Kimberlie Perkins
Kimberlie Perkins is a Research Hydrologist for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Education:
San Jose State University: M.S. in Geology, December 2005.
University of California, Berkeley: B.S. in Soil Science, December 1996
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Research Experience:
1997- Present Research Hydrologist, Water Mission Area, Earth Surface Processes Division, Water Cycle Branch, United States Geological Survey, Supervisor: Dr. John Nimmo
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Research Interests:
- Land use changes and their hydrologic influence on ecosystems.
- Understanding water flow and contaminant transport in the unsaturated zone using a combination of laboratory measurements, field experiments, and modeling.
- Aquifer recharge estimation techniques.
- Laboratory measurement and modeling of unsaturated hydraulic properties of porous materials.
- Development of physically-based models for estimating hydraulic properties without the need for direct measurement.
- Field techniques for measuring and quantifying hydrologic processes.
- Mechanisms and quantification of preferential flow in the unsaturated zone.
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Awards:
USGS Star Award for outstanding performance received in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009. 2010, 2011, 2018
San Jose State University Graduate Studies Scholarship 2003.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 35
Measurement of unsaturated hydraulic properties and evaluation of property-transfer models for deep sedimentary interbeds, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho
Operations at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have the potential to contaminate the underlying Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer. Methods to quantitatively characterize unsaturated flow and recharge to the ESRP aquifer are needed to inform water-resources management decisions at INL. In particular, hydraulic properties are needed to parameterize distributed hydrologic models...
Authors
Kimberlie Perkins, Brittany D. Johnson, Benjamin B. Mirus
Assessing effects of native forest restoration on soil moisture dynamics and potential aquifer recharge, Auwahi, Maui
Understanding the role of soils in regulating water flow through the unsaturated zone is critical in assessing the influence of vegetation on soil moisture dynamics and aquifer recharge. Because of fire, introduced ungulates and landscape-level invasion of non-native grasses, less than 10% of original dry forest (~730 mm precipitation annually) still exists on leeward Haleakalā, Maui...
Authors
Kim S. Perkins, John R. Nimmo, Arthur C. Medeiros, Daphne J. Szutu, Erica von Allmen
Practical estimates of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity of bedrock outcrops using a modified bottomless bucket method
The bottomless bucket (BB) approach (Nimmo et al., 2009a) is a cost-effective method for rapidly characterizing field-saturated hydraulic conductivity Kfs of soils and alluvial deposits. This practical approach is of particular value for quantifying infiltration rates in remote areas with limited accessibility. A similar approach for bedrock outcrops is also of great value for improving...
Authors
Benjamin B. Mirus, Kim S. Perkins
Effects of native forest restoration on soil hydraulic properties, Auwahi, Maui, Hawaiian Islands
Over historic time Hawai'i's dryland forests have been largely replaced by grasslands for grazing livestock. On-going efforts have been undertaken to restore dryland forests to bring back native species and reduce erosion. The reestablishment of native ecosystems on land severely degraded by long-term alternative use requires reversal of the impacts of erosion, organic-matter loss, and...
Authors
Kimberlie S. Perkins, John R. Nimmo, Arthur C. Medeiros
Assessing controls on perched saturated zones beneath the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, Idaho
Waste byproducts associated with operations at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) have the potential to contaminate the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer. Recharge to the ESRP aquifer is controlled largely by the alternating stratigraphy of fractured volcanic rocks and sedimentary interbeds within the overlying vadose zone and by the availability of water...
Authors
Benjamin B. Mirus, Kim S. Perkins, John R. Nimmo
Measurement and modeling of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity
The unsaturated zone plays an extremely important hydrologic role that influences water quality and quantity, ecosystem function and health, the connection between atmospheric and terrestrial processes, nutrient cycling, soil development, and natural hazards such as flooding and landslides. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is one of the main properties considered to govern flow...
Authors
Kim S. Perkins
Field tracer investigation of unsaturated zone flow paths and mechanisms in agricultural soils of northwestern Mississippi, USA
In many farmed areas, intensive application of agricultural chemicals and withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation have led to water quality and supply issues. Unsaturated-zone processes, including preferential flow, play a major role in these effects but are not well understood. In the Bogue Phalia basin, an intensely agricultural area in the Delta region of northwestern Mississippi...
