Rodney A Sheets, Jr.

I am a groundwater specialist for the USGS Water Mission Area (WMA), Office of Quality Assurance. My job is to help Water Science Centers across the USGS through reviewing proposals, giving technical advice, and connecting them with others in the WMA.  Prior to this current position, I was in the Water Science Field Team (which no longer exists) helping Water Science Centers in the Northeast part of the US. Before that, I was a hydrologic technician, hydrologist, and groundwater specialist for the USGS Ohio Water Science Center (previously the Ohio District), working on a variety of projects and tasks, including those related to surface/ground-water interaction, aquifer testing, surface and borehole geophysics and ground-water flow modeling. Before joining the USGS Water Mission Area, I worked as a geologist and geologic technician for the USGS Office of Earthquakes for a short time (I started as a NAGT student). I still drill an occasional water well, but most of my free time is taking up with the family tree farm, golfing, hunting, fishing, and woodworking.

Publications

Sheets, R. A., Hill, M. C., Haitjema, H. M., Provost, A. M. and Masterson, J. P. (2015), Simulation of Water-Table Aquifers Using Specified Saturated Thickness. Groundwater, 53: 151–157. doi: 10.1111/gwat.12164 [Link]

Roeloffs, E.A., Nelms, D.L., and Sheets, R.A., 2015, Widespread groundwater-level offsets caused by the Mw 5.8 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake of 23 August 2011, in Horton, J.W., Jr., Chapman, M.C., and Green, R.A., eds., The 2011 Mineral, Virginia, Earthquake, and Its Signifi cance for Seismic Hazards in Eastern North America: Geological Society of America Special Paper 509, p. 117–136, doi:10.1130/2014.2509(07). [Link]

Sheets, R.A., and Burns, E.R., 2014, Geothermal Heating and Cooling -- The Role of Groundwater: The Ohio Water Table, No. 129 (Spring), Water Management Association of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio. [Link]

Darner, R. A. and Sheets, R. A., 2012, Using Existing Data to Estimate Aquifer Properties, Great Lakes Region, USA. Ground Water. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-6584.2011.00848.x [Link]

Harvey, R., Metge, D., Sheets, R.A., and Jasperse, J., 2011, Chapter 6--Fluorescent microspheres as surrogates in evaluating the efficacy of riverbank filtration for removing Cyptosporidium parvum oocysts and other pathogens. In Ray, C. and Shamruck, M., eds. Riverbank Filtration for Water Security in Desert Countries: Amsterdam, Springer Science, pp. 81-93. [Link]

Haefner, R.J., Sheets, R.A., and Andrews, R.E. [2011], 2010, Evaluation of the Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) Seismic Method to Determine Sediment Thickness in the Vicinity of the South Well Field, Franklin County, OH, Ohio J Sci 110(4), pp. 77-85.

Sheets, R. A.; Dumouchelle, D. H., 2009. Geophysical Investigation Along the Great Miami River From New Miami to Charles M. Bolton Well Field, Cincinnati, Ohio. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009-1025, iv, 21 p. [Link]

Sheets, R.A., 2007, Hydrogeologic setting and ground-water flow simulations of the Great Miami River basin regional study area, Ohio: Section 7 of Hydrogeologic settings and ground-water flow simulations for regional studies of the transport of anthropogenic and natural contaminants to public-supply wells—studies begun in 2001: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1737-A, Paschke, S.S., ed., 244 p. [Link]

Neff, B. P.; Piggott, A. R.; Sheets, R. A., 2006. Estimation of shallow ground-water recharge in the Great Lakes basin. Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5284, 31 p. [Link]

Francy, Donna S.; Bertke, Erin E.; Finnegan, Dennis P.; Kephart, Christopher M.; Sheets, Rodney A.; Rhoades, John; Stumpe, Lester, 2006. Use of Spatial Sampling and Microbial Source-Tracking Tools for Understanding Fecal Contamination at Two Lake Erie Beaches. Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5298, vi, 29 p. [Link]

Coon, William F.; Sheets, Rodney A., 2006. Estimate of ground water in storage in the Great Lakes basin, United States, 2006. Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5180, 19 p. [Link]

Sheets, R. A.; Simonson, L. A., 2006. Compilation of Regional Ground-Water Divides for Principal Aquifers Corresponding to the Great Lakes Basin, United States. Geological Survey (U.S.) Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5102, iv, 23 p. [Link]

