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Distribution and abundance of Southwestern Willow Flycatchers ( Empidonax traillii extimus ) on the Upper San Luis Rey River, San Diego County, California—2023 data summary

Executive Summary We surveyed for Southwestern Willow Flycatchers ( Empidonax traillii extimus ; flycatcher) along the upper San Luis Rey River near Lake Henshaw in Santa Ysabel, California, in 2023. Surveys were completed at four locations: three downstream from Lake Henshaw, where surveys previously occurred from 2015 to 2022 (Rey River Ranch [RRR], Cleveland National Forest [CNF], Vista Irrigation District [VID]), and one at VID Lake Henshaw (VLH) that has been surveyed annually since 2018. There were a minimum of 74 territorial flycatchers detected at 1 location (VLH), and 12 transient flycatchers of unknown subspecies detected at 2 locations (CNF and VLH). At VLH, we detected a minimum of 31 males, 40 females, and 3 flycatchers of unknown sex. In total, 51 territories were established, containing 40 pairs and 11 flycatchers of undetermined breeding status (8 males and 3 flycatchers of unknown sex). Of the 40 pairs, 9–11 pairs were monogamous (1 male and 1 female), and 29–31 pairs were polygynous (1 male paired with more than 1 female). For the first time since annual surveys began in 2015, no territorial flycatchers were detected downstream from Lake Henshaw. Brown-headed cowbirds ( Molothrus ater ; cowbird) were detected at all four survey locations. No banded flycatchers were detected during surveys. Flycatchers used three habitat types in the survey area: (1) mixed willow riparian, (2) willow-cottonwood, and (3) oak-sycamore. Of the flycatcher locations, 86 percent were in habitat characterized as mixed willow riparian, and 95 percent were in habitat with greater than 95-percent native plant cover. Exotic vegetation was not prevalent in the survey area. There were five nests incidentally located during surveys: one failed, one was seen with eggs on the last visit, and the outcome of the remaining three nests was unknown. One of these nests was parasitized by cowbirds, and a second nest was suspected to contain a cowbird nestling. Adult flycatchers in two territories were observed feeding cowbird fledglings. No juvenile flycatchers were detected during surveys.

California

Distribution, abundance, and breeding activities of Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus) at select locations on the San Luis Rey River, San Diego County, California—2024 data summary

We surveyed for Southwestern Willow Flycatchers ( Empidonax traillii extimus ; flycatcher) at select locations along the San Luis Rey River, including along the middle San Luis Rey River near Bonsall and the upper San Luis Rey River near Santa Ysabel, California, in 2024. Surveys were completed at six locations: two along the middle San Luis Rey River (Bonsall [BO] and Rincon), which were last surveyed in 2021, and four along the upper San Luis Rey River, including three downstream from Lake Henshaw that have been surveyed annually since 2015 (Rey River Ranch, Cleveland National Forest [CNF] , Vista Irrigation District [VID] ), and one upstream at VID Lake Henshaw (VLH) that has been surveyed annually since 2018. There were a minimum of 47 territorial flycatchers (26 male, 21 female) detected at 1 location (VLH) and 6 transient flycatchers of unknown subspecies detected at 3 locations (BO, CNF, and VLH). In total, 30 territories were established, containing 21 pairs and 9 flycatchers of undetermined breeding status. Of the 21 pairs, 13 pairs were monogamous (1 male and 1 female), and 8 pairs were polygynous (1 male paired with more than 1 female). No territorial flycatchers were detected downstream from Lake Henshaw or along the middle San Luis Rey River. Brown-headed Cowbirds ( Molothrus ater ; cowbird) were detected at all six survey locations. No banded flycatchers were detected during surveys. Flycatchers used four habitat types in the survey area: (1) mixed willow riparian, (2) willow-cottonwood, (3) willow-oak, and (4) willow-sycamore. Of the flycatcher locations, 86 percent were in habitat characterized as mixed willow riparian, and 97 percent were in habitat with greater than 95-percent native plant cover. We monitored flycatcher nests at VLH to collect baseline data on nest success, productivity, and parasitism rate. There were 22 nests monitored in 13 territories; 9 were successful. Of the 13 failed nests, 8 were depredated, 3 failed for unknown reasons, and 2 failed because of cowbird parasitism. We confirmed 26 juvenile flycatchers in 2024, which included 22 from monitored nests, and an additional 4 juveniles detected in unmonitored territories. Based on 19 nests in which the contents were observed during the egg stage, 16 percent of nests in 2024 were parasitized.

