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USGS2020

Sediment export and impacts associated with river delta channelization compound estuary vulnerability to sea-level rise, Skagit River Delta, Washington, USA

Improved understanding of the budget and retention of sediment in river deltas is becoming increasingly important to mitigate and plan for impacts expected with sea level rise. In this study, analyses of historical bathymetric change, sediment core stratigraphy, and modeling are used to evaluate the sediment budget and environmental response of the largest river delta in the U.S. Pacific Northwest to western land-use change beginning in ~1850. An estimated 142±28 M m 3 of sediment accumulated offshore of the emergent Skagit River delta in Washington State between 1890 and 2014 and ~68% of which was found in sand deposits. The fraction of sediment retained in sand reservoirs represents 83% of the expected fluvial sand delivery over this time suggesting their potential utility to evaluate the relative contribution of different land uses to sediment runoff through time. A significantly higher ratio of sand retention to delivery during the period 1890–1939 coincided with extensive watershed denudation (clear-cut logging) and channel dredging, relative to the period 1940–2014, which was characterized by improved forest practices and sediment management to protect endangered species but also more extensive river channelization. Retention in the delta foreset of 78% of the sand delivered by the river between 1890 and 1939 was associated with extensive sediment bypassing and delta progradation that is shown to be 5–10x higher than rates over the Holocene. Comparable offshore sand retention over time and higher nearshore retention subsequent to 1940 after normalizing for the assumed reduction in sediment runoff with improved forest practices, suggests that channelization has continued to influence sediment export at a magnitude equivalent to the effects of early logging. Adverse impacts of the bypassing sediment regime to natural hazards risk and ecosystem management concerns are discussed, including the role of the lost sediment as a resource to mitigate subsiding coastal lands vulnerable to flood impacts. The sediment budget and coastal change analyses provide a framework for evaluating opportunities to achieve greater resilience across several sectors of coastal land use important in low-lying deltas worldwide.

Washington↗

USGS2015

Distribution of near-surface permafrost in Alaska: estimates of present and future conditions

High-latitude regions are experiencing rapid and extensive changes in ecosystem composition and function as the result of increases in average air temperature. Increasing air temperatures have led to widespread thawing and degradation of permafrost, which in turn has affected ecosystems, socioeconomics, and the carbon cycle of high latitudes. Here we overcome complex interactions among surface and subsurface conditions to map nearsurface permafrost through decision and regression tree approaches that statistically and spatially extend field observations using remotely sensed imagery, climatic data, and thematic maps of a wide range of surface and subsurface biophysical characteristics. The data fusion approach generated medium-resolution (30-m pixels) maps of near-surface (within 1 m) permafrost, active-layer thickness, and associated uncertainty estimates throughout mainland Alaska. Our calibrated models (overall test accuracy of ~85%) were used to quantify changes in permafrost distribution under varying future climate scenarios assuming no other changes in biophysical factors. Models indicate that near-surface permafrost underlies 38% of mainland Alaska and that near-surface permafrost will disappear on 16 to 24% of the landscape by the end of the 21st Century. Simulations suggest that near-surface permafrost degradation is more probable in central regions of Alaska than more northerly regions. Taken together, these results have obvious implications for potential remobilization of frozen soil carbon pools under warmer temperatures. Additionally, warmer and drier conditions may increase fire activity and severity, which may exacerbate rates of permafrost thaw and carbon remobilization relative to climate alone. The mapping of permafrost distribution across Alaska is important for land-use planning, environmental assessments, and a wide-array of geophysical studies.