Sheets, Rodney, A.; Bossenbroek, Karen E., 2005. Ground-water flow directions and estimation of aquifer hydraulic properties in the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley aquifer system, Hamilton Area, Ohio. Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5013, 36 p. [Link]

Sheets, Rodney A.; Dumouchelle, Denise H.; Feinstein, Daniel T., 2005. Ground-water modeling of pumping effects near regional ground-water divides and river/aquifer systems - Results and implications of numerical experiments. Scientific Investigations Report 2005-5141, v, 31 p. : ill. [Link]

Sheets, R.A., 2005, Induced infiltration—an unauthorized biography and the continuing story: The Ohio Water Table, no. 96, pp. 4-5.

Sheets, Rodney A., 2002. Use of electrical resistivity to detect underground mine voids in Ohio. Water-Resources Investigations Report 2002-4041, 10 p. [Link]

Sheets, R. A., Darner, R. A. and Whitteberry. B. L. 2002, Lag times of bank filtration at a well field, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA: J. Hydrol. Vol. 266, pp. 162–174. [Link]

Sheets, Rodney A., 1999. Background hydrogeologic data, water quality, and aquifer characteristics, western Allen County, Ohio. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey ; Branch of Information Services [distributor], Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4146, v, 23 p. :ill., map ;28 cm. [Link]

Sheets, R. A., Bair, E. S., and Rowe, G. L., 1998, Use of 3H/3He ages to evaluate and improve groundwater flow models in a complex buried valley aquifer, Water Resour. Res., 34, 1077– 1089. [Link]

Munk, Jens; Sheets, R. A., 1997. Detection of underground voids in Ohio by use of geophysical methods. U.S. Geological Survey ; Branch of Information Services [distributor], Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4221, vi, 28 p. :ill. ;28 cm. [Link]

Sheets, R. A., 1994. Contributing recharge areas to water-supply wells at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. U.S. Geological Survey ; USGS Earth Science Information Center, Open-File Reports Section [distributor], Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4231, iv, 35 p. :ill., maps ;28 cm. [Link]

Cunningham, W. L.; Sheets, R. A.; Schalk, C. W., 1994. Evaluation of ground-water flow by particle tracking, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. U.S. Geological Survey ; U.S.G.S. Earth Science Information Center, Open-File Reports Section [distributor], Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4243, iii, 11 p. :maps (chiefly col.) ;28 cm. [Link]

Sheets, R.A., Yost, W.P. 1994, Ground-Water Contribution from the Silurian/Devonian Carbonate Aquifer to the Mad River Valley, Southwestern Ohio: Ohio Journal of Science, v. 94, n. 5, pp. 138-146.[Link]

Sheets, R. A., 1991. Selected geologic and hydrologic data for the regional carbonate- bedrock and glacial aquifers in western Ohio. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey ; Books and Open-File Reports [distributor], Open-File Report 90-590, iv, 43 p. :ill. ;28 cm. [Link]

Oblinger, C. J.; Sheets, R. A.; Bair, E. S., 1991. Hydrology and water quality near the South Well Field, southern Franklin County, Ohio, with emphasis on the simulation of ground-water flow and transport of Scioto River. U.S. Geological Survey ; Books and Open-File Reports Section [distributor], Water-Resources Investigations Report 91-4080, vii, 78 p. :ill., maps ;28 cm. [Link]

Bair, E.S., Sheets, R.A., and Eberts, S.M., 1990, Particle-tracking analysis of flow paths and traveltimes from hypothetical spill sites within the capture area of a wellfield: Ground Water, v. 28, no. 6, pp. 884-892. [Link]

Sheets, R.A., 1988, A seismic refraction and reflection study over a collapsed coal mine, Zanesville, Ohio: The Ohio State University, Master’s Thesis.

Presentations/Conferences

Sheets, R.A., Bair, E.S., and Eberts, S.M., 1988, Determination of flow paths and traveltimes of contaminants from hypothetical spill sites surrounding a municipal well field: in 33rd Annual Midwest Ground Water Conference, Program with Abstracts,  Oct. 1988, Columbus, OH, p. 20.

Sheets, R.A., 1990, Particle tracking at the South Well Field, Columbus, Ohio: 14th Annual Inland Spills Conference, Sept. 1990, Columbus, OH.

