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USGS2025

The Long Island Sound and Watershed Metadata map application

The Long Island Sound and its watershed encompass an area of about 17,000 square miles and include the Connecticut, Housatonic, and Thames Rivers, which all drain to the sound. Dozens of organizations from government agencies, nonprofits, and Tribal Nations have developed projects and monitoring programs to analyze and protect the water resources of the watershed and sound. The abundance of data and lack of an existing searchable index require a centralized metadata repository to allow users to find water resources data more efficiently. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Long Island Sound Study, has created an interactive map application to visualize and search for metadata information across organizations working to monitor and protect the Long Island Sound.

Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Yor↗

USGS2025

Estimation of dynamic geologic CO2 storage resources in the Illinois Basin, including effects of brine extraction, anisotropy, and hydrogeologic heterogeneity

Since the vast majority of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) storage resources in the United States are in deep saline aquifers, optimizing the use of these saline storage resources could be crucial for efficient development of geologic CO 2 storage (GCS) resources and basin- or larger-scale deployment of GCS in the country. Maximum CO 2 injection rates can be enhanced by extracting brine from the CO 2 storage unit. However, disposal of the extracted brine is both a technological and economic challenge. The lowest-cost option would likely be reinjection of the extracted brine into another formation above or below the CO 2 storage unit. Therefore, it is important to estimate brine injectivity as it will constrain the potential to increase CO 2 injectivity at an injection site that has access to multiple geologic storage units where either CO 2 or brine can be injected. Using a simulation-optimization framework, coupled with a non-isothermal, multiphase CO 2 -water-salt equation-of-state module, we developed a computationally efficient method for evaluating optimization of simultaneous CO 2 injection, brine extraction, and brine (re)injection at hypothetical injection sites deployed across a geologic basin. The Illinois basin is ideal for testing our methodology because it contains multiple geologic storage units with seals in between them to isolate injection of CO 2 in one unit from interfering with the injection of either brine or CO 2 in another unit above or below it. In addition, we investigated the relative effects of variation in key geologic parameters as well as two reservoir structures (hydrogeologic heterogeneity/anisotropy and homogeneity/isotropy) on CO 2 injectivities and enhancement of CO 2 injectivity through extracting brine. Results suggest that permeability, depth, and especially thickness of the storage unit could be the most influential parameters determining CO 2 injectivity. They also suggest that only injecting CO 2 into the storage unit with the greatest injectivity, enhancing that unit’s injectivity by extracting brine, and disposing of the produced brine in other suitable units could maximize total CO 2 injectivity in limited regions of the basin. At the majority of simulated injection sites, however, we found that injecting CO 2 into all of the accessible and suitable storage units was more likely to maximize the CO 2 storage resource.

Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana↗

USGS2000

Shoals and valley plugs in the Hatchie River watershed

Agricultural land use and gully erosion have historically contributed more sediment to the streams of the Hatchie River watershed than those streams can carry. In 1970, the main sedimentation problem in the watershed occurred in the tributary flood plains. This problem motivated channelization projects (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1970). By the mid-1980's, concern had shifted to sedimentation in the Hatchie River itself where channelized tributaries were understood to contribute much of the sediment. The Soil Conservation Service [Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) since 1996] estimated that 640,000 tons of bedload (sand) accumulates in the Hatchie River each year and identified roughly the eastern two-thirds of the watershed, where loess is thin or absent, as the main source of sand (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1986a). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the West Tennessee River Basin Authority (WTRBA), conducted a study of sediment accumulation in the Hatchie River and its tributaries. This report identifies the types of tributaries and evaluates sediment, shoal formation, and valley-plug problems. The results presented here may contribute to a better understanding of similar problems in West Tennessee and the rest of the southeastern coastal plain. This information also will help the WTRBA manage sedimentation and erosion problems in the Hatchie River watershed. The source of the Mississippi section of the Hatchie River is in the sand hills southwest of Corinth, Mississippi (fig. 1). This section of the Hatchie River flows northward in an artificial drainage canal, gathering water from tributary streams that also are channelized. The drainage canal ends 2 miles south of the Tennessee State line. The Tennessee section of the Hatchie River winds north and west in a meandering natural channel to the Mississippi River. Although most of the Hatchie River tributaries are also drainage canals, the river's main stem has kept most of its natural character. The Hatchie River flows through a wide valley bottom occupied mostly by riverine wetland. Historically, the valley bottom has supported hardwood forests. Since publication of the first Hatchie River report (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1970), the channel of the river has become shallower, and flooding has increased (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1986b). These wetter conditions inhibit growth of hardwoods and lead to premature hardwood mortality. The NRCS has predicted that despite efforts to control erosion in the uplands, most of the valley-bottom forest will die. '...swamping may be so prevalent as to change most of the Hatchie River Basin flood plain into a marsh condition, with the only remnants of the present bottomland hardwood timber remaining. (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1986b). Loss of channel depth has been concentrated in short reaches near tributary mouths. At the mouths of Richland, Porters, Clover, and Muddy Creeks, navigation has become difficult for recreational users (Johnny Carlin, West Tennessee River Basin Authority, oral commun., 1998). As the low-gradient alluvial system of the Hatchie River accumulates sediment, another common outcome has been the formation of valley plugs, areas where 'channels are filled with sediment, and all the additional bedload brought downstream is then spread out over the flood plain until a new channel has been formed' (Happ, 1975). Valley plugs typically form where the slope of a sand-laden tributary decreases downstream, or where the tributary joins its parent stream (Happ and others, 1940; Diehl, 1994, 1997; Smith and Diehl, 2000).

