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At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources

USGS2014

Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Cameron, Clarion, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, and Warren Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004-2010

Increased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract unconventional natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau, is currently undergoing extensive drilling and production. The technology used to extract gas in the Marcellus Shale is known as hydraulic fracturing and has garnered much attention because of its use of large amounts of fresh water, its use of proprietary fluids for the hydraulic-fracturing process, its potential to release contaminants into the environment, and its potential effect on water resources. Nonetheless, development of natural gas extraction wells in the Marcellus Shale is only part of the overall natural gas story in this area of Pennsylvania. Conventional natural gas wells, which sometimes use the same technique for extraction, are commonly located in the same general area as the Marcellus Shale and are frequently developed in clusters across the landscape. The combined effects of these two natural gas extraction methods create potentially serious patterns of disturbance on the landscape. This document quantifies the landscape changes and consequences of natural gas extraction for Cameron, Clarion, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, and Warren Counties in Pennsylvania between 2004 and 2010. Patterns of landscape disturbance related to natural gas extraction activities were collected and digitized using National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery for 2004, 2005/2006, 2008, and 2010. The disturbance patterns were then used to measure changes in land cover and land use using the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) of 2001. A series of landscape metrics is also used to quantify these changes and is included in this publication. In this region, natural gas and oil development disturbed approximately 5,255 hectares (ha) (conventional, 2,400 ha; Marcellus, 357 ha; and oil, 1,883 ha) of land of which 3,507 ha were forested land and 610 ha were agricultural land. Eighty percent of that total disturbance was from conventional natural gas and oil development.

Pennsylvania↗

USGS2016

Hydrogeology and hydrologic conditions of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system

The hydrogeology and hydrologic characteristics of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system were characterized as part of ongoing U.S. Geological Survey efforts to assess groundwater availability across the Nation. The need for such a study in the Ozark Plateaus physiographic province (Ozark Plateaus) is highlighted by increasing demand on groundwater resources by the 5.3 million people of the Ozark Plateaus, water-level declines in some areas, and potential impacts of climate change on groundwater availability. The subject study integrates knowledge gained through local investigation within a regional perspective to develop a regional conceptual model of groundwater flow in the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (Ozark system), a key phase of groundwater availability assessment. The Ozark system extends across much of southern Missouri and northwestern and north-central Arkansas and smaller areas of southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma. The region is one of the major karst landscapes in the United States, and karst aquifers are predominant in the Ozark system. Groundwater flow is ultimately controlled by aquifer and confining unit lithologies and stratigraphic relations, geologic structure, karst development, and the character of surficial lithologies and regolith mantle. The regolith mantle is a defining element of Ozark Plateaus karst, affecting recharge, karst development, and vulnerability to surface-derived contaminants. Karst development is more advanced—as evidenced by larger springs, hydraulic characteristics, and higher well yields—in the Salem Plateau and in the northern part of the Springfield Plateau (generally north of the Arkansas-Missouri border) as compared with the southern part of the Springfield Plateau in Arkansas, largely due to thinner, less extensive regolith and purer carbonate lithology. Precipitation is the ultimate source of all water to the Ozark system, and the hydrologic budget for the Ozark system includes inputs from recharge, losing-stream sections, and groundwater inflows and losses of water to gaining-stream sections, groundwater withdrawals, and surface-water and groundwater outflows to neighboring systems. Groundwater recharge, estimated by a soil-water-balance model, represents about 24 percent, or 11 inches, of 43.9 inches annual precipitation. Recharge is spatially variable, being greater in the northern Springfield Plateau and Salem Plateau than in the southern Springfield Plateau (generally south of the Arkansas border) because of differences in regolith mantle extent and thickness and carbonate lithology and hydraulic properties. Increased precipitation and decreased agricultural land use during the period 1951 through 2011 increased recharge by approximately 5 percent. Although all Ozark streams have losing, neutral, and gaining sections, they are dominantly gaining and are a net sink for groundwater with nearly 90 percent of groundwater recharge returned to springs and streams. Groundwater pumping is a small but important loss of water in the Ozark system hydrologic budget; water-level declines and local cones of depression have been observed around pumping centers and strong concerns exist over potential effects on stream and spring flow. Data indicate that societal needs for freshwater resources in the Ozark Plateaus will continue to increase and will do so in the context of changing climate and hydrology. Groundwater will continue to be an important part of supporting these societal needs and also local ecosystems. The unique character and hydrogeologic variability across the Ozark system will control how the system responds to future stress. Groundwater of the Ozark system in the northern study area is more dynamic, has greater storage and larger flux, and has greater potential for further development than in the part of the study area south of the Arkansas-Missouri border. Further south in Arkansas, a line exists, roughly defined as 5 miles south of the Springfield Plateau-Boston Mountains boundary, beyond which further extensive municipal or commercial development appears unlikely under current economic and resource-need conditions. A small part of the Ozark system groundwater budget is currently drafted for use, leaving an apparently large component available for further development and use—particularly in the northern Springfield Plateau and Salem Plateau; however, the effects of increased pumping on groundwater’s role in maintaining ecosystems and ecosystem services are not quantitatively well understood, and the close relation between groundwater and surface water highlights the importance of further quantitative assessment.

Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma↗

USGS2017

The U.S. Geological Survey Flagstaff Science Campus—Providing expertise on planetary science, ecology, water resources, geologic processes, and human interactions with the Earth

T he U.S. Geological Survey’s Flagstaff Science Campus is focused on interdisciplinary study of the Earth and solar system, and has the scientific expertise to detect early environmental changes and provide strategies to minimize possible adverse effects on humanity. The Flagstaff Science Campus (FSC) is located in Flagstaff, Arizona, which is situated in the northern part of the State, home to a wide variety of landscapes and natural resources, including (1) young volcanoes in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, (2) the seven ecological life zones of the San Francisco Peaks, (3) the extensive geologic record of the Colorado Plateau and Grand Canyon, (4) the Colorado River and its perennial, ephemeral, and intermittent tributaries, and (5) a multitude of canyons, mountains, arroyos, and plains. More than 200 scientists, technicians, and support staff provide research, monitoring, and technical advancements in planetary geology and mapping, biology and ecology, Earth-based geology, hydrology, and changing climate and landscapes. Scientists at the FSC work in collaboration with multiple State, Federal, Tribal, municipal, and academic partners to address regional, national, and global environmental issues, and provide scientific outreach to the general public.

Arizona↗

USGS2015

Unifying research on the fragmentation of terrestrial and aquatic habitats: patches, connectivity and the matrix in riverscapes

While there is an increasing emphasis in terrestrial ecology on determining the influence of the area that surrounds habitat patches (the landscape ‘matrix’) relative to the characteristics of the patches themselves, research on these aspects in running waters is still rather underrepresented. Here we outline conceptual foundations of matrix ecology for stream and river ecosystems (‘riverscapes’). We discuss how a hierarchical, patch-based perspective is necessary for the delineation of habitat patches and the surrounding matrix, through which we may identify two classes of habitat edges in riverscapes (i.e. edges between the terrestrial–aquatic interface and edges within streams). Under this conceptual framework, we discuss the role of the matrix in influencing between-patch movement, and resource quality and quantity within and among habitat patches in riverscapes. We also review types of empirical and modelling approaches which may advance our understanding of fragmentation effects in these systems. We identify five key challenges for understanding fragmentation and matrix effects more completely: (i) defining populations and their status (i.e. quantifying the demographic contribution of habitat patches to metapopulation dynamics), (ii) scaling from metapopulations to metacommunities (particularly searching for generalities in species responses to landscape heterogeneity), (iii) scaling from metacommunities to metaecosystems (i.e. exploring the interactive role of the terrestrial–aquatic and within-stream matrix effects on the flow of material and energy at the network scale), (iv) understanding temporal dynamics in matrix permeability and (v) revealing the utility of different patch and matrix representations for modelling connectivity relationships. Fragmentation of habitats is a critical issue in the conservation and management of stream networks across spatial scales. Although the effects of individual barriers (e.g. dams) are well documented, we argue that a more comprehensive patch–matrix landscape model will improve our understanding of fragmentation effects and improve management in riverscapes.

