Tanja N. Williamson, PhD
Soil-water scientist experienced in natural and human-affected systems, including links with vegetation and landscape dynamics. Research interest spans landscape and water-resource effects of agriculture, mining, development, and climate change. Published research supported by OSMRE, USDA, NSF, USEPA, USGS, state agencies, and universities.
Recent and ongoing research includes:
- Hydrologic modeling of mixed land-use watersheds
- the importance of land-cover change to streamflow magnitude, variability, and seasonality
- developing decision-support systems that inform resource managers
- Incorporation of soil-physical data into hydrologic modeling
- Comparison of lab and field measurements to modeled soil properties
- Sensitivity of hydrologic models to changes in soil properties
- Simulation of hydrologic response from landscape reconstruction
- Temporal variability of soil-water storage and movement
- Agricultural resilience under projected climate change
- Delineation of ephemeral and intermittent streams in Appalachia
- Conservation management in agricultural landscapes
- Identifying sediment source
- Linking soil-water storage with the stream environment
- Extent and characteristics of tile-drains (sub-surface agricultural drainage)
Education
Ph.D. Soil and Water Science (Pedology), University of California, Riverside, 1999
M.S. Earth Science (Geomorphology), University of California, Riverside, 1995
B.S. Geoscience, The Pennsylvania State University, 1992 (includes PSU Field Camp)
Professional Experience
U.S. Geological Survey
- Research Hydrologist, Kentucky Water Science Center (2010 to present)
- Hydrologist, Kentucky Water Science Center (2006 to 2010)
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky (2016 to present)
Quinte Conservation, Belleville, ON, Canada (2006)
Loyalist College, Belleville, ON, Canada (2004-2005)
University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, Geosciences (1999-2004)
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 35
Chemical and physical data for sediment source tracking of streambed sediment in Black Creek, Indiana, tributary to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie, July 2019 Chemical and physical data for sediment source tracking of streambed sediment in Black Creek, Indiana, tributary to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie, July 2019
Data include total nitrogen and carbon, carbon species, total metal, and particle-size analyses of soft streambed from the Black Creek basin, Allen County, Indiana that was collected in July 2019. These data will be used in a sediment-source mixing model in order to attribute the proportional contribution of individual sources to suspended sediment in the basin. Source samples were...
Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources for Haw Creek, Indiana Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources for Haw Creek, Indiana
The Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources (WATER-KY; Williamson and others, 2009) provides the ability to simulate streamflow for ungaged basins. This model integrates TOPMODEL (Beven and Kirkby, 1979) for pervious portions of the landscape with simulation of flow generated from impervious surfaces (USDA, 1986). A restructured version of this decision support tool...
Machine learning with satellite imagery to document the historical transition from topographic to dense sub-surface agricultural drainage networks (tile drains) Machine learning with satellite imagery to document the historical transition from topographic to dense sub-surface agricultural drainage networks (tile drains)
Image library of (1) tile-drained landscapes and (2) tile-drain types that will be used for a machine-learning model workflow that identifies (1) tile-drained landscapes and (2) differentiates two types of tile-drained areas visible in satellite imagery. These images were sourced from WorldView and Quickbird satellite imagery (copyright DigitalGlobe) and cropped to features of interest...
Continuous meteorological and soil data to support understanding of nutrient and sediment loads from overland and subsurface-tile flow at paired edge-of-field agricultural sites, 2015–21, Black Creek watershed, near Harlan, Indiana, USA Continuous meteorological and soil data to support understanding of nutrient and sediment loads from overland and subsurface-tile flow at paired edge-of-field agricultural sites, 2015–21, Black Creek watershed, near Harlan, Indiana, USA
This data release includes meteorological and soil information collected from calendar years 2015 to 2021 (water years 2016 to 2021) that include air temperature, soil temperature, soil moisture and solar radiation monitored at a site in the Black Creek subwatershed near Harlan, Allen County, Indiana (USGS 411228084541703 MET STATION WEST OF BULL RAPIDS RD NR HARLAN, IN). Meteorological...
Meteorological data from edge-of-field sites in Michigan and Wisconsin, 2015-18 Meteorological data from edge-of-field sites in Michigan and Wisconsin, 2015-18
These data describe daily mean air temperature, soil temperature, soil-water (moisture) content, and solar radiation at two edge-of-field sites monitored as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. These data were used to catalog the general range of conditions at each site in order to provide context for when sub-surface agricultural drainage (tile drains) is visible in remote...