California

Distribution, abundance, and breeding activities of Southwestern Willow Flycatchers ( Empidonax traillii extimus ) on the San Dieguito River and upper San Luis Rey River, San Diego County, California—2025 data summary

Executive Summary We surveyed for Southwestern Willow Flycatchers ( Empidonax traillii extimus ; flycatcher) at the San Dieguito River and the upper San Luis Rey River in 2025. Surveys were completed at five locations: one along the San Dieguito River (San Dieguito [SD]), which was last surveyed in 2016, and four along the upper San Luis Rey River, including three downstream from Lake Henshaw that have been surveyed annually since 2015 (Rey River Ranch [RRR], Cleveland National Forest [CNF], Vista Irrigation District [VID]), and one upstream at VID Lake Henshaw (VLH) that has been surveyed annually since 2018. There was a minimum of 57 territorial flycatchers (22 male, 35 female) and 3 transient flycatchers of unknown subspecies detected at 1 location (VLH). In total, 37 territories were established, containing 35 pairs (20 males and 35 females) and 2 male flycatchers of undetermined breeding status. Of the 35 pairs, 12 were monogamous pairings, and 23 were polygynous pairings consisting of 3 males each pairing with 2 different females [6 pairs], 3 males each pairing with 3 different females [9 pairs], and 2 males each pairing with 4 different females [8 pairs]). No territorial flycatchers were detected downstream from Lake Henshaw or along the San Dieguito River. Brown-headed Cowbirds ( Molothrus ater ; cowbird) were detected at all five survey locations. No banded flycatchers were detected during surveys. Flycatchers used only one habitat type at VLH, mixed willow riparian. All flycatcher locations were in habitat characterized as mixed willow riparian dominated by Goodding’s black willow ( Salix gooddingii ), and 93 percent were in habitat with greater than 95-percent native plant cover. We monitored flycatcher nests at VLH to collect baseline data on nest success, productivity, and cowbird parasitism rate. There were 33 completed nests monitored in 26 territories; 10 were successful (30 percent). Of the 23 failed nests, 14 were depredated, 5 failed for unknown reasons, and 4 failed because of cowbird parasitism. There were 33 fledglings confirmed in monitored territories, yielding a seasonal productivity of 1.3 young/pair (33 young/26 monitored pairs). One additional fledgling was confirmed in an unmonitored territory during surveys at VLH. Based on 31 nests in which the contents were observed during the egg stage, 23 percent of nests in 2025 were parasitized. In two additional territories where nests were not located, adult flycatchers were observed feeding a cowbird fledgling.

California

Distribution and abundance of Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (Empidonax traillii extimus) on the upper San Luis Rey River, San Diego County, California—2020 data summary