Alaska↗

USGS2003

Historic range of variability in landscape structure in subalpine forests of the Greater Yellowstone Area, USA

A measure of the historic range of variability (HRV) in landscape structure is essential for evaluating current landscape patterns of Rocky Mountain coniferous forests that have been subjected to intensive timber harvest. We used a geographic information system (GIS) and FRAGSTATS to calculate key landscape metrics on two ???130,000-ha landscapes in the Greater Yellowstone Area, USA: one in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), which has been primarily shaped by natural fires, and a second in the adjacent Targhee National Forest (TNF), which has undergone intensive clearcutting for nearly 30 years. Digital maps of the current and historical landscape in YNP were developed from earlier stand age maps developed by Romme and Despain. Maps of the TNF landscape were adapted from United States Forest Service Resource Information System (RIS) data. Key landscape metrics were calculated at 20-yr intervals for YNP for the period from 1705-1995. These metrics were used to first evaluate the relative effects of small vs. large fire events on landscape structure and were then compared to similar metrics calculated for both pre- and post-harvest landscapes of the TNF. Large fires, such as those that burned in 1988, produced a structurally different landscape than did previous, smaller fires (1705-1985). The total number of patches of all types was higher after 1988 (694 vs. 340-404 before 1988), and mean patch size was reduced by almost half (186 ha vs. 319-379 ha). The amount of unburned forest was less following the 1988 fires (63% vs. 72-90% prior to 1988), yet the number of unburned patches increased by nearly an order of magnitude (230 vs. a maximum of 41 prior to 1988). Total core area and mean core area per patch decreased after 1988 relative to smaller fires (???73,700 ha vs. 87,000-110,000 ha, and 320 ha vs. 2,123 ha, respectively). Notably, only edge density was similar (17 m ha-1 after 1988) to earlier landscapes (9.8-14.2 m ha-1). Three decades of timber harvesting dramatically altered landscape structure in the TNF. Total number of patches increased threefold (1,481 after harvest vs. 437 before harvest), and mean patch size decreased by ???70% (91.3 ha vs. 309 ha). None of the post-harvest landscape metrics calculated for the TNF fell within the HRV as defined in YNP, even when the post-1988 landscape was considered. In contrast, pre-harvest TNF landscape metrics were all within, or very nearly within, the HRV for YNP While reference conditions such as those identified by this study are useful for local and regional landscape evaluation and planning, additional research is necessary to understand the consequences of changes in landscape structure for population, community, ecosystem, and landscape function.

Landscape Ecology↗

USGS2017

Arsenic and mercury contamination related to historical goldmining in the Sierra Nevada, California

Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring constituent in low-sulphide gold-quartz vein deposits, the dominant deposit type for lode mines in the Sierra Nevada Foothills (SNFH) gold (Au) province of California. Concentrations of naturally occurring mercury (Hg) in the SNFH Au province are low, but extensive use and loss of elemental Hg during amalgamation processing of ore from lode and placer Au deposits led to widespread contamination of Hg in the Sierra Nevada foothills and downstream areas, such as the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay. This review paper provides an overview of As and Hg contamination related to historical Au mining in the Sierra Nevada of California. It summarizes the geology, mineralogy, and geochemistry of the Au deposits, and provides information on specific areas where detailed studies have been done in association with past, ongoing, and planned remediation activities related to the environmental As and Hg contamination. Arsenic is a naturally occurring constituent in low-sulphide Au-quartz vein deposits, the dominant deposit type for lode mines in the Sierra Nevada Foothills (SNFH) Au province ( Ashley 2002 ). Because of elevated concentrations of As in accessory iron-sulphide minerals including arsenopyrite (FeAsS) and arsenian pyrite (Fe(S,As) 2 ), As is commonly a contaminant of concern in lode Au mine waste, including waste rock and mill tailings. The principal pathways of human As exposure from mine waste include ingestion of soil or drinking water, and inhalation of dust in contaminated areas ( Mitchell 2014 ). Concentrations of naturally occurring Hg in the SNFH Au province are low, but extensive use and loss of elemental Hg during amalgamation processing of ore from lode and placer Au deposits ( Churchill 2000 ) led to widespread contamination of Hg in the Sierra Nevada foothills and downstream areas, such as the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay ( Alpers et al. 2005 a ). Conversion of Hg to monomethylmercury (MeHg) by sulphate-reducing and iron-reducing microbes facilitates its bioaccumulation ( Wiener et al. 2003 ). The human Hg exposure pathway of main concern is ingestion of MeHg from sport (non-commercial) fish, especially higher trophic levels such as bass species ( Davis et al. 2008 ). Wildlife exposure to MeHg is also a concern because of chronic and reproductive effects, for example in fish-eating and invertebrate-foraging birds (e.g. Wiener et al. 2003 ; Eagles-Smith et al. 2009 ; Ackerman et al. 2016 ).

