Annual yield and selected hydrologic data for the Arkansas River Basin Compact, Arkansas-Oklahoma: 1989 water year
No abstract available.
Arkansas, Oklahoma↗
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Annual yield and selected hydrologic data for the Arkansas River Basin Compact, Arkansas-Oklahoma, 1990 water year
No abstract available.
Arkansas, Oklahoma↗
Annual yield and selected hydrologic data for the Arkansas River basin compact: Arkansas-Oklahoma 1992 water year
No abstract available.
Arkansas, Oklahoma↗
Annual yield and selected hydrologic data for the Arkansas River Basin Compact Arkansas-Oklahoma 1993 water year
The computed annual yield and deficiency of the subbasins as defined in the Arkansas River Basin Compact, Arkansas-Oklahoma, are given in tables for the 1993 water year. Actual runoff from the subbasins and depletion caused by major reservoirs in the compact area also are given in tabular form. Monthly maximum, minimum, and mean discharges are shown for the 14 streamflow stations used in computing annual yield. Water-quality data are shown for 12 water-quality stations sampled in the Arkansas River Basin.
Open-File Report↗
Annual yield and selected hydrologic data for the Arkansas River Basin Compact, Arkansas-Oklahoma, 1994 water year
The computed annual yield and deficiency of the subbasins as defined in the Arkansas River Basin Compact, Arkansas-Oklahoma, are given in tables for the 1994 water year. Actual runoff from the subbasins and depletion caused by major reservoirs in the compact area also are given in tabular form. Monthly maximum, minimum, and mean discharges are shown for the 14 streamflow stations used in computing annual yield. Water-quality data are shown for 11 water-quality stations sampled in the Arkansas River Basin.
Open-File Report↗
Annual yield and selected hydrologic data for the Arkansas River basin compact Arkansas-Oklahoma, 1995 water year
The computed annual yield and deficiency of the subbasins as defined in the Arkansas River Basin Compact, Arkansas-Oklahoma, are given in tables for the 1995 water year. Actual runoff from the subbasins and depletion caused by major reservoirs in the compact area also are given in tabular form. Monthly mean discharges are shown for the 17 streamflow stations used in computing annual yield. Water-quality data are shown for 20 water-quality stations sampled in the Arkansas River Basin.
Open-File Report↗
Annual yield and selected hydrologic data for the Arkansas River Basin Compact, Arkansas-Oklahoma, 1996 water year
The computed annual yield and deficiency of the subbasins as defined in the Arkansas River Basin Compact, Arkansas-Oklahoma, are given in tables for the 1996 water year. Actual runoff from the subbasins and depletion caused by major reservoirs in the compact area also are given in tabular form. Computed monthly mean discharges are shown for the 21 streamflow stations in the Arkansas River Basin. Water-quality data are shown for 16 water-quality stations sampled in the Arkansas River Basin.
Arkansas;Oklahoma↗
Geohydrology of the Escondido hydrologic subarea, San Diego County, California
The San Diego region of California is undergoing rapid growth with a corresponding increase in the demand for water. To update the basin plan developed in 1975 by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Diego Region, water-level and water quality data for the 44-sq mi Escondido hydrologic subarea were collected and analyzed. Water-level measurements indicate that groundwater in most of the subarea was within 20 ft of land surface. Groundwater generally moves from the weathered crystalline rocks on hillsides into the alluvium. Groundwater moves from north to south in Reidy Canyon and from east to west in the alluvium along Escondido Creek. Water from all 20 wells sampled in 1987 had dissolved-solids concentrations greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended limit of 500 mg/L; concentrations ranged from 720 to 4,500 mg/L. Nitrate (as nitrogen) concentrations ranged from 1.1 to 86 mg/L. Water from 14 of the 20 wells had nitrate (as nitrogen) concentrations greater than the U.S. Environmental Agency recommended limit of 10 mg/L. (USGS)
Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
Transport and fate of nitrate and pesticides: Hydrogeology and riparian zone processes
