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The Hueco Bolson, as defined in this report, is in the extreme western part of Texas and includes that part of El Paso County between the Franklin and Hueco Mountains north of the Rio Grande.
The importance of water to the basic needs of man is self- evident and needs no particular emphasis. The importance of water to a developing economy cannot be overemphasized. A few decades ago, hydrology was a division of hydraulic engineering and was a tool for project survey, plan, and design. Today hydrology still remains an important part of planning and management of water use projects, but it is imperative that surface and ground-water basic data networks be designed and operated from the standpoint of both present and future water needs. Water problems are ever increasing and ever changing and preparation for the future water demands of Zambia requires knowledge of the hydrology of the country instead of the examination of piecemeal samples for each water use project. The hydrologic survey of Zambia needs to be under the guidance of competent and imaginative hydrologists solidly trained in all elements of basic data collection and analysis and not in the hands of water project planners. Hydrology is a science which requires the highest order of teamwork and the hydrologist will need the help and advice of many employees within the organization to operate the network, provide adequate research, and examine the water needs of the country. It must be thoroughly understood that communication is essential between the hydrological survey and water project planners from both the government and private sectors. It is very important to define the aims and duties of the Hydrological Branch of the Water Affairs Department in a clear cut "Statement of Policy". Personal copies of the statement should be made available to all professional employees and technicians. The reasons for the existence of the Branch may be self-apparent to heads of the organization, but to all other employees the reasons may be vague and unknown. Every member of the technical and administrative staff would benefit by an understanding of the purpose of his work. Nebulous ideas of the function of a hydrological survey of Zambia serve little purpose to the employee making the plans or those who execute them. A dissemination and free flow of ideas in all directions is necessary in any scientific and creative organization. The primary functions of the Hydrological Branch of the Water Affairs Department of Zambia are twofold: Water resource appraisal which includes the inventory of all surface and ground waters; Research, both basic and applied, in the science of water. Possibly some function regarding water law is also conceivable, although attachment of a law enforcement function to water-resource investigations might weaken the position of the Branch as an unbiased scientific organization. As the collection of basic streamflow data is a primary function of the Branch the following instructions for the collection, analysis and computation of streamflow records have been written.
Maximum annual discharges, gage heights, and probable flood dates for 127 sites are compiled for Nevada streams. Data have been collected in cooperation with the Nevada Department of Highways at most of the sites (108). Also included in the report are the peak discharges, gage heights, and flood dates for the period of record at continuous recording gaging stations and a compilation of peak-flow measurements made at miscellaneous streamsites.
Hydrologic data collected during 1977-79 as part of a water-resources investigation of storm runoff in Upper Grange Hall Creek basin, Adams County, Colo., are presented in this report. Data presented in tabular form consist of: (1) Estimated daily precipitation at one site (April through October, 1978 and 1979); (2) mean daily streamflow at two sites (December 1977 through September 1979); (3) instantaneous streamflow at two sites along Grange Hall Creek and corresponding cumulative rainfall at one to three sites for 17 storms (April 1, 1978, to August 26, 1979); (4) concentrations of selected major ions, fecal-coliform bacteria, suspended sediment, nutrients, and trace elements at five sites during dry-weather flow, at three sites during rainfall runoff, and at five sites during snowmelt runoff; and (5) concentrations of pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls at two sites during dry-weather flow and rainfall runoff. (USGS)
Most functions of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Water Resources Division (WRD) require employees to participate in numerous field activities ranging from routine meetings with cooperators, other federal and public officials, and private citizens to potentially hazardous assignments, such as making flood measurements and scuba diving to service underwater instruments. It is paramount that each employee be aware of safety procedures and operational policies of the WRD to ensure that (1) their activities avoid or minimize personal injury to the employee, coworkers, or anyone in the vicinity of the field activity, and (2) their conduct does not infringe on the personal or property rights of any individual or organization. The purpose of the guide is to familiarize employees with the operational and safety procedures expected to be followed by each employee as a representative of the WRD. It is also intended as a training tool for all new employees and a document to be reviewed by each employee before undertaking a field assignment. It includes general procedures that are standard and applicable to all field operations, such as communication, vehicle operation, and adequate preparation for anticipated weather conditions. It also includes a discussion of specific procedures and safety considerations for most of the routine field assignments undertaken by hydrologists and hydrologic technicians of the WRD. The guide is not intended to be a technical handbook outlining step-by-step procedures for performing specific tasks or a comprehensive discussion of every possible activity that may be undertaken by a USGS employee. Employees are referred to the Techniques for Water-Resources Investigations (TWRI) series for specific technical procedures and to the U.S. Geological Survey Safety and Environmental Health Handbook 445-1-H (USGS, August 1989), USGS Occupational Hazards and Safety Procedures Handbook 445-2-H (December 1993), the WRD notebook on Safety Policy and Guidance Memoranda, and other references for procedures and safety issues related to nonroutine activities, such as operations on large vessels and aircraft.
