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At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
USGS2013

Development of a database-driven system for simulating water temperature in the lower Yakima River main stem, Washington, for various climate scenarios

A model for simulating daily maximum and mean water temperatures was developed by linking two existing models: one developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and one developed by the Bureau of Reclamation. The study area included the lower Yakima River main stem between the Roza Dam and West Richland, Washington. To automate execution of the labor-intensive models, a database-driven model automation program was developed to decrease operation costs, to reduce user error, and to provide the capability to perform simulations quickly for multiple management and climate change scenarios. Microsoft© SQL Server 2008 R2 Integration Services packages were developed to (1) integrate climate, flow, and stream geometry data from diverse sources (such as weather stations, a hydrologic model, and field measurements) into a single relational database; (2) programmatically generate heavily formatted model input files; (3) iteratively run water temperature simulations; (4) process simulation results for export to other models; and (5) create a database-driven infrastructure that facilitated experimentation with a variety of scenarios, node permutations, weather data, and hydrologic conditions while minimizing costs of running the model with various model configurations. As a proof-of-concept exercise, water temperatures were simulated for a "Current Conditions" scenario, where local weather data from 1980 through 2005 were used as input, and for "Plus 1" and "Plus 2" climate warming scenarios, where the average annual air temperatures used in the Current Conditions scenario were increased by 1degree Celsius (°C) and by 2°C, respectively. Average monthly mean daily water temperatures simulated for the Current Conditions scenario were compared to measured values at the Bureau of Reclamation Hydromet gage at Kiona, Washington, for 2002-05. Differences ranged between 1.9° and 1.1°C for February, March, May, and June, and were less than 0.8°C for the remaining months of the year. The difference between current conditions and measured monthly values for the two warmest months (July and August) were 0.5°C and 0.2°C, respectively. The model predicted that water temperature generally becomes less sensitive to air temperature increases as the distance from the mouth of the river decreases. As a consequence, the difference between climate warming scenarios also decreased. The pattern of decreasing sensitivity is most pronounced from August to October. Interactive graphing tools were developed to explore the relative sensitivity of average monthly and mean daily water temperature to increases in air temperature for model output locations along the lower Yakima River main stem.

Washington↗
USGS2002

Long-term sand supply to Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard Habitat in the Northern Coachella Valley, California

The Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard ( Uma inornata ) is a federally listed threatened species that inhabits active sand dunes in the vicinity of Palm Springs, California. The Whitewater Floodplain and Willow Hole Reserves provide some of the primary remaining habitat for this species. The sediment-delivery system that creates these active sand dunes consists of fluvial depositional areas fed episodically by ephemeral streams. Finer fluvial sediments (typically sand size and finer) are mobilized in a largely unidirectional wind field associated with strong westerly winds through San Gorgonio Pass. The fluvial depositional areas are primarily associated with floodplains of the Whitewater—San Gorgonio Rivers and Mission Creek—Morongo Wash; other small drainages also contribute fluvial sediment to the eolian system. The eolian dunes are transitory as a result of unidirectional sand movement from the depositional areas, which are recharged with fine-grained sediment only during episodic floods that typically occur during El Niño years. Eolian sand moves primarily from west to east through the study area; the period of maximum eolian activity is April through June. Wind speed varies diurnally, with maximum velocities typically occurring during the afternoon. Development of alluvial fans, alteration of stream channels by channelization, in-stream gravel mining, and construction of infiltration galleries were thought to reduce the amount of fluvial sediment reaching the depositional areas upwind of Uma habitat. Also, the presence of roadways, railroads, and housing developments was thought to disrupt or redirect eolian sand movement. Most of the sediment yield to the fluvial system is generated in higher elevation areas with little or no development, and sediment yield is affected primarily by climatic fluctuations and rural land use, particularly livestock grazing and wildfire. Channelization benefits sediment delivery to the depositional plains upwind of the reserves by minimizing in-channel sediment storage on the alluvial fans. The post-development annual sediment yield to the Whitewater and Mission Creek—Morongo Wash depositional areas are 3.5 and 1.5 million ft 3 /yr, respectively, covering each depositional area to a depth of 0.2 to 0.4 in. Given existing sand-transport rates, this material could be depleted by eolian processes in 8 to 16 months, a rate consistent with the presence of persistent sand dunes. However, these depletion times are likely minimum estimates, as some eolian sand is seen to persist in the immediate vicinity of depositional areas for longer time periods. Transport rates may be reduced by the presence of vegetation and other windbreaks. Because they are perpendicular to prevailing winds, the infiltration galleries on Whitewater River trap fluvial and eolian sediment, reducing sediment availability. Also, the presence of the railroad and Interstate 10 redirect eolian sand movement to the southeast along their corridors,potentially eliminating the Whitewater depositional area as a sand source for the Willow Hole Reserve. Using directional wind data, we discuss the potential for eolian sand transport from the Mission Creek—Morongo Wash depositional area to Willow Hole.

