Sandra Ryan-Burkett
Research Hydrologist, Geomorphologist at the Fort Collins Laboratory

e-mail: sryanburkett[at]fs.fed.us
phone:970-498-1015

Personal Research Program

Integrated/Interdisciplinary/Cooperative Research Program

Briefing Papers

Recent Publications

Primary research interests are on sediment transport processes and storage in steep mountain streams and changes in channel morphology associated with natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Research areas primarily in the subalpine environments of Colorado and Wyoming where runoff is dominated by snowmelt.

Geomorphology | Hydrology | Watershed Processes | Sediment & Erosion

• Geomorphic effects of widespread Mountain Pine Beetle outbreak on watershed and channel processes.
  Collaborators: Kelly Elder, Kate Dwire, Rob Hubbard, Chuck Rhoades, Mark Dixon (USFS, RMRS)
• Collaboration with riparian ecologist in assessing sedimentation and system recovery in burned watersheds on the Bridger-Teton and Routt National Forests.
  Collaborators:  Kate Dwire, Mark Dixon (USDA, RMRS)
• Coarse sediment transport processes and patterns in gravel bed channels in Colorado and Wyoming;  application of statistical procedures to bedload transport data.
  Collaborators: Chuck Troendle (USFS, RMRS, Retired) Laurie Porth (USFS, RMRS)
• Testing methods for monitoring sediment movement in gravel-bed channels.
  Collaborators:  Kristin Bunte (Colorado State University), Mark Dixon (USFS), John Downing (D and I Instruments), John Gray (USGS)

Meyer, Kristen E.; Dwire, Kathleen A.; Champ, Patricia A.; Ryan, Sandra E.; Riegel, Gregg M.; Burton, Timothy A.  2012.  Burning questions for managers: Fuels management practices in riparian areas. Fire Management Today. 72(2): 16-23.

Ryan, Sandra; Dwire, Kathleen  2012.  Wildfire impacts on stream sedimentation: re-visiting the Boulder Creek Burn in Little Granite Creek, Wyoming, USA.   In: Stone, Mike; Collins, Adrian; Thoms, Martin, eds. Wildfire and Water Quality: Processes, Impacts and Challenges (Proceedings of a conference held in Banff, Canada, 11­14 June 2012). IAHS Publ. 354. International Association of Hydrological Sciences. p. 75-80.

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Ryan, Sandra E.; Dwire, Kathleen A.; Dixon, Mark K.  2011. Impacts of wildfire on runoff and sediment loads at Little Granite Creek, western Wyoming. Geomorphology. 129: 113-130.

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Wohl, Ellen; Cenderelli, Daniel A.; Dwire, Kathleen A.; Ryan-Burkett, Sandra E.; Young, Michael K.; Fausch, Kurt D.  2010.  Large in-stream wood studies: A call for common metrics.   Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 35: 618-625. 

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Ryan, Sandra E.; Porth, Laurie S.  2007.  A tutorial on the piecewise regression approach applied to bedload transport data.   Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-189. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 41 p..

Ryan, Sandra E.; Dixon, Mark K.  2007.  Spatial and temporal variability in stream sediment loads using examples from the Gros Ventre Range, Wyoming, USA.   In: Habersack, H.; Piegay, H.; Rinaldi, M., editors. Gravel bed rivers VI: From process understanding to river restoration. Developments in Earth Surface Processes. 11: 387-407..

Ryan, Sandra E.  2007.  The role of geology in sediment supply and bedload transport patterns in coarse-grained streams.   Ryan, Sandra E. 2007. The role of geology in sediment supply and bedload transport patterns in coarse-grained streams. In: Furniss, M.; Clifton, C.; Ronnenberg, K. eds. Advancing the Fundamental Sciences: Proceedings of the Forest National Earth Sciences Conference, San Diego, CA, 18-22 October 2004. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-689. Portland, OR: U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. p. 383-390.

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Ryan, S.E.; M.K. Dixon; and K.A. Dwire.  2006 The use of turbidity sensors for monitoring sediment loads following wildfire.  Proceedings of the 8th Interagency Sedimentation and 3rd Interagency Hydrologic Modeling Conference, Reno, NV, April 2-6, 2006. Available on CD.  

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Ryan, S.E.; L.S. Porth; and C.A. Troendle. 2005.  Coarse sediment transport in mountain streams in Colorado and Wyoming, USA.  Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 30:269-288.

Ryan, S.E. and M.K. Dixon.  Forthcoming.  Spatial and temporal variability in stream sediment loads using examples from the Gros Ventre Range, Wyoming, USA.  To be published as a chapter in Gravel Bed Rivers VI,  conference held in Lienz, Austria, Sept 2005.

Ryan, S.E.; K. Bunte; and J.P. Potyondy. 2005.  Breakout Session 2:  Bedload Transport Measurement, Data Uncertainty, and New Technologies.  Proceedings of the Federal Interagency Sediment Monitoring Instrument and Analysis Research Workshop, September 9-11, 2003, Flagstaff, AZ.  USGS Circular 1276.  pp. 16-28.

Research Scientists