Extractable elements data for sediment-source fingerprinting in Black Creek, Indiana, tributary to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie Extractable elements data for sediment-source fingerprinting in Black Creek, Indiana, tributary to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie
This data release includes chemical data for samples from upland-source and streambank sampling sites in the Black Creek basin, Indiana. Data include concentrations for 20 elements, extracted by Mehlich-3 extraction. Source samples were collected in August and September 2017 and analyzed in 2019.
Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources for the Commonwealth of Kentucky updated for 2019 Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources for the Commonwealth of Kentucky updated for 2019
In 2009, the Kentucky Water Science Center completed the Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources (WATER-KY), which provided the ability to simulate streamflow for the period 1980-2000. This model integrated TOPMODEL (Beven and Kirkby, 1979) for pervious portions of the landscape with simulation of flow generated from impervious surfaces (USDA, 1986). Associated products...
Black Creek Rapid Geomorphic Assessment, Allen County, Indiana Black Creek Rapid Geomorphic Assessment, Allen County, Indiana
The Maumee River network contributes a significant amount of total phosphorus (P), including both sediment-bound P (sed-P) and dissolved reactive P (DRP, also known as orthophosphate). Most headwater streams of the Maumee River are predominantly agricultural in land use, interspersed with rural communities. Implementation of best management practices on agricultural operations has worked...
Low-altitude visible, multispectral, and thermal-infrared imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Michigan Flume 2 Low-altitude visible, multispectral, and thermal-infrared imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Michigan Flume 2
These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide...
Low-altitude visible and multispectral imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Ohio Surface Water 1 Low-altitude visible and multispectral imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Ohio Surface Water 1
These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide...
Low-altitude visible, multispectral, and thermal-infrared imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Wisconsin Bioreactor Low-altitude visible, multispectral, and thermal-infrared imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Wisconsin Bioreactor
These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide...
Low-altitude visible imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Indiana Surface Water 1 and 2 Low-altitude visible imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Indiana Surface Water 1 and 2
These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide...
Filter Total Items: 42
Four decades of regional wet deposition, local bulk deposition, and stream-water chemistry show the influence of nearby land use on forested streams in Central Appalachia☆ Four decades of regional wet deposition, local bulk deposition, and stream-water chemistry show the influence of nearby land use on forested streams in Central Appalachia☆
Hydrologic monitoring began on two headwater streams (
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Kenton Sena, Megan E. Shoda, Chris D. Barton
Watershed- and reach-scale drivers of phosphorus retention and release by streambed sediment in a western Lake Erie watershed during summer Watershed- and reach-scale drivers of phosphorus retention and release by streambed sediment in a western Lake Erie watershed during summer
Reducing phosphorus (P) concentrations in aquatic ecosystems, is necessary to improve water quality and reduce the occurrence of harmful cyanobacterial algal blooms. Managing P reduction requires information on the role rivers play in P transport from land to downstream water bodies, but we have a poor understanding of when and where river systems are P sources or sinks. During the...
Authors
Rebecca M. Kreiling, Patrik Mathis Perner, Kenna Jean Breckner, Tanja N. Williamson, Lynn A. Bartsch, James M. Hood, Nathan F. Manning, Laura T. Johnson
Phosphorus sources, forms, and abundance as a function of streamflow and field conditions in a Maumee River tributary, 2016-2019 Phosphorus sources, forms, and abundance as a function of streamflow and field conditions in a Maumee River tributary, 2016-2019
Total phosphorus (TP), dissolved P (DP), and suspended sediment (SS) were sampled in Black Creek, Indiana, monthly during base flow and for 100 storm events during water years 2016–2019, enabling analysis of how each of these varied as a function of streamflow and field conditions at nested edge-of-field sites. Particulate P was normalized for SS (PSS = [TP − DP]/SS). Streamflow events...
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Edward G. Dobrowolski, Rebecca M. Kreiling
Evaluating the influence of the Forestry Reclamation Approach on throughfall quantity in eastern Kentucky Evaluating the influence of the Forestry Reclamation Approach on throughfall quantity in eastern Kentucky
The Appalachian Region is a rich forested ecosystem that has been impacted by coal mining. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 was enacted to resolve many of the environmental problems caused by surface mining. Reclamation practices resulted in excessive soil compaction and use of nonnative grasses and shrubs that have altered hydrologic processes. The Forestry...
