Brief biographical sketch
Rod Parnell is Professor of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability at Northern Arizona University and is associate chair of NAU’s environmental caucus. He received his Ph.D. in Geology from Dartmouth College in 1982. Rod has been a faculty member at St. Lawrence University, the University of Virginia, and Northern Arizona University. He has chaired the Geology Department, the Environmental Sciences Program, the Center for Environmental Sciences and Education, and the Center for Sustainable Environments while at NAU.
Rod has published extensively on the effects of acid rain, volcanic emissions, and sulfide mineral deposits on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and on the biogeochemistry and geomorphology of Southwestern rivers. Rod works with the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey, performing biogeochemical and geomorphological research and monitoring to aid in adaptive management of Glen Canyon Dam and the Colorado River’s flow through Grand Canyon. He has a long-term interest in the impacts of acid deposition, acid mine drainage, and acid rock drainage on the ecosystems of the San Juan and La Plata Mountains of Colorado.
Rod has received over seven million dollars in research support from federal agencies including the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the US Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the US Geological Survey, as well as the Nina Pulliam Charitable Trust, the Electric Power Research Institute, the Norwegian Institute of Water Research, the Colombian National Science Foundation, mining companies, and numerous state and private organizations. He is the author or co-author of over 100 peer-reviewed articles and papers presented. He has supervised 23 undergraduate research projects and has had 32 graduate students complete their theses and degrees under his direction.
Potential research projects for future students include
1) a detailed examination of iron precipitates from acid rock vs acid mine drainage sites in Colorado and Montana. The conversion of the initial precipitate (schwertmanite) to the final stable phase (ferrihydrite) releases a fair amount of trace metals back into solution. I want to see what fluxes can be predicted as these piles of acid mine waste are transformed.
2) a continuation of Gwynn Holzschuh 's work along a chronosequence of soils in basaltic scoria in Northern Arizona. We are working with a group of foresters and ecologists to examine organic and inorganic cycling in these soils. So far, Gwynn is working on soil minerals, and another student is working on N and P mineralization. There is still a lot to do here.
3) an examination of the role of DOC and POM on precipitation rates of travertine in Fossil Creek, Arizona
4) working with the NAU sandbars lab to determine the effects of native and invasive vegetation on sandbars along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona.
Recent publications
Kaplinski, M., J. Hazel, J.E., Parnell, R. A., Jr., Breedlove, Michael, and Keith Kohl. 2009. Monitoring Fine-Sediment Volume in the Colorado River Ecosystem, Arizona, Bathymetric Survey Techniques. USGS Open File Report 2009-1207. 33pp.
Kaplinski, M., J. Hazel, J.E., Parnell, R. A., Jr., and N. Schott. 2008. Campsite Area Monitoring in the Colorado River Ecosystem, 1998-2006, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona,. Proceedings of the Colorado River Basin Science and Resource Management Symposium, Scottsdale, AZ. 12pp.
Hazel, Joseph, E., Jr., Kaplinski, M., Parnell, R. A. Jr., and Kohl, K. 2008. Monitoring fine- grained sediment in the Colorado River ecosystem, Arizona: control network and conventional survey techniques. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008-1276.
Hazel, Joseph E. Jr., Kaplinski, M., Parnell, R.A. Jr., and Fairley, H.C. 2008. Aggradation and Degradation of the Palisades Gully Network, 1996 to 2005, with Emphasis on the November 2004 High-Flow Experiment, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. U.S. Geological Survey. Open-File Report 2008-1264.
Kaplinski, M., Hazel, J.E. Jr., Parnell, R.A. Jr., Breedlove, M, and Schmidt, J.C. 2007. Integrating Bathymetric, Topographic, and LiDAR Surveys of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon to Assess the Effect of a Flow Experiment From Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River Ecosystem. Hydrographic Society of America, proceeding of national meeting, Norfolk, VA.
22pp.
Springer, Abe, Lawrence E. Stevens, Diana E. Anderson, Roderic A. Parnell, Jr., David K. Kreamer, and Stephen P. Flora. 2006. Comprehensive Springs Classification System: Integrating Geomorphic, Hydrogeochemical and Ecological Criteria. in Every Last Drop: Ecology and Conservation of Springs in Arid North America. University of Arizona Press.
Marks, J. C., Parnell, R. A. Jr., Carter, C., Dinger, E, C., and Haden. A. 2006. Interactions between geomorphology and ecosystem processes in travertine streams: Implications for dam decommissioning in Fossil Creek, Arizona. Geomorphology.77: 209-307.
O'Brien, G.R., Kaufman, D. S., Sharp, W., Atudorei, V., Crossey, L., and Parnell, R.A. Jr. 2006. Oxygen isotope composition of early Holocene banded travertine, Grand Canyon, Arizona, Quaternary Science Reviews. V. 65: 366-379.
Kaplinski, M., Behan, J. Hazel, J.E., Parnell, R. A., Jr., and H. Fairley. 2005. Chapter 12. Recreational Values and Campsites in the Colorado River Ecosystem. In S.P. Gloss, J. E. Lovich, and T. S. Melis (ed))The State of Natural and Cultural Resources in the Colorado River Ecosystem: The SCORE Report. US Geological Survey Circular 1282.220 pp.
Schroth, A. and Parnell, R. A. Jr. 2005. The Influence of Wasterock Removal on Geochemical Pathways and Processes in an Acid Mine Drainage System, Alta Mine, MT. Applied Geochemistry V, 20: 907-917.
