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At least 649 records · Page 36Linked to original sources
USGS2016

Characterization and relation of precipitation, streamflow, and water-quality data at the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson and Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site, Colorado, water years 2013–14

To evaluate the influence of military training activities on streamflow and water quality, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army, began a hydrologic data collection network on the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson in 1978 and on the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site in 1983. This report is a summary and characterization of the precipitation, streamflow, and water-quality data collected at 43 sites between October 1, 2012, and September 30, 2014 (water years 2013 and 2014). Variations in the frequency of daily precipitation, seasonal distribution, and seasonal and annual precipitation at 5 stations at the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson and 18 stations at or near the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site were evaluated. Isohyetal diagrams indicated a general pattern of increase in total annual precipitation from east to west at the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson and the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site. Between about 54 and 79 percent of daily precipitation was 0.1 inch or less in magnitude. Precipitation events were larger and more frequent between July and September. Daily streamflow data from 16 sites were used to evaluate temporal and spatial variations in streamflow for the water years 2013 and 2014. At all sites, median daily mean streamflow for the 2-year period ranged from 0.0 to 9.60 cubic feet per second. Daily mean streamflow hydrographs are included in this report. Five sites on the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site were monitored for peak stage using crest-stage gages. At the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site, five sites had a stage recorder and precipitation gage, providing a paired streamflow-precipitation dataset. There was a statistically significant correlation between precipitation and streamflow based on Spearman’s rho correlation (rho values ranged from 0.17 to 0.35). Suspended-sediment samples were collected in April through October for water years 2013–14 at one site at the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson and five sites at the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site. Suspended-sediment-transport curves were used to illustrate the relation between streamflow and suspended-sediment concentration. All these sediment-transport curves showed a streamflow dependent suspended-sediment concentration relation except for the U.S. Geological Survey station Bent Canyon Creek at mouth near Timpas, CO. Water-quality data were collected and reported from seven sites on the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson and the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site during water years 2013–14. Sample results exceeding an established water-quality standard were identified. Selected water-quality properties and constituents were stratified to compare spatial variation among selected characteristics using boxplots. Trilinear diagrams were used to classify water type based on ionic concentrations of water-quality samples collected during the study period. At the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson and the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site, 27 samples were classified as very hard or brackish. Seven samples had a lower hardness character relative to the other samples. Four of those nine samples were collected at two U.S. Geological Survey stations (Turkey Creek near Fountain, CO, and Little Fountain Creek above Highway 115 at Fort Carson, CO), which have different geologic makeup. Three samples collected at the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site had a markedly lower hardness likely because of dilution from an increase in streamflow.

Colorado↗
USGS2012

Characterizing invertebrate traits in wadeable streams of the contiguous US: differences among ecoregions and land uses

Much is known about invertebrate community traits in basins across Europe, but no comprehensive description of traits exists for the continental US. Little is known about the trait composition of invertebrates in reference or least-disturbed basins of the US, how trait composition varies among ecoregions, or how consistently traits respond to land use. These elements are essential to development of trait-based tools for conservation and assessment of biological integrity. We compared invertebrate traits of least-disturbed basins among ecoregions of the US. Benthic invertebrate data (presence/absence) from 1987 basins were translated into 56 binary traits (e.g., bivoltine, clinger). Basins were classified as least-disturbed, agricultural, or urban, and grouped into 9 ecoregions. Landuse, climatic, physiographic, and hydrologic data were used to describe ecoregions and to evaluate least-disturbed basin quality. The unique habitat template of each ecoregion selected for trait compositions in least-disturbed basins that differed among ecoregions. Among the traits examined, life-history (e.g., voltinism, development) and ecological traits (e.g., rheophily, thermal preference) differed most among ecoregions. Agricultural and urban land uses selected for trait compositions that differed from least-disturbed, but the extent of the differences depended on ecoregion and quality of the least-disturbed basins. No trait compositions unique to specific land uses were found. However, a disturbance syndrome was observed in that the magnitude and direction of trait responses to urban and agricultural land uses were consistent among ecoregions. Each ecoregion had a unique trait composition, but trait compositions could be used to aggregate ecoregions into 3 broad regions: Western Mountains, Plains and Lowlands, and Eastern Highlands. Our results indicate that large-scale trait-based assessment tools for the US will require calibration to account for regional differences in the trait composition of basins and in the quality of least-disturbed basins.