Authors
K. S. Perkins, J. R. Nimmo, C.E. Rose, R.H. Coupe
High-quality unsaturated zone hydraulic property data for hydrologic applications
In hydrologic studies, especially those using dynamic unsaturated zone moisture modeling, calculations based on property transfer models informed by hydraulic property databases are often used in lieu of measured data from the site of interest. Reliance on database-informed predicted values has become increasingly common with the use of neural networks. High-quality data are needed for...
Authors
Kimberlie Perkins, John R. Nimmo
Rapid measurement of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity for areal characterization
To provide an improved methodology for characterizing the field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) over broad areas with extreme spatial variability and ordinary limitations of time and resources, we developed and tested a simplified apparatus and procedure, correcting mathematically for the major deficiencies of the simplified implementation. The methodology includes use of a...
Authors
J. R. Nimmo, K. M. Schmidt, K. S. Perkins, J. D. Stock
Hydrologic characterization of desert soils with varying degrees of pedogenesis: 1. field experiments evaluating plant-relevant soil water behavior
To assess the eff ect of pedogenesis on the soil moisture dynamics infl uencing the character and quality of ecological habitat, we conducted infi ltration and redistribution experiments on three alluvial deposits in the Mojave National Preserve: (i) recently deposited active wash sediments, (ii) a soil of early Holocene age, and (iii) a highly developed soil of late Pleistocene age. At...
Authors
John R. Nimmo, Kim S. Perkins, Kevin M. Schmidt, David M. Miller, Jonathan D. Stock, Kamini Singha
Hydrologic characterization of desert soils with varying degrees of pedogenesis: 2. Inverse modeling for eff ective properties
To understand their relation to pedogenic development, soil hydraulic properties in the Mojave Desert were investi- gated for three deposit types: (i) recently deposited sediments in an active wash, (ii) a soil of early Holocene age, and (iii) a highly developed soil of late Pleistocene age. Eff ective parameter values were estimated for a simplifi ed model based on Richards' equation...
Authors
B.B. Mirus, K. S. Perkins, J. R. Nimmo, K. Singha
Laboratory-Measured and Property-Transfer Modeled Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Snake River Plain Aquifer Sediments at the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho
Sediments are believed to comprise as much as 50 percent of the Snake River Plain aquifer thickness in some locations within the Idaho National Laboratory. However, the hydraulic properties of these deep sediments have not been well characterized and they are not represented explicitly in the current conceptual model of subregional scale ground-water flow. The purpose of this study is to...
Authors
Kim S. Perkins
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 35
Measurement of unsaturated hydraulic properties and evaluation of property-transfer models for deep sedimentary interbeds, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho
Operations at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) have the potential to contaminate the underlying Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer. Methods to quantitatively characterize unsaturated flow and recharge to the ESRP aquifer are needed to inform water-resources management decisions at INL. In particular, hydraulic properties are needed to parameterize distributed hydrologic models...
Authors
Kimberlie Perkins, Brittany D. Johnson, Benjamin B. Mirus
Assessing effects of native forest restoration on soil moisture dynamics and potential aquifer recharge, Auwahi, Maui
Understanding the role of soils in regulating water flow through the unsaturated zone is critical in assessing the influence of vegetation on soil moisture dynamics and aquifer recharge. Because of fire, introduced ungulates and landscape-level invasion of non-native grasses, less than 10% of original dry forest (~730 mm precipitation annually) still exists on leeward Haleakalā, Maui...
Authors
Kim S. Perkins, John R. Nimmo, Arthur C. Medeiros, Daphne J. Szutu, Erica von Allmen
Practical estimates of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity of bedrock outcrops using a modified bottomless bucket method
The bottomless bucket (BB) approach (Nimmo et al., 2009a) is a cost-effective method for rapidly characterizing field-saturated hydraulic conductivity Kfs of soils and alluvial deposits. This practical approach is of particular value for quantifying infiltration rates in remote areas with limited accessibility. A similar approach for bedrock outcrops is also of great value for improving...
