High water in the Walnut Creek watershed in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 2022. Flooding can impact nearby infrastructure, including homes, businesses, roads and trails. Credit: Kristina Hopkins, USGS.
Kristina Hopkins
Krissy Hopkins is a Supervisory Research Physical Scientist for the Watersheds and Fluvial Systems Section at the Washington Water Science Center.
The Watersheds and Fluvial Systems Section conducts studies of watersheds and the rivers and streams flowing through them to understand geomorphic conditions, sediment dynamics, and ecosystem functions. This includes sediment sampling and coring, geospatial analyses, remote sensing, and empirical modeling of biophysical processes.
Krissy’s expertise focuses on understanding the impacts of land use change on hydrologic, geochemical, geomorphic, and ecological functions within freshwater ecosystems. This includes examining the impacts of different types of stormwater management strategies such as rain gardens and other green infrastructure. Her work also focuses on translating ecosystem functions into ecosystem services and values by applying ecosystem services approaches to floodplain systems and green stormwater infrastructure.
Professional Experience
2024 – Present, Supervisory Research Physical Scientist, Washington Water Science Center, Tacoma, WA.
2017 - 2024, Research Physical Scientist, South Atlantic Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Raleigh, NC.
2016 - 2017, Research Physical Scientist, Eastern Geographic Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
2014 - 2016, Postdoctoral Fellow, National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, University of Maryland, Annapolis, MD.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Geology and Environmental Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
B.S. Biology/Environmental Science (2nd Major Geography), Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Science and Products
Remotely mapping gullying and incision in Maryland Piedmont headwater streams using repeat airborne lidar
Mapping stream and floodplain geomorphometry with the Floodplain and Channel Evaluation Tool
Societal benefits of floodplains in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds: Sediment, nutrient, and flood regulation ecosystem services
Floodplains provide critical ecosystem services to people by regulating floodwaters and retaining sediments and nutrients. Geospatial analyses, field data collection, and modeling were integrated to quantify a portfolio of services that floodplains provide to downstream communities within the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds. The portfolio of services included floodplain sediment and n
Hydrology, water-quality, and watershed characteristics in 15 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, water years 2002–20
Assessing stormwater control measure inventories from 23 cities in the United States
Integrating urban water fluxes and moving beyond impervious surface cover: A review
Learning from arid and urban aquatic ecosystems to inform more sustainable and resilient futures
Urbanization of grasslands in the Denver area affects streamflow responses to rainfall events
Urbanization and stream ecology: Moving the bar on multidisciplinary solutions to wicked urban stream problems
Tracking geomorphic changes after suburban development with a high density of green stormwater infrastructure practices in Montgomery County, Maryland
Closing the gap on wicked urban stream restoration problems: A framework to integrate science and community values
Ephemeral stream network extraction from lidar-derived elevation and topographic attributes in urban and forested landscapes
Raleigh Bank Erosion Project
Understanding the Effects of Stormwater Management Practices on Water Quality and Flow
Floodplains provide millions of dollars in benefits every year to people in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
Unique 20-year study assesses ecosystem response to different types of stormwater management
New dataset available on stream and floodplain geometry to inform restoration decisions
New Insights on using Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Reduce Suburban Runoff
SPARROW Modeling for North Carolina Watersheds
Quantifying Floodplain Ecological Processes and Ecosystem Services in the Delaware River Watershed
Drainage network for the Greater Raleigh Area, North Carolina, 2015-2022
Depth grids for floodplain flood attenuation baseline and counterfactual scenarios in the Schuylkill River watershed, Pennsylvania
Watershed characteristics and streamwater constituent load data, models, and estimates for 15 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, 2000-2021
Lidar-derived rasters of point density, elevation, and geomorphological features for 2013, 2015, and 2022 for the Greater Raleigh Area, North Carolina
Datasets for Rapid Assessment of Streambank Erosion Potential for Selected Streams throughout the Greater Raleigh Area, North Carolina, 2022
Geomorphic metrics across four catchments in Clarksburg, Maryland, 2002-19
Stream cross-section, benthic macroinvertebrate and fish taxa counts and abundance, and water chemistry data for the Clarksburg study area in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1992 - 2020
Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration in North Carolina Catchments
Data release for Piloting Urban Ecosystem Accounting for the United States
Predictions of floodplain and streambank geomorphic change and flux of sediment and nutrients, and streambed characteristics, for stream reaches in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
Physico-chemical characteristics and sediment and nutrient fluxes of floodplains, streambanks, and streambeds in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
Geomorphometry for Streams and Floodplains in the Chesapeake and Delaware Watersheds
High water in the Walnut Creek watershed in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 2022. Flooding can impact nearby infrastructure, including homes, businesses, roads and trails. Credit: Kristina Hopkins, USGS.
This video acts as a “visual abstract” for a recent publication analyzing the stormwater management practices in Clarksburg, MD. The video features interviews with the team of USGS scientists as well as a water specialist from Montgomery County.
This video acts as a “visual abstract” for a recent publication analyzing the stormwater management practices in Clarksburg, MD. The video features interviews with the team of USGS scientists as well as a water specialist from Montgomery County.
This video acts as a “visual abstract” for a recent publication analyzing the stormwater management practices in Clarksburg, MD. The video features interviews with the team of USGS scientists as well as a water specialist from Montgomery County.
This video acts as a “visual abstract” for a recent publication analyzing the stormwater management practices in Clarksburg, MD. The video features interviews with the team of USGS scientists as well as a water specialist from Montgomery County.
![Sand filter and dry detention pond located in Clarksburg, Maryland. Behind a residential neighborhood.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/media/images/cba-sand-filter-2.jpg?itok=FwL0arDR)
Photograph of sand filter and dry detention pond located in Clarksburg, Maryland.
