for decades. Recently, harmful algal blooms have been taking place in summer resulting in closures of the lake to swimming/water contact. One potential cause of these algal blooms in the increased loading of nutrients to the lake; however, there is currently little known about the amount and timing of...Phosphorus SPARROW Model for the Yakima River
The Issue - During the 2004-07 irrigation season, nutrient concentrations in the lower Yakima River were high enough at certain times and locations to support the abundant growth of periphytic algae and macrophytes which resulted in large daily fluctuations in dissolved oxygen concentrations and pH levels that exceeded the Washington State water-quality standards for these parameters. The nutrient... - Data
Temperature data collected from the Lower Yakima River from October 2018 to October 2020
A total of 27 temperature sensors were deployed along the lower 90 miles of the Yakima River at 7 locations where cold water had been previously observed. These 7 cold-water areas had 3 to 6 temperature sensors installed to document the extent and duration of these cold-water areas and their impacts on mainstem temperatures of the Lower Yakima River. Cold-water areas included the mouths of tributaSuspended-Sediment Data for the Yakima River at Kiona (USGS 12510500), Washington, June 2018 through September 2022
This data release summarizes discrete suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) measurements and continuous estimates of SSC for the Yakima River at Kiona (USGS 12510500) for the period between June 01, 2018 and September 30, 2022. Continuous estimates of SSC were derived primarily through calibrated turbidity records. These data were collected to support a better understanding of how water quality iDaily Nooksack River Basin Nutrient Loading Estimates from 2018 to 2021
The Nooksack River watershed comprises the majority of the Water Resources Inventory Area 1 (WRIA 1) located in Whatcom County in Washington State. From its headwaters in the northwestern Cascade Mountains, the Nooksack River drains approximately 809 square miles, comprising most of western Whatcom County, including agricultural areas and the developed lowlands surrounding the towns of Deming, EveLongitudinal profiles of water temperature in Mill Creek, Mason County, Washington, measured using fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS)
This data release contains fiber-optic distributed temperature sensor (FO-DTS) data for three reaches of Mill Creek collected during two deployments between August 20, 2020, and September 4, 2020. Spatially continuous profiles of water temperature were collected with a Sensornet® Oryx DTS FO-DTS. At each of the three reaches, water temperature was spatially averaged over 1.015-meter intervals andWater quality and seepage estimates collected at Lake Spokane, WA, 2016-2019
Shallow nearshore groundwater chemistry and estimates of groundwater seepage were collected across 21 locations along Lake Spokane, WA, beginning in October 2016 and ending in October 2019. Groundwater chemistry was collected using temporary mini-piezometers and seepage rates from Lee-type seepage meters. Sample locations are divided into two distinct types: Core sites, where seepage data and grouStream metabolism models for the Regional Stream Quality Assessments of the National Water Quality Program, 2013 to 2016
This dataset provides details from stream metabolism models for 20 stream sites in the United States that were sampled as part of the National Water Quality Program's Regional Stream Quality Assessments (RSQA). Metabolism was estimated at each site using the streamMetabolizer package in R. For each of the 20 sites, three files are provided; (1) the input data, which includes continuous dissolved oWater-quality and stream-habitat metrics calculated for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program's Regional Stream Quality Assessment conducted in the southeast United States in support of ecological and habitat stressor models, 2014
This data release includes metrics from the Regional Stream Quality Assessment (RSQA) from the Southeast Region for habitat stressors related to water-quality and habitat substrate. The goals of RSQA are to characterize multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to aquatic life -- contaminants, nutrients, sediment, and streamflow alteration -- and to develop a better understanding of the reGeospatial database of sampled sites and watershed and riparian characteristics of Puget Sound lowland ecoregion streams sampled for the 2015 Stormwater Action Monitoring status and trends study
Stormwater Action Monitoring (SAM) is a collaborative monitoring program between western Washington municipal stormwater permittees, state and federal agencies. SAMs role is to use the results of regional monitoring and focused studies to inform policy decisions and identify effective strategies to improve stormwater management in the Puget Sound region. The SAM program includes status and trend - Multimedia
Hidden Lake External Load
Hydrologic Technician James Foreman prepares to attach an external load of equipment to an approaching helicopter as part of the nutrient loading to alpine lakes project.
