Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Timothy D Straub

Tim Straub is a Supervisory Hydrologist with the USGS, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Nutrient and Sediment Interactions Section located in Urbana, Illinois. Tim is also the Program Manager of the Illinois River Basin Next Generation Water Observing Systems Program and Chief of the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project.

Professional Experience

  • 2021-Present: Program Manager - Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS): Illinois River
     - Manage project plans and budgets for next generation monitoring in the Illinois River Basin
     - Ensure implementation of state-of-the-art instrumentation and increased data coverage
    - Establish effective working relationships with other Integrated Water Science programs

  • 2019-Present: Supervisory Hydrologist - CMWSC, Nutrient and Sediment Interactions Section
     - Lead the Nutrient and Sediment Interactions Section with staff in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri
     - Work with others on the Center Leadership Team to ensure efficient and strategic operations
    - Oversee and help with program development and science products

  • 2017-Present: Chief, Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP)
    - Conduct and oversee research on sediment samplers and sediment surrogate technologies
     - Manage FISP budget, funding contributions, and procurement actions
     - Write FISP technical memorandum and reports for products of FISP-funded research projects
     -  Assist in providing USGS training cours

  • 2014-2018: Surface-Water and Sediment Specialist for the Water Science Center
    - Provide leadership and expertise to ensure reliable surface-water and sediment data collection, analysis, and modeling throughout the center.

  • 2008-2014: Sediment Specialist for the Water Science Center

  • 1995-2019: Hydrologist
    - Serve as a project manager or member to obtain, process, analyze, and model the following data types and processes: hydrologic, hydraulic, sediment, water quality, and geomorphic.
     - Maintain effective communication with cooperating and collaborating agencies to ensure project results are useful and timely.
    - Write and present findings of data and tech

  • 1994–1995: Student Trainee

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, 2007

  • M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois, 2000

  • B.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Illinois, 1995

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • Registered Professional Engineer in Illinois

  • 2022-Present: Member of the multiagency Sediment Acoustic Leadership Team

  • 2017-2019: Chairperson for the multiagency Sediment Acoustic Leadership Team

  • 2014-2015: USGS Co-representative for the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project

  • 2013-2015: Lead scientist of the USGS Midwest Region Sediment and Nutrient Investigations Initiative

  • 2012-2017: Member of the multiagency Sediment Acoustic Leadership Team

  • 2011-2013: Member of the USGS Midwest Region Sediment and Nutrient Investigations Initiative

  • 2008-2014: Sediment Specialist for the Water Science Center

  • 2008-2010: Member of the Subcommittee on Sedimentation workgroup on Dam Removal Analysis

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 33

State of the science and decision support for measuring suspended sediment with acoustic instrumentation

Acoustic instrumentation can be used to provide time-series and discrete estimates of suspended-sediment concentration, load, and sediment particle sizes in fluvial systems, which are essential for creating informed solutions to many sediment-related environmental, engineering, and land management concerns. Historically, scientists have developed relations between suspended sediment characteristic
Authors
Molly S. Wood, Joel T. Groten, Timothy D. Straub, Dan R.W. Haught, Ronald E. Griffiths, Justin A. Boldt, Zulimar Lucena, Jeb E. Brown, Steven E. Suttles, Patrick J. Dickhudt
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ecosystems Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Idaho Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Intake efficiency field results for Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project bag samplers

The Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) standardizes and advances sediment science among federal agencies. It is important to ensure that the FISP bag samplers perform isokinetically under all tested and approved conditions and collect samples that are representative of the stream or river cross-section. A measure of a sampler’s isokinetic behavior is its intake efficiency, which is d
Authors
Adam E. Manaster, Mark N. Landers, Timothy D. Straub
By
Water Resources Mission Area, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Central Midwest Water Science Center

Field evaluation of the Sequoia Scientific LISST-ABS acoustic backscatter sediment sensor

Sequoia Scientific’s LISST-ABS is a submersible acoustic instrument that measures the acoustic backscatter sensor (ABS) concentration at a point within a river, stream, or creek. Compared to traditional physical methods for measuring suspended-sediment concentration (SSC), sediment surrogates like the LISST-ABS offer continuous data that can be calibrated with physical SSC samples. Data were colle
Authors
Adam E. Manaster, Timothy D. Straub, Molly S. Wood, Joseph M. Bell, Daniel E. Dombroski, Christopher A. Curran
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Flood-inundation maps for the Little Calumet River from Lansing to South Holland, Illinois, 2020

Digital flood-inundation maps for about an 8-mile reach of the Little Calumet River, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science website at https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/flood-inundation-mapping-fim-pro
Authors
Andrew P. Dunn, Timothy D. Straub, Adam E. Manaster
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Measuring suspended sediment in sand-bedded rivers using down-looking acoustic doppler current profilers

The use of side-looking acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVMs) to estimate fluvial suspended-sediment concentrations (SSC) has become more operational by the U.S. Geological Survey in recent years; however, direct transfer of these techniques to down-looking acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) currently is not widely feasible. Key assumptions in the sidelooking ADVM method related to sedi
Authors
Molly S. Wood, Ricardo N. Szupiany, Justin A. Boldt, Timothy D. Straub, Marian M. Domanski
By
Water Resources Mission Area