Mississippi, Tennessee↗

USGS2026

A targeted approach for mapping groundwater discharge to surface water and fish thermal refuge in four Lake Ontario tributaries

The duration, magnitude, and frequency of heatwaves are predicted to increase in the coming decades, a combination that can reduce the survival of many fish species. Across the world, there is broad interest in identifying thermal refuge for heat-intolerant fish species and exploring opportunities to enhance or protect these areas. Because deeper groundwater maintains a relatively constant temperature, groundwater-influenced areas along streams can provide cool-water refuge for fish during periods of extreme heat. A targeted approach was developed for identifying existing cold-water zones and areas of substantial groundwater discharge in four high priority Lake Ontario tributaries. Our approach included: (1) predicting where groundwater discharge is most likely with a simple geospatial model and (2) using model predictions to select field sites for intensive high-resolution study, including ground-based mapping of groundwater features (springs, seeps, tributaries) as well as drone-based optical and thermal infrared surveys. Results from field sites were used to both verify model performance and map different types and aerial extents of thermal anomalies. Geospatial modelling successfully predicted regions of widespread groundwater upwelling, later verified and mapped by field and drone surveys. Comparison of model and field survey results further highlighted specific geospatial layers, such as soil/bedrock types and topographic wetness index, as being particularly useful for predicting groundwater influence on streams in the study area. In addition, a comparison of geospatial model results with a model of fish abundances along the studied streams showed significant positive correlations for many heat-intolerant fish species over a wide geographic area. The approach developed in this study can be applied to other watersheds to highlight areas of probable groundwater discharge and could be used by fishery and water resource managers to support cold-water fish habitat management decision-making and resource conservation.

New York↗

USGS2025

Mineralization processes at Escanaba Trough

Escanaba Trough off northern California is the southernmost and only sediment covered segment of the Gorda Ridge. Hydrothermal mineralization was first discovered in Escanaba Trough in 1985, and subsequent investigations included the delineation of the NESCA (northern Escanaba) and SESCA (southern Escanaba) sections of Escanaba Trough, as well as drilling by Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 169 in 1996. Preliminary research conducted in the 1980s distinguished two classes of sulfide mineral assemblages within the Escanaba Trough: one dominated by pyrrhotite (Fe 1-x S) and one containing ‘mixed sulfides’ including chalcopyrite (CuFeS 2 ) and sphalerite (ZnS). In 2022, we conducted a research expedition to the Escanaba Trough to more thoroughly characterize mineralization processes and consider preservation of precipitated minerals throughout hydrothermally active and inactive sections of Escanaba Trough, with the specific objective of characterizing the host minerals, and processes of enrichment for specific elements which are currently listed as critical elements and can also be toxic under certain conditions (Sb, As, Ba, Co, Ga, Ge, Te). The following will include initial results from that work.

California↗

USGS2025

Updating and recalibrating the integrated Santa Rosa Plain Hydrologic Model to assess stream depletion and to simulate future climate and management scenarios in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

The Santa Rosa Plain Hydrologic Model (SRPHM) was developed and published in 2014 through a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Sonoma Water to analyze the hydrologic system in the Santa Rosa Plain watershed, help meet the increasing demand for fresh water, and prepare for future uncertainties in water resources. The original model simulated hydrological conditions and water use from water years 1975 to 2010. Recently (2023), the USGS, in cooperation with Sonoma Water and the California State Water Resources Control Board, updated the SRPHM model to extend its simulation period to the end of the 2018 calendar year, incorporate new estimates of rural and agricultural water use, and use efficient input format for climate variables. The updated model was recalibrated, and evaluation of the new model calibration is included in this report. This report presents the results of comparing the hydraulic heads, streamflow, and groundwater budget simulated by the updated model with those generated by the original model and observed data. The main difference in the simulated budget between the original and updated SRPHM is the estimates of agricultural pumping, rural domestic pumping, and return flow generated from rural water use that was not simulated in the original model. The revised agricultural pumping is simulated using the agricultural package, which constrains pumping to available groundwater. The use of the agricultural package leads to a more realistic estimation of agricultural water use, with revised agricultural pumping being one-third less than that in the original model. The revised rural pumping is about half of the pumping in the original model because of using detailed parcel data to estimate population density in rural areas instead of coarse census tracts. Overall, average total inflows for water years 2006–10 simulated by the updated model were about 2 percent less than the original model, and the average total updated outflows were nearly 5 percent less than the original model. The updated model was then used to generate stream depletion maps, simulate climate change scenarios during 2019–99, and simulate water rights allocation using the Model for Decision Support in Integrated River Basin Management (MODSIM). The results from simulating eight future climate scenarios indicated either an increase in groundwater storage or no significant change in the next 80 years, along with an increase in recharge, an increase in actual evapotranspiration in six out of eight climate projections, and an increase in surface runoff. The increases in the simulated future groundwater storage, recharge, evapotranspiration, and runoff in most climate projections are mainly driven by the projected increase in precipitation in most of the future climate scenarios. The updated model also was used to test a pilot case study demonstrating water-resource allocation among different users with different water rights using the integrated MODSIM-Groundwater and Surface-Water Flow Model (GSFLOW) platform. The updated SRPHM serves as a valuable tool for analyzing historical and future hydrologic conditions in the Santa Rosa Plain watershed and preparing for future uncertainties.

