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Trevor P Needham, PhD

Dr. Needham is a Supervisory Hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center in Catonsville, MD.

Research Interests

· Fate and transport of pollutants in complex systems

· Challenges facing urban waters

· Monitoring and modeling factors effecting fecal indicating bacteria

· Chesapeake Bay toxic contaminants

Professional Experience

  • Supervisory Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey DC-MD-DE Water Science Center, June 2023 to present

  • Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey DC-MD-DE Water Science Center, November 2018 to May 2023

Education and Certifications

  • 2019. PhD, Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County.

  • 2011. MS, Environmental Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology.

  • 2011. Certification in Military Construction Management, Missouri University of Science and Technology.

  • 2006. BS, Chemistry, University of Scranton

Science and Products

Evaluation and review of best management practices for the reduction of polychlorinated biphenyls to the Chesapeake Bay

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) continue to impact the environment due to historic and ongoing anthropogenic sources (for example, industrial and agricultural), despite their ban. Contaminated stormwater has been identified as a vector for PCB transport to many estuaries impaired by PCBs. Management of these regulated discharges is typically achieved by best management practices (BMPs)...
Authors
Trevor P. Needham, Emily Majcher, Ellie Foss, Olivia Devereux
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities

Geology, hydrology, and groundwater contamination in the vicinity of Central Chemical facility, Hagerstown, Maryland

The soil and groundwater at the Central Chemical facility, Hagerstown, Maryland, are contaminated due to the blending and production of pesticides and fertilizers during much of the 20th century. Remedial investigations focus on two operable units (OU) consisting of the surface soils and waste disposal lagoon (OU-1) and the groundwater (OU-2). The contaminants of concern (COC) for...
Authors
Trevor P. Needham, Alex R. Fiore, Scott W. Ator, Jeff P. Raffensperger, Madison B. Smith, Nicole M. Bellmyer, Caitlyn M. Dugan, Carol J. Morel

Refining sources of polychlorinated biphenyls in the Back River watershed, Baltimore, Maryland, 2018–2020

Older urban landscapes present unique and complex stressors to urban streams and their habitats through the introduction of legacy and emerging toxic contaminants. Contaminant sources are often associated with various developed land uses such as older residential areas, active and former industrial sites, contaminated sites, and effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plant...
Authors
Emily Majcher, Upal Ghosh, Trevor P. Needham, Nathalie Lombard, Ellie Foss, Mandare Bokare, Sarahana Joshee, Louis Cheung, Jada Damond, Michelle Lorah
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities
link
White Heron in Marsh

Tracking Status and Trends in Seven Key Indicators of River and Stream Condition in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Identifying and tracking the status of, and trends in, stream health within the Chesapeake Bay watershed is essential to understanding the past, present, and future trajectory of the watershed’s resources and ecological condition. A team of USGS ecosystem scientists is meeting this need with an initiative to track the status of, and trends in, key indicators of the health of non-tidal freshwater...
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center
link

Tracking Status and Trends in Seven Key Indicators of River and Stream Condition in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Identifying and tracking the status of, and trends in, stream health within the Chesapeake Bay watershed is essential to understanding the past, present, and future trajectory of the watershed’s resources and ecological condition. A team of USGS ecosystem scientists is meeting this need with an initiative to track the status of, and trends in, key indicators of the health of non-tidal freshwater...
Learn More
link
Examining sediment core

Sediment-Associated Contaminants

Stream, river, and lake bed sediment are reservoirs for many contaminants. These contaminants include some “legacy” contaminants, like DDT, PCBs, and chlordane, and chemicals currently in use, like the insecticide bifenthrin and many flame retardants. Learn about techniques used to study sediment-associated contaminants and their importance to aquatic biota.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program
link

Sediment-Associated Contaminants

Stream, river, and lake bed sediment are reservoirs for many contaminants. These contaminants include some “legacy” contaminants, like DDT, PCBs, and chlordane, and chemicals currently in use, like the insecticide bifenthrin and many flame retardants. Learn about techniques used to study sediment-associated contaminants and their importance to aquatic biota.
Learn More
MD-DE-DC WSC Capabilities Sites

MD-DE-DC WSC Capabilities Sites

We’ve created a series of websites, thematically named to characterize our work as our “Capabilities”, working interdependently with a diverse array...

