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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS2007

Effects of Impoundments and Land-Cover Changes on Streamflows and Selected Fish Habitat in the Upper Osage River Basin, Missouri and Kansas

A study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation to estimate the effects of existing and proposed impoundments, land-cover changes, and reported water uses on streamflows in the 5,410-square mile upper Osage River Basin. The hydrologic model Hydrologic Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF) was calibrated and validated to current (1995?2004 water years) regulation and water-use conditions, and scenarios were developed to evaluate differences for the same 10-years of record under pre-settlement, and proposed impoundment conditions. Analyses included quantification of changes in the magnitude, frequency, timing, and duration of streamflows under each simulation scenario. Streamflows from the simulations were used in conjunction with known streamflow-fish habitat relations to quantify effects of altered flows on fish-habitat area at selected Marais des Cygnes and Marmaton River locations. The cumulative effects of impoundments and land-cover changes were determined to substantially alter streamflows in the upper Osage River Basin model simulations spanning pre-settlement to proposed future conditions. The degree of streamflow alteration varied between major subbasins. Streamflows in the Marais des Cygnes River Basin were altered between pre-settlement and current conditions, primarily by major impoundments, with smaller changes expected with proposed regulation. Streamflows in the Little Osage River Basin were relatively unchanged between pre-settlement and current conditions with land-cover changes (primarily the conversion of native prairies to cultivated land) affecting flows more than the few current impoundments in this basin. The current peak flows in the Marmaton River Basin generally were higher than pre-settlement or proposed scenario peak flows. Of the three major subbasins, the Marmaton River Basin is likely to be the most affected by proposed impoundments. Declines in monthly minimum streamflows under a proposed impoundment scenario at the Marais des Cygnes River near the Kansas-Missouri state line, Kansas, were greatest for the lowest 10 percent of corresponding observed flows and during the driest years (2000, 2001 water years); that is, the greatest percent declines in flows under proposed conditions generally occurred during the lowest current/observed flow periods. In a small headwater basin in the Marmaton River Basin, simulated declines in minimum flows were small (generally less than 6 cubic feet per second and less than 1 cubic foot per second for 1- and 3-day scenarios), but resulted in 10 to 18 additional zero flow days for the 10-year simulation for the proposed scenarios relative to current simulated conditions. Reductions in minimum monthly flows as a result of additional impoundments generally were less than 5 cubic feet per second at the Marmaton River near Marmaton, Kansas, and resulted in 6 additional zero flow days. The greatest declines between proposed and current flows at the Marmaton River near the Kansas-Missouri state line, Missouri, generally occurred in the lower 50 percentile of the distribution of current simulated flows and during the drier simulation years (2001?2003). Proposed conditions resulted in declines in the 0-10 percentile flow values for the 1-, 3-, and 7-day durations. July, August, and October had the largest declines in proposed low flows relative to current simulated low flows for the 10-year simulation at this site. The flood frequency for the Marais des Cygnes River near the Kansas-Missouri state line was unchanged between observed and proposed conditions for the 10-year simulation, but was 450 percent greater under the pre-settlement scenarios compared to observed conditions. Flood frequency generally was greatest for the current condition scenarios in the Marmaton River Basin and least for the proposed conditions, although the effects of regulation on flood frequency decreased downstream from the Kansas-

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS1951

Trends in climate and in precipitation-runoff relation in Missouri River Basin

This report presents a study of trends in climate and in the relationship between precipitation and runoff in the Missouri River Basin for the period of available records. Long-term trends in annual precipitation are generally downward (or show a decline in precipitation) in the States of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas, but seem to be indeterminate in the remainder of the basin. Long-term trends in mean annual temperature are generally upward (or show an increase in average temperature) for the entire basin. For the relatively short period of record available for study, trends in the precipitation-runoff relationship are found to exist for some basins draining the mountain ranges beginning usually about 1930, and indicate decreasing runoff yields under constant precipitation. The trends in the precipitation-runoff relationship are shown to be the result of concurrent trends in either or both temperature and groundwater outflow. A map of limiting annual water loss in the Missouri Basin is presented in this report.

