Geology topics

Terry M. Short

Publications and source records attributed to Terry M. Short.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2025

Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of selenium in a large oligotrophic river

In flowing waters with elevated selenium concentrations, fish are often considered to be at risk from selenium toxicity owing to dietary exposure and accumulation in ovary tissues and subsequent deformities in developing larvae. We studied selenium throughout components of the aquatic food webs at geomorphically distinct locations along the oligotrophic Kootenai River (Montana and Idaho, USA), a river with moderately elevated dissolved selenium concentrations (~ 1 µg/L). Components included water, sediment, freshly accrued biofilms, in-situ periphyton, sestonic detritus, aquatic invertebrates, and fish, with spring and fall sampling. Selenium concentrations were similar among the sediment, biofilm, periphyton, and detritus samples with most concentrations ranging between 0.5 to 2.0 (mg/kg dry weight (dw)). Among the aquatic invertebrates, the highest selenium concentrations were observed in Paraleptophlebia sp. mayflies (>15 mg/kg dw) and oligochaetes (>30 mg/kg dw). Selenium in chironomids was higher in the spring than fall, but otherwise, no consistent concentration patterns with season or feeding traits were observed. Fish tissue selenium concentrations were highly variable among species and tissue type. Selenium in fish tissues tended to be highest in livers of rainbow trout and mountain whitefish relative to egg/ovary, muscle, and carcass tissue. With northern pikeminnow, redside shiner, and slimy sculpin, selenium concentrations tended to be highest in ovary tissues. For example, selenium in rainbow trout livers ranged from an average (range) of 37 (4.5 to 151) compared to 8.7 (2.7 to 12.3) in northern pikeminnow livers. Egg/ovary concentrations ranged from a high of 26 (10.7 to 64) in redside shiner in contrast to 12.2 (6.9 to 17) mg/kg dw in slimy sculpin. A drawback of the fish-tissue approach to monitoring and managing selenium risks in freshwaters is the need to kill multiple fish per site and event. Potential alternative monitoring approaches are illustrated using aquatic invertebrates or using the food web monitoring results to derive monitoring targets for selenium in water or invertebrate tissue that could avoid the need to kill fish to assess whether fish protection guidelines are met.

Idaho, Montana↗

USGS2023

Interaction of a legacy groundwater contaminant plume with the Little Wind River from 2015 through 2017, Riverton Processing site, Wyoming