California↗

USGS2026

Comparative assessment of STIC sensors, streamflow and rain gauges for quantifying river connectivity in intermittent systems

In intermittent stream systems, including those occurring in Texas, USA, the severity of low-flow conditions, duration of seasonal disconnection, and frequency of no-flow events have been amplified by drought. Documentation of these no-flow events is necessary to evaluate ecosystem health. However, many intermittent reaches remain un-gauged given that perennial river sec-tions are often prioritized for gauge placement. Our objectives were to 1) document stream flow using Stream Temperature, Intermittency, and Conductivity (STIC) loggers to determine the frequency and duration of no-flow events in intermittent tributaries of the Colorado River, Texas and 2) compare logger data to publicly available data from streamflow discharge and precipitation gauge networks to understand differences among these data types for drying event characterization. We use these comparisons to summarize benefits and limitations of the application of in-stream data loggers. STIC loggers were deployed at 19 sites, one in each pool and riffle habitat of a stream reach. STIC loggers recorded a measurement of relative conductance every six hours from June 2022 to March 2024, which was used to determine the presence or absence of flow connectivity in a reach. No-flow duration among intermittent reaches varied between 37 and 270 days across tributaries during an ongoing drought in the study area. Overall, logger data was more precise than discharge data for characterizing no-flow events or precipitation data when documenting presence of water in the stream channel due to runoff. Lack of discharge gauges in intermittent tributaries left large sections of stream reaches undocumented and resulted in mischaracterization of flow patterns. Drought severity across the tributaries did not follow longitudinal patterns that would be expected by the climatic precipitation gradient of the study area. More research is needed to determine if factors such as population size affect severity. Likewise, precipitation data did not correlate well with logger water presence data, lacking consideration for groundwater recharge, soil hydrophobicity, and surface compaction. This study shows that to monitor no-flow events, detailed spatial datasets are necessary and that STIC loggers are useful tools that provide data to fill spatial information gaps and facilitate more accurate flow characterization and water presence data in intermittent systems.

Texas↗

USGS1999

Concentrations and distribution of manmade organic compounds in the Lake Tahoe Basin, Nevada and California, 1997-99