Freshwater Biology↗

USGS2022

Comparison of the results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to mass-spectrometry based analytical methods for six unregulated contaminants in source water and finished drinking-water samples

Regulatory entities, such as the Minnesota Department of Health, monitor public water systems for conformance with Federal and State monitoring requirements and water-quality standards. Although some contaminants have Federal and (or) State regulations and guidance values, many contaminants, such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals, are unregulated in that only non-enforceable health-based guidance values have been assigned to them. Furthermore, because these contaminants are not regulated, commonly only limited resources are available to public water systems or regulatory entities to monitor them in drinking water. Focused screening efforts on contaminants that are frequently detected in the environment can provide information to help monitoring entities prioritize their sampling efforts. Here we assess the use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, a rapid, inexpensive screening method, as an alternative to more expensive methods to analyze source and finished drinking-water samples collected from public water systems throughout Minnesota for three commonly detected pesticides (atrazine, imidacloprid, and pyrethroids) and three commonly detected pharmaceuticals (caffeine, carbamazepine, and sulfamethoxazole). The ELISA results were compared to results provided by more advanced mass-spectrometry analytical methods at the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) and SGS AXYS Analytical Services Ltd. (AXYS). Overall, these datasets are highly censored (>80 percent) and contain multiple reporting limits within and between laboratories. To discern agreement between paired contaminant group results (target contaminant plus immunologically similar contaminants) by ELISA and the advanced analytical methods at NWQL and AXYS, presence-absence agreement analysis was coupled with false negative and false positive analysis. Analysis of presence-absence agreement shows that ELISA has generally good agreement (77.9 to 100 percent) with both NWQL and AXYS for all unregulated contaminant groups. Imidicloprid, pyrethroids, and caffeine contaminant groups have relatively low false positivity rates (16, 6, and 5 percent, respectively) when analyzed by ELISA, which indicates the ELISA method, for these contaminant groups, could be experiencing low-level interference attributed to the detection of immunologically similar contaminants. Similarly, sulfamethoxazole has a low false positivity rate (0.8 percent), which indicates ELISA is likely not overestimating results for this contaminant group. Analyses for carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole by ELISA resulted in low false negativity rates (1.6 and 0.8 percent, respectively), which indicates the ELISA method is likely not underestimating the results for this contaminant group. Conversely, the atrazine contaminant group has a high false negativity rate (84 percent), which indicates the method has a strong negative bias and that ELISA underestimates results for this contaminant. These qualitative results indicate that the ELISA method could potentially serve as a reliable and cost-effective screening method to help drinking water monitoring entities prioritize sampling efforts for analyzing carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole in source and finished drinking-water samples collected from public water systems. At the same time, although ELISA did not prove to be a good screening method for atrazine, evaluation of ELISA results indicated that its use for screening imidacloprid, pyrethroids, and caffeine could be beneficial for water testing.

Minnesota↗

USGS2025

Flood-inundation maps for 14.8 miles of Little and Big Papillion Creeks in Omaha, Nebraska, 2023

Digital flood-inundation map libraries for two reaches that constitute 14.8 miles of Little and Big Papillion Creeks in Omaha, Nebraska, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resource District. The flood-inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Program website at https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/flood-inundation-mapping-fim-program , depict estimates of the areal extent and depth of flooding corresponding to selected water levels (stages) at Little Papillion Creek at Irvington, Nebr. (USGS station 06610750), Little Papillion Creek at Ak-Sar-Ben at Omaha, Nebr. (USGS station 06610765), and Big Papillion Creek at Q Street at Omaha, Nebr. (USGS station 06610770) streamgages. Near-real-time stages at these streamgages may be obtained from the USGS National Water Information System database at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7P55KJN or from the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service at https://water.weather.gov/ahps/ . Flood profiles were computed for two different reaches that constitute 14.8 miles of stream length in the study area by using hydraulic models. The models were calibrated by adjusting roughness coefficients to best represent the current (2022) stage-streamflow relation at the streamgages within the study reach. The hydraulic models were then used to compute water-surface profiles at 1-foot stage intervals for selected stage ranges to represent various flooding scenarios at the streamgages in each reach. The simulated water-surface profiles then were combined with a digital elevation model using a geographic information system, which had a 10-foot grid spacing to delineate the flooding extents and water depths for each stage. The availability of these flood-inundation maps, along with information regarding current stage from the USGS streamgages, can provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood response activities and post flood recovery efforts.

