Seth Siefken
Seth Siefken is a civil engineer based in Helena, Montana.
Seth has been working with USGS since fall 2018, where his projects have included flood frequency analysis, water quality monitoring, writing software, and data collection in the field. He is the surface water specialist for the Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center and is the maintainer of the PeakFQ software program (see Webtools to access).
Science and Products
Developing CE-QUAL-W2 Models of the Kootenai River and Koocanusa Reservoir, Montana and Idaho
The construction and operation of Libby Dam, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) project located in northwestern Montana, has altered the natural hydrograph, thermal regime, sediment transport, and nutrient loadings on the Kootenai River. Dam operation impacts riverine ecosystem function and many fish species, including the federally endangered Kootenai River White Sturgeon and federally...
Building a framework to compute continuous grids of basin characteristics for the conterminous United States
The proposed work will create a seamless pilot dataset of continuous basin characteristics (for example upstream average precipitation, elevation, or dominant land cover type) for the conterminous United States. Basin characteristic data are necessary for training or parameterizing statistical, machine learning, and physical models, and for making predictions across the landscape...
Peak-Flow Frequency Analysis for Selected Montana Streamgages
Peak-flow frequency information is needed for flood-plain mapping, design of highway infrastructure, and many other purposes across Montana. The USGS Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center has an ongoing project working to update peak-flow frequency estimates at USGS streamgages across the state.
Regional Regression Equations Based on Channel-Width Characteristics to Estimate Peak-Flow Frequencies at Ungaged Sites in Montana Using Data through Water Year 2011
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) relies on data about the frequency of high-water flow (such as the "100-year flood") to design highway infrastructure, secure permits for building in floodplains, and restore streams. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the MDT are working together to develop formulas that can estimate how often rivers and streams experience peak flows. These...
StreamStats in Montana and Wyoming
StreamStats is a digital, map-based tool designed to provide information about streamflow and the upstream watershed of any selected point on a stream. The tool can assist in water resources planning and management and support engineering and design projects. StreamStats is available in both Montana and Wyoming.
Science and Products
Developing CE-QUAL-W2 Models of the Kootenai River and Koocanusa Reservoir, Montana and Idaho
The construction and operation of Libby Dam, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) project located in northwestern Montana, has altered the natural hydrograph, thermal regime, sediment transport, and nutrient loadings on the Kootenai River. Dam operation impacts riverine ecosystem function and many fish species, including the federally endangered Kootenai River White Sturgeon and federally...
Building a framework to compute continuous grids of basin characteristics for the conterminous United States
The proposed work will create a seamless pilot dataset of continuous basin characteristics (for example upstream average precipitation, elevation, or dominant land cover type) for the conterminous United States. Basin characteristic data are necessary for training or parameterizing statistical, machine learning, and physical models, and for making predictions across the landscape...
Peak-Flow Frequency Analysis for Selected Montana Streamgages
Peak-flow frequency information is needed for flood-plain mapping, design of highway infrastructure, and many other purposes across Montana. The USGS Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center has an ongoing project working to update peak-flow frequency estimates at USGS streamgages across the state.
Regional Regression Equations Based on Channel-Width Characteristics to Estimate Peak-Flow Frequencies at Ungaged Sites in Montana Using Data through Water Year 2011
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) relies on data about the frequency of high-water flow (such as the "100-year flood") to design highway infrastructure, secure permits for building in floodplains, and restore streams. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the MDT are working together to develop formulas that can estimate how often rivers and streams experience peak flows. These...
StreamStats in Montana and Wyoming
StreamStats is a digital, map-based tool designed to provide information about streamflow and the upstream watershed of any selected point on a stream. The tool can assist in water resources planning and management and support engineering and design projects. StreamStats is available in both Montana and Wyoming.