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At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
USGS2004

Water: Essential resource of the southern Flint River Basin, Georgia

Introduction Abundant water resources of the Flint River Basin have played a major role in the history and development of southwestern Georgia. The Flint River-along with its tributaries, wetlands, and swamps-and the productive aquifers of the river basin are essential components of the area's diverse ecosystems. These resources also are necessary for sustained agricultural, industrial, and municipal activities. Increasing, and in some cases conflicting, demand for water makes careful monitoring and wise planning and management of southwestern Georgia's water resources critical to the ecological and economic future of the area. This poster presents the major issues associated with increasing competition for water resources in the southern Flint River Basin.

Georgia↗
USGS1996

Precipitation, streamflow and water quality data from selected sites in the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 1993-95

Charlotte and Mecklenburg County from October 1993 through June 1995 to identify the type, concentration, and amount of nonpoint-source stormwater runoff within the area. The data collected include measurements of precipitation; streamflow; physical characteristics, such as water temperature, pH, specific conductance, biochemical oxygen demand, oil and grease, and suspended sediment concentrations; and concentrations of nutrients, metals and minor constituents, and organic compounds. These data should provide valuable information needed for (1) planned watershed simulation models, (2) early warning of possible flooding, (3) estimates of nonpoint-source constituent loadings to the Catawba River, and (4) characterization of water quality in relation to basin conditions.

North Carolina↗
USGS1995

Simulation of stage and the the hydrologic budget of Devils Lake, Sauk County, Wisconsin

Water clarity of Devils Lake, in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin, has been decreasing because of blue-green algal blooms. An understanding of the hydrology of Devils Lake is needed to develop a mitigation plan to reduce phosphorus input. A model was developed to test the current understanding of the hydrology of the lake including stage and hydrologic budget and to estimate the effects of proposed mitigation plans on lake stage. Daily lake stage was simulated in the model by summing estimates of hydrologic-budget components. The Devils Lake hydrologic-budget components are precipitation on the lake surface, evaporation from the lake surface, runoff (consisting of overland flow to the lake and an intermittent stream flowing into the lake), and ground-water flow into and out of the lake. The model was calibrated to measured lake stage for the period 1980-92. Simulated stage compares reasonably well with historical stage data for Devils Lake. The root mean square of the differences of simulated and measured daily lake stages for the period 1980-92 is 0.83 foot. Simulated lake stage is very sensitive to small changes in runoff and evaporation coefficients, and ground-waterflow rates used in the model. The average model-calculated annual amounts of each hydrologic-budget component for the 1980-92 simulation period, in order of increasing volume, are evaporation (791 acre-feet), precipitation (973 acre-feet), runoff (1,107 acre-feet), and net ground-water flow, which is out of the lake (1,323 acre-feet). Three mitigation plans were simulated. Mitigation plan 3, which includes the addition of water from a basin adjacent to the northeastern side of the Devils Lake Basin, allows for withdrawals of hypolimnetic water and maintaining lake stage closer to optimal levels than would result without mitigation.

Wisconsin↗
USGS2026

Asynchronous landslide seasonality across the United States

Mid-range landslide outlooks can facilitate weather-related landslide preparedness and disaster response planning, but seasonal landslide activity remains poorly quantified at continental scales. Leveraging >55,000 reported landslides from across the United States (U.S.), we used circular statistics to quantify landslide seasonality in 67 National Weather Service County Warning Areas (CWAs). We found regional differences in landslide season timing and duration, with transitions between domains variably corresponding to climate class or river basin. We assessed differences in seasonality by movement type for slides, flows, and falls, detecting apparent, but uncertain, differences between slide and fall seasonalities in 27 of 35 (77%) of CWAs with both types reported. In the Pacific Northwest, where long records exist, we found a credible shift toward a later mean landslide season in western Washington from 1990 to 2020, but no trend in western Oregon. Our results can provide emergency planners a resource to assess seasonal landslide probability nationwide.

Geophysical Research Letters↗
USGS2002

Hydrologic, sediment, and biological data associated with irrigation drainage in the middle Green River basin, Utah and Colorado, water years 1991-2000

Hydrologic, sediment, and biological data were collected in the middle Green River basin in eastern Utah from 1991 to 2000 in an effort to monitor the effects of irrigation drainage on wetland areas and streams, aid in the development of remediation plans, and evaluate the effectiveness of selenium remediation efforts at Stewart Lake Waterfowl Management Area (WMA). Data consist primarily of selenium concentrations in surface water, ground water, bottom sediment, and biological samples. Supporting hydrologic data include field measurements of temperature, pH, specific conductance, water levels in wells, and discharge at surface-water sites. Selected water samples also were analyzed for major ions, trace elements, nutrients, and gross alpha and beta radiation. The concentration of selected selenium species is reported for several bottom-sediment samples from Stewart Lake WMA and the concentration of total selenium in suspended-sediment samples from the area are included. Well logs for six wells installed at Stewart Lake WMA are presented along with trace-element data for several biological samples collected at selected sites throughout the middle Green River basin.