Nebraska↗

USGS2010

Response of the water level in a well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading under unconfined conditions

The response of the water level in a well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading under unconfined conditions can be explained if the water level is controlled by the aquifer response averaged over the saturated depth of the well. Because vertical averaging tends to diminish the influence of the water table, the response is qualitatively similar to the response of a well under partially confined conditions. When the influence of well bore storage can be ignored, the response to Earth tides is strongly governed by a dimensionless aquifer frequency Q ′ u . The response to atmospheric loading is strongly governed by two dimensionless vertical fluid flow parameters: a dimensionless unsaturated zone frequency, R , and a dimensionless aquifer frequency Q u . The differences between Q ′ u and Q u are generally small for aquifers which are highly sensitive to Earth tides. When Q ′ u and Q u are large, the response of the well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading approaches the static response of the aquifer under confined conditions. At small values of Q ′ u and Q u , well response to Earth tides and atmospheric loading is strongly influenced by water table drainage. When R is large relative to Q u , the response to atmospheric loading is strongly influenced by attenuation and phase shift of the pneumatic pressure signal in the unsaturated zone. The presence of partial penetration retards phase advance in well response to Earth tides and atmospheric loading. When the theoretical response of a phreatic well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading is fit to the well response inferred from cross-spectral estimation, it is possible to obtain estimates of the pneumatic diffusivity of the unsaturated zone and the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer.

Water Resources Research↗

USGS2026

Lithium brine potential of North Dakota: Results from the 2025 sampling program

Lithium (Li), classified as a critical mineral and key in energy storage applications because of its high energy density, faces unprecedented demand. This has driven interest in unconventional sources of Li, especially brines from sedimentary basins. Accordingly, the spatial distribution of basinal brinehosted Li resources across North America is becoming better defined, including the Williston Basin underlying Saskatchewan, Canada. This has led to growing investment and exploration by industry throughout the 2020s; however, despite this interest, the Li potential of basinal brines of the Williston Basin in North Dakota remain underexplored. This work presents the results from the 2025 joint brine sampling campaign between the North Dakota Geological Survey, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and The University of Texas at Austin. Twenty-seven fluid samples were collected from producing oil and water source wells from eight stratigraphic intervals across western North Dakota and analyzed for major cation and anion concentrations. Similar to southeastern Saskatchewan, the highest Li concentrations were identified in the Devonian Duperow Formation, with concentrations up to 179 mg/L being observed in a well commingled between the Duperow and Red River Formations. Some samples from the overlying Birdbear Formation exceeded 75 mg/L, whereas Li concentrations were lower in the Madison Group (33-44 mg/L) and the Three Forks (50 mg/L), Dawson Bay (43 mg/L), Winnipegosis (23 mg/L), and Red River (40.0 mg/L) Formations. This work indicates Li resource potential exists across the Williston Basin and advances our understanding of the Li distribution in basinal brines which could provide a new domestic source of this critical mineral.

North Dakota↗

USGS2018

Quantifying seining detection probability for fishes of Great Plains sand‐bed rivers

