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At least 631 records · Page 35Linked to original sources
USGS2020

Application of the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) to simulate near-native streamflow in the Upper Rio Grande Basin

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) is widely used to simulate the effects of climate, topography, land cover, and soils on landscape-level hydrologic response and streamflow. This study developed, calibrated, and assessed a PRMS model that simulates near-native or naturalized streamflow conditions in the Upper Rio Grande Basin. A PRMS model framework of 1,021 hydrologic response units was constructed for the basin. Subbasins within the larger Upper Rio Grande Basin range from snow-dominated northern basins to monsoon driven southern basins. The 1,021 hydrologic response units were grouped into 133 subareas within the basin, and solar radiation and potential evapotranspiration data were used to calibrate corresponding PRMS parameters in each subarea independently. Nine subbasins with streamgages distributed across the basin were identified as “near-native” subbasins, or those basins with low anthropogenic disturbance. Model parameters that affect streamflow were calibrated for the near-native subbasins, and the calibrated parameters were distributed to the remaining hydrologic response units on the basis of terrain, soil, and vegetation conditions linked to a distribution and weighting algorithm developed for this study. The parameter distribution method was validated in three of the nine near-native subbasins. Calibration results demonstrated that the PRMS model developed in this study with distributed model parameters for the entire Upper Rio Grande Basin was successful in applying local information to improve model performance over the National Hydrologic Model, and that the new model is appropriate to use to simulate near-native conditions throughout the basin. The result is a model that can simulate naturalized flow and other variables that affect the water budget (including soil moisture, evapotranspiration, recharge) at the daily time step for current and future climate conditions, and that can also be used in conjunction with other models developed for the basin.

Upper Rio Grande Basin↗
USGS2011

Geologic map of Big Bend National Park, Texas

The purpose of this map is to provide the National Park Service and the public with an updated digital geologic map of Big Bend National Park (BBNP). The geologic map report of Maxwell and others (1967) provides a fully comprehensive account of the important volcanic, structural, geomorphological, and paleontological features that define BBNP. However, the map is on a geographically distorted planimetric base and lacks topography, which has caused difficulty in conducting GIS-based data analyses and georeferencing the many geologic features investigated and depicted on the map. In addition, the map is outdated, excluding significant data from numerous studies that have been carried out since its publication more than 40 years ago. This report includes a modern digital geologic map that can be utilized with standard GIS applications to aid BBNP researchers in geologic data analysis, natural resource and ecosystem management, monitoring, assessment, inventory activities, and educational and recreational uses. The digital map incorporates new data, many revisions, and greater detail than the original map. Although some geologic issues remain unresolved for BBNP, the updated map serves as a foundation for addressing those issues. Funding for the Big Bend National Park geologic map was provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program and the National Park Service. The Big Bend mapping project was administered by staff in the USGS Geology and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, Colo. Members of the USGS Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center completed investigations in parallel with the geologic mapping project. Results of these investigations addressed some significant current issues in BBNP and the U.S.-Mexico border region, including contaminants and human health, ecosystems, and water resources. Funding for the high-resolution aeromagnetic survey in BBNP, and associated data analyses and interpretation, was from the USGS Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center. Mapping contributed from university professors and students was mostly funded by independent sources, including academic institutions, private industry, and other agencies.

Texas↗
USGS2006

Artificial Recharge — State of the Art

The largest potential reservoir for the storage of potable water is in the unsaturated zone. Use of this space for the storage and retrieval of potable water is a multifaceted problem which requires application of the best talent from the scientific community. Artificial recharge has many similarities to liquidwaste disposal through deep wells. In both, the problem is to place liquid in a permeable lithologic unit at an economic rate, to predict movement and the chemical reactions and physical changes that take place while the liquid is in the reservoir. Differences between the two operations are principally in the type of fluid injected and the ultimate objective. In artificial recharge the objective is to store and retrieve water of good quality; in waste disposal the objective is to store permanently water of objectionable quality. In both artificial recharge and liquid-waste storage, the nature of the storage must be known, particularly that of the unsaturated zone. The techniques of investigation for recharge and waste disposal are generally the same. Water commonly is recharged by surface spreading through basins or by induced recharge from adjacent streams and lakes or through injection wells. Research in recharge through basins has been dominated by mathematical models based on idealized conditions and empirical relations, derived by experimental sequencing of recharge operations, and operational controls in the pretreatment of recharge water. Recharge by injection wells has been undertaken in a variety of hydrologic environments. In Israel efforts have been directed toward the analyses of diffusion and dispersion of the injected water. Much research in the United States has been directed toward the movement of bacteria and organic matter through an aquifer and toward the chemical modeling of changes in recharged water as it moves. Much more research is needed on the basic properties of aquifers, particularly in the unsaturated zone, and on all aspects of recharge-water quality. Research and the use of data produced are increasingly the responsibility of interdisciplinary teams which consider the geologic, hydraulic, and economic aspects of the system.