Colorado, Utah, Wyoming↗
USGS2003

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the Piru, Simi, and Verdale Fires of 2003, Southern California

These maps present preliminary assessments of the probability of debris-flow activity and estimates of peak discharges that can potentially be generated by debris-flows issuing from basins burned by the Piru, Simi and Verdale Fires of October 2003 in southern California in response to the 25-year, 10-year, and 2-year 1-hour rain storms. The probability maps are based on the application of a logistic multiple regression model that describes the percent chance of debris-flow production from an individual basin as a function of burned extent, soil properties, basin gradients and storm rainfall. The peak discharge maps are based on application of a multiple-regression model that can be used to estimate debris-flow peak discharge at a basin outlet as a function of basin gradient, burn extent, and storm rainfall. Probabilities of debris-flow occurrence for the Piru Fire range between 2 and 94% and estimates of debris flow peak discharges range between 1,200 and 6,640 ft3/s (34 to 188 m3/s). Basins burned by the Simi Fire show probabilities for debris-flow occurrence between 1 and 98%, and peak discharge estimates between 1,130 and 6,180 ft3/s (32 and 175 m3/s). The probabilities for debris-flow activity calculated for the Verdale Fire range from negligible values to 13%. Peak discharges were not estimated for this fire because of these low probabilities. These maps are intended to identify those basins that are most prone to the largest debris-flow events and provide information for the preliminary design of mitigation measures and for the planning of evacuation timing and routes.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2004

Emergency assessment of debris-flow hazards from basins burned by the Cedar and Paradise Fires of 2003, southern California

These maps present preliminary assessments of the probability of debris-flow activity and estimates of peak discharges that can potentially be generated by debris flows issuing from basins burned by the Cedar and Paradise Fires of October 2003 in southern California in response to 25-year, 10-year, and 2-year recurrence, 1-hour duration rain storms. The probability maps are based on the application of a logistic multiple regression model that describes the percent chance of debris-flow production from an individual basin as a function of burned extent, soil properties, basin gradients, and storm rainfall. The peak-discharge maps are based on application of a multiple-regression model that can be used to estimate debris-flow peak discharge at a basin outlet as a function of basin gradient, burn extent, and storm rainfall. Probabilities of debris-flow occurrence for the Cedar Fire range between 0 and 98% and estimates of debris-flow peak discharges range between 893 and 5,987 ft3/s (25 to 170 m3/s). Basins burned by the Paradise Fire show probabilities for debris-flow occurrence between 2 and 98%, and peak discharge estimates between 1,814 and 5,980 ft3/s (51 and 169 m3/s). These maps are intended to identify those basins that are most prone to the largest debris-flow events and provide information for the preliminary design of mitigation measures and for the planning of evacuation timing and routes.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2004

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the Padua Fire of 2003, Southern California

Results of a present preliminary assessment of the probability of debris-flow activity and estimates of peak discharges that can potentially be generated by debris flows issuing from basins burned by the Padua Fire of October 2003 in southern California in response to 25-year, 10-year, and 2-year recurrence, 1-hour duration rain storms are presented. The resulting probability maps are based on the application of a logistic multiple-regression model (Cannon and others, 2004) that describes the percent chance of debris-flow production from an individual basin as a function of burned extent, soil properties, basin gradients, and storm rainfall. The resulting peak discharge maps are based on application of a multiple-regression model (Cannon and others, 2004) that can be used to estimate debris-flow peak discharge at a basin outlet as a function of basin gradient, burn extent, and storm rainfall. Probabilities of debris-flow occurrence for the Padua Fire range between 0 and 99% and estimates of debris-flow peak discharges range between 1211 and 6,096 ft3/s (34 to 173 m3/s). These maps are intended to identify those basins that are most prone to the largest debris-flow events and provide information for the preliminary design of mitigation measures and for the planning of evacuation timing and routes.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2000

Hydrology, water quality, and phosphorus loading of Little St. Germain Lake, Vilas County, Wisconsin