Circular↗
USGS2006

Drainage areas for selected stream-sampling stations, Missouri River Basin

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA), an investigation of the Missouri River Basin is being conducted to document trends in surface-water quality, specifically for trends in nutrients and suspended sediment. Surface-water samples were collected from streams at specific sampling stations. Water-quality characteristics at each station are influenced by the natural and cultural characteristics of the drainage area upstream from the sampling station. Efficient quantification of the drainage area characteristics requires a digital map of the drainage area boundary that may be processed, together with other digital thematic maps (such as geology or land use), in a geographic information system (GIS). Digital drainage-area boundary data for one stream-sampling station in the Missouri River Basin (MRB4) study area is included in this data release. The drainage divides were identified chiefly using 1:24,000-scale hypsography.

Colorado;Iowa;Kansas;Montana;Nebraska;North Dakota↗
USGS2013

Assessment of macroinvertebrate communities in adjacent urban stream basins, Kansas City, Missouri, metropolitan area, 2007 through 2011

Macroinvertebrates were collected as part of two separate urban water-quality studies from adjacent basins, the Blue River Basin (Kansas City, Missouri), the Little Blue River and Rock Creek Basins (Independence, Missouri), and their tributaries. Consistent collection and processing procedures between the studies allowed for statistical comparisons. Seven Blue River Basin sites, nine Little Blue River Basin sites, including Rock Creek, and two rural sites representative of Missouri ecological drainage units and the area’s ecoregions were used in the analysis. Different factors or levels of urban intensity may affect the basins and macroinvertebrate community metrics differently, even though both basins are substantially developed above their downstream streamgages (Blue River, 65 percent; Little Blue River, 52 percent). The Blue River has no flood control reservoirs and receives wastewater effluent and stormflow from a combined sewer system. The Little Blue River has flood control reservoirs, receives no wastewater effluent, and has a separate stormwater sewer system. Analysis of macroinvertebrate community structure with pollution-tolerance metrics and water-quality parameters indicated differences between the Blue River Basin and the Little Blue River Basin. A four-metric score (total taxa richness, Ephemeroptera plus Plecoptera plus Trichoptera taxa richness, Macroinvertebrate Biotic Index, and Shannon Diversity Index) for richest-targeted habitat was used to calculate a Stream Condition Index (SCI) in order to evaluate the aquatic-life status of the streams. About 80 percent of all samples combined were determined to be less than fully biologically supporting, and about 11 percent of spring samples were fully biologically supporting. No sites within the Blue River Basin had a fully supporting score. The aquatic-life status scores for the Little Blue River and its tributaries were higher (indicating more optimal conditions) than for the Blue River and its tributaries. Fall samples scored higher than spring samples. However, fall samples were collected at the Little Blue River Basin and rural sites only. The Little Blue River sites scored higher for fall samples than spring samples; about 39 percent fully biologically supporting and 61 percent partially biologically supporting; more similar to the rural comparison sites, 40 percent fully biologically supporting and 60 percent partially biologically supporting. The SCI was compared to other multimetric indices with more or other component metrics to determine if the SCI effectively described differences among sites. Environmental variables (streamflow, water quality, land use, impervious cover, and population density) were used in statistical analyses to evaluate relations to macroinvertebrate metrics. Multimetric indices (MMIs) were modeled using step regression with a simple urban intensity index (SUII) based on percentage of impervious cover, population density, and forest cover in a 30-meter stream-buffer zone, and two were selected for further analysis. Three other multimetric indices composed of metrics common to local and national studies show results similar to the two modeled MMIs. A common Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (R 2 equals 0.71) developed for a national study had the highest correlation with urban intensity as measured with the SUII, followed by a modeled 6-metric index (R 2 equals 0.61). The other MMIs and the SCI explained less than a half of the variability in macroinvertebrate communities in relation to the SUII. Wastewater-treatment plant discharges during base flow, which elevated specific conductance and nutrient concentrations, combined sewer overflows, and nonpoint sources likely contributed to water-quality impairment and lower aquatic-life status at the Blue River Basin sites. Releases from upstream reservoirs to the Little Blue River likely decreased specific conductance, suspended-sediment, and dissolved constituent concentrations and may have benefitted water quality and aquatic life of main-stem sites. Chloride concentrations in base-flow samples, attributable to winter road salt application, had the highest correlation with the SUII (Spearman’s ρ equals 0.87), were negatively correlated with the SCI (Spearman’s ρ equals -0.53) and several pollution sensitive Ephemeroptera plus Plecoptera plus Trichoptera abundance and percent richness metrics, and were positively correlated with pollution tolerant Oligochaeta abundance and percent richness metrics. Study results show that the easily calculated SUII and the selected modeled multimetric indices are effective for comparing urban basins and for evaluation of water quality in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Missouri↗
USGS1980