There is continuing concern over potential impacts of widespread application of nutrients and pesticides on ground- and surface-water quality. Transport and fate of nitrate and pesticides were investigated in a shallow aquifer and adjacent stream, Cow Castle Creek, in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. Pesticide and pesticide degradate concentrations were detected in ground water with greatest frequency and largest concentrations directly beneath and downgradient from the corn (Zea mays L.) field where they were applied. In almost all samples in which they were detected, concentrations of pesticide degradates greatly exceeded those of parent compounds, and were still present in ground waters that were recharged during the previous 18 yr. The absence of both parent and degradate compounds in samples collected from deeper in the aquifer suggests that this persistence is limited or that the ground water had recharged before use of the pesticide. Concentrations of NO3- in ground water decreased with increasing depth and age, but denitrification was not a dominant controlling factor. Hydrologic and chemical data indicated that ground water discharges to the creek and chemical exchange takes place within the upper 0.7 m of the streambed. Ground water had its greatest influence on surface-water chemistry during low-flow periods, causing a decrease in concentrations of Cl-, NO3-, pesticides, and pesticide degradates. Conversely, shallow subsurface drainage dominates stream chemistry during high-flow periods, increasing stream concentrations of Cl-, NO3-, pesticides, and pesticide degradates. These results point out the importance of understanding the hydrogeologic setting when investigating transport and fate of contaminants in ground water and surface water. ?? ASA, CSSA, SSSA.
Journal of Environmental Quality↗
Use of borehole and surface geophysics to investigate ground-water quality near a road-deicing salt-storage facility, Valparaiso, Indiana
Borehole and surface geophysics were used to investigate ground-water quality affected by a road-deicing salt-storage facility located near a public water-supply well field. From 1994 through 1998, borehole geophysical logs were made in an existing network of monitoring wells completed near the bottom of a thick sand aquifer. Logs of natural gamma activity indicated a uniform and negligible contribution of clay to the electromagnetic conductivity of the aquifer so that the logs of electromagnetic conductivity primarily measured the amount of dissolved solids in the ground water near the wells. Electromagnetic-conductivity data indicated the presence of a saltwater plume near the bottom of the aquifer. Increases in electromagnetic conductivity, observed from sequential logging of wells, indicated the saltwater plume had moved north about 60 to 100 feet per year between 1994 and 1998. These rates were consistent with estimates of horizontal ground-water flow based on velocity calculations made with hydrologic data from the study area. Ratios of chloride to bromide concentrations in water samples were used to distinguish sources of chloride in the ground water?whether from road-deicing salt, domestic wastewater, or natural occurrences. Water samples identified with the chloride/bromide ratios as being affected by road-deicing salt had concentrations of dissolved solids, chloride, and sodium many times the background levels for the study area. The largest concentrations were in water from wells near the salt-storage facility?12,400 to 12,800 milligrams per liter (mg/L) dissolved solids, 6,730 to 7,230 mg/L chloride, and 3,690 to 4,400 mg/L sodium. A conceptual, multi-layer model was developed to describe the vertical extent of the saltwater plume in the vicinity of the monitoring wells. A relation was derived between average borehole electromagnetic conductivity in the screened interval of the wells in the saltwater plume and concentrations of dissolved solids in water samples from those wells. This relation was used in the model to show borehole electromagnetic conductivity in transects of wells as a zone of saline water overlain by zones of brackish water and freshwater. The thickness and altitude of the zones of saline and brackish water decreased with increased distance from the salt-storage facility. Two surface surveys of terrain electromagnetic conductivity were used to map the horizontal extent of the saltwater plume in areas without monitoring wells. Background values of terrain conductivity were measured in an area where water-quality and borehole geophysical data did not indicate saline or brackish water. Based on a guideline from previous case studies, the boundaries of the saltwater plume were mapped where terrain conductivity was 1.5 times background. The extent of the saltwater plume, based on terrain conductivity, generally was consistent with the available water-quality and borehole electromagnetic-conductivity data and with directions of ground-water flow determined from water-level altitudes.