We surveyed for Southwestern Willow Flycatchers ( Empidonax traillii extimus ; flycatcher) along the upper San Luis Rey River, near Lake Henshaw, in Santa Ysabel, California, in 2020. Surveys were completed at four locations: three downstream from Lake Henshaw, where nest monitoring occurred from 2015 to 2019 (Rey River Ranch [RRR], Cleveland National Forest [CNF], Vista Irrigation District [VID]), and one at VID Lake Henshaw (VLH) that was previously surveyed in 2018 and 2019. There were 62 territorial flycatchers detected at 3 locations (RRR, CNF, VLH); no flycatchers were detected at VID. Within the former nest monitoring study area, 11 flycatchers, including 5 males and 6 females, were detected at RRR and CNF. In total, seven territories were established, consisting of six pairs (two polygynous groups consisting of two males each pairing with two different females) and one male of undetermined breeding status. Upstream from the former nest monitoring study area at VLH, we detected 51 flycatchers, including 24 males and 27 females. There were 28 territories established, containing 27 pairs (23 monogamous pairings and 4 confirmed polygynous pairings consisting of 1 male and 2 females) and 1 male of undetermined breeding status. Brown-headed cowbirds ( Molothrus ater ; cowbird) were detected at all four survey locations. Flycatchers used four different habitat types in the survey area: (1) mixed willow riparian, (2) willow-oak, (3) willow-ash, and (4) willow-sycamore. Eighty percent of the flycatchers were detected in habitat characterized as mixed willow riparian, and 83 percent of the flycatchers were detected in habitat with greater than 50-percent native plant cover. Exotic vegetation was not prevalent in the survey area. There were 17 flycatcher nests incidentally located during surveys: 2 were successful, 3 were seen with nestlings on the last visit, 10 failed, and the outcome of the remaining 2 nests was unknown. Five of these nests were parasitized by cowbirds. There were 10 juveniles detected during surveys: 2 at RRR and 8 at VLH. Of the 17 banded flycatchers detected during surveys, 8 were resighted and confirmed to be adults that held territories in previous years. Seven flycatchers with a single dark blue federal band, indicating that they were banded as nestlings in the former nest monitoring study area downstream from Lake Henshaw, were resighted during surveys; 86 percent of these “natal” flycatchers held territories at VLH. In 2020, we documented both adult and natal flycatchers moving from the former nest monitoring study area downstream from Lake Henshaw upstream to the habitat surrounding Lake Henshaw. Six natal flycatchers that were originally banded as nestlings and two adults that previously held territories downstream dispersed to Lake Henshaw in 2020.

California

Streamflow, water-quality, and biological data for three tributaries to Lake Houston near Houston, Texas, 2002-04

During 2002-04 the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Houston-Galveston Area Council and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, conducted a systematic monitoring study on Lake Creek, Peach Creek, and Caney Creek near Houston, Texas, to assess the current water-quality and biological conditions in the three tributaries to Lake Houston. Streamflow and water-quality data (chloride and sulfate, nutrients, biochemical oxygen demand, phytoplankton, indicator bacteria, pesticides, and suspended sediment) were collected at 11 sites, and fish and benthic-macroinvertebrate data were collected at eight of the 11 sites. Graphical comparisons of concentration data for eight water-quality constituents by watershed indicate relatively large differences in concentration distribution among all three watersheds for nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen (medians: Lake, 0.20; Peach, 0.14; and Caney, 0.32 mg/L). Graphical comparisons of these data by season show consistency in distribution of constituent concentrations. The distributions of chlorophyll-a in summer and E. coli bacteria in winter each contain a few relatively large concentrations. Fifty-six species of fish from 15 major families were collected during the study. For all sites except one on Lake Creek, the majority of fish collected were sunfish; minnows dominated at the one Lake Creek site. Invertivores (mostly sunfish and minnows) made up more than 65 percent of the trophic structure, omnivores were the next largest percentage, and piscivores the smallest percentage. Ecoregion-specific index of biotic integrity (ECO-IBI) scores (averages of samples) for three of four upstream Lake Creek sites indicate intermediate aquatic life use, and the most downstream site, high aquatic life use. ECO-IBI scores for the Peach Creek and Caney Creek sites indicate high aquatic life use. The maximum number of aquatic-insect taxa (51) were collected at a site on Peach Creek near Cleveland, and the minimum number of aquatic-insect taxa (17) were collected at site on Caney Creek near New Caney. The benthic-macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity (B-IBI) scores (averages of samples) for the three upstream Lake Creek sites indicate intermediate aquatic life use, and the B-IBI score for the most downstream site indicates high aquatic life use. B-IBI scores for the Peach Creek sites, in downstream order, are exceptional and high; and scores for the Caney Creek sites, in downstream order, are high and intermediate.

Texas

How do we determine when the beaches are safe for swimming?