Authors
Morgan Gerlitz, Carmen T. Agouridis, Tanja N. Williamson, Chris D. Barton
Nutrient and suspended-sediment concentrations in the Maumee River and tributaries during 2019 rain-induced fallow conditions Nutrient and suspended-sediment concentrations in the Maumee River and tributaries during 2019 rain-induced fallow conditions
Above average precipitation from October 2018 through July 2019 in the Maumee River (R.) Basin resulted in 29% of cropland left fallow, providing a glimpse of potential effects from decreased nutrient application. Ongoing monitoring at 15 water-quality sites on the Maumee R. upstream from Defiance enabled comparison with 2017, which was hydrologically similar to 2019 in precipitation and
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Kimberly Shaffer, Donna L. Runkle, Matthew John Hardebeck, Edward G. Dobrowolski, Jeffrey W. Frey, Nancy T. Baker, Katie Marie Collier, Carrie A. Huitger, Stephanie P. Kula, Ralph J. Haefner, Lisa M Hartley, Hunter Frederick Crates, J. Jeremy Webber, Dennis P. Finnegan, Nicholas J. Reithel, Chad A. Toussant, Thomas L. Weaver
Workflow for using unmanned aircraft systems and traditional geospatial data to delineate agricultural drainage tiles at edge-of-field sites Workflow for using unmanned aircraft systems and traditional geospatial data to delineate agricultural drainage tiles at edge-of-field sites
Managing nutrient and sediment runoff from fields that drain to the Great Lakes is key to mitigating harmful algal blooms. Implementation of best management practices on agricultural land is considered a critical step to improving water quality in these streams, however the effect of these best management practices is difficult to quantify. The purpose of this study was to use a suite of...
Authors
J. Jeremy Webber, Tanja N. Williamson
The Robinson Forest environmental monitoring network: Long‐term evaluation of streamflow and precipitation quantity and stream‐water and bulk deposition chemistry in eastern Kentucky watersheds The Robinson Forest environmental monitoring network: Long‐term evaluation of streamflow and precipitation quantity and stream‐water and bulk deposition chemistry in eastern Kentucky watersheds
The University of Kentucky (U KY) has owned Robinson Forest (37.460723° N, 83.158598° W) since 1923, conducting experiments crucial to understanding the environmental effects of land management in the region. Part of the management of Robinson Forest has been collection of environmental data, including precipitation quantity, bulk‐deposition chemistry, streamflow, stream‐water chemistry...
Authors
Kenton Sena, Chris D. Barton, Tanja N. Williamson
Climate change impacts and strategies for adaptation for water resource management in Indiana Climate change impacts and strategies for adaptation for water resource management in Indiana
Changes to water resources are critical to all sectors of the economy. Climate change will affect the timing and quantity of water available in the environment as well as have an adverse effect on the quality of that water. Floods, droughts, and changing patterns of water scarcity—when water is not available in sufficient enough quantities or of a suitable quality at the right time to...
Authors
Keith A. Cherkauer, Laura Bowling, Kyuhyun Byun, Indrajeet Chaubey, Natalie Chin, Darren Ficklin, Alan Hamlet, Stephen Kines, Charlotte Lee, Ram Neupane, Garett Pignotti, Sanoar Rahman, Sarmistha Singh, Pandara Valappil-Femeena, Tanja N. Williamson
Monthly suspended-sediment apportionment for a western Lake Erie agricultural tributary Monthly suspended-sediment apportionment for a western Lake Erie agricultural tributary
Black Creek, a headwater to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie, is an agricultural basin with a mix of cropland (66%), pasture (19%), and forest (7%) linked by a road network to the rural community. Suspended sediment was collected monthly during the 2018 water year for the main stem and two sub-basins using in-situ, passive samplers that integrated a range of streamflow conditions...
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Edward G. Dobrowolski, Allen C. Gellis, Timur Sabitov, Lillian E. Gorman Sanisaca
Hydrologic modeling to examine the influence of the forestry reclamation approach and climate change on mineland hydrology Hydrologic modeling to examine the influence of the forestry reclamation approach and climate change on mineland hydrology
Forests in the Appalachian region of the U.S. are threatened by a variety of short- and long-term pressures, including climate change, invasive species, and resource extraction. Surface mining for coal is one of the most important drivers of land-use change in the region, reducing native forest cover, causing forest fragmentation, eliminating intact soil, and affecting water resources...
