William J Andrews, PhD
Bill Andrews is a Science Coordinator for the USGS Rocky Mountain Region. He has worked for the USGS since 1988. His previous positions in the USGS include Hydrologist, Webmaster, Water-Quality Specialist, Groundwater Specialist, Report Specialist, Section Chief, and Center Director.
Biography
Bill Andrews earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology (College of William and Mary), a Master of Science Degree in Geology (Northern Illinois University), and a Doctoral Degree in Environmental Science (University of Oklahoma). He has served in a wide range of technical and supervisory roles at USGS offices in Florida, Minnesota, and Oklahoma and has assisted in several headquarters projects. Bill has lead-authored or coauthored 40 USGS-series publications, 11 journal papers, 17 conference abstracts or proceedings papers, and has given numerous talks about hydrology, emerging contaminants, relations between land uses and water quality, climate change, and induced seismicity. He currently serves as a Science Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Region of the USGS, which involves reviewing and writing technical documents and publications, and reviewing center science programs.
Science and Products
Delaware River Basin
In Pennsylvania, the USGS's water-resources roots date back to the late 1800's, with the initiation of streamflow gaging on the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers and assessments of groundwater resources near Philadelphia. The USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center continues to provide scientific information about the water resources of the Delaware River Basin, in cooperation with regional and...
National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program
During the past 25 years, industry and government made large financial investments in pollution control that have resulted in better water quality across the Nation; however, many water-quality problems remain. To address the need for consistent and scientifically sound information for managing the Nation's water resources the U.S. Geological Survey began a full-scale ...
Building Partnerships to Assess Tribal Adaptation to Climate Change and Science Needs in the Southwest
Native Nations face unique challenges related to climate change. Native Americans have a deep connection to the natural environment within which their livelihoods, cultural identity, and spiritual practices are rooted. Changes to water flow and hydrology, landscapes, and ecosystems, in combination with socio-economic and other factors, amplify tribal vulnerabilities to climate change. In the...
Understanding the Nexus between Climate, Streamflow, Water Quality, and Ecology in the Arkansas-Red River Basin
Currently, maintaining appropriate flows to support biological integrity is difficult for larger riverine ecosystems. Climate change, through increased temperature, reduced rainfall, and increased rainfall intensity, is expected to reduce water availability and exacerbate the maintenance of ecological flows in the Arkansas-Red River basin. Understanding the nexus among climate change effects...
Education and Outreach Opportunities
Throughout the past and yet today, USGS topographic maps and data are designed for scientists and other governmental users, but they have value for a broad spectrum of users, including professionals such as resources managers and planners, and private citizens such as recreationists and students from elementary through graduate school completing school projects.
Report of the River Master of the Delaware River for the period December 1, 2010–November 30, 2011
A Decree of the Supreme Court of the United States, entered June 7, 1954, established the position of Delaware River Master within the U.S. Geological Survey. In addition, the Decree authorizes diversion of water from the Delaware River Basin and requires compensating releases from certain reservoirs, owned by New York City, to be made under the...
DiFrenna, Vincent J.; Andrews, William J.; Russell, Kendra L.; Norris, J. Michael; Mason,, Robert R.Summary of U.S. Geological Survey studies conducted in cooperation with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, central Oklahoma, 2011–14
The U.S. Geological Survey conducted hydrologic studies and published three U.S. Geological Survey scientific investigations reports in cooperation with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation from 2011 to 2014 to characterize the quality and quantity of water resources. The study areas of those reports consisted of approximately 960 square miles in parts...
Andrews, William J.; Becker, Carol J.; Ryter, Derek W.; Smith, S. JerrodClimate, water use, and land surface transformation in an irrigation intensive watershed - streamflow responses from 1950 through 2010
Climatic variability and land surface change have a wide range of effects on streamflow and are often difficult to separate. We analyzed long-term records of climate, land use and land cover, and re-constructed the water budget based on precipitation, groundwater levels, and water use from 1950 through 2010 in the Cimarron–Skeleton watershed...
