Sheila Murphy
Sheila Murphy is a Research Hydrologist for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Sheila Murphy is a hydrologist who works on assessing and predicting how disturbances (such as wildfire and floods) affect water availability. In 2023 Sheila received a Superior Service Award from the Department of the Interior for making fundamental advancements in understanding the effects that wildfire can have on water supplies.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 60
Landslides and sediment budgets in four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico: Chapter F in Water quality and landscape processes of four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico Landslides and sediment budgets in four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico: Chapter F in Water quality and landscape processes of four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico
The low-latitude regions of the Earth are undergoing profound, rapid landscape change as forests are converted to agriculture to support growing population. Understanding the effects of these land-use changes requires analysis of watershed-scale geomorphic processes to better inform and manage this usually disorganized process. The investigation of hillslope erosion and the development...
Authors
Matthew C. Larsen
Effects of wildfire on source-water quality and aquatic ecosystems, Colorado Front Range Effects of wildfire on source-water quality and aquatic ecosystems, Colorado Front Range
Watershed erosion can dramatically increase after wildfire, but limited research has evaluated the corresponding influence on source-water quality. This study evaluated the effects of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire (Colorado Front Range, USA) on source-water quality and aquatic ecosystems using high- frequency sampling. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nutrient loads in stream water were...
Authors
Jeffrey H. Writer, R. Blaine McCleskey, Sheila F. Murphy
Effects of flow regime on stream turbidity and suspended solids after wildfire, Colorado Front Range Effects of flow regime on stream turbidity and suspended solids after wildfire, Colorado Front Range
Wildfires occur frequently in the Colorado Front Range and can alter the hydrological response of watersheds, yet little information exists on the impact of flow regime and storm events on post-wildfire water quality. The flow regime in the region is characterized by base-flow conditions during much of the year and increased runoff during spring snowmelt and summer convective storms. The...
Authors
Sheila F. Murphy, R. Blaine McCleskey, Jeffrey H. Writer
Water chemistry of surface waters affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, Colorado, 2010-2011 Water chemistry of surface waters affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, Colorado, 2010-2011
In September 2010, the Fourmile Canyon fire burned about 23 percent of the Fourmile Creek watershed in Boulder County, Colo. Water-quality sampling of Fourmile Creek began within a month after the wildfire to assess its effects on surface-water chemistry. Water samples were collected from five sites along Fourmile Creek (above, within, and below the burned area) monthly during base flow...
Authors
R. Blaine McCleskey, Jeffrey H. Writer, Sheila F. Murphy
Water quality and landscape processes of four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico Water quality and landscape processes of four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico
Humid tropical regions occupy about a quarter of Earth's land surface, yet they contribute a substantially higher fraction of the water, solutes, and sediment discharged to the world's oceans. Nearly half of Earth's population lives in the tropics, and development stresses can potentially harm soil resources, water quality, and water supply and in addition increase landslide and flood...
Authors
Sheila F. Murphy, Robert F. Stallard, Heather L. Contributions by Buss, William A. Gould, Matthew C. Larsen, Zhigang Liu, Sebastian Martinuzzi, Isabel K. Pares-Ramos, Arthur F. White, Xiaoming Zou
Wildfire effects on source-water quality--Lessons from Fourmile Canyon fire, Colorado, and implications for drinking-water treatment Wildfire effects on source-water quality--Lessons from Fourmile Canyon fire, Colorado, and implications for drinking-water treatment
Forested watersheds provide high-quality source water for many communities in the western United States. These watersheds are vulnerable to wildfires, and wildfire size, fire severity, and length of fire season have increased since the middle 1980s (Westerling and others, 2006). Burned watersheds are prone to increased flooding and erosion, which can impair water-supply reservoirs, water...
Authors
Jeffrey H. Writer, Sheila F. Murphy
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 60
Landslides and sediment budgets in four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico: Chapter F in Water quality and landscape processes of four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico Landslides and sediment budgets in four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico: Chapter F in Water quality and landscape processes of four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico
The low-latitude regions of the Earth are undergoing profound, rapid landscape change as forests are converted to agriculture to support growing population. Understanding the effects of these land-use changes requires analysis of watershed-scale geomorphic processes to better inform and manage this usually disorganized process. The investigation of hillslope erosion and the development...
Authors
Matthew C. Larsen
Effects of wildfire on source-water quality and aquatic ecosystems, Colorado Front Range Effects of wildfire on source-water quality and aquatic ecosystems, Colorado Front Range
Watershed erosion can dramatically increase after wildfire, but limited research has evaluated the corresponding influence on source-water quality. This study evaluated the effects of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire (Colorado Front Range, USA) on source-water quality and aquatic ecosystems using high- frequency sampling. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nutrient loads in stream water were...
Authors
Jeffrey H. Writer, R. Blaine McCleskey, Sheila F. Murphy
Effects of flow regime on stream turbidity and suspended solids after wildfire, Colorado Front Range Effects of flow regime on stream turbidity and suspended solids after wildfire, Colorado Front Range
Wildfires occur frequently in the Colorado Front Range and can alter the hydrological response of watersheds, yet little information exists on the impact of flow regime and storm events on post-wildfire water quality. The flow regime in the region is characterized by base-flow conditions during much of the year and increased runoff during spring snowmelt and summer convective storms. The...
Authors
Sheila F. Murphy, R. Blaine McCleskey, Jeffrey H. Writer
Water chemistry of surface waters affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, Colorado, 2010-2011 Water chemistry of surface waters affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, Colorado, 2010-2011
In September 2010, the Fourmile Canyon fire burned about 23 percent of the Fourmile Creek watershed in Boulder County, Colo. Water-quality sampling of Fourmile Creek began within a month after the wildfire to assess its effects on surface-water chemistry. Water samples were collected from five sites along Fourmile Creek (above, within, and below the burned area) monthly during base flow...
Authors
R. Blaine McCleskey, Jeffrey H. Writer, Sheila F. Murphy
Water quality and landscape processes of four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico Water quality and landscape processes of four watersheds in eastern Puerto Rico
Humid tropical regions occupy about a quarter of Earth's land surface, yet they contribute a substantially higher fraction of the water, solutes, and sediment discharged to the world's oceans. Nearly half of Earth's population lives in the tropics, and development stresses can potentially harm soil resources, water quality, and water supply and in addition increase landslide and flood...
Authors
Sheila F. Murphy, Robert F. Stallard, Heather L. Contributions by Buss, William A. Gould, Matthew C. Larsen, Zhigang Liu, Sebastian Martinuzzi, Isabel K. Pares-Ramos, Arthur F. White, Xiaoming Zou
Wildfire effects on source-water quality--Lessons from Fourmile Canyon fire, Colorado, and implications for drinking-water treatment Wildfire effects on source-water quality--Lessons from Fourmile Canyon fire, Colorado, and implications for drinking-water treatment
Forested watersheds provide high-quality source water for many communities in the western United States. These watersheds are vulnerable to wildfires, and wildfire size, fire severity, and length of fire season have increased since the middle 1980s (Westerling and others, 2006). Burned watersheds are prone to increased flooding and erosion, which can impair water-supply reservoirs, water...
Authors
Jeffrey H. Writer, Sheila F. Murphy