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Chris D. Barton
Overall results and key findings on the use of UAV visible-color, multispectral, and thermal infrared imagery to map agricultural drainage pipes Overall results and key findings on the use of UAV visible-color, multispectral, and thermal infrared imagery to map agricultural drainage pipes
Effective and efficient methods are needed to map agricultural subsurface drainage systems. Visible-color (VIS-C), multispectral (MS), and thermal infrared (TIR) imagery obtained by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may provide a means for determining drainage pipe locations. Aerial surveys using a UAV with VIS-C, MS, and TIR cameras were conducted at 29 agricultural field sites in the...
Authors
Barry J. Allred, Luis Martinez, Melake Fessehazion, Greg Rouse, Tanja N. Williamson, DeBonne Wishart, Triven Koganti, Robert Freeland, Neal Eash, Adam Batschelet, Robert Featheringill
Tracking phosphorus and sediment sources and transport from fields and channels in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative priority watersheds Tracking phosphorus and sediment sources and transport from fields and channels in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative priority watersheds
A multi-agency, integrated series of studies were initiated in 2017 under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, and the University of Minnesota to quantify the source, downstream travel time, and storage of particulate-bound phosphorus and sediment in agricultural tributaries to the Great Lakes. Of particular interest are...
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Diana L. Karwan, Randall K. Kolka, Edward G. Dobrowolski, James D. Blount, Ethan D. Pawlowski
Non-USGS Publications**
Regolith Water in Zero-Order Chaparral and Perennial Grass Watersheds Four Decades after Vegetation Conversion Tanja N. Williamson, Brent D. Newman, Robert C. Graham, and Peter J. Shouse Vadose Zone Journal 2004 3: 3: 1007-1016 doi:10.2136/vzj2004.1007
Effects of a chaparral-to-grass conversion on soil physical and hydrologic properties after four decades Tanja N. Williamson, Robert C. Graham, and Peter J. Shouse Geoderma 2004 123: 1-2: 99-114
Pedogenesis–Terrain Links in Zero-Order Watersheds after Chaparral to Grass Vegetation Conversion Tanja N. Williamson, Paul E. Gessler, Peter J. Shouse, and Robert C. Graham Soil Science Society of America Journal 2006 70: 6: 2065-2074 doi:10.2136/sssaj2003.0316
Identification of stolen rare palm trees by soil morphological and mineralogical properties Brad D. Lee, Tanja N. Williamson, and Robert C. Graham Journal of Forensic Science 2002 47: 190-194
Forensic soils: An integrative laboratory exercise for Introductory Soil Science Brad D. Lee, Tanja N. Williamson, Robert C. Graham, and Lanny J. Lund Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education 1998 27:110-112
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 35
Chemical and physical data for sediment source tracking of streambed sediment in Black Creek, Indiana, tributary to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie, July 2019 Chemical and physical data for sediment source tracking of streambed sediment in Black Creek, Indiana, tributary to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie, July 2019
Data include total nitrogen and carbon, carbon species, total metal, and particle-size analyses of soft streambed from the Black Creek basin, Allen County, Indiana that was collected in July 2019. These data will be used in a sediment-source mixing model in order to attribute the proportional contribution of individual sources to suspended sediment in the basin. Source samples were...
Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources for Haw Creek, Indiana Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources for Haw Creek, Indiana
The Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources (WATER-KY; Williamson and others, 2009) provides the ability to simulate streamflow for ungaged basins. This model integrates TOPMODEL (Beven and Kirkby, 1979) for pervious portions of the landscape with simulation of flow generated from impervious surfaces (USDA, 1986). A restructured version of this decision support tool...
Machine learning with satellite imagery to document the historical transition from topographic to dense sub-surface agricultural drainage networks (tile drains) Machine learning with satellite imagery to document the historical transition from topographic to dense sub-surface agricultural drainage networks (tile drains)
Image library of (1) tile-drained landscapes and (2) tile-drain types that will be used for a machine-learning model workflow that identifies (1) tile-drained landscapes and (2) differentiates two types of tile-drained areas visible in satellite imagery. These images were sourced from WorldView and Quickbird satellite imagery (copyright DigitalGlobe) and cropped to features of interest...
