Geology topics

D.G. Clifton

Publications and source records attributed to D.G. Clifton.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS1989

Trace elements in bed sediments of the San Joaquin River and its tributary streams, California, 1985

Bed sediments were sampled at 24 sites on the San Joaquin River, California and its tributaries in October 1985 to assess the distribution of trace elements and factors affecting their concentrations. The proportion of less than 62-micrometer sediment was significantly (alpha=0.05) correlated with organic-carbon concentrations. Bed sediments from tributaries originating in the Sierra Nevada were much coarser than sediments in streams draining the Coast Range and western valley. Selenium concentrations in water have been measured. Interrelations among trace elements were examined using principal component analysis. 57% of the variance was accounted for in the first two principal components, which together show a distinct separation between sites dominated by Coast Range sediments and sites dominated by Sierra Nevada sediments. The third and fourth components accounted for 21% of the variance and distinguished the mixed-source sediments of the intermittent upper San Joaquin River from other parts of the river system. Generally, elements in bed sediments of the San Joaquin River and its tributaries were similar in concentration to elements in San Joaquin Valley soils, and concentrations were far below hazardous waste criteria. Concentrations were lower than in sediments from some polluted urban rivers and water more comparable to other rural agricultural rivers. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1989

Sources and concentrations of dissolved solids and selenium in the San Joaquin River and its tributaries, California, October 1985 to March 1987

Sources and concentrations of dissolved solids and selenium in the San Joaquin River and its tributaries, California, were assessed by a mass-balance approach to determine the effects of tile-drain water and irrigation-return flows on the river. The study included low-flow periods from October 1985 to mid-February 1986 and mid-May 1986 through March 1987, and a high-flow period from mid-February to mid-May 1985. During the combined low-flow period, the dissolved-solids load from eastside tributaries and the upper San Joaquin River accounted for only 18% of the total load at Vernalis, located farthest downstream, even though they accounted for 71% of the streamflow. Salt and Mud Sloughs contributed 40% of the dissolved-solids load but only 9% of streamflow. Unmeasured sources of dissolved solids contributed about 42% of the total load during low flow. In contrast, Salt and Mud Sloughs, which receive most of the tile-drain water that enters the river, contributed almost 80% of the total selenium load to the river, and loading of selenium concentrations were highest in Salt and Mud Sloughs and decreased downstream in the San Joaquin River with dilution from eastside tributaries. A State standard for dissolved solids of 500 mg/L was exceeded 11% of the time in the San Joaquin River at Vernalis. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 's 4-day average aquatic-life criterion of 5 micrograms/L of selenium was exceeded in more than 60% of the samples from the sloughs and in about 20% of the samples from the San Joaquin River, just downstream of the Merced River. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1987

Organochlorine pesticide residues in bed sediments of the San Joaquin River and its tributary streams, California

The distribution and concentrations of organochlorine pesticide residues in bed sediments were assessed from samples collected at 24 sites in the San Joaquin River and its tributaries in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Sampling was designed to collect the finest grained bed sediments present in the vicinity of each site. One or more of the 14 pesticides analyzed were detected at every site. Pesticides detected at one or more sites were chlordane, DDD, DDE, DDT, dieldrin, endosulfan, mirex, and toxaphene. Pesticides not detected were endrin, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, lindane, methoxychlor, and perthane. The most frequently detected pesticides were DDD (83% of sites), DDE (all sites), DDT (33% of sites), and dieldrin (58% of sites). Maximum concentrations of these pesticides, which were correlated with each other and with the amount of organic carbon in the sample, were DDD, 260 micrograms/kg; DDE, 430 micrograms/kg; DDT, 420 micrograms/kg; and dieldrin, 8.9 micrograms/kg. Six small tributary streams that drain agricultural areas west of the San Joaquin River had the highest concentrations. Water concentrations and loads were estimated for each pesticide from its concentration in bed sediments, the concentration of suspended sediment, and streamflow. Estimated loadings of DDD, DDE, DDT, and dieldrin from tributaries to the San Joaquin River indicate that most of the loading to the river at the time of the study was probably from the westside tributaries. Estimated water concentrations exceeded the aquatic life criterion for the sum of DDD, DDE, and DDt of 0.001 microgram/L at nine of the 24 sites sampled. Five of the nine sites are westside tributaries and one is the San Joaquin River near Vernalis. (Author 's abstract)

California↗