The Riverton Processing site was a uranium mill 4 kilometers southwest of Riverton, Wyoming, that prepared uranium ore for nuclear reactors and weapons from 1958 to 1963. The U.S. Department of Energy completed surface remediation of the uranium tailings in 1989; however, groundwater below and downgradient from the tailings site and nearby Little Wind River was not remediated. Beginning in 2010, a series of floods along the Little Wind River began to mobilize contaminants in the unsaturated zone, resulting in substantial increases of uranium and other contaminants of concern in monitoring wells completed inside the contaminant plume. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy started a series of university and Government agency retrospective and field investigations to understand the processes controlling contaminant increases in the groundwater plume. The goals of the field investigations described in this report were to (1) identify and quantify the contaminant flux and potential associated biological effects from groundwater associated with the legacy plume as it enters a perennial stream reach, and (2) assess chemical exposure and potential effects to biological receptors from the interaction of the contaminant plume and the river. Field investigations along the Little Wind River were completed by the U.S. Geological Survey during 2015–17 in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management to characterize: (1) seepage areas and seepage rates; (2) pore-water and bed sediment chemistry and hyporheic exchange and reactive loss; and (3) exposure pathways and biological receptors. All data collected during the study are contained in two U.S. Geological Survey data releases, available at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7BR8QX4 and https://doi.org/10.5066/P9J9VJBR . A variety of tools and methods were used during the field characterizations. Streambed temperature mapping, electrical resistivity tomography, electromagnetic induction, fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing, tube seepage meters, vertical thermal sensor arrays, and an environmental tracer (radon) were used to identify areas of groundwater seepage and associated seepage rates along specific sections of the study reach of the river. Drive points, minipiezometers, diffusive equilibrium in thin-film/diffusive gradients in thin-film probes, bed-sediment samples, and equal discharge increment sampling methods were used to characterize pore-water chemistry, estimate hyporheic exchange and reactive loss of selected chemical constituents, and quantify contaminant loadings entering the study reach. Sampling and analysis of surface sediments, filamentous algae, periphytic algae, and macroinvertebrates were used to characterize biological exposure pathways, metal uptake, and receptors. Areas of focused groundwater discharge identified by the fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing surveys corresponded closely with areas of elevated electrical conductivity identified by the electromagnetic induction survey results in the top 5 meters of sediment. During three monitoring periods in 2016, the mean vertical seepage rate measured with tube seepage meters was 0.45 meter per day, ranging from −0.02 to 1.55 meters per day. Five of the 11 locations where vertical thermal profile data were collected along the study reach during August 2017 indicated mean upwelling values ranging from 0.11 to 0.23 meter per day. Radon data collected from the Little Wind River during June, July, and August 2016 indicated a consistent inflow of groundwater to the central part of the study reach, in the area congruous with the center of the previously mapped groundwater plume discharge zone. During August 2017, the greatest attenuation of uranium from reactive loss in pore-water samples was observed at three locations along the study reach, at depths between 6 and 15 centimeters, and similar trends in molybdenum attenuation were also observed. Bed-sediment concentration profiles collected during 2017 also indicated attenuation of uranium and molybdenum from groundwater during hyporheic mixing of surface water with the legacy plume during groundwater upwelling into the river. Streamflow measurements combined with equal discharge increment water sampling along the study reach indicated an increase in dissolved uranium concentrations in the downstream direction during 2016 and 2017. Net uranium load entering the Little Wind River study reach was about 290 and 435 grams per day during 2016 and 2017, respectively. Biological samples indicated that low levels of uranium and molybdenum exposure were confined to the benthos in the Little Wind River within and immediately downstream from the perimeter of the groundwater plume. Concentrations of molybdenum and uranium in filamentous algae were consistently low at all sites in the study reach with no indication of increased exposure of dissolved bioavailable molybdenum or uranium at sites next to or downstream from the groundwater plume. Comparison of the August 2017 results from electromagnetic induction, tube seepage meters, vertical thermal profiling, and pore-water chemistry surveys were in general agreement in identifying areas with upwelling groundwater conditions along the study reach. However, the electroconductivity values measured with electromagnetic induction in the top 100 centimeters of sediment did not agree with sodium concentrations measured in pore-water samples collected at similar streambed depths. Differences and similarities between multiple methods can result in additional insights into hydrologic and biogeochemical processes that may be occurring along a reach of a river system interacting with shallow groundwater inputs. It may be advantageous to apply a variety of geophysical, geochemical, hydrologic, and biological tools at other Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action ( https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/10/f19/UMTRCA.pdf ) sites during the investigation of legacy contaminant plume interactions with surface-water systems.

Wyoming↗

USGS2021

Long-term monitoring reveals convergent patterns of recovery from mining contamination across 4 western US watersheds