Authors
Benjamin B. Mirus, Kim S. Perkins
Effects of native forest restoration on soil hydraulic properties, Auwahi, Maui, Hawaiian Islands
Over historic time Hawai'i's dryland forests have been largely replaced by grasslands for grazing livestock. On-going efforts have been undertaken to restore dryland forests to bring back native species and reduce erosion. The reestablishment of native ecosystems on land severely degraded by long-term alternative use requires reversal of the impacts of erosion, organic-matter loss, and...
Authors
Kimberlie S. Perkins, John R. Nimmo, Arthur C. Medeiros
Assessing controls on perched saturated zones beneath the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, Idaho
Waste byproducts associated with operations at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) have the potential to contaminate the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer. Recharge to the ESRP aquifer is controlled largely by the alternating stratigraphy of fractured volcanic rocks and sedimentary interbeds within the overlying vadose zone and by the availability of water...
Authors
Benjamin B. Mirus, Kim S. Perkins, John R. Nimmo
Measurement and modeling of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity
The unsaturated zone plays an extremely important hydrologic role that influences water quality and quantity, ecosystem function and health, the connection between atmospheric and terrestrial processes, nutrient cycling, soil development, and natural hazards such as flooding and landslides. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity is one of the main properties considered to govern flow...
Authors
Kim S. Perkins
Field tracer investigation of unsaturated zone flow paths and mechanisms in agricultural soils of northwestern Mississippi, USA
In many farmed areas, intensive application of agricultural chemicals and withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation have led to water quality and supply issues. Unsaturated-zone processes, including preferential flow, play a major role in these effects but are not well understood. In the Bogue Phalia basin, an intensely agricultural area in the Delta region of northwestern Mississippi...
Authors
K. S. Perkins, J. R. Nimmo, C.E. Rose, R.H. Coupe
High-quality unsaturated zone hydraulic property data for hydrologic applications
In hydrologic studies, especially those using dynamic unsaturated zone moisture modeling, calculations based on property transfer models informed by hydraulic property databases are often used in lieu of measured data from the site of interest. Reliance on database-informed predicted values has become increasingly common with the use of neural networks. High-quality data are needed for...
Authors
Kimberlie Perkins, John R. Nimmo
Rapid measurement of field-saturated hydraulic conductivity for areal characterization
To provide an improved methodology for characterizing the field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) over broad areas with extreme spatial variability and ordinary limitations of time and resources, we developed and tested a simplified apparatus and procedure, correcting mathematically for the major deficiencies of the simplified implementation. The methodology includes use of a...
Authors
J. R. Nimmo, K. M. Schmidt, K. S. Perkins, J. D. Stock
Hydrologic characterization of desert soils with varying degrees of pedogenesis: 1. field experiments evaluating plant-relevant soil water behavior
To assess the eff ect of pedogenesis on the soil moisture dynamics infl uencing the character and quality of ecological habitat, we conducted infi ltration and redistribution experiments on three alluvial deposits in the Mojave National Preserve: (i) recently deposited active wash sediments, (ii) a soil of early Holocene age, and (iii) a highly developed soil of late Pleistocene age. At...
Authors
John R. Nimmo, Kim S. Perkins, Kevin M. Schmidt, David M. Miller, Jonathan D. Stock, Kamini Singha
Hydrologic characterization of desert soils with varying degrees of pedogenesis: 2. Inverse modeling for eff ective properties
To understand their relation to pedogenic development, soil hydraulic properties in the Mojave Desert were investi- gated for three deposit types: (i) recently deposited sediments in an active wash, (ii) a soil of early Holocene age, and (iii) a highly developed soil of late Pleistocene age. Eff ective parameter values were estimated for a simplifi ed model based on Richards' equation...
Authors
B.B. Mirus, K. S. Perkins, J. R. Nimmo, K. Singha
Laboratory-Measured and Property-Transfer Modeled Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Snake River Plain Aquifer Sediments at the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho
Sediments are believed to comprise as much as 50 percent of the Snake River Plain aquifer thickness in some locations within the Idaho National Laboratory. However, the hydraulic properties of these deep sediments have not been well characterized and they are not represented explicitly in the current conceptual model of subregional scale ground-water flow. The purpose of this study is to...
Authors
Kim S. Perkins