Sedimentology Commons^™

Nebraska Statewide Groundwater-Level Monitoring Report 2025, Aaron R. Young, Mark E. Burbach, Sue Olafsen Lackey, Robert Matthew Joeckel, Jeffrey Westrop

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Unintended Consequences Of Estuarine Management Within The Trajectory Of Recovery: Examples From The Chesapeake Bay, Jessica S. Turner, Fei Da, Molly M. Mitchell

OES Faculty Publications

Estuaries are vital ecosystems that support biodiversity, human populations, and economic activities such as fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism. Managing estuarine systems often involves interventions to regulate sediment and nutrient inputs with the goal of improving water quality, and subsequently the economic values of the estuary. However, these management strategies can produce unintended consequences. The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary recovering from eutrophication which provides clear case studies for these patterns. In the Chesapeake Bay, decreased sediment inputs, resulting from shoreline stabilization and watershed modifications, can impair marsh resilience to sea level rise and disrupt sediment-light-algal interactions affecting water clarity. Likewise, …

Last Glacial Maximum And Late Glacial Aeolian Sand Activity, South-Central Indiana, Usa, H. M. Loope, J. L. Antinao, P.R. Hanson, P. M. Jacobs, D. A. Grimley

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

The Shoreline Protection Potential Of Oyster Reefs: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Jessica R. Fergel, Robert E. Isdell, Gabriella Dipetto, Karinna Nunnez, Sean T. Gregory, Evan Hill, Donna Marie Bilkovic

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Nature-based solutions for erosion control that incorporate oyster reefs, alone or in combination with other habitats, are an increasingly popular approach due to their potential to protect shorelines and enhance oyster production. However, the extent to which natural or constructed oyster reefs provide shoreline protection remains unclear. We conducted a global systematic literature review and meta-analysis to summarize and evaluate the potential of oyster reefs in attenuating waves, promoting sediment accretion, and/or reducing shoreline erosion. Factors extracted from studies included shoreline protective measures examined, oyster reef structure type, and oyster reef tidal location. The results of the meta-analysis showed generally …

Report 17—Revisions To The Articles Of Organization And Procedure Of The Commission On Stratigraphic Nomenclature Of The Americas, Lynn T. Dafoe, Robert B. Macnaughton, Marie-Perre Aubry, Carlton E. Brett, James R. Lehane, Fernando Núñez-Useche, Randall C. Orndorff, Frank Brunton, Lucy E. Edwards, Richard H. Fluegeman, Howard Harper, Robert Matthew Joeckel, Norman P. Lasca, B. H. Tew

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

Several revisions to the Articles of Organization and Procedure for the North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature have been adopted following the 75th, 79th, and 80th annual meetings of the Commission in 2020, 2024 and 2025, respectively. Of these, the most substantial change was revision of Article III regarding membership composition of the Commission and the addition of new member organizations from Central and South America and the Caribbean region. As a result, the Commission also voted to change its name to be more inclusive of the expanding membership, with approval of the name: Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature of the …

Floodplain Lake Hydrodynamic And Morphodynamic Connections Through Hydraulic Modeling Along The Pee Dee River, Sc, Charles Cj Mina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rivers have been essential in the success of humankind. This reliance has created a vested interest in studying the rivers' environmental history through using floodplain deposits, with the assumption that coarser sediments correlate to higher discharge floods. However, shifting hydrological connectivity and hydrodynamics can complicate this correlation in primary repositories of flood deposits, oxbow lakes, by altering the texture of sediments delivered to them. Studying these complications is essential for quantifying paleoflood magnitude using the sediment record, but has been difficult, as the currently used index of hydrological connectivity relies on water stage, which does not reflect the sediment flux …

Groundwater In Nebraska, Troy E. Gilmore, Jesse T. Korus Dr.

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

What is groundwater? Groundwater is water that fills and moves between spaces in underground rocks, gravel, sand, or other materials.

Older Groundwater Reservoirs In Nebraska, Marvin P. Carlson, Steven S. Sibray

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

Sedimentary rocks below Nebraska's regional water table are saturated down to the crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks of Precambrian age. The total thickness of these sedimentary rocks ranges from about 600 feet to over 10,000 feet. Nearly all current wells in Nebraska produce water from the near-surface, unconsolidated or partly consolidated rocks. Most studies to date -- interpretive reports, test drilling, inventory of wells, monitoring water levels, and water quality determinations -- have concentrated on these near-surface sources of groundwater.