Groundwater↗
USGS2023

Geology, hydrology, and groundwater contamination in the vicinity of Central Chemical facility, Hagerstown, Maryland

The soil and groundwater at the Central Chemical facility, Hagerstown, Maryland, are contaminated due to the blending and production of pesticides and fertilizers during much of the 20th century. Remedial investigations focus on two operable units (OU) consisting of the surface soils and waste disposal lagoon (OU-1) and the groundwater (OU-2). The contaminants of concern (COC) for groundwater include 41 compounds categorized within the subgroups of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), pesticides, and metals. The purpose of this report is to provide a conceptual site model of the hydrogeology and groundwater contaminant transport at and near the Central Chemical facility. The conceptual model was developed through review, synthesis, and interpretation of the results of hydrogeologic, soil, and other environmental investigations conducted at and in the vicinity of the facility in recent decades and is intended to support plans for environmental remediation of the groundwater in OU-2. The extent and nature of the groundwater contaminant plume associated with the bedrock was characterized for OU-2 of the site. Lithologic and structural comparisons between shallow soil, weathered rock, and epikarst and deeper competent but bedded, dipping, fractured, and karstic limestones illustrate two connected flow systems—a surficial flow system consisting of the unconsolidated overburden and epikarst and a structurally dominant bedrock flow system below the epikarst. Uncertainties exist regarding the nature and transport of contaminants within the epikarst system particularly within voids and perched epikarst water tables. Karst dissolution features are observed within the site including sinkholes and dissolution voids within wells at the site. Of interest, one well in the northern part of the study area (MW-J-71) appears to have a dissolution void connected to an offsite well (OW-2-115) farther to the north. This connection is supported by groundwater level data and elevated concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) and chlorobenzene in both wells. The high level of TSS supports the possibility of offsite transport of particle-bound contaminants within the conduit system. Episodically elevated concentrations of COC from different groups also were observed within select wells in the epikarst near the waste disposal lagoon (particularly MW-A-51). The variability observed between different COC within the same well may be the result of additional contaminated source materials unrelated to the disposal lagoon. Storage and episodic transport of contaminated material within the epikarst system has the potential to hinder remediation efforts if not considered in the remedial action.

Maryland↗
USGS2009

Regional regression equations for estimation of natural streamflow statistics in Colorado

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Colorado Department of Transportation, developed regional regression equations for estimation of various streamflow statistics that are representative of natural streamflow conditions at ungaged sites in Colorado. The equations define the statistical relations between streamflow statistics (response variables) and basin and climatic characteristics (predictor variables). The equations were developed using generalized least-squares and weighted least-squares multilinear regression reliant on logarithmic variable transformation. Streamflow statistics were derived from at least 10 years of streamflow data through about 2007 from selected USGS streamflow-gaging stations in the study area that are representative of natural-flow conditions. Basin and climatic characteristics used for equation development are drainage area, mean watershed elevation, mean watershed slope, percentage of drainage area above 7,500 feet of elevation, mean annual precipitation, and 6-hour, 100-year precipitation. For each of five hydrologic regions in Colorado, peak-streamflow equations that are based on peak-streamflow data from selected stations are presented for the 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, 200-, and 500-year instantaneous-peak streamflows. For four of the five hydrologic regions, equations based on daily-mean streamflow data from selected stations are presented for 7-day minimum 2-, 10-, and 50-year streamflows and for 7-day maximum 2-, 10-, and 50-year streamflows. Other equations presented for the same four hydrologic regions include those for estimation of annual- and monthly-mean streamflow and streamflow-duration statistics for exceedances of 10, 25, 50, 75, and 90 percent. All equations are reported along with salient diagnostic statistics, ranges of basin and climatic characteristics on which each equation is based, and commentary of potential bias, which is not otherwise removed by log-transformation of the variables of the equations from interpretation of residual plots. The predictor-variable ranges can be used to assess equation applicability for ungaged sites in Colorado.