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Lahontan Regional Water-Quality Control Board, sampled Lake Tahoe, major tributary streams to Lake Tahoe, and several other lakes in the Lake Tahoe Basin for manmade organic compounds during 1997-99. Gasoline components were found in all samples collected from Lake Tahoe during the summer boating season. Methyl tert -butyl ether (MTBE), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) were the commonly detected compounds in these samples. Most samples from tributary streams and lakes with no motorized boating had no detectable concentrations of gasoline components. Motorized boating activity appears to be directly linked in space and time to the occurrence of these gasoline components. Other sources of gasoline components to Lake Tahoe, such as the atmosphere, surface runoff, and subsurface flow, are minor compared to the input by motorized boating. Water sampled from Lake Tahoe during mid-winter, when motorized boating activity is low, had no MTBE and only one sample had any detectable BTEX compounds. Soluble pesticides rarely were detected in water samples from the Lake Tahoe Basin. The only detectable concentrations of these compounds were in samples from Blackwood and Taylor Creeks collected during spring runoff. Concentrations found in these samples were low, in the 1 to 4 nanograms per liter range. Organochlorine compounds were detected in samples collected from semipermeable membrane devices (SPMD's) collected from Lake Tahoe, tributary streams, and Upper Angora Lake. In Lake Tahoe, SPMD samples collected offshore from urbanized areas contained the largest number and highest concentrations of organochlorine compounds. The most commonly detected organochlorine compounds were cis- and trans-chlordane, p , p' -DDE, and hexachlorobenzene. In tributary streams, SPMD samples collected during spring runoff generally had higher combined concentrations of organochlorine compounds than those collected during baseflow conditions. Upper Angora Lake had the fewest number of organochlorine compounds detected of all lake samples. Dioxins and furans were not detected in SPMD samples from two sites in Lake Tahoe or from two tributary streams. The number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds and their combined concentrations generally were higher in samples from Lake Tahoe than those from tributary streams. Areas of high-motorized boating activity at Lake Tahoe had the largest number and highest concentrations of PAH's. PAH compounds were detected in samples from SPMD's in four of six tributary streams during spring runoff, all tributary streams during baseflow conditions, and at all lake sites. The most commonly detected PAH's in tributary streams during spring runoff were phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, and chrysene, and during baseflow conditions were phenanthrene, 1-methylphenanthrene, diethylnaphthalene, and pyrene. Upper Truckee River, which has an urban area in its drainage basin, had the largest number and highest combined concentration of PAH's of all stream samples. Bottom-sediment from Lake Tahoe had detectable concentrations of p-cresol, a phenol, in all but one sample. A sample collected near Chambers Lodge contained phenol at an estimated concentration of 4 micrograms per kilogram (µg/kg). Bottom-sediment samples from tributary streams had no detectable concentrations of organochlorine or PAH compounds. Several compounds were detected in bottom sediment from Upper Angora Lake at high concentrations. These compounds and their concentrations were p , p' -DDD (10 µg/kg), p , p' -DDE (7.4 µg/kg), 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene (estimated at 190 µg/kg), pentachlorophenol (3,000 µg/kg), and p-cresol (4,400 µg/kg).

California, Nevada↗

USGS2000

Regional evaluation of evapotranspiration in the Everglades

Nine sites in the Florida Everglades were selected and instrumented for collection of data necessary for evapotranspiration-determination using the Bowen-ratio energy-budget method. The sites were selected to represent the sawgrass or cattail marshes, wet prairie, and open-water areas that constitute most of the natural Everglades system. At each site, measurements necessary for evapotranspiration (ET) calculation and modeling were automatically made and stored on-site at 15- or 30-minute intervals. Data collected included air temperature and humidity at two heights, wind speed and direction, incoming solar radiation, net solar radiation, water level and temperature, soil moisture content, soil temperature, soil heat flux, and rainfall. Data summarized in this report were collected from January 1996 through December 1997, and the development of site-specific and regional models of ET for this period is described. Latent heat flux is the energy flux density equivalent of the ET rate. Modified Priestley-Taylor models of latent heat flux as a function of selected independent variables were developed at each site. These models were used to fill in periods of missing latent heat flux measurement, and to develop regional models of the entire Everglades region. The regional models may be used to estimate ET in wet prairie, sawgrass or cattail marsh, and open-water portions of the natural Everglades system. The models are not applicable to forested areas or to the brackish areas adjacent to Florida Bay. Two types of regional models were developed. One type of model uses measurements of available energy at a site, together with incoming solar energy and water depth, to estimate hourly ET. This available-energy model requires site data for net radiation, water heat storage, and soil heat flux, as well as data for incoming solar radiation and water depth. The other type of model requires only incoming solar energy, air temperature, and water depth data to provide estimates of hourly ET. The second model thus uses data that are more readily available than the data required for the available-energy model. Computed ET mean annual totals for all nine sites for the 1996-97 period ranged from 42.4 inches per year at a site where the water level is below land surface for several months each year to 57.4 inches per year at an open-water site with no emergent vegetation. Although the density of photosynthetically-active plant leaves has been shown to relate directly to ET in some studies, it does not appear to relate directly to ET in the Everglades, based on comparison of annual ET data with leaf-area index, defined as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), data from satellite imagery. NDVI and ET appear to be inversely related in the Everglades. The greatest ET rates occurred at open-water sites where the NDVI data indicated the lowest leaf-area index. Among the remaining vegetated sites, there is no clear relation between ET and NDVI, though the highest ET rate corresponded to the lowest NDVI and one of the lowest ET rates corresponded to the highest NDVI value. The variation in ET follows a seasonal pattern, with lowest monthly ET totals occurring in December through February, and highest ET occurring in May through August. The greatest range in monthly ET among all nine sites for the 2-year period occurred at site 3: from 1.81 inches in December 1997 to 6.84 inches in July 1996. A study to compare the Bowen-ratio/energy balance method of ET measurement with the eddy-correlation method was done at one site from June 22, 1998, through September 28, 1998. This comparison indicated that both methods gave comparable values of the Bowen ratio, but there was a considerable difference in available energy measured by the two methods. The mean of all 30-minute measured turbulent heat fluxes from the eddy-correlation apparatus for June 22 through September 29, 1998, was 137.4 watts per square meter, and the mean of the corresponding measured energy was 163.6 watts per square meter, or about 20 percent greater. The disagreement in mean energy fluxes measured by the two methods is problematical and is not fully understood. Although the difference seems to be related to friction velocity, and is practically non-existent at values of friction velocity greater than 0.3 meter per second, the "correctness" of either method cannot be determined with the data available.