Species detection error (i.e., imperfect and variable detection probability) is an essential consideration when investigators map distributions and interpret habitat associations. When fish detection error that is due to highly variable instream environments needs to be addressed, sand‐bed streams of the Great Plains represent a unique challenge. We quantified seining detection probability for diminutive Great Plains fishes across a range of sampling conditions in two sand‐bed rivers in Oklahoma. Imperfect detection resulted in underestimates of species occurrence using naïve estimates, particularly for less common fishes. Seining detection probability also varied among fishes and across sampling conditions. We observed a quadratic relationship between water depth and detection probability, in which the exact nature of the relationship was species‐specific and dependent on water clarity. Similarly, the direction of the relationship between water clarity and detection probability was species‐specific and dependent on differences in water depth. The relationship between water temperature and detection probability was also species dependent, where both the magnitude and direction of the relationship varied among fishes. We showed how ignoring detection error confounded an underlying relationship between species occurrence and water depth. Despite imperfect and heterogeneous detection, our results support that determining species absence can be accomplished with two to six spatially replicated seine hauls per 200‐m reach under average sampling conditions; however, required effort would be higher under certain conditions. Detection probability was low for the Arkansas River Shiner Notropis girardi , which is federally listed as threatened, and more than 10 seine hauls per 200‐m reach would be required to assess presence across sampling conditions. Our model allows scientists to estimate sampling effort to confidently assess species occurrence, which maximizes the use of available resources. Increased implementation of approaches that consider detection error promote ecological advancements and conservation and management decisions that are better informed.

Oklahoma↗

USGS2020

Hydrology of Haskell Lake and investigation of a groundwater contamination plume, Lac du Flambeau Reservation, Wisconsin

Haskell Lake is a shallow, 89-acre drainage lake in the headwaters of the Squirrel River, on the Lac du Flambeau Reservation in northern Wisconsin. The lake has long been valued by the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (LDF Tribe) for abundant wild rice and game fish. In recent decades, however, wild rice has mostly disappeared from the lake and the fishery has declined. A petroleum contamination plume discovered in the 1990s in the shallow aquifer upgradient from the northern end of the lake poses a threat to the ecological health of the lake and the aquifer, which is the sole drinking water source for nearby residents and businesses. Understanding of the lake’s hydrology is important to the LDF Tribe as they seek to restore wild rice and maintain the ecological health of the Haskell Lake/Tower Creek watershed. An improved understanding of lithology in the area of the contamination plume, documentation of a contamination pathway from groundwater in the plume source area to Haskell Lake, and an understanding of the plume extent beneath the lake are needed to advance remediation efforts. Evaluation of the fraction of groundwater discharge that is contaminated relative to the overall lake water budget is desired as a first step towards determining the extent of ecological effects from the plume. A cooperative study between the U.S. Geological Survey and the LDF Tribe was initiated to quantify the lake water budget and the sources of water to the lake, to provide a rough estimate of the maximum quantity of groundwater discharge to the lake that may be contaminated, and to improve the conceptual understanding of the plume extent and subsurface materials in the area of contamination. The results of this study can help inform natural resource management of the Haskell Lake/Tower Creek watershed, including planned wild rice restoration and cleanup of the contaminant plume. During 2016–17, field data on lake and groundwater levels, gradients, fluxes, and subsurface lithology were collected using a variety of techniques that ranged from basic measurement of water levels and streamflows to distributed temperature sensing, vertical temperature profiling, and several shallow geophysical methods. The data were used to inform a MODFLOW–NWT model that simulated the contributing groundwatershed, including the water budget for Haskell Lake and Tower Creek using the Lake, Streamflow-Routing, and Unsaturated Zone-Flow Packages. Particle tracking with the MODFLOW solution (using MODPATH 6) was used to improve understanding of the downgradient extent of the contamination plume, estimate groundwater flux through the plume area, and delineate the groundwater contributing area (groundwatershed) for the lake/creek system. Linear uncertainty estimates for model results were computed during model parameter estimation using the software package PEST++. Results indicate groundwater discharge along the perimeter of Haskell Lake, with groundwater accounting for about 22 (± 11.5) percent of the lake water budget. Field data and particle tracking results indicate discharge of the entire contamination plume to Haskell Lake. Although the exact locations where contaminated groundwater enters the lake are unknown, the downgradient extent of the plume beneath Haskell Lake is likely limited to within about 700 feet from the shore. Groundwater flux through the plume accounts for at most about 1.4 percent of total groundwater discharge to Haskell Lake, or about 0.3 percent of the lake water budget. Most groundwater discharging to Haskell Lake and Tower Creek originates as terrestrial recharge. A lesser amount originates in or passes through neighboring lakes, including Buckskin, Crawling Stone, Broken Bow, Tippecanoe, and Jerms Lakes, as well as several unnamed kettles. The average age of simulated groundwater discharge to the lake is about 20 years.