Continuous meteorological and soil data to support understanding of nutrient and sediment loads from overland and subsurface-tile flow at paired edge-of-field agricultural sites, 2015–21, Black Creek watershed, near Harlan, Indiana, USA Continuous meteorological and soil data to support understanding of nutrient and sediment loads from overland and subsurface-tile flow at paired edge-of-field agricultural sites, 2015–21, Black Creek watershed, near Harlan, Indiana, USA
This data release includes meteorological and soil information collected from calendar years 2015 to 2021 (water years 2016 to 2021) that include air temperature, soil temperature, soil moisture and solar radiation monitored at a site in the Black Creek subwatershed near Harlan, Allen County, Indiana (USGS 411228084541703 MET STATION WEST OF BULL RAPIDS RD NR HARLAN, IN). Meteorological...
Meteorological data from edge-of-field sites in Michigan and Wisconsin, 2015-18 Meteorological data from edge-of-field sites in Michigan and Wisconsin, 2015-18
These data describe daily mean air temperature, soil temperature, soil-water (moisture) content, and solar radiation at two edge-of-field sites monitored as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. These data were used to catalog the general range of conditions at each site in order to provide context for when sub-surface agricultural drainage (tile drains) is visible in remote...
Extractable elements data for sediment-source fingerprinting in Black Creek, Indiana, tributary to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie Extractable elements data for sediment-source fingerprinting in Black Creek, Indiana, tributary to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie
This data release includes chemical data for samples from upland-source and streambank sampling sites in the Black Creek basin, Indiana. Data include concentrations for 20 elements, extracted by Mehlich-3 extraction. Source samples were collected in August and September 2017 and analyzed in 2019.
Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources for the Commonwealth of Kentucky updated for 2019 Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources for the Commonwealth of Kentucky updated for 2019
In 2009, the Kentucky Water Science Center completed the Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources (WATER-KY), which provided the ability to simulate streamflow for the period 1980-2000. This model integrated TOPMODEL (Beven and Kirkby, 1979) for pervious portions of the landscape with simulation of flow generated from impervious surfaces (USDA, 1986). Associated products...
Black Creek Rapid Geomorphic Assessment, Allen County, Indiana Black Creek Rapid Geomorphic Assessment, Allen County, Indiana
The Maumee River network contributes a significant amount of total phosphorus (P), including both sediment-bound P (sed-P) and dissolved reactive P (DRP, also known as orthophosphate). Most headwater streams of the Maumee River are predominantly agricultural in land use, interspersed with rural communities. Implementation of best management practices on agricultural operations has worked...
Low-altitude visible, multispectral, and thermal-infrared imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Michigan Flume 2 Low-altitude visible, multispectral, and thermal-infrared imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Michigan Flume 2
These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide...
Low-altitude visible and multispectral imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Ohio Surface Water 1 Low-altitude visible and multispectral imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Ohio Surface Water 1
These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide...
Low-altitude visible, multispectral, and thermal-infrared imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Wisconsin Bioreactor Low-altitude visible, multispectral, and thermal-infrared imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Wisconsin Bioreactor
These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide...
Low-altitude visible imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Indiana Surface Water 1 and 2 Low-altitude visible imagery from edge-of-field monitoring sites for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Indiana Surface Water 1 and 2
These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide...
Filter Total Items: 42
Four decades of regional wet deposition, local bulk deposition, and stream-water chemistry show the influence of nearby land use on forested streams in Central Appalachia☆ Four decades of regional wet deposition, local bulk deposition, and stream-water chemistry show the influence of nearby land use on forested streams in Central Appalachia☆
Hydrologic monitoring began on two headwater streams (
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Kenton Sena, Megan E. Shoda, Chris D. Barton
Watershed- and reach-scale drivers of phosphorus retention and release by streambed sediment in a western Lake Erie watershed during summer Watershed- and reach-scale drivers of phosphorus retention and release by streambed sediment in a western Lake Erie watershed during summer
Reducing phosphorus (P) concentrations in aquatic ecosystems, is necessary to improve water quality and reduce the occurrence of harmful cyanobacterial algal blooms. Managing P reduction requires information on the role rivers play in P transport from land to downstream water bodies, but we have a poor understanding of when and where river systems are P sources or sinks. During the...