Photograph of sand filter and dry detention pond located in Clarksburg, Maryland.
Floodplain and Channel Evaluation Tool (FACET)
The Floodplain and Evaluation Tool (FACET) is an open-source python tool that maps the floodplain extent and derives reach-scale summaries of stream and floodplain geomorphic measurements from high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs).
Floodplain and Channel Evaluation Tool: FACET
Stream Channel and Floodplain Metric Toolbox
The Stream Channel and Floodplain Metric Toolbox was developed to demonstrate the feasibility of mapping fluvial geomorphic features from high-resolution bare-earth elevation data.
Science and Products
Remotely mapping gullying and incision in Maryland Piedmont headwater streams using repeat airborne lidar
Mapping stream and floodplain geomorphometry with the Floodplain and Channel Evaluation Tool
Societal benefits of floodplains in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds: Sediment, nutrient, and flood regulation ecosystem services
Floodplains provide critical ecosystem services to people by regulating floodwaters and retaining sediments and nutrients. Geospatial analyses, field data collection, and modeling were integrated to quantify a portfolio of services that floodplains provide to downstream communities within the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds. The portfolio of services included floodplain sediment and n
Hydrology, water-quality, and watershed characteristics in 15 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, water years 2002–20
Assessing stormwater control measure inventories from 23 cities in the United States
Integrating urban water fluxes and moving beyond impervious surface cover: A review
Learning from arid and urban aquatic ecosystems to inform more sustainable and resilient futures
Urbanization of grasslands in the Denver area affects streamflow responses to rainfall events
Urbanization and stream ecology: Moving the bar on multidisciplinary solutions to wicked urban stream problems
Tracking geomorphic changes after suburban development with a high density of green stormwater infrastructure practices in Montgomery County, Maryland
Closing the gap on wicked urban stream restoration problems: A framework to integrate science and community values
Ephemeral stream network extraction from lidar-derived elevation and topographic attributes in urban and forested landscapes
Raleigh Bank Erosion Project
Understanding the Effects of Stormwater Management Practices on Water Quality and Flow
Floodplains provide millions of dollars in benefits every year to people in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
Unique 20-year study assesses ecosystem response to different types of stormwater management
New dataset available on stream and floodplain geometry to inform restoration decisions
New Insights on using Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Reduce Suburban Runoff
SPARROW Modeling for North Carolina Watersheds
Quantifying Floodplain Ecological Processes and Ecosystem Services in the Delaware River Watershed
Drainage network for the Greater Raleigh Area, North Carolina, 2015-2022
Depth grids for floodplain flood attenuation baseline and counterfactual scenarios in the Schuylkill River watershed, Pennsylvania
Watershed characteristics and streamwater constituent load data, models, and estimates for 15 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia, 2000-2021
Lidar-derived rasters of point density, elevation, and geomorphological features for 2013, 2015, and 2022 for the Greater Raleigh Area, North Carolina
Datasets for Rapid Assessment of Streambank Erosion Potential for Selected Streams throughout the Greater Raleigh Area, North Carolina, 2022
Geomorphic metrics across four catchments in Clarksburg, Maryland, 2002-19
Stream cross-section, benthic macroinvertebrate and fish taxa counts and abundance, and water chemistry data for the Clarksburg study area in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1992 - 2020
Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration in North Carolina Catchments
Data release for Piloting Urban Ecosystem Accounting for the United States
Predictions of floodplain and streambank geomorphic change and flux of sediment and nutrients, and streambed characteristics, for stream reaches in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
Physico-chemical characteristics and sediment and nutrient fluxes of floodplains, streambanks, and streambeds in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
Geomorphometry for Streams and Floodplains in the Chesapeake and Delaware Watersheds
High water in the Walnut Creek watershed in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 2022. Flooding can impact nearby infrastructure, including homes, businesses, roads and trails. Credit: Kristina Hopkins, USGS.
High water in the Walnut Creek watershed in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 2022. Flooding can impact nearby infrastructure, including homes, businesses, roads and trails. Credit: Kristina Hopkins, USGS.
This video acts as a “visual abstract” for a recent publication analyzing the stormwater management practices in Clarksburg, MD. The video features interviews with the team of USGS scientists as well as a water specialist from Montgomery County.
This video acts as a “visual abstract” for a recent publication analyzing the stormwater management practices in Clarksburg, MD. The video features interviews with the team of USGS scientists as well as a water specialist from Montgomery County.
This video acts as a “visual abstract” for a recent publication analyzing the stormwater management practices in Clarksburg, MD. The video features interviews with the team of USGS scientists as well as a water specialist from Montgomery County.
This video acts as a “visual abstract” for a recent publication analyzing the stormwater management practices in Clarksburg, MD. The video features interviews with the team of USGS scientists as well as a water specialist from Montgomery County.
![Sand filter and dry detention pond located in Clarksburg, Maryland. Behind a residential neighborhood.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/media/images/cba-sand-filter-2.jpg?itok=FwL0arDR)
Photograph of sand filter and dry detention pond located in Clarksburg, Maryland.
Photograph of sand filter and dry detention pond located in Clarksburg, Maryland.
Floodplain and Channel Evaluation Tool (FACET)
The Floodplain and Evaluation Tool (FACET) is an open-source python tool that maps the floodplain extent and derives reach-scale summaries of stream and floodplain geomorphic measurements from high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs).
Floodplain and Channel Evaluation Tool: FACET
Stream Channel and Floodplain Metric Toolbox
The Stream Channel and Floodplain Metric Toolbox was developed to demonstrate the feasibility of mapping fluvial geomorphic features from high-resolution bare-earth elevation data.