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Monday, July 15
 

8:00am CDT

Campbell Scientific Datalogger Training (Beginner)
This training class will introduce new users to Campbell Scientific dataloggers using hands on equipment. It will demonstrate how to use PC400, Device Configuration, and LoggerLINK (smartphone app) to communicate with CRBASIC dataloggers (CR1000, CR1000X, CR300, CR310, CR350 and CR6) using USB, serial, WIFI and cellular modem. It will demonstrate how to download and upload datalogger programs, how to use programs to turn on and off modems, cameras, pumps, etc., how to talk to SDI sensors and how to add a new SDI sensor to an existing datalogger program.
Speakers
avatar for Dave Owens

Dave Owens

UMid WSC - Madison WI
Dave Owens represents the Upper Midwest (UMid) Water Science Center in Madison, WI where he has worked as a hydro tech, project chief, lead IT specialist, operations manager and Innovation specialist for the last 34 years. He has extensive experience with Campbell Scientific dataloggers... Read More →

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 9:45am CDT
Midway 10
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

In/Over the Water Training
This training is a safety requirement for anyone working in/over/near water. It covers basic swimming techniques, proper PPE (including the proper use and types of PFDs), cold water information, as well as safety policies when working near water. All employees working in/over/near water are also required to take a refresher of this course every 5 years.

In order to properly conduct the course, a room for presenting the material is required and a pool or open water area will be needed for the practical portion of the training. The presentation will take 1.5-2 hours to present and the in-the-water practical portion will take anywhere from 2-3 hours (maybe more) depending on the number of participants.
Speakers
avatar for Zachary Holcomb

Zachary Holcomb

Hydrology Technician, USGS-KSWSC

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 11:50am CDT
Midway 9
  SAFETY, COURSE

8:00am CDT

Groundwater Data Processing
This training is intended to go over the data processing of basic discrete and time-series groundwater data. Content will include a mix of presentations, demos, and discussions.
Speakers
DM
LG

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS
Lance Gruhn is a Hydrologist stationed in Iowa City, Iowa and is the groundwater technical and field support lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branck of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Lance coordinates the Groundwater Data Processing class and the Groundwater Field Techniques... Read More →

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Midway 6
  GROUNDWATER, COURSE

8:00am CDT

Train-the-Trainer Short Course
This workshop is a compact version of a previously offered series designed to serve USGS employees aimed at improving training effectiveness in their centers and offices. Participants will learn best practices in adult learning and apply them to training scenarios in their individual work environments. There will be an opportunity for large and smaller group conversations to process the materials and to encourage collaborating and sharing resources.
Speakers
avatar for Grant Walters

Grant Walters

Senior Learning & Development Advisor (Contractor) - Water Workforce Development & Training, United States Geological Survey/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Midway 8
  LEADERSHIP, COURSE

8:00am CDT

Continuous Water-Quality: Best practices for Calibrations and Field Procedures
Calibrations, Field Procedures and Demos, Oh My! Are you interested in best practices for Continuous Water Quality? This course will go over fundamentals of continuous water-quality calibrations and field procedures and include on-site demos and exercises. Students should bring a laptop.
Speakers
avatar for Taylor Camper

Taylor Camper

Hydrologic Technician, USGS: VA-WV WSC
I have been with the Survey since 2017, based in the Virginia-West Virginia WSC. During my career, I have worked in the Watershed Studies section primarily focused on continuous and discrete water-quality work. In 2021, I was selected to be my team's field coordinator, ensuring projects... Read More →
avatar for Ernie McCoy

Ernie McCoy

Hydrologic Technician, USGS-Dakota WSC
Hydrotech at the Grand Forks field office in North Dakota. I started as a student the summer of 09, graduated from UND with a bachelors degree in Environmental Geoscience. I stream gage, collect discrete samples and run continuous monitors collecting the big five.
KS

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS
Kimberly Shaffer has a degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey for the past 26 years. As a hydrologist, she has collected and published streamflow, water-quality, and water-use data. In 2021, Kim became the Continuous... Read More →

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Midway 5
  WATER QUALITY, COURSE

8:00am CDT

Writing Format Statements for Decoding Time-Series Data (Break at Noon for Lunch 1 Hr))
Become proficient with format statements used in DECAP! We will cover skip, check, scan, dates, times, format labels, data types, delimiters and more! The pace will be for beginners, but content will also serve as a comprehensive overview and refresher for those with experience as well.
Speakers
avatar for Laura Flight

Laura Flight

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS
ShortLaura began her USGS career in 1995 as a summer student and was hired full-time in 1997 as a Hydrologic Technician running surface water and groundwater field trips and computing records. Over time she started doing LDM duties, teaching courses, and testing NWIS applications... Read More →
avatar for Amarys Acosta

Amarys Acosta

Hydrologic Technician, USGS
Amarys started her career in 2008 as a Hydrologic Technician in Ft. Lauderdale, FL with the USGS Florida Water Science Center (now Caribbean Florida Water Science Center). Her work involved construction, programming, monitoring, calibrating, and maintenance of remote tidal index-velocity... Read More →

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 3:00pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS), COURSE

8:00am CDT

Procedures for Running Station Levels & Hands-On Training
This training is in two parts: a morning classroom session and an afternoon hands-on session. The classroom portion will cover policy and procedures for running station levels found within the Techniques and Methods 3-A19 Levels at Gaging Stations as well as proper documentation within SVMobileAQ and SLAP. The hands-on session will include students using the digital instrument, reading the rod optically, running a short circuit to completion, and the proper way to level in reference and auxiliary gages; this portion will be outdoors or indoors depending upon weather conditions so plan accordingly. Students will need to bring their computers and have SVMobileAQ loaded onto them.
Speakers
CH

Crystal Hammer

Supervisory Hydrologic Technician/Field Office Chief (Columbus, OH), U.S. Geological Survey

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 4:00pm CDT
Midway 7
  GNSS/SURVEYING, COURSE

8:00am CDT

Rise Above (Imagery and Remote Sensing Training Track)
 In this full-day training track, students will gain knowledge and basic concepts about the available tools and techniques leveraging imagery and remote sensing for hydrometry applications. Students will be exposed to image and Doppler radar velocimetry techniques, camera hardware, and software configuration concepts. Additionally, students will learn where to find satellite data that can help them plan field work and improve their ground-based measurements.  

  • 8:00am-9:45am: Introduction to Image Velocimetry Methods 
  • 9:45am-11:15am: USGS introduction to the Toolbox for River Velocimetry Using Images from Aircraft (TRiVIA)
  • 11:30am-1:00pm: Doppler Velocity Radars, Drones, and the Probability Concept Method
  • 1:00pm-2:00pm: Lunch Break
  • 2:00pm-3:30pm: Camera-Based Monitoring Hardware and Software Basics
  • 3:30pm-5:00pm: No-Cost, open-source satellite data viewing and access

Speakers
avatar for Frank Engel

Frank Engel

Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey
Me in a Sentence: Geographer and researcher passionate about developing new tools, technology, and apps using remote sensing to solve real-world problems.A bit more about me:I joined the Illinois WSC Data Section in 2012 while pursuing my Ph.D. in Geography and Civil Engineering... Read More →
avatar for John Fulton

John Fulton

Research Hydrologist
MG
MN
avatar for Russ Lotspeich

Russ Lotspeich

Hydrologist, USGS VA-WV WSC
Robert (Russ) Lotspeich is a Hydrologist in the Hydrologic Networks Branch of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Russ' interests are in developing new and innovative technologies and methods to aide in data collection activities across the Water Enterprise. As the Research to... Read More →
avatar for Dave Owens

Dave Owens

UMid WSC - Madison WI
Dave Owens represents the Upper Midwest (UMid) Water Science Center in Madison, WI where he has worked as a hydro tech, project chief, lead IT specialist, operations manager and Innovation specialist for the last 34 years. He has extensive experience with Campbell Scientific dataloggers... Read More →
CL

Carl Legleiter

Research Hydrologist, USGS
JJ
CV
MH
PK

Paul Kinzel

Hydrologist, USGS

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 5:00pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, COURSE

8:00am CDT

Data Chief and Field Office Chief Meeting
Data Chiefs and Field Office Chiefs have an opportunity to meet on Monday (July 15) to discuss any and all issues facing our Hydrologic Networks staff. During the all-day meeting, we'll hear from the WMA, staff of the HNB, and other colleagues who lead efforts in FPS, training, CRP/AAA, and QA/QC. As important, an open forum will be provided to discuss the varied challenges (budgets; hiring; employee performance, advancement, and engagement) we all face in our Centers.
Speakers
GJ

Monday July 15, 2024 8:00am - 5:00pm CDT
Regency Ballroom C
  LEADERSHIP, LISTENING SESSION

10:00am CDT

Campbell Scientific Datalogger Training (Intermediate)
This training course will introduce attendees to more advanced Campbell Scientific topics such as PPP, MQTT push ingestion, and camera snapshot capture. The following advanced datalogger programs will be presented: Serial communication with Channel Master and Sontek Acoustic Doppler Meters (ADMs), Edge of Field automatic water quality sampling, and Capturing YSI sonde serial data to reduce noise.
Speakers
avatar for Dave Owens

Dave Owens

UMid WSC - Madison WI
Dave Owens represents the Upper Midwest (UMid) Water Science Center in Madison, WI where he has worked as a hydro tech, project chief, lead IT specialist, operations manager and Innovation specialist for the last 34 years. He has extensive experience with Campbell Scientific dataloggers... Read More →

Monday July 15, 2024 10:00am - 11:45am CDT
Midway 10
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

In/Over the Water Training
This training is a safety requirement for anyone working in/over/near water. It covers basic swimming techniques, proper PPE (including the proper use and types of PFDs), cold water information, as well as safety policies when working near water. All employees working in/over/near water are also required to take a refresher of this course every 5 years.

In order to properly conduct the course, a room for presenting the material is required and a pool or open water area will be needed for the practical portion of the training. The presentation will take 1.5-2 hours to present and the in-the-water practical portion will take anywhere from 2-3 hours (maybe more) depending on the number of participants.
Monday July 15, 2024 1:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 9
  SAFETY, COURSE

1:00pm CDT

LDM Open Forum
Open forum to discuss LDM Issues
Speakers
avatar for Sonya Vasquez and Automated Records group members
CP
avatar for Heather Jeppesen

Heather Jeppesen

Local Data Manager, USGS - Pacific Islands WSC

Monday July 15, 2024 1:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Grand Ballroom C
  DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS), LISTENING SESSION

1:00pm CDT

Index Velocity Rating: Crash Course in Rating Development
This workshop will discuss the three commonly used index velocity rating types, multi-cell selection, and the overall development process. During the workshop, students will use RIVRS to explore data and generate velocity rating curves for multiple datasets. Time at the end of the session will be reserved to discuss student submitted data.
Speakers
avatar for Travis Knight

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB

Monday July 15, 2024 1:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Midway 8
  HYDROACOUSTICS, COURSE

1:00pm CDT

Sediment Acoustics Workshop
During this sediment acoustics workshop we'll be unveiling the Surrogate Analysis and Index Developer (SAID) 2.0 software, we'll also work though the development of a sediment acoustic surrogate model, how to implement the model for computation in Aquarius, and how to publish the model using the Model Archive Summary. The workshop will also include exercises in processing ADCP files though the Sediment Transect Acoustics (STA) software for computation of SSC from ADCP transects and generation of Cross-Section 2-D concentration plots.
Speakers
CB
PD

Paul Diaz

Hydrologist, USGS
JB

Monday July 15, 2024 1:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Midway 11
  SEDIMENT, COURSE

1:00pm CDT

Continuous Water-Quality Records Refresher
The USGS maintains a large network of real-time continuous water-quality instruments to assess conditions in surface and groundwater. Throughout the country, there are over 2,500 sites where the big 5 parameters (temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity) are monitored. These continuous water-quality data are available to the public (WaterQualityWatch, National Water Information System, and USGS National Water Dashboard). USGS data are known for the high quality and accuracy, which means that staff must apply data corrections consistently. Staff often need instruction on records corrections, computation, and processing using AQUARIUS Time Series (TS). This refresher presents concepts and procedures for record computation outlined in Techniques and Methods Report Book 1, Section D3 titled "Guidelines and Standard Procedures of Continuous Water-Quality Monitors Station Operation, Record Computation and Data Reporting." Staff that are involved in the collection and processing of continuous water-quality monitoring data and interested in better understanding continuous water-quality monitoring records computation are encouraged to attend. This is not intended to replace QW2298, but to offer staff an opportunity to get hands-on training and assistance in water-quality records. Staff should bring questions!
Speakers
KS

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS
Kimberly Shaffer has a degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey for the past 26 years. As a hydrologist, she has collected and published streamflow, water-quality, and water-use data. In 2021, Kim became the Continuous... Read More →

Monday July 15, 2024 1:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
Midway 5
  WATER QUALITY, COURSE
 
Tuesday, July 16
 

8:00am CDT

Opening Plenary
Opening Plenary
Tuesday July 16, 2024 8:00am - 11:30am CDT
Grand Ballroom F+E+D
  PLENARY

1:00pm CDT

Analytics Across the Gages - How your hard-earned records get used (2024 Reboot!)
USGS is the largest provider of water information in the world, with over 8,600 active streamgages and more than 28,000 groundwater levels sites across the United States and outlying territories. 1,500 dedicated hydrologic technicians make these data possible. Just how many people see and access USGS water data? In this talk, we’ll explore 2024 analytics across USGS monitoring locations and through time, to uncover patterns, usage insights, and the most popular gages.
Speakers
avatar for Shawna Gregory

Shawna Gregory

Water Data for the Nation Product Owner
Shawna Gregory is a Product Owner for Water Data for the Nation, the primary access point for real-time and historical USGS water data and information. In this role, Shawna is leading a user-centered design approach to web-based delivery applications as the USGS is modernizing water... Read More →
avatar for Emily Read

Emily Read

Web Communications Branch Chief
Emily is the Chief of the Web Communications Branch for USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Emily's background is in environmental engineering and science. Interested in data, technology, organizational change, user experience, customer experience, data visualization, FAIR data, and... Read More →
CN
JZ

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom C
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

An Update on the Next Generation Water Observing System
The Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) program is designed to enhance water observations in basins representative of major hydrologic regions of the U.S. to better support water availability assessments, management, and prediction. NGWOS will do so by providing high-resolution, real-time data on water quantity, quality, and use, as well as advance the development and application of new sensor technologies and remote sensing methods. This presentation will provide an update on the planning and implementation of monitoring in the NGWOS basins including basin selection, monitoring implementation, and research and development priorities.
Speakers
BP

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:20pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  LEADERSHIP, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

Evaluation of Alternative Coatings for USGS Water-Quality Samplers
Each year, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) personnel collect approximately 52,000 water-quality samples from rivers and streams across the United States. Several samplers are employed by the USGS for water-quality sample collection in riverine environments. These samplers are coated with Plasti Dip® to protect the exterior of the sampler; however, Plasti Dip® is susceptible to fraying and wear, requiring maintenance. Alternative coatings were tested to determine if a different coating is better suited for the samplers. The alternative coatings included DuraCoat®, Raptor, and powder coating; a fifth option was bare metal. Samplers with different coatings were evaluated based on initial coating application, equipment-blank samples, a controlled-destruction test, blank-sample collection with worn samplers, maintenance and re-coating of samplers, and field-use and degradation tracking. The powder-coated sampler proved to be the top performer in each aspect of the study.
Speakers
AT

Alyssa Thornton

Supervisory Hydrologic Technician, U.S. Geological Survey

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

The 411 on Continuous Water-Quality (CWQ): Find out the latest on CWQ efforts, resources, and updates
The USGS Continuous Water-Quality community maintains a large network of real-time instruments. Throughout the country, the USGS is collecting over 6,000 continuous water-quality datasets at over 2,500 sites and measuring more than 8 water-quality parameters (temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, nitrate, chlorophyll, and Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter (fDOM)). Discover what CWQ resources are available for staff, who to contact with questions or suggestions, and what efforts are in progress. This is the 411 on Continuous Water Quality.
Speakers
KS

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS
Kimberly Shaffer has a degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey for the past 26 years. As a hydrologist, she has collected and published streamflow, water-quality, and water-use data. In 2021, Kim became the Continuous... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

Life after your USGS Career
Speakers
RS

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom B

1:00pm CDT

Developing and Contributing to AQS+ DSET applications and packages
The Discrete Samples Extensibility Tools (DSET) were developed to help USGS AQUARIUS Samples users with various data needs beyond the AQS user interface. The DSET suite of R-packages and Shiny web applications, such the Batch Data Loader (BDL), Water Quality Review (WQR), and the packages that support them, were designed to incorporate future development from the user community. In the past, WSCs have developed local tools that complimented their review process in WQ-Review; however, these scripts, modules, and tools were not widely distributed to the greater user community. With the release of AQS and DSET, we encourage those developers who have great ideas for enhancing DSET to build upon the tools and incorporate those enhancements through a process that results in wider release to the user community. This course will cover the basic structure of the DSET code repositories and a workflow for developing and submitting enhancements.
Speakers
avatar for Colin Penn

Colin Penn

Hydrologist, USGS New England WSC - CT office

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 6
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