Little St. Germain Lake, which is in Vilas County. Wisconsin, just northeast of St. Germain (fig. 1), is one of 21 impoundments operated by Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) to provide storage for power and recreational use. The level of the lake, which was originally dammed in 1882, has been maintained by the WVIC at about 5 feet above its natural level since 1929, and it is annually drawn down about 1.5 feet from December through March. In the interest of protecting and improving the water quality of the lake, the Little St. Germain Lake Improvement Association was established in 1959. Later, the I .ittle St. Germain Lake District was formed. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), in collaboration with the Lake District, did a study during 1983-85 to document the water quality of the lake and examine management alternatives (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1985). Results of the study indicated that, because of relatively high phosphorus loading to the lake, most of the lake was eutrophic (relatively productive), with the possible exception of the West Bay. The results also indicated monitoring of the lake should continue, and that actions should be taken to decrease nutrient loading to the lake by controlling erosion, fertilizer runoff, and leakage from septic systems. The lake was monitored in detail again during 1991-94 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as part of a cooperative study with the Lake District. This study demonstrated water-quality variation among the basins of Little St. Germain Lake and extensive areas of winter anoxia (absence of oxygen). Further in-depth studies were then conducted during 1994-2000 to define the extent of winter anoxia, refine the hydrologic and phosphorus budgets of the lake, quantify the effects of annual drawdowns, and provide information needed to develop a comprehensive lake-management plan. This report presents the results of the studies since 1991.

Wisconsin↗
USGS2010

Emergency assessments of postfire debris-flow hazards for the 2009 La Brea, Jesusita, Guiberson, Morris, Sheep, Oak Glen, Pendleton, and Cottonwood fires in southern California

This report presents an emergency assessment of potential debris-flow hazards from basins burned by the 2009 La Brea and Jesusita fires in Santa Barbara County, the Guiberson fire in Ventura County, the Morris fire in Los Angeles County, the Sheep, Oak Glen, and Pendleton fires in San Bernardino County, and the Cottonwood fire in Riverside County, southern California. Statistical-empirical models developed to analyze postfire debris flows are used to estimate the probability and volume of debris-flows produced from drainage basins within each of the burned areas. Debris-flow probabilities and volumes are estimated as functions of different measures of basin burned extent, gradient, and material properties in response to both a 3-hour-duration, 2-year-recurrence thunderstorm and to a widespread, 12-hour-duration, 2-year-recurrence winter storm. This assessment provides critical information for issuing warnings, locating and designing mitigation measures, and planning evacuation timing and routes within the first two winters following the fire.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1973

Field reconnaissance of the effects of the earthquake of April 13, 1973, near Laguna de Arenal, Costa Rica

At about 3:34 a.m. on April 13, 1973, a moderate-sized, but widely-felt, earthquake caused extensive damage with loss of 23 lives in a rural area of about 150 km 2 centered just south of Laguna de Arenal in northwestern Costa Rica (fig. 1). This report summarizes the results of the writer's reconnaissance investigation of the area that was affected by the earthquake of April 13, 1973. A 4-day field study of the meizoseismal area was carried out during the period from April 28 through May 1 under the auspices of the U.S. Geological Survey. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate geologic factors that contributed to the damage and loss of life. The earthquake was also of special interest because of the possibility that it was accompanied by surface faulting comparable to that which occurred at Managua, Nicaragua, during the disastrous earthquake of December 23, 1972 (Brown, Ward, and Plafker, 1973). Such earthquake-related surface faulting can provide scientifically valuable information on active tectonic processes at shallow depths within the Middle America arc. Also, identification of active faults in this area is of considerable practical importance because of the planned construction of a major hydroelectrical facility within the meizoseismal area by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (I.C.E.). The project would involve creation of a storage reservoir within the Laguna de Arenal basin and part of the Río Arenal valley with a 75 m-high earthfill dam across Río Arenal at a point about 10 km east of the outlet of Laguna de Arenal.