Colorado↗
USGS2008

7th U.S. / Japan Natural Resources (UJNR) Panel on Earthquake Research: Abstract volume and technical program

The U.S. / Japan Natural Resources (UJNR) Panel on Earthquake Research promotes advanced study toward a more fundamental understanding of the earthquake process and hazard estimation. The Panel promotes basic and applied research to improve our understanding of the causes and effects of earthquakes and to facilitate the transmission of research results to those who implement hazard reduction measures on both sides of the Pacific and around the world. Meetings are held every other year, and alternate between countries with short presentation on current research and local field trips being the highlights. The 5th Joint Panel meeting was held at Asilomar, California in October, 2004. The technical sessions featured reports on the September 28, 2004 Parkfield, California earthquake, progress on earthquake early warning and rapid post-event assessment technology, probabilistic earthquake forecasting and the newly discovered phenomenon of nonvolcanic tremor. The Panel visited the epicentral region of the M 6.0 Parkfield earthquake and viewed the surface ruptures along the San Andreas Fault. They also visited the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD), which had just completed the first phase of drilling into the fault. The 6th Joint Panel meeting was held in Tokushima, Japan in November, 2006. The meeting included very productive exchanges of information on approaches to systematic observation of earthquake processes. Sixty eight technical papers were presented during the meeting on a wide range of subjects, including interplate earthquakes in subduction zones, slow slip and nonvolcanic tremor, crustal deformation, recent earthquake activity and hazard mapping. Through our discussion, we reaffirmed the benefits of working together to achieve our common goal of reducing earthquake hazard, continued cooperation on issues involving densification of observation networks and the open exchange of data among scientific communities. We also reaffirmed the importance of making information public in a timely manner. The Panel visited sites along the east coast of Shikoku that were inundated by the tsunami caused by the 1946 Nankai earthquake where they heard from survivors of the disaster and saw new tsunami shelters and barriers. They also visited the Median Tectonic Line, a major onshore strike-slip fault on Shikoku. The 7th Joint Panel meeting was held in Seattle, Wash., U.S.A. from October 27-30, 2008.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2020

Effects of a crude-oil recovery remediation system operated 1999–2003 on groundwater plumes and unsaturated-zone vapor concentrations at a crude-oil spill site near Bemidji, Minnesota

A crude-oil spill occurred in 1979 when a pipeline burst near Bemidji, Minnesota. More than 70 percent of the 1.7 million liters of spilled crude oil was removed shortly thereafter. In response to a requirement by the State regulatory agency to remove the remaining crude to a sheen in all wells, in 1998, the pipeline company installed a dual-pump recovery system at the site. This additional remediation from 1999 to 2003 resulted in removal of about 115,000 liters of crude oil, representing between 36 and 41 percent of the volume of oil (281,000–317,000 liters) estimated to be present in 1998. Effects of the 1999–2003 remediation on groundwater plumes and unsaturated-zone vapor concentrations were evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey using several methods including measurements of oil thicknesses in wells; field water-quality properties of dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, temperature, and pH in groundwater; and vapor concentrations of methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen in the unsaturated zone. Although the recovery system decreased oil thicknesses near the remediation wells, average oil thicknesses measured in all wells at the site were not reduced substantially. Dissolved oxygen and specific conductance measurements indicate that a secondary plume was created during the remediation, caused by the disposal of pumped water from the remediation wells in an upgradient infiltration gallery. This plume expanded rapidly immediately after the start of the remediation in 1999, resulting in expansion of the anoxic zone of groundwater upgradient and beneath the existing natural attenuation plume. Beginning in 2000–1, for example, specific conductance concentrations noticeably increased in many wells at the north oil pool from about 400 to more than 700 microsiemens per centimeter. The rapid expansion of the anoxic and elevated specific conductance plume indicates that the remediation contributed substantial amounts of biodegradable dissolved organic carbon to groundwater through the infiltration gallery. The trends in vapor data collected before, during, and after the remediation generally support the research hypothesis that crude-oil removal would have an insignificant effect on vapor concentrations in the unsaturated zone. Although there were some small changes in the concentration of methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen in the unsaturated zone, these changes were not coincident with the beginning or cessation of the remediation and are therefore thought to be the result of other factors affecting biodegradation rates. A decrease in methane concentrations in one representative well, for example, is thought to be the result of reduced rates of biodegradation and methane production from the increasingly more weathered crude oil. Oil-phase recovery at this site was determined to be challenging and resulted in considerable volumes of mobile and entrapped oil remaining in the subsurface despite remediation efforts.