Best Practices, Traverse Selection, and Quality Levels for Trigonometric-Leveling Applications in the USGS―with specific reference to Indirects.
Historically, an engineer’s transit was considered the most effective way to determine the geometry of a channel, bridge, or culvert because data collection was simple, rapid, and accurate (Benson and Dalrymple, 1967). After flooding, transits were also used to collect positional data of important features such as high-water marks that correspond to peak flood stage and cross sections of a stream channel along a reach. A “transit-stadia” survey method was used to simultaneously collect horizontal and vertical positioning data. With the advent of modern land-surveying equipment, total station instruments have become the standard for rapid and accurate three-dimensional positioning using terrestrial-based surveying methods.
Common field techniques to obtain quality results include averaging zenith angles and slope distances observed in direct and reverse instrument orientation (F1 and F2, respectively), multiple sets of reciprocal observations, quality meteorological observations to correct for the effects of atmospheric refraction, and electronic distance measurements that generally do not exceed 500 feet. In general, third-order specifications are required for differences between F1 and F2 zenith angles and slope distances; differences between redundant instrument-height measurements; section misclosure determined from reciprocal observations; and closure error for closed traverse. For F1 observations such as backsight check and check shots, the construction-grade specification is required for elevation differences between known and observed values.
Two types of closed traverse surveys have been identified as reliable methods to establish and perpetuate vertical control: the single-run loop traverse and double-run spur traverse. Leveling measurements for a double-run spur traverse are made in the forward direction from the origin to the destination and are then retraced along the same leveling route in the backward direction, from the destination to the origin. Every control point in a double-run spur traverse is occupied twice. Leveling measurements for a single-run loop traverse are made in the forward direction from the origin point to the destination, and then from the destination to the origin point, along a different leveling route. The only point that is redundantly occupied for the single-run loop traverse is the origin. An open traverse method is also considered an acceptable approach to establish and perpetuate vertical control if the foresight prism height is changed between measurement sets to ensure at least two independent observations.
Specifications that were developed by the National Geodetic Survey for geodetic leveling have been adapted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the purpose of developing standards for trigonometric leveling, which are identified as USGS Trigonometric Level I (TL I), USGS Trigonometric Level II (TL II), USGS Trigonometric Level III (TL III), and USGS Trigonometric Level IV (TL IV). TL I, TL II, and TL III surveys have a combination of first, second, and third geodetic leveling specifications that have been modified for plane leveling. The TL III category also has specifications that are adapted from construction-grade standards, which are not recognized by the National Geodetic Survey for geodetic leveling. A TL IV survey represents a leveling approach that does not generally meet criteria of a TL I, TL II, or TL III survey.
Speakers
MN

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 11
  GNSS/SURVEYING, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

Measurements of Groundwater flow velocity and direction: Project investigations and long term monitoring station deployment
Groundwater flow meters that measure horizontal groundwater flow direction and velocity have been used in several different investigations by the USGS across the nation. Historically, flowmeters were used to measure groundwater flow related to contaminant plumes (TCE, PFAS, etc.) to assist in remedial actions or site characterizations in in relation to aquifer tests to determine the area of influence from groundwater production. Recently, as part of the NGWOS Illinois Basin Study, groundwater flowmeters have been deployed at real-time continuously recording stations at two field sites to help quantify groundwater and surface water interactions between streams and the surrounding agricultural setting. This presentation will include an overview of the available technologies, proper deployment and use, case studies and best management practices.
Speakers
avatar for David Lampe

David Lampe

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS OKI WSC
Dave Lampe is the Associate Director of Science for the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana WSC and has been a hydrologist and within the hydrologic investigations section since 2003.
LG

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS
Lance Gruhn is a Hydrologist stationed in Iowa City, Iowa and is the groundwater technical and field support lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branck of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Lance coordinates the Groundwater Data Processing class and the Groundwater Field Techniques... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 1+2
  GROUNDWATER, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

What Makes the Mechanical Meter QA Program Click
This session will provide an overview of the Mechanical Meter QA Program, as well as the Water Science Centers’ participation in the program. Topics will include navigating the OneStop Website and managing your equipment using Query Portal tools. Additionally, the calibration procedure used by the hydraulics lab team at the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility will be presented, including the criteria used to evaluate the meters. The calibration sheets provided for each meter will be explained to facilitate understanding of what the results mean and how to use them. Quality Assurance program results from recent years will also be presented.
Speakers
CW

Christopher Wilson

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS
Recently, I have become the section chief for the Hydraulics and Water Quality section at the HIF, overseeing the QA programs for ADCPs, ADVs, mechanical meters, and groundwater tapes, as well as the preparation and calibration of the water quality probes and sondes. Before joining... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 5
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

ADCP best practices: a quick review
A quick review of equipment selection, cross section location, ideal measurements conditions and overall best QM practices.
Speakers
HB

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 9
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

QRev Extrapolation
When performing ADCP discharge measurements, data is extrapolated to compute estimates for discharge above and below the measured data. QRev automates the computation of each possible extrapolation model and suggests the best model. QRev also offers additional settings such as discharge weighted median and custom sub-sectioning. This talk explains the various extrapolation methods and discusses the extrapolation settings available within QRev.
Speakers
avatar for Travis Knight

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom C
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

Introduction the Image Velocimetry (IVy) Framework, a Windows Sofware Application for Processing Streamflow with Videos
This presentation will demonstrate the new Image Velocimetry (IVy) Framework software application. The IVy Framework is a Windows application aimed at field scientists that enables the processing of videos into streamflow measurements. This presentation will demonstrate the IVy Framework concepts and method implementation, using real-world examples. We will discuss the generalized workflow for producing Image Velocimetry streamflow measurements with IVy. Finally, we will discuss upcoming training and development plans to make IVy the most helpful tool for hydrotechs and their everyday workflows.
Speakers
avatar for Frank Engel

Frank Engel

Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey
Me in a Sentence: Geographer and researcher passionate about developing new tools, technology, and apps using remote sensing to solve real-world problems.A bit more about me:I joined the Illinois WSC Data Section in 2012 while pursuing my Ph.D. in Geography and Civil Engineering... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 8
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

Alternative Approaches to USGS Event Monitoring
In addition to USGS products such as the USGS Water Watch and the National Water Dashboard, the presenters will provide an update on other “Event Monitoring” resources such as the Flood Event Viewer, Flood Inundation Mapper, Hydrologic Imagery Visualization and Information System and the Real-time Flood Impact Map.

During large, short-term events, the USGS collects streamflow and additional data (including storm tide, wave height, high-water marks, and additional data) to aid in documenting flood events. The USGS Flood Event Viewer provides convenient, map-based access to downloadable event-based data. In 2022, the USGS Flood Event Viewer is available for the following events: During the 2022 Hurricane Season, the Flood Event Viewer is available for several notable flood events such July Kentucky Flood, September Alaska Extratropical Cyclone, and Hurricane Ian.

USGS Flood Inundation Maps, along with Internet information regarding current stage from the USGS streamgage, provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood-response activities, such as evacuations and road closures, as well as for post-flood recovery efforts. The Flood Inundation Mapper allows users to explore the full set of inundation maps that shows where flooding would occur given a selected stream condition. Users can also access historical flood information and potential loss estimates based on the severity of the flood. The FIM Mapper helps communities visualize potential flood scenarios, identify areas and resources that may be at risk, and enhance their local response effort during a flooding event.

Many USGS water-resource monitoring sites have webcams installed to allow remote visibility of current water and environmental conditions, identify technical issues, verify remote measurements, and gather data for visual analyses. The Hydrologic Imagery Visualization and Information System (HIVIS) provides access to still-frame images and timelapse videos from our active webcams. Many sites also pair recent still-frame images to an interactive hydrograph.

USGS Real-time Flood Impact map displays “Flood Impact Locations” where the USGS has measured the height of critical safety or infrastructure features that may be vulnerable to flood impacts. Some examples of Flood Impact Locations include stream and river embankments; roads and bridges; pedestrian paths; buildings; and more. Flood Impact Locations are surveyed and associated with a nearby USGS real-time streamgage. When the streamgage water level (gage height) exceeds the Flood Impact Location’s surveyed height, its icon will display on the map, showing that this location may be currently flooded. When the user clicks on the icon, a pop-up will display the current gage height and the Flood Impact Location height, so that the user can compare how close that location is to the current water level. Some Flood Impact Locations may be measured below the level of actual flooding to provide an early warning that flooding may be imminent. Although the mapper is not a flood warning system, it can be used to convey immediate flood risks by showing the locations where flooding may be currently or soon occurring. The USGS has over 10,000 streamgages nationwide in the continental U.S. and U.S. territories. Please note that flood impacts have not been collected at all USGS streamgages. Additional Flood Impact Locations will continue to be added. If you would like to add Flood Impact Locations at or near existing USGS streamgages in your Water Science Center, please refer to Alternative Way of Delivering USGS Streamgage Data (Ver 6).pdf or contact Julia Prokopec, Lauren Privette, or Athena Clark.
Speakers
avatar for Athena Clark

Athena Clark

Coastal Storm Team Leader, SER Science Advisor & Tribal Liaison, USGS
Athena Clark is currently serving as the USGS Coastal Storm Team Leader, Southeast Region Science Advisor and Tribal Liaison. Prior to her current role, Athena also served as the USGS Alabama Water Science Center Director and USGS Lower Mississippi Gulf Deputy Director.Athena has... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 7
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

Developing a New Unified Field Data Collection Application
Do you use SVMAQ/SVMobileAQ, Superfly, QRev, RIVRS, or SedFF to collect surface water, groundwater, water quality, or meteorological data? Do you manage field crews that use these applications? Are you a Local Data Manager that configures these applications for field users? If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, please come to this listening session with your likes, gripes, and ideas.
Speakers
avatar for Laura Flight

Laura Flight

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS
ShortLaura began her USGS career in 1995 as a summer student and was hired full-time in 1997 as a Hydrologic Technician running surface water and groundwater field trips and computing records. Over time she started doing LDM duties, teaching courses, and testing NWIS applications... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Grand Ballroom F+E+D
  COMPUTER TOOLS, LISTENING SESSION

1:00pm CDT

Rating Review Toolbox (RRT) Demo and Q&A
The Rating Review Toolbox (RRT) is expected to fully replace the Rating Development Toolbox within the AQUARIUS Time-Series software around the time of the workshop. Basic functionality and common tripping points will be demonstrated followed by a questions and answers session where presenter and attendees can share available knowledge.
Speakers
avatar for Wade Walker

Wade Walker

USGS AQ-TS Product Owner, USGS
Current USGS AQUARIUS Time-Series product owner who represents the USGS stake in the software and helps enable new USGS work within it. Spent 20 years as a Hydrologic Technician in Pueblo, CO, doing just about all types of data collection we have and developing grassroots software... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

Joint HNB-OQA Listening Session on Field Support Needs
Staff from the Hydrologic Networks Branch (HNB) and Office of Quality Assurance (OQA) will present their respective roles and expertise in field support and let attendees describe their support needs, ask questions, etc. This is an open house style event, where attendees can come and go. In HNB, participants include staff in the HNB Field Support and Research to Operations Team. In OQA, participants include the Technical Quality Assurance Advisors.
Speakers
JE

Jeffery East

SW Specialist, USGS
TK
avatar for Michelle Sneed

Michelle Sneed

Technical Quality Assurance Advisor for Groundwater Science, Office of Quality Assurance
avatar for Timothy Straub

Timothy Straub

Tim Straub has worked half-time as Chief of the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) since 2017. Since December 2022, the other half of his time has been spent as the Team Lead for the Field Support and Research Team within the Observing Systems Division of WMA. Before... Read More →
MW

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 10
  LEADERSHIP, LISTENING SESSION

1:30pm CDT

NGWOS Soil Moisture Sensing in the Delaware River Basin
As part of NGWOS efforts in the Delaware River Basin, a soil moisture sensing testbed was developed at a continuous records observation well, DE 723. Both proximal and in-situ sensors were installed utilizing both novel and traditional technologies. Likely the precursor to a soil moisture sensing techniques and methods (T&M), practices are being developed for calibration, installation, verification, and analysis. Over 100 time-series are being maintained and reviewed using AQ Time-Series. Beyond soil moisture content other time-series include meteorological parameters (i.e. solar flux, precipitation, wind speed, etc), cosmic ray neutron counts, and soil temperature. Discrete measurements used for verifying in-situ and proximal soil moisture sensors are also being made and include soil core grab samples, downhole nuclear magnetic resonance logs, and handheld soil moisture "check measurements". These efforts are advancing the USGS's ability to quantify water being stored in the soil zone, while also characterizing an underrepresented phase of the water cycle. Future work regarding computation of infiltration and recharge rates, prediction of streamflow responses, and quantification of drought conditions will all benefit from long-term soil moisture records established by the USGS.
Speakers
avatar for Patrick Anzman

Patrick Anzman

USGS PAWSC
avatar for Mitchell Weaver

Mitchell Weaver

Hydrologist, PAWSC

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:30pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  GROUNDWATER, ANALYSIS

1:30pm CDT

Ask the AQUARIUS Samples Team
The AQUARIUS Samples team will be available for a Question-and-Answer session.
Speakers
MC

Michael Canova

Hydrologist / Data Management Specialist, U.S. Geological Survey

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, LISTENING SESSION

1:30pm CDT

Continuous Water-Quality Community - Networking/Meet your Peers Session
Learn more about the USGS Continuous Water-Quality Community at this facilitated networking session. Meet your colleagues, make contacts, and discuss parameters and processes. Ever wish you had more time to ask peers about equipment or a challenge? Great ideas often come by having conversations with people about a shared problem or interest. During this session, employees will get the opportunity to share perspectives with a subset of peers working on the same topics.
Speakers
KS

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS
Kimberly Shaffer has a degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey for the past 26 years. As a hydrologist, she has collected and published streamflow, water-quality, and water-use data. In 2021, Kim became the Continuous... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 1:30pm - 2:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, LISTENING SESSION

2:00pm CDT

Equipment Tracking in the Field with NOMS InTrac
Come learn about the latest in field equipment tracking! This presentation will introduce InTrac, a mobile-friendly and offline-capable application designed to unify instrument tracking efforts across the Water Enterprise. A product of the Network Operations Management System (NOMS) project, InTrac will allow you to update the status and location of your equipment with the scan of a barcode. Tune in to see a preview of the application and provide feedback about current and future features.
Speakers
avatar for Travis Adams

Travis Adams

Computer Scientist, USGS - SAWSC

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 5
  COMPUTER TOOLS, ANALYSIS

2:00pm CDT

Broadcasting Single Base RTK Corrections Over WiFi
This presentation will demonstrate how to set up an RTK base to broadcast GNSS corrections out over a static IP address. This method is useful when a realtime network is not available and field conditions are not conducive to traditional radio-link RTK base corrections. This presentation will also include a brief use case of how this method was used in tandem with satellite internet for use at a remote gaging station with no cellular coverage.
Speakers
DS

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  GNSS/SURVEYING, TIPS AND TRICKS

2:00pm CDT

Data collection and management issues for the National Water Quality Network - Groundwater
This presentation will cover the essential issues for those involved in the groundwater sampling effort for the National Water Quality Network. Some field sampling issues will be discussed. However, the focus will be on the cycle of management and the importance of the steps needed to maintain the networks at optimal size, provide timely flow of data, and how the various forms and data provided by the sampling crews are used. The presentation will discuss these issues from the user's perspective so that the sampling crews have a better understanding of the essential steps to ensuring the health and longevity of the network to evaluate groundwater quality trends in the nation.
Speakers
BL

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 1+2
  GROUNDWATER, ANALYSIS

2:00pm CDT

Cellular Communications - Tips and Tricks
The use of cellular telemetry for DCP and Internet of Things (IoT) is increasing in the USGS. This presentations will give practical tips and tricks to enhance the success of your cellular installation.
Speakers
avatar for Dave Owens

Dave Owens

UMid WSC - Madison WI
Dave Owens represents the Upper Midwest (UMid) Water Science Center in Madison, WI where he has worked as a hydro tech, project chief, lead IT specialist, operations manager and Innovation specialist for the last 34 years. He has extensive experience with Campbell Scientific dataloggers... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 6
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, TIPS AND TRICKS

2:00pm CDT

Areacomp3: General overview
A general overview of AreaComp3 software
Speakers
avatar for Erich Kessler

Erich Kessler

Erich Kessler is a hydrologist within the Western Data section of the Upper Midwest Water Science Center. He is a technical point of contact for all things surface water related within his center. On a daily basis, he performs various LDM tasks related to data collection, such as... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 11
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

2:00pm CDT

Business of Data Operations - Tools and workflows every Data Chief should know about funding gaging networks
One day you're using cool tools in the field, the next day you are a field office chief or data chief being asked to do the no fun business aspects of the job. Funding gaging networks is a complicated business including: gaging costs, cooperator negotiations, agreement signatures, accounting, and budgeting. The USGS WMA has several tools including Site Funding Tracking Application (SiFTA) to assist with and standardize these business operations. Several tools and workflows will be presented as a short introduction to managing the funding aspects of gage operations. Target audience is current and prospective field office chiefs / data chiefs and LDMs.
Speakers
BR

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 7
  LEADERSHIP, TIPS AND TRICKS

2:00pm CDT

DEIA
DEIA
Speakers
KB

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 9
  LEADERSHIP, LISTENING SESSION

2:00pm CDT

Exploring New Methods for Measuring Discharge Under Ice
The Colorado WSC is exploring new methods to calculate real time discharge under the ice which hopefully leads to safer and more accurate data collection. We are also looking at discrete discharge measurement techniques that require only a few holes to be drilled in the ice. Techniques include tracer measurements (i.e. salt dilution), and the PC method which only requires a stage-area rating and few holes drilled around the y-axis to record a maximum instream velocity with a current meter or ADCP, and in this case an upward looking ADVM and streamside edge computing.
Speakers
MN
avatar for Tony Trease
RS

Tuesday July 16, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 8
  SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