Laguna De Arenal↗
USGS2001

Population and habitat viability assessment for the Wyoming toad (Bufo baxteri): Final workshop report

The Wyoming toad was discovered by Dr. George Baxter in 1946 and was originally known as Bufo hemiophrys baxteri until 1998 when it was given full species status as Bufo baxteri. The toad is thought to be a glacial relic always found only in the Laramie Basin. It was originally known from many breeding sites in the floodplains of the Big and Little Laramie Rivers. Later, after irrigation practices changed the nature of the floodpains, it was found along margins of ponds and small seepage lakes between 7,000 and 7,500 feet. Baxter and others monitored breeding sites for more than 30 years, with few toads seen or heard from 1975 to 1979. An extensive survey of the Laramie Basin in 1980 found only one population. The Wyoming toad was listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act on January 17, 1984, with a recovery plan approved in 1991. Currently the total population of the Wyoming toad includes approximately 200 animals in the captive breeding program and as few as 62 toads surviving at reintroduction sites in the Laramie Basin based upon fall 2000 survey data (after releases of more than 10,000 toads and tadpoles since 1995). Necessary conservation measures include improving reproduction and survival in the captive breeding program, improving survival at reintroduction sites, developing techniques to control the effects of the amphibian chytrid fungus, and eliminating threats and further habitat degradation in the wild.

Wyoming↗
USGS1970

Hydrology reconnaissance of the Sink Valley area, Tooele and Box Elder Counties, Utah

This is the sixth in a series of reports by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, which describe the water resources of selected basins in western Utah. Areas covered by previously published reports in this series are shown in figure 1 and are listed on page 29. The purpose of this report is to present available hydrologic data on the Sink Valley (Puddle Valley) area, to provide an evaluation of the potential for water-resource development in the area, and to serve as a basis for planning possible later detailed investigations.

Utah↗
USGS2015

Rangewide climate vulnerability assessment for threatened Bull Trout

The bull trout, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, is well adapted to the cold waters of the Northwest. Recent changes in climate have caused winter flooding and warmer summer water temperatures in the region, reducing the cold-water habitats that bull trout depend on. The southernmost bull trout populations, found in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada, are currently restricted to small reserves where the coldest waters still exist. These shrinking habitats have created a severed environment being further split by dams, poor water quality, and invasive species. The goal of this project was to determine how these factors threaten the species regionally by using predictions of stream temperature to map habitat areas that support juvenile bull trout. Results show that maintaining larger areas of cold water habitat had the greatest, positive impact on bull trout habitat conservation. Other conditions that support bull trout include very cold summer water temperatures, fewer winter floods, and fewer human disturbances (such as the building of dams). Based on these results, specific climate adaptation actions that local managers might consider include prioritizing land and water use to foster colder summer water temperatures, controlling invasive species, increasing connectivity between Bull Trout habitats, and continuing monitoring efforts. To ensure that these results and habitat maps could be incorporated into management actions, researchers met with stakeholders including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U.S. Forest Service, and the Burns Paiute Tribe. As a result, the maps were used in forest planning for the Lolo National Forest in Montana, the Wenatchee River basin, and in the lower Pend Oreille River during the relicensing process for local dam operations. In addition, the recovery plan proposed by the USFWS incorporated these models into detailed analyses of bull trout habitat loss, which managers can use to prioritize actions in their Recovery Unit Implementation Plans.

Report↗
USGS2025

Collaborative drought science planning in the Colorado River Basin

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is using collaborative, interdisciplinary planning to develop data and tools needed to optimize the management of water resources and land use by resource management agencies during an ongoing, multidecadal drought in the Colorado River Basin. The USGS Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology team works to build relationships with resource management agencies and other stakeholders who can benefit from the use of USGS data and products. In 2023, the Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology team hosted a series of collaborative workshops to bring together representatives of resource management agencies and other stakeholders (any person or entity with interests in a resource or location) with USGS program managers, scientists, and multidisciplinary subject matter experts to codevelop concepts for interdisciplinary drought science and technology projects to address pressing needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin. Workshop participants identified current and recent scientific data that could be shared through a centralized online data portal. Workshop participants also identified drought science and technology needs and developed project concepts to address those science needs. Participants categorized project concepts based on their potential to develop short-, mid-, and long-term drought science data and tools, provide for the spatial or temporal expansion of ongoing USGS science projects, and address high-priority science needs. Participants developed nine project concepts: (1) understanding shifting ecohydrologic baselines, (2) San Juan River Basin synthesis, (3) incorporating dynamic land cover into hydrologic models, (4) aridification compared to drought, (5) surface water-groundwater interactions, (6) cascading effects of drought on dust, (7) cascading effects of drought on water availability, (8) cascading effects of drought on socioeconomic factors, and (9) the value of water in the Colorado River Basin. This report provides an overview of the 2023 Codesign Workshop Series, synthesized outcomes from workshop materials and discussions, and science project concepts that emerged from the collaborative meetings that will continue to be refined into science project proposals through codevelopment processes. This report also highlights lessons learned and next steps needed to receive feedback and testing of the USGS Science Collaboration Portal, continue collaboration to develop detailed specifics and steps for short-term wins, develop interdisciplinary project proposals, and implement science planning and studies.

Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico,↗
USGS1999

Water use in Kansas, 1990 and 1995

This fact sheet illustrates comparative water use from ground and surface sources for 1990 and 1995 for the largest categories of use in Kansas: public supply, irrigation, industrial and mining, livestock, and thermoelectric power generation. Total populations, including those served by public-water suppliers and those using private wells, also are illustrated. These data are organized by major river basin to provide perspective on trends in water use among geographic areas in Kansas. This fact sheet is produced as part of an ongoing cooperative study with the Kansas Water Office and is supported in part by the Kansas State Water Plan Fund.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS1969

Willamette Basin Comprehensive Study of Water and Related Land Resources: Appendix B--Hydrology

The study was undertaken to plan for the proper development of water and related land resources of the Willamette Basin in Oregon. Appendix B , along with Appendices A and C, provides supporting data for the functional Appendices D through L. Climate is first discussed, including the climatic significance of geographical features such as the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia Gorge, and the Coast and Cascade Ranges, climatic elements (e.g. , temperature, precipitation, evaporation), and meteorological aspects of major storms--rain, wind, and snow. A description of water resources , their distribution, and their variation at different times are presented. These resources are described in terms of factors influencing the occurrence of water . Specifically reviewed here are surface waters, groundwater, the relationship between surface and groundwater, management programs, and water rights and legal restrictions. Lastly, the adequacy of hydrologic data is reviewed. Statistical and interpretive hydrologic data necessary for broadscale water resources planning are provided. Data assembled are those concerning climate, streamflow, lakes and glaciers, chemical-quality, sediment, stream temperature, and groundwater. Geologic and soils mapping are briefly discussed, and a list of references is provided.

Report↗
USGS2019

Geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, New Mexico, 2017

About one-quarter of the water supply for the Village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, is derived from groundwater pumping along North Fork Eagle Creek in the Eagle Creek Basin near Alto, New Mexico. Because of concerns regarding the effects of groundwater pumping on surface-water hydrology in the Eagle Creek Basin and the effects of the 2012 Little Bear Fire, which resulted in substantial losses of vegetation in the basin, the monitoring of North Fork Eagle Creek for short-term geomorphic change has been required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Lincoln National Forest, as part of the permitting decision that allows for the continued pumping of the production wells. The monitoring of short-term geomorphic change in North Fork Eagle Creek began in June 2017 with a geomorphic survey of the stream reach located between the North Fork Eagle Creek near Alto, New Mexico, streamflow-gaging station (USGS site 08387550) and the Eagle Creek below South Fork near Alto, New Mexico, streamflow-gaging station (USGS site 08387600). The 2017 geomorphic survey was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Village of Ruidoso, and was the first in a planned series of five annual geomorphic surveys. The results of the 2017 geomorphic survey are summarized and interpreted in this report and are provided in their entirety in its companion data release. The study reach is 1.86 miles long, and large sections of the reach are characterized by intermittent streamflow. Where water is normally present (including at the upper and lower portions of the reach near the streamflow-gaging stations), the discharge typically remains below 2 cubic feet per second throughout the year. Therefore, if geomorphic change is to occur, it will likely be driven by seasonal high-flow events. Discharge records from streamflow-gaging stations in the Eagle Creek Basin indicated that high-flow events in the basin (with peaks above 50 cubic feet per second) typically occurred during the North American monsoon months of July, August, and September. Additionally, the records appear to indicate that, as expected, overland runoff and “flashy” responses to rainfall have increased in the 5 years since the 2012 Little Bear Fire. For the 2017 geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, cross sections were established and surveyed at 14 locations along the study reach. Cross-section survey results indicated that channel characteristics (including channel width and area) varied widely along the study reach. Also, as part of the survey, woody debris accumulations and pools in the channel of the study reach were identified, cataloged, photographed, and surveyed for location. There were 58 woody debris accumulations and 14 pools found in the study reach. On the basis that debris jams could be a driver of geomorphic change in North Fork Eagle Creek, woody debris accumulations were classified according to their debris jam potential. The burn marks found on some woody debris indicated that the 2012 Little Bear Fire may be a contributing factor to the volume of debris in North Fork Eagle Creek. However, the woody debris present at the time of the survey did not appear to have substantially affected the geomorphic state of the study reach. Further, the structure and composition of the woody debris accumulations indicated that, under high-flow conditions, most woody debris would likely be transported downstream and out of the study reach without causing substantial geomorphic change through further jamming.

New Mexico↗