Joanna Thamke is the Associate Center Director for Studies of the USGS Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center. She oversees the interpretive scientific activities (Studies Program) in the Center, across both States, including all the Studies Sections and Units. She also serves as the general contact for the Center’s science activities in Montana. Joanna is the Field Representative of the U.S. Accredited Officer for the St. Mary and Milk Rivers.

Joanna has been with the USGS since the mid-1980s and has spent most of her career in Helena, MT. Her projects focus on water quality, water availability, water use, and energy in the Williston Basin. Joanna’s work has been recognized outside the USGS with the 2007 American Association of Petroleum Geologists Research Award, the 2008 U.S. Department of Interior Environmental Achievement Award, the 2011 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Honor Award, the 2019 American Water Resources Association Montana Water Legend Award, and the 2020 University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni Award from the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department.

Awards

2006-2007 – American Association of Petroleum Geologists Research Award by the Division of Environmental Geologists (DEG) – This is presented for outstanding contributions to understanding and communication of efforts to produce energy, minerals, and water with minimal impact on  environment; and for contributions to public understanding.

2008 – U.S. Department of Interior’s Environmental Achievement Award, (press release) – presented  to the “City of Poplar, Well Threat Plume Capture and Remediation Team”. Shallow groundwater in and  near the City of Poplar has been affected by brine that is seven times saltier than sea water. Open communication and data sharing enabled scientific and regulatory agencies and the oil company to improve water quality in the aquifer.

2011 – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Honor Award, Silver Medal – This is the second highest National award by EPA and was presented for work that led to the EPA issuing an administrative order to protect the health of people living in Poplar, Mont. The recipients included USGS and EPA staff.

2019 – American Water Resources Association Montana Water Legend Award – This is 
presented in recognition of everyday people who are legends in the Montana water arena.

2020 –Earth and Environmental Sciences Department Distinguished Alumnus Award – This is to recognize individuals who made significant contributions to earth and environmental sciences throughout their careers.

Ongoing science

• International Hydrologic Studies of the Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
• Science Team about Energy and Plains and Pothole Environments
• Delineation of Brine Contamination in and near the East Poplar oil field, Fort Peck  Indian Reservation, Northeastern Montana
• Estimating National Water Use associated with continuous oil and gas development

Selected publications

• Estimates of water use associated with continuous oil and gas development in the  Williston Basin, North Dakota and Montana, 2007-17 (2020)
• Analytical Framework to estimate water use associated with continuous oil and gas  development (2019)
• Predicting attenuation of salinized surface- and groundwater resources from legacy  energy development in the Prairie Pothole Region (2019)
• Groundwater availability of the Williston Basin, United States and Canada (2018)
• Characterization and origin of brines from the Bakken-Three Forks petroleum system  in the Williston Basin, USA (2017)
• Chemical and isotopic changes in Williston Basin brines during long-term oil  production: An example from the Poplar dome, Montana (2016)