California↗

USGS1982

Dynamic ice-wallow relief of northern Alaska's nearshore

Contour maps with 0.5-m depth interval were prepared for a small area seaward of Reindeer Island, a barrier island in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, by repeated surveys with very accurate navigation and very close trackline spacing. The maps reveal numerous closed depressions and mounds about 50 to 100 m in diameter and 2 to 3 m in relief, presumably related to grounded ice floes common in the area year round. Some of the features were obliterated over the course of three seasons while new ones formed. Although the depressions resemble kettles, they are formed by very different mechanisms. We believe that these bedforms represent erosion and deposition caused by: a) intensified flow around stationary ice floes serving as obstacles and b) pulsating currents generated by vertical oscillations or rocking motions of grounded floes in a seaway. Because sediment transport occurs around the ice, not where it directly touches the sea floor, the depressions are much larger than the base of the acting floes. Ice-wallow bedforms, although not found everywhere, are characteristic of arctic nearshore regions with non-cohesive sediments, and most likely occur in other ice-stressed coastal environments in differing degrees. The bedforms studied here are highly active and must be considered in planning nearshore construction activities.

Journal of Sedimentary Petrology↗

USGS2015

First record of black band disease in the Hawaiian archipelago: response, outbreak, status, virulence, and a method of treatment

A high number of coral colonies, Montipora spp., with progressive tissue loss were reported from the north shore of Kaua‘i by a member of the Eyes of the Reef volunteer reporting network. The disease has a distinct lesion (semi-circular pattern of tissue loss with an adjacent dark band) that was first observed in Hanalei Bay, Kaua‘i in 2004. The disease, initially termed Montipora banded tissue loss, appeared grossly similar to black band disease (BBD), which affects corals worldwide. Following the initial report, a rapid response was initiated as outlined in Hawai‘i’s rapid response contingency plan to determine outbreak status and investigate the disease. Our study identified the three dominant bacterial constituents indicative of BBD (filamentous cyanobacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, sulfide-oxidizing bacteria) in coral disease lesions from Kaua‘i, which provided the first evidence of BBD in the Hawaiian archipelago. A rapid survey at the alleged outbreak site found disease to affect 6-7% of the montiporids, which is higher than a prior prevalence of less than 1% measured on Kaua‘i in 2004, indicative of an epizootic. Tagged colonies with BBD had an average rate of tissue loss of 5.7 cm 2 /day over a two-month period. Treatment of diseased colonies with a double band of marine epoxy, mixed with chlorine powder, effectively reduced colony mortality. Within two months, treated colonies lost an average of 30% less tissue compared to untreated controls.

Hawaii↗

USGS1977

Lakes of Oregon, Volume 5: Marion County

An inventory of lakes and reservoirs of Oregon is essential for a complete evaluation of the total surface-water supply of the State and to provide a basis for answering questions about Oregon's lakes. Much of the information on lakes and reservoirs previously collected by Federal and State agencies has never been published. Those data were compiled and used as a basis for collecting additional information. This report provides information for use by city, county, and State planning groups as a basis for designing more advanced interpretative studies. The information also will be useful to sportsmen, tourists, and others interested in preserving the recreational value of Oregon's lakes. Because of the large number of lakes and reservoirs in Oregon, a single report covering the State would be bulky. Therefore, the lake information is being issued in several volumes on a county or multicounty basis. Volume 1, released in 1973, covered Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook Counties; volume 2 (1974) included Benton, Lincoln, and Polk Counties; volume 3 (1975) included Hood River, Multnomah, Washing ton, and Yamhill Counties; and volume 4 (1976) included Clackamas County. Marion County was selected for volume 5. (See figure 1.) The southeast part of Marion County lies in a national wilderness area. Wilderness areas are protected under the National Wilderness Preservation System that directs management "for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such a manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness." Regulations for wilderness use and entry permits may be obtained at U.S. Forest Service offices. In addition to office compilation of existing data, each lake was visited. Most visits were made in summer or early fall when lakes were most accessible and when water temperature and biological activitiy were near maximum.