Hydrologic Technician James Foreman prepares to attach an external load of equipment to an approaching helicopter as part of the nutrient loading to alpine lakes project.
Hidden LakeThis picture was taken while recovering passive atmospheric deposition samplers used to evaluate the nutrient loading of alpine lakes in Washington's National Parks.
This picture was taken while recovering passive atmospheric deposition samplers used to evaluate the nutrient loading of alpine lakes in Washington's National Parks.
Hidden LakeThis picture was taken during sediment coring field work for a project evaluating atmospheric loading of nutrients to high alpine lakes.
This picture was taken during sediment coring field work for a project evaluating atmospheric loading of nutrients to high alpine lakes.
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 34
Extent and duration of cold-water areas associated with side channels and tributaries of the lower Yakima River, Washington, September 2018–20
Previous work on the lower Yakima River, Washington (downstream from Union Gap), has identified several cold-water areas that could be thermal refuges for migrating salmonids. These cold-water areas are characterized by small tributaries that are typically cooler than the main-stem river during summer months (June–August). Twenty-seven temperature sensors were deployed along the lower 90 miles ofAuthorsRichard W. Sheibley, Marcella Appel, Rachel Little, James R. ForemanLongitudinal water-temperature profiles in Mill Creek, Mason County, Washington
In streams supporting Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) within the southern Puget Lowland, high water temperatures during late summer are a primary water-quality concern. The metabolic rates of fish and other ectothermic (in other words, cold-blooded) species are regulated by water temperature; salmon and other cold-water fish have specific thermal tolerances outside of which they are susceptibleAuthorsAndrew S. Gendaszek, Richard W. Sheibley, Erica Marbet, Joe Puhn, Catherine SeguinSubstrate particle-size distribution, dissolved-oxygen concentrations, sediment temperatures, and groundwater/surface-water exchange in shoreline spawning habitat of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) of Lake Ozette, Western Washington
Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) spawn at beaches along Lake Ozette’s shoreline and within its tributary streams including Umbrella Creek and Big River in western Washington. The tributary-spawning aggregate of the Lake Ozette sockeye salmon population has been increasing from very low abundance through hatchery supplementation, but the beach-spawning aggregate has decreased from the early 20thAuthorsAndrew S. Gendaszek, Rich W. SheibleyNitrogen and phosphorus loads from groundwater to Lake Spokane, Spokane, Washington, October 2016–October 2019
Shallow nearshore groundwater and estimates of groundwater seepage were collected at 21 locations along the north and south shores of Lake Spokane beginning in October 2016 and ending in October 2019. Nitrate plus nitrite concentrations in nearshore groundwater ranged from <0.04 to 7.60 milligrams of nitrogen per liter. Nearshore groundwater orthophosphate concentrations ranged from <0.004 to 0.38AuthorsRichard W. Sheibley, James R. ForemanUnderstanding the relationship between stream metabolism and biological assemblages
Biological assemblages are commonly used for assessing stream health, but there is increased interest among the freshwater research community in incorporating measures of stream function, such as metabolism, to strengthen stream-health assessments. Presently, there is limited information about the relationships between stream metabolism and biological assemblages, along with the measurement periodAuthorsMark D. Munn, Rich W. Sheibley, Ian R. Waite, Michael MeadorEvaluation of the Washington State Department of Transportation stormwater monitoring and effectiveness program for 2014–19