NWIS Time-Series and Discrete Data Workflows
Come learn about the NWIS Time-Series and Discrete Data Workflows! This presentation on the NWIS Workflows Assessment and Improvement Project will show how the establishment of a "national consensus" workflow will help both the Water Science Centers and the NWIS Modernization program. Time-series workflows have recently been shared as standardized workflows capturing the "national consensus" workflow. Let's work together to find the "national consensus" workflow for discrete data. WSCs and YOU will benefit from Water Enterprise solutions that support more efficient, lean tools associated with "national consensus" workflows. NWIS Modernization will gain focus and energy behind key investments identified with the help from our WSCs and this project team.
Speakers
avatar for Mike Colombo

Mike Colombo

Hydrologist, USGS
Like many in the USGS, I began career as summer student learning stream gaging, discrete water-quality sampling, sediment sampling, and lake sampling. Continued with USGS as a Hydrologist performing investigative, water-quality studies. Developed use of continuous water-quality monitors... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:20pm CDT
Midway 9
  COMPUTER TOOLS, LISTENING SESSION

3:00pm CDT

An examination of the LISST-ABS and turbidity pairing factors to improve continuous estimates of suspended-sediment concentration in rivers.
The LISST-ABS sensor, developed by Sequoia Scientific, was designed as an alternative to turbidimeters which rely on optical back scatter (OBS) for estimating suspended-sediment concentrations (SSCs) in surface waters. The acoustic backscatter sensor (ABS) emits an 8-megahertz (MHz) acoustic signal that returns to the sensor as backscatter, the intensity of which is directly translated to a sediment concentration. The relation between the signal and backscatter intensity is nearly constant beyond the Raleigh limit at 8 MHz for grain sizes larger than about 60 micrometers (µm; Agrawal and others, 2019). However, the ABS fails to accurately quantify concentrations containing large amounts of fine grains (< 60 µm). Therefore, a pairing factor is needed to predict SSC more accurately for systems transporting large amounts of grains
Speakers
CV

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:20pm CDT
Grand Ballroom C
  SEDIMENT, ANALYSIS

3:00pm CDT

Superfly: Updates and Modifications to the National Version
An overview of Superfly, the nationally supported electronic field form. The Superfly team will explain the new versions of superfly and how it has been adapted to fit new systems, such as AQS+. The Superfly team will demo how to modify the output of Superfly, review and output Superfly batch files, and customize Superfly for individual projects. Users will be able to see the form in action for common workflows, ask questions and learn about the future of Superfly. A Q&A session will occur at the end for suggestions for future improvements of Superfly.”
Speakers
EC

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Water Data for the Nation Show and Tell
Calling all hydrotechs! Would you like to know how to better navigate the modernized Water Data for the nation pages? Have questions or feedback on a legacy replacement page? Want to know what is coming next for the modernized pages? Please join for this presentation designed by and for hydrotechs. Studies and other data section staff are welcome, too! Computers with internet are recommended to follow along but not required.
Speakers
KD

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Basic Electronics Principles
An introduction to basic electronics principles regarding gage houses and DCP's.
Speakers
MW

Michael West

Electronics Technician - Telemetry, USGS

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 6
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Wading through the USGS Quality Assurance Testing Program for ADCPs and FlowTrackers
This session focuses on the quality assurance programs for both ADCPs and FlowTrackers. It will identify the Water Science Centers’ tasks for participating in the programs. This session will walk your through the OneStop Website, especially the Query Portal tools for maintaining your equipment inventory and reviewing the test results. The testing procedure used by the hydraulics lab team at the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility will be presented, including the criteria used to evaluate the instruments. The results provided for each unit will be explained to facilitate understanding and application. Quality Assurance program results from recent years will also be presented.
Speakers
CW

Christopher Wilson

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS
Recently, I have become the section chief for the Hydraulics and Water Quality section at the HIF, overseeing the QA programs for ADCPs, ADVs, mechanical meters, and groundwater tapes, as well as the preparation and calibration of the water quality probes and sondes. Before joining... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 5
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, ANALYSIS

3:00pm CDT

AVMs with Campbell Dataloggers
Operation of Index Velocity Gages Using Two-Way Cellular Telemetry and ADVM RS232 Serial Communication with a Campbell Scientific data logger
Speakers
avatar for Ben Torrison

Ben Torrison

Supervisory Hydrologic Technician/FOC, USGS UMID
Ben is the Mounds View, MN Field Office Chief. The Mounds View Field Office covers the southern half of Minnesota and is part of the Upper Midwest Water Science Center. He's been in the Field Office Chief position since January, 2021 and was previously a hydrologic technician in the... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 8
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - Overview of the USGS PFAS Sampling Strategy-
This session will cover various aspects of the USGS PFAS sampling strategy.
It will include the development of the strategy and results from preliminary evaluations in cleaning protocols, material selection and techniques.
Target audience: Staff who are collecting discrete water-quality samples for PFAS analysis.
Speakers
avatar for Lee Bodkin

Lee Bodkin

I am the water-quality specialist for the south-Atlantic water science center (GA/NC/SC - aka SAWSC) and sit in the Raleigh, NC office.I started with the USGS in 2007 as a hydro-tech in the Gulf Coast program office of the OK-TX WSC, became a hydrologist in 2009 and became the QW... Read More →
AT
JC
JD

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

3:00pm CDT

Aquarius Station Analysis (AQSA)
The team will provide an overview of the AQSA (Aquarius Station Analysis) process that integrates AQTS data and entered information with SIMS/RMS to generate Station Analysis. This Automated Records project work will be released sometime in August 2024.
Speakers
avatar for Sonya Vasquez and Automated Records group members

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 10
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

All Things Datum: Establishment, Storage, and Policy - An interactive Discussion
This discussion will offer short presentations related to best practices for datum establishment and error analysis - along with metadata, storage, and datum revisions. Discussion drivers will be interspersed among this session to promote interaction among those participating.
Speakers
AL
PR

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 11
  GNSS/SURVEYING, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Groundwater Open Forum
This session is an open forum for general groundwater discussion, and for representatives from Hydrologic Networks Branch and Office of Quality Assurance to discuss and listen to topics and concerns from USGS scientists.
Speakers
avatar for Jason Fine

Jason Fine

National Groundwater Networks Coordinator, USGS
Jason graduated from East Carolina University in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in geology. He began working with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1995. During his career with the USGS, he has focused on groundwater and surface-water studies and data collection efforts, mostly... Read More →
LG

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS
Lance Gruhn is a Hydrologist stationed in Iowa City, Iowa and is the groundwater technical and field support lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branck of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Lance coordinates the Groundwater Data Processing class and the Groundwater Field Techniques... Read More →
avatar for Michelle Sneed

Michelle Sneed

Technical Quality Assurance Advisor for Groundwater Science, Office of Quality Assurance

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 1+2
  GROUNDWATER, LISTENING SESSION

3:00pm CDT

Coastal and Riverine Flood Response Overview Session 1: ​ Storm Tide Monitoring, New Sensors​
This is an overview of the USGS Storm-Tide Monitoring Program. The topics discussed will be the history of the program, data collection and dissemination of the data. There will also be a discussion on new sensors and technologies.
Speakers
WC

William Capurso

William Capurso received a M.S. in Environmental Studies from Long Island University, C.W. Post and a B.A. in Natural Science and Math with a concentration in Chemistry from Dowling College. William started his career with the USGS in 2004 and has over 19 years of experience leading... Read More →
avatar for Athena Clark

Athena Clark

Coastal Storm Team Leader, SER Science Advisor & Tribal Liaison, USGS
Athena Clark is currently serving as the USGS Coastal Storm Team Leader, Southeast Region Science Advisor and Tribal Liaison. Prior to her current role, Athena also served as the USGS Alabama Water Science Center Director and USGS Lower Mississippi Gulf Deputy Director.Athena has... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 7
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

3:30pm CDT

3D Modeling and its Application in the Field
Using 3d modeling software such as fusion360 and sketchup we have been able to create cost effective prototypes and finished final products for a variety of uses. Using this software we have been able to design and manufacture items in house to decrease cost of production and more effectively demonstrate to collaborators how certain instrument installations work. In this presentation we will show the different detail levels of design and the endless possibilities that come with 3d modeling.


How 3D modeling software such as fusion360 or sketchup can be used for various field applications to improve quality of life, collaboration, and innovation while reducing costs. We can design and manufacture parts in house that durable and cost effective.
Speakers
PD

Tuesday July 16, 2024 3:30pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 9
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

4:00pm CDT

Camera Types for NIMS/HIVIS
This presentation will look at the different camera types used in the NIMS/HIVIS system. It will discuss strengths and weaknesses of each camera, general costs, power usage, etc of each camera type.
Speakers
avatar for Dave Owens

Dave Owens

UMid WSC - Madison WI
Dave Owens represents the Upper Midwest (UMid) Water Science Center in Madison, WI where he has worked as a hydro tech, project chief, lead IT specialist, operations manager and Innovation specialist for the last 34 years. He has extensive experience with Campbell Scientific dataloggers... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:20pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, ANALYSIS

4:00pm CDT

How would connecting AQUARIUS Samples, LIMS, and the Field App help you?
The triangle project was established to identify ways to improve the discrete water quality workflow by improving the connections between AQUARIUS Samples, the upcoming Laboratory Information Management System, and the Unified Field Application. We'd like to hear about your workflows and think about how a more interconnected system could lead to time saved, improved data quality, fewer headaches, or all of the above!
Speakers
DR

Dave Rus

Product owner of the Batch Data Loader and Water Quality Review (AQS tools)Member of the QWILS teamWater Quality Specialist at Nebraska WSC
avatar for Laura Flight

Laura Flight

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS
ShortLaura began her USGS career in 1995 as a summer student and was hired full-time in 1997 as a Hydrologic Technician running surface water and groundwater field trips and computing records. Over time she started doing LDM duties, teaching courses, and testing NWIS applications... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  COMPUTER TOOLS, LISTENING SESSION

4:00pm CDT

Introduction to the Measurement Priority Summary Shiny Application
The Measurement Priority Summary (MPS) tool was designed to give scientists and supervisors a data-driven approach to planning stream discharge measurements. The Pennsylvania and Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana (OKI) Water Science Centers have partnered to build an R Shiny application that is based on the OKI Excel workbook of the same name. Using the infrastructure of Posit Connect to host the application allows data updates to be automatically scheduled at any frequency and it ensures that all users are looking at the same data.

The primary focus of the MPS tool is to incorporate field trip information, rating curves, and current conditions including direction of sage into a table to determine which sites are the most critical to visit at any given time. Sites that have not been visited at the current stage of the stream in at least 5 years are marked as priority gages. This table also includes gage height forecasts from the National Weather Service (NWS) for selected sites and shows how much a higher a stage is predicted to be over the following three days. On a separate tab, a secondary table shows only the sites that are listed as being in priority for measurement. In these tables, many of the fields are sort and search enabled, allowing a user to quickly find information about field trips, most recent measurements, and gage forecasts. MPS is connected to SIMS so it is updated as field trip assignments change.

MPS also includes tabs with an interactive map and an individual site report to provide additional graphical data. The map shows current priority status as well as current and predicted flood levels from NWS for each site. Map overlays include polygon shapefiles of predicted flooding and excessive rainfall forecasts for the following three days. Links from map popups are available for the NWIS and National Water Prediction Service (NWPS) site pages. The individual site report generates a table, bar plot, and line plot for the previous 365 days based on the selected site.
Speakers
CO
avatar for Matthew Conlon

Matthew Conlon

Hydrologist, US Geological Survey

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom C
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

4:00pm CDT

Meters and Measurements
A companion presentation to basic electronics principles.
Speakers
MW

Michael West

Electronics Technician - Telemetry, USGS

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 6
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, TIPS AND TRICKS

4:00pm CDT

Show and Tell: Field vehicle Setups
DISCUSSION GROUP--This guided session aims to provide a venue for dialogue amongst those interested discussing field vehicle setups. Utilizing the projector in the classroom we can share photos so have your photos handy and able to send them through email or teams.
Speakers
avatar for Ernie McCoy

Ernie McCoy

Hydrologic Technician, USGS-Dakota WSC
Hydrotech at the Grand Forks field office in North Dakota. I started as a student the summer of 09, graduated from UND with a bachelors degree in Environmental Geoscience. I stream gage, collect discrete samples and run continuous monitors collecting the big five.


Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, SHOW AND TELL

4:00pm CDT

Beyond Discharge: Using ADCPs for velocity mapping, bathymetry, and sediment surrogates
An overview of using ADCPs for uses other than discharge, including velocity mapping, bathymetry, and sediment surrogates.
Speakers
JB

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 9
  HYDROACOUSTICS, ANALYSIS

4:00pm CDT

Field Safety
Overview of general field safety concerns including, environmental exposure, first aid training, job hazard analysis, field communications, and safety training requirements.
Speakers
avatar for Eric Williams

Eric Williams

Southwest Region Safety Manager, USGS
Eagle Scout. Firefighter and EMT for 9 years in the military. Worked for the State of California as a Safety Specialist with the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Employment Development Department for five years. Has been with the Survey since 2004 as Regional Safety Manager... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 8
  SAFETY, ANALYSIS

4:00pm CDT

Safe Return and Float Plans
This course is designed to discuss the implementation of a center-wide safe return plan as well as how to properly follow and use said plan. During the presentation we will discuss the use of field plans, float plans, the roles and responsibilities of both field workers and watch people and have a couple of brief scenarios to use for group discussion. Safe return plans help ensure that all field workers are able to complete their mission and return safely, therefore having them properly implemented into a center is paramount for a safe and successful work environment.
Speakers
avatar for Zachary Holcomb

Zachary Holcomb

Hydrology Technician, USGS-KSWSC

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 5
  SAFETY, TIPS AND TRICKS

4:00pm CDT

Indirect Measurements: Best Practices
This session will provide an overview of various indirect measurement methods (slope-area, culvert flow, contracted openings) and guidance on identification of high-water marks, field survey procedures, and computing and analyzing indirect measurements of peak flow.
Speakers
KW

Karl Winters

Karl serves as the National Flood Coordinator, and a Surface-Water Specialist in the Hydrologic Networks Branch. He provides operational support and coordination of USGS flood response, as well as training and operational support for flood documentation and modeling, and computation... Read More →

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom C
  SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

4:00pm CDT

Graphing and Synthesizing Continuous and Discrete Water-Quality Data
Join us to give input on water-quality visualizations!  The project, A National Tool for Graphing and Synthesizing Continuous and Discrete Water-Quality Data, was one of eleven Community of Data Integration (CDI; https://www.usgs.gov/centers/community-for-data-integration-cdi/news/congratulations-2024-cdi-awarded-projects) awarded projects in Fiscal Year 2024. The prototype tool will consist of an interactive user interface for generating advanced visualizations of water-quality parameters to compare with past data, other parameters and locations, and thresholds. The proof-of-concept will result in a prioritization of graphics and plot types and a reusable tool and codebase. Learn more about the project, the programming progress, and have an opportunity to provide recommendations and suggestions to graphs!
Speakers
LD
avatar for Julia Prokopec

Julia Prokopec

Hydrologist/FIM Coordinator/Assistant Flood Coordinator, USGS
Julia Prokopec is a hydrologist in the Web Informatics & Mapping Team (WIM) in the Upper Midwest Water Science Center in St Paul, MN. She works with partners and lead developers to coordinate development and project management within WIM. She is also the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping... Read More →
KS

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS
Kimberly Shaffer has a degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey for the past 26 years. As a hydrologist, she has collected and published streamflow, water-quality, and water-use data. In 2021, Kim became the Continuous... Read More →
avatar for Amber Jones

Amber Jones

Physical Scientist/Product Owner, USGS
HW
MD
SR

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, LISTENING SESSION

4:40pm CDT

Hydoacoustics: A year in review
A summary of all hydroacoustics measurements made in WY23.
Speakers
MR

Tuesday July 16, 2024 4:40pm - 5:00pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  HYDROACOUSTICS, ANALYSIS
 
Wednesday, July 17
 

8:00am CDT

Hydroacoustic Resources
Overview of resoures avaliable to assist with Hydroacoustic issues and equipment
Speakers
GW

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:20am CDT
Midway 11
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

CQW Best Practices When Servicing a Sonde
Best practices for beginners in continuous water quality when performing a servicing on a multi-parameter sonde.
Speakers
avatar for Taylor Camper

Taylor Camper

Hydrologic Technician, USGS: VA-WV WSC
I have been with the Survey since 2017, based in the Virginia-West Virginia WSC. During my career, I have worked in the Watershed Studies section primarily focused on continuous and discrete water-quality work. In 2021, I was selected to be my team's field coordinator, ensuring projects... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

How to Handle Interacting with News Media
Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Grand Ballroom F+E+D

8:00am CDT

Upcoming Changes to Public Delivery of WaterWatch
This presentation and listening session is oriented toward anyone who needs to understand upcoming changes to features currently being provided by the WaterWatch product (https://waterwatch.usgs.gov), from hydrotechs and program managers. WaterWatch is nearing the end of life and key features are being modernized through Water Data for the Nation (WDFN) including the National Water Dashboard and new statistical features expected in water services.

