About

I am an expert in hydroacoustics, the use of acoustic methods to measure streamflow and other hydrologic parameters. While at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), I led a team that pioneered the use of hydroacoustic instruments such as ADCPs (Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers) or ADVs (Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters) in rivers and estuaries. We led a 'revolution' that transformed streamflow measurements in the USGS and in hydrometric agencies around the world. Within a period of 15 years, the mechanical current meters that had been in use for more than 100 years were replaced by hydroacoustic instruments.  I led the development of innovative applications of acoustic instruments for rivers, developed and implemented new methods, for their use, established hydroacoustic training programs, and provided technical support in hydroacoustic methods.  I retired in 2018 after working for the USGS 39 years, including during which I served as the National Coordinator for Hydroacoustics for 17 years. 

I have extensive experience in measuring floods, including the Mississippi River floods of 1993 and 2011, the Red River flood of 1997, numerous others.  I have measured some of the great rivers of the world including the Amazon, Paraná, Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers. I also am knowledgeable in streamgaging practices and methods, streamgage operation, and streamflow records.  I led the introduction of surface velocity measurement techniques for streamflow  measurements in the USGS and also have assisted with the validation of the SWOT satellite measurements.  Earlier in my career, I led a team of programmers who developed the first system for the retrieval and display of hydrologic data on the internet.

At present, I continue to work with colleagues and friends in US, Argentina, Canada, Uruguay, Peru, Norway, Sweden, the UK and more.  One of the topics that I continue to work on is dynamic exposure time for velocity measurements.  I also volunteer for the WMO (World Meteorologic Organization) and the International Hydrometry Group (internationalhydrometrygroup.org).  

In perhaps the most important activity of all, my famiy and I support those in need in our little community, especially in the provision of food, transportation, housing, and medical care.  This activity springs from our faith in Christ and our desire to serve others.  "But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" 1 John 3:17. 

• Argentina – Working with various institutions in Argentina including the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), Ministerio de Servicios Publicos del gobierno de la Provincia de Córdoba, Nacional del Litoral (Santa Fe), Instituto Nacional del Agua, and Instituto de Matematica Aplicada de San Luis.  The topics include:

  • The Dynamic Selection of Exposure Time (DSET) method for mid-section discharge measurements, a method that may dramatically change the way discharge measurements are made.

  • Evaluation of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite for the measurement of water surface elevations and estimation of discharge Argentine rivers and lakes. 

  • Training and technical consultation related to hydroacoustics and other hydrometric activities.  

• USGS – Coordination with USGS on the implementation of DSET for mid-section measurements. Analyzing RiverPro ADCP validation measurement data and preparing a publication for documenting the results.

• International Hydrometry Group – Vice Chair and founding member of the International Hydrometry Group (IHG), a volunteer work group focused on advancing methods, technologies, and standards within hydrometry to share with the international water monitoring community.

• TEHLA – Founding member of TEHLA (Experimental Techniques in Hydrometry for Latin bAmerica), a volunteer group that provides information on applied techniques in hydrometry and works to create a network of technical and scientific collaboration throughout Latin America. TEHLA has published a Spanish language version of the USGS report “Measuring Discharge with Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers from a Moving Boat”.

• American Society of Civil Engineers - Member and Past Chair, ASCE Technical Committee "Hydraulic Measurements and Experimentation", Member ASCE Task Committee "New Developments in Velocity and Discharge Measurements in Hydraulic Engineering"

• Community volunteer – Our family provides shelter and facilitates access to medical care, food, and clothing for homeless/disadvantaged persons and the elderly in our community.

Díaz Lozada, J. M., García, C. M., Scacchi, G., & Oberg, K. A. (2021). Dynamic Selection of Exposure Time for Turbulent Flow Measurements. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 147(10), 04021035. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)hy.1943-7900.0001922

Cisneros, J., Best, J., van Dijk, T., Almeida, R. P. D., Amsler, M., Boldt, J., Freitas, B., Galeazzi, C., Huizinga, R., Ianniruberto, M., Ma, H., Nittrouer, J. A., Oberg, K., Orfeo, O., Parsons, D., Szupiany, R., Wang, P., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Dunes in the world’s big rivers are characterized by low-angle lee-side slopes and a complex shape. Nature Geoscience, 13(2), 156–162. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-019-0511-7

Thompson, A. F., Rodrigues, S. N., Fooks, J. C., Oberg, K. A., & Calappi, T. J. (2020). Comparing Discharge Computation Methods in Great Lakes Connecting Channels. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 25(6), 05020007. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)he.1943-5584.0001904

Despax, A., le Coz, J., Hauet, A., Mueller, D. S., Engel, F. L., Blanquart, B., Renard, B., & Oberg, K. A. (2019). Decomposition of Uncertainty Sources in Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Streamflow Measurements Using Repeated Measures Experiments. Water Resources Research, 55(9), 7520–7540. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019wr025296

Szupiany, R., Weibel, C.L., Guerrero, M., Latosinski, F. Wood, M.S. Dominguez Ruben, L., Oberg, K. (2018). Estimating sand concentrations using ADCP-based acoustic inversion in a large fluvial system characterized by bi-modal suspended-sediment distributions: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4572

Szupiany, R., and Oberg, K.A. (2017). Perfiladores Acusticos Doppler: “Caracterización experimental de flujos turbulentos en Hidráulica,” IAHR Monograph.

Szupiany, R., Garcia, C. M., & Oberg, K. (2017). Acoustic Instruments for Mean Flow Characterization in Field Conditions: Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP). In Experimental Hydraulics: Methods, Instrumentation, Data Processing and Management: Volume II: Instrumentation and Measurement Techniques. CRC Press. 417 p.