Authors
Rebecca M. Kreiling, Patrik Mathis Perner, Kenna Jean Breckner, Tanja N. Williamson, Lynn A. Bartsch, James M. Hood, Nathan F. Manning, Laura T. Johnson
Phosphorus sources, forms, and abundance as a function of streamflow and field conditions in a Maumee River tributary, 2016-2019 Phosphorus sources, forms, and abundance as a function of streamflow and field conditions in a Maumee River tributary, 2016-2019
Total phosphorus (TP), dissolved P (DP), and suspended sediment (SS) were sampled in Black Creek, Indiana, monthly during base flow and for 100 storm events during water years 2016–2019, enabling analysis of how each of these varied as a function of streamflow and field conditions at nested edge-of-field sites. Particulate P was normalized for SS (PSS = [TP − DP]/SS). Streamflow events...
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Edward G. Dobrowolski, Rebecca M. Kreiling
Evaluating the influence of the Forestry Reclamation Approach on throughfall quantity in eastern Kentucky Evaluating the influence of the Forestry Reclamation Approach on throughfall quantity in eastern Kentucky
The Appalachian Region is a rich forested ecosystem that has been impacted by coal mining. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 was enacted to resolve many of the environmental problems caused by surface mining. Reclamation practices resulted in excessive soil compaction and use of nonnative grasses and shrubs that have altered hydrologic processes. The Forestry...
Authors
Morgan Gerlitz, Carmen T. Agouridis, Tanja N. Williamson, Chris D. Barton
Nutrient and suspended-sediment concentrations in the Maumee River and tributaries during 2019 rain-induced fallow conditions Nutrient and suspended-sediment concentrations in the Maumee River and tributaries during 2019 rain-induced fallow conditions
Above average precipitation from October 2018 through July 2019 in the Maumee River (R.) Basin resulted in 29% of cropland left fallow, providing a glimpse of potential effects from decreased nutrient application. Ongoing monitoring at 15 water-quality sites on the Maumee R. upstream from Defiance enabled comparison with 2017, which was hydrologically similar to 2019 in precipitation and
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Kimberly Shaffer, Donna L. Runkle, Matthew John Hardebeck, Edward G. Dobrowolski, Jeffrey W. Frey, Nancy T. Baker, Katie Marie Collier, Carrie A. Huitger, Stephanie P. Kula, Ralph J. Haefner, Lisa M Hartley, Hunter Frederick Crates, J. Jeremy Webber, Dennis P. Finnegan, Nicholas J. Reithel, Chad A. Toussant, Thomas L. Weaver
Workflow for using unmanned aircraft systems and traditional geospatial data to delineate agricultural drainage tiles at edge-of-field sites Workflow for using unmanned aircraft systems and traditional geospatial data to delineate agricultural drainage tiles at edge-of-field sites
Managing nutrient and sediment runoff from fields that drain to the Great Lakes is key to mitigating harmful algal blooms. Implementation of best management practices on agricultural land is considered a critical step to improving water quality in these streams, however the effect of these best management practices is difficult to quantify. The purpose of this study was to use a suite of...
Authors
J. Jeremy Webber, Tanja N. Williamson
The Robinson Forest environmental monitoring network: Long‐term evaluation of streamflow and precipitation quantity and stream‐water and bulk deposition chemistry in eastern Kentucky watersheds The Robinson Forest environmental monitoring network: Long‐term evaluation of streamflow and precipitation quantity and stream‐water and bulk deposition chemistry in eastern Kentucky watersheds
The University of Kentucky (U KY) has owned Robinson Forest (37.460723° N, 83.158598° W) since 1923, conducting experiments crucial to understanding the environmental effects of land management in the region. Part of the management of Robinson Forest has been collection of environmental data, including precipitation quantity, bulk‐deposition chemistry, streamflow, stream‐water chemistry...
Authors
Kenton Sena, Chris D. Barton, Tanja N. Williamson
Climate change impacts and strategies for adaptation for water resource management in Indiana Climate change impacts and strategies for adaptation for water resource management in Indiana
Changes to water resources are critical to all sectors of the economy. Climate change will affect the timing and quantity of water available in the environment as well as have an adverse effect on the quality of that water. Floods, droughts, and changing patterns of water scarcity—when water is not available in sufficient enough quantities or of a suitable quality at the right time to...