Indiana↗
Post-drought groundwater storage recovery in California’s Central Valley
Groundwater depletion is a major threat to agricultural and municipal water supply in California's Central Valley. Recent droughts during 2007–2009 and 2012–2016 exacerbated chronic groundwater depletion. However, it is unclear how much groundwater storage recovered from drought-related overdrafts during post-drought years, and how climatic conditions and water management affected recovery times. We estimated groundwater storage change in the Central Valley for April 2002 through September 2019 using four methods: GRACE satellite data, a water balance approach, a hydrologic simulation model, and monitoring wells. We also evaluated the sensitivity of drought recovery to different climate scenarios (recent climate ± droughts and future climate change scenarios: 20 GCMs and 2 RCPs) using water balance method and statistical sampling of historical climate data. Estimated Central Valley groundwater loss during the two droughts ranged from 19 km 3 (2007–2009) to 28 km 3 (2012–2016) (median of four methods). Median aquifer storage recovery was 34% and 19% of the overdraft during the 2010–2011 and 2017–2019 post-drought years, respectively. Numerical experiments show that recovery times are sensitive to climate forcing, with longer recovery times for a future climate scenario that replicate historical climatology relative to historical forcing with no droughts. Overdraft recovery times decrease by ∼2× with implementation of pumping restrictions (30th to 50th percentiles of historical groundwater depletion) to constrain groundwater depletion relative to no restrictions with a no-drought future climatology. This study highlights the importance of considering water management implications for future drought recoveries within the context of climate change scenarios.
California↗
Investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey of soil and moisture conservation on public domain lands, 1941-1964
The passage of the Taylor Grazing Act in 1934 marked the end of an era in the land policies in the United States in that disposal of the public lands by homesteading was terminated except under rigidly prescribed procedures, and the remaining public lands covering about 175 million acres in the western conterminous states were brought under regulatory authority for grazing use. In 1934 the lands were mostly in a severe state of deterioration as a result of overgrazing and drought. In addition to reducing numbers of livestock using the lands, successive programs of conservation practices were established of which the Soil and Moisture Conservation Program of the Department of the Interior is of particular interest here. The services of the Geological Survey, in an investigational and advisory capacity were enlisted in this program. The work of the Geological Survey has consisted of the collection of hydrologic data, investigations of range-water supplies to facilitate management and provide information for design of structures and land-treatment measures. Appraisal of the effects of treatment practices has also been an important activity. Conservation on the public domain involves mainly growing vegetation for forage and reducing erosion. The two elements are intimately related--accomplishment in one is usually reflected by an improvement in the other. Erosion is a serious problem on most of the public domain, but particularly in the Colorado River and Rio Grande basins where, despite low annual water yields, the public domain and similar lands on the Indian reservations contribute the major part of the sediment measured at the downstream gaging stations. In parts of the Missouri River basin also, erosion is obviously very active but the sediment yield contributed by the public domain cannot be as readily isolated. The reasons for the erosion are generally evident--the erodibility of the rock and soils and the sparsity of vegetation as a result of low precipitation, unfavorable soils, or past land use. How much is due to the land use is still controversial, resulting in many questions relative to planning corrective measures. The problem facing the early administrators of the Taylor Grazing Act to bring about proper use and conservation of the public domain was a difficult one because of the lack of records on actual grazing use in animal-unit months of the qualified allottees and the lack of data on treatment practices in an arid area. Reduction of grazing was imperative in some localities, but generally, it could not be brought about as rapidly as it should have been. Numbers of animal units in the grazing districts were reduced from about 3.6 million in 1941 to about 3.2 million in 1964, whereas the areas included in districts was increased about 3 percent. Reductions are still being made in certain areas where deterioration is evident. One of the earliest activities connected with management of the range was the development of water supplies to facilitate the distribution of grazing. The investigations needed for such development formed a large part of the early work in the Soil and Moisture program of the Geological Survey and has continued to be a major activity to the present time. Most of the work has involved investigations of sites for wells but has included also the investigation of proposed spring developments and collection of hydrologic data for use in reservoir design. Well-site investigations have been of two general types: (1) the investigation of a site selected by the land administration agency, and (2) an areal investigation covering entire grazing districts or units thereof. In each type of investigation, a study is made of the geology and the recharge conditions. Reports are prepared giving estimates of the depth of drilling required, the depth to water, the yield, and the quality of the water, together with other information on drilling conditions and developing. Springs are a significant so
Open-File Report↗
Environmental characteristics and water quality of hydrologic benchmark network stations in the west-central United States, 1963-95
This report describes the environmental characteristics and water-quality characteristics of 14 benchmark basins in the west-central United States. The information was compiled to aide in the interpretation and application of historical water-quality data collected through the Hydrologic Benchmark Network Program.