Freshwater Science↗
USGS2015

Progress on water data integration and distribution: a summary of select U.S. Geological Survey data systems

Critical water-resources issues ranging from flood response to water scarcity make access to integrated water information, services, tools, and models essential. Since 1995 when the first water data web pages went online, the U.S. Geological Survey has been at the forefront of water data distribution and integration. Today, real-time and historical streamflow observations are available via web pages and a variety of web service interfaces. The Survey has built partnerships with Federal and State agencies to integrate hydrologic data providing continuous observations of surface and groundwater, temporally discrete water quality data, groundwater well logs, aquatic biology data, water availability and use information, and tools to help characterize the landscape for modeling. In this paper, we summarize the status and design patterns implemented for selected data systems. We describe how these systems contribute to a U.S. Federal Open Water Data Initiative and present some gaps and lessons learned that apply to global hydroinformatics data infrastructure.

Journal of Hydroinformatics↗
USGS1974

Hydrologic- and salt-balance investigations utilizing digital models Lower San Luis Rey River area, San Diego County, California

The Joint Administration Committee of the Santa Margarita and San Luis Rey Watershed Planning Agencies was designated as the agency to conduct studies leading to the development of a comprehensive water-quality management plan for the two watersheds. Hydrologic and salt balances for the Pauma, Pala, Bonsall, and Mission ground-water basins in the San Luis Rey River valley needed to develop the plan were difficult to compute because of the lack of data. Hydrologic models constructed and verified for 1958-72 for Pauma and Pala basins and for 1946-72 for Bonsall and Mission basins were beneficial in developing the hydrologic balances. Inflow and outflow to the basins used in model verification were consistent with known physical and hydrologic characteristics of the basins.

California↗
USGS2014

Stochastic modeling of a lava-flow aquifer system

This report describes preliminary three-dimensional geostatistical modeling of a lava-flow aquifer system using a multiple-point geostatistical model. The purpose of this study is to provide a proof-of-concept for this modeling approach. An example of the method is demonstrated using a subset of borehole geologic data and aquifer test data from a portion of the Calico Hills Formation, a lava-flow aquifer system that partially underlies Pahute Mesa, Nevada. Groundwater movement in this aquifer system is assumed to be controlled by the spatial distribution of two geologic units—rhyolite lava flows and zeolitized tuffs. The configuration of subsurface lava flows and tuffs is largely unknown because of limited data. The spatial configuration of the lava flows and tuffs is modeled by using a multiple-point geostatistical simulation algorithm that generates a large number of alternative realizations, each honoring the available geologic data and drawn from a geologic conceptual model of the lava-flow aquifer system as represented by a training image. In order to demonstrate how results from the geostatistical model could be analyzed in terms of available hydrologic data, a numerical simulation of part of an aquifer test was applied to the realizations of the geostatistical model.

Nevada↗
USGS2025

ARCHI: A new R package for automated imputation of regionally correlated hydrologic records

Missing data in hydrological records can limit resource assessment, process understanding, and predictive modeling. Here, we present ARCHI (Automated Regional Correlation Analysis for Hydrologic Record Imputation), a new, open-source software package in R designed to aggregate, impute, cluster, and visualize regionally correlated hydrologic records. ARCHI imputes missing data in “target” records by linear regression using more complete “reference” records as predictors. Automated imputation is implemented using a novel, iterative algorithm that allows each site to be considered a target or reference for regression, growing the pool of complete references with each imputed record until viable gap-filling ceases. Users can limit artifacts from spurious correlations by specifying model-acceptance criteria and applying geospatial, correlation, and group-based filters to control reference selection. ARCHI provides additional functions for visualizing results, clustering records with similar correlation structures, evaluating holdout data, and interactive parameterization with an accessible and intuitive graphical user interface (GUI). This methods brief provides an overview of the ARCHI package, modeling guidelines, and benchmarking on two regional groundwater-level datasets from the Central Valley, CA and Long Island, NY. We evaluate ARCHI alongside widely used multivariate imputation software to highlight and contextualize its computational efficiency, imputation accuracy, and model transparency when applied to large, groundwater-level datasets.