The U.S. Geological Survey was asked by the Washington State Department of Transportation to provide technical assistance as a third-party reviewer of their stormwater effectiveness monitoring program during the transition between the completion of the 2014 Washington State Department of Ecology permit requirements and start of the new 2019 Washington State Department of Ecology permit requirementAuthorsCraig A. Senter, Richard W. SheibleyQuality Assurance Project Plan: Status and trends monitoring of small streams in the Puget Lowlands ecoregion for Stormwater Action Monitoring (SAM)
This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) details a long term status and trends monitoring study for small streams in the Puget Lowland as part of Stormwater Action Monitoring (SAM) program. SAM is the regional stormwater monitoring program funded by the Phase I Municipal Stormwater permit and the Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater permit permittees. This study of small streams inAuthorsKeunyea Song, Rich W. SheibleyPreliminary assessment of shallow groundwater chemistry near Goodell Creek, North Cascades National Park, Washington
Goodell Creek is located within North Cascades National Park and is high-quality habitat for Chinook salmon, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The creation of a levee near the mouth of the creek where it enters the Skagit River has cut off the historical flood plain from the active channel. There is an effort to remove the levee along the left bank of the creek to reAuthorsRich W. Sheibley, James R. ForemanDesign and methods of the U.S. Geological Survey Northeast Stream Quality Assessment (NESQA), 2016
During 2016, as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Project (NAWQA), the U.S. Geological Survey conducted the Northeast Stream Quality Assessment (NESQA) to investigate stream quality in the northeastern United States. The goal of the NESQA was to assess the health of wadeable streams in the region by characterizing multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to aquatic life and byAuthorsJames F. Coles, Karen Riva-Murray, Peter C. Van Metre, Daniel T. Button, Amanda H. Bell, Sharon L. Qi, Celeste A. Journey, Rich W. SheibleyMercury methylation and bioaccumulation in Sinclair Inlet, Kitsap County, Washington
The U.S. Geological Survey evaluated the transformation of mercury to bioavailable methylmercury in Sinclair Inlet, Kitsap County, Washington, and assessed the effect of the transformation processes on the mercury burden in marine organisms and sediment. In August 2008, samples of sediment, water, and biota from six sites in Sinclair Inlet and three bays representative of Puget Sound embayments weAuthorsA.J. Paulson, M.C. Marvin-DiPasquale, P.W. Moran, J.F. DeWild, A.R. Stewart, J. Toft, J.L. Agee, E. Kakouros, Le H. Kieu, B. Carter, R.W. Sheibley, J. Cordell, David P. KrabbenhoftDesign and methods of the Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment (PNSQA), 2015
In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) project conducted the Pacific Northwest Stream Quality Assessment (PNSQA) to investigate stream quality across the western part of the Pacific Northwest. The goal of the PNSQA was to assess the health of streams in the region by characterizing multiple water-quality factors that are stressors to in-stream aquaticAuthorsRich W. Sheibley, Jennifer L. Morace, Celeste A. Journey, Peter C. Van Metre, Amanda H. Bell, Naomi Nakagaki, Daniel T. Button, Sharon L. QiContinuous-flow centrifugation to collect suspended sediment for chemical analysis
Recent advances in suspended-sediment monitoring tools and surrogate technologies have greatly improved the ability to quantify suspended-sediment concentrations and to estimate daily, seasonal, and annual suspended-sediment fluxes from rivers to coastal waters. However, little is known about the chemical composition of suspended sediment, and how it may vary spatially between water bodies and temAuthorsKathleen E. Conn, Richard S. Dinicola, Robert W. Black, Stephen E. Cox, Richard W. Sheibley, James R. Foreman, Craig A. Senter, Norman T. PetersonNon-USGS Publications**