The use of Lake Erie and other public waters for swimming is a valuable recreational resource for the people of Ohio and elsewhere in the United States. Water-resource managers and the scientific commu­nity have recognized the need for rapid methods to determine the quality of these recreational waters to adequately protect public health. Fecal-indicator bacteria, such as Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and fecal coliforms, are used to determine the risk of contracting waterborne disease from fecal-contaminated recreational waters. Fecal-indicator bacteria are not necessarily pathogens ( disease-causing organisms), but their presence can indicate the possible presence of pathogens. Although improvements to existing sewage treatment systems are continuously being made in many areas, fecal contamination is still a possibility. Therefore, findings from carefully designed monitoring programs are needed to inform the public on the risk of swimming in fecal-contaminated waters. Current methods to assess the concentrations of fecal indicators-that is, the number of bacteria in a certain volume of water-take at least 24 hours to complete. Due to the long time frame, some scientists have suggested using other water-quality or environ­mental surrogates (substitutes) to determine these concentrations. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is working to address this concern in a study con­ducted at three Lake Erie beaches in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. The study has shown that turbidity (the amount of light scattered or absorbed by suspended materials in a water sample), rainfall, and wave height could be used in a statistical model to predict E. coli concentrations.

Ohio

Geochemical survey of the Cohutta Wilderness and the Hemp Top Roadless Area, northern Georgia and southeastern Tennessee

The contiguous Cohutta Wilderness and Hemp Top Roadless Area are in the western part of the Blue Ridge physiographic province of northern Georgia and southeastern Tennessee (fig. 1). All of the study area is in Georgia except an irregular strip of land about 1 mi at its widest on the northern end of the Cohutta Wilderness in Tennessee. The area of the Cohutta Wilderness is 34,650 acres; that of the Hemp Top Roadless Area is 2,800 acres. The areas are in rugged mountainous terrain- a strongly dissected upland ranging in altitude from about 980 to 4,200 ft above sea level. Local altitude differences of 1,450-2,000 ft and slopes steeper than 25° are common. The north end of the Cohutta Wilderness is about 6 mi south of the Ocoee River gorge, 10 mi west-southwest of the major copper-and sulfur-mining district at Ducktown, Tenn., and approximately 22 mi southeast of Cleveland, Tenn., in Bradley County, west of the area shown in figure 1. The eastern, central, and northwestern parts of the wilderness are drained by Jacks River and it tributaries; the southwestern part, by the Conasauga River and its tributaries; and the Hemp Top Roadless Area, by Tumbling Creek and some of its western tributaries. All drainage ultimately goes to the Ocoee River and from these into the Hiwassee River.

Georgia, Tennessee

Mineral resource potential map of the Gee Creek Wilderness, Polk and Monroe counties, Tennessee

The Gee Creek Wilderness comprises 2,493 acres (nearly 4 square miles) in the Cherokee National Forest, Polk and Monroe Counties, Tennessee, about 4 miles (6 km) southeast of Etowah, Tenn., and about 20 miles northeast of Cleveland, Tenn. All of the surface in the wilderness is in U.S. Government ownership; mineral rights on nearly half of the land remain in private ownership. The study area is in the Blue Ridge physiographic province. The major rock types in the wilderness area consist of sandstone, shale, and conglomerate of the Chilhowee Group of Cambrian and Cambrian(?) age. Faulting appears to have controlled the location of minor subeconomic iron deposits, but no potential mineral resources were detected by the present survey. Shales, useful for brick or lightweight aggregate, and sandstone, useful for crushed stone or sand, have little economic interest because these rock types are common throughout the region and are found closer to potential markets. The possibility of natural gas occurring in untested rocks structurally beneath the Chilhowee strata cannot be discounted. No potential was found for any other mineral resource.

