A drill rig in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
William L Cunningham
William (Bill) L. Cunningham is Director of the USGS Office of International Programs.
In this role, he serves as the principal advisor to the Director, senior leaders, and the Department of the Interior regarding a broad spectrum of international scientific cooperation and assistance in geologic, hydrologic, biological, and geographic research and scientific investigations.
Formerly, Bill was Director of the Earth System Processes Division (ESPD) of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area from 2017 to 2020. He oversaw 120 USGS scientists actively engaged in hydrologic process studies, research, and development across the Nation.
Bill served as the USGS Senior Science Advisor for Groundwater from 2012 to 2017, providing leadership across the USGS in the development of techniques for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of groundwater data.
Beginning in 2000, Bill served in the USGS Water Mission Area Office of Groundwater, first as Assistant Chief and then as Chief from 2012 until 2017. Through his tenure with the Office of Groundwater, Bill provided leadership in groundwater science inside and outside the USGS. The Office of Groundwater was responsible for developing tools and methods (including MODFLOW) for the USGS operational program, transferring technology to USGS groundwater data and investigative activities throughout the Nation, providing a system of quality controls to assure the technical excellence of groundwater field programs, and providing national direction and program coordination for USGS groundwater science. Bill also oversaw the USGS program for national assessments of groundwater availability in the principal aquifers of the United States.
Since 2007 Bill has served as Co-Chair of the federal Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI) Subcommittee on Ground Water. As part of this work, Bill has provided leadership on the development and implementation of a National Ground-Water Monitoring Network to aggregate groundwater data from local, State, and Federal organizations. Bill coordinates the USGS-hosted online portal for the National Ground-Water Monitoring Network, launched in 2009, as it continues to grow and include additional data providers. Since 2016 Bill has served as Chair, U.S. National Committee for the UNESCO International Hydrological Programme. He has been Director on the National Ground Water Association Scientists and Engineers Section Board (2014-2017), and a member of the Geological Society of America Hydrogeology Division Management Board (2016 to present).
Previously Bill served in a variety of positions within the USGS, first as a Hydrologic Field Assistant in the Ohio District in 1988, and later as Project Chief, Unit Leader, Groundwater Specialist, Investigations Section Chief, and acting Regional Groundwater Specialist, in three USGS offices.
Science and Products
U.S. National Committee for the International Hydrological Programme
International Water Resources Activities
Groundwater availability in the United States: the value of quantitative regional assessments
U.S. Geological Survey groundwater toolbox, a graphical and mapping interface for analysis of hydrologic data (version 1.0): user guide for estimation of base flow, runoff, and groundwater recharge from streamflow data
This report is a user guide for the streamflow-hydrograph analysis methods provided with version 1.0 of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Groundwater Toolbox computer program. These include six hydrograph-separation methods to determine the groundwater-discharge (base-flow) and surface-runoff components of streamflow—the Base-Flow Index (BFI; Standard and Modified), HYSEP (Fixed Interval, Sliding
Groundwater technical procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey
Ground-water availability in the United States
U.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Climate Response Network
Ground-water depletion across the nation
National Ground-Water Monitoring Network (NGWMN) Data Portal
The NGWMN Data Portal provides access to groundwater data from multiple, dispersed databases in a web-based mapping application. The Portal contains current and historical data including water levels, water quality, lithology, and well construction.
A drill rig in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
Fine-grained silica sand is mixed with chemicals and water before being pumped into rock formations to prevent the newly created artificial fractures from closing after hydraulic fracturing is completed.
Fine-grained silica sand is mixed with chemicals and water before being pumped into rock formations to prevent the newly created artificial fractures from closing after hydraulic fracturing is completed.
Well heads hooked up in preparation for a hydraulic fracturing operation at a drill pad in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
Well heads hooked up in preparation for a hydraulic fracturing operation at a drill pad in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
Unused and spent perforating gun used in oil and gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The pipe on the bottom left, shows holes created by the explosive charges mounted inside the pipe.
Unused and spent perforating gun used in oil and gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The pipe on the bottom left, shows holes created by the explosive charges mounted inside the pipe.
A water impoundment at a drill pad in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
A water impoundment at a drill pad in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
Equipment set up to pump water from a lake to an impoundment for hydraulic fracturing in the Fayetteville Shale of Arkansas.
Equipment set up to pump water from a lake to an impoundment for hydraulic fracturing in the Fayetteville Shale of Arkansas.
Frac sands used in unconventional oil and gas development.