Boldt, J.A., and Oberg, K.A. (2015). Validation of Streamflow Measurements Made with M9 and RiverRay Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers. J. Hydraul. Eng. 142(2).

Mueller, D.S., Wagner, C.R., Rehmel, M.S., Oberg, K.A,, and Rainville, Francois (2013). Measuring discharge with acoustic Doppler current profilers from a moving boat (ver. 2.0, December 2013): U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 3, chap. A22, 95 p. http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/tm3A22 

Parsons, D.R., Jackson, P.R., Czuba, J.A., Oberg, K.A., Mueller, D.S., Rhoads, B., Best, J.L., Johnson, K.K., Engel, F., and Riley, J. (2013). Velocity Mapping Toolbox (VMT): a processing and visualization suite for moving-vessel ADCP measurements: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. doi: 10.1002/esp.3367

Liu, X., Parker, G., Czuba, J. A., Oberg, K., Mier, J. M., Best, J. L., Parsons, D. R., Ashmore, P., Krishnappan, B. G. and Garcia, M. H. (2012). Sediment Mobility and Bed Armoring in the St Clair River: Insights from Hydrodynamic Modeling:  Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 37: 957–970. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3215

Levesque, V.A., and Oberg, K.A. (2012). Computing Discharge Using the Index-Velocity Method: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods Rep. 3-A23, 160 pp.

García, C.M., Tarrab, L., Oberg, K., Szupiany, R., and Cantero, M. (2012). Variance of Discharge Estimates Sampled Using Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers from Moving Boats. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. 138(8).

Tarrab, L., García, C. M., Cantero, M. I., and Oberg K. A. (2012). Role of turbulence fluctuations on uncertainties of acoustic Doppler current profiler discharge measurements, Water Resources Research 48, W06507, doi:10.1029/2011WR011185.

Mueller, D.S., and Oberg, K.A. (2011). Discussion of “Near-Transducer Errors in ADCP Measurements: Experimental Findings” by Marian Muste, Dongsu Kim, and Juan A. González-Castro, Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, v. 137, No. 8, p. 863-866.

Czuba, J.A., Best, J.L., Oberg, K.A., Parsons, D.R., Jackson, P.R., Gracia, M.H., and Ashmore, P. (2011). Bed morphology, flow structure, and sediment transport at the outlet of Lake Huron and in the upper St. Clair River:  J. Great Lakes Res., 37-3, p. 480-493, doi: 10.1016/j.jglr.2011.05.011.

Oberg, K.A., and Mueller, D.S. (2007). Validation of Streamflow Measurements Made with Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, v. 133, No. 12, p. 1421-1432

Mueller, D.S., Abad, J.D., Garcia, C.M., Gartner, J.A., Garcia, M.H., and Oberg, K.A. (2006). Errors in Acoustic Doppler Profiler Velocity Measurements Caused by Flow Disturbance: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, v. 133, No. 12, p. 1411–1420

Garcia, C.M., Oberg, K.A., and Garcia, M.H. (2007). ADCP Measurements of Gravity Currents in the Chicago River, Illinois: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, v. 133, No. 12, p. 1356–1366

Nystrom, E.A., Oberg, K.A., and Rehmann, C.R. (2007). Evaluation of mean velocity and turbulence measurements with ADCP’s: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, v. 133, No. 12, p. 1310–1318

Oberg, K.A., Morlock, S.E., and Caldwell, W.S. (2005). Quality-assurance plan for discharge measurements using acoustic Doppler current profilers: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Rep. 2005-5183, 44 pp. 

Jacobson, R.B., and Oberg, K.A. (1997). Geomorphic Changes of the Mississippi River Floodplain at Miller City, Illinois, as a Result of the Flood of 1993: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1120-J, p. 22 

Oberg, K.A., and Schmidt, A.R. (1994). Measurements of leakage from Lake Michigan at three control structures near Chicago, Illinois, April-October 1993, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4112, 48 p.

Melching, C. S., and Oberg, K.A. (1993). Comparison, analysis, and estimation of discharge data from two acoustic velocity meters on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at Romeoville, Illinois, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 93-4048, 61 p.

Oberg, K.A., and Mades, D.M. (1987). Estimating generalized skew of the log-Pearson Type III distribution for annual peak floods in Illinois: U.S. Geological Survey Water- Resources Investigations Report 86-4008, 42 p.

Mades, D.M., and Oberg, K.A. (1986). Evaluation of the U.S. Geological Survey's gaging-station network in Illinois: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4072, 88 p.

Garklavs, George, and Oberg, K.A. (1986). Effect of rainfall excess calculations on modeled hydrograph accuracy and unit-hydrograph parameters: Water Resources Bulletin, v. 22, no. 4, p. 565-572.

Mades, D.M., and Oberg, K.A. (1984). Cost effectiveness of the U.S. Geological Survey's stream-gaging program in Illinois: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 84-4123, 107 p.

Graf, J.B., Garklavs, George, and Oberg, K.A. (1982). A technique for estimating time of concentration and storage coefficient values for Illinois streams: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 82-22, 16 p.

Graf, J.B., Garklavs, George, and Oberg, K.A. (1982). Time of concentration and storage coefficient values for Illinois streams: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 82-13, 40 p.

• Visitante Distinguido, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina - for scientific developments and collaboration with UNC. (2025)

• Associate Researcher of The National Institute of Water for Argentina (2019).

• U.S Department of Interior Distinguished Service Award - highest DOI honor (2016).

• USGS Excellence in Leadership Award (with the USGS Hydroacoustics Work Group (2014).

• IAGLR Chandler-Misener Award for Most Notable Paper in Journal of Great Lakes Research for 2011 (2012).

• U.S Department of Interior Superior Service Award (2004).