Tennesee

Preliminary map showing the thickness of glacial deposits in Ohio

This map was compiled as part of a U.S. Geological Survey project to portray the character and thickness of glacial deposits east of the Rocky Mountains. It is a preliminary map, compiled at a scale of 1:250,000 from sources of differing type and quality (fig. I, table 1). County drift-thickness maps produced by the Ohio Geological Survey are the most reliable source of data used. These county maps, either published or in manuscript form, were available for 36 of the 72 counties that contain glacial or glacially related deposits more than 50 ft thick. An earlier, reconnaissance drift-thickness map of northwestern Ohio (Ohio Department of Natural Resources, 1960) provided data for parts of 12 additional counties. Published maps of bedrock topography were utilized for 9 counties and for parts of 6 counties. The computation of drift thickness in these counties is less reliable then the drift-thickness maps published by the Ohio Geological Survey because the bedrock topography maps, most of which are at least 20 years old, were compiled from a more limited set of data. In the remaining counties, only well-log data were available. Drift-thickness data in these counties are the least reliable; the determination of thickness trends was commonly guided by the configuration of preglacial drainage channels (as drawn by Stout and others, 1943) and by topography. Throughout the glaciated areas of Ohio, and especially near the glacial margin, a network of drainage channels is buried by glacial drift. Some of these channels arc of a preglacial age while others were formed during interglacial periods; some were cut into the bedrock by rivers— either preglacial rivers or meltwater streams flowing along the glacial margin—while others, such as the lower Cuyahoga River valley, may have been overdeepened by the erosive power of glacial ice. The thickest deposits of drift in the state occur in the lower Cuyahoga River valley near Lake Erie, and above the buried valley in west-central Ohio that has been historically considered a part of the Teays Valley. The thickest drift reliably measured in Ohio to date is 602 ft in a drill hole near Cleveland. In contrast to the extreme variations in drift thickness encountered in the vicinity of buried channels, drift on the upland arcus is generally thinner and the variations in thickness are much less pronounced. Worthy of note, however, are three large areas where the drift sheet is relatively thick. In northwestern Ohio, a large volume of drift was deposited along the flanks of the Erie ice lobe (fig. 2) near the interlobate position with the Saginaw lobe to the northwest; drift thickness there exceeds 200 ft. Thick drift was also deposited in a roughly cast-west band across the Miami lobe. The mechanism that produced this band of thick drift is not obvious, but it may have been influenced in part by bedrock topography. Bedrock control of drift thickness is more clearly indicated to the cast of Columbus, along the eastern flank of the Scioto lobe, where ice slow was resisted by rocks of the Allegheny plateau. The edge of the plateau, or the Allegheny escarpment, is obscured by glacial deposits but its likely position (Fenneman, 1938; Stout and others, 1913; Dove, 1960; and Root and others, 1961) is shown on the map. Southward from the ice margin's reentrant position in southern Richland County, ice flowing eastward from the Scioto lobe encountered the topographically higher plateau, which constrained the ice and caused drift to accumulate in significant thicknesses just to the west of the escarpment.

Ohio

Catalog of earthquake hypocenters at Alaskan volcanoes: January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2001

The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, has maintained seismic monitoring networks at potentially active volcanoes in Alaska since 1988 (Power and others, 1993; Jolly and others, 1996; Jolly and others, 2001). The primary objectives of this program are the seismic surveillance of active, potentially hazardous, Alaskan volcanoes and the investigation of seismic processes associated with active volcanism. This catalog reflects the status and evolution of the seismic monitoring program, and presents the basic seismic data for the time period January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2001. For an interpretation of these data and previously recorded data, the reader should refer to several recent articles on volcano related seismicity on Alaskan volcanoes in Appendix G. The AVO seismic network was used to monitor twenty-three volcanoes in real time in 2000-2001. These include Mount Wrangell, Mount Spurr, Redoubt Volcano, Iliamna Volcano, Augustine Volcano, Katmai Volcanic Group (Snowy Mountain, Mount Griggs, Mount Katmai, Novarupta, Trident Volcano, Mount Mageik, Mount Martin), Aniakchak Crater, Pavlof Volcano, Mount Dutton, Isanotski Peaks, Shishaldin Volcano, Fisher Caldera, Westdahl Peak, Akutan Peak, Makushin Volcano, Great Sitkin Volcano, and Kanaga Volcano (Figure 1). AVO located 1551 and 1428 earthquakes in 2000 and 2001, respectively, on and around these volcanoes. Highlights of the catalog period (Table 1) include: volcanogenic seismic swarms at Shishaldin Volcano between January and February 2000 and between May and June 2000; an eruption at Mount Cleveland between February and May 2001; episodes of possible tremor at Makushin Volcano starting March 2001 and continuing through 2001, and two earthquake swarms at Great Sitkin Volcano in 2001. This catalog includes: (1) earthquake origin times, hypocenters, and magnitudes with summary statistics describing the earthquake location quality; (2) a description of instruments deployed in the field and their locations; (3) a description of earthquake detection, recording, analysis, and data archival systems; (4) station parameters and velocity models used for earthquake locations; (5) a summary of daily station usage throughout the catalog period; and (6) all HYPOELLIPSE files used to determine the earthquake locations presented in this report.