California, New York↗
USGS2011

Geologic framework and hydrogeology of the middle Carson River Basin, Eagle, Dayton, and Churchill Valleys, West-Central Nevada

Changes in land use and water use and increasing development of water resources in the middle Carson River basin may affect flow of the river and, in turn, affect downstream water users dependent on sustained river flows to Lahontan Reservoir. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, began a study in 2008 of the middle Carson River basin, extending from Eagle Valley to Churchill Valley. Various types of geologic and hydrologic data were compiled from previous studies, collected for this study, and compiled and analyzed to provide a framework for development of a numerical model of the groundwater and surface-water flow systems of the basin. Geologic units that are assumed to have similar hydrologic characteristics were grouped into hydrogeologic units comprised of consolidated rocks of pre-Cenozoic age that underlie a unit of consolidated volcanic rock and semi-consolidated sediments of Tertiary age. The principal aquifer in the study area is comprised of unconsolidated sediments of Quaternary age. The Quaternary sediments include alluvial fan, fluvial, and lake sediments, and were grouped into a basin-fill hydrogeologic unit that overlies the pre-Cenozoic and Tertiary hydrologic units. The thickness of the combined section of Tertiary volcanic and sedimentary rocks and Quaternary basin-fill deposits previously was estimated to range from zero where pre-Cenozoic rocks are exposed to greater than 10,000 feet in the Bull Canyon subbasin, and greater than 6,000 feet on the western side of Churchill Butte and beneath the Desert Mountains. The thickness of Quaternary basin-fill sediments was estimated using gravity data and lithologic descriptions from driller’s logs. The most permeable parts of basin-fill sediments are greater than 1,000 feet thick in the Carson Plains subbasin, greater than 800 feet and 600 feet thick in the western and northeastern parts of the Stagecoach subbasin, and greater than 1,000 feet and 800 feet thick in the northern and southern parts of Churchill Valley, respectively. The distribution of aquifer properties was estimated for basin-fill sediments using slug-test and aquifer test data, and the lithologic descriptions of previously mapped geologic units. Slug-test data show hydraulic conductivity is greater than 10 to greater than 100 feet per day for fluvial sediments near the flood plain, less than 10 feet per day for basin-fill sediments outside the flood plain, and less than 1 foot per day for consolidated rocks. Estimates of transmissivity exceed 20,000 feet squared per day near the Carson River in Dayton, Churchill, and western Lahontan Valleys and in the northern part of the Stagecoach subbasin, and exceed 10,000 feet squared per day in the western part of Churchill Valley. A transmissivity of 90,000 feet squared per day was estimated from results of an aquifer test in the Carson Plains subbasin, indicating that permeable gravel and cobble zones at depths greater than 400 feet supplied water to the pumping well. Estimates of specific yield ranged from less than 1 to 2 percent for most consolidated rocks, from 1 to 15 percent for semi-consolidated Tertiary sediments, and from 10 to 40 percent for unconsolidated basin-fill sediments. Water-level altitude maps based on measurements at about 300 wells in 2009 show water levels have declined as much as 70 feet since 1964 on the northwestern side of Eagle Valley, about 10 feet since 1995 near Dayton in the Carson Plains subbasin, and from 5 to 10 feet since 1982 in the western and northeastern parts of the Stagecoach subbasin and the northwestern part of Churchill Valley. The declines are likely the result of municipal and agricultural pumping. The maps show a groundwater divide between the Carson Plains and Stagecoach subbasins, and a continuous hydraulic gradient between the Stagecoach subbasin and Churchill Valley. Groundwater flow directions are uncertain beneath parts of the boundary of Churchill Valley. The altitude of the top of pre-Cenozoic rocks shows thick sections of saturated Tertiary rocks and sediments south of the Dead Camel Mountains and beneath the eastern part of the Desert Mountains through which groundwater flow between Churchill Valley, Mason Valley, and Lahontan Valley may take place. North of Lahontan reservoir, beneath the Dead Camel Mountains, and beneath the southern part of Adrian Valley, the altitude of pre-Cenozoic rocks indicates groundwater flow between the three valleys is minimal. Streamflow measurements, supported by data on the deuterium content and specific conductance of surface-water samples, indicate a loss of Carson River streamflow in the Riverview subbasin, streamflow gains in the Moundhouse subbasin and the eastern part of the Carson Plains subbasin, and streamflow losses in the Bull Canyon subbasin. Comparisons of fluctuations in groundwater levels to those in stream stage in the Carson Plains subbasin indicate that streamflow lost to infiltration from the Carson River, from irrigation ditches, and from irrigated fields is an important source of groundwater recharge. Fluctuations in groundwater levels compared with the stage of Lahontan Reservoir in Churchill Valley indicate losses to infiltration from the reservoir during high stage and groundwater seepage to the reservoir during low stage.