Read Article

Science and Products

Evaluation and review of best management practices for the reduction of polychlorinated biphenyls to the Chesapeake Bay

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) continue to impact the environment due to historic and ongoing anthropogenic sources (for example, industrial and agricultural), despite their ban. Contaminated stormwater has been identified as a vector for PCB transport to many estuaries impaired by PCBs. Management of these regulated discharges is typically achieved by best management practices (BMPs)...
Authors
Trevor P. Needham, Emily Majcher, Ellie Foss, Olivia Devereux
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities

Geology, hydrology, and groundwater contamination in the vicinity of Central Chemical facility, Hagerstown, Maryland

The soil and groundwater at the Central Chemical facility, Hagerstown, Maryland, are contaminated due to the blending and production of pesticides and fertilizers during much of the 20th century. Remedial investigations focus on two operable units (OU) consisting of the surface soils and waste disposal lagoon (OU-1) and the groundwater (OU-2). The contaminants of concern (COC) for...
Authors
Trevor P. Needham, Alex R. Fiore, Scott W. Ator, Jeff P. Raffensperger, Madison B. Smith, Nicole M. Bellmyer, Caitlyn M. Dugan, Carol J. Morel

Refining sources of polychlorinated biphenyls in the Back River watershed, Baltimore, Maryland, 2018–2020

Older urban landscapes present unique and complex stressors to urban streams and their habitats through the introduction of legacy and emerging toxic contaminants. Contaminant sources are often associated with various developed land uses such as older residential areas, active and former industrial sites, contaminated sites, and effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plant...
Authors
Emily Majcher, Upal Ghosh, Trevor P. Needham, Nathalie Lombard, Ellie Foss, Mandare Bokare, Sarahana Joshee, Louis Cheung, Jada Damond, Michelle Lorah
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities
link
White Heron in Marsh

Tracking Status and Trends in Seven Key Indicators of River and Stream Condition in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Identifying and tracking the status of, and trends in, stream health within the Chesapeake Bay watershed is essential to understanding the past, present, and future trajectory of the watershed’s resources and ecological condition. A team of USGS ecosystem scientists is meeting this need with an initiative to track the status of, and trends in, key indicators of the health of non-tidal freshwater...
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center
link

Tracking Status and Trends in Seven Key Indicators of River and Stream Condition in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Identifying and tracking the status of, and trends in, stream health within the Chesapeake Bay watershed is essential to understanding the past, present, and future trajectory of the watershed’s resources and ecological condition. A team of USGS ecosystem scientists is meeting this need with an initiative to track the status of, and trends in, key indicators of the health of non-tidal freshwater...
Learn More
link
Examining sediment core

Sediment-Associated Contaminants

Stream, river, and lake bed sediment are reservoirs for many contaminants. These contaminants include some “legacy” contaminants, like DDT, PCBs, and chlordane, and chemicals currently in use, like the insecticide bifenthrin and many flame retardants. Learn about techniques used to study sediment-associated contaminants and their importance to aquatic biota.
By
Water Resources Mission Area, National Water Quality Program
link

Sediment-Associated Contaminants

Stream, river, and lake bed sediment are reservoirs for many contaminants. These contaminants include some “legacy” contaminants, like DDT, PCBs, and chlordane, and chemicals currently in use, like the insecticide bifenthrin and many flame retardants. Learn about techniques used to study sediment-associated contaminants and their importance to aquatic biota.
Learn More
MD-DE-DC WSC Capabilities Sites

MD-DE-DC WSC Capabilities Sites

We’ve created a series of websites, thematically named to characterize our work as our “Capabilities”, working interdependently with a diverse array...

Read Article
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