In this listening session, we will give a brief overview of some of the major changes in public delivery, which include changes to delivery method (website vs API vs Python package), integration of statistical visualizations into other WDFN features, and new ways of grouping map layers in National Water Dashboard. The remainder of the session will be an open discussion for attendees to ask questions, provide comments and share feedback on how these changes could impact your work and that of your cooperators and data users.
Speakers
avatar for Shawna Gregory

Shawna Gregory

Water Data for the Nation Product Owner
Shawna Gregory is a Product Owner for Water Data for the Nation, the primary access point for real-time and historical USGS water data and information. In this role, Shawna is leading a user-centered design approach to web-based delivery applications as the USGS is modernizing water... Read More →
avatar for Florence Thompson

Florence Thompson

Geographer, USGS OTWSC
Florence Thompson is a geographer and has been with the U.S. Geological Survey since 2006.  She is currently a member of the Integrated Hydrology and Data Science Branch in the Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center.  In her early years with USGS she produced national hydrologic datasets... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Grand Ballroom C
  COMPUTER TOOLS, LISTENING SESSION

8:00am CDT

GNSS RT Surveys: Best Practices and Error Analysis
This discussion will focus on best practices for Real-Time GNSS surveys, using Real-Time Networks and local radio-linked base stations for kinematic observations. Part of this discussion will highlight the process of evaluating uncertainty.
Speakers
PR

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 1+2
  GNSS/SURVEYING, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Batteries, Charging and Current.
Part 3 in a series, a companion of Basic Electronics Principles and Meters and Measurements.
Speakers
MW

Michael West

Electronics Technician - Telemetry, USGS

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 6
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Drilling into the USGS Groundwater Tapes Recalibration Program
This session will provide an overview of the Groundwater Tape Recalibration Program, as well as the Water Science Centers’ participation in the program. Topics will include navigating the OneStop Website and managing your equipment using Query Portal tools. Additionally, the calibration procedure used by the hydraulics lab team at the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility will be presented, including the criteria used to evaluate the tapes. The calibration sheets provided for each tape will be explained to facilitate understanding of what the results mean and how to use them. Quality Assurance program results from recent years will also be presented.
Speakers
CW

Christopher Wilson

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS
Recently, I have become the section chief for the Hydraulics and Water Quality section at the HIF, overseeing the QA programs for ADCPs, ADVs, mechanical meters, and groundwater tapes, as well as the preparation and calibration of the water quality probes and sondes. Before joining... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Grand Ballroom B
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, ANALYSIS

8:00am CDT

Collecting Data with Moving Bed Conditions
Overview of the cause and effect of a moving bed and methods to identify and correct for a moving bed when measureing discharge with and ADCP from a moving boat.
Speakers
JB

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 7
  HYDROACOUSTICS, ANALYSIS

8:00am CDT

RIVRS: Workflow and techniques for tidal index velocity data collection and computation
This presentation will cover the distinctions of workflow and techniques applied in operating a tidal index velocity discharge station. Topics covered in the overview will include site selection, instrumentation, maintenance, field measurement techniques, rating development, and computation.
Speakers
FK

Fabian Kahn

Hydrologic Technician, USGS
Work areas: Index Velocity Discharge, GNSS, Storm Tide Response

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 10
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Relating Rating and Shift Development to Channel Geometry
The shape and slope of a stage-discharge rating as well as the hinge and merge points of associated shifts are related to the geometry of the stream channel. This presentation will discuss that relationship using modeling results from several scenarios (differing channel shapes and changes related to scour and fill).
Speakers
JK

Jeff Kitchen

Surface Water Specialists, USGS
I'm the surface water specialist of the CAWSC data program. I have extensive experience with records computation and rating development as well as indirect survey methods.

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 9
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

8:00am CDT

USGS in Belize
Andrew Gorman from OKI and Christopher Smith from SAWSC were funded by the WMO to visit with Belize's Hydrology department to asses their program and deliver necessary training.
Speakers
AG
avatar for Chris Smith

Chris Smith

Field Office Chief, USGS
I am the Field Office Chief of the Norcross (Atlanta) Georgia office. I am also the Chair of the Hydrologic Data Advisory Committee (HDAC). I am proudest of my years helping others learn the job and my years of field work, where I have always tried to set a good example. My most significant... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 8
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

8:00am CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - (part 1 of 3) What to do before discrete water-quality samples are collected
This session will cover the various aspects of what is typically done before a discrete water-quality sample can be collected and options for project management.
It will include a general overview of the discrete water-quality sampling process, how to look up lab codes/schedules, what bottles are needed for what analysis, equipment blanks, filling out ASR's and other laboratory paperwork, site selection, assessing equipment needs, establishing field folders and various project related documents.
Target audience: Staff who are interested or new(er) to collecting a discrete water-quality sample or will be in the future.
Speakers
avatar for Lee Bodkin

Lee Bodkin

I am the water-quality specialist for the south-Atlantic water science center (GA/NC/SC - aka SAWSC) and sit in the Raleigh, NC office.I started with the USGS in 2007 as a hydro-tech in the Gulf Coast program office of the OK-TX WSC, became a hydrologist in 2009 and became the QW... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

NAAR Shark Tank Award Ceremony
Winner of NAAR Shark Tank will present their innovative idea.
Speakers
CH

Crystal Hammer

Supervisory Hydrologic Technician/Field Office Chief (Columbus, OH), U.S. Geological Survey

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 5
  WATER USE, SHOW AND TELL

8:00am CDT

Automated Time-Series Records Status and Future
What is the current status of Water Mission Area time-series record automation work and what does the future hold for available tools and research?
Speakers
avatar for Wade Walker

Wade Walker

USGS AQ-TS Product Owner, USGS
Current USGS AQUARIUS Time-Series product owner who represents the USGS stake in the software and helps enable new USGS work within it. Spent 20 years as a Hydrologic Technician in Pueblo, CO, doing just about all types of data collection we have and developing grassroots software... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 9:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  COMPUTER TOOLS, ANALYSIS

8:00am CDT

GeeWhiz! The GWSI Replacement Project overview, updates, and cleanup tasks
Groundwater Site Inventory (GWSI) version 5.2 is a menu-based data storage and management system on the UNIX platform that is nearing end-of-life and requires modernization. GWSI includes site inventory information and groundwater thematic metadata and is considered part of legacy National Water Information System (NWIS). GWSI is currently in the process of being replaced by modern solutions as part of the NWIS Modernization Program, and the legacy product will be retired by the end of Fiscal Year 2025. By that time, all data stored within legacy GWSI will either be deprecated and archived or migrated to one of three locations: Monitoring Location Registry (MLR), AQUARIUS Time-Series (AQTS), or the new GroundWater Information System (GWIS) database, pronounced as “GeeWhiz”. In this presentation, we will outline the plan for completing modernization, provide updates on our progress so far, and discuss requests for help from Water Science Center Local Data Managers (LDMs) on several cleanup tasks associated with archival and migration.
Speakers
CF
BS

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 3+4
  GROUNDWATER, ANALYSIS

8:30am CDT

Common Problems with ADCPs and Qms
Tips on detecting and correcting common problems found in ADCP measurements
Speakers
HB

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:30am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 11
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:30am CDT

Results from the Water Temperature Thermistor Field Test, 2022-2024
Learn more about the completed field evaluation of three commercially available water temperature thermistors (Sutron AquaTemp, Forest Technology Systems (FTS) Digitemps, and Instrumentation Northwest (INW) T1 SDI-12), findings, and future steps. The three temperature thermistors were installed side-by-side at 6 different locations from Water Science Centers that volunteered for the study (locations include Hawaii, New York, Nevada, Indiana, North Carolina, and South Dakota) and operated for 18 months. Data and more information are available at Water Temperature Thermistor Field Test Sharepoint (https://doimspp.sharepoint.com/sites/usgs-Continuous-Water-Quality/SitePages/Water-Temperature-Thermistor-Field-Test.aspx).
Speakers
KS

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS
Kimberly Shaffer has a degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey for the past 26 years. As a hydrologist, she has collected and published streamflow, water-quality, and water-use data. In 2021, Kim became the Continuous... Read More →
avatar for Brian McCallum

Brian McCallum

National Streamgage Network Coordinator, USGS-WMA-OSD
Brian McCallum is currently the National Streamgage Network Coordinator within the USGS Water Mission Area, Observing Systems Division. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelors (1991) and master’s degrees (1992) in civil engineering. Hestarted full-time... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 8:30am - 9:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

9:00am CDT

What’s new with the NOMS Water Data Exploration System (WADERS)?
This course will be of interest for field personnel across the Water Enterprise that have to daily QA/QC their real-time data. This product of the Network Operations Management System (NOMS) project is the planned replacement support tool for field personnel to use in lieu of NWISWeb for all sites, but particularly for sites coded with internal or cooperator-only access. This presentation will go over the latest improvements to WADERS based upon user feedback and look to gain additional user feedback for future releases.
Speakers
CC

Cary Carman

San Angelo, Texas, USGS
avatar for Chuck Hansen

Chuck Hansen

Hydrologist, USGS
Chuck Hansen is a Hydrologist with the California Water Science Center in Sacramento. He leadsa team of software and hardware engineers focusing on remote sensing and data delivery.
CK

Colin Keating

Physical Scientist, USGS California WSC
Colin joined the USGS in 2021 as a software developer and has contributed to numerous data dissemination and mapping products including the National Water Dashboard-internal and WADERS.
JM

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom C
  COMPUTER TOOLS, ANALYSIS

9:00am CDT

HWM Data Collection and STN
Tips and tricks to HWM data collection in various environments. The presentation will go into detail on HWM preservation, collection and documentation.
Speakers
WC

William Capurso

William Capurso received a M.S. in Environmental Studies from Long Island University, C.W. Post and a B.A. in Natural Science and Math with a concentration in Chemistry from Dowling College. William started his career with the USGS in 2004 and has over 19 years of experience leading... Read More →
DS

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 1+2
  GNSS/SURVEYING, TIPS AND TRICKS

9:00am CDT

Discharge Measurements in Difficult Conditions
Planning and prep tips to improve data collection during high flow events.
Speakers
GW

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 7
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

9:00am CDT

Qrev: Whats new
An overview of new and coming features in QRev software.
Speakers
MR

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 6
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

9:00am CDT

Introduction to Camera Usage in USGS Monitoring Networks
This presentation will be an introduction for those interested in using cameras in their monitoring networks. Applications for imagery, site considerations, selecting a camera system, and a NIMS/HIVIS overview will be discussed with examples from VA/WV WSC and other USGS stations. An emphasis will be on Vivotek network camera and Sierra Wireless modem systems and game/trail cameras. We will also discuss how to add cameras and batch upload images in NIMS Admin Console for control monitoring or other useful applications.
Speakers
CV

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 9
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, TIPS AND TRICKS

9:00am CDT

Annual Peak Explorer
The USGS has over 100 years of peaks at stream gages. Now we can see how peaks compare on a map! Amy will demo the script and graphics, with various options for dates, qualifiers, and drainage area.
Speakers
AS

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 10
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

9:00am CDT

Modernization of surface water station mapping of vertical control points
This presentation covers a web application to quickly and easily create/access accurate maps of station vertical control points. The purpose of creating these maps is to expedite locating these points during levels and prevent issues caused by mixing up points. These maps can be easily accessed using QR codes that can be printed onto stickers placed on the inside of a gage house or added to the station paperwork.
Speakers
NP

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 5
  SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

9:00am CDT

The National Flood Plan
An overview of the 2024 USGS National Flood Plan, which serves to document the National level perspective of the organizational framework, decision processes, resources, and responsibilities of riverine flood response.
Speakers
KW

Karl Winters

Karl serves as the National Flood Coordinator, and a Surface-Water Specialist in the Hydrologic Networks Branch. He provides operational support and coordination of USGS flood response, as well as training and operational support for flood documentation and modeling, and computation... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 8
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

9:00am CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - (part 2 of 3) Techniques and Methods for Discrete Sample Collection (SW & GW)
This session will cover the various techniques and methods used to collect a discrete water-quality sample.
It will include an overview of various discrete sampling equipment, conditions the equipment is appropriate for, techniques for using the equipment, introduction to sample processing and sample preservation.
Target audience: Staff who are interested or new(er) to collecting a discrete water-quality sample or will be in the future.

Class will Break from 9:30 to 10 am.
Speakers
avatar for Lee Bodkin

Lee Bodkin

I am the water-quality specialist for the south-Atlantic water science center (GA/NC/SC - aka SAWSC) and sit in the Raleigh, NC office.I started with the USGS in 2007 as a hydro-tech in the Gulf Coast program office of the OK-TX WSC, became a hydrologist in 2009 and became the QW... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 9:00am - 10:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

Groundwater Field Inventory - What do I need to get data to the web?
This talk is an overview of groundwater field inventories covering data collection and documentation needed to establish a groundwater site in the database, including a discussion of what happens once the data is submitted to an LDM to prepare for data entry in AQTS
Speakers
avatar for Lisl Fasser

Lisl Fasser

Hydrologic Technician, LDM, USGS-WA

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 10:20am CDT
Midway 3+4
  GROUNDWATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

ADCP Mid-Section Measurements – The Azimuth Method
A review of the theory, setup, common issues, and best practices in the use of the azimuth method for Acoustic Doppler Current Meters (ADCPs) during Mid-Section Measurements. The mid-section method for discharge computations using ADCPs is a useful tool for collecting discharge measurements when moving boat measurements are not possible or are extremely poor due to issues with bottom tracking, moving bed, river traffic, cable-car measurements, and ice measurements, or as an option for check measurements. The Azimuth Method utilizes the ADCP’s internal compass and a fixed Tagline Azimuth to calculate flow during stationing. This talk discusses common issues associated with tagline azimuths, compass calibration best practices, and differences between Sontek and RDI software. With knowledge of best practices as well as common errors encountered while utilizing the azimuth method, mid-section measurements can be produced with greater confidence while minimizing measurement uncertainty.
Speakers
avatar for Thomas Granger

Thomas Granger

Hydrologic Technician, USGS - SAWSC
Thomas is a hydrologic technician with SAWSC, in the Asheville Field Office. Previously, he has worked on riparian surveys in the high elevation Sierras in California and Western Colorado, along with extensive time conducting aquatic ecology surveys via airboat and helicopter in the... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 10:20am CDT
Midway 11
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

Using Flowtracker2 for Water Temperature Cross Sections
Showing how to use flowtracker2 acoustic data to get a water temperature cross section at a site and looking at the data with the examples.
Speakers
avatar for Diana Phillips

Diana Phillips

Hydrologist, USGS NYWSC
Diana Phillips has a Bachelor of Science in both Environmental Science with a specialization in Sustainability Science and Policy and in Criminal Justice from the University at Albany, SUNY. Diana has a range of streamgaging experience including surface water, groundwater, water quality... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 10:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

Water Temperature Monitoring in the Illinois River Basin
Temperature is a principal driver for a variety of in-stream processes including but not limited to biotic activities, chemical reactions, and changes in fluid properties. Additionally, changes in precipitation patterns, snow cover, stream shading, groundwater inputs, and air temperature are driving factors for stream temperatures. The Illinois River Basin supports a variety of uses such as wildlife habitat, power generation, and recreation. Higher in-stream temperatures can lead to harmful algal blooms and other biological and chemical extremes that can cause diminished or toxic habitat for wildlife and limit the human use of streams and rivers within the Illinois River Basin.

As part of the Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) project in the Illinois River Basin paired air and water temperature probes were deployed at 34 sites in 4 major tributaries to the Illinois River and includes monitoring upstream and downstream of 3 reservoirs. This broad spatial distribution using relatively low-cost temperature probes will provide a dataset that could be used to inform numerous research questions across disciplines and agencies.

The objective of this effort is two-fold: (1) to assess the effects of different environmental factors on temperature dynamics in surface water and, (2) to quantify the effect of reservoirs on stream temperature in reaches downstream of a dam. Specifically, what are the major drivers for stream temperatures within the Illinois River Basin and how do these drivers change seasonally or geographically within the basin.
Speakers
LG
LS
LS

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 10:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

10:00am CDT

Terrestrial lidar data collection, change detection, and accuracy assessment using a scanning total station along a shoreline in eastern Suffolk County, NY.
A combined point cloud of about 85.6 million points was collected during 27 scans of a section of the western shoreline along the Shinnecock Peninsula of Suffolk County, New York, to document baseline geospatial conditions during July and October 2022 using a scanning total station. The three-dimensional accuracy of the combined point cloud is assessed to identify potential systematic error sources associated with the surveying equipment and the novel methodology used to collect and field-register (data are oriented and aligned in real time) point cloud data. The accuracy of the combined point cloud was assessed in terms of relative and absolute reference frames. Relative accuracy provides a measure of error within the local coordinate system and is determined by combining the uncertainty associated with the position of the scan station (the point being occupied by the scanning total station during the scan), the uncertainty associated with the position of the network control points, and the uncertainty associated with the laser of the scanning total station. Assessment of the absolute accuracy includes these three potential error sources combined with the uncertainty associated with the geodetic coordinates to which the local control network is referenced. The combined overall relative horizontal and vertical accuracy of the point cloud is 0.0156 and 0.0241 meter, respectively, at the 95 percent confidence level; the combined overall absolute horizontal and vertical accuracy of the point cloud is 0.0374 and 0.0733 meter, respectively, at the 95 percent confidence level.
A second survey was conducted during March 2023 following a substantial erosion event associated with (unnamed) Winter Storm “Elliot” (weather channel assigned this unofficial name). A bare-earth digital elevation model was then created of “pre-storm” (1st survey) and “post-storm” (2nd survey) conditions. The pre-storm, bare-earth DEM, was then compared with the post-storm DEM to detect topographic (and shallow bathymetric) change along the western shoreline and determine areas/features that are most susceptible to erosion during a major coastal storm event. The distribution and magnitude of erosion and deposition, and potential volume changes, will be disseminated in a USGS scientific report.
Speakers
MN

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 8
  GNSS/SURVEYING, ANALYSIS

10:00am CDT

Show and Tell: Gage Installs, wiring to construction
DISCUSSION GROUP--This guided session aims to provide a venue for dialogue amongst those interested in gage construction. Utilizing the projector in the classroom we can share photos so have your photos handy and able to send them through email or teams
Speakers
avatar for Ernie McCoy

Ernie McCoy

Hydrologic Technician, USGS-Dakota WSC
Hydrotech at the Grand Forks field office in North Dakota. I started as a student the summer of 09, graduated from UND with a bachelors degree in Environmental Geoscience. I stream gage, collect discrete samples and run continuous monitors collecting the big five.

