Ramon C. Naranjo
Ramon Naranjo is Research Hydrologist in the Nevada Water Science Center. Interests include understanding biogeochemical processes at the sediment-water interface and characterizing flow and transport in hyporheic and groundwater systems using innovative technologies and modeling.
Recent research activities involve characterization of hyporheic flow and nutrients beneath barrier beaches and streams in the shore zone of Lake Tahoe, and using multi-depth observations of temperature in unlined agricultural canal sediments to quantify seepage losses. Near-shore water quality and lake clarity is of interest due to nutrient enrichment leading to algal blooms and ongoing efforts to quantify groundwater contributions to nutrient loads. Understanding the role of groundwater surface-water interactions as it relates to nutrient retention and cycling is an important consideration in this research. He has designed and patented new instrumentation for continuous monitoring of subsurface temperatures to evaluate spatial and temporal variability in seepage rates that allows further development of new heat as tracer model calibration and uncertainty techniques. He is actively testing new modeling software being developed to enable the coupled heat-flow and reactive transport processes. He serves as a member of the Tahoe Science Advisory Council.
Professional Experience
2012 - Present: Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey
2004- 2012: Research Assistant, Desert Research Institute, Reno Nevada
2002- 2010: Environmental Scientist III, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
1997- 2000: Research Assistant, University of Nevada Reno/ Desert Research Institute
1992- 1997: Hydrologist, Water Quality and Hydrology, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Hydrology, University of Nevada, Reno, 2012
M.S. in Hydrology, University of Nevada, Reno, 2000
B.S. in Environmental Science, New Mexico
Affiliations and Memberships*
Invention, Patent, License Held
Device for monitoring subsurface temperatures (Patent No. 62/100,365). Exclusively licensed to Alpha Mach, Inc. 1/06/2015.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 22
Evaluation of bias associated with capture maps derived from nonlinear groundwater flow models
The impact of groundwater withdrawal on surface water is a concern of water users and water managers, particularly in the arid western United States. Capture maps are useful tools to spatially assess the impact of groundwater pumping on water sources (e.g., streamflow depletion) and are being used more frequently for conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater. Capture maps...
Authors
Cara A. Nadler, Kip K. Allander, Greg Pohll, Eric D. Morway, Ramon C. Naranjo, Justin Huntington
Knowing requires data
Groundwater-flow models are often calibrated using a limited number of observations relative to the unknown inputs required for the model. This is especially true for models that simulate groundwater surface-water interactions. In this case, subsurface temperature sensors can be an efficient means for collecting long-term data that capture the transient nature of physical processes such...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo
Nutrient processes at the stream-lake interface for a channelized versus unmodified stream mouth
Inorganic forms of nitrogen and phosphorous impact freshwater lakes by stimulating primary production and affecting water quality and ecosystem health. Communities around the world are motivated to sustain and restore freshwater resources and are interested in processes controlling nutrient inputs. We studied the environment where streams flow into lakes, referred to as the stream-lake...
Authors
Richard G. Niswonger, Ramon C. Naranjo, David Smith, James E. Constantz, Kip K. Allander, Donald O. Rosenberry, Bethany Neilson, Michael R. Rosen, David A. Stonestrom
Quantifying seepage using heat as a tracer in selected irrigation canals, Walker River Basin, Nevada, 2012 and 2013
The Walker River is an important source of water for western Nevada. The river provides water for agriculture and recharge to local aquifers used by several communities. Farmers began diverting water from the Walker River in the 1860s to support growing agricultural development. Over time, the reduced inflows into Walker Lake from upstream reservoirs and diversions have resulted in 170...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, David W. Smith
Groundwater exchanges near a channelized versus unmodified stream mouth discharging to a subalpine lake
The terminus of a stream flowing into a larger river, pond, lake, or reservoir is referred to as the stream-mouth reach or simply the stream mouth. The terminus is often characterized by rapidly changing thermal and hydraulic conditions that result in abrupt shifts in surface water/groundwater (sw/gw) exchange patterns, creating the potential for unique biogeochemical processes and...
