Operations Specialist
Operations Specialist

Biography

Ms. Southard is currently the Associate Operations Manager for the Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory (MCRL) at PNNL-Sequim. She has worked for PNNL for 25 years as a research scientist and operations manager. Ms. Southard provides technical and logistical support to managers, researchers, and staff throughout PNNL for field projects performed by staff associated with MCRL. Her areas of responsibility within operations include training, environmental protection, safety, security planning, operational reviews, and audits. Ms. Southard’s research background is in ecology and fisheries. While at PNNL-Richland, her research focused on salmonid fish passage issues in the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima River Basins. Since joining MCRL in 1999, she has performed fish population surveys, studied shading effects of overwater structures on nearshore marine habitats, evaluated juvenile salmonid upstream passage through culverts, restored and monitored eelgrass in transplant and reference sites, conducted ecotoxicological bioassays, and authored aquatic ecology sections of environmental impact statements for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). She has helped coordinate large field projects for diverse clients that make use of MCRL staff, facilities, and equipment and that require complex environmental permitting, safety training, and coordination among many subject matter experts. She also actively participates in research projects as a scientific diver and boat operator.

Research Areas

  • Seagrass (especially eelgrass, Zostera marina) restoration and habitat monitoring
  • Reduction of shading impacts to seagrasses and salmon from overwater structures
  • Preparation of Environmental Impact Statements
  • Coordination of diverse field research projects

Education

  • BS in Zoology, Miami University

Publications

PNNL Publications

2020

2019

2014

  • Thom R.M., S.L. Southard, and A.B. Borde. 2014. "Climate-linked mechanisms driving spatial and temporal variation in eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) growth and assemblage structure in Pacific Northwest estuaries, USA." Journal of Coastal Research. JCR Fall 2014, no. 68:1-11. PNNL-SA-102122. doi:10.2112/SI68-001.1

2012

  • Johnson G.E., W.H. Pearson, S.L. Southard, and R.P. Mueller. 2012. "Upstream Movement of Juvenile Coho Salmon in Relation to Environmental Conditions in a Culvert Test Bed." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 141, no. 6:1520-1531. PNWD-SA-8455. doi:10.1080/00028487.2012.699013

2009

  • Diefenderfer H.L., K.L. Sobocinski, R.M. Thom, C.W. May, A.B. Borde, S.L. Southard, and J. Vavrinec, et al. 2009. "Multiscale Analysis of Restoration Priorities for Marine Shoreline Planning." Environmental Management 44, no. 4:712-731. PNWD-SA-8063. doi:10.1007/s00267-009-9298-4

2008

  • Mueller R.P., S.S. Southard, C.W. May, W.H. Pearson, and V.I. Cullinan. 2008. "Juvenile Coho Salmon Leaping Ability and Behavior in an Experimental Culvert Test Bed." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 137, no. 4:941-950. PNWD-SA-7768. doi:10.1577/T06-244.1
  • Thom R.M., S.L. Southard, A.B. Borde, and P. Stoltz. 2008. "Light Requirements for Growth and Survival of Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) in Pacific Northwest (USA) Estuaries." Estuaries and Coasts 31, no. 5:969-980. PNWD-SA-6070. doi:10.1007/s12237-008-9082-3
  • Thom R.M., S.S. Southard, A.B. Borde, and P. Stoltz. 2008. "Light Requirements for Growth and Survival of Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) in Pacific Northwest (USA) Estuaries." Estuaries and Coasts 31, no. 5:969-980. PNWD-SA-8093. doi:10.1007/s12237-008-9082-3

2007

2005

  • Johnson G.E., M.E. Hanks, F. Khan, C.B. Cook, J. Hedgepeth, R.P. Mueller, and C.L. Rakowski, et al. 2005. Hydroacoustic Evaluation of Juvenile Salmonid Passage at The Dalles Dam in 2004. PNNL-15180. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Hydroacoustic Evaluation of Juvenile Salmonid Passage at The Dalles Dam in 2004
  • Thom R.M., G.D. Williams, A.B. Borde, J.A. Southard, S.L. Sargeant, D.L. Woodruff, and J.C. Laufle, et al. 2005. "Adaptively Addressing Uncertainty in Estuarine and Near Coastal Restoration Projects." Journal of Coastal Research. JCR 40, no. sp. iss.:94-108. PNNL-SA-40819.

2004

  • Diefenderfer H.L., S.L. Sargeant, R.M. Thom, A.B. Borde, P.F. Gayaldo, C.A. Curtis, and B.L. Court, et al. 2004. "Demonstration Dock Designed to Benefit Eelgrass Habitat Restoration (Washington)." Ecological Restoration 22, no. 2:140-141. PNWD-SA-6315.
  • Williams G.D., R.M. Thom, J.A. Southard, S.L. Sargeant, D.K. Shreffler, and M.T. Stamey. 2004. "Assessing Overwater Structure-Related Predation on Juvenile Salmon: A Field Study and Protocol for Weighing the Evidence." In 2003 Georgia Basin/Puget Sound Research Conference Proceedings, Mary 31- April 3, 2003, Vancouver, BC (Canada), edited by TW Droscher and DA Fraser. Olympia, Washington:Puget Sound Action Team. PNNL-SA-37954.