Decadal To Millennial-Scale Morphodynamic Evolution Of Microtidal Marshes, Samuel Mason Zapp

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Tidal marshes are susceptible to rapidly converting to open water due to their low elevations within the tidal frame. A continuous supply of externally supplied mineral sediment and in situ organic material production is necessary to offset elevation losses from relative sea level rise and erosion. Complex feedbacks between hydrodynamics, the erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment, and physical modification of the landscape by the establishment of intertidal vegetation govern the spatial and temporal patterns of elevation response. This dissertation focuses on modeling how these dynamics drive marsh landscape evolution in the past, present, and into the future under changing …

Quaternary Subsurface Characterization Of The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer: Insights From Interval Kriging And Airborne Em-Borehole Data Integration, Yuqi Song

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Pleistocene period significantly contributed to the formation of alluvial aquifer worldwide. These productive aquifers are crucial for domestic, industrial, and agricultural water supplies. The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer (MRVA), a principal aquifer in the U.S., is crucial for national food security and global agricultural supply. This study aims to characterize the subsurface architecture of the MRVA, thereby enhancing fundamental understanding of sedimentological processes involved in the genesis of glacio-fluvial aquifers worldwide. The research objectives are threefold: (1) to provide a detailed characterization of the MRVA; (2) to develop 3D geostatistical methods for geological modeling; and (3) to develop …

Stratigraphy And Osl Chronology Of Lunette Deposits Indicates That Nebraska’S Rainwater Basins Formed By Aeolian Deflation Between 39 And 25 Ka, P.R. Hanson, Robert Matthew Joeckel

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Seasonality Of Submarine Groundwater Discharge Pathways In A Coastal Lagoon Revealed By Radium Isotopes: The Importance Of Porewater Exchange In Summer, Júlia Rodriguez-Puig, Valentí Rodellas, Marc Diego-Feliu, Andres Alcolea, Joaquín Jiménez-Martínez, Irene Alorda-Montiel, Aaron Alorda-Kleinglass, Francisco Pereira, Marisol Manzano, Javier Gilabert, Jordi Garcia-Orellana

OES Faculty Publications

Chemical fluxes supplied by Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) can be relevant for coastal ecosystems, particularly lagoonal environments. An appropriate understanding of SGD requires constraining the magnitude and composition of its different pathways. However, the evaluation of SGD pathways is often limited to independent estimations, lacking a comprehensive understanding of the groundwater processes at play. In this study, we combined a Ra mass balance and hydrogeological modeling to simultaneously estimate different SGD pathways flowing into a coastal lagoon. We assessed water fluxes derived from fresh SGD, long-scale recirculation of seawater, and porewater exchange (PEX) into Mar Menor, a highly anthropized coastal …

Early Holocene Interaction Of Aeolian, Alluvial, And Lacustrine Processes In A Dune-Dammed Valley In The Central Nebraska Sand Hills, Gpsia Mahoney, R. D. Mandel, P.R. Hanson, Sherilyn Fritz

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Conservation And Survey Division 2024 Annual Report, R.M. Joeckel, Michele Waszgis

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

The Conservation and Survey Division of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln is the agency designated by statute to investigate and interpret the geologically related natural resources of the State, to make available to the public the results of these investigations, and to assist in the development and conservation of these resources. It consists of program areas in geology, water, soils and remote sensing-geographic information systems.

Investigating The Thermal Stratification Patterns Of A Shallow Polymictic Boreal Shield Lake And The Effectiveness Of Models In Predicting Shallow Lake Thermal Profiles, Matthew Roberts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Thermal stratification is a core process of lakes which plays a critical role in shaping the ecological dynamics of lakes, influencing major processes like nutrient cycling and oxygen availability. For shallow polymictic lakes, thermal stratification patterns present some unique differences due to the complex and variable nature of these lakes. In this thesis, I examined thermal stratification in a shallow polymictic lake in northwestern Ontario during the ice-free season of 2019 to investigate the frequency, duration, and driving factors of thermal stratification. The lake underwent 146 separate stratification events, with a median duration of 2 hours per event, with a …

Challenges Of Using More Precise Temporal And Spatial Resolution Of Remote Sensing Data For Surface Water Quality Monitoring, Ivan Rykin

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Monitoring river suspended sediment concentration (SSC) is critical for environmental challenges such as understanding the fate of thawed permafrost sediment and its impact on global carbon cycling. However, traditional SSC monitoring using Landsat imagery is limited by spatial and temporal constraints, particularly for narrow rivers in cloudy and/or snowy regions.