Oregon↗

USGS2015

Ground-survey and water-quality data for selected wetlands on or near the Lower Brule Indian Reservation in South Dakota, 2012-13

Numerous lakes, ponds, and wetlands are located within the Lower Brule Indian Reservation. Wetlands are an important resource providing aquatic habitat for plants and animals, and acting as a natural water filtration system. Several of the wetlands on or near the reservation are of particular interest, but information on the physical and biological integrity of these wetlands was needed to provide a base-line reference when planning for future water management needs. A reconnaissance-level study of selected wetlands on and near the Lower Brule Indian Reservation was completed in 2012–13 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe using ground surveys and water-quality analyses. Ground surveys of six wetland areas (Dorman Slough, Little Bend Wetlands, Miller Pond, Potter Slough, an unnamed slough, and West Brule Community wetlands) were completed to map land, water, vegetation, and man-made features of the selected wetland areas using real-time kinematic global navigation satellite systems equipment. Water samples were collected from four of the selected wetlands. Two separate waterbodies were sampled at one of the wetlands for a total of five sampling locations. Water samples were analyzed for physical properties, selected inorganics, metals, nutrients, and suspended sediment. Concentrations of calcium, sodium, and sulfate were greater at the two wetland sites fed by ground water, compared to the wetland sites fed by surface runoff.

South Dakota↗

USGS2006

Environmental effects of historical mining in the Boulder River watershed, southwestern Montana

The U.S. Geological Survey recently completed an environmental study of historical mining in the Boulder River watershed, Montana, using the watershed approach. Results of the study have been used by State and Federal agencies to plan and implement cleanup. The watershed approach is based on the premise that contaminated sites that have the most profound effect on water and ecosystem quality within an entire watershed can be identified, characterized, and ranked for cleanup.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS2007

Ground-Water Data and Flow Directions in the Vicinity of Swamp Road, Licking County, Ohio, 2006-07

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is proposing to build a dry dam on the South Fork Licking River to mitigate flood impacts. Concerns have been raised regarding the effects of impounded floodwaters on ground-water conditions in the Swamp Road neighborhood. To obtain a better understanding of existing ground-water conditions, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the NRCS, installed three monitoring wells and collected ground-water-quality samples on two occasions from these and four residential wells. In addition, transducers were placed in these seven wells to obtain hourly water-level measurements from August, 2006 to early March, 2007. Intermittent water levels also were measured in another seven residential wells in the area. Water-quality samples were collected in September 2006 and January 2007. Samples were analyzed for nutrients, inorganic elements, and fecal-indicator bacteria. In general, the ground-water quality was very hard with large iron concentrations of 1,700 ?g/L and above. Although the aquifer underlying the Swamp Road area is confined, the continuous water-level records indicate a rapid response to precipitation. Comparison of the well hydrographs with the stage hydrograph for the nearby South Fork Licking River indicates a hydraulic connection between the river and the aquifer. In the vicinity of Swamp Road, the ground-water-flow direction was southeast during the duration of the study. The ground-water-level elevations were above the planned maximum elevation for water impounded by the dam, thus the impounded floodwater should have minimal impact on ground-water conditions along Swamp Road.

Open-File Report↗

USGS1979

Water resources of the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation and vicinity, Riverside County, California