Nevada↗
USGS1995

Water, energy, and biogeochemical budget research at Sleepers River Research Watershed, Vermont

The U.S. Geological Survey has selected the Sleepers River Research Watershed (Sleepers River) near Danville, Vt., as one of five sites for the investigation of Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB). Sleepers River was chosen because it is a well-designed outdoor laboratory with a long history of hydrologic data collection and research, and also because it provides an ideal opportunity for collaboration among the U.S. Geological Survey, other Federal agencies, and universities at the site. The multiple subwatersheds at Sleepers River present a unique opportunity to investigate hydrologic, energy, and biogeochemical processes over a variety of spatial scales. This WEBB study builds on fundamental research on process mechanisms and rates at the plot scale (in this case, a hillslope). Results then are scaled up to interpret the hydrochemical response of first- and higher- order basins. Five research elements make up the Sleepers River WEBB project. Individually, each of the five elements is designed to investigate specific WEBB processes (such as CO2 efflux through a snowpack), address specific WEBB issues (such as scaling and flowpaths), or apply specific WEBB approaches (such as integrated chemical and physical study of a hillslope). The research elements overlap so that many of the processes investigated will be assessed in more than one way, thus allowing independent verification of research results. For example, flowpath information will be derived separately by use of isotopic tracers, conservative chemical solutes, and soil-moisture fluxes. Collectively, the five elements constitute an integrated approach to a comprehensive understanding of WEBB processes needed for the prediction of the effects of global change.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1980

Interim report on the investigation of flooding in the Tug Fork basin of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia

An analytical plan is presented for a study of the effects of land-use changes on the magnitude and frequency of flood-peak flows and on sediment characteristics of the Tug Fork in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. The plan includes compilation and analysis of available data, collection of new data on small, single land-use drainage areas for deterministic computer modeling, and creation of a computer model of the Tug Fork basin for definition of cumulative land-use impacts. Also presented is a compilation of the available hydrologic data and a description of related studies expected to provide information and data useful to the ongoing work. The data compilation includes: Hourly precipitation for selected days and annual maximum daily precipitation for nine sites, annual maximum streamflow rates and stages for three stream-gaging sites, hourly gageheight and discharge rates for selected storms at four stream-gaging sites, flood profiles, flood-frequency relations, and other streamflow information.

Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia↗
USGS1963

General summary of effects of the drought in the Southwest: Chapter H in Drought in the Southwest, 1942-56

This final chapter of Prof. Paper 372 summarizes the results of a comprehensive study of drought in the Southwest, as reported in greater detail in chapters A-G. Chapter A presents some of the published and recorded conclusions concerning the basic meteorological factors that influence the patterns of precipitation in the Southwest, and describes the characteristics of the drought of 1942-56 as indicated by meteorologic records. Chapter B is a general discussion of the effects of that drought as shown by hydrologic data. Subsequent chapters (C-G) provide more detailed evaluations of the effects of drought in individual river basins and specific localities. The effects of drought are discriminated from water shortages due to other causes wherever possible. For this summary, the hydrologic units in the Southwest are classified according to type, and examples of each type are cited, but no attempt is made to summarize the effects of drought in every hydrologic unit in the Southwest, as was described in preceding parts of this report. The comprehensive study of drought has required analysis of the longest records available concerning all aspects of the water resources, with special attention to the 1942-56 period to ascertain similarities with earlier drought periods and contrasts with periods of greater precipitation. Despite the intended emphasis on drought, the studies have been almost as broad in scope as general studies of interrelations of the hydrologic cycle.

Southwestern United States↗
USGS2017

Riverine discharges to Chesapeake Bay: Analysis of long-term (1927–2014) records and implications for future flows in the Chesapeake Bay basin

The Chesapeake Bay (CB) basin is under a total maximum daily load (TMDL) mandate to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads to the bay. Identifying shifts in the hydro-climatic regime may help explain observed trends in water quality. To identify potential shifts, hydrologic data (1927–2014) for 27 watersheds in the CB basin were analyzed to determine the relationships among long-term precipitation and stream discharge trends. The amount, frequency, and intensity of precipitation increased from 1910 to 1996 in the eastern U.S., with the observed increases greater in the northeastern U.S. than the southeastern U.S. The CB watershed spans the north-to-south gradient in precipitation increases, and hydrologic differences have been observed in watersheds north relative to watersheds south of the Pennsylvania—Maryland (PA-MD) border. Time series of monthly mean precipitation data specific to each of 27 watersheds were derived from the Precipitation-elevation Regression on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) dataset, and monthly mean stream-discharge data were obtained from U.S. Geological Survey streamgage records. All annual precipitation trend slopes in the 18 watersheds north of the PA-MD border were greater than or equal to those of the nine south of that border. The magnitude of the trend slopes for 1927–2014 in both precipitation and discharge decreased in a north-to-south pattern. Distributions of the monthly precipitation and discharge datasets were assembled into percentiles for each year for each watershed. Multivariate correlation of precipitation and discharge within percentiles among the groups of northern and southern watersheds indicated only weak associations. Regional-scale average behaviors of trends in the distribution of precipitation and discharge annual percentiles differed between the northern and southern watersheds. In general, the linkage between precipitation and discharge was weak, with the linkage weaker in the northern watersheds compared to those in the south. On the basis of simple linear regression, 26 of the 27 watersheds are projected to have higher annual mean discharge in 2025, the target date for implementation of the TMDL for the CB basin.

Chesapeake Bay Basin↗
USGS2006

An assessment of flow data from Klamath River sites between Link River Dam and Keno Dam, south-central Oregon

Records of diversion and return flows for water years 1961?2004 along a reach of the Klamath River between Link River and Keno Dams in south-central Oregon were evaluated to determine the cause of a water-balance inconsistency in the hydrologic data. The data indicated that the reach was losing flow in the 1960s and 1970s and gaining flow in the 1980s and 1990s. The absolute mean annual net water-balance difference in flows between the first and second half of the 44-year period (1961-2004) was approximately 103,000 acre-feet per year (acre-ft/yr). The quality of the diversion and return-flow records used in the water balance was evaluated using U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) criteria for accuracy. With the exception of the USGS Klamath River at Keno record, which was rated as 'good' or 'excellent,' the eight other flow records, all from non-USGS flow-measurement sites, were rated as 'poor' by USGS standards due to insufficient data-collection documentation and a lack of direct discharge measurements to verify the rating curves. The record for the Link River site, the most upstream in the study area, included both river and westside power canal flows. Because of rating curve biases, the river flows might have been overestimated by 25,000 acre-ft/yr on average from water years 1961 to 1982 and underestimated by 7,000 acre-ft/yr on average from water years 1983 to 2004. For water years 1984-2004, westside power canal flows might have been underestimated by 11,000 acre-ft/yr. Some diversion and return flows (for mostly agricultural, industrial, and urban use) along the Klamath River study reach, not measured continuously and not included in the water-balance equation, also were evaluated. However, the sum of these diversion and return flows was insufficient to explain the water-balance inconsistency. The possibility that ground-water levels in lands adjacent to the river rose during water years 1961-2004 and caused an increase in ground-water discharge to the river also was evaluated. However, water-level data from local wells did not have a rising trend during the period. The most likely cause of the water-balance inconsistency was flow measurement error in the eight non-USGS flow records. Part of the water-balance inconsistency can be explained by a 43,000 acre-foot error in the river and canal flow portions of the Link River flow record. A remaining 60,000 acre-foot error might have been distributed among the seven other flow records, or much of the remaining 60,000 acre-foot error might have been in the Link River flow record because flows in that record had a greater magnitude than flows in the seven other records. As an additional analysis of the water-balance issue, flow records used in the water balance were evaluated for trends and compared to known changes in water management in the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project and Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges over the 44-year period. Many of the water-management changes were implemented in the early 1980s. For three diversion flow records, 1983-2004 mean annual flows were 16,000, 8,000, and 21,000 acre-ft/yr greater than their 1961-82 mean annual flows. Return flows to the Klamath River at two flow-measurement sites decreased by 31,000 and 27,000 acre-ft/yr for 1983-2004 compared with the 1961-82 period.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2017