California↗
USGS1946

Water utilization in the White River Basin

This report presents briefly the results of an investigation of the water and power resources of the White river made in 1943 primarily for the purpose of classification of lands adjacent to the stream that have been withdrawn for power purposes. About three days were spent by the writer in field examination of the river basin during August and September. A survey of the river from its confluence with the Deschutes River to the Mt. Hood Loop Highway is published by the Survey. Nearly all of this map was surveyed in 1932. The entire basin is shown on quadrangle sheets. A record of discharge is available for the period 1917-43 at a station near the mouth of the river, and several short records are available at points upstream and on tributary streams.

Oregon↗
USGS2007

Bankfull Regional Curves for Streams in the Non-Urban, Non-Tidal Coastal Plain Physiographic Province, Virginia and Maryland

Natural-channel design involves constructing a stream channel with the dimensions, slope, and plan-view pattern that would be expected to transport water and sediment and yet maintain habitat and aesthetics consistent with unimpaired reaches. The adequate description of channel geometry in unimpaired reaches often is an important component of natural-channel design projects and can be facilitated through empirical regression relations, or regional curves, relating bankfull geometry to drainage area. One-variable, ordinary least-squares regressions relating bankfull discharge, bankfull cross-sectional area, bankfull width, and bankfull mean depth to drainage area were developed based on data collected at 20 streamflow-gaging stations in Virginia and Maryland. These regional curves can be used to estimate the bankfull discharge and bankfull channel geometry when the drainage area of a watershed is known. Field data collected at the site for each streamflow-gaging station included one longitudinal profile of bankfull features and channel-bed slope, two riffle cross-section surveys of channel geometry, cross-section pebble counts, and one site sketch with photographs of the channel and bankfull features. The top of the bank was the bankfull feature most indicative of bankfull geometry. Field data were analyzed to determine bankfull cross-sectional area, bankfull width, bankfull mean depth, and D50- and D84-particle sizes for the two riffles at each site. The bankfull geometry from the 8 sites surveyed during this study represents the average of two riffle cross sections for each site, and the bankfull geometry from the 12 Maryland sites represents one cross section for each site. Regional curves developed for the 20 sites had coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.945, 0.890, 0.871, and 0.793 for bankfull cross-sectional area, width, mean depth, and discharge, respectively. The regional curves represent conditions for streams with defined channels and bankfull features in Virginia and Maryland with drainage areas ranging from 0.28 to 113 square miles. All sites included in the development of the regional curves were located on streams with U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations. These curves can be used to verify bankfull features identified in the field and bankfull stage for ungaged streams in non-urban areas.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS1998

Major-ion, nutrient, and trace-element concentrations in the Steamboat Creek basin, Oregon, 1996