Schalk, C.W., Haefner, R.J., Sheets, R.A., 1992, Application of ARC/INFO to ground-water-flow modelling at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Sixth Annual Midwest/Great Lakes ARC/INFO Users Conference, Oct. 5-7, 1992, Columbus, OH.

Sheets, R.A., and Haefner, R.J., 1993, Traveltime-related contributing recharge area water-supply wells at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio: 38th Annual Midwest Ground Water Conference, Oct. 6-8, 1993, Champaign, IL, p. 24.

Sheets, R.A., Haefner, R.J., and Schalk, C.W., 1993, Use of a geographic information system to display and analyze travel-time-related zones of contribution to wells, American Water Resources Association Spring Symposium on Geographic Information Systems and Water Resources, Mar. 14-17, 1993, Mobile AL.

Sheets, R.A., 1994, Use of a geographic information system in ground-water flow modeling studies: Water Management Association of Ohio-Geographic Information Systems, May 12, 1994, Fairborn, OH.

Bair, E.S., Rowe, G.L., Sheets, R.A., McCready, R.L., 1995, Evaluating the calibration of a ground-water flow model on the basis of environmental tracers, Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, v. 27, no. 6.

Rowe, G.L., Shapiro, S.D., Schlosser, P., Sheets, R.A., and Bair, E.S., 1996, Use of tritium and helium isotopes to evaluate ground-water age and flow model calibration in a buried-valley aquifer near Dayton, Ohio, Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs v. 28, no. 7.

Sheets, R.A., 1998, Detection of underground voids in Ohio by use of geophysical methods: Ohio Dept. of Trans. Underground Mine Inventory and Risk Assessment Workshop, Sept. 16-18, 1997, Columbus, OH.

Sheets, R.A., Whitteberry, B., Mignery, M.B., Darner, R.A., 2000, Monitoring of chemical and microbiological constituents in an area of induced infiltration: in, Building capabilities for monitoring and assessment in public health microbiology, Proceedings: U.S. Geological Survey Office of Water Quality, Columbus Ohio, March 14-16, 2000.

Sheets, R.A., Mignery, M.B., Whitteberry, B., 2000, Simulation of ground-water flowpaths in an area of induced infiltration: 45th Annual Midwest Ground Water Conference, October 17–19, 2000, Columbus, OH, p. 11.

Sheets, R.A., Whitteberry, B., Mignery, M.B., 2000, Preliminary results of water quality monitoring along a ground-water flowpath in an area of induced infiltration: 45th Annual Midwest Ground Water Conference, October 17-19, 2000, Columbus, OH, p. 11.

Gollnitz, W.D., Whitteberry, B., Vogt, J., Sheets, R.A., Rowe, G.L., Levy, J., Findlay R.H., Mignery, M.B., 2000, Introduction to the flowpath study at the City of Cincinnati’s C.M. Bolton well field—A case study for monitoring induced infiltration: 45th Annual Midwest Ground Water Conference, October 17-19, 2000, Columbus, OH, p. 11.

Mignery, M.B., Levy, J., Sheets, R.A., Whitteberry, B., 2000, Extent and effects of induced infiltration at a well field in southwest Ohio: in Summit 2000, November 9-18, 2000, Reno Nevada: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 7, p. A-123.

Metge, D.W., Harvey, R.W., Becker, M., Shapiro, A., Collins, S., Sheets, R.A., Rowe, G.L., 2000, What surrogates can tell us about the movement of pathogens in fractured rock and granular aquifers: in American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting, Sand Francisco, CA, December 15-19.

Sheets, R.A., 2003, Geophysical methods to detect underground mine voids, with emphasis on electrical resistivity: 17th annual surface mine reclamation technology transfer seminar, Indiana Society of Mining and Reclamation, Dec. 2003, Jasper Indiana.

Levy, J., Sheets, R.A., and Mignery, M.B., 2005, Numerical modeling of induced infiltration at a well field in southwestern Ohio: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 37, no. 7.

Sheets, R.A., Coon, W.F., and Darner, R.A., 2006, Ground-water storage in the Great Lakes Basin, United States: Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Oct. 22-25, 2006, Philadelphia, PA.

Sheets, R.A., 2006, Numerical ground-water flow modeling over the last 30 years—innovations in data input, output, and display (and understanding?): Geological Society of America North-Central section annual meeting, Apr. 20-21, 2006, Akron, OH.