Minnesota↗
USGS2021

Development of a screening tool to examine lake and reservoir susceptibility to eutrophication in selected watersheds of the eastern and southeastern United States

This report describes a new screening tool to examine lake and reservoir susceptibility to eutrophication in selected watersheds of the eastern and southeastern United States using estimated nutrient loading and flushing rates with measures of waterbody morphometry. To that end, the report documents the compiled data and methods (R-script) used to categorize waterbodies by Carlson’s Trophic State Index. Assessments were completed for 232 lakes and reservoirs having a surface area greater than or equal to 0.1 square kilometer in watersheds that drain to the Atlantic and eastern Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States and in watersheds within the Tennessee River Basin. Waterbodies were categorized by type—natural lakes, headwater reservoirs, and downstream reservoirs—and were assessed independently. Recursive partitioning and the model-based boosting routine were used to create four-node regression trees to group waterbodies into five endpoints from low-to-high measures of Secchi depth, and concentrations of chlorophyll a and microcystin according to shared nutrient loading, flushing rate, and morphometric characteristics. Trophic state designations were assigned based on the average value within each of the five endpoints. An application (procedure) is provided using the tool to examine the susceptibility of a given waterbody of interest to eutrophication. Results of this study can aid water-resource managers in prioritizing lake and reservoir protection and restoration efforts based on the susceptibility of these waterbodies to eutrophication relative to nutrient loading, flushing rate, and morphometric characteristics.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2023

Evolutionary and ecological correlates of thiaminase in fishes

Thiamine (vitamin B 1 ) is required by all living organisms in multiple metabolic pathways. It is scarce in natural systems, and deficiency can lead to reproductive failure, neurological issues, and death. One major cause of thiamine deficiency is an overreliance on diet items containing the enzyme thiaminase. Thiaminase activity has been noted in many prey fishes and linked to cohort failure in salmonid predators that eat prey fish with thiaminase activity, yet it is generally unknown whether evolutionary history, fish traits, and/or environmental conditions lead to production of thiaminase. We conducted literature and GenBank BLAST sequence searches to collect thiaminase activity data and sequence homology data in expressed protein sequences for 300 freshwater and marine fishes. We then tested whether presence or absence of thiaminase could be predicted by evolutionary relationships, trophic level, omega-3 fatty acid concentrations, habitat, climate, invasive potential, and body size. There was no evolutionary relationship with thiaminase activity. It first appears in Class Actinoptergyii (bony ray-finned fishes) and is present across the entire Actinoptergyii phylogeny in both primitive and derived fish orders. Instead, ecological factors explained the most variation in thiaminase: fishes were more likely to express thiaminase if they fed closer to the base of the food web, were high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, lived in freshwater, and were from tropical climates. These data provide a foundation for understanding sources of thiaminase leading to thiamine deficiency in fisheries and other organisms, including humans that eat uncooked fish.

Scientific Reports↗
USGS2011

Hydrogeology and simulation of groundwater flow at the Green Valley reclaimed coal refuse site near Terre Haute, Indiana

The Green Valley reclaimed coal refuse site, near Terre Haute, Ind., was mined for coal from 1948 to 1963. Subsurface coal was cleaned and sorted at land surface, and waste material was deposited over the native glacial till. Approximately 2.7 million cubic yards of waste was deposited over 159 acres (92.3 hectares) in tailings ponds and gob piles. During 1993, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation, improved the site by grading gob piles, filling tailings ponds, and covering the refuse with a layer of glacial drift. During 2008, the Division of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey initiated a cooperative investigation to characterize the hydrogeology of the site and construct a calibrated groundwater flow model that could be used to simulate the results of future remedial actions. In support of the modeling, a data-collection network was installed at the Green Valley site to measure weather components, geophysical properties, groundwater levels, and stream and seep flow. Results of the investigation indicate that (1) there is negligible overland flow from the site, (2) the prevailing groundwater-flow direction is from northeast to southwest, with a much smaller drainage to the northeast, (3) there is not a direct hydraulic connection between the refuse and West Little Sugar Creek, (4) about 24 percent of the groundwater recharge emerges through seeps, and water from the seeps evaporates or eventually flows to West Little Sugar Creek and the Green Valley Mine Pond, and (5) about 72 percent of groundwater recharge moves vertically downward from the coal refuse into the till and follows long, slow flow paths to eventual dischage points.

