Robert Dudley
Robert Dudley is a Supervisory Hydrologist in the New England Water Science Center.
As Chief of the Statistical and Geospatial Section, New England Water Science Center, Rob manages a diverse team of scientists involved in a wide range of water-resources investigations that encompass geomorphology, geospatial data management and modeling, water use and quantity investigations, water quality modeling, and remote sensing. His project work has focused on regional and national-scale statistical investigations of climate-related trends and variability of surface waters and groundwaters, probabilistic forecasting, and developing methods for computing river flows using satellite imagery and altimetry data.
Professional Experience
Supervisory Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, New England Water Science Center, 2021 to Present
Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, New England Water Science Center, 1998 to 2021
Education and Certifications
M.S. Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Maine, 1998
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Maine, 1994
Affiliations and Memberships*
Licensed Professional Engineer, State of Maine, 2002 to Present
Honors and Awards
Department of Interior Secretary’s Diversity Award Special Emphasis Program Achievement, DOI, 2000
Joseph Seifter Award for Human Health Risk Assessment, USEPA, 2014
Science and Products
Model climate scenario output for the Farmington river basin, Connecticut and Massachusetts, 2036-2065 change from 1975-2004, Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5
Generalized linear models and input data for forecasting the probability of groundwater levels declining below specified low thresholds for the conterminous U.S.
Model climate scenario output Upper Charles river basin, Massachusetts, 2036-2065 change from 1975-2004, Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5
Model climate scenario output for the Blackstone, Pawcatuck, and Ipswich river basins, Massachusetts, 2036-2065 change from 1975-2004, Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5
Winter-spring streamflow volume and timing data for 75 Hydroclimatic Data Network-2009 basins in the conterminous United States 1920-2014
Model climate scenario output Taunton and Sudbury river basins, Massachusetts, 2036-2065 change from 1975-2004, Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5
Low streamflow trends at human-impacted and reference basins in the United States
Updating estimates of low-streamflow statistics to account for possible trends
Drought forecasting for streams and groundwaters in northeastern United States
Generalized hydrogeologic framework and groundwater budget for a groundwater availability study for the glacial aquifer system of the United States
Groundwater-level trends in the U.S. glacial aquifer system, 1964-2013
Forecasting the probability of future groundwater levels declining below specified low thresholds in the conterminous U.S.
Trends in snowmelt-related streamflow timing in the conterminous United States
Streamflow
Regression Equations for Monthly and Annual Mean and Selected Percentile Streamflows for Ungaged Rivers in Maine
Flood-Inundation Maps for the North River in Colrain, Charlemont, and Shelburne, Massachusetts, From the Confluence of the East and West Branch North Rivers to the Deerfield River
The Penobscot River and environmental contaminants: Assessment of tribal exposure through sustenance lifeways
Framework for a hydrologic climate-response network in New England
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
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Filter Total Items: 18
Model climate scenario output for the Farmington river basin, Connecticut and Massachusetts, 2036-2065 change from 1975-2004, Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5
This data release provides a set of Hydrological Simulation Program--Fortran (HSPF) model files representing five EPA-selected future climate change scenarios for the Farmington River Basin in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Output from these models are intended for use as input to EPA Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool (WMOST) modeling. Climate scenarios, based on 2036-2065 changes froGeneralized linear models and input data for forecasting the probability of groundwater levels declining below specified low thresholds for the conterminous U.S.
