Dr.Gary Weissmann

Albert and Mary Jane Black Chair in Hydrogeology

Ph.D., University of California, Davis, 1999 (Associate Professor)
Northrop Hall Rm. 204; Phone: (505) 277-3636; email: weissman@unm.edu

Research and Academic Interests:

My research primarily focuses on two areas – (1) fluvial sedimentology and stratigraphy in a sedimentary basin context and (2) the influence of aquifer heterogeneity on groundwater flow and contaminant transport.  In fluvial sedimentology, my students and I, along with colleagues at the University of Aberdeen, Royal Holloway, London, and UNM, have identified over 700 continental sedimentary basins around the world.  From satellite imagery (and groundtruth characterization soon), we are evaluating facies distributions from fluvial deposition in these basins.  Most of this deposition is occurring on distributive fluvial systems (DFS), so facies models as we know them must be revised to understand the variability recognized on the DFSs.  Our manuscripts in Geology and Journal of Sedimentary Research explain the fundamentals of these concepts.

In our hydrogeology research, my students and I, along with Tim Wawrzyniec in the UNM Lidar Lab, have been constructing detailed heterogeneity models based on outcrop analogs or shallow geophysics in order to understand the influence of sedimentary structure on groundwater flow and contaminant dispersion.  In the past, we conducted work using geostatistics to model heterogeneity distributions.  This didn’t provide sufficient detail to help evaluate the physical nature of dispersion.  Our new models that have a grid cell size around 2-3 mm, do provide valuable results.  Our challenge is to upscale these highly resolved models in a geologically sensible manner.

My teaching focuses on student participation in their learning, and my classrooms tend to be active.  Classes include hydrogeology, aquifer and petroleum reservoir characterization, environmental systems, basin analysis, and (one of my favorites) the Blue Planet (a general course on environmental earth science)!

List of Related Web Links:

Gary Weissmann's personal web page.

Listing of Recent Publications:

Engdahl, N.B., and Weissmann, G.S., in press, Anisotropic transport rates in heterogeneous porous media, submitted to Water Resources Research, 2009.

Nichols, E.M., Weissmann, G.S., Wawrzyniec, T.F., Frechette, J.D., and Klise, K.A., submitted, Processing of outcrop-based lidar imagery to characterize heterogeneity for groundwater models, submitted to SEPM Special Publication on Outcrop Analogs, 2008.

Rust, G.L., Weissmann, G.S., Werban, U., Frechette, J.D., and Wawrzyniec, T.F., submitted, Outcrop-based GPR tomography through braided stream deposits, submitted to SEPM Special Publication on Outcrop Analogs, 2008

Hartley, A.J., Weissmann, G.S., Nichols, G.J., and Warwick, G.L., in press, Distributive fluvial systems: characteristics, distribution, and controls on development: Journal of Sedimentary Research.

Engdahl, N.B., Vogler, E.T., and Weissmann, G.S., in press, Heterogeneity effects on river loss within a transition probability framework: Water Resources Research.

Weissmann, G.S., Hartley, A.J., Nichols, G.J., Scuderi, L.A., Olson, M., Buehler, H., and Banteah, R., in press, fluvial form in modern continental sedimentary basins: the distributive fluvial system (DFS) paradigm: Geology.

Mikesell, L.R., Weissmann, G.S., and Karachewski, J.A., in press, Stratigraphic record of drainage basin stream capture and piracy in fluvial fan deposits at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in the Livermore Basin, California, USA.  Geomorphology.

Engdahl, N.B., Weissmann, G.S., and Bonal, N.D., 2009, An integrated approach to shallow aquifer characterization: combining geophysics and geostatistics: Computational Geosciences, DOI 10.1007/s10596-009-9145-y

Klise, K.A., Weissmann, G.S., McKenna, S.A., Nichols, E.M., Frechette, J.D., Wawrzyniec, T.F., and Tidwell, V.C., 2009, Exploring solute transport and streamline connectivity using lidar-based outcrop images and geostatistical representations of heterogeneity, Water Resources Research, v. 45, W05413, doi: 10.1029/2008WR007500.

Williamson, T.E., Kues, B.S., Weissmann, G.S., Stidham, T.A., and Yurchyk, S.L., 2009, A Cretaceous feather from the Upper Cretaceous (lower Campanian) Point Lookout Sandstone, San Juan Basin, northwestern New Mexico.  Cretaceous Research, doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2008.10.003.

Williamson, T.E., Kues, B.S., Weissmann, G.S., Stidham, T.A., and Yurchyk, S.L., 2008, An Upper Cretaceous (lower Campanian) feather from the Point Lookout Sandstone, northwestern New Mexico:  New Mexico Geology, v. 30, p. 61.