Long-term studies of stream ecosystems are essential for assessing restoration success because they allow researchers to quantify recovery trajectories, gauge the relative influence of episodic events, and determine the time required to achieve clean-up objectives. To quantify responses of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages to stream remediation, we integrated results of 4 long-term (20–29 y) assessments of mining-impacted watersheds that were broadly distributed across the western US (California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana). Using a before–after control–impact (BACI) study design, we observed substantial reductions in metal concentrations and corresponding improvements of benthic assemblages following remediation. Recovery rates were relatively consistent, and streams typically recovered within 10 to 15 y after remediation was initiated (mean = 10.25 y), although episodic events changed trajectories at some sites. Differences in recovery among watersheds were likely determined by a number of factors, including the severity of contamination, effectiveness of remediation, proximity to upstream sources of colonization, and hydrologic variation. We also observed considerable variation in the rate and extent of recovery among assemblage metrics. For example, total abundance and richness recovered rapidly at most sites, but the composition of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages remained substantially altered compared with reference sites. Using piecewise linear regression, we estimated a threshold response of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) species richness at ~1 cumulative criteria unit (CCU), which is the sum of the fractions of chronic water-quality criteria for metals measured, suggesting this value was protective of benthic assemblages. However, EPT richness was reduced by ~20% at 2× this CCU value, indicating that moderate exceedances of water-quality criteria could substantially affect stream biodiversity. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses identified common sets of species trait states across the 4 watersheds that were associated with either metal contamination or with recovering and intact reference stream assemblages. Our study illustrates the importance of long-term studies for quantifying responses to stream restoration and the usefulness of BACI designs for demonstrating cause-and-effect relationships between restoration treatments and community recovery. Because these 4 watersheds were among the most severely polluted sites in the western US, our study demonstrates the value of these investments in watershed restoration and the potential for success under the most extreme conditions.

California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana↗

USGS2017

Macroinvertebrate communities evaluated prior to and following a channel restoration project in Silver Creek, Blaine County, Idaho, 2001-16

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Blaine County and The Nature Conservancy, evaluated the status of macroinvertebrate communities prior to and following a channel restoration project in Silver Creek, Blaine County, Idaho. The objective of the evaluation was to determine whether 2014 remediation efforts to restore natural channel conditions in an impounded area of Silver Creek caused declines in local macroinvertebrate communities. Starting in 2001 and ending in 2016, macroinvertebrates were sampled every 3 years at two long-term trend sites and sampled seasonally (spring, summer, and autumn) in 2013, 2015, and 2016 at seven synoptic sites. Trend-site communities were collected from natural stream-bottom substrates to represent locally established macroinvertebrate assemblages. Synoptic site communities were sampled using artificial (multi-plate) substrates to represent recently colonized (4–6 weeks) assemblages. Statistical summaries of spatial and temporal patterns in macroinvertebrate taxonomic composition at both trend and synoptic sites were completed. The potential effect of the restoration project on resident macroinvertebrate populations was determined by comparing the following community assemblage metrics: Total taxonomic richness (taxa richness); Total macroinvertebrate abundance (total abundance); Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera (EPT) richness; EPT abundance; Simpson’s diversity; and Simpson’s evenness for periods prior to and following restoration. A significant decrease in one or more metric values in the period following stream channel restoration was the basis for determining impairment to the macroinvertebrate communities in Silver Creek. Comparison of pre-restoration (2001–13) and post‑restoration (2016) macroinvertebrate community composition at trend sites determined that no significant decreases occurred in any metric parameter for communities sampled in 2016. Taxa and EPT richness of colonized assemblages at synoptic sites increased significantly from pre-restoration in 2013 to post-restoration in 2015 and 2016. Similarly, total and EPT abundances at synoptic sites showed non-significant increases from 2013 to 2015 and 2016. Significant seasonal differences in macroinvertebrate assemblages were apparent at synoptic site locations and likely reflected typical life-history patterns of increased insect emergence and development in the late spring and early summer months. Taxa and EPT richness were each significantly higher in spring and summer than in autumn, and total abundances were significantly higher in spring than in summer and autumn. No significant differences in community diversity or evenness of colonized communities were noted at synoptic site locations between pre- and post-restoration years or among seasons. Select community-metric results from the trend- and synoptic ‑ site sampling indicated that the Silver Creek restoration effort in 2014 did not result in a significant decline in resident macroinvertebrate communities.

