James Fountain
About James Fountain
James Fountain serves as a Supervisory Hydrographer at the U.S. Geological Survey, specializing in the use of acoustic doppler current profilers and velocity meters for discharge measurement. He has over two decades of experience in various hydrographic roles within the USGS, contributing to significant projects and standardization efforts in Louisiana.
Work at U.S. Geological Survey
James Fountain has a long tenure at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), where he has held various positions since 2002. He currently serves as a Supervisory Hydrographer, a role he has held since 2021. Prior to this, he worked as a Hydrographer in multiple capacities, including Hydrographer-Differential Leveling Technical Lead, Hydrographer-Hydroacoustic Technical Lead, and Hydrographer-Project Lead. His work has primarily been based in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area, where he has contributed to various hydrological projects and initiatives.
Education and Expertise
James Fountain completed his high school education at Tioga High School from 1996 to 2000. His professional expertise lies in hydrography, particularly in the use of acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) and acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVMs) for discharge collection and index velocity discharge computation. He has developed methods for low-cost, high-resolution autonomous GNSS data and has instructed others in proper local GNSS data collection techniques.
Background
James Fountain began his career at the U.S. Geological Survey in 2002 and has accumulated over 20 years of experience in hydrography. His roles have included Hydrographer-Assistant Database Administrator and Hydrographer-GNSS Technical Lead. He has been involved in various projects, including leading efforts to standardize gages to NAVD88 and managing the design and installation of a significant expansion of hydrological monitoring equipment as part of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative.
Achievements
Throughout his career at the U.S. Geological Survey, James Fountain has led initiatives to improve hydrological data collection and management. He has organized data collection efforts and developed guidelines for documentation. His work in expanding hydrological monitoring capabilities includes overseeing a 100-location expansion of stage, discharge, GNSS, and hydroacoustic gages. He has also contributed to quality assurance and quality control processes through the development of data macros.