James (Jim) Goeke

James (Jim) Goeke

  • Contact Information
  • My Story
  • Publications
  • Background
  • Interests
  • Grants

Contact Information

TitleEmeritus Research Hydrogeologist
Faculty RankProfessor Emeritus
Address608 South Hardin Hall
3310 Holdrege Street
Lincoln NE
68583–0996
Phone
  • fax: 402-472-4915
E-mailjgoeke1@unl.edu

 

My Story

Jim Goeke, hydrogeologist, retired in 2011 from UNL's School of Natural Resources after 41 years at the university, and became a professor emeritus. He was with the Conservation and Survey Division, the state geological, geographic, water and soil survey, and was stationed at the West-Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte.

Jim was well-known as a speaker on Nebraska groundwater.

His main research interests had to do with the groundwater of central and southwestern Nebraska, groundwater management - particularly under conditions of scarcity - and the age of the Sand Hills. Some key research projects he has worked involved gathering data for modeling the unconfined aquifers near the Platte River in the central Platte region and similar stream-aquifer studies in the Republican River Valley.

One of his long-term and major scholarly service efforts has been assisting the locally controlled natural resources districts (NRDs) in the west-central part of the state, in devising and implementing groundwater management plans. Required by state law, these plans help the districts determine how they want to manage their groundwater reservoir. In particular, the Upper Republican NRD in far southwestern Nebraska has been challenged by declining water tables and water restrictions, including groundwater metering and a moratorium on well-drilling. Since the late 1970s, Jim has worked closely with this NRD to help them adjust to these stresses. He has also assisted the Middle Republican and the Twin Platte NRDs with their groundwater management concerns.

James W. Goeke

Other scholarly service includes being a state Attorney General's expert witness for the Republican River basin in litigation with Kansas over allocations from that river. He served as the state representative for the Ogallala Aquifer Institute of Garden City, Kansas, and the UNL liaison to the Nebraska Well Drillers Association, an organization that Conservation and Survey helped found. He worked closely with the U.S. Geological Survey on the High Plains Regional Aquifer System Analysis (RASA), and the High Plains National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) programs. He also ran an acid rain monitoring station as part of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, and monitored dioxin in the atmosphere in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In outreach, Jim has been involved with the Lincoln-based Groundwater Foundation's board and educational events, the High Plains Water Expo, and the Water Riches field days, both sponsored by the Lincoln County Extension office. He has given many talks for schools or community events regarding groundwater geology and Nebraska's groundwater resource.

In 1995, with Keith Blackledge, then editor of the North Platte Telegraph, Jim was awarded the "Friends of the Forest" award from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, and the State Forester's Award that same year from the Nebraska Forest Service, both for securing grants to fund local tree planting. In addition, the Groundwater Foundation recognized him with the 2001 Maurice Kremer award. In 2006, he received an Omtvedt Innovation Award from the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, recognizing the outstanding contributions he made during his long career. The Nebraska Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta presented him with the Excellence in Education Award, citing his leadership in groundwater modeling studies, and recognizing him for having become the point person and leading expert on the Ogallala Aquifer. The Statewide Arboretum recognized Goeke again in 2007 with the President's Citation for speaking on behalf of sound water management practices and for promoting tree planting.

Jim has a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1966 and a master's degree from Colorado State University in 1970. He has been with UNL since 1970.