Alaska

2001 volcanic activity in Alaska and Kamchatka: Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory

The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) monitors the more than 40 historically active volcanoes of the Aleutian Arc. Of these, 22 are monitored with short-period seismic instrument networks as of the end of 2001. The AVO core monitoring program also includes daily analysis of satellite imagery, observation overflights, compilation of pilot reports and reports from local residents and mariners. In 2001, AVO responded to eruptive activity or suspected volcanic activity at or near 8 volcanic centers; Snowy and Kukak of the Kamai Group, Pavlof, Frosty, Shishaldin, Makushin, Okmok, Cleveland, and Great Sitkin volcanoes. In addition to responding to eruptive activity at Alaskan volcanoes, AVO assisted in the dissemination of information for the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) regarding the 2001 activity of 5 Russian volcanoes—Sheveluch, Klyuchevskoy, Bezymianny, Karymsky, and Avachinsky volcanoes. Due to prevailing wind directions, erupting Kamchatkan and Alaskan volcanoes pose a serious threat to aircraft in the North Pacific.

Alaska

Nowcasting Beach Advisories at Ohio Lake Erie Beaches

Data were collected during the recreational season of 2007 to test and refine predictive models at three Lake Erie beaches. In addition to E. coli concentrations, field personnel collected or compiled data for environmental and water-quality variables expected to affect E. coli concentrations including turbidity, wave height, water temperature, lake level, rainfall, and antecedent dry days and wet days. At Huntington (Bay Village) and Edgewater (Cleveland) during 2007, the models provided correct responses 82.7 and 82.1 percent of the time; these percentages were greater than percentages obtained using the previous day?s E. coli concentrations (current method). In contrast, at Villa Angela during 2007, the model provided correct responses only 61.3 percent of the days monitored. The data from 2007 were added to existing datasets and the larger datasets were split into two (Huntington) or three (Edgewater) segments by date based on the occurrence of false negatives and positives (named ?season 1, season 2, season 3?). Models were developed for dated segments and for combined datasets. At Huntington, the summed responses for separate best models for seasons 1 and 2 provided a greater percentage of correct responses (85.6 percent) than the one combined best model (83.1 percent). Similar results were found for Edgewater. Water resource managers will determine how to apply these models to the Internet-based ?nowcast? system for issuing water-quality advisories during 2008.

Open-File Report

Testing and refining the Ohio Nowcast at two Lake Erie beaches— 2008

The Ohio Nowcast has been providing real-time beach advisories to the public on the basis of predictive models since 2006. In support of the nowcast, data were collected during the recreational season of 2008 to validate and refine predictive models at two Lake Erie beaches. Predictive models yield data on the probability that the single-sample bathing-water standard for E. coli will be exceeded. Field personnel collected or compiled data on Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations as well as variables expected to affect these concentrations, including manual and automated measurements of turbidity, wave height, and water temperature; lake level; and radar and airport rainfall amounts. Two new variables were measured during 2008 - photosynthetically-active radiation at Huntington (Bay Village) and foreshore head at Edgewater (Cleveland). (The foreshore is a strip of land along a body of water between low and high water marks.) The performance of the nowcast was monitored during 2008. The Huntington nowcast yielded a greater percentage of correct responses (84.9 percent) than did the previous day's E. coli concentration (75.2 percent). In contrast, at Edgewater, the nowcast yielded a slightly higher percentage of correct responses (61.0 percent) as compared to the previous day's E. coli concentration (56.5 percent), but both percentages were relatively low. Lake levels in 2008 were significantly higher than levels in the data used to develop the Edgewater models (2004-7), confounding their abilities to provide correct responses. At Edgewater during 2008, the strongest relation (as measured by Pearson's correlation) was between E. coli concentrations and the difference in foreshore head over the past 24 hours (r=0.48), a variable not included in the models. At Huntington, photosynthetically-active radiation on the previous day showed a significant negative relation to E. coli concentrations (r=-0.33) during 2008. Refined models were developed for Huntington and Edgewater using data collected from 2005-8. The refined models included the variables wave height, log turbidity, radar or airport rainfall, and day of the year in various combinations for different dated segments of the recreational season. Water-resource managers will determine which models to apply to the Ohio Nowcast for issuing water-quality advisories in 2009.