In September 1996, a water-quality study was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service, in headwater streams of Steamboat Creek, a tributary to the North Umpqua River Basin in southwestern Oregon. Field measurements were made in and surface-water and bottom-sediment samples were collected from three tributaries of Steamboat Creek--Singe Creek, City Creek, and Horse Heaven Creek--and at one site in Steamboat Creek upstream from where the three tributaries flow into Steamboat Creek. Water samples collected in Singe Creek had larger concentrations of most major-ion constituents and smaller concentrations of most nutrient constituents than was observed in the other three creeks. City Creek, Horse Heaven Creek, and Steamboat Creek had primarily calcium bicarbonate water, whereas Singe Creek had primarily a calcium sulfate water; the calcium sulfate water detected in Singe Creek, along with the smallest observed alkalinity and pH values, suggests that Singe Creek may be receiving naturally occurring acidic water. Of the 18 trace elements analyzed in filtered water samples, only 6 were detected--aluminum, barium, cobalt, iron, manganese, and zinc. All six of the trace elements were detected in Singe Creek, at concentrations generally larger than those observed in the other three creeks. Of the detected trace elements, only iron and zinc have chronic toxicity criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for the protection of aquatic life; none exceeded the USEPA criterion. Bottom-sediment concentrations of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, zinc, and organic carbon were largest in City Creek. In City Creek and Horse Heaven Creek, concentrations for 11 constituents--antimony, arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, manganese (Horse Heaven Creek only), mercury, selenium, silver, zinc, and organic carbon (City Creek only)--exceeded concentrations considered to be enriched in streams of the nearby Willamette River Basin, whereas in Steamboat Creek only two trace elements--antimony and nickel--exceeded Willamette River enriched concentrations. Bottom-sediment concentrations for six of these constituents in City Creek and Horse Heaven Creek--arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc--also exceeded interim Canadian threshold effect level (TEL) concentrations established for the protection of aquatic life, whereas only four constituents between Singe Creek and Steamboat Creek--arsenic, chromium, copper (Singe Creek only), and nickel--exceeded the TEL concentrations.

Oregon↗
USGS2009

Effects of urbanization on stream water quality in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, USA

A long-term stream water quality monitoring network was established in the city of Atlanta, Georgia during 2003 to assess baseline water quality conditions and the effects of urbanization on stream water quality. Routine hydrologically based manual stream sampling, including several concurrent manual point and equal width increment sampling, was conducted ???12 times annually at 21 stations, with drainage areas ranging from 3.7 to 232 km 2 . Eleven of the stations are real-time (RT) stations having continuous measures of stream stage/ discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, water temperature and turbidity, and automatic samplers for stormwater collection. Samples were analyzed for field parameters, and a broad suite of water quality and sediment-related constituents. Field parameters and concentrations of major ions, metals, nutrient species and coliform bacteria among stations were evaluated and with respect to watershed characteristics and plausible sources from 2003 through September 2007. Most constituent concentrations are much higher than nearby reference streams. Concentrations are statistically different among stations for several constituents, despite high variability both within and among stations. Routine manual sampling, automatic sampling during stormflows and RT water quality monitoring provided sufficient information about urban stream water quality variability to evaluate causes of water quality differences among streams. Fecal coliform bacteria concentrations of most samples exceeded Georgia's water quality standard for any water-usage class. High chloride concentrations occur at three stations and are hypothesized to be associated with discharges of chlorinated combined sewer overflows, drainage of swimming pool(s) and dissolution and transport during rainstorms of CaCl 2 , a deicing salt applied to roads during winter storms. One stream was affected by dissolution and transport of ammonium alum [NH 4 Al(SO 4 ) 2 ] from an alum-manufacturing plant; streamwater has low pH (<5), low alkalinity and high metals concentrations. Several trace metals exceed acute and chronic water quality standards and high concentrations are attributed to washoff from impervious surfaces.

Hydrological Processes↗
USGS2024

A comparison of contemporary and historical hydrology and water quality in the foothills and coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Arctic Slope, northern Alaska

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a unique landscape in northern Alaska with limited water resources, substantial biodiversity of rare and threatened species, as well as oil and gas resources. The region has unique hydrology related to perennial springs, and the formation of large aufeis fields—sheets of ice that grow in the river channels where water reaches the surface in the winter and freezes. This work aims to update our understanding of water resources and water quality in the springs, streams, rivers, and lakes of this region, returning to sites sampled by the U.S. Geological Survey in the 1970s. We resampled eight streams, four springs, and six lakes for hydrological metrics, water quality, and macroinvertebrates, and recalculated flood-frequency metrics for rivers using updated data and modern techniques. Aufeis field melt rates were also assessed for the past several decades. Although the available data preclude trend determinations in most cases, our analysis and comparison to the historical sampling indicates an increase in dissolved ions for streams and springs, faster and earlier aufeis melt, and similar macroinvertebrate populations.