Sheets, R.A., 2007, Hydrogeologic setting and ground-water flow simulations of the Great Miami Basin Regional Study Area, Ohio, section 7 of Paschke, S.S., ed., THydrogeologic settings and ground-water flow simulations for regional studies of the transport of anthropogenic and natural contaminants to public-supply wells—studies begun in 2001: Reston, Va., U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1737–A, pp. 7–1 – 7–24.

Sheets, R.A., Nickolaus, M., and Cunningham, W.L., 2008, Common field practices to ensure comparability of ground-water data: National Water Quality Monitoring Conference, May 18-22, Atlantic City, N.J.

Sheets, R.A., 2008, Shallow ground-water recharge, regional ground-water divides, and aquifer storage in the Great Lakes Basin:  Geological Society of America North-Central Section Annual Meeting, April 24-25, Evansville, IN.

Sheets, R.A., and Cunningham, W.L., 2008, Ground-water Level and Storage declines in the United States: Ground Water Protection Council Annual Forum, Sept. 21-23, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Jagucki, M. J., and Sheets, R.A., 2009, Effect of fugitive migration of methane on quality of shallow groundwater: Stray Gas Workshop, November 4-6, 2009, Pittsburgh Penn. (http://pa.water.usgs.gov/projects/energy/stray_gas/index.php)

Reeves, H.W., Feinstein, D.T., Hunt, R.J., Sheets, R.A., 2009, USGS Ground-water availability studies in the Great Lakes Basin, Amer. Geop. Union, Spring Meeting abstract (H73C-01). 

Breen, K.J., Hippe, D.J., Sheets, R.A., Baldassare, F.J., Ehler, W.C., and Love, E.I, 2010, Fugitive or stray gases--summary of a workshop on assessment strategies and case studies: Geol. Soc. of Amer. Abs. with Progs. Vol. 42, no. 1, p. 63.

Sheets, R.A., and Cleaves, E.T., 2010, A pilot program for a national groundwater monitoring network--key factors and timeline: Geol. Soc. of Amer. Abs. with Progs. Vol. 42, No. 1, p. 123.

Sheets, R.A, 2010, A National Groundwater Monitoring Network – Past, Present, and Future, Midwest Groundwater Conf., Cols, OH, Oct. 5-7, 2010.

Sheets, R.A., Bohlke, J.K, and Alexander, R.A., 2010, Corn ethanol production—potential implications for groundwater in the Midwest, Midwest Groundwater Conf., Cols, OH, Oct. 5-7, 2010.

Hunt, R.J, and Sheets, R.A., 2010, Ecohydrology of groundwater dependent ecosystems—a critical determinant for water availability, Amer. Geophy. Union, Fall meeting, San Francisco CA, Dec 13-17, 2010.

Sheets, R.A., 2011, Implications of alternative energy production on groundwater—ethanol and geothermal, Meeting of the Ohio Section American Institute of Professional Engineers, Feb. 24, 2011 (invited).

Roeloffs, E.A., D.L., Nelms, R.A. Sheets, W.L. Cunningham, M. Kozar, J. Williams, C. Dawson, and D. Risser (2011), Groundwater-level changes caused by strain and seismic shaking from the August 23, 2011, Mw 5.8 Virginia earthquake, Abstract S14B-07 presented at 2011 Fall Meeting, AGU, San Francisco, Calif., 5-9 Dec.

Roeloffs, E. A., D.L. Nelms, R.A. Sheets (2012) Groundwater-level changes caused by the 2011 Mw 5.8 Mineral Virginia earthquake, presented at 2012 Geol. Soc. of America Annual Meeting, Charlotte NC, 4-7 Nov. https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2012AM/finalprogram/abstract_210198.htm

Nelms, D.L., Sheets, R.A., Roeloffs, E.A. (2014) Hydrologic response to the Mw5.8 Mineral, Virginia earthquake--lessons learned, presented at the 2014 Geol. Soc. of America Annual Meeting, Blacksburg VA, 10-11 Apr. https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2014SE/webprogram/Paper237245.html

Sheets, R.A. Fulford, J., Cunningham, W.L., Dubuisson, J. (2016) Accuracy testing of new and in-use electric groundwater-level measurements tapes, presented at 2016 NGWA Groundwater Summit 2016, Denver CO, April 24-27, 2016 https://ngwa.confex.com/ngwa/2016gws/webprogram/Paper10958.html