Ryan Toohey is the Science Applications Coordinator at the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center (AK CASC), one of the nine regional centers that form the National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers network.
Ryan has worked for over 24 years in water resources specializing in interdisciplinary applications of hydrology, water quality, ecosystem services, stakeholder engagement and governance from the tropics to Alaska. Throughout those years, he has worked as a consultant, academic, tribal non-governmental organization staff, and now with the U.S. Geological Survey. Ryan received a joint Ph.D. in Environmental Science (Hydrology/Agroforestry) from the University of Idaho and the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Costa Rica. Ryan received his B.S. in Environmental Science (Water Quality/GIS) from Western Washington University. His current position with the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center (AK CASC), includes research that involves investigating environmental change, hydrological modeling, and community-based research that integrates Indigenous Knowledge, social, water and soils science. Over the past 10 years, Ryan has been using citizen science, community-based research, and hydrological methods to investigate how permafrost dynamics influence biogeochemical fluxes of small and large rivers within the Alaskan and Yukon Boreal forest. In addition to his position at the Alaska CASC, Ryan serves as an Affiliate Research Assistant Professor for the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he has mentored several graduate students. Ryan has consistently supported student internships while producing publications, community reports, and conference presentations with undergraduate and graduate student co-authors. Ryan has also demonstrated a commitment to improving workplace culture by serving as a Diversity Change Agent, Peer Support Worker, and part of the CASC Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council leadership. Ryan has received the USGS Balsey Award for Technology Transfer for his work with the Indigenous Observation Network.
Science and Products
Future of Aquatic Flows: Towards a National Synthesis of Streamflow Regimes Under a Changing Climate
In ecosystems characterized by flowing water, such as rivers and streams, the dynamics of how the water moves - how deep it is, how fast it flows, how often it floods - have direct effects on the health, diversity, and sustainability of underlying communities. Yet increasingly, climate extremes like droughts and floods are disrupting fragile stream ecosystems by specifically changing their interna
Future of Aquatic Flows: Impacts of Cryospheric Change on Aquatic Flows and Freshwater Habitat Quality for Fish and Communities
High latitude northern ecosystems are currently warming twice as fast as the global average. Over the last several decades, this has caused dramatic losses of frozen area in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. However, it is unclear how melting coastal mountain glaciers, thawing permafrost, and declines in snowpack will affect the quality of freshwater habitat for culturally and economically important salm
Webinar: Climate Adaptation Planning with Alaska-Based Adaptation Tools
View this webinar to learn how the Alaska CASC and partners are developing climate adaptation tools for Alaskan communities implementing climate adaptation strategies.
Nome Creek Experimental Watershed
The Nome Creek Experimental Watershed (NCEW) has been the site of multiple studies focused on understanding hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem changes related to permafrost thaw and fire in the boreal forest.
The Arctic in the Classroom: Study of Landscape Change in Remote Communities of Alaska: A K-12 Citizen Science Initiative toward Sustained Arctic Observations
Alaska’s land, water, plants, wildlife, and seasons are undergoing a great upheaval, and its people, especially the communities living in remote villages are directly and severely impacted by these widespread environmental changes. These changes are not only widespread but also often so rapid that we cannot possibly have enough scientists and professionals on the ground to detect and predict these...
Prioritizing Stream Temperature Data Collection to Meet Stakeholder Needs and Inform Regional Analyses
Changes in stream temperature can have significant impacts on water quality and the health and survival of aquatic fish and wildlife. Water managers, planners, and decision makers are in need of scientific data to help them prepare for and adapt to changes and conserve important resources. Scientists are tasked with ensuring that this data is produced in useful formats and is accessible to these s
Northwest Boreal Science and Management Research Tool
Throughout Alaska, land managers and rural communities are faced with developing climate adaptation strategies to prepare for changes in landscapes, ecosystems and terrestrial habitats and their associated resources and services. One of the greatest challenges for land use managers and stakeholders in Alaska is the discovery and accessibility of relevant scientific information and data. The effect
Community Observations on Climate Change: Arctic Village, Fort Yukon, and Venetie, Alaska
For the Upper Yukon area of interior Alaska, climate change has become a daily fact of life, causing a wide range of impacts to the environment, and in some cases to community health. In 2015 the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center organized a series of assessments to better understand the impacts of climate change being observed in this region,
Yukon River Basin Indigenous Observation Network
The hydrology of the Yukon River Basin has changed over the last several decades as evidenced by a variety of discharge, gravimetric, and geochemical analyses. The Indigenous Observation Network (ION), a community-based project, was initiated by the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and USGS. Capitalizing on existing USGS monitoring and research infrastructure and supplementing USGS col
Nome Creek Boreal, Fire and Permafrost Hydrology investigations
The Nome Creek Experimental Watershed (NCEW) has been the site of multiple studies focused on understanding hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem changes related to permafrost thaw and fire in the boreal forest. The boreal forest is the Earth’s largest terrestrial biome, and thus plays a major role in biogeochemical cycling, creation of habitat for wildlife, as well as wilderness and resources...