Wisconsin↗

USGS2017

Challenges in recovering resources from acid mine drainage

Metal recovery from mine waters and effluents is not a new approach but one that has occurred largely opportunistically over the last four millennia. Due to the need for low-cost resources and increasingly stringent environmental conditions, mine waters are being considered in a fresh light with a designed, deliberate approach to resource recovery often as part of a larger water treatment evaluation. Mine water chemistry is highly dependent on many factors including geology, ore deposit composition and mineralogy, mining methods, climate, site hydrology, and others. Mine waters are typically Ca-Mg-SO4±Al±Fe with a broad range in pH and metal content. The main issue in recovering components of these waters having potential economic value, such as base metals or rare earth elements, is the separation of these from more reactive metals such as Fe and Al. Broad categories of methods for separating and extracting substances from acidic mine drainage are chemical and biological. Chemical methods include solution, physicochemical, and electrochemical technologies. Advances in membrane techniques such as reverse osmosis have been substantial and the technique is both physical and chemical. Biological methods may be further divided into microbiological and macrobiological, but only the former is considered here as a recovery method, as the latter is typically used as a passive form of water treatment.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2025

Hydroclimatic and land-use factors affecting peak streamflow in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

Flood-frequency analysis provides the basis for flood risk estimates used by water-resource managers in land-use planning, and it informs the design of essential infrastructure such as bridges and culverts. Federal guidelines for flood-frequency analysis do not offer guidance on addressing changing climate and land-use conditions when estimating floods. However, failing to consider climatic and land-use changes that cause abrupt or gradual changes in flood regimes can result in a poor representation of the true flood risk. In response to concerns about changing flood regimes, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with nine State agencies (Illinois Department of Transportation, Iowa Department of Transportation, Michigan Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Missouri Department of Transportation, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, North Dakota Department of Water Resources, South Dakota Department of Transportation, and Wisconsin Department of Transportation) began a study to examine variability and change in hydrology and climate and the effects of urbanization and tile drainage on flooding. The analyses of patterns and changes in hydrology and climate were reported in a multichapter Scientific Investigations Report, the findings of which are summarized in this U.S. Geological Survey Circular. Additional analyses documenting changes in seasonality of flooding and the effects of urbanization and tile drainage were completed and published as separate studies and are also summarized in this Circular. These studies provide extensive exploratory analysis of peak streamflow, daily streamflow, and climate data, setting the stage for advancements in flood-frequency analysis.

Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mon↗

USGS2004

The Enterprise Web

The Enterprise Web is a bureau wide approach to managing U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) information on the Web. Under the direction of the USGS Geographic Information Office, the Enterprise Web operates the Bureau's Web servers and their associated sites. Through a network of people and resources, the Enterprise Web or "E-Web" works with programs and partners to effectively use the USGS Web presence to advance and deliver natural science information. It provides the corporate infrastructure, best practices, and tools to focus the Bureau's Web presence on customer and business needs and to ensure that USGS Web sites are reliable, secure, and in compliance with all applicable laws, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requirements, and Department of the Interior (DOI) policy.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS1979