This dataset contains model parameters and input data (.rdata files) for 258 models derived for wells in the conterminous United States. The models are generalized linear models with a binomial response variable (logistic regression) for forecasting the probability of groundwater levels declining or maintaining below specified low thresholds for any time of the year for forecast time horizons fromModel climate scenario output Upper Charles river basin, Massachusetts, 2036-2065 change from 1975-2004, Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5
This data release provides a set of Hydrological Simulation Program--Fortran (HSPF) model files representing 5 EPA-selected future climate change scenarios for the Upper Charles River Basin in Massachusetts. Output from these models are intended for use as input to EPA Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool (WMOST) modeling. Climate scenarios, based on 2036-2065 changes from 1975-2004 forModel climate scenario output for the Blackstone, Pawcatuck, and Ipswich river basins, Massachusetts, 2036-2065 change from 1975-2004, Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5
This data release provides a set of Hydrological Simulation Program--Fortran (HSPF) model files representing 5 EPA-selected future climate change scenarios for each of three river basins: Blackstone in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Pawcatuck in Rhode Island, and Ispwich in Massachusetts. Output from these models are intended for use as input to EPA Watershed Management Optimization Support ToolWinter-spring streamflow volume and timing data for 75 Hydroclimatic Data Network-2009 basins in the conterminous United States 1920-2014
This dataset contains gage information for 75 Hydroclimatic Data Network-2009 basins in the conterminous United States and associated annual runoff volume, winter-spring runoff volume, and winter-spring runoff timing data 1920-2014, as well as trend results for WSCVD and WSV for periods 1920-2014, 1940-2014, and 1960-2014.Model climate scenario output Taunton and Sudbury river basins, Massachusetts, 2036-2065 change from 1975-2004, Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 8.5
This data release provides a set of Hydrological Simulation Program--Fortran (HSPF) model files representing 5 EPA-selected future climate change scenarios for each of two river basins: Taunton and Sudbury, in Massachusetts. Output from these models are intended for use as input to EPA Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool (WMOST) modeling. Climate scenarios, based on 2036-2065 change fro - Publications
Filter Total Items: 77
Low streamflow trends at human-impacted and reference basins in the United States
We present a continent-scale exploration of trends in annual 7-day low streamflows at 2482 U.S. Geological Survey streamgages across the conterminous United States over the past 100, 75, and 50 years (1916–2015, 1941–2015 and 1966–2015). We used basin characteristics to identify subsets of study basins representative of reference basins with streamflow relatively free from human effects (n = 259),AuthorsRobert W. Dudley, Robert M. Hirsch, Stacey A. Archfield, Annalise G. Blum, Benjamin RenardUpdating estimates of low-streamflow statistics to account for possible trends
Accurate estimators of streamflow statistics are critical to the design, planning, and management of water resources. Given increasing evidence of trends in low-streamflow, new approaches to estimating low-streamflow statistics are needed. Here we investigate simple approaches to select a recent subset of the low-flow record to update the commonly used statistic of 7Q10, the annual minimum 7-day sAuthorsAnnalise G. Blum, Stacey A. Archfield, Robert M. Hirsch, Richard M Vogel, Julie E. Kiang, Robert W. DudleyDrought forecasting for streams and groundwaters in northeastern United States
BackgroundWhen rainfall is lower than normal over an extended period, streamflows decline, groundwater levels fall, and hydrological drought can occur. Droughts can reduce the water available for societal needs, such as public and private drinking-water supplies, farming, and industry, and for ecological health, such as maintenance of water quality and natural ecosystems. Recent droughts in the noAuthorsSamuel H. Austin, Robert W. DudleyGeneralized hydrogeologic framework and groundwater budget for a groundwater availability study for the glacial aquifer system of the United States
The glacial aquifer system groundwater availability study seeks to quantify (1) the status of groundwater resources in the glacial aquifer system, (2) how these resources have changed over time, and (3) likely system response to future changes in anthropogenic and environmental conditions. The glacial aquifer system extends from Maine to Alaska, although the focus of this report is the part of theAuthorsHoward W. Reeves, Randall E. Bayless, Robert W. Dudley, Daniel T. Feinstein, Michael N. Fienen, Christopher J. Hoard, Glenn A. Hodgkins, Sharon L. Qi, Jason L. Roth, Jared J. TrostGroundwater-level trends in the U.S. glacial aquifer system, 1964-2013
The glacial aquifer system in the United States is a major source of water supply but previous work on historical groundwater trends across the system is lacking. Trends in annual minimum, mean, and maximum groundwater levels for 205 monitoring wells were analyzed across three regions of the system (East, Central, West Central) for four time periods: 1964-2013, 1974-2013, 1984-2013, and 1994-2013.AuthorsGlenn A. Hodgkins, Robert W. Dudley, Martha G. Nielsen, Benjamin Renard, Sharon L. QiForecasting the probability of future groundwater levels declining below specified low thresholds in the conterminous U.S.