Ohio

Survey of bats on Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, Washington, December 2011-April 2012

Bats are diverse and abundant in many ecosystems worldwide. They perform important ecosystem functions, particularly by consuming large quantities of insects (Cleveland and others, 2006; Jones and others, 2009; Kuhn and others, 2011). The importance of bats to biodiversity and to ecosystem integrity has been overlooked in many regions, largely because the challenges of detecting and studying these small, nocturnal mammals have rendered a paucity of information on matters as basic as species distribution and natural history attributes. Recently, concern for bats has arisen in response to recognition of large-scale threats, such as white-nosed syndrome (WNS; Turner and others, 2009; Frick and others, 2010) and mortality at wind energy facilities (Arnett and others, 2008), factors that are causing unprecedented population declines of bats (Boyles and others, 2011). WNS is a fungal disease that has killed more than 1 million cave-hibernating bats in eastern North America since being discovered in New York State in 2006 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2012). WNS has spread rapidly from northeastern U.S., and as of August 2012 has been confirmed as far west as eastern Missouri(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2013). Given the rapid spread of WNS, there is concern that the disease may soon affect western bat populations. Hibernating bats are particularly vulnerable to the effects of WNS (Blehert and others, 2009). Refuges in eastern Washington, including the Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge Complex (MCRNWRC) and Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, support many potential hibernacula. Sixteen species of bats potentially occur on these refuges, including one federally listed species of concern (Townsend’s big-eared bat [Corynorhinus townsendii]; see table 1 for scientific names of bats), and 12 species that are of conservation concern in Washington and Oregon (table 1). However, little is known about bats on these refuges because few surveys have been done, and none have been done during winter. Refuge biologists are lacking even the most basic information, such as species presence, and location and status of hibernacula. In order to assess vulnerability and develop a strategy for management of WNS, refuge managers need to know where bats are hibernating, and which species are using each hibernaculum. The goal of this project was to provide information on the status of wintering bats to refuge biologists and managers in order to support decision-making that might minimize the threat of WNS in western bat populations. We conducted surveys of bat activity in winter and early spring as an initial step toward identifying bat species that may be over-wintering and locating potential hibernacula on these refuges. Our specific objectives were to identify bat species using the refuges, to identify areas of resident bat activity in autumn, winter, and early spring using acoustic bat detectors, and to try new methods for quick surveys of bat activity.

Oregon;Washington

Geochemical exploration for antimony in southeastern Alaska

Preliminary geochemical prospecting by the Geological Survey was carried out in 1952 in muskeg-covered ground at Caamano Point, Cleveland Peninsula, Alaska, in an effort to delimit areas of stibnite concentrations. It was conducted to aid, if possible, a prospecting project of the Defense Minerals Exploration. Samples were collected from soil and decomposed limestone-and-schist bedrock at depths ranging from 18 inches to 60 inches, by means of a pipe with an interior plunger. Initial sampling was followed by detailed sampling of the areas where the antimony content of the soils consistently averaged more than 300 ppm. These Areas of major soil concentrations were prospected by surface trenching and percussion drilling to depths of 20 feet which proved the existence of stibnite ore. Next a shaft and drifts made in the most favorable area proved disseminated stibnite ore to depths of 60 feet. This geochemical work of soil sampling to indicate hidden ore bodies in a typical Alaskan muskeg area is believed to be the first application in Alaska of such techniques in active ore exploration. The results show the economic feasibility of such exploration as a first step in extending the known boundaries of mineralized areas, and in directing initial exploration toward the most favorable areas of near-surface ore bodies. Data are presented to help establish values of soil content of antimony that may be considered as normal in this type of geologic terrain.