Authors
James Constantz, Ramon C. Naranjo, Richard G. Niswonger, Kip K. Allander, B. Neilson, Donald O. Rosenberry, David W. Smith, C. Rosecrans, David A. Stonestrom
A new temperature profiling probe for investigating groundwater-surface water interaction
Measuring vertically nested temperatures at the streambed interface poses practical challenges that are addressed here with a new discrete subsurface temperature profiling probe. We describe a new temperature probe and its application for heat as a tracer investigations to demonstrate the probe's utility. Accuracy and response time of temperature measurements made at 6 discrete depths in...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, Robert Turcotte
Mixing effects on nitrogen and oxygen concentrations and the relationship to mean residence time in a hyporheic zone of a riffle-pool sequence
Flow paths and residence times in the hyporheic zone are known to influence biogeochemical processes such as nitrification and denitrification. The exchange across the sediment-water interface may involve mixing of surface water and groundwater through complex hyporheic flow paths that contribute to highly variable biogeochemically active zones. Despite the recognition of these patterns...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, Richard G. Niswonger, Clinton Davis
The distribution and modeling of nitrate transport in the Carson Valley alluvial aquifer, Douglas County, Nevada
Residents of Carson Valley in Douglas County, Nevada, rely on groundwater from an alluvial aquifer for domestic use and agricultural irrigation. Since the 1970s, there has been a rapid increase in population in several parts of the valley that rely on domestic wells for drinking water and septic systems for treatment of household waste. As a result, the density of septic systems in the...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, Toby L. Welborn, Michael R. Rosen
Using heat as a tracer to estimate spatially distributed mean residence times in the hyporheic zone of a riffle-pool sequence
Biochemical reactions that occur in the hyporheic zone are highly dependent on the time solutes that are in contact with sediments of the riverbed. In this investigation, we developed a 2-D longitudinal flow and solute-transport model to estimate the spatial distribution of mean residence time in the hyporheic zone. The flow model was calibrated using observations of temperature and...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo
The use of multiobjective calibration and regional sensitivity analysis in simulating hyporheic exchange
We describe an approach for calibrating a two-dimensional (2-D) flow model of hyporheic exchange using observations of temperature and pressure to estimate hydraulic and thermal properties. A longitudinal 2-D heat and flow model was constructed for a riffle-pool sequence to simulate flow paths and flux rates for variable discharge conditions. A uniform random sampling approach was used...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, Richard G. Niswonger, Mark Stone, Clinton Davis, Alan McKay
Non-USGS Publications**
Cobourn, J, Saito, L, Brock, J, Naranjo, R, Susfalk, R, Chandra, S. 2008. Ground water-surface water interactions along the Truckee and Carson Rivers. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Special Publication SP-08-23
Naranjo, R.C. 2012 Hyporheic flow, residence times and nitrogen reactions in a riffle-pool sequence, Truckee River, NV. Dissertation, University of Nevada, Reno. Fall 2012.
Sada, D.W., M. Stone, K. Acharya, R.C Naranjo. 2007. Examining Relationships Between Near Bed Velocity and Turbulence and Benthic Community Structure at the McCarran Ranch Restoration Site, Lower Truckee River, Nevada. Desert Research Institute Report.
Naranjo, R.C., J.J. Warwick and R. French, 2000. Runoff from a military deposition site in a semiarid, highland environment; comparison of environmental results with those predicted by the WEPP model (in Proceedings; AWRA's spring specialty conference; Water resources in extreme environments, Kane,) Technical Publication Series - American Water Resources Association, 00-1 303-308.
Naranjo, R.C., 2000. Overland Flow Simulations of the Upper Burning Ground, Herlong CA, M.S. Thesis, University of Nevada, Reno.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 22
Evaluation of bias associated with capture maps derived from nonlinear groundwater flow models
The impact of groundwater withdrawal on surface water is a concern of water users and water managers, particularly in the arid western United States. Capture maps are useful tools to spatially assess the impact of groundwater pumping on water sources (e.g., streamflow depletion) and are being used more frequently for conjunctive management of surface water and groundwater. Capture maps...
Authors
Cara A. Nadler, Kip K. Allander, Greg Pohll, Eric D. Morway, Ramon C. Naranjo, Justin Huntington
Knowing requires data
Groundwater-flow models are often calibrated using a limited number of observations relative to the unknown inputs required for the model. This is especially true for models that simulate groundwater surface-water interactions. In this case, subsurface temperature sensors can be an efficient means for collecting long-term data that capture the transient nature of physical processes such...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo
Nutrient processes at the stream-lake interface for a channelized versus unmodified stream mouth
Inorganic forms of nitrogen and phosphorous impact freshwater lakes by stimulating primary production and affecting water quality and ecosystem health. Communities around the world are motivated to sustain and restore freshwater resources and are interested in processes controlling nutrient inputs. We studied the environment where streams flow into lakes, referred to as the stream-lake...