Alaska↗
USGS2023

Multi-decadal erosion rates from glacierized watersheds on Mount Baker, Washington, USA, reveal topographic, climatic, and lithologic controls on sediment yields

Understanding land surface change in and sediment export out of proglacial landscapes is critical for understanding geohazard and flood risks over engineering timescales and characterizing landscape evolution over geomorphic timescales. We used automated Structure from Motion software to process historical aerial photographs and, with modern lidar data, generated a high-resolution DEM time series with coverage over 10 glacierized watersheds on Mount Baker, Washington, USA for the time period between 1947 and 2015. We measured basin-wide sediment yields and sediment redistribution on hillslopes and in stream channels. Slopes within most measured erosion sites are above theoretical and observed debris-flow thresholds. We observed significant erosion of hillslopes and limited deposition on hillslopes and in stream channels. Sediment delivery ratios during time periods with net erosion averaged 0.73. We determined, consistent with previous field observations, that debris flows originating from moraines are a primary erosion mechanism in proglacial zones on Mount Baker. Time series measurements indicate that temporal variability in erosion rates is associated with climate oscillations, with higher erosion rates during cooler-wetter periods. Basin-wide sediment yield is positively correlated with lithology (r 2 = 0.54), hillslope angle (r 2 = 0.52), drainage area (r 2 = 0.82), and negatively correlated with stream channel slope (r 2 = 0.67). Topographic differences between high and low yielding basins indicate that spatial variability in erosion on Mount Baker is sensitive to Pleistocene and Holocene glacial and volcanic activity. Specific sediment yields in six basins averaged 4600 ton/km 2 /yr, consistent with global measurements in glacierized catchments. Specific sediment yield decreased with increasing basin area, with total loads in the downstream main stem Nooksack River estimated between 480 and 820 ton/km 2 /yr. Proglacial sediment yields account for between 18 and 32 % of total sediment load in the main stem Nooksack River and exceed contributions by bluff and terrace erosion, which account for between 8 and 13 % of total load. Our findings indicate that erosion in glacierized basins is sensitive to decadal climate oscillations and that high proglacial sediment yields provide an important contribution to river systems downstream, particularly in catchments where upland topography and lithology is favorable.

Washington↗
USGS2011

Field evaluation of the error arising from inadequate time averaging in the standard use of depth-integrating suspended-sediment samplers

Several common methods for measuring suspended-sediment concentration in rivers in the United States use depth-integrating samplers to collect a velocity-weighted suspended-sediment sample in a subsample of a river cross section. Because depth-integrating samplers are always moving through the water column as they collect a sample, and can collect only a limited volume of water and suspended sediment, they collect only minimally time-averaged data. Four sources of error exist in the field use of these samplers: (1) bed contamination, (2) pressure-driven inrush, (3) inadequate sampling of the cross-stream spatial structure in suspended-sediment concentration, and (4) inadequate time averaging. The first two of these errors arise from misuse of suspended-sediment samplers, and the third has been the subject of previous study using data collected in the sand-bedded Middle Loup River in Nebraska. Of these four sources of error, the least understood source of error arises from the fact that depth-integrating samplers collect only minimally time-averaged data. To evaluate this fourth source of error, we collected suspended-sediment data between 1995 and 2007 at four sites on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona, using a P-61 suspended-sediment sampler deployed in both point- and one-way depth-integrating modes, and D-96-A1 and D-77 bag-type depth-integrating suspended-sediment samplers. These data indicate that the minimal duration of time averaging during standard field operation of depth-integrating samplers leads to an error that is comparable in magnitude to that arising from inadequate sampling of the cross-stream spatial structure in suspended-sediment concentration. This random error arising from inadequate time averaging is positively correlated with grain size and does not largely depend on flow conditions or, for a given size class of suspended sediment, on elevation above the bed. Averaging over time scales >1 minute is the likely minimum duration required to result in substantial decreases in this error. During standard two-way depth integration, a depth-integrating suspended-sediment sampler collects a sample of the water-sediment mixture during two transits at each vertical in a cross section: one transit while moving from the water surface to the bed, and another transit while moving from the bed to the water surface. As the number of transits is doubled at an individual vertical, this error is reduced by ~30 percent in each size class of suspended sediment. For a given size class of suspended sediment, the error arising from inadequate sampling of the cross-stream spatial structure in suspended-sediment concentration depends only on the number of verticals collected, whereas the error arising from inadequate time averaging depends on both the number of verticals collected and the number of transits collected at each vertical. Summing these two errors in quadrature yields a total uncertainty in an equal-discharge-increment (EDI) or equal-width-increment (EWI) measurement of the time-averaged velocity-weighted suspended-sediment concentration in a river cross section (exclusive of any laboratory-processing errors). By virtue of how the number of verticals and transits influences the two individual errors within this total uncertainty, the error arising from inadequate time averaging slightly dominates that arising from inadequate sampling of the cross-stream spatial structure in suspended-sediment concentration. Adding verticals to an EDI or EWI measurement is slightly more effective in reducing the total uncertainty than adding transits only at each vertical, because a new vertical contributes both temporal and spatial information. However, because collection of depth-integrated samples at more transits at each vertical is generally easier and faster than at more verticals, addition of a combination of verticals and transits is likely a more practical approach to reducing the total uncertainty in most field situatio