Indiana↗
USGS2017

An evaluation of the zooplankton community at the Sheboygan River Area of Concern and non-Area of Concern comparison sites in western Lake Michigan rivers and harbors in 2016

The Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) are considered to be the most severely degraded areas within the Great Lakes basin, as defined in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and amendments. Among the 43 designated AOCs are four Lake Michigan AOCs in the State of Wisconsin. The smallest of these AOCs is the Sheboygan River AOC, which was designated as an AOC because of sediment contamination from polychlorinated biphenyl compounds (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and heavy metals. The Sheboygan River AOC has 9 of 14 possible Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs), which must be addressed to improve overall water-quality, and to ultimately delist the AOC. One of the BUIs associated with this AOC is the “degradation of phytoplankton and zooplankton populations,” which can be removed from the list of impairments when it has been determined that zooplankton community composition and structure at the AOC do not differ significantly from communities at non-AOC comparison sites. In 2012 and 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey collected plankton (phytoplankton and zooplankton) community samples at the Sheboygan River AOC and selected non-AOC sites as part of a larger Great Lakes Restoration Initiative study evaluating both the benthos and plankton communities in all four of Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan AOCs. Although neither richness nor diversity of phytoplankton or zooplankton in the Sheboygan River AOC were found to differ significantly from the non-AOC sites in 2012, results from the 2014 data indicated that zooplankton diversity was significantly lower, and so rated as degraded, when compared to the Manitowoc and Kewaunee Rivers, two non-AOC sites of similar size, land use, and close geographic proximity. As a follow-up to the 2014 results, zooplankton samples were collected at the same locations in the AOC and non-AOC sites during three sampling trips in spring, summer, and fall 2016. An analysis of similarity indicated no significant difference between the zooplankton community composition and structure in the AOC and non-AOC sites. Zooplankton taxa richness in the AOC was rated as “not degraded” in 2016 because of significantly higher taxa richness values in samples collected from the Sheboygan River AOC, compared with the non-AOC sites as a group (that is, data pooled from both non-AOC sites). Zooplankton diversity in 2016, however, was characterized as “degraded” in the AOC on the basis of significantly lower (p<0.05) values in samples collected from the AOC compared with those collected from the non-AOC sites as a group. Annual variation in zooplankton community composition and structure at the Sheboygan River AOC was significantly different among all 3 years sampled, as indicated by an analysis of similarity test. Zooplankton richness was significantly higher in 2014 than in both 2012 and 2016, and diversity was significantly higher in 2012 than in both 2014 and 2016. Postremediation recovery can often be complicated by non-AOC-related stressors such as nutrients, invasive species, and extremes in flow, which could affect the recovery of zooplankton communities in the Sheboygan River AOC. The effect of the stressors on postremediation recovery underscores the importance of sampling multiple years when assessing the effectiveness of remediation activities. The results from this study will be used by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine if restoration efforts have been effective in removing the plankton BUI and to monitor future conditions in the AOC.

Wisconsin↗
USGS2012

U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, 2011 report of selected wildlife diseases

The National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) was founded in 1975 to provide technical assistance in identifying, controlling, and preventing wildlife losses from diseases, conduct research to understand the impact of diseases on wildlife populations, and devise methods to more effectively manage these disease threats. The impetus behind the creation of the NWHC was, in part, the catastrophic loss of tens of thousands of waterfowl as a result of an outbreak of duck plague at the Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota during January 1973. In 1996, the NWHC, along with other Department of Interior research functions, was transferred from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), where we remain one of many entities that provide the independent science that forms the bases of the sound management of the Nation’s natural resources. Our mission is to provide national leadership to safeguard wildlife and ecosystem health through dynamic partnerships and exceptional science. The main campus of the NWHC is located in Madison, Wis., where we maintain biological safety level 3 (BSL–3) diagnostic and research facilities purposefully designed for work with wildlife species. The NWHC provides research and technical assistance on wildlife health issues to State, Federal, and international agencies. In addition, since 1992 we have maintained a field station in Hawaii, the Honolulu Field Station, which focuses on marine and terrestrial natural resources throughout the Pacific region. The NWHC conducts diagnostic investigations of unusual wildlife morbidity and mortality events nationwide to detect the presence of wildlife pathogens and determine the cause of death. This is also an important activity for detecting new, emerging and resurging diseases. The NWHC provides this crucial information on the presence of wildlife diseases to wildlife managers to support sound management decisions. The data and information generated also allows for further indepth analyses for determining the biological and ecological significance of disease events, detecting disease trends over time and space, as well as detecting any significant changes to how diseases manifest in the field. Moreover, this information allows us to gain insight into the significance of future wildlife disease events. The purpose of this report is to provide a sample of NWHC data that are available from our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). These data are presented in summary format with minimal statistical analysis and interpretation. The goal is to share these data with wildlife managers and other stakeholders, promote the use of NHWC data, and encourage the sharing of wildlife disease data to improve temporal and geographic surveillance coverage. Continued national surveillance for wildlife diseases is essential for providing early detection and warning of events that have the potential to result in harm to human health, economic losses, declines in wildlife populations, and subsequent ecological disturbances. Increased collaboration, coordination, and sharing of surveillance data will enhance this Nation’s ability to detect and respond to wildlife disease threats.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2007