Frac sands used in unconventional oil and gas development.
Science and Products
- Science
U.S. National Committee for the International Hydrological Programme
The Intergovernmental (formerly International) Hydrological Programme (IHP) is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) international scientific cooperative program in water research, water resources management, education, and capacity building.International Water Resources Activities
USGS water-related projects of international interest. - Publications
Groundwater availability in the United States: the value of quantitative regional assessments
The sustainability of water resources is under continued threat from the challenges associated with a growing population, competing demands, and a changing climate. Freshwater scarcity has become a fact in many areas. Much of the United States surface-water supplies are fully apportioned for use; thus, in some areas the only potential alternative freshwater source that can provide needed quantitieAuthorsKevin F. Dennehy, Thomas E. Reilly, William L. CunninghamU.S. Geological Survey groundwater toolbox, a graphical and mapping interface for analysis of hydrologic data (version 1.0): user guide for estimation of base flow, runoff, and groundwater recharge from streamflow data
This report is a user guide for the streamflow-hydrograph analysis methods provided with version 1.0 of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Groundwater Toolbox computer program. These include six hydrograph-separation methods to determine the groundwater-discharge (base-flow) and surface-runoff components of streamflow—the Base-Flow Index (BFI; Standard and Modified), HYSEP (Fixed Interval, Sliding
AuthorsPaul M. Barlow, William L. Cunningham, Tong Zhai, Mark GrayGroundwater technical procedures of the U.S. Geological Survey
A series of groundwater technical procedures documents (GWPDs) has been released by the U.S. Geological Survey, Water-Resources Discipline, for general use by the public. These technical procedures were written in response to the need for standardized technical procedures of many aspects of groundwater science, including site and measuring-point establishment, measurement of water levels, and measAuthorsWilliam L. Cunningham, Charles W. SchalkGround-water availability in the United States
Ground water is among the Nation's most important natural resources. It provides half our drinking water and is essential to the vitality of agriculture and industry, as well as to the health of rivers, wetlands, and estuaries throughout the country. Large-scale development of ground-water resources with accompanying declines in ground-water levels and other effects of pumping has led to concernsAuthorsThomas E. Reilly, Kevin F. Dennehy, William M. Alley, William L. CunninghamU.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Climate Response Network
The U.S. Geological Survey serves the Nation by providing reliable hydrologic information used by others to manage the Nation's water resources. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measures more than 20,000 wells each year for a variety of objectives as part of Federal programs and in cooperation with State and local agencies. Water-level data are collected using consistent data-collection and quAuthorsGround-water depletion across the nation
No abstract available.AuthorsJ. R. Bartolino, W. L. Cunningham - Web Tools
National Ground-Water Monitoring Network (NGWMN) Data Portal
The NGWMN Data Portal provides access to groundwater data from multiple, dispersed databases in a web-based mapping application. The Portal contains current and historical data including water levels, water quality, lithology, and well construction.
- Multimedia
Fayetteville Shale Drill Rig
A drill rig in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
A drill rig in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
Hydraulic Fracturing SandFine-grained silica sand is mixed with chemicals and water before being pumped into rock formations to prevent the newly created artificial fractures from closing after hydraulic fracturing is completed.
Fine-grained silica sand is mixed with chemicals and water before being pumped into rock formations to prevent the newly created artificial fractures from closing after hydraulic fracturing is completed.
Hydraulic Fracturing Well HeadsWell heads hooked up in preparation for a hydraulic fracturing operation at a drill pad in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
Well heads hooked up in preparation for a hydraulic fracturing operation at a drill pad in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
Perforating Gun for Hydraulic FracturingUnused and spent perforating gun used in oil and gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The pipe on the bottom left, shows holes created by the explosive charges mounted inside the pipe.
Unused and spent perforating gun used in oil and gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The pipe on the bottom left, shows holes created by the explosive charges mounted inside the pipe.
Natural Gas Development Water ImpoundmentA water impoundment at a drill pad in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
A water impoundment at a drill pad in the Fayetteville Shale gas play of Arkansas.
Withdrawing Water for Hydraulic FracturingEquipment set up to pump water from a lake to an impoundment for hydraulic fracturing in the Fayetteville Shale of Arkansas.
Equipment set up to pump water from a lake to an impoundment for hydraulic fracturing in the Fayetteville Shale of Arkansas.
Frac Sands in HandFrac sands used in unconventional oil and gas development.
Frac sands used in unconventional oil and gas development.
- News