As a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Ryan has been working on developing geospatial tools for predicting water availability in streams, and building models for assessing water use associated with energy development.
Ryan's research interests include: 1) understanding how scale modifies the influence of physiography and climate on the hydrologic and geomorphic processes that drive spatial and temporal patterns of high and low flow in streams; 2) understanding how changes in climate and water use for food and energy could affect water availability in streams; 3) understanding how water resources management influences the distribution and abundance of aquatic and riparian species; and 4) understanding how alterations to the management of water supply from streams might help sustain aquatic animals and riparian plants while still maintaining human demands for water. For his dissertation research, Ryan has been studying how changes in climate might affect water availability and use in the upper Green River basin in Wyoming, and how modifying streamflow regulation could influence the distribution and abundance of native and non-native aquatic and riparian species.
For his master’s research in New Mexico, Ryan studied how invasive fishes affected native aquatic organisms in streams during drought. After college, Ryan worked as a fishery biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey Western Fisheries Research Center in Nevada, studying the effects of invasive species and hydrologic and geomorphic alteration on threatened and endangered aquatic species in the Basin and Range and Sierra Nevada.
Education and Certifications
PhD in ecology at Colorado State University (in progress)
MS in fisheries and wildlife science from New Mexico State University
BS in natural resources and environmental science from University of Michigan
Science and Products
The Implications of Stream Fragmentation for Climate Change Resilience of Northern Prairie Fishes
WLCI: Determining Streamflow Drivers in Wyoming Range Small Streams
Geospatial Research and Development to Understand Hydrologic Processes
Probability of Streamflow Permanence (PROSPER)
Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Science and Products
- Publications
- Science
The Implications of Stream Fragmentation for Climate Change Resilience of Northern Prairie Fishes
Dry stream sections are characteristic of most prairie streams. Native fish are highly adapted to variable environments, using refuge habitats (e.g., remaining wet stream fragments) to recolonize areas after seasonal drying. However, dams and other barriers can prevent recolonization of seasonally-dry stream sections habitats known to be critical spawning and rearing areas for many species. This pWLCI: Determining Streamflow Drivers in Wyoming Range Small Streams
Flow in small mountain and plains streams is dependent on many factors such as precipitation, groundwater inflow, topography, and geology.Geospatial Research and Development to Understand Hydrologic Processes
All natural phenomena have a spatial component. Remote sensing, GIS, and geostatistical methods can be used to evaluate the spatial components of hydrologic phenomena and understand characteristics, such as water quality, streamflow, and hydraulics.Probability of Streamflow Permanence (PROSPER)
PRObability of Streamflow PERmanence (PROSPER) Rivers and streams are constantly changing. Streamflows can change throughout the year and between years due to snowmelt, precipitation, diversions, and return flows. For many streams, these fluctuations determine whether a stream has year-round flow or not. PROSPER is a project initiated to better understand what causes these fluctuations in...Estimating National Water Use Associated with Continuous Oil and Gas Development
Project Period: 2016-ongoing Cooperator: U.S. Geological Survey Water Availability and Use Science Program Project Chiefs: Ryan McShane and Jeremy McDowell - Data
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