Alaska

Ground-water levels in observation wells in Oklahoma, 1969-70

The investigation of the ground-water resources of Oklahoma by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board includes a continuing program to collect records of water levels in selected observation wells on a systematic basis. These water-level records: (1) provide an index to available ground-water supplies; (2) facilitate the prediction of trends in water levels that will indicate likely changes in storage; (3) aid in the prediction of the base flow of streams; (4) provide information for use in basic research; (5) provide long-time continuous records of fluctuations of water levels in representative wells; and (6) serve as a framework to which other types of hydrologic data my be related. Prior to 1956, measurements of water levels in observation wells in Oklahoma were included in water-supply papers published annually by the U.S. Geological Survey. Beginning with the 1956 calendar year, however, Geological Survey water-level reports will contain only records of a selected network of observation wells, and will be published at 5-year intervals. The first of this series, for the 1956-59 period was published in 1962. In addition to the water-supply papers, the U.S. Geological Survey, cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, has published the following informal reports on water levels in Oklahoma. Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1956-60 Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1961-62 Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1963-64 Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1965-66 Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1967-68 Records of water-level measurements in wells in the Oklahoma Panhandle, 1966-70 Records of water-level measurements in wells in the Oklahoma Panhandle, 1971-72 The basic observation-well network in Oklahoma during the period 1969-70 included the following counties: Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Caddo, Cimarron, Cleveland, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kingfisher, LeFlore, Major, Muskogee, Oklahoma, Payne, Pontotoc, Rogers, Sequoyah, Texas, Tillman, Wagoner, Washita, and Woodward. Table 2 includes the basic observation-well network and other wells measured by the U.S. Geological Survey. The data in this report were compiled and prepared for publication under the cooperative agreement for ground-water investigations in Oklahoma between the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Oklahoma Geological Survey, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Oklahoma

Selected field data collected in 1975, northeastern Craig Quadrangle, southeastern Alaska

This report consists of a computer printout of geologic field data recorded by H.C. Berg from July 2 to July 20, 1975 in the part of the Craig (CR) 1:250,000-scale quadrangle northeast of Clarence Strait (figs. 1 and 2). It contains edited and revised observations on structure, lithology, mineralogy, metamorphism, and mineral occurrences. Areas covered by the observations include southern Etolin and adjacent islands and part of Cleveland Peninsula, including 5 sites in the Ketchikan (KC) quadrangle immediately adjacent to the Craig quadrangle (fig. 2). A preliminary geologic map incorporating the data has been released (Berg and others, 1976). The printout includes the latitude-longitude coordinates of each field station, so that the user can locate the observations within a few metres on larger-scale topographic maps than figure 2. The purpose of this report is to provide an organized file of detailed field observations to supplement and amplify a companion geologic map. The combined reports thus constitute a complete record of available information to serve as wide a range of potential users as possible. The information in this report was transferred from geologic fieldsheets (fig. 3) to computer storage using the method described by Hudson and others (1975). A. Marianne Fujii transcribed the data from the fieldsheets; Betsy Yount and Frances Wahl helped to update the computer file and prepare it for publication; and Bruce Salem wrote the interactive computer program that greatly facilitated entry of the fieldnotes into the computer file.

Alaska

Gold, base-metal, and related deposits of North Carolina

Gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, pyrite, tin, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten, barite, and rare-earths have been mined in North Carolina. Gold, with by-product silver, occurs in veins and mineralized shear zones in metamorphic rocks of the Piedmont province and in placers derived from these deposits. Copper occurs with complex sulfide ores in quartz veins in the metamorphic rocks of the Piedmont province and in massive pyrrhotite-pyrite deposits in crystalline rocks west of the Blue Ridge. Lead and zinc occur in complex ores of gold, copper, lead, zinc, and silver in veins and replacements in metamorphic rocks. Pyrite occurs in crystalline metamorphic rocks. Tin occurs in pegmatite and placer deposits in crystalline rocks near Kings Mountain. Cobalt minerals with ores of iron or gold have been reported in a few areas in the Piedmont. Molybdenum occurs along the borders of a granite body in Halifax County. Tungsten minerals occur with copper sulfide ores in Cabarrus and Vance Counties. Barite occurs in quartz veins and associated with sulfide minerals in Orange, Madison, Cleveland, and Gaston Counties. Ore-earths occur with sulfides in vein deposits in Cabarrus County.

Open-File Report