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 5
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, SHOW AND TELL

10:00am CDT

The NEW HIF, same as the old HIF?
This session will provide an update on the HIF 2.0 facility. Along with a progress report on the facility's operations, this session will discuss the existing and new functions of the HIF, as well as the services available to WSCs and their hydrologic technicians.
Speakers
CW

Christopher Wilson

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS
Recently, I have become the section chief for the Hydraulics and Water Quality section at the HIF, overseeing the QA programs for ADCPs, ADVs, mechanical meters, and groundwater tapes, as well as the preparation and calibration of the water quality probes and sondes. Before joining... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 10
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, ANALYSIS

10:00am CDT

Basics of 3D scanning and 3D software use.
This presentation will cover how to use 3D CAD modeling software for designing of field equipment. There will be a discussion on the different types of 3D CAD modeling software, as well as demos. The second part of the presentation will be use of a 3D scanner and importing into CAD software.

The demo will be with Fusion 360, Free trials can be found here:  F360 free trial.

Caution: Using the free trial or hobbist trial for government work or products is against the terms of service. Our use is for training purposes only. Do not install the free trial too early, or time may elapse before the class period. 

We will be using an Einstar 3D scanner, and scanning equipment and inserting them into digital space.

Check out the Innovation Depot for cool things going on with design and testing!

Speakers
avatar for Bryce Redinger

Bryce Redinger

I am a HydroTech out of the Carson City, NV office. I have been working for the USGS for just over 15 years. I have a passion for design and development of equipment and teaching. I am the training coordinator for the state of Nevada, and stream gage remote locations in Nevada as... Read More →


Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 9
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

Give Feedback to Your Software Product Lead
Do you use any of these software applications? DECAP, MLR, Go2, AQUARIUS Time-Series, NWIS Reporting Application, QRev, RIVRS, Superfly, SVMAQ, SIMS/RMS, SLAP, WADERS. If you answered "yes" to any of them, please come to this listening session to meet the "Product Owner" (PO). The PO's job is to hear your needs and prioritize work on the application accordingly (within the constraints of budgets, of course...). So, please come meet your PO and share your feedback, ideas and concerns.
Speakers
avatar for Travis Knight

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB
PR
avatar for Laura Flight

Laura Flight

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS
ShortLaura began her USGS career in 1995 as a summer student and was hired full-time in 1997 as a Hydrologic Technician running surface water and groundwater field trips and computing records. Over time she started doing LDM duties, teaching courses, and testing NWIS applications... Read More →
avatar for Wade Walker

Wade Walker

USGS AQ-TS Product Owner, USGS
Current USGS AQUARIUS Time-Series product owner who represents the USGS stake in the software and helps enable new USGS work within it. Spent 20 years as a Hydrologic Technician in Pueblo, CO, doing just about all types of data collection we have and developing grassroots software... Read More →
avatar for Sonya Vasquez and Automated Records group members
avatar for Amber Jones

Amber Jones

Physical Scientist/Product Owner, USGS
avatar for Melissa Riskin

Melissa Riskin

National Water Quality Network Coordinator
CB

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom B
  COMPUTER TOOLS, LISTENING SESSION

10:00am CDT

Imagery and Remote Sensing Listening Session
In our NWDTW in Phoenix last year, we held an "unconference" listening session on non-contact and remote sensing-related work in USGS. This session was valuable for helping steer work over the next several months. We plan to hold another listening session with NWDTW attendees to hear your current successes, pain points, blockers, or visionary ideas directly from you. Come and participate in this open format discussion and help guide how we continue to leverage and grow Imagery and Remote Sensing science at USGS.
Speakers
avatar for Frank Engel

Frank Engel

Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey
Me in a Sentence: Geographer and researcher passionate about developing new tools, technology, and apps using remote sensing to solve real-world problems.A bit more about me:I joined the Illinois WSC Data Section in 2012 while pursuing my Ph.D. in Geography and Civil Engineering... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 7
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, LISTENING SESSION

10:30am CDT

QATools: Newly Augmented Flag Criteria used by the OQA’s Time-Series Check tool for Groundwater Levels
This talk will provide an overview of the newly augmented flag criteria used by the OQA’s Time-Series Check tool for groundwater levels. The tool compares site-visit-collected electronic readings and tape downs for publicly viewable groundwater levels, and flags discrepancies that likely indicate errors. The tool has always incorporated the uncertainty of the tape-down measurement, and now it also incorporates the uncertainty of the electronic reading. The discussion will address uncertainty of electronic readings and of tape downs, including uncertainty fields in SVMAQ and AQTS and uncertainty computations for electronic readings based on manufacturer technical specifications.
Speakers
avatar for Michelle Sneed

Michelle Sneed

Technical Quality Assurance Advisor for Groundwater Science, Office of Quality Assurance

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:30am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 3+4
  GROUNDWATER, ANALYSIS

10:30am CDT

"How Do You Do?" Hiring the Right People
DISCUSSION GROUP--This guided session aims to provide a venue for dialogue amongst data chiefs, field office chiefs, and/or field office leadership on different strategies for recruiting and selecting the best possible candidates. We all understand the challenges with staffing, both hiring and retaining, but there are lessons that can be learned from each other. Specific topics may include effective recruiting, navigating the challenges in the hiring process, and keys to retaining your current staff. Outcomes of the discussion should be a better national level understanding of how to navigate the challenges with staffing and possibly a unified message that could be shared to encourage needed improvements.
Speakers
JW

Jeremy White

Supv Hydrologic Technician, US Geological Survey

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:30am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 11
  LEADERSHIP, LISTENING SESSION

10:30am CDT

Q&A on Policies, Procedures, and Methods with HNB and OQA
During the plenary talks, attendees will hear about OQA and OCOO efforts to advance policies, procedures, and methods (PPM) development to support the Water Enterprise. This joint session, offered by the Hydrologic Network Branch (HNB) and Office of Quality Assurance (OQA), will allow attendees to ask questions about the new PPM Function, the PPM development process, and current priorities for PPM development in the coming year.
Speakers
AC
MR
avatar for Timothy Straub

Timothy Straub

Tim Straub has worked half-time as Chief of the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) since 2017. Since December 2022, the other half of his time has been spent as the Team Lead for the Field Support and Research Team within the Observing Systems Division of WMA. Before... Read More →
MW

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:30am - 11:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  LEADERSHIP, LISTENING SESSION

10:30am CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - (part 3 of 3) What Happens After a Discrete Water-Quality Sample has been Collected
This session will cover what has to be done after a discrete water-quality sample has been collected.
It will include sample processing methods and order, sample preservation, overview of sample shipping, completing paperwork and an introduction to data review options.
Target audience: Staff who are interested or new(er) to collecting a discrete water-quality sample or will be in the future.
Speakers
avatar for Lee Bodkin

Lee Bodkin

I am the water-quality specialist for the south-Atlantic water science center (GA/NC/SC - aka SAWSC) and sit in the Raleigh, NC office.I started with the USGS in 2007 as a hydro-tech in the Gulf Coast program office of the OK-TX WSC, became a hydrologist in 2009 and became the QW... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:30am - 11:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:30am CDT

Real-time Phosphorus: USGS Testing and Usage of Phosphorus Analyzers
Phosphorus data is an integral part of numerous scientific studies due to its role as a potential limiting nutrient. This presentation will demonstrate some successful ways to achieve real-time phosphorus data and results from testing six commercially available analyzers. Results cover usage, data quality, and common issues collecting real-time phosphorus.
Speakers
avatar for Colin Peake

Colin Peake

Physical Scientist, USGS - CMWSC
I’m into all things continuous water quality! Expert in nutrient sensor technologies.

Wednesday July 17, 2024 10:30am - 11:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

Poster Session
Meet and greet with the poster presenters. Posters will be available to browse all week.
Poster Presenters
AA
AK
AL
CL
CF
avatar for Cory Rogaczewski

Cory Rogaczewski

Hydrologic Technician
avatar for Ernie McCoy

Ernie McCoy

Hydrologic Technician, USGS-Dakota WSC
Hydrotech at the Grand Forks field office in North Dakota. I started as a student the summer of 09, graduated from UND with a bachelors degree in Environmental Geoscience. I stream gage, collect discrete samples and run continuous monitors collecting the big five.
GM
HD

Hannah Davis

This is a brief bio
HF
JB
JS
LK
MS

Marc Stewart

Deputy Director for Data, ORWSC
MP
MW
avatar for Nick Van Nevel

Nick Van Nevel

Hydrologic Technician, USGS KSWSC
RW
SD
TA
VC

Wednesday July 17, 2024 1:00pm - 2:30pm CDT
Pegram
  PLENARY

3:00pm CDT

RESCUE- Real-time Emergency System for Checking in and Updating Entries
We designed an application through power apps that will provide a more accurate account of those in a given facility. This new facility check-in will provide detailed information of staff and visitors present in a facility in the event of an emergency.
Speakers
avatar for Ayelet Delascagigas

Ayelet Delascagigas

CAWSC Field Safety Coordinator, USGS
Ayelet has been with the USGS since 2015 working as a Hydro tech with the CAWSC Bio Geo Chemistry. Her work focused on surface water quality issues and food web dynamics throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and San Francisco Bay. She has her Bachelors in biochemistry... Read More →
CW

Carlos Willis

IT Specialist, USGS
Interested in Power BI, Power Automate, and SharePoint things.
SA

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 3:20pm CDT
Midway 8
  SAFETY, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Preliminary Testing and Developments of the Next Generation Sampler: US-PD-21
Concerns over maintaining antiquated samplers and manufacturing techniques led to the determination that a new sampler design and production would be in the best interest of Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) participating agencies (USGS, Bureau of Reclamation, Corps of Engineers, USDA). Applying current 3-D printing technology presents the possibility of producing one new generation sampler that could serve as both a depth- and point-integrating sampler. Components that would change the function of the sampler would be more economical to produce and reduce the cost of purchasing an entirely new sampler. 3-D printing materials will also allow many components of the sampler to be buoyant. This feature would improve recovery chances if the sampler head or parts were dropped in the water while working from a boat, therefore reducing replacement costs. Also, with sediment surrogate technology on the rise, a sampler designed to incorporate surrogate instrumentation would enhance sediment data-collection efforts.
Speakers
avatar for Timothy Straub

Timothy Straub

Tim Straub has worked half-time as Chief of the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) since 2017. Since December 2022, the other half of his time has been spent as the Team Lead for the Field Support and Research Team within the Observing Systems Division of WMA. Before... Read More →
MM

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 3:20pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  SEDIMENT, ANALYSIS

3:00pm CDT

State of the Science for Sediment Acoustics
Acoustic instrumentation can be used to accurately and cost-effectively provide time-series and discrete estimates of suspended-sediment concentration, load, and sediment particle sizes, 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 characteristics and other parameters, most commonly measured streamflow, to estimate sediment information when physical sediment samples can’t be collected. Approaches using streamflow can have substantial accuracy limitations because of hysteresis effects, however. As a result, the use of more direct surrogate methods such as acoustic methods have become increasingly important. Interagency efforts in recent years have advanced the testing, methods development, operational guidelines, and training on acoustic methods for measuring suspended sediment. Scientists and technicians interested in using these methods are faced with many decisions on type of application and deployment: horizontal profiling, vertical profiling, or point acoustic instruments; single or multi-frequency instruments; continuous or discrete sediment measurements; and fixed or mobile instrument deployments. To promote cost effective, accurate, and high-resolution fluvial sediment data for the Nation, the interagency Sediment Acoustic Leadership Team (SALT) develops technical guidance and training for using acoustic instruments to measure aquatic sediment. Even though acoustic instrumentation has been used successfully to measure suspended-sediment characteristics through the world, some deployments have been unsuccessful because of limited technical guidance and selection of an inappropriate method. To guide decisions on method selection, the SALT has compiled the state of the science for the main types of acoustics-based suspended-sediment measurement methods in development, testing, and use, and has created a flowchart to guide method selection.
Speakers
MW

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 3:20pm CDT
Midway 7
  SEDIMENT, ANALYSIS

3:00pm CDT

External laboratory data: An example workflow using scripting and other tools for data management, evaluation, approval, and upload
The USGS frequently uses external laboratories for analyses of discrete water-quality samples. For example, if a cooperator is interested in a constituent that the National Water Quality Lab (NWQL) does not analyze, the project team may identify a suitable laboratory that performs this analysis. However, if an external lab is not contracted through the NWQL, specific data management and approval procedures must be considered. Use of a non-contracted external lab may require staff to upload sample results to the National Water Information System (NWIS), and possibly complete the USGS’s formal laboratory evaluation process (LEP).

In this presentation, we will show an example workflow describing data management, LEP document preparation, QA/QC evaluation, and uploading results to WDFN through the USGS batch data loader (BDL). This workflow was developed by the California WSC Biogeochemistry (BGC) Group and uses scripting in both Python and R, and a Tableau data visualization tool to manage and evaluate external laboratory data. These tools have helped us streamline our process, saving time and reducing transcription errors. We receive numerous data files from external laboratories, and this workflow has increased the efficiency of publishing our data in NWIS. Other Centers could likely incorporate the tools we developed into their own processes to further enhance workflows for evaluating and using external laboratories.
Speakers
avatar for Maura Uebner

Maura Uebner

Hydrologic Technician / LDM

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 3:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Water Level Confidence: Tackling Challenging Datum Issues with Automated GNSS Surveys
The California Water Science Center’s Estuarine Hydrodynamics team works in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (the Delta) and faces two main challenges with tying water level to datum. Challenges include: 1) long distances between land and gage infrastructure on pilings in the river (sometimes ~300m+). This makes it virtually impossible to use traditional leveling techniques. 2) land movement. The Delta is comprised of human-made levee systems that are susceptible to significant movement due to the organic soils of the region. Couple this with the movement of a given gage’s piling and it becomes extremely time consuming and costly to determine the accuracy of the water level’s data tied to datum.
The solution? Automate static GNSS surveys on every gage every week. We use a single board computer (SBC), GNSS Survey Grade Receiver, cellular modem, and datalogger to conduct a 12-hour static survey once per week. Once the survey is complete, the SBC packages the raw data, converts those data to a format the National Geodetic Survey’s Online Position User Service (OPUS) can ingest and then sends the converted file off to the USGS sFTP server as well as OPUS. Once the OPUS corrections have been made, we receive an email containing the corrected data and metadata and can then relate those data to our water level with much more confidence.
Speakers
TV

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 1+2
  GNSS/SURVEYING, ANALYSIS

3:00pm CDT

Processing ADCP MidSection Discharge Measurements with QRevMS
QRevMS is an application used for processing and reviewing ADCP midsection discharge measurements. Like QRev, QRevMS processes data loaded from the manufacture data files using automated quality checks and data filtering. During this talk we will discuss the background of the application, the various settings throughout the user interface, and give a demonstration on the applications use.
Speakers
avatar for Travis Knight

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 6
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch non-contact activities and services
This presentation provides an overview of the non-contact activities that the Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch (HRSB) performs or assists, with an eye toward how WSCs can benefit. We will discuss what the HRSB does and how we work with WSCs to use remote sensing and non-contact science to make their jobs easier.
Speakers
JE
avatar for Frank Engel

Frank Engel

Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey
Me in a Sentence: Geographer and researcher passionate about developing new tools, technology, and apps using remote sensing to solve real-world problems.A bit more about me:I joined the Illinois WSC Data Section in 2012 while pursuing my Ph.D. in Geography and Civil Engineering... Read More →
CJ

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 5
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, ANALYSIS

3:00pm CDT

Training Basics for Water Workforce Instructors and Presenters
Beyond subject matter expertise, developing effective training for any audience requires significant planning, organization, and attention to detail to ensure learners receive the maximum benefit. This session is geared toward new or aspiring instructors and presenters who want to learn about foundational training logistics, modalities, and delivery. Participants will gain insight into topics like venue selection, audience engagement, and creating accessible and helpful presentations.
Speakers
avatar for Grant Walters

Grant Walters

Senior Learning & Development Advisor (Contractor) - Water Workforce Development & Training, United States Geological Survey/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 4:20pm CDT
Midway 10
  LEADERSHIP, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Feedback on public web delivery
Join Water Data for the Nation developers and product owners to experiment with or give feedback on public web delivery like the National Water Dashboard, Monitoring Location Pages, legacy NWISweb. This is an opportunity for the USGS community to give freeform feedback and ask questions about web delivery.
Speakers
avatar for Shawna Gregory

Shawna Gregory

Water Data for the Nation Product Owner
Shawna Gregory is a Product Owner for Water Data for the Nation, the primary access point for real-time and historical USGS water data and information. In this role, Shawna is leading a user-centered design approach to web-based delivery applications as the USGS is modernizing water... Read More →
avatar for Florence Thompson

Florence Thompson

Geographer, USGS OTWSC
Florence Thompson is a geographer and has been with the U.S. Geological Survey since 2006.  She is currently a member of the Integrated Hydrology and Data Science Branch in the Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center.  In her early years with USGS she produced national hydrologic datasets... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom F+E+D
  COMPUTER TOOLS, LISTENING SESSION

3:00pm CDT

Telemetry Ingest and Dataflow for Non-Satellite Data Collection
The telemetry ingest dataflow (TID) project is part of the overall NWISmod initiative that is updating internal NWIS systems to meet with current technology. The objectives of the TID project are to provide Water Science-Centers with a centralized method and infrastructure to ingest non-satellite water-data into NWIS (Cellular and machine-to-machine). The goal of the system is to eliminate the burden on Science Centers that use various methods and workarounds to publish non-satellite telemetered data into the NWIS dataflow. This presentation will introduce the TID services and include discussions and examples of field logger setup, connection to the TID service, and modifications in DECAP that will accommodate new data sources.
Speakers
avatar for Jon Wilson