Ground-water resources of Monroe County, Pennsylvania

Monroe County is on the eastern border of Pennsylvania and includes much of the area popularly called the Poconos. It is an area long used for outdoor recreation and includes a part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Water resources in the county are derived from precipitation. The Lehigh and Delaware Rivers, bordering the northwestern and southeastern parts, respectively, are the drains for surface-water and ground-water discharge and are essentially unused for water supply. Water budgets were calculated for average conditions when annual precipitation is 45 in. Sixty percent of this or 27 in. runs off and 65 percent of that runoff or 17 in. moves through the ground-water reservoir. Evapotranspiration varies little between wet and dry years and averages 18 in. Bedrock consists of Silurian and Devonian sedimentary rocks, which are intensely deformed by folding in the southeastern third of the county and are moderately deformed in the remainder. During the Pleistocene Epoch, glaciers repeatedly advanced across most of the county. The last of these advances deposited a terminal moraine that extends across the southwestern part of the county. The glaciers eroded pre-existing deposits, veneered the upland, and filled valleys with unconsolidated deposits that changed surface-water drainage and altered ground-water gradients. Water occurs in fractures and solution openings in the consolidated rocks and in intergranular openings in the unconsolidated rocks and weathered calcareous sandstones. Water that reaches the water table moves down the hydraulic gradient to points of discharge, moving both laterally and vertically away from ground-water divides and toward streams. The thickness of the fresh-water system is 800 ft or more, but little water is yielded to wells by aquifers more than 500 ft below land surface. Ground-water recharge is 600 to 650 (gal/min)/mi 2 ; and about 1.6 billion gallons per square mile is stored in the ground-water reservoir. Currently the most productive wells are in consolidated-rock aquifers; however, specific-capacity data suggest that wells in the unconsolidated deposits have potentially larger yields. Well yield is affected primarily by the distribution, size, and interconnection of the water-bearing openings and by topographic location, available recharge, well-depth, location within the flow system, pumping rate and duration of pumping, and interference from other pumping wells. Potential yields of properly located, drilled, and developed wells have been calculated for the aquifers. The median yields calculated from specific capacity data from the unconsolidated deposits, are 200 gal/min; from the Bloomsburg Formation, 100 gal/min; and from the Poplar Gap Member of the Catskill Formation, 70 gal/min. Median yields of the other units range from 15 to 40 gal/min. In general, enough water for domestic use can be obtained throughout the county. Large-scale development and consumptive use of the ground water will diminish baseflow of the streams. The temperature of water measured in wells ranges from 44° to 57°F and is largely dependent on altitude of the land surface and depth to the producing zone. Hardness of water in the noncarbonate rocks averages 3 to 4 grains per gallon, or about half that of the carbonate rocks. Water from most of the bedrock aquifers is low in dissolved solids, acidic, and soft. In carbonate rocks, the water tends to be hard and slightly alkaline. Excessive amounts of iron and manganese are encountered in water from the unconsolidated deposits and, locally, from the Catskill and Shawangunk Formations.

Pennsylvania↗

USGS2022

Both real-time and long-term environmental data perform well in predicting shorebird distributions in managed habitat

Highly mobile species, such as migratory birds, respond to seasonal and inter-annual variability in resource availability by moving to better habitats. Despite the recognized importance of resource thresholds, species distribution models typically rely on long-term average habitat conditions, mostly because large-extent, temporally-resolved, environmental data are difficult to obtain. Recent advances in remote sensing make it possible to incorporate more frequent measurements of changing landscapes; however, there is often a cost in terms of model building and processing and the added value of such efforts is unknown. Our study tests whether incorporating real-time environmental data increases the predictive ability of distribution models, relative to using long-term average data. We developed and compared distribution models for shorebirds in California's Central Valley based on high temporal resolution (every 16-days), and 17-year long-term average, surface water data. Using abundance-weighted boosted regression trees, we modeled monthly shorebird occurrence as a function of surface water availability, crop type, wetland type, road density, temperature, and bird data source. While modeling with both real-time and long-term average data provided good fit to withheld validation data (0.79 < AUC < 0.89 across taxa), there were small differences in model performance. The best models incorporated long-term average conditions and spatial pattern information for real-time flooding (e.g. perimeter-area ratio of real-time water bodies). There was not a substantial difference in the performance of real-time and long-term average data models within time periods when real-time surface water differed substantially from the long-term average (specifically during drought years 2013-2016) and in intermittently flooded months or locations. Spatial predictions resulting from the models differed most in the southern region of the study area where there is lower water availability, fewer birds, and lower sampling density. Prediction uncertainty in the southern region of the study area highlights the need for increased sampling in this area. Because both sets of data performed similarly, the choice of which data to use may depend on the management context. Real-time data may ultimately be best for guiding dynamic, adaptive conservation actions whereas models based on long-term averages may be more helpful for guiding permanent wetland protection and restoration.