This study investigates the use of higher spatial (3 m) and temporal (daily) resolution satellite imagery from the PlanetScope constellation to estimate SSC in remote rivers such as those in the Arctic. I compare the performance of PlanetScope’s spectral resolution (4 and 8 bands) with Landsat 7. Merging data from …

Theory Of An Automatic Seepage Meter And Ramifications For Applications, V. A. Zlotnik, D. K. Solomon, D. P. Genereux, T. E. Gilmore, C. E. Humphrey, A. R. Mittelstet, A. V. Zlotnik

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Effects Of Suspended Algal Content, Dissolved Oxygen, And Temperature On A High-Frequency Acoustic Attenuation System In A Controlled Laboratory Environment, Noah Watson

Honors Theses

The Single Frequency Acoustic Attenuation System (SFAAS) has been developed at the National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA). This system uses acoustic methods to monitor fine suspended sediment concentration in streams. Site-specific calibrations are necessary for this system, and previous research has indicated that algal concentration or dissolved oxygen concentration of water may affect collected data. Temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, and fluorescence, used as a proxy for algal concentration, were monitored during this system’s use, and calibrations were derived to account for the effect of each of these variables on acoustic measurements. It has been shown that temperature has a …

Lower Bound On Preserved Flood Duration In Fluvial Bedform Stratigraphy (Experimental Dataset), Robert C. Mahon, Vamsi Ganti, Madeline M. Kelley, Debsmita Das, Victoria Sanchez, Giancarlo Portocarrero, Mayson Fredricks

Lower Bound on Preserved Flood Duration in Fluvial Bedform Stratigraphy (experimental dataset)

This data is collected to assess the role of hydrograph timescale relative to dune migration on the preservation of cross sets in the stratigraphic record. The data presented here are of dune evolution under steady-state conditions, as well as three hydrographs of the same magnitude but varying timescales.

Methodology:

We collected data from four experiments tracking bedform evolution in a 22-m-long, 0.56-m-wide, 0.9-m-deep flume at the University of New Orleans Dynamics of Sedimentation laboratory. We conducted an equilibrium experiment (discharge value 0.027 m3/s) and three flood experiments, which were characterized by a symmetrical flood wave. In all flood experiments, the …

Stage And Discharge Prediction From Documentary Time-Lapse Imagery, Kenneth W. Chapman, Troy E. Gilmore, Mehrube Mehrubeoglu, Christian D. Chapman, Aaron R. Mittelstet, John E. Stranzl Jr.

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

Imagery from fixed, ground-based cameras is rich in qualitative and quantitative information that can improve stream discharge monitoring. For instance, time-lapse imagery may be valuable for filling data gaps when sensors fail and/or during lapses in funding for monitoring programs. In this study, we used a large image archive (>40,000 images from 2012 to 2019) from a fixed, ground-based camera that is part of a documentary watershed imaging project (https://plattebasintimelapse.com/). Scalar image features were extracted from daylight images taken at one-hour intervals. The image features were fused with United States Geological Survey stage and discharge data as response variables …

Analysis Of Legacy Gravity Data Reveals Sediment-Filled Troughs Buried Under Flathead Valley, Montana, Usa, Ali Gebril, Mohamed A. Khalil, Robert Matthew Joeckel, James Rose

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

Shallow, dominantly silt- and clay-filled erosional troughs in Quaternary sediments under the Flathead Valley (northwestern Montana, USA) are very likely to be hydraulic barriers limiting the horizontal flow of groundwater. Accurately mapping them is important because of increasing demand for groundwater.We used a legacy Bouguer gravity map measured in 1968. The directional derivatives of the map are computed, and the map was enhanced by implementing edge detection tools.We produced generalized derivative, maximum horizontal gradient, total gradient and tilt gradient maps through two-dimensional Fourier transform analysis. These maps were remarkably successful in locating buried troughs in the northern and northwestern parts …