Professional Paper↗
USGS2011

Stoichiometric relationship between suspension-feeding caddisfly (Trichoptera: Brachycentridae) and seston

Organisms must acquire adequate amounts of carbon (C) and nutrients [i.e., nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)] from their food to support growth. The growth of organisms can be constrained by consumer-resource elemental imbalances in C:nutrient ratios, especially in aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, the elemental composition of aquatic organisms can change through ontogeny, which can impose additional challenges to growth (the growth rate hypothesis), terminal body size, and reproductive output. In streams, growth in larval aquatic insects is influenced primarily by food quality and quantity, temperature, and population density. We conducted a field study that tracked the growth of a common suspension-feeding caddisfly ( Brachycentrus occidentalis ) through its ontogeny by comparing the elemental composition (C:N:P) of the organism with its available food supply (suspended particulate organic matter or seston). Larvae and seston were sampled from four streams throughout 1 year. Differences in the growth of larvae among the streams were evident, even though the streams possessed similar thermal regimes. Spatial and temporal differences in the nutrient contents of B. occidentalis and seston were observed, suggesting a consumer-resource elemental imbalance. Lower C:P and N:P ratios in food were positively correlated to larval growth rate, suggesting growth was limited by P. The C, N, and P contents in B. occidentalis ’ body tissue did change throughout ontogeny. C:nutrient ratios varied across sites during larval development; however, inter-site variation decreased substantially as the populations approached pupation. Ultimately, consumer-resource elemental imbalances during the larval stage did not lead to differences in pre-emergent standing stocks across sites.