Time-series sediment acoustics and LISST-ABS testing

Acoustics and other surrogates can be used to accurately and cost-effectively provide time-series estimates of suspended-sediment concentration and load, which is essential for creating informed solutions to many sediment-related environmental, engineering, and agricultural concerns. Interagency efforts in recent years have advanced the testing, methods development, operational guidelines, and tra
Authors
Timothy D. Straub, Molly S. Wood, Marian M. Domanski, Adam E. Manaster
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

FISP: What's new in samplers and sediment measurement technologies

The Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) is an example of effective interagency cooperation a cross-cutting science issue. The FISP was created in 1939 to research and standardize fluvial sediment science methods and instruments. That mission remains relevant today as research continues on emerging tools and technologies for measurement and analysis of sediment properties.
Authors
Timothy D. Straub
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

Strategic directions of the USGS water mission area’s fluvial sediment science program

The USGS Water Mission Area’s Sediment Science Program provides leadership, training, and methods development in fluvial sediment science for the USGS and its external partners. Overarching objectives of the USGS Sediment Science Program (which includes the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project) include: 1) developing and promoting innovative sediment monitoring techniques that result in cost
Authors
Molly S. Wood, Timothy D. Straub
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Idaho Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Flood-hazard analysis of four headwater streams draining the Argonne National Laboratory property, DuPage County, Illinois

Results of a flood-hazard analysis conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Argonne National Laboratory, for four headwater streams within the Argonne National Laboratory property indicate that the 1-percent and 0.2-percent annual exceedance probability floods would cause multiple roads to be overtopped. Results indicate that most of the effects on the infrastructure would
Authors
David T. Soong, Elizabeth A. Murphy, Timothy D. Straub, Hannah L. Zeeb
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Estimating suspended sediment using acoustics in a fine-grained riverine system, Kickapoo Creek at Bloomington, Illinois

Acoustic technologies have the potential to be used as a surrogate for measuring suspended-sediment concentration (SSC). This potential was examined in a fine-grained (97-100 percent fines) riverine system in central Illinois by way of installation of an acoustic instrument. Acoustic data were collected continuously over the span of 5.5 years. Acoustic parameters were regressed against SSC data to
Authors
Amanda D. Manaster, Marian M. Domanski, Timothy D. Straub, Justin A. Boldt
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Sediment acoustic index method for computing continuous suspended-sediment concentrations

Suspended-sediment characteristics can be computed using acoustic indices derived from acoustic Doppler velocity meter (ADVM) backscatter data. The sediment acoustic index method applied in these types of studies can be used to more accurately and cost-effectively provide time-series estimates of suspended-sediment concentration and load, which is essential for informed solutions to many sediment-
Authors
Mark N. Landers, Timothy D. Straub, Molly S. Wood, Marian M. Domanski
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program

Surrogate Analysis and Index Developer (SAID) tool

The use of acoustic and other parameters as surrogates for suspended-sediment concentrations (SSC) in rivers has been successful in multiple applications across the Nation. Tools to process and evaluate the data are critical to advancing the operational use of surrogates along with the subsequent development of regression models from which real-time sediment concentrations can be made available to
Authors
Marian M. Domanski, Timothy D. Straub, Mark N. Landers
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, Central Midwest Water Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Straub, T.D., and Bednar, R.J., 2002, Bias in Runoff Parameter Estimation Induced by Rainfall Data, Proceedings of the Second Federal Interagency Hydrologic Modeling Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada 7 p.
Straub, T.D., and Parmar, P.S., 1998, Comparison of rainfall records collected by different rain-gage networks, Proceedings of the First Federal Interagency Hydrologic Modeling Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, p. 7-25-7-32

**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.

link
The crew of the R/V Alaskan Gyre lowering a hydroacoustics instrument in to the water

Sound Sediment Science

A training course to augment USGS Course H-17-037, Acoustic Index Method for Estimating Fluvial Suspended Sediment and USGS Techniques and Methods Report 3C-5

link

Sound Sediment Science

A training course to augment USGS Course H-17-037, Acoustic Index Method for Estimating Fluvial Suspended Sediment and USGS Techniques and Methods Report 3C-5

Learn More
link
Sediment sampling and surrogates

Sediment Acoustics

The U.S. Geological Survey recognizes the need to provide sediment acoustic training and to develop standardized techniques and practices.
By
Water Resources Mission Area
link

Sediment Acoustics

The U.S. Geological Survey recognizes the need to provide sediment acoustic training and to develop standardized techniques and practices.
Learn More

Geospatial Datasets for the Flood-Inundation Study of Little Calumet River from Lansing to South Holland, Illinois, 2020

Digital flood-inundation maps for about an 8-mile reach of the Little Calumet River, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Program website at https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/flood-inundation-mapping-fim-pro
By
Central Midwest Water Science Center

The Surrogate Analysis and Index Developer (SAID) Tool

The Surrogate Analysis and Index Developer (SAID) tool is a stand-alone tool to assist in the creation of ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models by providing visual and quantitative diagnostics to the user. 

By
Water Resources Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area

Science and Products

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government