Circular↗
Spatially referenced statistical assessment of dissolved-solids load sources and transport in streams of the Upper Colorado River Basin
The Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) discharges more than 6 million tons of dissolved solids annually, about 40 to 45 percent of which are attributed to agricultural activities. The U.S. Department of the Interior estimates economic damages related to salinity in excess of $330 million annually in the Colorado River Basin. Salinity in the UCRB, as measured by dissolved-solids load and concentration, has been studied extensively during the past century. Over this period, a solid conceptual understanding of the sources and transport mechanisms of dissolved solids in the basin has been developed. This conceptual understanding was incorporated into the U.S. Geological Survey Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes (SPARROW) surface-water quality model to examine statistically the dissolved-solids supply and transport within the UCRB. Geologic and agricultural sources of dissolved solids in the UCRB were defined and represented in the model. On the basis of climatic and hydrologic conditions along with data availability, water year 1991 was selected for examination with SPARROW. Dissolved-solids loads for 218 monitoring sites were used to calibrate a dissolved-solids SPARROW model for the UCRB. The calibrated model generally captures the transport mechanisms that deliver dissolved solids to streams of the UCRB as evidenced by R2 and yield R2 values of 0.98 and 0.71, respectively. Model prediction error is approximated at 51 percent. Model results indicate that of the seven geologic source groups, the high-yield sedimentary Mesozoic rocks have the largest yield of dissolved solids, about 41.9 tons per square mile (tons/mi2). Irrigated sedimentary-clastic Mesozoic lands have an estimated yield of 1,180 tons/mi2, and irrigated sedimentary-clastic Tertiary lands have an estimated yield of 662 tons/mi2. Coefficients estimated for the seven landscape transport characteristics seem to agree well with the conceptual understanding of the role they play in the delivery of dissolved solids to streams in the UCRB. Predictions of dissolved-solids loads were generated for more than 10,000 stream reaches of the stream network defined in the UCRB. From these estimates, the downstream accumulation of dissolved solids, including natural and agricultural components, were examined in selected rivers. Contributions from each of the 11 dissolved-solids sources were also examined at select locations in the Grand, Green, and San Juan Divisions of the UCRB. At the downstream boundary of the UCRB, the Colorado River at Lees Ferry, Arizona, monitoring site, the dissolved-solids contribution of irrigated agricultural lands and natural sources were about 45 and 57 percent, respectively. Finally, model predictions, including the contributions of natural and agricultural sources for selected locations in the UCRB, were compared with results from two previous studies.
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah, Wyomin↗
Relation of carbon 14 concentrations to saline water contamination of coastal aquifers
Naturally occurring stable or radioactive isotopes may be used in some places to identify the origin of saline water that contaminates some coastal aquifers. In a recent study to determine the origin of saline water in the Ocala Limestone aquifer near Brunswick, Georgia, the following sources were analyzed for C 14 and deuterium concentrations: potable water from the Ocala Limestone, contaminated water from the Ocala Limestone, saune water from the underlying Claiborne Group, and nearby ocean water. The chloride concentration of the groundwater ranges from about 25 ppm in the potable water to more than 2000 ppm in the deeper part of the Claiborne Group. From an interpretation of piezometric maps and other hydrologic data, previous investigators had concluded that the source of the contaminating water was the Claiborne Group and not the nearby ocean. The essentially uniform range of low values of −965 to −987‰ of the modern standard (National Bureau Standard C 14 oxalic acid) for the C 14 activity of the groundwater samples (regardless of the degree of contamination) is in agreement with this conclusion. If recent ocean water, which had a C 14 value of +285‰, were the source of contamination, the contaminated water would have had a C 14 activity higher than the activity of the fresh water. Deuterium analyses are not inconsistent with the interpretation that water from the Claiborne Group, rather than recent ocean water, is the source of the contaminating water. The concurrence of the hydrologic and the isotopic data in this area where the hydrology is well known suggests that isotopic analysis may be used to identify the origin of water in different portions of a hydrologic environment.