Florida↗

USGS2025

Hydrogeology, water budget, and simulated groundwater availability in the Salt Fork Arkansas River and Chikaskia River alluvial aquifers, northern Oklahoma, 1980–2020

The 1973 Oklahoma Groundwater Law (Oklahoma Statute §82–1020.5) requires that the Oklahoma Water Resources Board conduct hydrologic investigations of the State’s aquifers to determine the maximum annual yield for each groundwater basin. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, conducted an updated hydrologic investigation of the Salt Fork Arkansas River and Chikaskia River alluvial aquifers in northern Oklahoma for the study period spanning 1980–2020 and evaluated the simulated effects of potential groundwater withdrawals on groundwater flow and availability in the Salt Fork Arkansas River alluvial aquifer. A hydrogeologic framework and conceptual model were developed to guide the development of a numerical model. Three groundwater-availability scenarios were evaluated by using the calibrated numerical model, which was focused on the Salt Fork Arkansas River alluvial aquifer. These scenarios were used to (1) estimate equal-proportionate-share groundwater withdrawal rates, (2) quantify the potential effects of projected well withdrawals on groundwater storage over a 50-year period, and (3) simulate the potential effects of a hypothetical 10-year drought. The 20-, 40-, and 50-year equal-proportionate-share groundwater withdrawal rates for the Salt Fork Arkansas River alluvial aquifer under normal recharge conditions were about 0.63, 0.58, and 0.57 acre-foot per acre per year, respectively. Projected 50-year groundwater withdrawal scenarios were used to simulate the effects of modified well withdrawal rates. Because well withdrawals were less than 2 percent of the calibrated numerical-model water budget, changes to the well groundwater withdrawal rates had little effect on simulated Salt Fork Arkansas River base flows and groundwater storage in the Salt Fork Arkansas River alluvial aquifer. A hypothetical 10-year drought scenario was used to simulate the potential effects of a prolonged period of reduced recharge on groundwater storage. Groundwater storage at the end of the hypothetical drought period was 14.5 percent less than the groundwater storage of the calibrated numerical model without the simulated drought.

Oklahoma↗

USGS2025

Rapid emplacement of the Keaiwa Lava Flow of 1823 from the Great Crack in the Southwest Rift Zone of Kilauea volcano

The Keaīwa Lava Flow of 1823 in the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea volcano is unusual for its expansive pāhoehoe sheet flow morphology and lack of constructive vent topography, despite having a similar tholeiitic basalt composition to other lavas erupted from Kīlauea. This lava flow issued from a ∼10-km-long continuous fissure now known as the Great Crack, and has an unusually thin sheet flow morphology with margin thicknesses of ∼15–110 cm (average of 42 cm). Based on field observations of the lava flow at its fissure vent (e.g., drain-back features), we propose that the Great Crack formed, or at least significantly widened, just prior to and syn-eruptively with this 1823 eruption. The absence of pyroclastic cones or spatter ramparts indicates that the eruption consisted of a rapid outpouring of relatively degassed lava as the fissure unzipped. The rapidly moving lava flow overtopped pre-existing tumuli and scoria cones (e.g., Lava Plastered Cones) up to ∼10 m tall. Glass and whole-rock chemistry yield homogeneous compositions for the lavas erupted from the Great Crack, with glass compositions of 6.40 ± 0.10 wt% MgO and whole-rock compositions of 7.39 ± 0.07 wt% MgO. Lava pads erupted from a short western fissure system are richer in mafic minerals (e.g., olivine and clinopyroxene), and show slightly more MgO-rich whole-rock compositions (7.79 ± 0.05 wt%). MgO-in-glass thermometry on juvenile spatter yield eruption temperatures of 1153 ± 13°C that are typical of Kīlauea lavas. Thus, the extensive sheet-like lava flow morphology is not a direct consequence of unusual magmatic or rheological conditions (i.e., low viscosity). Instead, the flow morphology is associated with high effusion rates caused by sudden drainage of uprift magma as it erupted from the Great Crack. Lava flow modeling on a 2-m-resolution digital elevation model indicates that a minimum bulk effusion rate of ∼5800 m 3 /s (∼3500 m 3 /s dense rock equivalent) and a minimum flow velocity of ∼11 m/s are required for the lava flow to overcome the topography of the Lava Plastered Cones. This effusion rate is among the highest inferred for eruptions in Hawaiʻi and around the world. This study highlights a less frequent eruption style at Hawaiian volcanoes characterized by a sudden outpouring of lava from an unusual fissure system. Local eyewitness accounts indicate that the 1823 eruption was preceded by seismicity. Given the complex magmatic-volcanic-tectonic relations across Kīlauea, we speculate that the south flank could have slipped over one or more events that ultimately triggered unzipping of the Great Crack and passive release of briefly stored uprift magma. An eruption similar to 1823 at Kīlauea or Mauna Loa, with an eruptive timeframe that could be as short as an hour, with high effusion rates and rapid flow front velocities, would not easily allow for a timely response.