Authors
Richard G. Niswonger, Ramon C. Naranjo, David Smith, James E. Constantz, Kip K. Allander, Donald O. Rosenberry, Bethany Neilson, Michael R. Rosen, David A. Stonestrom
Quantifying seepage using heat as a tracer in selected irrigation canals, Walker River Basin, Nevada, 2012 and 2013
The Walker River is an important source of water for western Nevada. The river provides water for agriculture and recharge to local aquifers used by several communities. Farmers began diverting water from the Walker River in the 1860s to support growing agricultural development. Over time, the reduced inflows into Walker Lake from upstream reservoirs and diversions have resulted in 170...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, David W. Smith
Groundwater exchanges near a channelized versus unmodified stream mouth discharging to a subalpine lake
The terminus of a stream flowing into a larger river, pond, lake, or reservoir is referred to as the stream-mouth reach or simply the stream mouth. The terminus is often characterized by rapidly changing thermal and hydraulic conditions that result in abrupt shifts in surface water/groundwater (sw/gw) exchange patterns, creating the potential for unique biogeochemical processes and...
Authors
James Constantz, Ramon C. Naranjo, Richard G. Niswonger, Kip K. Allander, B. Neilson, Donald O. Rosenberry, David W. Smith, C. Rosecrans, David A. Stonestrom
A new temperature profiling probe for investigating groundwater-surface water interaction
Measuring vertically nested temperatures at the streambed interface poses practical challenges that are addressed here with a new discrete subsurface temperature profiling probe. We describe a new temperature probe and its application for heat as a tracer investigations to demonstrate the probe's utility. Accuracy and response time of temperature measurements made at 6 discrete depths in...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, Robert Turcotte
Mixing effects on nitrogen and oxygen concentrations and the relationship to mean residence time in a hyporheic zone of a riffle-pool sequence
Flow paths and residence times in the hyporheic zone are known to influence biogeochemical processes such as nitrification and denitrification. The exchange across the sediment-water interface may involve mixing of surface water and groundwater through complex hyporheic flow paths that contribute to highly variable biogeochemically active zones. Despite the recognition of these patterns...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, Richard G. Niswonger, Clinton Davis
The distribution and modeling of nitrate transport in the Carson Valley alluvial aquifer, Douglas County, Nevada
Residents of Carson Valley in Douglas County, Nevada, rely on groundwater from an alluvial aquifer for domestic use and agricultural irrigation. Since the 1970s, there has been a rapid increase in population in several parts of the valley that rely on domestic wells for drinking water and septic systems for treatment of household waste. As a result, the density of septic systems in the...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, Toby L. Welborn, Michael R. Rosen
Using heat as a tracer to estimate spatially distributed mean residence times in the hyporheic zone of a riffle-pool sequence
Biochemical reactions that occur in the hyporheic zone are highly dependent on the time solutes that are in contact with sediments of the riverbed. In this investigation, we developed a 2-D longitudinal flow and solute-transport model to estimate the spatial distribution of mean residence time in the hyporheic zone. The flow model was calibrated using observations of temperature and...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo
The use of multiobjective calibration and regional sensitivity analysis in simulating hyporheic exchange
We describe an approach for calibrating a two-dimensional (2-D) flow model of hyporheic exchange using observations of temperature and pressure to estimate hydraulic and thermal properties. A longitudinal 2-D heat and flow model was constructed for a riffle-pool sequence to simulate flow paths and flux rates for variable discharge conditions. A uniform random sampling approach was used...
Authors
Ramon C. Naranjo, Richard G. Niswonger, Mark Stone, Clinton Davis, Alan McKay
Non-USGS Publications**
Cobourn, J, Saito, L, Brock, J, Naranjo, R, Susfalk, R, Chandra, S. 2008. Ground water-surface water interactions along the Truckee and Carson Rivers. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Special Publication SP-08-23
Naranjo, R.C. 2012 Hyporheic flow, residence times and nitrogen reactions in a riffle-pool sequence, Truckee River, NV. Dissertation, University of Nevada, Reno. Fall 2012.
Sada, D.W., M. Stone, K. Acharya, R.C Naranjo. 2007. Examining Relationships Between Near Bed Velocity and Turbulence and Benthic Community Structure at the McCarran Ranch Restoration Site, Lower Truckee River, Nevada. Desert Research Institute Report.
Naranjo, R.C., J.J. Warwick and R. French, 2000. Runoff from a military deposition site in a semiarid, highland environment; comparison of environmental results with those predicted by the WEPP model (in Proceedings; AWRA's spring specialty conference; Water resources in extreme environments, Kane,) Technical Publication Series - American Water Resources Association, 00-1 303-308.
Naranjo, R.C., 2000. Overland Flow Simulations of the Upper Burning Ground, Herlong CA, M.S. Thesis, University of Nevada, Reno.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
*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