Geological assessment of cores from the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge, New Hampshire

Geological sources of metals (especially arsenic and zinc) in aquifer bedrock were evaluated for their potential to contribute elevated values of metals to ground and surface waters in and around Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Ayotte and others (1999, 2003) had proposed that arsenic concentrations in ground water flowing through bedrock aquifers in eastern New England were elevated as a result of interaction with rocks. Specifically in southeastern New Hampshire, Montgomery and others (2003) established that nearly one-fifth of private bedrock wells had arsenic concentrations that exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contamination level for public water supplies. Two wells drilled in coastal New Hampshire were sited to intersect metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks in the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Bulk chemistry, mineralogy, and mineral chemistry data were obtained on representative samples of cores extracted from the two boreholes in the Kittery and Eliot Formations. The results of this study have established that the primary geologic source of arsenic in ground waters sampled from the two well sites was iron-sulfide minerals, predominantly arsenic-bearing pyrite and lesser amounts of base-metal-sulfide and sulfosalt minerals that contain appreciable arsenic, including arsenopyrite, tetrahedrite, and cobaltite. Secondary minerals containing arsenic are apparently limited to iron-oxyhydroxide minerals. The geologic source of zinc was sphalerite, typically cadmium-bearing, which occurs with pyrite in core samples. Zinc also occurred as a secondary mineral in carbonate form. Oxidation of sulfides leading to the liberation of acid, iron, arsenic, zinc, and other metals was most prevalent in open fractures and vuggy zones in core intervals containing zones of high transmissivity in the two units. The presence of significant calcite and lesser amounts of other acid-neutralizing carbonate and silicate minerals, acting as a natural buffer to reduce acidity, forced precipitation of iron-oxyhydroxide minerals and the removal of trace elements, including arsenic and lead, from ground waters in the refuge. Zinc may have remained in solution to a greater extent because of complexing with carbonate and its solubility in near-neutral ground and surface waters. The regional link between anomalously high arsenic contents in ground water and a bedrock source as established by Ayotte and others (1999, 2003) and Montgomery and others (2003) was confirmed by the presence of some arsenic-bearing minerals in rocks of the Kittery and Eliot Formations. The relatively low amounts of arsenic and metals in wells in the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge as reported by Ayotte and others (U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Data, 2005) were likely controlled by local geochemical environments in partially filled fractures, fissures, and permeable zones within the bedrock formations. Carbonate and silicate gangue minerals that line fractures, fissures, and permeable zones likely limited the movement of arsenic from bedrock to ground water. Sources other than the two geologic formations might have been required to account for anomalously high arsenic contents measured in private bedrock aquifer wells of Rockingham County.