This report contains digital data and accompanying documentation for boundaries of areas of little or no saturated thickness within the High Plains aquifer in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. This digital data set was compiled from a digital coverage that was created for publication of paper maps in McGrath and Dugan (1993, Water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer -- predevelopment to 1991: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 93-4088, 53 p.) The data are not intended for use at scales larger than 1:1,000,000.
This report contains digital data and accompanying documentation for aquifer boundaries for the High Plains aquifer in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. This digital data set was compiled from a digital coverage that was created for publication of paper maps in McGrath and Dugan (1993, Water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer -- predevelopment to 1991: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 93-4088, 53 p.) The data are not intended for use at scales larger than 1:1,000,000.
These geospatial data sets were produced as part of a regional precipitation frequency analysis for Oklahoma. The data sets consist of surface grids of precipitation depths for seven frequencies (expressed as recurrence intervals of 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, and 500-years) and 12 durations (15-, 30-, and 60-minutes; 1-, 2-, 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-hours; and 1-, 3-, and 7-days). Eighty-four depth-duration-frequency surfaces were produced from precipitation-station data. Precipitation-station data from which the surfaces were interpolated and contour lines derived from each surface also are included. Contour intervals vary from 0.05 to 0.5 inch. Data were used from precipitation gage stations with at least 10 years of record within Oklahoma and a zone extending about 50 kilometers into bordering states. Three different rain gage networks provided the data (15-minute, 1-hour, and 1-day). Precipitation annual maxima (depths) were determined from the station data for each duration for 110 15-minute, 141 hourly, and 413 daily stations. Statistical methods were used to estimate precipitation depths for each duration-frequency at each station. These station depth-duration-frequency estimates were interpolated to produce continuous grids with grid-cell spacing of 2,000 meters. Contour lines derived from these surfaces (grids) were used to produce the maps in the 'Depth-Duration Frequency of Precipitation for Oklahoma,' by R.L. Tortorelli, Alan Rea, and W.H. Asquith, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4232. The geospatial data sets are presented in digital form for use with geographic information systems. These geospatial data sets may be used to determine an interpolated value of depth-duration-frequency of precipitation for any point in Oklahoma.
This geologic map is the result of a cooperative effort of the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service in collaboration with the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe to provide regional geologic information for resource management officials of the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Navajo Indian Reservation (herein the Navajo Nation), the Hopi Tribe, and for visitor information services at Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona as well as private enterprises that have lands within the area. The Cameron 30’ x 60’ quadrangle encompasses approximately 5,018 km 2 (1,960 mi 2 ) within Coconino County, northern Arizona and is bounded by longitude 111° to 112° W., and latitude 35°30’ to 36° N. The map area is within the southern Colorado Plateaus geologic province (herein Colorado Plateau). The map area is locally subdivided into six physiographic areas: the Grand Canyon (including the Little Colorado River Gorge), Coconino Plateau, Marble Plateau, Little Colorado River Valley, Moenkopi Plateau, and the San Francisco Volcanic Field as defined by Billingsley and others, 1997 (fig. 1). Elevations range from about 2,274 m (7,460 ft) at the south rim of Grand Canyon along State Highway 64 to about 994 m (3,260 ft) in the Grand Canyon, northeast quarter of the map area. The Cameron quadrangle is one of the few remaining areas near the Grand Canyon where uniform geologic mapping was needed for geologic connectivity of the regional geologic framework that will be useful to federal, state, and private land resource managers who direct environmental and land management programs such as range management, biological studies, flood control, and water resource investigations. The geologic information presented will support future and ongoing local geologic investigations and associated scientific studies of all disciplines within the Cameron quadrangle area.
