Ken Belitz
Kenneth Belitz is a research hydrologist with the Earth Systems Processes Division of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
As a USGS scientist, Ken has simultaneously conducted hydrogeologic research and provided leadership for scientific teams addressing practical problems. He is currently the manager for the National Extent Hydrogeologic Framework project. The objective of the work is to develop a three-dimensional digital representation of the subsurface of the United States. The framework will be used in support of Integrated Water Availability Assessments.
Ken has previously led two large USGS groundwater assessment efforts: He was the lead scientist and manager of the Groundwater Ambient and Monitoring Assessment (GAMA) Program, designed to assess the quality of California’s groundwater; and he was the Chief for Groundwater Assessments for the 3rd decade of the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Together, these efforts represent ~$150 million of data collection and scientific interpretation. The GAMA and NAWQA groundwater teams published ~230 USGS reports and journal articles, and the findings have been widely covered in both the print and broadcast media.
Ken is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, and was the 2023 Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished Lecturer. His papers have nearly 10,000 citations.
Professional Experience
2021-present: Research Hydrologist, Earth Systems Processes Division, USGS Water Mission Area
2012-2021: Chief for Groundwater Assessment (Supervisory Hydrologist), USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program.
2003-2012: Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program Chief (Supervisory Research Hydrologist), CA Water Science Center, USGS, San Diego.
1998-2003: Project Chief and Research Hydrologist, Santa Ana Basin Study Unit, USGS NAWQA Program, CA Water Science Center, San Diego
1997-1998: Associate Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Queens College, City University of NY
1990-1997: Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
1990-1998: Research Hydrologist, intermittent appointment, USGS
1985-1990: Hydrologist and Research Hydrologist, San Joaquin Valley Drainage Program, California District, Water Resources Division, USGS.
1988-1990: Consulting Professor, Applied Earth Sciences, Stanford University
Spring 1985: Visiting Lecturer, Earth Sciences, University of California-Santa Cruz
1981-1985: Hydrologist-student appointment, Water Resources Division, USGS, Menlo Park, CA
1980-1983: Teaching Assistant, Stanford University
Summer 1980: Geological Assistant, Chevron USA/Alaska Division, San Francisco, CA.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Hydrogeology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
B.S. Geology, Honors, State University of New York at Binghamton
Affiliations and Memberships*
Geological Society of America (Fellow)
American Geophysical Union
National Ground Water Association
Sigma Xi (Scientific Research Society)
Honors and Awards
Birdsall-Dreiss Distinguished Lecturer, Geological Society of America Hydrogeology Division, 2023
USGS Office of Groundwater, Best Paper Award, 2010. Co-recipient.
Kevin J. Neese Award, Groundwater Resources Association of California, 2009. Co-recipient.
USGS Western Region Excellence in Science Award, 2004
USGS Water Resources Division Research Lecturer, 2001
Fellow, 1996, Geological Society of America
Phi Beta Kappa, 1979, State University of New York at Binghamton
Ralph E. Digman Prize for Excellence in Geology, 1979, SUNY - Binghamton
Graduation with Academic Honors, 1979, SUNY – Binghamton
New York State Regents Scholarship, 1975-1979
Scholarship, International Ladies Garment Workers Union, 1975-1979
Eagle Scout, Bronx, NY, 1974
Science and Products
A hybrid machine learning model to predict and visualize nitrate concentration throughout the Central Valley aquifer, California, USA
Methane and benzene in drinking-water wells overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale hydrocarbon production areas
Large decadal-scale changes in uranium and bicarbonate in groundwater of the irrigated western U.S
Groundwater quality in the Santa Barbara Coastal Plain, California
Potential corrosivity of untreated groundwater in the United States
Groundwater quality data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, May 2012 through December 2013
A partial exponential lumped parameter model to evaluate groundwater age distributions and nitrate trends in long-screened wells
Geostatistical analysis of tritium, groundwater age and other noble gas derived parameters in California
Groundwater quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system, eastern United States
Groundwater quality in the Coastal Lowlands aquifer system, south-central United States
Groundwater quality in the Basin and Range Basin-Fill Aquifers, southwestern United States
Groundwater quality in the Southeastern Coastal Plain aquifer system, southeastern United States
Science and Products
A hybrid machine learning model to predict and visualize nitrate concentration throughout the Central Valley aquifer, California, USA
Methane and benzene in drinking-water wells overlying the Eagle Ford, Fayetteville, and Haynesville Shale hydrocarbon production areas
Large decadal-scale changes in uranium and bicarbonate in groundwater of the irrigated western U.S
Groundwater quality in the Santa Barbara Coastal Plain, California
Potential corrosivity of untreated groundwater in the United States
Groundwater quality data from the National Water-Quality Assessment Project, May 2012 through December 2013
A partial exponential lumped parameter model to evaluate groundwater age distributions and nitrate trends in long-screened wells
Geostatistical analysis of tritium, groundwater age and other noble gas derived parameters in California
Groundwater quality in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system, eastern United States
Groundwater quality in the Coastal Lowlands aquifer system, south-central United States
Groundwater quality in the Basin and Range Basin-Fill Aquifers, southwestern United States
Groundwater quality in the Southeastern Coastal Plain aquifer system, southeastern United States
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government