Hawaii↗

USGS2026

Deep groundwater total dissolved solids mapping in the Dakota Group, Williston Basin, USA

Growing concern about the quantity of available freshwater around the world has led to interest in surveying groundwater total dissolved solids (TDS) below water well depths. Deep TDS has not been systematically mapped, and there is much to learn about the distribution and controls on deeper groundwater. In sedimentary basins across the United States, groundwater resources often overlie hydrocarbon resources, providing an opportunity to use borehole geophysical data collected for hydrocarbons to characterize groundwater and pore space resources. This study adapts a recently developed subsurface geostatistical and geophysical modeling approach to continuously map groundwater TDS, porosity, and temperature in the Dakota Group of the Williston Basin—an undercharacterized regional aquifer system overlying deeper hydrocarbon reservoirs. Groundwater TDS in the Dakota Group ranges from approximately 4800 to 26,900 mg/L. TDS patterns are stratified with higher TDS in the lower and upper Dakota Group, and relatively lower TDS in the middle Dakota Group. The lower TDS in the middle zone may represent a preferential regional flow path for lower-TDS meteoric recharge from the west. The alternating pattern of TDS may also be evidence of higher-TDS inflows into the Dakota Group from underlying and potentially from overlying aquifers. Porosity is lower near the center of the Williston Basin and tends to be higher to the east, which may be related to grain size distributions. The new regional TDS and porosity modeling serves as a quantitative reference for water users and provides supporting evidence for hypotheses on Dakota Group recharge.

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota↗

USGS2024

Conceptualization and simulation of groundwater flow and groundwater availability in the Boone and Roubidoux aquifers in northeastern Oklahoma, 1980–2017

Oklahoma Groundwater Law (Oklahoma Statute § 82-1020.5) requires that the Oklahoma Water Resources Board conduct hydrologic investigations to determine the maximum annual yield for the State’s groundwater basins. The Boone and Roubidoux aquifers (also known as the Springfield Plateau aquifer and Ozark aquifer, respectively) are bedrock aquifers that extend from northeastern Oklahoma into Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri. At present (2024), the Oklahoma Water Resources Board has yet to legally issue orders for the final determination of maximum annual yields for the Boone and Roubidoux aquifers. To support determination of a maximum annual yield, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, developed a hydrogeologic framework, a conceptual groundwater-flow model, and a calibrated numerical groundwater-flow model for the Boone and Roubidoux aquifers. Three types of groundwater-availability scenarios were simulated by using the calibrated numerical model. These scenarios were used to (1) estimate equal-proportionate-share groundwater withdrawal rates (groundwater withdrawal applied equally over the aquifer), (2) quantify the potential effects of projected groundwater withdrawals on groundwater storage over a 50-year period, and (3) simulate the potential effects of a hypothetical 10-year drought. For the Boone aquifer, equal-proportionate-share groundwater withdrawal rates were 1.10, 0.98, and 0.96 acre-feet per acre per year for the 20-, 40-, and 50-year scenarios, respectively. For the Roubidoux aquifer, equal-proportionate-share groundwater withdrawal rates were 1.76, 1.34, and 1.25 acre-feet per acre per year for the 20-, 40-, and 50-year simulations, respectively. For the 50-year scenarios, stream seepage was minimally affected. Over the 10-year drought scenario, groundwater storage in the Boone and Roubidoux aquifers decreased by 660,451 acre-feet (6.7 percent) and 508,472 acre-feet (1.0 percent), respectively.

Oklahoma↗

USGS2024

Anaerobic biodegradation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and microbial community composition in soil amended with a dechlorinating culture and chlorinated solvents

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), one of the most frequently detected per - and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occurring in soil, surface water, and groundwater near sites contaminated with aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), has proven to be recalcitrant to many destructive remedies, including chemical oxidation. We investigated the potential to utilize microbially mediated reduction (bioreduction) to degrade PFOS and other PFAS through addition of a known dehalogenating culture, WBC-2, to soil obtained from an AFFF-contaminated site. A substantial decrease in total mass of PFOS (soil and water) was observed in microcosms amended with WBC-2 and chlorinated volatile organic compound (cVOC) co-contaminants — 46.4 ± 11.0 % removal of PFOS over the 45-day experiment. In contrast, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) concentrations did not decrease in the same microcosms. The low or non-detectable concentrations of potential metabolites in full PFAS analyses, including after application of the total oxidizable precursor assay, indicated that defluorination occurred to non-fluorinated compounds or ultrashort-chain PFAS. Nevertheless, additional research on the metabolites and degradation pathways is needed. Population abundances of known dehalorespirers did not change with PFOS removal during the experiment, making their association with PFOS removal unclear. An increased abundance of sulfate reducers in the genus Desulfosporosinus (Firmicutes) and Sulfurospirillum (Campilobacterota) was observed with PFOS removal, most likely linked to initiation of biodegradation by desulfonation. These results have important implications for development of in situ bioremediation methods for PFAS and advancing knowledge of natural attenuation processes.