Idaho↗

USGS2016

Aquatic biological communities and associated habitats at selected sites in the Big Wood River Watershed, south-central Idaho, 2014

Assessments of streamflow (discharge) parameters, water quality, physical habitat, and biological communities were completed between May and September 2014 as part of a monitoring program in the Big Wood River watershed of south-central Idaho. The sampling was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Blaine County, Trout Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy, and the Wood River Land Trust to help identify the status of aquatic resources at selected locations in the watershed. Information in this report provides a basis with which to evaluate and monitor the long-term health of the Big Wood River and its major tributaries. Sampling sites were co-located with existing U.S. Geological Survey streamgaging stations: three on the main stem Big Wood River and four on the North Fork Big Wood River (North Fork), Warm Springs Creek (Warm Sp), Trail Creek (Trail Ck), and East Fork Big Wood River (East Fork) tributaries. The analytical results and quality-assurance information for water quality, physical habitat, and biological community samples collected at study sites during 2 weeks in September 2014 are summarized. Water-quality data include concentrations of major nutrients, suspended sediment, dissolved oxygen, and fecal-coliform bacteria. To assess the potential effects of nutrient enrichment on algal growth, concentrations of periphyton biomass (chlorophyll- a and ash free dry weight) in riffle habitats were determined at each site. Physical habitat parameters include stream channel morphology, habitat volume, instream structure, substrate composition, and riparian vegetative cover. Biological data include taxa richness, abundance, and stream-health indicator metrics for macroinvertebrate and fish communities. Statistical summaries of the water-quality, habitat, and biological data are provided along with discussion of how these findings relate to the health of aquatic resources in the Big Wood River watershed. Seasonal discharge patterns using statistical summaries of daily discharge from selected sites are reported for water years 2012–15. Results showed that annual average daily mean discharge increased from the Big Wood River near Ketchum, ID (BW Ketchum) downstream to the Big Wood River at Hailey, ID (BW Hailey), but decreased by nearly 50 percent from BW Hailey downstream to Big Wood River at Stanton Crossing near Bellevue, ID (BW Stanton). Annual variability in daily mean discharge among main-stem sites was highest at BW Stanton, suggesting that this part of the river may be subject to some level of flow alteration. Hydrologic alterations resulting in flow reduction can contribute to higher water temperature, especially during the summer months when conditions are often most stressful to fish and other stream organisms. Daily water temperature and water temperature trends from June to September 2014 are reported for select tributary and main-stem sites on the Big Wood River and can be used to assess the potential for biological impairment based on aquatic life temperature criteria for cold-water streams. The State of Idaho maximum temperature criteria for protection of cold-water aquatic life of 22 °C was exceeded at Warm Sp and BW Stanton during summer 2014, but at none of the other main-stem or tributary sites. The 13 °C critical temperature criterion for salmonid spawning was exceeded in early July 2014 at BW Ketchum and BW Hailey near the end of the rainbow trout critical spawning and rearing period. Temperature exceedances were most frequent at BW Stanton, where exceedances for rainbow trout and brown trout occurred from May through early July 2014 during most of the critical spawning and rearing period. Water quality and habitat availability did not seem to be limiting for fish or other aquatic organisms at most sites in the Big Wood River watershed. Water quality assessments in September 2014 determined no exceedances of total maximum daily load target levels. The availability and quality of habitat was limited at BW Stanton, where shallow-water habitat conditions prevailed. Macroinvertebrate community diversity was high at all sites except for BW Stanton, where low community diversity was attributed to low species richness and high abundances of a few tolerant taxa. Presence of low species diversity and high macroinvertebrate tolerance values at BW Stanton indicates that benthic community condition and stream health were reduced at that location. Fish surveys done in September 2014 did not indicate any significant reductions in native fish communities in the Big Wood River or its tributaries. Native rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) and Wood River sculpin ( Cottus leiopomus ) were the dominant fish species in the drainage and were found at all tributary and main-stem sites. Non-native brown ( Salmo trutta ) and brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) were limited to lower drainage sites on the Big Wood River (BW Hailey and BW Stanton), and occurred in relatively low numbers.