Hydrobiologia↗
USGS1972

Geohydrologic summary of the Pearl River basin, Mississippi and Louisiana

Fresh water in abundance is contained in large artesian reservoirs in sand and gravel deposits of Tertiary and Quaternary ages in the Pearl River basin, a watershed of 8,760 square miles. Shallow, water-table reservoirs occur in Quarternary deposits (Pleistocene and Holocene) that blanket most of the uplands in .the southern half of the basin and that are present in smaller upland areas and along streams elsewhere. The shallow reservoirs contribute substantially to dry-weather flow of the Strong River and Bogue Chitto and of Holiday, Lower Little, Silver, and Whitesand Creeks, among others. About 3 billion acre-feet of ground water is in storage in the fresh-water section, which extends from the surface to depths ranging from about sea level in the extreme northern part of the basin to more than 3,000 feet below sea level in the southern part of the basin. Variations in low flow for different parts of the river basin are closely related to geologic terrane and occurrence of ground water. The upland terrace belt that crosses the south-central part of the basin is underlain by permeable sand and gravel deposits and yields more than 0.20 cubic feet per second per square mile of drainage area to streamflow, whereas the northern part of the basin, underlain by clay, marl, and fine to medium sand, yields less than 0.05 cubic feet per second per square mile of drainage area (based on 7-day Q2 minimum flow computed from records). Overall, the potential surface-water supplies are large. Because water is available at shallow depths, most of the deeper aquifers have not been developed anywhere in the basin. At many places in the south, seven or more aquifers could be developed either by tapping one sand in each well or by screening two or more sands in a single well. Well fields each capable, of producing several million gallons of water a day are feasible nearly anywhere in the Pearl River basin. Water in nearly all the aquifers is of good to excellent quality and requires little or no treatment for most uses. The water is a soft, sodium bicarbonate type and therefore has a low to moderate dissolved-solids content. Mineral content increases generally downdip in an aquifer. Excessive iron, common in shallow aquifers, is objectionable for some water uses. Water from the streams, except in salty tidal reaches, is less mineralized than ground water; in 10 sites the median dissolved-solids content in streamflow was 50 milligrams per liter or less. Moderately intensive ground-water development has been made in the Bogalusa area, Louisiana; at the Mississippi Test Facility, Hancock County, Miss. ; and in the Jackson area, Mississippi. Wells with pumping rates of 500 to 1,000 gallons per minute each are common throughout the Pearl River basin, and some deep wells flow more than 3,000 gallons per minute in the coastal lowland areas. Probably 20 million gallons per day of artesian water flows uncontrolled from wells in the southern part of the basin. Ground-water levels, except in the higher altitudes, are within 60 feet of the surface, and flowing wells are common in the valleys and in the coastal Pine Meadows. Decline of water level is a problem in only a few small areas. Saline water as a resource is available for development from aquifers and streams near the coast and from aquifers at considerable depth in most of the Pearl River basin. Pollution is a problem in oil fields and in reaches of some streams below sewage and other waste-disposal points. The basin estuary contains water of variable quality but has potential for certain water-use developments that will require special planning and management.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS2015

A field comparison of multiple techniques to quantify groundwater - surface-water interactions

Groundwater–surface-water (GW-SW) interactions in streams are difficult to quantify because of heterogeneity in hydraulic and reactive processes across a range of spatial and temporal scales. The challenge of quantifying these interactions has led to the development of several techniques, from centimeter-scale probes to whole-system tracers, including chemical, thermal, and electrical methods. We co-applied conservative and smart reactive solute-tracer tests, measurement of hydraulic heads, distributed temperature sensing, vertical profiles of solute tracer and temperature in the stream bed, and electrical resistivity imaging in a 450-m reach of a 3 rd -order stream. GW-SW interactions were not spatially expansive, but were high in flux through a shallow hyporheic zone surrounding the reach. NaCl and resazurin tracers suggested different surface–subsurface exchange patterns in the upper ⅔ and lower ⅓ of the reach. Subsurface sampling of tracers and vertical thermal profiles quantified relatively high fluxes through a 10- to 20-cm deep hyporheic zone with chemical reactivity of the resazurin tracer indicated at 3-, 6-, and 9-cm sampling depths. Monitoring of hydraulic gradients along transects with MINIPOINT streambed samplers starting ∼40 m from the stream indicated that groundwater discharge prevented development of a larger hyporheic zone, which progressively decreased from the stream thalweg toward the banks. Distributed temperature sensing did not detect extensive inflow of ground water to the stream, and electrical resistivity imaging showed limited large-scale hyporheic exchange. We recommend choosing technique(s) based on: 1) clear definition of the questions to be addressed (physical, biological, or chemical processes), 2) explicit identification of the spatial and temporal scales to be covered and those required to provide an appropriate context for interpretation, and 3) maximizing generation of mechanistic understanding and reducing costs of implementing multiple techniques through collaborative research.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1990

Field manual for the investigation of fish kills

Preface Fish kills are graphic evidence of serious problems in a lake or stream. If the kill is related to the presence of toxic chemicals, there may be human health concerns, in addition to the obvious damage to the ecosystem and the fisheries resources. Depending on the cause of a fish kill, legal and economic ramifications may be involved. If the kill is cause by human or corporate actions, litigation is likely to follow, with possible court-awarded damages and assessed costs for cleanup and restoration. Federal and State agencies have expressed the need for a compendium of known and accepted methods and techniques that should be followed by anyone investigation a fish kill. This manual is an attempt to fill that need. It addresses the many facets involved in a fish kill investigation and provides instruction, guidance, examples, and sample forms that can be used. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is pleased to provide this manual to help fisheries biologists and others prepare for a fish kill investigation. Research and Development (Region 8) has cooperated with the Division of Environmental Contaminants in Fish and Wildlife Enhancement to provide expertise and funds. We hope that the manual proves to be useful for interpreting evidence at the site of a fish kill, and corrective actions, and preparing for appearance as a court witness.

