Scott Ator
Scott Ator is a Hydrologist at the USGS MD-DE-DC Water Science Center.
I have been a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Baltimore, Maryland since 1994, including a Research Hydrologist from 2005 through 2010. My work has focused primarily on the design, implementation, and analysis and interpretation of results of water-quality and geochemical studies (including major-ion chemistry, nutrients, and pesticides) in streams and groundwater at multiple spatial
Professional Experience
Hydrologist at USGS MD-DE-DC Water Science Center, Catonsville, MD, 1994 to present day
Research Hydrologist at USGS MD-DE-DC Water Science Center, Catonsville, MD, 2005-2010
Education and Certifications
MS, Environmental Science and Policy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 2003
BS, Geology, summa cum laude, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 1994
Science and Products
Spatially referenced models of streamflow and nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended-sediment loads in streams of the northeastern United States
Application of SPARROW modeling to understanding contaminant fate and transport from uplands to streams
Understanding nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and implications for management and restoration: The Eastern Shore
The quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain surficial aquifer system, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, 1988-2009
Nitrate fate and transport through current and former depressional wetlands in an agricultural landscape, Choptank Watershed, Maryland, United States
Nutrient load summaries for major lakes and estuaries of the Eastern United States, 2002
A regional classification of the effectiveness of depressional wetlands at mitigating nitrogen transport to surface waters in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain
Estimating contributions of nitrate and herbicides from groundwater to headwater streams, northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, USA
Sources, fate, and transport of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Chesapeake Bay watershed: An empirical model
Contributions of Phosphorus from Groundwater to Streams in the Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge Physiographic Provinces, Eastern United States
Sources of suspended-sediment flux in streams of the chesapeake bay watershed: A regional application of the sparrow model
Pesticides in Ground Water of Central and Western Maryland
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 44
Spatially referenced models of streamflow and nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended-sediment loads in streams of the northeastern United States
SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models were developed to quantify and improve the understanding of the sources, fate, and transport of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment in the northeastern United States. Excessive nutrients and suspended sediment from upland watersheds and tributary streams have contributed to ecological and economic degradation of nortAuthorsScott W. AtorApplication of SPARROW modeling to understanding contaminant fate and transport from uplands to streams
Understanding spatial variability in contaminant fate and transport is critical to efficient regional water-quality restoration. An approach to capitalize on previously calibrated spatially referenced regression (SPARROW) models to improve the understanding of contaminant fate and transport was developed and applied to the case of nitrogen in the 166,000 km2 Chesapeake Bay watershed. A continuousAuthorsScott Ator, Ana María GarcíaUnderstanding nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and implications for management and restoration: The Eastern Shore
The Eastern Shore includes only a small part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, but contributes disproportionately large loads of the excess nitrogen and phosphorus that have contributed to ecological and economic degradation of the bay in recent decades. Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and a vital ecological and economic resource. The bay and its tributaries have been degAuthorsScott W. Ator, Judith M. DenverThe quality of our Nation's waters: water quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain surficial aquifer system, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia, 1988-2009
The surficial aquifer system of the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain is made up of unconfined aquifers that underlie most of the area. This aquifer system is a critical renewable source of drinking water and is the source of most flow to streams and of recharge to underlying confined aquifers. Millions of people rely on the surficial aquifer system for public and domestic water supply, in particulaAuthorsJudith M. Denver, Scott W. Ator, Jeffrey M. Fischer, Douglas C. Harned, Christopher Schubert, Zoltan SzaboNitrate fate and transport through current and former depressional wetlands in an agricultural landscape, Choptank Watershed, Maryland, United States
Understanding local groundwater hydrology and geochemistry is critical for evaluating the effectiveness of wetlands at mitigating agricultural impacts on surface waters. The effectiveness of depressional wetlands at mitigating nitrate (NO3) transport from fertilized row crops, through groundwater, to local streams was examined in the watershed of the upper Choptank River, a tributary of ChesapeakeAuthorsJ. M. Denver, S.W. Ator, M.W. Lang, T.R. Fisher, A.B. Gustafson, R. Fox, J.W. Clune, G.W. McCartyNutrient load summaries for major lakes and estuaries of the Eastern United States, 2002
Nutrient enrichment of lakes and estuaries across the Nation is widespread. Nutrient enrichment can stimulate excessive plant and algal growth and cause a number of undesirable effects that impair aquatic life and recreational activities and can also result in economic effects. Understanding the amount of nutrients entering lakes and estuaries, the physical characteristics affecting the nutrient pAuthorsMichelle C. Moorman, Anne B. Hoos, Suzanne B. Bricker, Richard B. Moore, Ana María García, Scott W. AtorA regional classification of the effectiveness of depressional wetlands at mitigating nitrogen transport to surface waters in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain
Nitrogen from nonpoint sources contributes to eutrophication, hypoxia, and related ecological degradation in Atlantic Coastal Plain streams and adjacent coastal estuaries such as Chesapeake Bay and Pamlico Sound. Although denitrification in depressional (non-riparian) wetlands common to the Coastal Plain can be a significant landscape sink for nitrogen, the effectiveness of individual wetlands atAuthorsScott W. Ator, Judith M. Denver, Andrew E. LaMotte, Andrew J. SekellickEstimating contributions of nitrate and herbicides from groundwater to headwater streams, northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, USA
Groundwater transport often complicates understanding of surface-water contamination. We estimated the regional flux of nitrate and selected herbicides from groundwater to nontidal headwater streams of the Atlantic Coastal Plain (New Jersey through North Carolina) based on late-winter or spring base-flow samples from 174 streams. Sampled streams were selected randomly, and flux estimates are basedAuthorsScott Ator, Judith M. DenverSources, fate, and transport of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Chesapeake Bay watershed: An empirical model
Spatially Referenced Regression on Watershed Attributes (SPARROW) was used to provide empirical estimates of the sources, fate, and transport of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and the mean annual TN and TP flux to the bay and in each of 80,579 nontidal tributary stream reaches. Restoration efforts in recent decades have been insufficient to meet estaAuthorsScott W. Ator, John W. Brakebill, Joel D. BlomquistContributions of Phosphorus from Groundwater to Streams in the Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge Physiographic Provinces, Eastern United States
Phosphorus from natural and human sources is likely to be discharged from groundwater to streams in certain geochemical environments. Water-quality data collected from 1991 through 2007 in paired networks of groundwater and streams in different hydrogeologic and land-use settings of the Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge Physiographic Provinces in the eastern United States were compiled anAuthorsJudith M. Denver, Charles A. Cravotta, Scott W. Ator, Bruce D. LindseySources of suspended-sediment flux in streams of the chesapeake bay watershed: A regional application of the sparrow model
We describe the sources and transport of fluvial suspended sediment in nontidal streams of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and vicinity. We applied SPAtially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes, which spatially correlates estimated mean annual flux of suspended sediment in nontidal streams with sources of suspended sediment and transport factors. According to our model, urban development gAuthorsJ. W. Brakebill, S.W. Ator, G. E. SchwarzPesticides in Ground Water of Central and Western Maryland
Selected pesticides and degradates (products of pesticide degradation) are detectable in ground water in many parts of central and western Maryland, although concentrations are generally less than 0.1 micrograms per liter. Ground-water samples collected recently (1994-2003) from 72 wells in areas of Maryland underlain by consolidated carbonate, crystalline, or siliciclastic aquifers (areas north aAuthorsScott W. Ator, Betzaida Reyes - News