Idaho↗

USGS2013

The quality of our Nation’s waters--Ecological health in the Nation's streams, 1993-2005

This report summarizes a national assessment of the ecological health of streams done by the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA). Healthy functioning stream ecosystems provide society with many benefits, including water purification, flood control, nutrient recycling, waste decomposition, fisheries, and aesthetics. The value to society of many of these benefits is substantial; for example, sportfishing in the United States generates an estimated annual economic output of $125 billion, including more than 1 million jobs (National Research Council, 2005; American Sportfishing Association, 2008). Continued monitoring and assessment of the Nation’s streams is needed to support informed decisions that will safeguard this important natural and economic resource. The quality of streams and rivers is often assessed with measures of the chemical or physical properties of water. However, a more comprehensive perspective is obtained if resident biological communities are also assessed. Guidelines to protect human health and aquatic life have been established for specific physical and chemical properties of water and have become useful yardsticks with which to assess water quality. Biological communities provide additional crucial information because they live within streams for weeks to years and therefore integrate through time the effects of changes to their chemical or physical environment. In addition, biological communities are a direct measure of stream health—an indicator of the ability of a stream to support aquatic life. Thus, the condition of biological communities, integrated with key physical and chemical properties, provides a comprehensive assessment of stream health.

conterminous United States↗

USGS2010

The quality of our nation's waters: Nutrients in the nation's streams and groundwater, 1992-2004

National Findings and Their Implications Although the use of artificial fertilizer has supported increasing food production to meet the needs of a growing population, increases in nutrient loadings from agricultural and, to a lesser extent, urban sources have resulted in nutrient concentrations in many streams and parts of aquifers that exceed standards for protection of human health and (or) aquatic life, often by large margins. Do NAWQA findings substantiate national concerns for aquatic and human health? National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) findings indicate that nutrient concentrations in streams and groundwater in basins with significant agricultural or urban development are substantially greater than naturally occurring or “background” levels. For example, median concentrations of total nitrogen and phosphorus in agricultural streams are about 6 times greater than background levels. Findings also indicate that concentrations in streams routinely were 2 to 10 times greater than regional nutrient criteria recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to protect aquatic life. Such large differences in magnitude suggest that significant reductions in sources of nutrients, as well as greater use of land management strategies to reduce the transport of nutrients to streams, are needed to meet recommended criteria for streams draining areas with significant agricultural and urban development. Nitrate concentrations above the Federal drinking-water standard—or Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)—of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L, as nitrogen) are relatively uncommon in samples from streams used for drinking water or from relatively deep aquifers; the MCL is exceeded, however, in more than 20 percent of shallow (less than 100 feet below the water table) domestic wells in agricultural areas. This finding raises concerns for human health in rural agricultural areas where shallow groundwater is used for domestic supply and may warn of future contamination of deeper groundwater pumped from public‑supply wells. Are levels of nutrients in water increasing or decreasing? A decadal assessment of trends in concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus from about 1993 to 2003 shows minimal changes in those concentrations in the majority of studied streams across the Nation, and more upward than downward trends in concentrations at sites with changes. These findings underscore the need for reductions in nutrient inputs or management strategies that would reduce transport of nutrients to streams. Upward trends were evident among all land uses, including those only minimally affected by agricultural and (or) urban development, which suggests that additional protection of some of our Nation’s most pristine streams warrants consideration. The median of nitrate concentrations in groundwater from 495 wells also increased significantly from 3.2 to 3.4 mg/L (6 percent) during about the same period, and the proportion of wells with concentrations of nitrate greater than the MCL increased from 16 to 21 percent. Nitrate concentrations in water in deep aquifers are likely to increase during the next decade as shallow groundwater with elevated concentrations moves downward. The potential for future contamination of the deep aquifers requires attention because these aquifers commonly are used for public water supply, and because restoration of groundwater is costly and difficult. Long-term and consistent monitoring of nutrients, improved accounting of nutrient sources, and improved tracking and modeling of climatic and landscape changes will be essential for distinguishing trends in nutrient concentrations, understanding the causes of those trends, and accurately tracking the effectiveness of strategies implemented to manage nutrients.