Classification of California streams using combined deductive and inductive approaches: Setting the foundation for analysis of hydrologic alteration

Regional classification of streams is an early step in the Ecological Limits of Hydrologic Alteration framework. Many stream classifications are based on an inductive approach using hydrologic data from minimally disturbed basins, but this approach may underrepresent streams from heavily disturbed basins or sparsely gaged arid regions. An alternative is a deductive approach, using watershed climate, land use, and geomorphology to classify streams, but this approach may miss important hydrological characteristics of streams. We classified all stream reaches in California using both approaches. First, we used Bayesian and hierarchical clustering to classify reaches according to watershed characteristics. Streams were clustered into seven classes according to elevation, sedimentary rock, and winter precipitation. Permutation-based analysis of variance and random forest analyses were used to determine which hydrologic variables best separate streams into their respective classes. Stream typology (i.e., the class that a stream reach is assigned to) is shaped mainly by patterns of high and mean flow behavior within the stream's landscape context. Additionally, random forest was used to determine which hydrologic variables best separate minimally disturbed reference streams from non-reference streams in each of the seven classes. In contrast to stream typology, deviation from reference conditions is more difficult to detect and is largely defined by changes in low-flow variables, average daily flow, and duration of flow. Our combined deductive/inductive approach allows us to estimate flow under minimally disturbed conditions based on the deductive analysis and compare to measured flow based on the inductive analysis in order to estimate hydrologic change.

California↗
USGS1984

Investigations and research in Nevada by the Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, 1982

The Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, is charged with (1) maintaining a hydrologic network in Nevada that provides information on the status of the State 's water resources and (2) engaging in technical water-resources investigations that have a high degree of transferability. To meet these broad objectives, 26 projects were active during fiscal year 1982, in cooperation with 36 Federal, State, and local agencies. Total funds were $3,319,455, of which State and local cooperative funding amounted to $741,500 and Federal funding (comprised of Geological Survey Federal and cooperative program plus funds from six other Federal agencies) amounted to $2,577,955 for the fiscal year. Projects other than continuing programs for collection of hydrologic data included the following topics of study: geothermal resources, areal ground-water resources and ground-water modeling, waste disposal , paleohydrology, acid mine drainage, the unsaturated zone, stream and reservoir sedimentation, river-quality modeling, flood hazards, and remote sensing in hydrology. In total, 26 reports and symposium abstracts were published or in press during fiscal year 1982. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1974

Water in the Great Basin region; Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming

