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USGS2025

USGS—An Unparalleled Scientific Asset

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) delivers information critical to powering our economy, managing our natural resources, and keeping Americans safe and healthy. 1 Mapping the Nation $21B Geologic maps save users an estimated 15% in annual costs: a value of between $14B and $21B. $25.6B in annual value to users of imagery from Landsat satellites, which were codeveloped by NASA and the USGS and operated through their lifespans by the USGS. $13.5B in annual benefits is generated by the USGS's 3D Elevation Program. Securing America’s Energy Independence 44% USGS-identified undiscovered geothermal energy is equal to 44% of current U.S. electricity generation. 29.4B barrels of oil and 391.6 trillion cubic feet of gas in recoverable resources are available on U.S. public lands based on USGS assessments. Protecting Americans’ Health and Safety $424B in recent wildland fire damages highlight the need for USGS fire science, which supports efforts to protect communities and reduce risk. USGS earthquake, volcano, landslide, and coastal hazard monitoring and information save lives and minimize costs; for example, $2.8M can be saved because of USGS enhanced information about a Mauna Loa eruption. $4.5B is the estimated cost of annual flooding. Through a network of over 11,885 streamgages, the USGS supports public safety and enables forecasts, early warning systems, and management actions that protect lives and property. Supporting National Security $3.1B The USGS identified a $3.1B risk to the American economy if China restricts gallium imports. This is one example underscoring the importance of the USGS mapping critical minerals, investigating supply chains, and producing the Nation’s critical minerals list. Enhancing Our Lands and Waters $21B in estimated annual costs results from invasive species. The USGS’s invasive species research informs approaches used to reduce their effects on agriculture, water infrastructure, disease transmission, fisheries, and outdoor recreation. USGS innovations support early warnings for harmful algal blooms—over $2M in yearly benefits are provided to Kansas alone. $45B USGS science informs the management of big game (such as deer and elk). The big-game hunting industry contributes $45B to the U.S. economy. Fostering American Prosperity $4.1T Mineral commodities are necessary for the $4.1T in value added to the GDP by major industries that consume processed mineral materials and employ 1 million workers. Because of this, USGS data on mineral supply, demand, and trade are highly valued. 45,000 metric tons Rare earths power the growing technology economy, including cell phones, electric vehicles, and medical devices. For over 70 years, USGS work has supported the discovery of rare earth resources in California’s Mountain Pass area, which produced 45,000 metric tons of rare earth concentrates in 2024—over 11% of the global supply. Guarding American Food Security $70.2B USGS science informs early warning systems and management strategies to mitigate disease outbreaks in agriculture—critical research on highly pathogenic avian influenza, for example, helps safeguard the $70B value in poultry and egg production. $11.8B USGS groundwater tools are vital for agriculture; for example, in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, 65% of farming relies on groundwater to support its $11.8B annual industry. 1 Values throughout are given in billions (B), millions (M), and trillions (T) of U.S. dollars. GDP is “Gross Domestic Product.” Percentages are shown as %.

General Information Product↗

USGS2012

The structure of Mediterranean rocky reef ecosystems across environmental and human gradients, and conservation implications

Historical exploitation of the Mediterranean Sea and the absence of rigorous baselines makes it difficult to evaluate the current health of the marine ecosystems and the efficacy of conservation actions at the ecosystem level. Here we establish the first current baseline and gradient of ecosystem structure of nearshore rocky reefs at the Mediterranean scale. We conducted underwater surveys in 14 marine protected areas and 18 open access sites across the Mediterranean, and across a 31-fold range of fish biomass (from 3.8 to 118 g m-2). Our data showed remarkable variation in the structure of rocky reef ecosystems. Multivariate analysis showed three alternative community states: (1) large fish biomass and reefs dominated by non-canopy algae, (2) lower fish biomass but abundant native algal canopies and suspension feeders, and (3) low fish biomass and extensive barrens, with areas covered by turf algae. Our results suggest that the healthiest shallow rocky reef ecosystems in the Mediterranean have both large fish and algal biomass. Protection level and primary production were the only variables significantly correlated to community biomass structure. Fish biomass was significantly larger in well-enforced no-take marine reserves, but there were no significant differences between multi-use marine protected areas (which allow some fishing) and open access areas at the regional scale. The gradients reported here represent a trajectory of degradation that can be used to assess the health of any similar habitat in the Mediterranean, and to evaluate the efficacy of marine protected areas.