Paulson, A.J., B. Cater, R.W. Sheibley. (2012) Control of Toxic Chemicals in Puget Sound: Assessment of Selected Toxic Chemicals in the Puget Sound Basin, 2007-2011 – Addendum No. 1: Evaluation of Fate and Transport Mechanisms for Primary Releases of Copper, PCBs, and PBDEs, 91 p.Beaulieu, J.J., M. J. Bernot, D. J. Sobota, R. O. Hall Jr., P. J. Mulholland, W. K. Dodds, J. R. Webster, J. L. Tank, L. R. Ashkenas, L. W. Cooper, C. N. Dahm, S.y V. Gregory, N. B. Grimm, S. K. Hamilton, S. L. Johnson, W.H. McDowell, J.L. Meyer, B. Peterson, G. C. Poole, H. M. Valett, C. Arango, A. J. Burgin, C.L. Crenshaw, A. M. Helton, L.T. Johnson, J. Merriam, B.R. Niederlehner, J.M. O’Brien, J.D. Potter, R.W. Sheibley, S.M. Thomas, and K. Wilson. (2010) Nitrous oxide emission from denitrification in stream and river networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences doi:10.1073/pnas.1011464108Crenshaw C.L., N.B. Grimm, L.H. Zeglin, R.W. Sheibley, C.N. Dahm, A.D. Pershall (2010) Dissolved inorganic nitrogen dynamics in the hyporheic zone of reference and human-altered southwestern U. S. streams. Fundamental and Applied Limnology / Archiv fur Hydrobiologie 176: 391-405Valett, H.M. and R.W. Sheibley (2010) Groundwater and Surface Water Interactions. In: Biogeochemistry of inland waters, edited by G.E. Likens, p95-106Valett, H.M. & R.W. Sheibley (2009) Ground Water and Surface Water Interaction. In: Encyclopedia of Inland Waters. Edited by Likens, G. E, pp. 691-702. Academic Press, Oxford.Dodds, W. K., J. J. Beaulieu, J. J. Eichmiller, J. R. Fischer, N. R. Franssen, D. A. Gudder, A. S. Makinster, M. J. McCarthy, J. N. Murdock, J. M. O’Brien, J. L. Tank, and R. W. Sheibley (2008). Nitrogen cycling and metabolism in the thalweg of a prairie river. Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences. 113, G04029, doi:10.1029/2008JG000696.Tanio Y., N. Ohte, M. Fujimoto, & R.W. Sheibley (2008) Nitrate and phosphate uptake in a temperate forest stream in central Japan. In: From Headwaters to the Ocean: Hydrological Changes and Watershed Management (eds. M. Taniguchi, W. C. Burnett, Y. Fukushima, M. Haigh & Y. Umezawa) pp. 83-89. Taylor & Francis Group, London.Warren E., E.M. Godsy, H.J. Duff, F.J. Triska, A.P. Jackman, and R.W. Sheibley (2006) Nitrate reduction and microbial numbers in Upper Mississippi River Sediments, Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 29: 1578-1582.Sheibley, R.W., J.H. Duff, A.P. Jackman, F.J. Triska, E. Warren, and E.M. Godsy (2006b) Nitrate reduction in sediment perfusion cores from Pool 8, Upper Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA. Verh. Internat. Verein. Limnol. 29: 1289-1295Sheibley R.W., D.S. Ahearn, and R.A. Dahlgren (2006) Nitrate loss from a restored floodplain in the lower Cosumnes River, California. Hydrobiologia. 571:261-272.Ahearn, D.S., R.W. Sheibley, R.A. Dahlgren, M. Anderson, and J. Johnson. (2005) Land use and land cover influence on water quality in the last free-flowing river draining the western Sierra Nevada, California. Journal of Hydrology. 313: 234-247.Grimm, N.B., R.W. Sheibley, C.L. Crenshaw, C.N. Dahm, W.J. Roach, and L.H. Zeglin (2005) Nitrogen retention and transformation in urban streams. Journal of the North American Benthological Society. 24(3): 626-642.Ahearn, D.S., R.W. Sheibley, and R.A. Dahlgren. (2005) Effects of river regulation on water quality in the lower Mokelumne River, California. River Research and Applications. 21: 651-670.Grimm, N.B., J.R. Arrowsmith, C. Eisinger, J. Heffernan, A. MacLeod, D.B. Lewis, L. Prashad , T. Rychener, W.J. Roach, and R.W. Sheibley. (2004) Effects of urbanization on nutrient biogeochemistry of aridland streams. In R. DeFries, G. Asner, and R. Houghton (editors). Ecosystem interactions with land use change. Geophysical Monograph. American Geophysical UnionAhearn, D.S., R.W. Sheibley, R.A. Dahlgren, and K.E. Keller. (2004) Temporal dynamics of stream chemistry in the last free-flowing river draining the Sierra Nevada, CA. Journal of Hydrology. 295: 47-63Sheibley, R.W. (2001) Nitrogen transformations in the hyporheic zone. Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Davis. Advisor: Dr. Alan P. Jackman.**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.
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