The Santa Rosa Indian Reservation is a 17-square-mile area located between the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains in south-central Riverside County, Calif. The source of water in most of the study area is precipitation on the three topographic subbasins that nearly surround the reservation. Precipitation averages about 12 inches annually (18,000 acre-feet per year), with 10 inches (15,000 acre-feet per year) of it returning to the air by evapotranspiration, 1 inch (1,500 acre-feet per year) running off from the area, and 1 inch (1,500 acre-feet per year) going to ground-water recharge. Local geology and the shape of the ground-water basin, as defined by a gravity survey, indicate that the area receives no ground-water inflow from outside the study area. Production of a dry-farm crop is planned for the 800-acre area west of Vandeventer Flat on the reservation's main section. Additional water supplies are needed for crop irrigation. At present (1979), water is obtained from a supply well that taps the saturated section of the sandy material overlying the basement complex of Cretaceous age or older. Existing data indicate that the aquifer may not yield large volumes of water to individual wells. A specific capacity of about 0.4 gallon per minute per foot of drawdown was measured at the supply well. Estimates of specific yield for the material encountered during the drilling of three wells and a test hole were 5 to 10 percent. The thickest section of the aquifer in the Vandeventer Flat area was outlined by a gravity survey. Test wells should provide information on thickness of the aquifer, aquifer properties, and potential well yield. Damming of area streams could also supply irrigation water. Average runoff totals about 1,500 acre-feet per year, with greater volumes lost during periods of heavy precipitation and flooding. Peak discharge from the central and southern subbasins totaled about 160 acre-feet per hour during the January-March period of 1978. Water-quality analyses for the supply well and five major springs indicate that the ground water is suitable for irrigation everywhere except at Sulphur Spring, where the percent sodium of 97 is above recommended maximum levels, and at Bull Canyon Spring, where water of 1,300 micromhos specific conductance is considered a high salinity hazard. The sulfate concentration of 290 milligrams per liter in Bull Canyon Spring is above the recommended maximum level for drinking water.

California↗

USGS1979

Urban storm-runoff modelling; Madison, Wisconsin

The Illinois Urban Drainage Area Simulator was used to analyze the effects that (1) physical changes to storm-sewer conduits, and (2) increased runoff detention and infiltration would have on storm runoff in four urban basins in Madison, Wisconsin. The model was calibrated using monitoring data for the four basins collected over a 1-year period. A brief evaluation was made of a modified version of the model that simulates quality of urban runoff. Additional monitoring and computer analysis are necessary to calibrate the water-quality portion of the model before it can be used as a management tool in Madison. This study was done in cooperation with the Dane County Regional Planning Commission (DCRPC). Tables presenting results of various storm-water-management options are included. Some notable simulation results were that a 25 percent storm-sewer slope reduction yielded only a 3 percent peak-discharge reduction, and increasing storm-sewer roughness by increasing Manning's "n" from 0.013 to 0.0^0 decreased peak discharge about 10 to 20 percent. Detention of 10 percent of runoff throughout each basin yielded peak-discharge reductions of about 10 to 20 percent. Infiltration of all parking-lot runoff reduced peak discharges 5 to 2h percent. Peak discharges were reduced by 71 to 88 percent by substituting porous pavement for conventional pavement. Draining 90 percent of the residential rooftops onto lawns instead of driveways reduced peak discharge from 7 to 31 percent. Runoff-volume reduction was similarly reduced for the induced infiltration simulations. Storage requirements for hypothetical storm-water-treatment plants ranged from 2.6 to 29 acre-feet for the smallest and largest basins, respectively, with a treatment capacity of 25 cubic feet per second. A brief inconclusive evaluation of the water-quality subroutines of the model was made. Close agreement was noted between observed and simulated loads for nitrates, organic nitrogen, total phosphate, and total solids. Ammonia nitrogen and orthophosphate computed by the model ranged 7 to 11 times greater than the observed loads. Observed loads are doubtful because of the sparsity of water-quality data.

Wisconsin↗

USGS1987

National and regional trends in water-well drilling in the United States, 1964-84

Information on national and regional water well drilling activity is important for water resource planning and management and for water related equipment marketing. A study was conducted to analyze drilling trends on the basis of data for selected years from 1964 through 1984. The study focused primarily on the years 1964 and 1980-84, but also included data from 1960. Approximately 397,000 water wells were drilled in the United States in 1984. Seven states--Florida, Texas, New York, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia, and Ohio--accounted for 39% of all the wells drilled in the United States in 1984. Florida led the nation in drilling activity with 45,600 new wells. The 1984 national drilling total was 2.6% > the total for 1980 (387,000) and 8.5% < the total for 1964 (434,000). However, these moderate differences do not reflect substantial year-to-year fluctuations that may have occurred during that 20-yr period. Qualitative comparisons suggest that drilling activity for a given year is closely related to the number of housing starts for that year. If so, there may have been peaks in drilling activity in 1972 and 1977-78 (corresponding to peaks in housing starts) that are not identified in this study because of a lack of available well drilling data for those years. Well drilling data for 1964 and the 1980-84 period probably represent a low to moderate level of drilling activity, and, if compared to earlier data, suggest that there has been no substantial growth or decline in the water well industry as a whole since the 1940's. (Author's abstract)