PLoS ONE↗

USGS2024

Structured decision-making workshop: Chronic wasting disease management in free-ranging cervids in Massachusetts

This document describes the results of a 2.5-day rapid decision prototype workshop that evaluated management activities for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Massachusetts (MA) that were either proactive (i.e., actions taken prior to CWD arrival/detection) or reactive (i.e., actions taken after CWD arrival/detection). The workshop was led by members of the Wildlife Section of the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (hereafter referred to as MassWildlife) and included a group of agency communications specialists and district managers. U. S. Geological Survey staff and a volunteer acted as decision facilitators and led the analysis of the decision. Chronic wasting disease is an always fatal neurological disease that has spread across much of North America and threatens the health of deer populations in locations where it occurs (reviewed by Escobar et al. 2020). CWD can spread into new areas via two general mechanisms: (1) natural spread (e.g., dispersal of CWD-infected male white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus]), and (2) anthropogenic spread (e.g., CWD spread facilitated by human intervention; Leiss et al. 2017, Escobar et al. 2020). Once CWD arrives in a state, natural resources agencies spend eight times more on CWD than agencies with no known cases; to cover these new CWD-related management activities, the natural resources agencies are typically forced to reallocate money from existing conservation priorities (Chiavacci, 2022). As of May 2024, there were 34 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces that had detected CWD positive free-ranging and/or captive animals in the family Cervidae (collectively referred to as ‘cervid’ hereafter), and the number of new states/provinces that are detecting CWD for the first time continues to grow (U. S. Geological Survey, May 2024). As of February 2024, the closest CWD positive state to MA with CWD detected in free-ranging white-tailed deer is Pennsylvania. To date, there have been no detections of CWD in MA, but testing has been limited in MA since 2012. The growing number of CWD positive states suggests that there may be increasing risk of CWD entering and establishing in MA as the number of CWD cases increases across North America. According to a 2023 survey of hunters in MA conducted by MassWildlife, 68% of hunters were concerned about CWD entering MA, and 88% of respondents said that it was at least moderately important to keep CWD out of MA; these survey results indicate that most hunters may support CWD risk reduction actions (Martin Feehan, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, oral communication, 12 Feb 2024). In addition, 23.1% of responding deer hunters in MA have hunted for cervids in CWD-positive states/provinces in the last five years (not including states/provinces that have been able to successfully eradicate CWD following a positive detection). Participants of the survey were also asked, “how many deer have you harvested that tested positive for CWD?”. A total of three respondents said that they had one deer test positive for CWD, which, when extended to the whole population of MA deer hunters, results in an estimated 32 CWD positive deer harvested in CWD-positive states and imported into MA in the last five years. When asked about how they transport harvested deer from out of state into MA, the three participants indicated either “already processed & packaged” or “not applicable.” Note, that in MA, it is a violation of regulation to import whole carcasses or high-risk parts (e.g., head, brain, spinal tissues, bones) of any member of the Cervidae family (wild or captive) from a state/province that has detected CWD; it is legal to bring in deboned meat, cleaned skull caps, hides without the head, or a fixed taxidermy mount (Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, 2024a). To date, testing for CWD has been limited in MA since 2012. However, the data collected from the 2023 MA hunter survey suggests that there is a real risk of CWD being imported by a MA resident who has hunted in a CWD positive state. Therefore, given the higher costs of CWD management post arrival, the potential natural spread of CWD from nearby states, and the risk of CWD introduction via humanmediated cervid movement, MassWildlife is motivated to take actions that minimize the risk of CWD introduction and spread in MA with the ultimate goal of managing thriving wildlife populations and maximizing hunter and general public satisfaction, which are both parts of the MassWildlife mission. A 2.5-day rapid prototyping structured decision making workshop was held with MassWildlife staff to develop a decision framework for CWD management in MA. During the workshop, we defined the context and extent of CWD management activities in MA. Next, we identified four fundamental objectives that help achieve the mission of MassWildlife and that address stakeholder concerns. The fundamental objectives included: (1) maximizing hunter satisfaction and participation, (2) maximizing public satisfaction (non-consumptive), (3) maximizing health and sustainability of cervids, and (4) maximizing the efficiency of CWD management. Then, we generated a list of five alternatives (i.e., strategies) that varied the intensity of proactive and reactive actions. The five strategies were: (1) minimal proactive and minimal reactive actions, (2) intermediate proactive and intermediate reactive actions, (3) intensive proactive and intermediate reactive actions, (4) minimal proactive and intensive reactive actions, and (5) intensive proactive and intensive reactive actions. Lastly, we estimated the performance of each strategy on the fundamental objectives and assessed the overall performance of strategies relative to one another. We did so by first estimating the consequences of each alternative strategy on fundamental objectives using expert elicitation, and then, we elicited objective weights from MassWildlife staff to incorporate the relative importance of different fundamental objectives. Given that it is unknown when CWD will arrive in MA, we evaluated the performance of alternative strategies against fundamental objectives given three distinct scenarios for time to arrival of CWD: introduction in 2.5, 7.5, or 10+ years. The preliminary results of the rapid prototype indicate that the performance of the CWD management strategies that we evaluated depends on when CWD first arrives in MA. If CWD were to arrive in 2.5 or 7.5 years from now (February, 2024), then the ‘minimal proactive and minimal reactive’ strategy performs the best on both the deer population and cost fundamental objectives (fundamental objectives 3 & 4), but the ‘intensive proactive and intensive reactive’ strategy performs best on both of the human dimensions fundamental objectives (fundamental objectives 1 & 2) as well as the minimize CWD prevalence objective (also related to fundamental objective 3). We also found that public trust is likely to remain high across all five alternative strategies if CWD arrives after year 10, but public trust decreases if CWD arrives in year 2.5 or 7.5. After incorporating objective weights, we found that in scenarios where CWD arrives in the near-term (in years 2.5 or 7.5), an intermediate strategy (e.g., ‘intermediate proactive and intermediate reactive’ or ‘intensive proactive and intermediate reactive’) performed best, and the ‘minimal proactive and intensive reactive’ strategy performed worst. Conversely, if CWD were to arrive after 10 years, then the ‘minimal proactive and minimal reactive’ and ‘minimal proactive and intensive reactive’ strategies performed best. Collectively, these results suggest that the decision on which alternative strategy to employ is sensitive to when CWD arrives in MA. Following the discussion of the preliminary results, we identified the following four next steps. First, we discussed how a more detailed communications plan is needed and would likely alter the performance estimates of the alternative strategies on fundamental objectives 1 & 2, which were hunter and public satisfaction, respectively. The development of the communication plan would likely be easier once the alternative actions have been identified along with the audience and message. Second, a surveillance plan could be a useful tool to inform CWD management. Surveillance for CWD was performed in MA annually from 2002 to 2012 (n = 4,356 wild white-tailed deer and moose [Alces alces] samples). Limited surveillance was conducted from 2013 to 2022; and in 2023, 242 wild samples were collected. It is not clear whether MA needs a robust or minimal surveillance plan (e.g., is a minimal surveillance plan enough to detect the pathogen at the threshold that would trigger action?), or what type of invasion event the surveillance plan should target (e.g., natural vs anthropogenic spread events). The use of decision trees and a formal risk assessment may help answer these questions. Third, some of the elicited estimates from experts during this rapid prototype could be replaced with empirical data. Lastly, given that the decision was sensitive to when CWD arrived in MA and a surveillance plan would rely on the mode of introduction, forecasting and predicting the CWD invasion front and/or the likelihood of different incursion events across MA would provide valuable insights.