Joint Interpretation Of Ert And Self-Potential Data To Characterize The Subsurface Geology And Hydrodynamics Along The Sutherland Supply Canal And Paxton Siphon Inlet, Paxton, Nebraska., M. K. Aboushanab, D. R. Hallum, R. M. Joeckel

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Improving Accessibility And Understanding: Studying The Impact Of Human Activities And Dam Removals On Anadromous Fish Species In The Pacific Northwest, Adia F. Bennett

Scripps Senior Theses

Human activities in North American watersheds have significantly impacted anadromous fish, causing some species of salmon and steelhead to become threatened and endangered. These fish hold ecological, cultural, and economic importance, yet factors such as habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution, climate change, and hydroelectric dams continue to degrade populations. Dams are particularly harmful to anadromous fish, sparking a recent movement advocating for dam removals. This study uses NOAA’s 2022 Biological Viability Assessment to examine the response of anadromous fish to recent dam removals in the Pacific Northwest. Four populations were selected to analyze due to their interaction with sites that had …

Leveraging High Resolution Classifications And Random Forests For Hindcasting Decades Of Mesic Ecosystem Dynamics In The Landsat Time Series, N. E. Kolarik, Nawaraj Shrestha, T. Caughlin, J. S. Brandt

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Nebraska Statewide Groundwater-Level Monitoring Report 2023, Aaron R. Young, Mark E. Burbach, Sue Olafsen Lackey, Robert Matthew Joeckel, Nawaraj Shrestha, Jeffrey Westrop

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

This report is a synthesis of groundwater-level monitoring programs in Nebraska. It is a continuation of the series of annual reports and maps produced by the Conservation and Survey Division (CSD) of the University of Nebraska in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since the 1950s. Groundwater-level monitoring began in Nebraska in 1930 to survey the state’s groundwater resources and observe changes in its availability on a regular basis. The CSD and USGS cooperatively developed, maintained, and operated an observation-well network throughout the state. These two agencies were responsible for collecting and archiving this information, and for making it …

Transient Electromagnetic (Tem) Survey For Targeted Drilling On The Kurtzhals Property, Cedar County, Nebraska, Jesse Korus, Katherine (Katie) Cameron, Michele Waszgis

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

The Kurtzhals property is in Section 19, Township 30N, Range 3 in Cedar County, Nebraska. The present land use is agricultural row crop, but past use included hog production. Two active irrigation wells are located on adjacent properties to the west and southwest. An irrigation well was installed in the northwest corner of the property in 2022. Due to the low yield (300 gallons per minute) of this well, Mr. Kurtzhals seeks to install an additional irrigation well to supplement the first. Several unsuccessful test holes had been drilled prior to the present survey. The purpose of this survey was …

Zircon Luminescence Dating Re-Visited, C. Schmidt, T. Halter, P.R. Hanson, A. Ulianov, B. Putlitz, G. E. King, S. Kreutzer

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Age Dating Young Groundwater: How To Determine Groundwater Age From Environmental Tracer Data, D. K. Solomon, T. E. Gilmore

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Sediment Accumulation Effectiveness Behind Beaver Dam Analogues, One Rock Dams, And Post-Assisted Log Structures On East Foster Creek, Douglas County, Wa, Griffin Hansen

All Master's Theses

Waterways are valuable resources for communities and habitats, but are subject to degradation in the form of incision. This is a type of streambed erosion where streams narrow and deepen. Sediment control dams were placed on East Foster Creek in Douglas County, WA to control incision following the 2020 Pearl Hill fire. This study examined sediment capture in the ponds behind these dams, which included beaver dam analogues (BDAs), one rock dams (ORDs), and post-assisted log structures (PALS). Sediment capture may be influenced by several factors, including dam type, height, width, distance between dams, vegetation, land use, topography, soil type, …

The Effect Of Seasonal Ice Cover Duration On Shoreline Erosion In Lake Michigan, Ryan S. Navarre

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Shoreline erosion in Lake Michigan has been a significant concern for coastal management. Promoting coastal stability and resilience is paramount to protecting these environments, especially amid climate change. While several factors are key in understanding shoreline erosion, seasonal ice cover duration is a prominent yet understudied factor in the Great Lakes region. Here, the relationship between ice cover duration and shoreline erosion rates is assessed across 7 regions of Lake Michigan. An ice cover duration dataset was created for Lake Michigan for 2011 – 2020 and its shorelines were digitized for years with available high-resolution aerial imagery. The statistical relationship …