Science of the Total Environment↗

USGS2024

Conceptual hydrogeologic framework and groundwater budget near the southeastern part of Puget Sound, Washington

More than 1 million people live within the active model area (AMA) in the southeastern part of the lowlands surrounding Puget Sound, or Puget Lowland, Washington, and groundwater is the source for approximately one-half of their public, domestic, and irrigation water demands. The 887-square-mile AMA, located in King and Pierce Counties, represents the area of analysis for the conceptual hydrogeologic framework and numerical groundwater-flow models within the study area and includes the Puyallup River and Chambers-Clover Creek watersheds. To assess the potential hydrologic and anthropogenic impacts to groundwater and the connected surface-water resources, conceptual and numerical groundwater-flow models of groundwater flow were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey Washington Water Science Center in close cooperation with 18 water-resource agencies and stakeholders. This report presents information used to characterize the groundwater-flow system and the development of a numerical model in the AMA. Included are descriptions of the geology and conceptual hydrogeologic framework, groundwater levels and flow directions, groundwater recharge and discharge, numerical groundwater-flow model construction and results, and model limitations. The study area encompasses the western part of Pierce County and the southwestern part of King County, Washington. The study area extends south to the Nisqually River, southwest to Tanwax Creek, northeast to the Green River, and north through the valley near Auburn and adjacent uplands. It is bounded on the east by foothills of the Cascade Range, and on the northwest by Puget Sound.

Washington↗

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↗

USGS2025

ShakeAlert®—Communication, education, outreach and technical engagement strategic vision

Executive Summary In 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began directly supporting ShakeAlert ® research and in 2012 the ShakeAlert demonstration system began testing ( Given and others, 2018 ). The ShakeAlert earthquake early warning (EEW) system is a partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the three West Coast States (Washington, Oregon, and California) served by the ShakeAlert System, which is part of the larger Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). With more than 143 million people exposed to potentially damaging shaking in the United States ( Jaiswal and others, 2015 ), earthquakes are a national hazard. Most of our Nation’s earthquake risk is concentrated in the highly populated areas on the active plate tectonic boundaries on the West Coast of the conterminous United States. ShakeAlert is the first public alert system in the United States to provide rapid mass notification of earthquake detection, potentially offering seconds of warning before strong shaking arrives. A few seconds may not seem like much time, but the information in ShakeAlert Messages can be used to trigger automated actions that can prevent injury or death, reduce immediate damage, and speed recovery from earthquakes. The information product issued by the ShakeAlert system is called a ShakeAlert Message and is one of the information products and tools of the ANSS. The ShakeAlert System includes the USGS component, plus the pathways by which ShakeAlert-powered products and (or) services are delivered to end users. Alerts can be delivered to cell phones or be used to trigger automated systems to protect equipment, facilities, and infrastructure, such as slowing or stopping a train. ShakeAlert-powered automated actions can include fire house doors that can be opened to prevent jamming, heavy equipment (for example, trains, elevators, and cranes) that can be automatically stopped or parked in safe positions, and pipeline valves that can be closed to prevent surges and spills. A few seconds of warning also may be sufficient for people to take protective actions, such as drop, cover, and hold on or modified protective actions for a broad range of populations. Advance training may increase the benefit of a speedy response to an alert. Outreach and education about EEW may raise awareness of the overall earthquake threat and how people can best react when they receive an alert or feel shaking. ShakeAlert communication, education, outreach, and technical engagement (CEO&TE) efforts are highly collaborative and essential for the success of the ShakeAlert System. This strategic vision informs how the vast ShakeAlert CEO&TE Community operates and works together. The CEO&TE Community delineates a strategic framework that is intended to set the path for a long-term, sustainable approach to CEO&TE through three focus areas and five priorities. Focus Areas Technical engagement.— The objective of this focus area is to expand and broaden ShakeAlert technical engagement and implementation. External engagement.— This focus area targets engagement in long-term communication, education, and outreach planning, implementation, and evaluation. Internal engagement.— The purpose of this focus area is to build and sustain a robust infrastructure to optimize collaboration, information sharing, and project planning among the community of stakeholders charged with implementing ShakeAlert CEO&TE. Priorities The enumeration of the five priorities listed below does not suggest priority ranking. Public safety, preparedness, and resilience; Technical implementation and engagement; Consistent messaging and communication; Integration with other Federal and State earthquake hazards products; and Educational resources development and dissemination. This strategic vision is a tangible outcome of collaboration among many stakeholders beginning in July 2016. Since then, the work of the ShakeAlert CEO&TE Community has grown into an international effort. The USGS has developed, tested, and implemented a broad spectrum of communication, education, and outreach tools and resources—all of which recognize that seconds matter when it comes to safety and mitigating harm from earthquake hazards. The CEO&TE social science research effort has provided invaluable insights into the ShakeAlert System’s human interface. USGS-licensed technical partners develop, test, and implement real-world applications using ShakeAlert Messages. The success of ShakeAlert CEO&TE efforts is predicated on robust collaboration across numerous agencies, organizations, and groups. As such, this strategic vision outlines a “partnership model” that delineates roles and responsibilities to ensure alignment with focus areas and priorities. The partnership model includes the CEO&TE lead agency (USGS); its principal partners (State agencies and university partners); its implementation partners (for example, technical partners who build systems to deliver ShakeAlert-powered products and (or) services [focus area one]), earthquake education partners who work to increase public preparedness for seismic events (focus area two); and other organizations that work together to enhance the adoption and effectiveness of the ShakeAlert System. These partners collaborate and convene through a variety of working groups and forums, which are also described in this strategic vision and align with focus area three (internal engagement). The CEO&TE Community collaboratively developed its operating principles and a consensus-based, decision-making strategic framework to guide its collective work. Performance metrics are used to continually measure success. Ultimately, the USGS and ShakeAlert CEO&TE Community are advancing the ShakeAlert System that as of the publication of this strategic vision to “provide earthquake early warning for all” serves more than 50 million people.