Bennett, G.L., Weissmann, G.S., Baker, G.S., and Hyndman, D.W., 2006, Regional-scale assessment of a sequence bounding paleosol on fluvial fans using ground penetrating radar, eastern San Joaquin Valley, California. Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 118, no. 5/6, p. 724-732, doi: 10.1130/B25774.1.

Weissmann, G.S., Bennett, G., and Lansdale, A.L., 2005, Factors controlling sequence development on Quaternary fluvial fans, San Joaquin Basin, California, USA, in Harvey, A., Mather, A., and Stokes, M., Alluvial Fans: Geomorphology, Sedimentology, Dynamics, Geological Society of London Special Publication 251, p. 169-186.

Harter, T., Onsoy, Y., Heeren, K., Denton, M., Weissmann, G., Hopmans, J., and Horwath, W.R., 2005, Deep vadose zone hydrology demonstrates fate of nitrate in eastern San Joaquin Valley, California Agriculture, 59(2), p. 125-132.

Burow, K.R., Shelton, J.L., Hevesi, J.A., and Weissmann, G.S., 2004, Hydrogeologic characterization of the Modesto area, San Joaquin Valley, California: US Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004-5232, 54p.

Weissmann, G.S., Zhang, Y., Fogg, G.E., and Mount, J.F., 2004, Influence of incised valley fill deposits on hydrogeology of a glacially-influenced, stream-dominated alluvial fan, in Bridge, J., and Hyndman, D.W., Aquifer Characterization, SEPM Special Publication 80, p. 15-28.

Biteman, S., Hyndman, D.W., Phanikumar, M.S., and Weissmann, G.S., 2004, Integration of sedimentologic and hydrologic properties for improved transport simulations: detailed characterization of a glacial outwash aquifer at the Schoolcraft Bioremediation Site, Michigan, in Bridge, J., and Hyndman, D.W., Aquifer Characterization, SEPM Special Publication 80, p. 3-13.

Weissmann, G.S., Bennett, G.L., and Fogg, G.E., 2003, Appendix 2: Stratigraphic sequences of the Kings River alluvial fan formed in response to Sierra Nevada glacial cyclicity, in Stock, G. (ed.), Tectonics, Climate Change, and Landscape Evolution in the Southern Sierra Nevada, California, Friends of the Pleistocene Pacific Cell, 2003 Fall Field Trip, October 3-5, p. 41-50, invited contribution.

Weissmann, G.S., Zhang, Y., LaBolle, E.M., and Fogg, G.E., 2002, Dispersion of groundwater age in an alluvial aquifer system, Water Resources Research, v. 38(10), p. 1198-1211, doi:10.1029/2001WR000907.

Weissmann, G.S., Mount, J.F., and Fogg, G.E., 2002, Glacially driven cycles in accommodation space and sequence stratigraphy of a stream-dominated alluvial fan, Central Valley, California. Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 72, p. 240-251.

Shellito, C., Shea, K., Weissmann, G.S., Mueller-Solger, A., and Davis, W.E., 2001, Suggestions for successful mentoring of undergraduate researchers. Journal of College Science Teaching, v. 30(7), p. 460-464.

Weissmann, G.S., and Fogg, G.E., 1999, Multi-scale alluvial fan heterogeneity modeled with transition probability geostatistics in a sequence stratigraphic framework. Journal of Hydrology, v. 226(1-2), p. 48-65.

Weissmann, G.S., and Carle, S.A., and Fogg, G.E., 1999, Three-dimensional hydrofacies modeling based on soil survey analysis and transition probability geostatistics, Water Resources Research, v. 35(6), p. 1761-1770.

Fogg, G.E., LaBolle, E.M., and Weissmann, G.S., 1998, Groundwater vulnerability assessment: Hydrogeologic perspective and example from Salinas Valley, CA, in Application of GIS, Remote Sensing, Geostatistical, and Solute Transport Modeling to the Assessment of Non-point Source Pollution in the Vadose Zone, AGU Monograph Series 108, p. 45- 61.

Carle, S.F., LaBolle, E.M., Weissmann, G.S., VanBrocklin, D., and Fogg, G.E., 1998, Conditional simulation of hydrofacies architecture: a transition probability / Markov approach, in Fraser, G.S., and Davis, J.M., Hydrogeologic Models of Sedimentary Aquifers, Concepts in Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology No. 1, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology) Special Publication, p. 147-170.

Burow, K.R., Weissmann, G.S.,, Miller, R.D., and Placzek, G., 1997, Hydrogeologic facies characterization of an alluvial fan near Fresno, California, using geophysical techniques, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-46, 15p.