The Great Basin Region is defined to include the drainage of the Great Basin physiographic section (Fennman, 1931) in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. In October 1966, the President’s Water Resources Council requested that a comprehensive framework study be made in the Great Basin Region under the leadership of the Pacific Southwest Interagency Committee. The study, which included evaluation of the water resources of the region and guidelines for future study and development, was completed June 30, 1971. Results of the study received limited distribution. The purpose of this atlas is to make available to the public the hydrologic data (including a general appraisal) that were compiled for the comprehensive framework study. Most of the work was done by a water-resources work group consisting of members from several Federal and State agencies under the chairmanship of Thomas E. Eakin of the U.S. Geological Survey. This atlas contains some data not included in the framework study. The data presented herein are reconnaissance in nature and should be used with discretion. The maps are highly generalized and are intended only to illustrate the regional distribution of the supply and general chemical quality of the water. Sources of more detailed information on the hydrology of specific parts of the Great Basin region are listed in the selected references.

Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming↗
USGS1982

Geologic and well-construction data for the H-8 borehole complex near the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site, southeastern New Mexico

The H-8 complex, a group of three closely-spaced boreholes, is located 9 miles south of the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site in southeastern Eddy County, New Mexico. The holes were drilled during July, August, and September of 1979 to obtain geologic and hydrologic data to better define the regional ground-water-flow system. The geologic data presented in this report are part of a site-characterization study for the possible disposal of defense-associated radioactive wastes within salt beds of the Salado Formation of Permian age. The geologic data include detailed descriptions of cores, cuttings, and geophysical logs. Each borehole was designed to penetrate a distinct water-bearing zone: H-8a (total depth 505 feet) was completed just below the Magenta Dolomite Member of the Rustler Formation of Permian Age; H-8b (total depth 624 feet) was completed just belows the Culebra Dolomite Member of the Rustler Formation; and H-8c (total depth 808 feet) was completed just below the Rustler Formation-Salado Formation contact. The geologic units penetrated in borehole H-8c are surficial alluvium and eolian sand of Holocene age (0-4 feet); the Mescalero caliche (4-10 feet) and Gatuna Formation (10-153 feet) , both of Pleistocene age; and the Dewey Lake Red Beds (153-399 feet), the Rustler Formation (399-733 feet), and part of the Salado Formation penetrated by borehole H-8c is composed of residue from dissolution of halite and associated rocks, and the hydration of anhydrite to gypsum, indicating that the eastward-moving dissolution front on top of the Salado, found just to the west of the WIPP site, has reached the H-8 site. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1942

Summaries of yearly and flood flow relating to Iowa streams 1873-1940

As a result of the need for basic data and the lack of a current and convenient summary concerning the surface-water resources of Iowa, a synoptic inventory has been prepared as a part of the present State-wide program which is made possible by State and Federal cooperative action. These hydrologic data are assembled in abbreviated form for the convenient* of the public and in order that a current State report containing stream-flow records under one cover will be more readily accessible for Iowa. This inventory is here presented in the form of a brief compilation report which summarizes results of stream-flow measurements relating to Iowa streams through out the years during which local. State and Federal agencies have cooperated in Iowa with the water resources branch of the United States Geological Survey. The principal basic data consist of concise summaries for gaging stations in Iowa and certain relevant locations adjacent thereto for which records for five or more complete years have been collected. These summaries include a comprehensive description and history of each station followed by a table giving in convenient form and for general use the figures of maximum and minimum daily dis charge and yearly mean discharge and runoff for the water and calendar years of record. In addition, approximately 300 miscellaneous discharge measurements, which have been made within the State of Iowa, am included in an original and convenient listing. A summary of maximum discharges at LIS places is also given together with other data pertinent to flood flow in Iowa.

Iowa↗
USGS1957

Preliminary survey of the saline-water resources of the United States

Basic hydrologic data available in the field offices of the U. S. Geological Survey and reports issued by the Survey furnish evidence that saline water (defined in this report as water containing more than 1,000 parts per million of dissolved solids) is available under diverse geologic and hydrologic conditions throughout the United States. The number of areas in which undeveloped supplies of fresh water are available has diminished considerably with the rapid growth of industries and population in the past decade. Many areas previously considered to have relatively unlimited water resources have reached the point at which water-supply shortages exist or are threatened.

Water Supply Paper↗