Resource Publication↗
USGS1990

Modelling streamwater chemistry as a mixture of soilwater end-members - A step towards second-generation acidification models

In present acidification models, soilwater characteristics, though modelled, are seldom checked against field observations. Given that such data are now collected as part of many catchment studies, a technique is developed whereby stream water can be predicted as a mixture of the observed soilwater classes or end-members. Provided that a sufficient set of end-members has been identified, a least-squares technique can be used to estimate the contribution to the stream from each end-member, whenever streamwater samples have been taken. For two catchments, Birkenes in southern Norway and Plynlimon in Mid-Wales, the analysis indicates that the soilwater end-members observed to date are insufficient to explain streamwater chemistry. However, properties of the missing soil waters have been identified, thus facilitating future field work. When an adequate set of soilwater end-members has been established, long-term predictions of changes in streamwater chemistry reduce to the problem of predicting the fate of each end-member. Thus, a separate hydrological submodel is not needed, since the mixing patterns are derived from the end-member analysis.

Journal of Hydrology↗
USGS2019

An experimental evaluation of the feasibility of inferring concentrations of a visible tracer dye from remotely sensed data in turbid rivers

The movement of contaminants and biota within river channels is influenced by the flow field via various processes of dispersion. Understanding and modeling of these processes thus can facilitate applications ranging from the prediction of travel times for spills of toxic materials to the simulation of larval drift for endangered species of fish. A common means of examining dispersion in rivers involves conducting tracer experiments with a visible tracer dye. Whereas conventional in situ instruments can only measure variations in dye concentration over time at specific, fixed locations, remote sensing could provide more detailed, spatially distributed information for characterizing dispersion patterns and validating two-dimensional numerical models. Although previous studies have demonstrated the potential to infer dye concentrations from remotely sensed data in clear-flowing streams, whether this approach can be applied to more turbid rivers remains an open question. To evaluate the feasibility of mapping spatial patterns of dispersion in streams with greater turbidity, we conducted an experiment that involved manipulating dye concentration and turbidity while acquiring field spectra and hyperspectral and RGB (red, green, blue) images from a small Unoccupied Aircraft System (sUAS). Applying an Optimal Band Ratio Analysis (OBRA) algorithm to these data sets indicated strong relationships between reflectance (i.e., water color) and Rhodamine WT dye concentration across four different turbidity levels from 40-60 NTU. Moreover, we obtained high correlations between spectrally based quantities (i.e., band ratios) and dye concentration for the original, essentially continuous field spectra; field spectra resampled to the bands of a five-band imaging system and an RGB camera; and both hyperspectral and RGB images acquired from a sUAS during the experiment. The results of this study thus confirmed the potential to map dispersion patterns of tracer dye via remote sensing and suggested that this approach can be extended to more turbid rivers than those examined previously.

Missouri↗
USGS1998

Observations on basaltic lava streams in tubes from Kilauea Volcano, island of Hawai'i

From 1986 to 1997, the Pu'u 'O'o-Kupaianaha eruption of Kilauea produced a vast pahoehoe flow field fed by lava tubes that extended 10–12 km from vents on the volcano's east rift zone to the ocean. Within a kilometer of the vent, tubes were as much as 20 m high and 10–25 m wide. On steep slopes (4–10°) a little farther away from the vent, some tubes formed by roofing over of lava channels. Lava streams were typically 1–2 m deep flowing within a tube that here was typically 5 m high and 3 m wide. On the coastal plain (<1°), tubes within inflated sheet flows were completely filled, typically 1–2 m high, and several tens of meters wide. Tubes develop as a flow's crust grows on the top, bottom, and sides of the tubes, restricting the size of the fluid core. The tubes start out with nearly elliptical cross-sectional shapes, many times wider than high. Broad, flat sheet flows evolve into elongate tumuli with an axial crack as the flanks of the original flow were progressively buried by breakouts. Temperature measurements and the presence of stalactites in active tubes confirmed that the tube walls were above the solidus and subject to melting. Sometimes, the tubes began downcutting. Progressive downcutting was frequently observed through skylights; a rate of 10 cm/d was measured at one skylight for nearly 2 months.

Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth↗
USGS2010

Determination of time-of-travel, dispersion characteristics, and oxygen reaeration coefficients during low streamflows--Lower Tacony/Frankford Creek, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Time-of-travel, dispersion characteristics, and oxygen reaeration coefficients were determined by use of dye and gas tracing for a 2-mile reach of Tacony/Frankford Creek in Philadelphia, southeastern Pennsylvania. The reach frequently has concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) below the water-quality standard of 4 milligrams per liter during warm months. Several large combined sewer overflows (CSOs), including one of the largest in Philadelphia (former Wingohocking Creek), discharge to the study reach in this urbanized watershed, affecting water quality and the timing and magnitude of storm peaks. In addition, a dam that commonly results in backwater conditions and reduced natural reaeration is present a few hundred feet from the end of the study reach. Time-of-travel and reaeration data were collected under base-flow conditions in August and September 2009 for three sub-reaches from Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. Route 1) to Castor Avenue. Determination of traveltimes to the centroid of the dye cloud were needed for calculation of the reaeration coefficients. Results of the dye study in Tacony/Frankford Creek indicate that traveltimes were affected by the presence of man-made structures, such as the large scour hole and pool developed at the outfall of the T14 CSO and the dam, both of which reduce stream velocities. Mean stream velocities during the dye-tracer tests ranged from a maximum of 0.44 to 0.04 foot per second through a large pool. The dispersion efficiency of the stream was determined from relations between normalized unit concentrations to time to peak for use in water-quality modeling. Oxygen reaeration coefficients determined by a constant rate-injection method using propane as the tracer gas were as low as 0.04 unit per hour in a long pool affected by backwater conditions behind a dam. The highest reaeration coefficient was 2.29 units per hour for a steep-gradient reach with multiple winding channels through gravel deposits, just downstream of a large scour pool developed at the outlet of the T14 CSO. Reaeration coefficients determined from the field tracer-gas method were compared to values calculated by two other methods, one that is based on theoretical equations using physical properties of the stream as variables and the other that is based on equations using the timing of measured daily maximum DO concentrations in the stream. Reaeration coefficients from the two alternate methods were most similar to values determined from the field tracer-gas method for the upstream portion of the study reach, characterized by free-flowing riffle and pools. Values of reaeration coefficients determined by the tracer-gas method were 2 to 10 times higher than values determined by 2 alternate methods for most subreaches hydraulically affected by man-made structures. In addition to the tracer gas, propane, the gas analysis also included methane, ethane, and ethene, of which only methane was measured in concentrations above a few micrograms per liter. Methane, thought to occur naturally or because of ongoing processes in the stream, was measured in concentrations ranging from 6.6 to 78 micrograms per liter; the concentrations were greatest in sub-reaches dominated by pools.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS2021

Evaluating coexistence of fish species with coastal cutthroat trout in low order streams of western Oregon and Washington, USA

When multiple species of fish coexist there are a host of potential ways through which they may interact, yet there is often a strong focus on studies of single species without considering these interactions. For example, many studies of forestry–stream interactions in the Pacific Northwest have focused solely on the most prevalent species: Coastal cutthroat trout. To examine the potential for interactions of other fishes with coastal cutthroat trout, we conducted an analysis of 281 sites in low order streams located on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and along the central Oregon coast. Coastal cutthroat trout and juvenile coho salmon were the most commonly found salmonid species within these streams and exhibited positive associations with each other for both presence and density. Steelhead were negatively associated with the presence of coastal cutthroat trout as well as with coho salmon and sculpins (Cottidae). Coastal cutthroat trout most frequently shared streams with juvenile coho salmon. For densities of these co-occurring species, associations between these two species were relatively weak compared to the strong influences of physical stream conditions (size and gradient), suggesting that physical conditions may have more of an influence on density than species interactions. Collectively, our analysis, along with a review of findings from prior field and laboratory studies, suggests that the net effect of interactions between coastal cutthroat trout and coho salmon do not appear to inhibit their presence or densities in small streams along the Pacific Northwest.

Washington↗