Dale, Joseph; Zou, Chris B.; Andrews, William J.; Long, James M.; Liang, Ye; Qiao, LeiTribal engagement strategy of the South Central Climate Science Center, 2014
The South Central Climate Science Center was established by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2012 to increase understanding of climate change and coordinate an effective response to climate-change effects on Native American tribes and natural and cultural resources that the Department manages. The eight regional Climate Science Centers of...
Andrews, William J.; Taylor, April; Winton, Kimberly T.Description of landscape features, summary of existing hydrologic data, and identification of data gaps for the Osage Nation, northeastern Oklahoma, 1890-2012
The Osage Nation of northeastern Oklahoma, conterminous with Osage County, is characterized by gently rolling uplands and incised stream valleys that have downcut into underlying sedimentary rock units of Pennsylvanian through Permian age. Cattle ranching and petroleum and natural-gas extraction are the principal land uses in this rural area....
Andrews, William J.; Smith, S. JerrodPilot study of natural attenuation of arsenic in well water discharged to the Little River above Lake Thunderbird, Norman, Oklahoma, 2012
The City of Norman, Oklahoma, wanted to augment its water supplies to meet the needs of an increasing population. Among the city’s potential water sources are city wells that produce water that exceeds the 10 micrograms per liter primary drinking-water standard for arsenic. The City of Norman was interested in investigating low-cost means of using...
Andrews, William J.; Masoner, Jason R.; Rendon, Samuel H.; Smith, Kevin A.; Greer, James R.; Chatterton, Logan A.Hydrologic drought of water year 2011 compared to four major drought periods of the 20th century in Oklahoma
Water year 2011 (October 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011) was a year of hydrologic drought (based on streamflow) in Oklahoma and the second-driest year to date (based on precipitation) since 1925. Drought conditions worsened substantially in the summer, with the highest monthly average temperature record for all States being broken by Oklahoma...
Shivers, Molly J.; Andrews, William J.Analysis of environmental setting, surface-water and groundwater data, and data gaps for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area, Oklahoma, through 2011
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation Tribal Jurisdictional Area, consisting of approximately 960 square miles in parts of three counties in central Oklahoma, has an abundance of water resources, being underlain by three principal aquifers (alluvial/terrace, Central Oklahoma, and Vamoosa-Ada), bordered by two major rivers (North Canadian and Canadian),...
Andrews, William J.; Harich, Christopher R.; Smith, S. Jerrod; Lewis, Jason M.; Shivers, Molly J.; Seger, Christian H.; Becker, Carol J.Potential recovery of aluminum, titanium, lead, and zinc from tailings in the abandoned Picher mining district of Oklahoma
The abandoned Picher mining district in northeastern Oklahoma, part of the Tri-State mining district, was the largest source of sulfide ores of lead and zinc in the U.S.A. in the early twentieth century. After abandonment in the 1960s, numerous environmental problems caused by the abandoned mines and large tailings piles affected the district and...
Andrews, William J.; Gavilan Moreno, Carlos J.; Nairn, Robert W.Emerging contaminants at a closed and an operating landfill in Oklahoma
Landfills are the final depositories for a wide range of solid waste from both residential and commercial sources, and therefore have the potential to produce leachate containing many organic compounds found in consumer products such as pharmaceuticals, plasticizers, disinfectants, cleaning agents, fire retardants, flavorings, and preservatives,...
Andrews, William J.; Masoner, Jason R.; Cozzarelli, Isabelle M.Comparison of load estimation techniques and trend analysis for nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment in the Eucha-Spavinaw Basin, northwestern Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma, 2002-10
The City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, uses water from Lake Eucha and Spavinaw Lake in the Eucha-Spavinaw basin of northwestern Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma for public water supply. Increases in algal biomass, which cause taste and odor problems in drinking water produced from the lakes, may be attributable to increases in nitrogen and phosphorus...
Esralew, Rachel A.; Andrews, William J.; Allen, Monica L.; Becker, Carol J.Relations among land cover, streamflow, and water quality in the North Canadian River Basin near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: 1968-2009
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the city of Oklahoma City, has collected water-quality samples at the North Canadian River near Harrah, Oklahoma (the Harrah station), since 1968, and the North Canadian River at Britton Road at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (the Britton Road station), since 1988. The North Canadian municipal wastewater-...
Esralew, Rachel A.; Andrews, William J.; Smith, S. Jerrod