The Kansas State Legislature, by enacting Kansas Statute KSA 82a?2001 et. seq., mandated the criteria for determining which Kansas stream segments would be subject to classification by the State. One criterion for the selection as a classified stream segment is based on the statistic of median flow being equal to or greater than 1 cubic foot per second. As specified by KSA 82a?2001 et. seq., median flows were determined from U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging-station data by using the most-recent 10 years of gaged data (KSA) for each streamflow-gaging station. Median flows also were determined by using gaged data from the entire period of record (all-available hydrology, AAH). Least-squares multiple regression techniques were used, along with Tobit analyses, to develop equations for estimating median flows for uncontrolled stream segments. The drainage area of the gaging stations on uncontrolled stream segments used in the regression analyses ranged from 2.06 to 12,004 square miles. A logarithmic transformation of the data was needed to develop the best linear relation for computing median flows. In the regression analyses, the significant climatic and basin characteristics, in order of importance, were drainage area, mean annual precipitation, mean basin permeability, and mean basin slope. Tobit analyses of KSA data yielded a model standard error of prediction of 0.285 logarithmic units, and the best equations using Tobit analyses of AAH data had a model standard error of prediction of 0.250 logarithmic units. These regression equations and an interpolation procedure were used to compute median flows for the uncontrolled stream segments on the 1999 Kansas Surface Water Register. Measured median flows from gaging stations were incorporated into the regression-estimated median flows along the stream segments where available. The segments that were uncontrolled were interpolated using gaged data weighted according to the drainage area and the bias between the regression-estimated and gaged flow information. On controlled segments of Kansas streams, the median flow information was interpolated between gaging stations using only gaged data weighted by drainage area. Of the 2,232 total stream segments on the Kansas Surface Water Register, 34.5 percent of the segments had an estimated median streamflow of less than 1 cubic foot per second when the KSA analysis was used. When the AAH analysis was used, 36.2 percent of the segments had an estimated median streamflow of less than 1 cubic foot per second. This report supercedes U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 02?4292.
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Kansas Water Office, investigated sediment transport to and from three small impoundments (average surface area of 0.1 to 0.8 square miles) in northeast Kansas during March 2009 through September 2011. Streamgages and continuous turbidity sensors were operated upstream and downstream from Atchison County, Banner Creek, and Centralia Lakes to study the effect of varied watershed characteristics and agricultural practices on sediment transport in small watersheds in northeast Kansas. Atchison County Lake is located in a predominantly agricultural basin of row crops, with wide riparian buffers along streams, a substantial amount of tile drainage, and numerous small impoundments (less than 0.05 square miles; hereafter referred to as “ponds”). Banner Creek Lake is a predominantly grassland basin with numerous small ponds located in the watershed, and wide riparian buffers along streams. Centralia Lake is a predominantly agricultural basin of row crops with few ponds, few riparian buffers along streams, and minimal tile drainage. Upstream from Atchison County, Banner Creek, and Centralia Lakes 24, 38, and 32 percent, respectively, of the total load was transported during less than 0.1 percent (approximately 0.9 days) of the time. Despite less streamflow in 2011, larger sediment loads during that year indicate that not all storm events transport the same amount of sediment; larger, extreme storms during the spring may transport much larger sediment loads in small Kansas watersheds. Annual sediment yields were 360, 400, and 970 tons per square mile per year at Atchison County, Banner, and Centralia Lake watersheds, respectively, which were less than estimated yields for this area of Kansas (between 2,000 and 5,000 tons per square mile per year). Although Centralia and Atchison County Lakes had similar percentages of agricultural land use, mean annual sediment yields upstream from Centralia Lake were about 2.7 times those at Atchison County