Open-File Report↗

USGS2006

Evaluation of emerging contaminants of concern at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant based on seasonal sampling events, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2004

The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan has identified highly treated wastewater as a possible water source for the restoration of natural water flows and hydroperiods in selected coastal areas, including the Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands. One potential source of reclaimed wastewater for the Biscayne Bay coastal wetlands is the effluent from the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant in southern Miami-Dade County. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan Wastewater Reuse Technology Pilot Project Delivery Team, initiated a study to assess the presence of emerging contaminants of concern in the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant influent and effluent using current wastewater-treatment methods. As part of the study, 24-hour composite and discrete samples were collected at six locations (influent at plants 1 and 2, effluent pump, reuse train, chlorine dioxide unit, and ultraviolet pilot unit) at the plant during: (1) a dry-season, low-flow event on March 2-3, 2004, with an average inflow rate of 83.7 million gallons per day; (2) a wet-season, average-flow event on July 20-21, 2004, with an average inflow rate of 89.7 million gallons per day; and (3) high-rate disinfection tests on October 5 and 20, 2004, with average flow rates of 84.1 and 119.6 million gallons per day, respectively. During these four sampling events, 26, 27, 29, and 35 constituents were detected, respectively. The following transformations in concentration were determined in the waste stream: -100 to 180 percent at the effluent pump and -100 to 85 percent at the reuse train on March 2-3, 2004, and -100 to 1,609 percent at the effluent pump and -100 to 832 percent at the reuse train on July 20-21, 2004; -100 to -37 percent at the effluent pump, -100 to -62 percent at the reuse train, -100 to -56 percent at the chlorine dioxide unit, and -100 to -40 percent at the ultraviolet pilot unit on October 5, 2004; and -100 to -4 percent at the effluent pump, -100 to 17 percent at the reuse train, -100 to -40 percent at the chlorine dioxide unit, and -100 to -14 percent at the ultraviolet pilot unit on October 20, 2004. Samples were tested for detection of household and industrial (organic) wastewater compounds, pharmaceutical compounds, antibiotic compounds, and hormones in influent. Two 'known' endocrine disrupting compounds?17 beta-estradiol (E2) and diethoxynonylphenol? and four 'suspected' endocrine-disrupting compounds?1,4-dichlorobenzene, benzophenone, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, and tris(dichloroisopropyl) phosphate?were detected during these sampling events. Phenanthrene and indole showed the greatest concentration ranges and highest concentrations for the organic wastewater compounds. Acetaminophen showed the greatest concentration range and highest concentration, and warfarin showed the smallest concentration range for the pharmaceutical compounds. Sulfamethoxazole (a sulfonamide) showed the greatest concentration range and highest concentration, and sulfathiozole (also a sulfonamide) showed the smallest concentration range for the antibiotic compounds. Two hormones, 17 beta-estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1), were detected in influent. Samples were also tested for detection of organic wastewater compounds, pharmaceutical compounds, antibiotic compounds, and hormones in effluent. Indole showed the greatest concentration range and highest concentration, and triphenyl phosphate showed the smallest concentration range for the organic wastewater compounds. Dehydronifedipine showed the greatest concentration range and highest concentration, and warfarin had the smallest concentration range for the pharmaceutical compounds. Anhydro-erythromycin (a macrolide degradation product) showed the greatest concentration range, and sulfadiazine (a sulfonamide) and tetracycline showed the lowest concentration ranges for the antibiotic compounds. One hormone, 17 beta-estradiol (E2), was det

Florida↗

USGS2009

Sediment Transport in the Bill Williams River and Turbidity in Lake Havasu During and Following Two High Releases from Alamo Dam, Arizona, in 2005 and 2006