We present a logistic regression approach for forecasting the probability of future groundwater levels declining or maintaining below specific groundwater-level thresholds. We tested our approach on 102 groundwater wells in different climatic regions and aquifers of the United States that are part of the U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Climate Response Network. We evaluated the importance of cuAuthorsRobert W. Dudley, Glenn A. Hodgkins, Jesse E. DickinsonTrends in snowmelt-related streamflow timing in the conterminous United States
Changes in snowmelt-related streamflow timing have implications for water availability and use as well as ecologically relevant shifts in streamflow. Historical trends in snowmelt-related streamflow timing (winter-spring center volume date, WSCVD) were computed for minimally disturbed river basins in the conterminous United States. WSCVD was computed by summing daily streamflow for a seasonal windAuthorsRobert W. Dudley, Glenn A. Hodgkins, Michael McHale, Michael J. Kolian, Benjamin RenardStreamflow
This indicator describes trends in the amount of water carried by streams across the United States, as well as the timing of runoff associated with snowmelt.AuthorsMichael McHale, Robert W. Dudley, Glenn A. HodgkinsRegression Equations for Monthly and Annual Mean and Selected Percentile Streamflows for Ungaged Rivers in Maine
In an effort to delineate hydrologic conditions in Maine, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Maine Department of Transportation, used streamflow data to develop dependent variables for 130 regression equations for estimating monthly and annual mean and 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90, 95, and 99 percentile streamflows for ungaged, unregulated rivers in Maine. Daily streamflow data from 2AuthorsRobert W. DudleyFlood-Inundation Maps for the North River in Colrain, Charlemont, and Shelburne, Massachusetts, From the Confluence of the East and West Branch North Rivers to the Deerfield River
A series of 10 digital flood-inundation maps were developed for a 3.3-mile reach of the North River in Colrain, Charlemont, and Shelburne, Massachusetts, by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The coverage of the maps extends from the confluence of the East and West Branch North Rivers to the Deerfield River. Peak-flow estimates at the 50-, 20-,AuthorsGardner C. Bent, Pamela J. Lombard, Robert W. DudleyThe Penobscot River and environmental contaminants: Assessment of tribal exposure through sustenance lifeways
EPA in collaboration with the Penobscot Indian Nation, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USF&WS) collectively embarked on a four year research study to evaluate the environmental health of the riverine system by targeting specific cultural practices and using traditional science to conduct a preliminaryAuthorsValerie Marshall, Daniel Kusnierz, Robert Hillger, Joseph Ferrario, Thomas Hughes, Janet Diliberto, Carl E. Orazio, Robert W. Dudley, Christian Byrne, Richard Sugatt, Sarah Warren, David DeMarini, Adria Elskus, Steve Stodola, Steve Mierzykowski, Katie Pugh, Charles W. CulbertsonFramework for a hydrologic climate-response network in New England
Many climate-related hydrologic variables in New England have changed in the past century, and many are expected to change during the next century. It is important to understand and monitor these changes because they can affect human water supply, hydroelectric power generation, transportation infrastructure, and stream and riparian ecology. This report describes a framework for hydrologic monitorAuthorsRobert M. Lent, Glenn A. Hodgkins, Robert W. Dudley, Luther SchalkNon-USGS Publications**
Dudley, R.W., Panchang, V.G., and Newell, C.R., 2000. Application of a comprehensive modeling strategy for the management of net-pen aquaculture waste transport: Aquaculture, Elsevier Science, (187) 3-4 (2000) p. 319-349.Dudley, R.W., Panchang, V.G., Newell, C.R., 1998. AWATS: A Net-Pen Aquaculture Waste Transport Simulator for Management Purposes: Proceedings of the twenty-sixth US-Japan Aquaculture Symposium, Durham, New Hampshire, September 16-18, 1997, US-Japan Cooperative Program in Natural Resources (UJNR) Technical Report no. 26, Ed. W. H. Howell et al., NOAA Central Library Call Number: SH3 .U5 1998, pp 215-228.**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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*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