Circular↗

USGS1999

Characterization of selected biological, chemical, and physical conditions at fixed sites in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Colorado, 1995-98

Biological community samples were collected at 15 sites in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCOL) in Colorado as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Sites sampled in two physiographic provinces, the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau, represented agriculture, mining, urban and recreation, and mixed land uses and background conditions. Nine measures of water quality, which include information on nutrients, specific conductance (a surrogate for salinity), trace elements in streambed sediment, pesticides in fish tissue, fish communities, and macroinvertebrate richness and composition and stream habitat were used for comparisons among sites within the two physiographic provinces. Sampling sites from three other NAWQA study units—the Rio Grande Valley, the South Platte River Basin, and the Upper Snake River Basin study units—were categorized on the basis of land use and stream size in order to develop a larger data set for comparison to sites in the UCOL. Three categories of land use—forested (includes mining, urban and recreation, and background), agriculture, and mixed—were used for comparison to the UCOL fixed sites. Results indicated that all sites other than the Colorado River below Baker Gulch (a background site) showed some water-quality characteristics to be significantly affected. Results indicated that the concentrations of cadmium and zinc in streambed sediment at mining land-use sites in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province generally were orders of magnitude higher than streambed-sediment concentrations at the background site. Streambed-sediment concentrations at mining land-use sites in the UCOL were greater than the 75 th percentile of concentrations from sites in the three other NAWQA study units. Fish communities and habitat conditions were degraded at mining land-use sites compared to the background site. Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) richness and the percentage of EPT were lower at mining land-use sites than at the background site and were less than the 50 th percentile of those for sites from the three other NAWQA study units. Nutrient concentrations at urban and recreation sites in the Southern Rocky Mountain physiographic province generally were greater than concentrations at the background site and generally were between the 25 th and 90 th percentile of concentrations for sites from the three other NAWQA study units. Habitat conditions and fish communities at urban and recreation sites were slightly degraded compared to the background site. EPT richness and the percentage of EPT were lower at urban and recreation sites than at the background site and were between the 25 th and 75 th percentile of those for sites from the three other NAWQA study units. The percentage of Chironomidae, which may be indicative of pollutant-tolerant organisms, was higher at urban and recreation sites than at the background site. Mixed land-use sites in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province had similar nutrient concentrations and similar cadmium and zinc streambed-sediment concentrations. Fish-community degradation index values were very different among the three mixed land-use sites in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province. Larger percentages of omnivores and anomalies such as lesions and deformities at two mixed land-use sites resulted in higher degradation values of the fish community. Agriculture land-use sites had higher concentrations of nutrients and selenium than the background site in the Colorado Plateau physiographic province. Concentrations of p,p '-DDE in fish tissue at agriculture sites were higher than the 75 th percentile of concentrations for sites from the three other NAWQA study units. Fish communities had degradation values near the 75 th percentile for agriculture sites. The percentage of EPT was low at agriculture sites when compared to the background site. Two mixed land-use sites in the Colorado Plateau physiographic province had similar concentrations of nutrients, selenium, and p,p '-DDE, and similar EPT richness and composition. These two sites were located downstream from agricultural and urban activities. Some water-quality measures at these two sites indicated degradation compared to a mixed land-use site upstream from most of the agriculture and urban activities in the Colorado Plateau physiographic province.

Colorado↗