Georgia↗
Hydrologic conditions in Kansas, water year 2021
The U.S. Geological Survey maintains a network of hydrologic monitoring stations across Kansas in cooperation with Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies. During water year 2021, this network included 230 real-time surface water data collection sites, referred to as “streamgages.” A water year is the 12-month period from October 1 through September 30 and is designated by the calendar year in which it ends. These real-time data are routinely collected and calibrated by U.S. Geological Survey personnel via regular measurements of streamflow and water levels. Analyses of these data provide an understanding of hydrologic conditions in the State critical to the management of water resources, industrial and agricultural uses, protection of life and property during flooding, operation of reservoirs, recreation, and other activities.
Kansas↗
Baseline water-quality characteristics of the Alaska Army National Guard Stewart River Training Area near Nome, Alaska
The Alaska Army National Guard Stewart River Training Area is approximately 23 miles north of Nome on the Seward Peninsula in northwest Alaska. The Stewart River Training Area encompasses much of the Stewart River Basin and a small part of the Snake River Basin. Hydrologic, water-quality, and physical-habitat data were collected at seven surface-water sites within the Stewart River Training Area during the summer runoff months (late-May to early-September) in 2004. Two of the sampling sites selected for this study were on the main stem Stewart River, one at the upstream boundary and one at the downstream boundary of the training area. Continuous hydrologic, precipitation, and water temperature data were collected at these two sites throughout the summer of 2004. Three pond sites, along the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Stewart River within the training area, were each sampled twice during the summer of 2004 for analysis of water-quality constituents. Two tributaries to the Snake River Basin, Goldbottom Creek and North Fork Snake River, within the Stewart River Training Area boundary, also were sampled twice during the summer of 2004. Water-quality data collected from the Stewart River at the upstream and downstream study sites indicate similar constituent concentrations. Concentrations of most water-quality constituents collected during the summer of 2004 did not exceed standards for drinking water or recreational contact. Analysis of trace-element concentrations in bed sediment samples indicate the threshold effect concentration (below which no adverse effects on organisms is expected) was exceeded for arsenic, chromium, and nickel concentrations at all sample sites within the Stewart River Training Area and cadmium, copper, zinc, and lead concentrations were found to exceed the threshold effect concentration in varying degrees at the sample sites. The probable effect concentration (above which toxic effects on organisms is likely) was exceeded by arsenic concentrations at all sites except the lower pond site. Chromium and nickel concentrations exceeded the probable effect concentration at the upstream Stewart River site and at the North Fork Snake River site.
Scientific Investigations Report↗
Africa-wide monitoring of small surface water bodies using multisource satellite data: A monitoring system for FEWS NET
Continental Africa has the highest volume of water stored in wetlands, large lakes, reservoirs, and rivers, yet it suffers from problems such as water availability and access. With climate change intensifying the hydrologic cycle and altering the distribution and frequency of rainfall, the problem of water availability and access will increase further. Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has initiated a large-scale project to monitor small to medium surface water points in Africa. Under this project, multisource satellite data and hydrologic modeling techniques are integrated to monitor several hundreds of small to medium surface water points in Africa. This approach has been already tested to operationally monitor 41 water points in East Africa. The validation of modeled scaled depths with field-installed gauge data demonstrated the ability of the model to capture both the spatial patterns and seasonal variations. Modeled scaled estimates captured up to 60 % of the observed gauge variability with a mean root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 22 %. The data on relative water level, precipitation, and evapotranspiration (ETo) for water points in East and West Africa were modeled since 1998 and current information is being made available in near-real time. This chapter presents the approach, results from the East African study, and the first phase of expansion activities in the West Africa region. The water point monitoring network will be further expanded to cover much of sub-Saharan Africa. The goal of this study is to provide timely information on the water availability that would support already established FEWS NET activities in Africa. This chapter also presents the potential improvements in modeling approach to be implemented during future expansion in Africa.
Book chapter↗