Ecological Applications↗

USGS2015

Linking biophysical models and public preferences for ecosystem service assessments: a case study for the Southern Rocky Mountains

Through extensive research, ecosystem services have been mapped using both survey-based and biophysical approaches, but comparative mapping of public values and those quantified using models has been lacking. In this paper, we mapped hot and cold spots for perceived and modeled ecosystem services by synthesizing results from a social-values mapping study of residents living near the Pike–San Isabel National Forest (PSI), located in the Southern Rocky Mountains, with corresponding biophysically modeled ecosystem services. Social-value maps for the PSI were developed using the Social Values for Ecosystem Services tool, providing statistically modeled continuous value surfaces for 12 value types, including aesthetic, biodiversity, and life-sustaining values. Biophysically modeled maps of carbon sequestration and storage, scenic viewsheds, sediment regulation, and water yield were generated using the Artificial Intelligence for Ecosystem Services tool. Hotspots for both perceived and modeled services were disproportionately located within the PSI’s wilderness areas. Additionally, we used regression analysis to evaluate spatial relationships between perceived biodiversity and cultural ecosystem services and corresponding biophysical model outputs. Our goal was to determine whether publicly valued locations for aesthetic, biodiversity, and life-sustaining values relate meaningfully to results from corresponding biophysical ecosystem service models. We found weak relationships between perceived and biophysically modeled services, indicating that public perception of ecosystem service provisioning regions is limited. We believe that biophysical and social approaches to ecosystem service mapping can serve as methodological complements that can advance ecosystem services-based resource management, benefitting resource managers by showing potential locations of synergy or conflict between areas supplying ecosystem services and those valued by the public.

Regional Environmental Change↗

USGS2021

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units program—2020 research abstracts

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) serves as the research arm of the U.S. Department of the Interior and has established a series of strategic goals that focus its efforts on serving the American people. Within the USGS, the Ecosystems Mission Area is responsible for conducting and sponsoring research that addresses the following thematic objectives under the overarching strategic goal of “Science that Supports Our Resources in Wild and Urban Spaces, and the Landscapes In-Between”: Science supporting a legacy of sustainable fish and wildlife, Social science and human components in land, water, and wildlife conservation, Trusted science supporting hard decisions on at-risk species, Science to battle costly biological threats, Providing science for managing risks and responding to extreme events, Science for preservation and restoration of iconic landscapes, and Science to support adaptation and address impacts of climate and land change. This report provides abstracts of most of the ongoing and recently completed research investigations of the USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units program. The report is organized by the following major science themes that contribute to the objectives of the USGS: Advanced Technologies Climate Science Decision Science Ecological Flows Ecosystem Services Energy Fish and Wildlife Health and Disease Human Dimensions Invasive Species Landscape Ecology Species and Habitat Management Species of Greatest Conservation Need Threatened and Endangered Species

Circular↗

USGS1984

Geohydrology, aqueous geochemistry, and thermal regime of the Soda Lakes and Upsal Hogback geothermal systems, Churchill County, Nevada

A flow-routing model of the upper Schoharie Creek basin, New York, was developed and used to simulate high flows at the inlet of the Blenheim-Gilboa Reservoir. The flows from Schoharie Creek at Prattsville, the primary source of flow data in the basin, and tributary flows from the six minor basins downstream, are combined and routed along the 9.7 mile reach of the Schoharie Creek between Prattsville and the reservoir inlet. Data from five historic floods were used for model calibration and four for verification. The accuracy of the model as measured by the difference between simulated and observed total flow volumes, is within 14 percent. Results indicate that inflows to the Blenheim-Gilboa Reservoir can be predicted approximately 2 hours in advance. One of the historical floods was chosen for additional model testing to assess a hypothetical real-time model application. Total flow-volume errors ranged from 30.2 percent to -9.2 percent. Alternative methods of obtaining hydrologic data for model input are presented for use in the event that standard forms of hydrologic data are unavailable. (USGS)

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