Malusa, J, Parnell, R. A. Jr., and Overby, S. 2003. Processes influencing travertine precipitation and aquatic habitat formation, Fossil Creek, Az. Applied Geochemistry. V.18: 1081-1094.
Chavez, L. J., Bain, E., Eastman, M.A., Parnell, R.A., Jr. and Porter, T.L. 2003. Non- covalent assembly of nitroxide spin labels in laponite films: formation of a one dimensional Heisenberg ferromagnet. Langmuir, v.19: 1143-1147.
Stevens, L. Parnell, R. A., Jr. and 9 co-authors. 2001. Planned flooding and riparian trade-offs; the 1996 Colorado River Planned Flood. Ecological Applications v.11: 701-710.
Schmidt,J., Parnell, R.A., Jr., Grams, P., Hazel, J., and Stevens, L. 2001. Geomorphic effectiveness of the 1996 habitat building flow in Grand Canyon. Ecological Applications v.11: 657-671.
Parnell, R.A. Jr., Bennett, J., and L. Stevens, 1999. Floods bury riparian vegetation: Impacts of the 1996 controlled flood of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon on nutrient concentrations in bar/eddy complexes. in Webb, R.H., Schmidt, J. S., Marzolf, G. R., and Valdez, R. A. (eds), The Controlled Flood in Grand Canyon. AGU Geophysical Monograph 110, American Geophysical Union, Washington , DC.
Hazel, J. Jr., Kaplinski, M.A., Parnell, R.A. Jr., Manone, M., and A. Dale. 1999. Effects of the 1996 beach/habitat-building flow on Colorado River sand bars and sediment storage along the Colorado River Corridor, in Webb, R.H., Schmidt, J. S., Marzolf, G. R., and Valdez, R. A. (eds), The Controlled Flood in Grand Canyon. AGU Geophysical Monograph 110
Parnell, R.A., Jr. and Shirley, D. 1999. Geochemical and mineralogical evidence for the estuarine origin of the Surprise Canyon Formation, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, U.S.A. Chapter H., in Billingsley, George H., and Beus, Stanley S., eds., Geology of the Surprise Canyon Formation of the Grand Canyon, Arizona: Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 61, Northland Press, Flagstaff, p. 119-136.
Recent Graduate student theses (*means co-advisor)
(33 M.S. & Ph.D. theses directed or co-directed since 1982) 2003 A. Welty. Historical trends in Nitrogen and Phosphorus cycling from cores along the Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park. MS. 2004 N. Kramer. Depositional and resuspensional patterns of fine grained sediments, Lake Powell, Ut and Az., MS.
2004 G. Holzschuh. Transformation of soil minerals along a basaltic scoria chronosequence in Piñon Juniper Forests, Arizona.MS.
2005 K. Shinglemann. Clay mineral assemblages in the Quaternary and Tertiary sediments of the Long Beach Basin, California. MS
2006 A. Pandamouz*. Geochemistry and hydrogeochemistry of the Rio Colorado Wash watershed, Arizona. MS
2006 E. Fuller. A comparison of techniques for mapping the distribution of sediment on the bed of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. MS
2007 N. Schott. Designing and Implementing a Long-Term Monitoring Program for a Dam Decommissioning at Fossil Creek, Arizona. MS.
Recent research grants and contracts (total over $7,000,000 as PI since 1982)
U.S. Geological Survey. Long-term Monitoring of Sediment Resources in the Colorado River Ecosystem. 2009-2010. PI $204,856.
U.S. Geological Survey, Technical support of physical, biological and GIS monitoring and research activities along the Colorado River corridor, Grand Canyon National Park, 2007-2009. PI. $288,000.
U.S. Geological Survey. Campsite and Arroyo Monitoring and Monitoring of Fine Grained Sediment Storage, Grand Canyon National Park. 2007-2009. PI $466,483.
U.S. Geological Survey. Geomorphic evolution and response to flooding of sand bars along the Colorado River corridor, Grand Canyon National Park.2008-2010. PI. $428,606.
National Science Foundation. Collaborative Research: Ecosystem consequences of dynamic geomorphology: an experimental approach, Fossil Creek, Arizona. 2006-2008. Co-PI. $799,510.
U.S. Geological Survey. Impacts of an experimental flood on the fine-grained sediment storage, sand bar morphology, and hydrogeology of sediments along the Colorado River Ecosystem. 2004-2007. P.I. $612,842.
Nina Pulliam Charitable Trust. A comprehensive restoration and monitoring plan for Fossil Creek: A model for dam removal in the 21st century. 2004-2007. PI $210,000.
U.S. Geological Survey. Ecological and biological implications of experimental management activities implemented by the Glen Canyon adaptive management program. 2003-2005. P.I. $511,493.
U.S. Geological Survey. Long-Term Monitoring of Fine-Grained Sediment Storage Throughout the Main Channel of the Colorado River Ecosystem. 2002-2005. P.I. $649,205
U.S. National Park Service. Photographic techniques used to determine geomorphological processes proximal to cultural sites. 2000-2002. P.I. $50,000.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management. A web-based, annotated bibliography of natural resources materials held in NPS and BLM facilities. 2001-2003. P.I. $110,000.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Monitoring changes in fine-grained sediment deposits throughout the Colorado River ecosystem in Glen, Marble, and Grand Canyons. Original Proposal plus 7 supplementary proposals. 1998-01. P.I. ($813,692).