Selected Publications

Korus, J.T., Joeckel, R.M., Hanson, P.R., Goeke, J.W., Lackey, S.O., and Burbach, M.B. 2011. Reference List For Describing Cuttings And Cores Of Sediments And Sedimentary Rocks In Nebraska. Lincoln, NE: Conservation and Survey Division, UNL. pp. 7.Online
Gosselin, D.C., V. Srihdar, F.E. Harvey and J.W. Goeke. 2006. Hydrological effects and groundwater fluctuations in interdunal environments in the Nebraska Sand Hills. Great Plains Research, 16:17-28.Online
Summerside, S. A., Olafsen-Lackey, S., Goeke, J., Myers, W. 2005. Mapping of Aquifer Properties - Transmissivity and Specific Yield - for Selected River Basins in Central and Eastern Nebraska. Conservation and Survey Division, University of Nebraska-Linco
Goeke, J.W. 2004. Lincoln County Test Hole Logs. Conservation and Survey Division, University of Nebraska. pp. 200.Online
Goeke, J.W. 2004. McPherson County Test Hole Logs. Conservation and Survey Division, University of Nebraska. pp. 54.Online
Chen, X.H., J. Goeke, J.F. Ayers and S. Summerside. 2003. The observation well network design for pumping tests in unconfined aquifers. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. 39:17-32.Online
Diffendal, R.F., Jr., Goeke, J.W. 2000. Arthur County Test Hole Logs. Conservation and Survey Division, University of Nebraska. pp. 56.Online
Smith, F. A., Swinehart, J. B., Goeke, J. W., 2000. Garden County Test Hole Logs. Conservation and Survey Division, University of Nebraska. pp. 109.Online
Chen, X.H., J. Goeke, and S. Summerside. 1999. Hydraulic properties and uncertainty analysis for an unconfined alluvial aquifer. Ground Water. 37(6):845-854.
Gosselin, D.C., S. Drda, F. E. Harvey, and J. Goeke 1999. Hydrologic Dynamics of Two Interdunal Valleys in the Central Sand Hills Nebraska. Ground Water. 37:924-933
Gosselin, D.C., S. Drda, F. E. Harvey, and J. Goeke. 1999. Hydrologic Dynamics of Two Interdunal Valleys in the Central Sand Hills Nebraska. Ground Water. 37:924-933.Online
Chen, X.-H., Goeke, J., Summerside, S. 1998. Geology, Hydrogeology and Aquifer Hydraulic Properties from Five Test Sites in the Republican River Valley, Nebraska. Contract Report for Nebraska Department of Water Resources. University of Nebraska, Conserva
Chen, X.-H., J. Goeke and S. Summerside. 1998. Geology, Hydrogeology and Aquifer Hydraulic Properties from Five Test Sites in the Republican River Valley, Nebraska. Contract Report for Nebraska Department of Water Resources.
Bentall, R. and J. Goeke 1995. Map Observation of Nebraska Drainage Systems. GSA Abstract.
Kranz W.L., Gosselin, D.C., Hay, D.L., Goeke, J.W. 1993. Glossary of Water-Related Terms. Extension, University of Nebraska.
Kranz W.L., Hay, D.L., Goeke, J.W. 1993. Understanding Groundwater. Extension, University of Nebraska.
Goeke, J.W. 1992. Hydrogeology of Parts of the Twin Platte and Middle Republican Natural Resources Districts Southwestern Nebraska. Nebraska Water Survey. (79):79.Online
Swinehart, J.B., Goeke, J.W., Winter, T.C. 1988. Field Guide to Geology and Hydrology of the Nebraska Sand Hills. Geological Society of America Field Trip Guidebook Professional Contributions, Colorado School of Mines 0(12): 0 pp.

Background

Education

DegreeMajorInstitutionYear Awarded
Master of ScienceColorado State University1970
Bachelor of ScienceUniversity of Wisconsin1966

 

Affiliations

 

SNR Program Areas

  • Environmental Science

Areas of Interest/Expertise

  • Groundwater geology
  • Sand Hills
  • Drinking water
  • hydrogeology
  • irrigation
  • Water development

Grants

Currently this page only displays grants that were awarded on 1/1/ 2009 to the present. If a grant was awarded prior to 1/1/ 2009 and is still active, it will not be displayed on this page.

Grant TitleMercury Deposition Network -- North Platte
Starting Date10/23/2008

Investigator(s)

Ending Date10/01/2010
Funding Level$604.00
Funding AgencyNebraska Department of Environmental Quality

 

Grant TitleRecharge Rates and Quality Near Grand Island and North Platte
Starting Date03/25/2008

Investigator(s)

Ending Date03/25/2011
Funding Level$17,500.00
Funding AgencyCentral Platte Natural Resources District

 

Grant TitleMeasure Recharge Rates and Determine Recharge Quality Near Grand Island and North Platte
Starting Date03/17/2008

Investigator(s)

Ending Date03/25/2010
Funding Level$36,100.00
Funding AgencyCentral Platte Natural Resources District