or Banner Creek Lakes. These data indicate larger yields of sediment from watersheds with row crops and those with fewer small ponds, and smaller yields in watersheds which are primarily grassland, or agricultural with substantial tile drainage and riparian buffers along streams. These results also indicated that a cultivated watershed can produce yields similar to those observed under the assumed reference (or natural) condition. Selected small ponds were studied in the Atchison County Lake watershed to characterize the role of small ponds in sediment trapping. Studied ponds trapped about 8 percent of the sediment upstream from the sediment-sampling site. When these results were extrapolated to the other ponds in the watershed, differences in the extent of these ponds was not the primary factor affecting differences in yields among the three watersheds. However, the selected small ponds were both 45 years old at the time of this study, and have reduced capacity because of being filled in with sediments. Additionally, trapping efficiency of these small ponds decreased over five observed storms, indicating that processes that suspended or resuspended sediments in these shallow ponds, such as wind and waves, affected their trapping efficiencies. While small ponds trapped sediments in small storms, they could be a source of sediment in larger or more closely spaced storm events. Channel slope was similar at all three watersheds, 0.40, 0.46, and 0.31 percent at Atchison County, Banner Creek, and Centralia Lake watersheds, respectively. Other factors, such as increased bank and stream erosion, differences in tile drainage, extent of grassland, or riparian buffers, could be the predominant factors affecting sediment yields from these basins. These results show that reference-like sediment yields may be observed in heavily agricultural watersheds through a combination of field-scale management activities and stream channel protection. When computing loads using published erosion rates obtained by single-point survey methodology, streambank contributions from the main stem of Banner Creek are three times more than the sediment load observed by this study at the sediment sampling site at Banner Creek, 2.6 times more than the sediment load observed by this study at the sediment sampling site at Clear Creek (upstream from Atchison County Lake), and are 22 percent of the load observed by this study at the sediment sampling site at Black Vermillion River above Centralia Lake. Comparisons of study sites to similarly sized urban and urbanizing watersheds in Johnson County, Kansas indicated that sediment yields from the Centralia Lake watershed were similar to those in construction-affected watersheds, while much smaller sediment yields in the Atchison County and Banner Creek watersheds were comparable to stable, heavily urbanized watersheds. Comparisons of study sites to larger watersheds upstream from Tuttle Creek Lake indicate the Black Vermillion River watershed continues to have high sediment yields despite 98 percent of sediment from the Centralia watershed (a headwater of the Black Vermillion River) being trapped in Centralia Lake. Estimated trapping efficiencies for the larger watershed lakes indicated that Banner Creek and Centralia Lakes trapped 98 percent of incoming sediment, whereas Atchison County Lake trapped 72 percent of incoming sediment during the 3-year study period.
The U.S. Geological Survey uses continuous water-quality monitors to assess the quality of the Nation's surface water. A common monitoring-system configuration for water-quality data collection is the four-parameter monitoring system, which collects temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and pH data. Such systems also can be configured to measure other properties, such as turbidity or fluorescence. Data from sensors can be used in conjunction with chemical analyses of samples to estimate chemical loads. The sensors that are used to measure water-quality field parameters require careful field observation, cleaning, and calibration procedures, as well as thorough procedures for the computation and publication of final records. This report provides guidelines for site- and monitor-selection considerations; sensor inspection and calibration methods; field procedures; data evaluation, correction, and computation; and record-review and data-reporting processes, which supersede the guidelines presented previously in U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report WRIR 00-4252. These procedures have evolved over the past three decades, and the process continues to evolve with newer technologies.