New Hampshire↗
USGS1979

Modeling sandhill crane population dynamics

The impact of sport hunting on the Central Flyway population of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) has been a subject of controversy for several years. A recent study (Buller 1979) presented new and important information on sandhill crane population dynamics. The present report is intended to incorporate that and other information into a mathematical model for the purpose of assessing the long-range impact of hunting on the population of sandhill cranes.The model is a simple deterministic system that embodies density-dependent rates of survival and recruitment. The model employs four kinds of data: (1) spring population size of sandhill cranes, estimated from aerial surveys to be between 250,000 and 400,000 birds; (2) age composition in fall, estimated for 1974-76 to be 11.3% young; (3) annual harvest of cranes, estimated from a variety of sources to be about 5 to 7% of the spring population; and (4) age composition of harvested cranes, which was difficult to estimate but suggests that immatures were 2 to 4 times as vulnerable to hunting as adults.Because the true nature of sandhill crane population dynamics remains so poorly understood, it was necessary to try numerous (768 in all) combinations of survival and recruitment functions, and focus on the relatively few (37) that yielded population sizes and age structures comparable to those extant in the real population. Hunting was then applied to those simulated populations. In all combinations, hunting resulted in a lower asymptotic crane population, the decline ranging from 5 to 54%. The median decline was 22%, which suggests that a hunted sandhill crane population might be about three-fourths as large as it would be if left unhunted. Results apply to the aggregate of the three subspecies in the Central Flyway; individual subspecies or populations could be affected to a greater or lesser degree.

Special Scientific Report - Wildlife↗
USGS2004

A cross-site comparison of methods used for hydrogeologic characterization of the Galena-Platteville aquifer in Illinois and Wisconsin, with examples from selected Superfund sites

The effectiveness of 28 methods used to characterize the fractured Galena-Platteville aquifer at eight sites in northern Illinois and Wisconsin is evaluated. Analysis of government databases, previous investigations, topographic maps, aerial photographs, and outcrops was essential to understanding the hydrogeology in the area to be investigated. The effectiveness of surface-geophysical methods depended on site geology. Lithologic logging provided essential information for site characterization. Cores were used for stratigraphy and geotechnical analysis. Natural-gamma logging helped identify the effect of lithology on the location of secondary- permeability features. Caliper logging identified large secondary-permeability features. Neutron logs identified trends in matrix porosity. Acoustic-televiewer logs identified numerous secondary-permeability features and their orientation. Borehole-camera logs also identified a number of secondary-permeability features. Borehole ground-penetrating radar identified lithologic and secondary-permeability features. However, the accuracy and completeness of this method is uncertain. Single-point-resistance, density, and normal resistivity logs were of limited use. Water-level and water-quality data identified flow directions and indicated the horizontal and vertical distribution of aquifer permeability and the depth of the permeable features. Temperature, spontaneous potential, and fluid-resistivity logging identified few secondary-permeability features at some sites and several features at others. Flowmeter logging was the most effective geophysical method for characterizing secondary-permeability features. Aquifer tests provided insight into the permeability distribution, identified hydraulically interconnected features, the presence of heterogeneity and anisotropy, and determined effective porosity. Aquifer heterogeneity prevented calculation of accurate hydraulic properties from some tests. Different methods, such as flowmeter logging and slug testing, occasionally produced different interpretations. Aquifer characterization improved with an increase in the number of data points, the period of data collection, and the number of methods used.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS1988

Water-resources activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in Texas– Fiscal year 1987

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was established by an act of Congress on March 3, 1879, to provide a permanent Federal agency to conduct the systematic and scientific classification of the public lands and to examine the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of national domain. An integral part of that original mission includes publishing and disseminating the earth science information needed to understand, to plan the use of, and to manage the Nation's energy, land, mineral, and water resources. Since 1879, the research and fact-finding role of the USGS has grown and been modified to meet the changing needs of the Nation it serves. As part of that evolution, the USGS has become the Federal Government's largest earthscience research agency, the Nation's largest civilian mapmaking agency, the primary source of data on the Nation's surface- and ground-water resources, and the employer of the largest number of professional earth scientists. Today's programs serve a diversity of needs and users. Programs include: Conducting detailed assessments of the energy and mineral potential of the Nation's land and offshore areas. Investigating and issuing warnings of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and other geologic and hydrologic hazards. Conducting research on the geologic structure of the Nation. Studying the geologic features, structure, processes, and history of the other planets of our solar system. Conducting topographic surveys of the Nation and preparing topographic and thematic maps and related cartographic products. Developing and producing digital cartographic data bases and products. Collecting data on a routine basis to determine the quantity, quality, and use of surface and ground water. Conducting water-resources appraisals in order to describe the consequences of alternative plans for developing land and water resources. Conducting research in hydraulics and hydrology and coordinating all Federal water-data acquisition. Using remotely sensed data to develop new cartographic, geologic, and hydrologic research techniques for natural resources planning and management. Providing earth-science information through an extensive publications program and a network of public access points. Along with its continuing commitment to meet the growing and changing earthscience information needs of the Nation, the USGS remains dedicated to its original mission to collect, analyze, interpret, publish, and disseminate information about the natural resources of the Nation providing "earth science in the public service."