Jon Wilson

Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey
avatar for Laura Flight

Laura Flight

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS
ShortLaura began her USGS career in 1995 as a summer student and was hired full-time in 1997 as a Hydrologic Technician running surface water and groundwater field trips and computing records. Over time she started doing LDM duties, teaching courses, and testing NWIS applications... Read More →
avatar for Erich Kessler

Erich Kessler

Erich Kessler is a hydrologist within the Western Data section of the Upper Midwest Water Science Center. He is a technical point of contact for all things surface water related within his center. On a daily basis, he performs various LDM tasks related to data collection, such as... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 11
  DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS), ANALYSIS

3:00pm CDT

Continuous Groundwater Levels: Site selection, instrumentation, and servicing
This talk will present a basic overview of continuous groundwater data collection including discussion on site selection and conditions, and equipment selection, calibration, and installation. Procedures for a general site visit including discrete measurement, data download, equipment servicing, and site maintenance will be included.
Speakers
LG

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS
Lance Gruhn is a Hydrologist stationed in Iowa City, Iowa and is the groundwater technical and field support lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branck of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Lance coordinates the Groundwater Data Processing class and the Groundwater Field Techniques... Read More →
avatar for Michelle Sneed

Michelle Sneed

Technical Quality Assurance Advisor for Groundwater Science, Office of Quality Assurance

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  GROUNDWATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

Field Site Safety Inspections using Field Activity Safety Tracking (FAST)
Field Activity Safety Tracking or FAST is a module that lives inside of Site Visit Mobile AQ or SVMAQ. This module can be used to replace paper forms used for Annual Site Safety Inspections. This application will increase compliance with mandatory annual site safety inspections and reduce administrative burden on field staff. Data recorded includes identification and classification of field hazards as well as real time reporting on needed site maintenance. Supervisors and safety staff alike can use data collected using the application to verify inspections are being completed, identify hazards, and even map different types of infrastructure on the landscape such as stilling wells. This application was funded by NOMS and developed by the Integrated Hydrology & Data Science Branch or IHDS in OTWSC in cooperation with the Southeast Region.
Speakers
SH

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 9
  SAFETY, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:00pm CDT

What to do after you've measured the "big one": USGGS peak-flow data for Hydrologic Technicians
Annual peak streamflow data from USGS streamgages are a critical dataset engineers and hydrologists use for flood frequency analyses that inform bridge designs, floodplain maps, and other projects in and along rivers. Updated Federal guidelines for flood-frequency analysis (Bulletin 17C) were released in 2019, which allow for better use of information published by the USGS, such as censored (greater than or less than) data, and data sources outside of streamgage records, such as historic peaks. In this workshop, attendees will learn how annual peak-flow data are used, what peak flow qualification codes mean and when to use them, what flood information should be included in station descriptions and manuscripts in SIMS, the proper application of “highest since” notes to annual peaks, proper treatment of peak flows at crest-stage gages, and lots of other flood-related facts. An example streamgage will be analyzed with the PeakFQ software to demonstrate application of USGS data to a real-world flood-frequency problem.
Speakers
DW
PO
SS

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom C
  SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

3:30pm CDT

Image Velocimetry in New York - Initial Results and Accuracy
A first look at the data coming out of the 50 new image velocimetry gages in New York is presented, including initial impressions of issues and successes, and comparison to select concurrent conventional measurements
Speakers
CM

Christopher Macpherson

Hydrologist, USGS - NYWSC
I’ve been with the USGS for 10 years. I’m currently working on the NY camera expansion project and NGWOS groundwater/surface-water interactions in the Neversink River test bed. I like to explore cutting-edge technologies and thrive on unconventional problem-solving.
CG

Chris Grindle

Physical Scientist, USGS
Started in the USGS with the VA/WV WSC in 2016. Currently work for the NYWSC undertaking a large expansion of their Imagery Gage network. I enjoy trying to use new methods and technologies to provide more high quality and relevant data. My focuses are in gage construction, equipment... Read More →
EN

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:30pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 8
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, ANALYSIS

3:30pm CDT

Top 5 Reasons Why Live Scope Sonar is Essential for Deploying Large Samplers in Large Rivers
Utilizing the newest sonar technology allows river sampling teams to greatly enhance their capability to view a sampler track during deployment. This essential tool allows the sampler operator to visualize in real-time, the ascending and descending location of the sampler throughout the water column. The active sonar screen information provides a clear side perspective of not only the position of the moving sampler, but upstream and downstream moving bed forms. During high water events which produce higher velocities, and increased depths, sampler cable payouts tend to differ from actual water depths due to drag on the tether cables and samplers. This unwanted effect can misinform operators of the sampler’s actual depth. Using Live Scope sonar technology greatly enhances an operator’s capability to deploy a sampler to precise depths and therefore avoiding unwanted bed contact or hazards.
Speakers
MM

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:30pm - 3:50pm CDT
Midway 7
  SEDIMENT, ANALYSIS

4:00pm CDT

Datalogger and Camera setup for Situational Awareness and Image Velocimetry
Increasing value is being placed on Image-based data collection for both situational awareness and remote measurement. NY WSC is investigating various camera hardware that can be effectively controlled using a Campbell Scientific CR1000x datalogger. A combination of techniques are being evaluated including: image capture and transmission to HIVIS for situational awareness, video capture for the purposes of computing discharge with image velocimetry. As these setups are power-hungry, power budgets play a very significant role on the success of these approaches.
Speakers
avatar for Martyn Smith

Martyn Smith

Hydrologic Applied Innovations Lab (HAIL), US Geological Survey

Wednesday July 17, 2024 4:00pm - 4:20pm CDT
Midway 8
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, ANALYSIS

4:00pm CDT

Building a flood detection and warning system using the internet-of-things
In response to the damage incurred due to recent extreme rainfall events, as well as the likely increasing frequency of such events due to global climate change, cities across the Nation are developing plans to prepare for future flash flood events. In 2021, the USGS, as part of the Next Generation Water Observing System, began installing a stormwater monitoring network in the cities of Madison, WI and Harwood Heights, IL. Part of this effort includes a vast network of LoRa-enabled sensors used to measure water levels in storm drains, pipes, and channels in areas that have a history of frequent flooding. While this effort was originally designed to facilitate calibration and validation of hydrologic models, it has since been revised to explore the potential to use this network as an early urban flood detection and warning system to city officials.

In the summer of 2023, multiple storm fronts passed through both Madison and Harwood Heights, creating flash flood events throughout the city. This presentation will highlight the performance of the flood detection and warning network for those events and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of using the internet-of-things compared to more traditional means of data collection and dissemination.
Speakers
avatar for Bill Selbig
JD

Wednesday July 17, 2024 4:00pm - 4:20pm CDT
Midway 7
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

4:00pm CDT

Monitoring harmful algal blooms in two Colorado reservoirs using discrete and continuous water-quality sampling, and remote sensing
This information is intended for a presentation, rather than a training course.
Multiple techniques are being used in two Colorado reservoir systems (the Three Lakes System near Granby, Colorado, and Blue Mesa Reservoir near Gunnison, Colorado) to monitor Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). The techniques are continuous monitoring of fluorescence of total chlorophyll and phycocyanin, discrete sampling for chlorophyll-a and algal taxonomy, and construction of satellite (Sentinel 2) models mapping chlorophyll-a concentrations. In the presentation we will compare the results of the different monitoring techniques with the timing of HABs in the reservoirs. The different techniques have different utility in each of the reservoirs and used in combination help track the occurrence of HABs throughout the ice-free season.
Speakers
KW
TC

Wednesday July 17, 2024 4:00pm - 4:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

4:00pm CDT

Using FRGS to Document Datum Conversion at Gaging Stations
This will walk the audience through how FRGS is being used in datum conversion at gaging stations. The presenter will use FRGS in real-time to demonstrate how FRGS interacts with the NGS database to begin planning for the campaign. Documentation of GNSS data collection in the field will be simulated. The presentation will conclude with a demonstration of how to use FRGS to assess the uncertainty of the GNSS survey and apply vertical adjustments. (If time allows, I will show an example of the tracking sheet that we use in SAWSC to pass datum metadata from the surveyor to a reviewer, and finally to our LDM)
Speakers
DS

Wednesday July 17, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 1+2
  GNSS/SURVEYING, TIPS AND TRICKS

4:00pm CDT

GPS and GPS Compasses with ADCPs
A review of setup and best practices in the use of GPS for both velocity and heading data with ADCPs
Speakers
avatar for Chany Huddleston Adrianza

Chany Huddleston Adrianza

Supervisory Hydrologic Technician, USGS
Chany is a supervisor for the New York Water Science Center Observing Systems Branch in Troy. She is a member of the Hydroacoustics Workgroup (HaWG) and spends a good amount of time involved in hydroacoustics testing, helping with classes offered by the HaWG and developing in-house... Read More →

Wednesday July 17, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

4:00pm CDT

Women’s Safety in the Field
There has been an expressed need for a greater focus on women’s safety in the field. As a whole, field safety is not just a concern for women, but for all employees. We will discuss overall field safety as well as the unique situations women might find themselves in.
Speakers
SL

Sarina Little

Hydrologic Technician, USGS
LC

Wednesday July 17, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 5
  SAFETY, TIPS AND TRICKS

4:00pm CDT

Show and Tell: QW Monitors Deployments
DISCUSSION GROUP--This guided session aims to provide a venue for dialogue amongst those interested in QW monitor deployments and other things related to QW monitors. Utilizing the projector in the classroom we can share photos so have your photos handy and able to send them through email or teams.
Speakers
avatar for Ernie McCoy

Ernie McCoy

Hydrologic Technician, USGS-Dakota WSC
Hydrotech at the Grand Forks field office in North Dakota. I started as a student the summer of 09, graduated from UND with a bachelors degree in Environmental Geoscience. I stream gage, collect discrete samples and run continuous monitors collecting the big five.

Wednesday July 17, 2024 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, SHOW AND TELL

4:30pm CDT

Autonomous Vessels for Improved Consistency In Hydrologic Surveying
The California Water Science Center’s Estuarine Hydrodynamics team has been utilizing autonomous, un-crewed surface vessels (USVs) to conduct ADCP and bathymetric surveys throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (the Delta). These vessels have become an invaluable tool. They reduce human-error by performing consistent, repeatable transects that have constant boat speeds, straight paths, and consistent starting and ending locations.
Using USVs certainly comes with some considerations. Users should consider transect locations (large, small, open, covered), navigational hazards (pilings, buoys, docks, debris, shipping lanes), sea and weather conditions (wind chop), potential for compass interference, and power.
After these considerations, the use of USVs has improved data collection and increased efficiency allowing for multiple cross-sections simultaneously without extra personnel.
Speakers
TV

Wednesday July 17, 2024 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Midway 7
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

4:30pm CDT

Replacing the Hach Nitratax: Preliminary Laboratory and Field results from the NT3 series.
The Hach Nitratax has been extensively used by the USGS to collect real-time nitrate concentrations in surface waters. The Nitratax has been replaced by the NT3 series creating uncertainty about data quality and comparability to existing nitrate data. Preliminary results from laboratory and field testing the NT3 series will be shown.
Speakers
avatar for Colin Peake

Colin Peake

Physical Scientist, USGS - CMWSC
I’m into all things continuous water quality! Expert in nutrient sensor technologies.

Wednesday July 17, 2024 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS
 
Thursday, July 18
 

8:00am CDT

Running Levels with a Total Station - Results and Lessons Learned from the CAWSC
The CAWSC has been using total stations for the past several years to run levels at a number of challenging sites. This presentation will discuss some of the pros and cons of using a total station as well as recommendations for optimizing vertical accuracy.
Speakers
JK

Jeff Kitchen

Surface Water Specialists, USGS
I'm the surface water specialist of the CAWSC data program. I have extensive experience with records computation and rating development as well as indirect survey methods.

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:20am CDT
Midway 1+2
  GNSS/SURVEYING, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

USGS Water Use Data Management Function Part 1
The Water Use Data Management Function provides support for water-use data acquisition, review, management, and storage for Water Enterprise water-use data needs. This support includes developing or contributing to water use related policies, technical memos, training, and data review tools. This presentation will give an overview of the Water Use Data Management Function activities; provide an overview of water-use data available to USGS studies and how to access these data; and highlight several national and local water use projects.
Speakers
CD

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  WATER USE, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Getting the Most out of the NOMS National Water Dashboard-internal product
This course will be of interest for personnel at all levels of the Water Enterprise—from WMA coordinators down to field technicians. Using an interactive approach with attendees regarding the National Water Dashboard-internal (NWDi) operational tool, the goal is to highlight its available data resources and functionality to support field operations, and what is planned for the future. This product of the Network Operations Management System (NOMS) project is already changing the game when it comes to real-time water network awareness and assessment, and getting user feedback during this session will help to improve the product moving forward.
Speakers
avatar for Sonya Vasquez and Automated Records group members
avatar for Brian McCallum

Brian McCallum

National Streamgage Network Coordinator, USGS-WMA-OSD
Brian McCallum is currently the National Streamgage Network Coordinator within the USGS Water Mission Area, Observing Systems Division. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelors (1991) and master’s degrees (1992) in civil engineering. Hestarted full-time... Read More →
avatar for Chuck Hansen

Chuck Hansen

Hydrologist, USGS
Chuck Hansen is a Hydrologist with the California Water Science Center in Sacramento. He leadsa team of software and hardware engineers focusing on remote sensing and data delivery.

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 10
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Building a Better Groundwater Monitoring Network
The USGS, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, has upgraded 23 groundwater monitoring wells in Massachusetts from discrete to continuous real time monitoring in the past three years, with plans for additional upgrades to the network in the coming years. The climate response network (CRN) status was also evaluated and updated for all groundwater monitoring wells. This presentation will describe methods of this network analysis including 1) computer tools used in a preliminary desktop analysis, 2) field evaluation of groundwater wells, including temporary data collection and well integrity assessments, and 3) installation of the real time groundwater monitoring equipment. Next steps and future opportunities for this long-term groundwater monitoring network will also be highlighted. Gain insights into evaluating your own networks!
Speakers
DM

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 7
  GROUNDWATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Ice Measurements with ADCP's and ADV's
The basics of collecting acoustic mesurments under ice.
Speakers
GW

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 5
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Image Velocimetry: NY Experience one year later
New York update one year after installing 50 image velocimetry setups at existing gages as part of a flood-hardening project. We will share information about the project background, our power, hardware, software, and telemetry setup.
Speakers
CM

Christopher Macpherson

Hydrologist, USGS - NYWSC
I’ve been with the USGS for 10 years. I’m currently working on the NY camera expansion project and NGWOS groundwater/surface-water interactions in the Neversink River test bed. I like to explore cutting-edge technologies and thrive on unconventional problem-solving.
CG

Chris Grindle

Physical Scientist, USGS
Started in the USGS with the VA/WV WSC in 2016. Currently work for the NYWSC undertaking a large expansion of their Imagery Gage network. I enjoy trying to use new methods and technologies to provide more high quality and relevant data. My focuses are in gage construction, equipment... Read More →
EN

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 6
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, ANALYSIS

8:00am CDT

"How Do You Do?" Running Field Trips
DISCUSSION GROUP--This guided session aims to provide a venue for dialogue amongst data chiefs, field office chiefs, and/or field office leadership on different strategies for the routine operation and maintenance of streamgaging networks. Specific topics may include frequency of site visits, solo vs paired trips, tools being used to help determine when a site visit is needed, and approaches to "extra maintenance" such as station levels. Outcomes of the discussion should be a better national-level understanding of how to optimize operations with a goal of producing high quality data in the most cost effective manner.
Speakers
JW

Jeremy White

Supv Hydrologic Technician, US Geological Survey

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 9
  LEADERSHIP, LISTENING SESSION

8:00am CDT

Training Design and Best Practices
This presentation is an overview and discussion of training methods/techniques for scientific activities. It will highlight common misunderstandings about adult learning and present a framework for the development and implementation of training activities. It will provide insight that will allow both trainers and trainees make the most of their efforts. This presentation will also include an introduction to the WMA sponsored Streamgage Basics training and the Water Quality and Groundwater trainings that are currently in development, along with a discussion of how they can be leveraged to enhance new technician training in your current training program.
Speakers
avatar for Jeffrey Woods

Jeffrey Woods

Data Chief, OKI WSC
KG

Katherine Grindle

Hydrologist, USGS
Katherine Grindle is a Hydrologist with the New York Water Science Center. She has been with the U. S. Geological Survey since 2015. Before becoming a Hydrologist with New York’s Observing Systems Water Quality Branch, she was a hydrologic technician in Charleston WV, collecting... Read More →
MR

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 11
  LEADERSHIP, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Operation and best practices for using the LISST-ABS as a suspended sediment surrogate.
This training course will be offered in the format of an interactive workshop. The focus will be to address topics such as: optimal conditions for the LISST-ABS, installation and maintenance, calibration verification processes, results from USGS pairing factor studies (if you intend to use the LISST-ABS in conjunction with a turbidity sensor), and future work. There will be formal presentations of materials, but the atmosphere will be flexible to accommodate open discussion and questions.
Speakers
avatar for Jeb Brown

Jeb Brown

Hydrologist, USGS
Jeb Brown is a hydrologist who has been with the USGS in Albuquerque, NM since 2005. His research has focused on fluvial sediment transport, lake sediment coring, sediment surrogate technology, and research and development of emerging technology for application in hydrology studi... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 8
  SEDIMENT, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Feature mapping mobile data collection – tools for tracking stream flow permanence and stream road crossings
Mobile data collection has become common place in natural resources monitoring. Mobile data collection to map features (feature mapping) is the collection of data based on GPS location using tools that function across many mobile devices. This facilitates collective data efforts from many organizations and efficiently stores them in centralized datasets. This data collection method can be conducted across wide spatial and temporal scales and is easily implemented into ongoing fieldwork efforts. We have established two feature mapping mobile data collection tools for characterizing stream flow permanence and road-stream crossings. Our objective with these feature mapping efforts is to create usable and accessible peer reviewed, publicly available datasets to accompany easy to use assessment surveys.
We describe two collaboratively produced tools for efficient monitoring of headwater streams: FLOwPER and RoadxStr. FLOwPER (FLOw PERmanence) was developed by a team of scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management. FLOwPER allows rapid collection of stream flow permanence observations that are being applied to model probabilities of perennial flows in headwater streams. RoadxStr is a survey tool that effectively characterizes road-stream crossings. This tool was collaboratively developed with inputs from a national and regional (Pacific Northwest) group of biologists, hydrologists, geomorphologists, and road engineers representing several different government agencies and non-governmental organizations. The broad range of experience and expertise incorporated into RoadxStr ensures the data collected meets management needs while being transferable across existing road-stream crossing datasets. Preliminary results from field surveys indicate that FLOwPER and RoadxStr are capable of quickly producing thousands of new observations on critical features of streams across broad extents.