The chaparral-dominated national forests of southern California were in part established to provide water provision services to the surrounding urban populations and irrigation for agriculture. However, water provision in the form of groundwater recharge and surface runoff depends on the climatological conditions of any given year and also landscape-scale disturbances such as fire. Fire is increasing in frequency in southern California and understanding its impacts both immediately postfire and as vegetation recovers, and the interactions between fire and hydrology, are key components to managing federal lands effectively. In this study we focus on nine fires in a study area that encompasses the four southern California national forests (Los Padres, Angeles, San Bernardino, and Cleveland) and use a water balance model to investigate the effects of water provision services post-fire at a regional scale. We found that runoff and recharge increased post-fire, with increases in recharge being greater with recovery times ranging from 2 to 4 y post-fire. Vegetation recovery occurred 2 y post-fire for all basins as indicated by remotely sensed imagery measuring vegetation greenness having returned to or exceeded pre-fire values for the basin. We found that runoff and recharge were more sensitive to the effects of climate than to length of time post-fire. Findings from these modeling tools allow users to anticipate the impact of fire on water provision services in the region and develop management strategies that help reduce the impacts of wildfire.
Geographic information systems allow for the interactive analysis of spatial data related to water-resources investigations. A conceptual design for an interface between a geographic information system and a watershed model includes functions for the estimation of model parameter values. Design criteria include ease of use, minimal equipment requirements, a generic data-base management system, and use of a macro language. An application is demonstrated for a 90.1-square-kilometer subbasin of the Patuxent River near Unity, Maryland, that performs automated derivation of watershed parameters for hydrologic modeling.
This report presents hydrologic and geologic data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during an investigation of water resources in the Quinebaug River basin of Connecticut in cooperation with the Connecticut Water Resources Commission. The Quinebaug River basin occupies about 425 square miles in the northeastern part of the State, including the towns of Brooklyn, Griswold, Killingly, Plainfield, Pomfret, Putnam, Sterling, and Thompson, and parts of Canterbury, Hampton, Lisbon, North Stonington, Preston, Voluntown, and Woodstock. A companion interpretive report evaluating the water resources of the basin will be published as Connecticut Water Resources Bulletin 8. The data on the following pages serve to document and supplement that report, and should be especially useful in planning the development of water resources at specific localities.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collects streamflow, groundwater levels, and water-quality data for the State of Illinois and the Nation. Much of these data are collected every 15 minutes (real-time) as a part of the national network, so that water-resource managers can make decisions in a timely and reliable manner. Coupled with modeling and other water-resource investigations, the USGS provides data to the State during droughts and other hydrologic events. The types of data, capabilities, and presentation of these materials are described in this document as USGS Real-Time Data, Supplementary Data Collection and Analysis, and National Resources Available.
The Brazos River Basin in Texas extends from the New Mexico State line southeastward to the Gulf of Mexico. The basin is about 600 miles long and ranges in width from 1 to 120 miles--an area of about 42,000 square miles, which includes all or parts of 69 counties. About 1,385,000 persons reside in the basin.
The water resources of Van Buren County include productive ground-water reservoirs, a network of perennial streams, about 60 major inland lakes, and Lake Michigan. Most water users obtain their supplies from wells. The ground-water reservoirs in the glacial drift can provide several times the amount of water now used, but large withdrawals of ground water may lower the levels of nearby lakes or diminish the flow of nearly streams. Permeable soils and drift account for the relatively high base flows of streams in the southeastern two-thirds of the county. Less permeable surficial materials in the northwest part of the county result in relatively low base flows there. The water from wells is generally hard and high in iron content but is otherwise suitable for most uses. Water from streams and lakes is similar to that from wells except that iron-content is not a problem, and some of the inland lakes have very soft water. The availability of ground water, the base flow of streams, and the chemical character of water in the county are summarized in maps and tables accompanying this report.