Texas↗
USGS2019

Estimating potential wetland extent along selected river reaches in Indiana using streamflow statistics and flood-inundation mapping techniques

In this study potential wetland extents were estimated for 12 river reaches covering about 750 river miles in Indiana and parts of Illinois and Ohio. The study was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. This study follows and adds to the work completed in a pilot study and determines that potential wetland extents can be estimated using streamflow statistics, streamgage data, and flood-inundation mapping techniques. The study was designed to assist in the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program is a voluntary program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service that provides technical and financial assistance to private landowners and Tribes to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring eligible land from agriculture. For a site to be eligible for wetland restoration, it should be in a zone with sustained or frequent flooding. This study calculated the flows that lasted for a period of 7 consecutive days on average at least once every 2 years (a value termed the “7MQ2”) for all the U.S. Geological Survey streamgages within the selected river reaches. These 7MQ2 flows were related to the stage-discharge tables for each streamgage, and a corresponding water-surface elevation was determined. Maps of estimated wetland extent were prepared using the 7MQ2 inundation elevation data in conjunction with bare-earth land-surface elevation data made publicly available through the online geospatial data clearinghouses of Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio. Flood-inundation mapping techniques were applied with the aid of geographic information system software to generate water-surface planes that represent inundation elevations associated with the 7MQ2 streamflow. Land-surface elevation data from high-resolution digital elevation models were subtracted from the water-surface planes to produce maps of wetland extent. The 12 map products, including datasets and geoprocessing tools, produced from this study will aid the National Resources Conservation Service and its partners with the onsite inundation-zone verification in agricultural land for potential restoration.

Illinois, Indiana, Ohio↗
USGS2005

Attitudinal survey component of the study Quantity, quality, and support for research in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: An organizational assessment : Report of methods and frequencies

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is responsible for managing the Nation&rsquo;s fish and wildlife resources so that these trust resources are preserved for the present and future use and enjoyment of the citizens of the United States. The FWS achieves this mission by managing many programs. These include the national system of refuges and fish hatcheries, Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance Offices, migratory birds program, law enforcement, and working with tribal, state, and other Federal agencies to ensure protection of threatened and endangered species. Another role of the FWS is consulting with tribal, state, and other Federal agencies and private sector interests on the best conservation management practices consistent with Federal law. Each of these activities requires a workforce that is recognized for its professionalism, dedication to public service, and command of expert knowledge. Recognition for expert knowledge in fish and wildlife conservation is demonstrated, in part, when FWS personnel direct, conduct, or report research that is well-designed to answer questions of importance for natural resource management. The data reported in this document are one part of a three-part study of the status of organizational support for research in FWS, which was commissioned by the Directorate of the FWS. Funding for this study was provided by the FWS, and the Science Support Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In 1994, the biological research functions of the FWS were transferred to the National Biological Survey, and subsequently into the USGS. This transfer was principally accomplished by moving whole research units from one agency to another. The result was that some employees whose positions were involved with research were not transferred. In addition, some research, information, and management needs of the FWS have continued to be met by studies conducted within the FWS itself. Although the FWS relies on the USGS and others for most basic research investigations, the FWS also conducts its own studies to meet management needs. Because it is vital for FWS employees to be able to conduct such tactical and applied research tasks in a timely manner, the agency must promote the culture necessary to support and encourage these activities. Such research activities are spread widely across the various programs of the FWS, and there is presently no collective, formal, or systematic record of planned or existing research activities. In commissioning this organizational assessment research, the Directorate of the FWS recognized that it would be to the advantage of the agency to more fully understand its research capacity. To develop a clearer picture of the nature, extent, quality, and degree of administrative support available for conducting research within the FWS, investigations have been undertaken to: 1. identify positions in the FWS that may include, in whole or in part, a component of scientific research; 2. identify organizational units within the FWS that may conduct research as a significant portion of their mission; and 3. assess the attitudes of employees and managers about the obstacles and opportunities for scientific research existing within the FWS by using a scaled-response survey instrument. The findings presented in this report represent the basic results derived from the attitude assessment survey conducted in the last quarter of 2004. The findings set forth in this report are the frequency distributions for each question in the survey instrument for all respondents. The only statistics provided are descriptive in character - namely, means and associated standard deviations.

Open-File Report↗