Science and Products
- Science
Future of Aquatic Flows: Towards a National Synthesis of Streamflow Regimes Under a Changing Climate
In ecosystems characterized by flowing water, such as rivers and streams, the dynamics of how the water moves - how deep it is, how fast it flows, how often it floods - have direct effects on the health, diversity, and sustainability of underlying communities. Yet increasingly, climate extremes like droughts and floods are disrupting fragile stream ecosystems by specifically changing their internaFuture of Aquatic Flows: Impacts of Cryospheric Change on Aquatic Flows and Freshwater Habitat Quality for Fish and Communities
High latitude northern ecosystems are currently warming twice as fast as the global average. Over the last several decades, this has caused dramatic losses of frozen area in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. However, it is unclear how melting coastal mountain glaciers, thawing permafrost, and declines in snowpack will affect the quality of freshwater habitat for culturally and economically important salmWebinar: Climate Adaptation Planning with Alaska-Based Adaptation Tools
View this webinar to learn how the Alaska CASC and partners are developing climate adaptation tools for Alaskan communities implementing climate adaptation strategies.Nome Creek Experimental Watershed
The Nome Creek Experimental Watershed (NCEW) has been the site of multiple studies focused on understanding hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem changes related to permafrost thaw and fire in the boreal forest.The Arctic in the Classroom: Study of Landscape Change in Remote Communities of Alaska: A K-12 Citizen Science Initiative toward Sustained Arctic Observations
Alaska’s land, water, plants, wildlife, and seasons are undergoing a great upheaval, and its people, especially the communities living in remote villages are directly and severely impacted by these widespread environmental changes. These changes are not only widespread but also often so rapid that we cannot possibly have enough scientists and professionals on the ground to detect and predict these...Prioritizing Stream Temperature Data Collection to Meet Stakeholder Needs and Inform Regional Analyses
Changes in stream temperature can have significant impacts on water quality and the health and survival of aquatic fish and wildlife. Water managers, planners, and decision makers are in need of scientific data to help them prepare for and adapt to changes and conserve important resources. Scientists are tasked with ensuring that this data is produced in useful formats and is accessible to these sNorthwest Boreal Science and Management Research Tool
Throughout Alaska, land managers and rural communities are faced with developing climate adaptation strategies to prepare for changes in landscapes, ecosystems and terrestrial habitats and their associated resources and services. One of the greatest challenges for land use managers and stakeholders in Alaska is the discovery and accessibility of relevant scientific information and data. The effectCommunity Observations on Climate Change: Arctic Village, Fort Yukon, and Venetie, Alaska
For the Upper Yukon area of interior Alaska, climate change has become a daily fact of life, causing a wide range of impacts to the environment, and in some cases to community health. In 2015 the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center organized a series of assessments to better understand the impacts of climate change being observed in this region,Yukon River Basin Indigenous Observation Network
The hydrology of the Yukon River Basin has changed over the last several decades as evidenced by a variety of discharge, gravimetric, and geochemical analyses. The Indigenous Observation Network (ION), a community-based project, was initiated by the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council and USGS. Capitalizing on existing USGS monitoring and research infrastructure and supplementing USGS colNome Creek Boreal, Fire and Permafrost Hydrology investigations
The Nome Creek Experimental Watershed (NCEW) has been the site of multiple studies focused on understanding hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem changes related to permafrost thaw and fire in the boreal forest. The boreal forest is the Earth’s largest terrestrial biome, and thus plays a major role in biogeochemical cycling, creation of habitat for wildlife, as well as wilderness and resources... - Multimedia
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