Hydrology and model study of the proposed Prosperity Reservoir, Center Creek Basin, southwestern Missouri

A dam and reservoir have been proposed for construction on Center Creek, Jasper County, in southwestern Missouri. Ground-water levels in the hills adjacent to the reservoir will rise when the impoundment is completed. One of the problems is that the proposed site of Prosperity Reservoir is a few miles upstream from the lead-zinc mining area known as the Oronogo-Duenweg belt. In this belt transmissivities are variable but appear to be higher than they are in the immediate area of the reservoir. Grove Creek lies down-gradient from the reservoir area and separates it from the mining belt. A model study indicates that inflow from the proposed reservoir to the water table could cause water level rises varying from about 20 feet near the reservoir to 0.5 to 1.0 foot in the southern part of Grove Creek drainage basin. These rises will cause significant changes to the natural ground-water flow system. Increased ground-water elevations in the reservoir area could result in increased ground-water gradients and discharge to Grove and Center Creeks. The increase in ground-water discharge to Grove Creek, and in turn Center Creek, will have the beneficial effect of diluting mine-water discharge from the Oronogo-Duenweg belt during periods of low flow. However, if Grove Creek does not act as an effective drain and if conduits extend beneath Grove Creek to transfer the increased water available to the Oronogo-Duenweg belt, the flow regimen could change in the mining belt west of Grove Creek increasing mine-water discharge to Center Creek downstream from the reservoir. Bedrock in the area is Mississippian limestone, the deeply solutioned formation that contained the ore deposits. The limestone in the mining district was greatly altered by solution prior to ore deposition while the limestone in the area of the reservoir was altered less. The extent of the alteration is related to the aquifer characteristics in that high and low values of transmissivity and storage coefficient correspond to greatly altered brecciated rocks in the mining district and less altered, less brecciated rocks in the reservoir area, respectively. The authors suggest that an ancestral east-flowing White River drained the area about Joplin in Late Mississippian time. This is based on the configuration of the contact between Meramecian and Osagean rocks of Mississippian age. A high topographic area existed in the region about Joplin in which the water table stood 200 feet below the land surface when sinkholes and caverns of that depth were formed. The large number of Pennsylvanian-filled sinkholes in the Joplin area and the smaller number to the east suggest a higher land surface to the west than that to the east. The distribution of paleokarst sinkholes supports the conclusion based on the configuration of the Meramecian-Osagean contact.

Missouri↗
USGS1950

Progress report on the geology and ground-water hydrology of part of the Oahe Unit, James River Division, South Dakota

The Oahe Unit, in the James River basin in eastern South Dakota, extends for about 100 miles north and south and is 20 to 80 miles wide, having the river as its east border. The Oahe irrigation project is planned to supply water to 750,000 to 1,500,000 acres of the most suitable land within the area. The studies that have been undertaken in the Oahe area by the Ground Water Division of the U. S. Geological Survey form a part of the investigations which are being carried on by several bureaus of the Department of the Interior and other government agencies for the conservation, control and utilization of the water resources of the Missouri River Basin. The field studies on which the present report is based were made during May 1947 through November 1948 and cover about 1,890 square miles in the southern part of the Oahe area. Data were collected on the character of the surficial geological deposits, and on the occurrence, movement, quantity, and quality of the groundwater supplies. The report describes the several water-bearing formations and presents nine typical logs of deep artesian wells. The records of fluctuation of the water table in 168 wells in or near the Oahe area are listed. Tabulated inventory of 3,257 wells and springs includes information on the observation wells and on all other wells that were noted within the area examined.

South Dakota↗