Speakers
avatar for Dave Evetts

Dave Evetts

Data Chief, USGS
EH

Emily Heaston

Feature mapping mobile data collection - Tools for tracking streamflow permanence and road-stream crossings in the Pacif, US Geological Survey
Mobile data collection has become common place in natural resources monitoring. The increased availability of this technology has not only changed how we record data, but how we collect it. Feature mapping is the collection of data based on GPS location using tools that function across... Read More →
JD

Jason Dunham

Watershed Condition on Federal Lands in the Pacific Northwest: Insights from 25 Years of the Northwest Forest Plan, US Geological Survey
Here we describe status and trends in watershed condition across the extent of the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) over the 25 years since its inception in 1994. Responses were tracked by the Aquatic-Riparian Effectiveness Monitoring Program and included hydrologic measurements (stream... Read More →
KB

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Midway 3+4
  SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Operationalizing the Dynamic Rating Method
A dynamic rating method called DYNPOUND, which accommodates compound and compact channel geometry, was developed to model hysteresis. From a pure hydrodynamics perspective, all rivers and streams have some form of hysteresis (loop effect) in the relation between stage and discharge because of unsteady flow as a flood wave passes. This dynamic rating method is capable of capturing hysteresis caused by variable energy slope, which is a result of unsteady momentum and pressure. The method and graphical user interface (GUI), which were written in the Python programming language, will be demonstrated. The GUI is intended for use by hydrographers to develop and validate ratings for complex sites. This presentation will briefly discuss the background, application, and workflow to operationalize the dynamic rating method for a gage.
Speakers
avatar for Travis Knight

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB
avatar for Elizabeth Heal

Elizabeth Heal

Hydrologist, USGS LMG WSC
I am a hydrologist with the Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center. I began my career in the Baton Rouge office in 2012 as a student. I am a Louisiana State University alumnus. Geaux Tigers! My background is environmental engineering and computer science.

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom C
  SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Discrete Water-Quality Sampling - Information on the NWQL ASRs, cooler packing, and Information related to Contract Labs
This session will cover various aspects of shipping discrete water-quality samples to the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL).
It will include how to look up information on the NWQL internal website, LIMs v11, ASRs, and general information on contract labs.
Target audience: Staff who are sending discrete water-quality samples to the NWQL or will be in the future.
Speakers
avatar for Lee Bodkin

Lee Bodkin

I am the water-quality specialist for the south-Atlantic water science center (GA/NC/SC - aka SAWSC) and sit in the Raleigh, NC office.I started with the USGS in 2007 as a hydro-tech in the Gulf Coast program office of the OK-TX WSC, became a hydrologist in 2009 and became the QW... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:00am CDT

Quality issues and troubleshooting of water-quality monitors
Do you use water-quality monitors and want to learn more about troubleshooting? This course will look at common problems with water-quality monitors and will demonstrate how to identify problems and fix them.
Speakers
KS

Kim Shaffer

Continuous Water Quality Lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branch, USGS
Kimberly Shaffer has a degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey for the past 26 years. As a hydrologist, she has collected and published streamflow, water-quality, and water-use data. In 2021, Kim became the Continuous... Read More →
avatar for Diana Phillips

Diana Phillips

Hydrologist, USGS NYWSC
Diana Phillips has a Bachelor of Science in both Environmental Science with a specialization in Sustainability Science and Policy and in Criminal Justice from the University at Albany, SUNY. Diana has a range of streamgaging experience including surface water, groundwater, water quality... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

8:30am CDT

USGS Water Use Data System (WUDS) Part 2
The Water Use Data System (WUDS) is the replacement for the current Site-Specific Water Use Data System (SWUDS) database and is being developed under the NWIS Modernization effort. WUDS is planned for release by the end of September 2024, and will include retrieval access to the full Monitoring Location Registry contents and the modernized Permit and Other Identifier tables, as well as all water-use specific data from SWUDS. Batch input will support all water-use data, permits, and other identifiers.

This demo will go over the retrieval and batch-entry workflows and discuss a few of the changes from SWUDS to WUDS.
Speakers
CD
NB

Thursday July 18, 2024 8:30am - 8:50am CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  WATER USE, TIPS AND TRICKS

9:00am CDT

RIVRS: Index Velocity Deployment Planning
There are many factors that go into producing accurate discharge at an Index Velocity gage. Before data collection begins, the gage location needs to be established and a velocity meter installed. What frequency meter should you use? Should the meter be uplooking or side looking? Where in the water column should the meter be mounted? During this talk we will discuss the various deployment options, what site reconnaissance data needs to be collected, and how to plan for successful data collect.
Speakers
avatar for Travis Knight

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB

Thursday July 18, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 5
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

9:00am CDT

Goal Setting to Achieve Your Dreams!
How do I write an Individual Development Plan (IDP)? How do I discuss my career aspirations with my supervisor? This talk will cover how you can use SMART objectives to inform your IDP. Along the way, we'll discuss strategies to have an effective discussion with your supervisor about your career goals and how to solicit their feedback to help you achieve your dreams.
Speakers
MR

Thursday July 18, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Midway 9
  LEADERSHIP, TIPS AND TRICKS

9:00am CDT

Considerations for Deploying the YSI EXO in Long-Term Deployments
Considerations for deploying and working with the YSI EXO sonde.
Speakers
avatar for Taylor Camper

Taylor Camper

Hydrologic Technician, USGS: VA-WV WSC
I have been with the Survey since 2017, based in the Virginia-West Virginia WSC. During my career, I have worked in the Watershed Studies section primarily focused on continuous and discrete water-quality work. In 2021, I was selected to be my team's field coordinator, ensuring projects... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

9:00am CDT

USGS National Water Quality Network (NWQN-SW): Overview on collection and reporting
Understanding the water quality of U.S. streams and rivers requires consistent data collection and analysis over decades. The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Quality Network (NWQN) was established to facilitate national-scale understanding of surface-water quality conditions through the collection of comparable data in large rivers and small streams in different geographic and land-use settings. Data collected by the NWQN support the needs of Federal, State and local stakeholders tasked with managing our Nation’s water resources. This talk will provide an overview of the history of national-scale, surface-water quality monitoring in the USGS, current network objectives and scope, data collection and reporting methods, sampling resources as well as published products utilizing NWQN data.
Speakers
avatar for Melissa Riskin

Melissa Riskin

National Water Quality Network Coordinator

Thursday July 18, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

9:00am CDT

Water Use Toolkit: Data Entry and Status Tools Part 3
This presentation will demonstrate the Data Entry and Status tools of the Water Use Toolkit. State agency reported water-use data are provided to USGS staff in many formats. To improve efficiency in entry of data into USGS site-specific water use databases, the Data Entry tool uses several crosswalk tables and translates the state agency provided data into USGS input template format.

The Status tool was developed to allow USGS staff to easily find out what data are in the USGS site-specific water use databases. This tool provides graphs, maps, and counts of the number of water use sites and the category of water use, and the number of monthly and annual data values for the country and by state. A Tableau dashboard allows users to filter by date, category, and state, and is useful for identifying available water-use data for studies with different spatial and temporal extents.

The Water Use Toolkit is a new USGS multiple component tool that was designed to improve efficiency in entering site-specific water-use data, avoid duplication of sites, and provide graphical interfaces for reviewing water quantity data in USGS databases.
Speakers
MS

Malia Scott

Hydrologist, USGS
SS
CD

Thursday July 18, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  WATER USE, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

Calibration E-Logbook
Speakers
PR

Pat Rasmussen

Hydrologist, USGS

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY

10:00am CDT

Water Use Toolkit: Site Comparison Tool part 4
This presentation will demonstrate the Site Comparison tool of the Water Use Toolkit. Each year, USGS staff create and enter large numbers of new water use sites in order to enter site-specific water use data into USGS databases. Limited site information from the source agency can make it difficult to determine if a site already exists in USGS databases. The Site Comparison tool was developed to compare source agency information with current NWIS site information. The tool allows the user to select different data components for comparison, such as name, latitude and longitude, etc. and outputs a likely match score table for the user to evaluate. This tool also has application to any new site creation in NWIS, not just water use sites.

The Water Use Toolkit is a new USGS multiple component tool that was designed to improve efficiency in entering site-specific water-use data, avoid duplication of sites, and provide graphical interfaces for reviewing water quantity data in USGS databases.
Speakers
MS

Malia Scott

Hydrologist, USGS
CD

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:20am CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  WATER USE, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

3D design and rapid prototyping in Hydrologic science
From concepts to reality. In a few short key strokes an idea can be converted into a reality. This presentation will go over creation, prototyping, and field testing process for several hydrologic pieces of equipment. 


Check out the Innovation Depot for cool things going on with design and testing!
Speakers
avatar for Bryce Redinger

Bryce Redinger

I am a HydroTech out of the Carson City, NV office. I have been working for the USGS for just over 15 years. I have a passion for design and development of equipment and teaching. I am the training coordinator for the state of Nevada, and stream gage remote locations in Nevada as... Read More →


Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 9
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

Well Integrity Evaluations
Discuss the importance of well integrity and methods for evaluating.
Speakers
LG

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS
Lance Gruhn is a Hydrologist stationed in Iowa City, Iowa and is the groundwater technical and field support lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branck of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Lance coordinates the Groundwater Data Processing class and the Groundwater Field Techniques... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom C
  GROUNDWATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

Equipment testing update of RiverPro ADCP, RS5 ADCP, and FlowStick
An update on the field testing status of new equipement, including the RiverPro ADCP, the RS5 ADCP, and the Nivus FlowStick.
Speakers
avatar for Travis Knight

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB
JB

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Grand Ballroom B
  HYDROACOUSTICS, ANALYSIS

10:00am CDT

Measurement Uncertainty: How do I rate this Qm?
Ratings QMs using Qrev, statistics and other available resources
Speakers
HB

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 1+2
  HYDROACOUSTICS, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

Extending Your WSC Operations to the Regional Level: Lessons Learned in the NAAR Region
Water Science Centers in the NAAR have embraced an approach that extends their operations beyond their respective centers to share expertise and resources across the region. This is being done through a number of regional working groups that include training and tool development, as well as annual regional AD/FOC face-to-face meetings. This session aims to be a discussion about the successes and limitations of this regional-level approach.
Speakers
SW

Shaun Wicklein

Supervisory Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey
JW

Jeremy White

Supv Hydrologic Technician, US Geological Survey

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 11
  LEADERSHIP, ANALYSIS

10:00am CDT

Updates on USGS Water Data for the Nation: Modernizing how you access water data
USGS is the largest provider of in situ water data in the world and has delivered real-time water information on the web for decades. We are in the midst of a multi-year effort to modernize websites and services to increase usability and to take advantage of modern mobile devices and web technology. As the availability of modernized features and pages in WDFN continues to grow, we are also focusing on decommission of legacy NWISweb pages. This talk will share updates on the latest features released, as well as plans for the coming months and what to expect with legacy decommissions. In addition, we’ll explore how users can access and interact with USGS water data, either from high-volume data streams such as APIs and web services, through next-generation interactive web pages, or mobile-friendly, map-based dashboards.
Speakers
avatar for Shawna Gregory

Shawna Gregory

Water Data for the Nation Product Owner
Shawna Gregory is a Product Owner for Water Data for the Nation, the primary access point for real-time and historical USGS water data and information. In this role, Shawna is leading a user-centered design approach to web-based delivery applications as the USGS is modernizing water... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 10
  LEADERSHIP, ANALYSIS

10:00am CDT

Evaluation of Streamflow Measurement Techniques for Estimating Continuous Stage and Discharge in Small Streams Across the United States
Continuous stage and temperature data were collected via commercially available, unvented and vented submersible pressure transducers (PTs) as ‘tiered’ gages co-located with United States Geological Survey reference gages in relatively small, low-order streams across the United States. Tiered gage data were compared with reference gage records to assess sensor performance variability across different installation methods, reaches, watersheds, and streamflow conditions. Sensor error was evaluated via differences between reference and tiered stage values through time and across variations in atmospheric pressure, barometer proximity, and water temperature. Finally, stage measurements from tiered and reference gages were used to estimate discharge and comparative accuracies evaluated. When installed and visited regularly with tape downs and levels, tiered gages can be pretty accurate! How accurate you ask? Well, please stop on by to see our presentation.
Speakers
avatar for Dave Evetts

Dave Evetts

Data Chief, USGS
MS

Max Schwid

Hydrologist, USGS
avatar for Laura Hempel

Laura Hempel

Staff Scientist, OSQI
Staff Scientist with OSQI's Laboratory Advisory Board. Co-Organizer of the CDI Power Platform Community of Practice.
avatar for Brandon Overstreet

Brandon Overstreet

Hydrologist, USGS - ORWSC
Brandon Overstreet is a member of the Geomorphology team at the Oregon Water Science Center. Brandon's work incorporates remote sensing, geospatial analysis, and field surveys to characterize river attributes including water depth, streamflow, temperature, and riparian vegetation... Read More →
JF

Jenn Fair

hydrologist, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center at S.O. Conte Fish Research Center
Dr. Jenn Fair is an ecohydrologist at the Eastern Ecological Science Center's S.O. Conte Fish Research Center in Turners Falls, MA. Fair leads an interdisciplinary team of fish ecologists, biologists, and hydrologists working to better understand the ecological impacts of streamflow... Read More →
KB
MA

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 3+4
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

10:00am CDT

Introduction to Streamflow Measurements using the Salt Dilution Method
The salt dilution method is a global, time-tested approach for measuring streamflow. It is achieved by adding a known mass of sodium chloride (NaCl) to a stream, allowing it to mix through a reach, and measuring NaCl dilution via changes in specific conductance. A vast majority of USGS streamflow measurements rely on velocity-area methods, which depend on quasi-laminar flow where accuracy of measurements across the channel can be degraded in turbulent conditions. The salt dilution method is ideal for measuring turbulent streams, but the method is seldomly used by the USGS. With support from the SAWSC Science Advancement & Program Development Challenge, the salt dilution method was tested in diverse streams throughout North Carolina and Georgia. The method proved effective at many of the streams with turbulent characteristics such as bends, steep gradients or other features that encourage lateral mixing. Additionally, recent advancements in field instrumentation for measuring salt dilution via changes in specific conductance have reduced the mass of NaCl required in the stream and allow for real-time streamflow and uncertainty calculations. The project concluded that USGS programs could consider it as a reliable option at difficult-to-measure, turbulent streams. This presentation will introduce the salt dilution method to those unfamiliar with it. The audience will (1) learn to recognize site conditions favorable as well as those unfavorable for the salt dilution method, (2) learn salt dilution calculation theory, and (3) learn the basic salt dilution measurement field processes developed and assessed during the SAWSC Science Advancement & Program Development Challenge.
Speakers
avatar for Lewis Craghead

Lewis Craghead

Hydrologic Technician, U.S. Geological Survey
Lewis Craghead joined the South Atlantic WSC in 2016 as a Pathways Intern while finishing a water resources program at the University of Georgia. As a hydrologic technician, he runs a surface water field trip in metro-Atlanta with the Urban Hydrologic Unit which focuses on continuous... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Midway 7
  SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

What's next for AQUARIUS Samples
With the recent launch of AQUARIUS Samples (AQS), there is massive opportunity to grow our water quality workflows. AQS has been launched with an eye towards extensibility through the Discrete Samples Extensibility Tools (DSET), Data Hub Data Warehouse with Dremio, and the Data Hub Service Mesh. The USGS-built extensibility endpoints, along with the native Application Programming Interface offered by AQS itself, makes it easier than ever to build sophisticated data flows to support a wide variety of water quality workflows. This presentation will share what is known about the product roadmap for AQS so that people considering building tooling in the new AQS+ space can plan how to invest resources wisely and so that all users know what to expect from the product now that ASIP is closed.
Speakers
avatar for Kate Norton

Kate Norton

Project Manager, USGS
Kate Norton is the product owner for WMA's AQUARIUS Samples application and also the Function Manager for the Laboratory Software Support and Operations (LASSO) Function. LASSO support the business and science processes for software related to managing discrete sample data and metadata... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

10:00am CDT

Establishing New Sites - MLR Feedback Session
The Monitoring Location Registry (MLR) is the first stop in the workflow for establishing a new NWIS Site. In this session we will review the MLR workflow, solicit ideas for improving it, and brainstorm on ways to leverage and enhance MLR to simplify the process of establishing sites in SIMS, AQTS, and AQS. The desired outcome is a roughly prioritized list of MLR improvements and ideas for ways to improve the overall Establish Site Workflow.
Speakers
PR

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 6
  DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS), LISTENING SESSION