Discharges higher than are typically released from Alamo Dam in west-central Arizona were planned and released in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 to study the effects of these releases on the Bill Williams River and Lake Havasu, into which the river debouches. Sediment concentrations and water discharges were measured in the Bill Williams River, and turbidity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen were measured in Lake Havasu during and after experimental releases in 2005 and 2006 from Alamo Dam. Data from such releases will support ongoing ecological studies, improve environmentally sensitive management of the river corridor, and support the development of a predictive relationship between the operation of Alamo Dam and downstream flows and their impact on Lake Havasu and the Colorado River. Elevated discharges in the Bill Williams River mobilize more sediment than during more typical dam operation and can generate a turbidity plume in Lake Havasu. The intakes for the Central Arizona Project, which transfers Colorado River water to central and southern Arizona, are near the mouth of the Bill Williams River. Measurement of the turbidity and the development of the plume over time consequently were important components of the study. In this report, the measurements of suspended sediment concentration and discharges in the Bill Williams River and of turbidity in Lake Havasu are presented along with calculations of silt and sand loads in the Bill Williams River. Sediment concentrations were varied and likely dependent on a variable supply. Sediment loads were calculated at the mouth of the river and near Planet, about 10 km upstream from the mouth for the 2005 release, and they indicate that a net increase in transport of silt and a net decrease in the transport of sand occurred in the reach between the two sites.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2012

Estimated probabilities and volumes of postwildfire debris flows—A prewildfire evaluation for the Pikes Peak area, El Paso and Teller Counties, Colorado

Debris flows are fast-moving, high-density slurries of water, sediment, and debris that can have enormous destructive power. Although debris flows, triggered by intense rainfall or rapid snowmelt on steep hillsides covered with erodible material, are a common geomorphic process in some unburned areas, a wildfire can transform conditions in a watershed with no recent history of debris flows into conditions that pose a substantial hazard to residents, communities, infrastructure, aquatic habitats, and water supply. The location, extent, and severity of wildfire and the subsequent rainfall intensity and duration cannot be known in advance; however, hypothetical scenarios based on empirical debris-flow models are useful planning tools for conceptualizing potential postwildfire debris flows. A prewildfire study to determine the potential for postwildfire debris flows in the Pikes Peak area in El Paso and Teller Counties, Colorado, was initiated in 2010 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities. The study was conducted to provide a relative measure of which subwatersheds might constitute the most serious potential debris-flow hazards in the event of a large-scale wildfire and subsequent rainfall.

Colorado↗

USGS2013

Estimates of gains and losses from unmeasured sources and sinks for streamflow and dissolved-solids load in selected reaches of the Arkansas River, southeastern Colorado, 2009-2010