2003

  • Diefenderfer H.L., S.L. Sargeant, R.M. Thom, A.B. Borde, P.F. Gayaldo, C.A. Curtis, and B.L. Court, et al. 2003. "Dock Design to Facilitate the Restoration of Eelgrass in Port Townsend Bay, Washington." In Assembling the Pieces - Restoration, Design and Landscape Ecology: Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration International, November 19-22, 2003, Austin, Texas. Tucson, Arizona:Society for Ecological Restoration International. PNWD-SA-6035.
  • Sargeant S.L., R.M. Thom, H.L. Diefenderfer, A.B. Borde, and J.A. Southard. 2003. "Evaluation of Methods to Increase Light under Large Overwater Structures." In 2003 Georgia Basin/Puget Sound Research Conference Proceedings, Vancouver, BC, March 31 - April 3, 2003, edited by TW Droscher and DA Fraser. Olympia, Washington:Puget Sound Action Team. PNNL-SA-37320.
  • Southard J.A., G.D. Williams, S.L. Sargeant, H.L. Diefenderfer, and M.L. Blanton. 2003. "Using Advanced Scientific Diving Technologies to Assess the Underwater Environment." In 2003 Georgia Basin/Puget Sound Research Conference Proceedings, Vancouver, BC, March 31 - April 3, 2003, edited by TW Droscher and DA Fraser. Olympia, Washington:Puget Sound Action Team. PNNL-SA-37344.
  • Thom R.M., A.B. Borde, S. Rumrill, D.L. Woodruff, G.D. Williams, J.A. Southard, and S.L. Sargeant. 2003. "Factors Influencing Spatial and Annual Variability in Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) Meadows in Willapa Bay, Washington, and Coos Bay, Oregon, Estuaries." Estuaries 26, no. 4B:1117-1129. PNWD-SA-5838.

2002

  • Blanton S.L., R.M. Thom, A.B. Borde, H.L. Diefenderfer, and J.A. Southard. 2002. Evaluation of Methods to Increase Light Under Ferry Terminals. PNNL-13714. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Evaluation of Methods to Increase Light Under Ferry Terminals
  • Johnson R.L., M. Simmons, C.S. Simmons, and S.L. Blanton. 2002. "A New Multibeam Sonar Technique for Evaluating Fine-Scale Fish Behavior Near Hydroelectric Dam Guidance Structures." In Behavioral Technologies for Fish Guidance, American Fisheries Society Symposium, 2001, edited by Coutant, C., 26, 161-170. Bethesda, Maryland:Amer. Fisheries Society. PNNL-SA-34097.
  • Miller M.C., G.D. Williams, L.K. O'Rourke, J.A. Southard, and S.L. Blanton. 2002. Effects of Shoreline Hardening and Shoreline Protection Features on Fish Utilization and Behavior at Washaway Beach, Washington (Report 2). PNNL-13635-(2). Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Effects of Shoreline Hardening and Shoreline Protection Features on Fish Utilization and Behavior at Washaway Beach, Washington (Report 2)
  • Thom R.M., A.B. Borde, G.D. Williams, J.A. Southard, and S.L. Blanton. 2002. "Adaptive Management to Improve Seagrass Restoration Success." In Watershed 2002: Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation, February 23-27, 2002, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 362-373. Alexandria, Virginia:Water Environment Federation. PNWD-SA-5520.
  • Thom R.M., S.L. Blanton, A.B. Borde, G.D. Williams, D.L. Woodruff, and M.H. Huesemann. 2002. "Investigations into Wetland Carbon Sequestration as Remediation for Global Warming." In International Conference on Wetlands and Remediation; Wetlands and Remediation II, edited by KW Nehring and SE Brauning, 311-320. Columbus, Ohio:Battelle Press. PNNL-SA-35183.

2001

  • Thom R.M., A.B. Borde, G.D. Williams, J.A. Southard, S.L. Blanton, and D.L. Woodruff. 2001. "Effects of Multiple Stressors on Eelgrass Restoration Projects." In Proceedings of Puget Sound Research 2001, the fifth Puget Sound Research Conference, edited by Droscher, Toni, 1. Olympia, Washington:Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team. PNWD-SA-5434. Effects of Multiple Stressors on Eelgrass Restoration Projects
  • Thom R.M., A.B. Borde, S.L. Blanton, D.L. Woodruff, and G.D. Williams. 2001. "The Influence of Climate Variation and Change on Structure and Processes in Nearshore Vegetated Communities of Puget Sound and other Northwest Estuaries." In Proceedings of the 2001 Puget Sound Research Conference. Olympia, Washington:Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team. PNNL-SA-34977.

2000

  • Geist D.R., C.S. Abernethy, S.L. Blanton, and V.I. Cullinan. 2000. "The use of electromyogram telemetry to estimate energy expenditure of adult fall chinook salmon." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 129, no. 1:126-135. PNNL-SA-27849.

Selected Publications

2008

  • Mueller RP, SL Southard, CW May, WH Pearson, and VI Cullinan. 2008. "Juvenile Coho Salmon Leaping Ability and Behavior in an Experimental Culvert Test Bed." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 137(4):941-950. doi:10.1577/T06-244.1

  • Thom RM, SL Southard, AB Borde, and P Stoltz. 2008. "Light Requirements for Growth and Survival of Eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) in Pacific Northwest (USA) Estuaries." Estuaries and Coasts 31(5):969-980. doi:10.1007/s12237-008-9082-3

2006

  • Southard SL, Thom RM, GD Williams, JD Toft, GA McMichael, JA Vucelick, JT Newell, and JA Southard. 2006. Impacts of Ferry Terminals on Juvenile Salmon Movement along Puget Sound Shorelines. PNWD-3647. Prepared for the Washington State Department of Transportation by Battelle, Pacific Northwest Division, Richland, WA.