Circular↗

USGS2007

Trace-Element Concentrations in Tissues of Aquatic Organisms from Rivers and Streams of the United States, 1992-1999

The U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program collected tissue samples from a variety of aquatic organisms during 1992-1999 within 47 study units across the United States. These tissue samples were collected to determine the occurrence and distribution of 20 major and minor trace elements in aquatic organisms. This report presents the tissue trace-element concentration data, sample summaries, and concentration statistics for 1,457 tissue samples representing 76 species or groups of fish, aquatic invertebrates, and plants were collected at 824 sampling sites.

Data Series↗

USGS2000

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory-Processing, taxonomy, and quality control of benthic macroinvertebrate samples

Qualitative and quantitative methods to process benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) samples have been developed and tested by the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water Quality Laboratory Biological Group. The qualitative processing method is based on visually sorting a sample for up to 2 hours. Sorting focuses on attaining organisms that are likely to result in taxonomic identifications to lower taxonomic levels (for example, Genus or Species). Immature and damaged organisms are also sorted when they are likely to result in unique determinations. The sorted sample remnant is scanned briefly by a second person to determine if obvious taxa were missed. The quantitative processing method is based on a fixed-count approach that targets some minimum count, such as 100 or 300 organisms. Organisms are sorted from randomly selected 5.1- by 5.1-centimeter parts of a gridded subsampling frame. The sorted remnant from each sample is resorted by a second individual for at least 10 percent of the original sort time. A large-rare organism search is performed on the unsorted remnant to sort BMI taxa that were not likely represented in the sorted grids. After either qualitatively or quantitatively sorting the sample, BMIs are identified by using one of three different types of taxonomic assessment. The Standard Taxonomic Assessment is comparable to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Rapid Bioassessment Protocol III and typically provides Genus- or Species-level taxonomic resolution. The Rapid Taxonomic Assessment is comparable to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Rapid Bioassessment Protocol II and provides Familylevel and higher taxonomic resolution. The Custom Taxonomic Assessment provides Species-level resolution whenever possible for groups identified to higher taxonomic levels by using the Standard Taxonomic Assessment. The consistent use of standardized designations and notes facilitates the interpretation of BMI data within and among water-quality studies. Taxonomic identifications are quality assured by verifying all referenced taxa and randomly reviewing 10 percent of the taxonomic identifications performed weekly by Biological Group taxonomists. Taxonomic errors discovered during this review are corrected. BMI data are reviewed for accuracy and completeness prior to release. BMI data are released phylogenetically in spreadsheet format and unprocessed abundances are corrected for laboratory and field subsampling when necessary.

Open-File Report↗

USGS1999

Biological, habitat, and water quality conditions in the upper Merced River drainage, Yosemite National Park, California, 1993-1996

Four studies were done in the upper Merced River drainage in Yosemite National Park and nearby areas from 1993 to 1996. First, monitoring studies of benthic algae, benthic invertebrates, fish, and habitat were undertaken at sites near Happy Isles and Pohono bridges from 1993 to 1995 as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Second, an ecological survey of benthic algae, benthic invertebrates, fish, and habitat was done in the upper Merced River drainage in 1994. Third, a special study of benthic algae, habitat, and water quality was done in the reach of the Merced River within Yosemite Valley to deter-mine whether human activities were having measurable effects on the ecosystem. Fourth, baseline data on benthic algae, benthic invertebrates, and habitat were collected in 1996 at four sites, two of which were undergoing extensive streambank restoration activities. Comparisons of the baseline data with future collections could be used to assess the effects of streambank restoration on aquatic biota. The general conclusion from these studies is that water quality in the upper Merced River was very good from 1993-1996, despite high levels of human activities in some areas. Fish communities did not appear to be a useful indicator of habitat and water quality because of low species richness and the apparent importance of physical barriers in determining species distributions. Measurements of fish densities and size-distributions might be useful, but would be logistically difficult. Benthic algae and benthic invertebrates do appear to be useful in monitoring environmental conditions. Benthic algae may be more sensitive than benthic invertebrates to small environmental differences within years. Benthic algae were also more responsive than benthic invertebrates to differences in discharge between years. Thus, benthic invertebrates may be more useful in comparing environmental conditions between years, independent of discharge conditions.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