Authors
Keith A. Cherkauer, Laura Bowling, Kyuhyun Byun, Indrajeet Chaubey, Natalie Chin, Darren Ficklin, Alan Hamlet, Stephen Kines, Charlotte Lee, Ram Neupane, Garett Pignotti, Sanoar Rahman, Sarmistha Singh, Pandara Valappil-Femeena, Tanja N. Williamson
Monthly suspended-sediment apportionment for a western Lake Erie agricultural tributary Monthly suspended-sediment apportionment for a western Lake Erie agricultural tributary
Black Creek, a headwater to the Maumee River and western Lake Erie, is an agricultural basin with a mix of cropland (66%), pasture (19%), and forest (7%) linked by a road network to the rural community. Suspended sediment was collected monthly during the 2018 water year for the main stem and two sub-basins using in-situ, passive samplers that integrated a range of streamflow conditions...
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Edward G. Dobrowolski, Allen C. Gellis, Timur Sabitov, Lillian E. Gorman Sanisaca
Hydrologic modeling to examine the influence of the forestry reclamation approach and climate change on mineland hydrology Hydrologic modeling to examine the influence of the forestry reclamation approach and climate change on mineland hydrology
Forests in the Appalachian region of the U.S. are threatened by a variety of short- and long-term pressures, including climate change, invasive species, and resource extraction. Surface mining for coal is one of the most important drivers of land-use change in the region, reducing native forest cover, causing forest fragmentation, eliminating intact soil, and affecting water resources...
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Chris D. Barton
Overall results and key findings on the use of UAV visible-color, multispectral, and thermal infrared imagery to map agricultural drainage pipes Overall results and key findings on the use of UAV visible-color, multispectral, and thermal infrared imagery to map agricultural drainage pipes
Effective and efficient methods are needed to map agricultural subsurface drainage systems. Visible-color (VIS-C), multispectral (MS), and thermal infrared (TIR) imagery obtained by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may provide a means for determining drainage pipe locations. Aerial surveys using a UAV with VIS-C, MS, and TIR cameras were conducted at 29 agricultural field sites in the...
Authors
Barry J. Allred, Luis Martinez, Melake Fessehazion, Greg Rouse, Tanja N. Williamson, DeBonne Wishart, Triven Koganti, Robert Freeland, Neal Eash, Adam Batschelet, Robert Featheringill
Tracking phosphorus and sediment sources and transport from fields and channels in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative priority watersheds Tracking phosphorus and sediment sources and transport from fields and channels in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative priority watersheds
A multi-agency, integrated series of studies were initiated in 2017 under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, and the University of Minnesota to quantify the source, downstream travel time, and storage of particulate-bound phosphorus and sediment in agricultural tributaries to the Great Lakes. Of particular interest are...
Authors
Tanja N. Williamson, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, Diana L. Karwan, Randall K. Kolka, Edward G. Dobrowolski, James D. Blount, Ethan D. Pawlowski
Non-USGS Publications**
Regolith Water in Zero-Order Chaparral and Perennial Grass Watersheds Four Decades after Vegetation Conversion Tanja N. Williamson, Brent D. Newman, Robert C. Graham, and Peter J. Shouse Vadose Zone Journal 2004 3: 3: 1007-1016 doi:10.2136/vzj2004.1007
Effects of a chaparral-to-grass conversion on soil physical and hydrologic properties after four decades Tanja N. Williamson, Robert C. Graham, and Peter J. Shouse Geoderma 2004 123: 1-2: 99-114
Pedogenesis–Terrain Links in Zero-Order Watersheds after Chaparral to Grass Vegetation Conversion Tanja N. Williamson, Paul E. Gessler, Peter J. Shouse, and Robert C. Graham Soil Science Society of America Journal 2006 70: 6: 2065-2074 doi:10.2136/sssaj2003.0316
Identification of stolen rare palm trees by soil morphological and mineralogical properties Brad D. Lee, Tanja N. Williamson, and Robert C. Graham Journal of Forensic Science 2002 47: 190-194
Forensic soils: An integrative laboratory exercise for Introductory Soil Science Brad D. Lee, Tanja N. Williamson, Robert C. Graham, and Lanny J. Lund Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education 1998 27:110-112
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.