10:00am CDT

Tips & Tricks for Running Station Levels
This session will present different ways to combat common issues/errors when running station levels. Topics covered will include but not limited to: equipment, planning, archiving, and documentation. Attendees will have an opportunity to present their office's tips and tricks for running station levels during Open Mic portion.
Speakers
CH

Crystal Hammer

Supervisory Hydrologic Technician/Field Office Chief (Columbus, OH), U.S. Geological Survey

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 5
  GNSS/SURVEYING, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:00am CDT

Sediment Records Office Hours (and any other sediment related questions)
This "office hours" block of time is intended to help answer questions about your sediment records. Have a question about a site that's been bugging you? Let's talk. Want a fresh set of eyes on your sediment record? Bring it by! Never understood coefficients but didn't want to sound ignorant by asking your boss? Your secret is safe with me! The focus will be on GCLAS based sediment records, but please stop by with any sediment related questions. If I don't know it, I'll pass you off to another subject matter expert.
Speakers
avatar for Jeb Brown

Jeb Brown

Hydrologist, USGS
Jeb Brown is a hydrologist who has been with the USGS in Albuquerque, NM since 2005. His research has focused on fluvial sediment transport, lake sediment coring, sediment surrogate technology, and research and development of emerging technology for application in hydrology studi... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 8
  SEDIMENT, LISTENING SESSION

10:30am CDT

Water Use Toolkit: Data Review and Outlier Detection tool (part 5)
This presentation will demonstrate the Data Review and Outlier Detection tool of the Water Use Toolkit. State agency reported water-use data often contain erroneous data and outliers, and current USGS water use databases do not have graphical user interfaces for easily reviewing these data. The Data Review and Outlier Detection tool of the Water Use Toolkit allows USGS staff to interactively review time series plots of annual and monthly water-use data, and provides the users a .csv file of potential outliers and data anomalies. The Water Use Toolkit is a new USGS multiple component tool that was designed to improve efficiency in entering site-specific water-use data, avoid duplication of sites, and provide graphical interfaces for reviewing water quantity data in USGS databases.
Speakers
SS

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:30am - 10:50am CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  WATER USE, TIPS AND TRICKS

10:30am CDT

Turbidity corrections for field-based fluorescence measurements – achieving better performance
As turbidity corrections for field-based fluorescence measurements have been conducted at more sites with elevated turbidities across the nation, evidence of poor correction performance has mounted. In some cases, extreme and erratic values were generated from the corrections. It was determined that the commonly used single parameter exponential fit approximated by Excel does a poor job of correcting for particle interference for many high turbidity samples. An evaluation of turbidity corrections experiments in the laboratory and field samples suggested that updated guidance for turbidity corrections was warranted for high turbidity waters. Here we evaluate different approaches to turbidity corrections for fluorescence measurements and discuss factors affecting the corrections.
Speakers
avatar for Jacob Fleck

Jacob Fleck

Research Hydrologist, USGS CAWSC

Thursday July 18, 2024 10:30am - 11:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

11:00am CDT

SAWSC Women in Science: An Overview
This presentation will provide an overview of the history and development of the SAWSC Women in Science Group. We will highlight what the group has accomplished and present short- and long-term goals for the future. Our hope is to reach anyone who is interested in beginning or is part of a group like this one in their own Center.
Speakers
SL

Sarina Little

Hydrologic Technician, USGS
LC

Thursday July 18, 2024 11:00am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 9
  LEADERSHIP, ANALYSIS

11:00am CDT

Salt Dilution Discharge Measurements: A viability test in utilizing on-hand conductivity probes to collect stream discharge measurements
The NYWSC Observing Systems Division Troy office is testing the use of on-hand conductivity probes to measure stream discharge utilizing salt dilution methodology. Salt dilution is a well-researched technique in academic fields but thus far has not been widely used within the USGS. Currently, USGS offices in the Southeast Region are testing the use of specialized systems that have demonstrated accuracy but may pose a financial barrier to their wider adoption. By utilizing conductivity probes that may be readily available to hydrographers these financial barriers can be circumnavigated while maintaining accuracy. Demonstrating that on-hand equipment can be used to make reliable salt dilution measurements adds an accessible tool for hydrographers to collect the highest quality data at sites and conditions where traditional methods fall short.
Speakers
KB

Kaylie Butts

Hydro Tech

Thursday July 18, 2024 11:00am - 11:20am CDT
Midway 7
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

11:00am CDT

The latest features in DSET and plans for the future
This will be an overview of the Discrete Samples Extensibility Tools (DSET), any updates made since version 1.0.0, and some insights into feature updates that are in the works.
Speakers
DR

Dave Rus

Product owner of the Batch Data Loader and Water Quality Review (AQS tools)Member of the QWILS teamWater Quality Specialist at Nebraska WSC

Thursday July 18, 2024 11:00am - 11:20am CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

Physical Installation of NIMS/HIVIS cameras
This presentation will look at different camera mounting systems, tools used for installation, termination of ethernet cables and use of POE injectors.
Speakers
avatar for Dave Owens

Dave Owens

UMid WSC - Madison WI
Dave Owens represents the Upper Midwest (UMid) Water Science Center in Madison, WI where he has worked as a hydro tech, project chief, lead IT specialist, operations manager and Innovation specialist for the last 34 years. He has extensive experience with Campbell Scientific dataloggers... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:20pm CDT
Midway 5
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

FEMA Mission-Assigned Inland Flood Response along the Missouri and Arkansas Rivers – A 2019 Retrospective
This discussion will introduce a brief walk-through of the FEMA MA process, along with planning and execution of HWM collection and engagement within incident command centers.
Speakers
PR

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:20pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  SURFACE WATER, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

Accessing AQUARIUS Samples Data via Alternate Means
There is more than one way to retrieve data from AQUARIUS Samples. This presentation will introduce you to the AQS APIs and Dremio. We will connect Excel to the AQS APIs to create ‘live’ workbooks that can be refreshed. We will use Dremio to perform national scale queries in a data lakehouse and discuss sharing common queries for all to use.
Speakers
MC

Michael Canova

Hydrologist / Data Management Specialist, U.S. Geological Survey

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS), TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

NuGo2 Release Update and Training
NuGo2 is ready for release! NuGo2 replaces legacy Go2, which will be decommissioned, to alert hydrographers and data managers about potential site issues and the need for site visits. This session will give an update and overview of functionality in NuGo2 followed by a training on setting up configurations. NuGo2 is a modernized version of Go2 with improved code, centralized and supported infrastructure, and broad accessibility. NuGo2 is implemented on a national level, making it available to all WSCs and supportive of broad scale diagnostics and situational awareness. NuGo2 accesses all telemetry methods, incorporates different data sources, centralizes configurations, and allows for customization including flexible parameter selection.
Speakers
avatar for Amber Jones

Amber Jones

Physical Scientist/Product Owner, USGS

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 6
  DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS), TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

A brief history of underwater sound
A lighthearted and interesting talk on the origins of underwater sound, a brief history over the years, and ties to modern hydroacoustics.
Speakers
JB

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 8
  HYDROACOUSTICS, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

"How Do You Do?" Making AAA Work
DISCUSSION GROUP--This guided session aims to provide a venue for dialogue amongst data chiefs, field office chiefs, and/or field office leadership on different strategies for analyzing, approving, and auditing continuous data. Specific topics may include distribution of assignments, tools being used to track progress and/or latency, and challenges associated with the process. Outcomes of the discussion should be a better national level understanding of how to optimize operations with a goal of producing high quality data in the most timely and cost-effective manner.
Speakers
JW

Jeremy White

Supv Hydrologic Technician, US Geological Survey

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  LEADERSHIP, LISTENING SESSION

1:00pm CDT

Traffic Control Awareness
This presentation will provide an overview of traffic control awareness and precautions for employees that work along roads and bridges. Training requirements, traffic control devices, and the importance of worker visibility for personnel working on or within 15 feet of roadways will be discussed. In addition, things to consider when setting up traffic control, and a discussion of flagging and traffic control plans (TCPs) will be presented.
Speakers
SN

Shelley Niesen

U.S. Geological Survey

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 1+2
  SAFETY, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

OKI Hydrotech Bootcamp, Methods, curriculum, lessons learned.
OKI would like to share our hydrotech bootcamp experience with the data workshop in order to share our successes, learn from our mistakes, and start a discussion with other trainers on their center's bootcamp techniques.
Speakers
TL
AG
avatar for Travis D. Smith

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom B
  SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

Water-quality monitoring with satellite remote-sensing workflow examples
How would you like to put satellites and the international space station to work for your water-quality projects? The availability of remote sensing tools for monitoring water quality continues to expand. This session will provide a primer on remote sensing for water quality, followed by several workflow examples based on use cases from the field. Examples will include tools developed just for you by the Remote Sensing for Water Quality project and related partnerships among Water Science Centers, the Water Mission Area, and the Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch.

The introduction to satellites and water quality will overview types of data available from different satellite platforms including which satellites are related to which water-quality parameters. Workflows will cover where and how to access or request satellite data collection and demonstrate several tools. Examples include exploring historic and recent satellite imagery when developing a project sample plan, responding to on-the-ground conditions, and matching field data to satellite imagery. Imagery and related data products can be used to assess access for remote sites based on water levels and ice conditions. The wide spatial view can be used to confirm and track a developing algal bloom. Matching satellite data is important with prior field data, but future sampling can even be planned to coincide with some types of satellite data.

WMA tools include the “Satellite Overpass Calendar Tool” for paired satellite-field observations, the RSWQ dashboard, and improved imagery products for chlorophyll, turbidity, and temperature that are optimized specifically for water, instead of previous terrestrial products.
Speakers
avatar for Tyler King

Tyler King

Research Hydrologist, US Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey has undertaken the development of an operational system to deliver remotely sensed water quality at Continental United States scale from Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery. This multi-year project is focused on evaluating published methods of estimating... Read More →
avatar for Michael (he/him) Meyer
JG

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Regency Ballroom C
  WATER QUALITY, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

Aquarius Station Analysis (AQSA)
The team will provide an overview of the AQSA (Aquarius Station Analysis) process that integrates AQTS data and entered information with SIMS/RMS to generate Station Analysis. This Automated Records project work will be released sometime in August 2024.
Speakers
avatar for Sonya Vasquez and Automated Records group members

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 9
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:00pm CDT

Uncertainty in Discrete Groundwater-Level Measurements
All methods of taking groundwater-level measurements have uncertainty associated with them, and these uncertainties can be numerous and compounded. Uncertainty sources can be the instrument used for measuring the groundwater level, the equipment used to validate the measured groundwater level, conditions in and near the well, environmental conditions, and even the person measuring the water level. Variables that can affect uncertainty can include temperature, measurement depth, tape stretching or other irregularities like kinks, and well access and construction. Some sources of uncertainty are identified and quantified through testing and laboratory analysis however, some uncertainty can be subjective and require a hydrographers best judgement when in the field. In this brief presentation, various sources and variables of uncertainty will be presented with a discussion to follow on other experiences with uncertainty in groundwater-level data collection.
Speakers
avatar for Jason Fine

Jason Fine

National Groundwater Networks Coordinator, USGS
Jason graduated from East Carolina University in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in geology. He began working with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1995. During his career with the USGS, he has focused on groundwater and surface-water studies and data collection efforts, mostly... Read More →
LG

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS
Lance Gruhn is a Hydrologist stationed in Iowa City, Iowa and is the groundwater technical and field support lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branck of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Lance coordinates the Groundwater Data Processing class and the Groundwater Field Techniques... Read More →
avatar for Michelle Sneed

Michelle Sneed

Technical Quality Assurance Advisor for Groundwater Science, Office of Quality Assurance

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 7
  GROUNDWATER, ANALYSIS

1:00pm CDT

Turbidity basics
Overview of Turbidity basics including theory, calibration and measurement of turbidity.
Speakers
ET

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom A
  HIF & EQUIPMENT, TIPS AND TRICKS

1:30pm CDT

Why are Real Time Cameras Important
Camera imagery can help describe conditions that can't be measured by traditional sensors. Real time cameras help USGS employees, first responders and the public to make decisions about conditions at the site before going to the site which can enhance efficiency and improve safety.
Speakers
avatar for Dave Owens

Dave Owens

UMid WSC - Madison WI
Dave Owens represents the Upper Midwest (UMid) Water Science Center in Madison, WI where he has worked as a hydro tech, project chief, lead IT specialist, operations manager and Innovation specialist for the last 34 years. He has extensive experience with Campbell Scientific dataloggers... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:30pm - 1:50pm CDT
Midway 5
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, ANALYSIS

1:30pm CDT

Evapotranspiration and the new Li-Cor 710
Evapotranspiration (ET) is the largest flux in the water balance after precipitation. Direct measurements of ET using micrometeorology and eddy covariance are expensive and require a lot of staff time for station maintenance and data processing making it cost-prohibitive for the USGS. Last fall, Li-Cor introduced the LI-710 as a simpler and more economical one-dimension ET sensor. Through the Next-Generation Water Observing Systems R&D program, the USGS and Desert Research Institute have been evaluating the LI-710 against traditional eddy covariance measurements. The presentation and demonstration will highlight some of our current results and provide hands-on look at the sensor.
Speakers
avatar for Todd Caldwell

Todd Caldwell

Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey

Thursday July 18, 2024 1:30pm - 1:50pm CDT
Grand Ballroom A
  WATER USE, ANALYSIS

2:00pm CDT

SHARE-DLS, an advanced datalogger and script programming depot.
A presentation on the Datalogger scripts and programming depot. Where a repository of scripts and training material for programming of dataloggers and wiring of complex gage structures to support the custom programming.

Use the Script tracker 9000 and discover scripts and code that can make your field data a breeze. 

USGS Internal SharePoint: Script Tracker 9000



Speakers
avatar for Travis Knight

Travis Knight

Hydrologist, USGS-HNB
avatar for Bryce McClenney

Bryce McClenney

hydro tech, USGS-South Atlantic
I am presenting on both the GNSS and Storm Response tracks. I have been involved with both GNSS and storm response campaigns all over the country and hope to convey some of my lessons learned as well as learn from others.
avatar for Bryce Redinger

Bryce Redinger

I am a HydroTech out of the Carson City, NV office. I have been working for the USGS for just over 15 years. I have a passion for design and development of equipment and teaching. I am the training coordinator for the state of Nevada, and stream gage remote locations in Nevada as... Read More →


Thursday July 18, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Grand Ballroom B
  COMPUTER TOOLS, TIPS AND TRICKS

2:00pm CDT

Using AirVantage with Sierra Wireless RV50, RV50X and RV55 cellular modems
Cellular telemetry is getting wider use throughout the USGS. AirVantage is a tool that can be used to manage and troubleshoot Sierra Wireless cellular modems/gateways. This presentation will show some of the tools available in the AirVantage dashboard. Anyone using Sierra Wireless modems (RV50, RV50X, RV55 and LX60) should have access to AirVantage.
Speakers
avatar for Dave Owens

Dave Owens

UMid WSC - Madison WI
Dave Owens represents the Upper Midwest (UMid) Water Science Center in Madison, WI where he has worked as a hydro tech, project chief, lead IT specialist, operations manager and Innovation specialist for the last 34 years. He has extensive experience with Campbell Scientific dataloggers... Read More →

Thursday July 18, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 5
  IMAGING/REMOTE SENSING, TIPS AND TRICKS

2:00pm CDT

Federal Priority Network Open Season Results
This presentation will present initial results of the recent Federal Priority Streamgage (FPS) Network Open Season, with a first look at the new network design of eligible locations based upon discussions from multiple federal partners.
Speakers
avatar for Brian McCallum

Brian McCallum

National Streamgage Network Coordinator, USGS-WMA-OSD
Brian McCallum is currently the National Streamgage Network Coordinator within the USGS Water Mission Area, Observing Systems Division. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelors (1991) and master’s degrees (1992) in civil engineering. Hestarted full-time... Read More →
avatar for Cory Angeroth

Cory Angeroth

Deputy Portfolio CoordinatorWater Observing Systems PortfolioHave worked most of my career on Center and National level data collection programs and projects.

Thursday July 18, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 8
  LEADERSHIP, ANALYSIS

2:00pm CDT

Qualitative assessment tools for Salt Dilution measurements using on hand conductivity probes and tips for Aquarius/Archival uploading
Unlike more established discharge methodology, salt dilution discharge measurements using on hand conductivity probes do not currently have a quantitative calculation of uncertainty. This leaves technicians and reviewers to assess the uncertainty qualitatively. Looking at aspects such as probe selection, calibration factor, pulse shape, and start/end time bias these easy tools can aid in the assessment of a salt dilution measurement. From there, proper uploading to Aquarius and archiving allow for future reviews to have pertinent information and feel confident in the use of the measurements going forward.
Speakers
KB

Kaylie Butts

Hydro Tech

Thursday July 18, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Midway 3+4
  SURFACE WATER, TIPS AND TRICKS

2:00pm CDT

Overview of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program
The USGS-National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) has been an NADP partner agency since 1981. USGS is one of many Federal and State agencies of the National Trends Network (NTN) and provides funding for 82 out of a total of 263 NTN sites, the largest Federal funding contributor of all participating agencies. Weekly precipitation samples are collected and shipped to a central laboratory that analyzes the amount and type of atmospheric constituents in the precipitation sample. The NTN provides scientists, resource managers, and policymakers with long-term, high-quality atmospheric deposition data used to support research and decision-making in the areas of air quality, water quality, agricultural effects, forest productivity, materials effects, ecosystem studies, watershed studies, and human health.
Speakers
RM

Thursday July 18, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Regency Ballroom B
  WATER QUALITY, ANALYSIS

3:00pm CDT

Closing Plenary
Closing Plenary
Thursday July 18, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Grand Ballroom F+E+D
  PLENARY
 
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