The Arkansas River is an important municipal water supply and is the primary supply for about 400,000 acres of irrigated land in southeastern Colorado. The suitability of this water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use is affected by high salinity in parts of the Arkansas River. There is a need to quantify mass loading of dissolved solids (DS) in the Arkansas River. In 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Arkansas River Basin Regional Resource Planning Group and the Colorado Water Conservation Board, began a study to estimate gains and losses from unmeasured sources and sinks for streamflow and DS load in selected reaches of the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado. Two study reaches were selected for investigation—Canon City to just upstream from Pueblo Reservoir (UARB) and Avondale to Las Animas (LARB). The results from the water-budget analyses indicated that potential areas of unmeasured sources and sinks of streamflow were identifiable in the two study reaches. In the UARB, a substantial volume of water in the subreach from Ark at Canon City to the seasonal gaging station 5 miles downstream (Ark nr Canon City) was unaccounted for by the methodology used in this analysis. The daily gain from unmeasured sources in this subreach was estimated to be about 100 cubic feet per second (ft 3 /s) or about 20 ft 3 /s per river mile. Water-budget estimates for the remaining 18 miles of the UARB study reach indicated that gains or losses from unmeasured sources or sinks were within the measurement error as defined for this report. In the LARB, gains and losses from unmeasured sources and sinks were identified in some of the subreaches but the magnitude of the flux generally was small. Unmeasured sources ranging from less than 2 to 3 ft 3 /s per mile were identified in the river subreaches from Ark at Catlin Dam downstream to Ark at Swink. A streamflow loss was indicated along the subreach from Ark at Nepesta to Ark at Catlin Dam, particularly in 2010. The mechanism and spatial extent of this sink was not identified, and further investigation would be required to better quantify the loss. The results from the analyses of unmeasured sources of DS load indicated that potential source areas were identifiable in the study areas. It might be expected that unmeasured DS load flux would be identified along the same reaches where unmeasured streamflow flux was identified. To that extent, some of the observed results from the analysis of daily DS loading did mirror the streamflow results. In some subreaches of the Arkansas River, however, unmeasured sources and sinks of DS load did not appear to be directly associated with unmeasured sources and sinks of streamflow. In the UARB from Ark at Canon City to Ark nr Canon City, unmeasured gains in DS load were estimated to range from 11 to 22 tons per day per mile in 2009 and from about 8 to 13 tons per day per mile in 2010; streamflow from unmeasured sources was estimated to be about 20 ft 3 /s per mile along this same reach. Downstream from this short reach, DS load to the river from unmeasured sources was estimated to range from 5.4 to 7.6 tons per day per mile in 2010 for Ark nr Canon City to Ark at Portland and from 11 to 16 tons per day per mile in 2009 for Ark at Portland to Ark nr Portland. Unmeasured gains in streamflow were not identified in either of these subreaches. Several small tributaries with DS concentrations ranging from 3,000 mg/L to as high as 6,000 mg/L enter the river along these subreaches. These inputs may indicate a potential source of groundwater that could affect DS loading in the river. Further investigation would be needed to identify the unmeasured source or sources of DS load to determine the nature and extent of unmeasured inputs. In the LARB, gains in DS load from unmeasured sources were identified for the subreach from Ark nr Avondale to Ark at Nepesta, although no substantial amounts of streamflow from unmeasured sources were identified for this subreach. In 2009, the estimated gain in DS load from unmeasured sources for this subreach was 4.7 tons per day per mile. An increase in DS load from unmeasured sources also was identified along the subreach of the river from Ark at Catlin to Swink; the DS load from unmeasured sources was estimated to range from 10 to 28 tons per day per mile. The only loss of DS load was identified for the subreach from Nepesta to Catlin Dam in 2010. The mechanism and spatial extent of the losses were not identified, and further investigation would be required to better understand the results.

Colorado↗

USGS2005

Estimating population abundance and mapping distribution of wintering sea ducks in coastal waters of the mid-Atlantic

Survey design for wintering scoters (Melanitta sp.) and other sea ducks that occur in offshore waters is challenging because these species have large ranges, are subject to distributional shifts among years and within a season, and can occur in aggregations. Interest in winter sea duck population abundance surveys has grown in recent years. This interest stems from concern over the population status of some sea ducks, limitations of extant breeding waterfowl survey programs in North America and logistical challenges and costs of conducting surveys in northern breeding regions, high winter area philopatry in some species and potential conservation implications, and increasing concern over offshore development and other threats to sea duck wintering habitats. The efficiency and practicality of statistically-rigorous monitoring strategies for mobile, aggregated wintering sea duck populations have not been sufficiently investigated. This study evaluated a 2-phase adaptive stratified strip transect sampling plan to estimate wintering population size of scoters, long-tailed ducks (Clangua hyemalis), and other sea ducks and provide information on distribution. The sampling plan results in an optimal allocation of a fixed sampling effort among offshore strata in the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast region. Phase I transect selection probabilities were based on historic distribution and abundance data, while Phase 2 selection probabilities were based on observations made during Phase 1 flights. Distance sampling methods were used to estimate detection rates. Environmental variables thought to affect detection rates were recorded during the survey and post-stratification and covariate modeling were investigated to reduce the effect of heterogeneity on detection estimation. We assessed cost-precision tradeoffs under a number of fixed-cost sampling scenarios using Monte Carlo simulation. We discuss advantages and limitations of this sampling design for estimating wintering sea duck abundance and mapping distribution and suggest improvements for future surveys.

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