Massachusetts↗

USGS2009

Mercury and trace element contents of Donbas coals and associated mine water in the vicinity of Donetsk, Ukraine

Mercury-rich coals in the Donets Basin (Donbas region) of Ukraine were sampled in active underground mines to assess the levels of potentially harmful elements and the potential for dispersion of metals through use of this coal. For 29 samples representing c 11 to m 3 Carboniferous coals, mercury contents range from 0.02 to 3.5 ppm (whole-coal dry basis). Mercury is well correlated with pyritic sulfur (0.01 to 3.2 wt.%), with an r 2 of 0.614 (one outlier excluded). Sulfides in these samples show enrichment of minor constituents in late-stage pyrite formed as a result of interaction of coal with hydrothermal fluids. Mine water sampled at depth and at surface collection points does not show enrichment of trace metals at harmful levels, indicating pyrite stability at subsurface conditions. Four samples of coal exposed in the defunct open-cast Nikitovka mercury mines in Gorlovka have extreme mercury contents of 12.8 to 25.5 ppm. This coal was formerly produced as a byproduct of extracting sandstone-hosted cinnabar ore. Access to these workings is unrestricted and small amounts of extreme mercury-rich coal are collected for domestic use, posing a limited human health hazard. More widespread hazards are posed by the abandoned Nikitovka mercury processing plant, the extensive mercury mine tailings, and mercury enrichment of soils extending into residential areas of Gorlovka.

Donbas mines↗

USGS2016

Spatial and temporal variability of contaminants within estuarine sediments and native Olympia oysters: A contrast between a developed and an undeveloped estuary

Chemical contaminants can be introduced into estuarine and marine ecosystems from a variety of sources including wastewater, agriculture and forestry practices, point and non-point discharges, runoff from industrial, municipal, and urban lands, accidental spills, and atmospheric deposition. The diversity of potential sources contributes to the likelihood of contaminated marine waters and sediments and increases the probability of uptake by marine organisms. Despite widespread recognition of direct and indirect pathways for contaminant deposition and organismal exposure in coastal systems, spatial and temporal variability in contaminant composition, deposition, and uptake patterns are still poorly known. We investigated these patterns for a suite of persistent legacy contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and chemicals of emerging concern including pharmaceuticals within two Oregon coastal estuaries (Coos and Netarts Bays). In the more urbanized Coos Bay, native Olympia oyster ( Ostrea lurida ) tissue had approximately twice the number of PCB congeners at over seven times the total concentration, yet fewer PBDEs at one-tenth the concentration as compared to the more rural Netarts Bay. Different pharmaceutical suites were detected during each sampling season. Variability in contaminant types and concentrations across seasons and between species and media (organisms versus sediment) indicates the limitation of using indicator species and/or sampling annually to determine contaminant loads at a site or for specific species. The results indicate the prevalence of legacy contaminants and CECs in relatively undeveloped coastal environments highlighting the need to improve policy and management actions to reduce contaminant releases into estuarine and marine waters and to deal with legacy compounds that remain long after prohibition of use. Our results point to the need for better understanding of the ecological and human health risks of exposure to the diverse cocktail of pollutants and harmful compounds that will continue to leach from estuarine sediments over time.

Oregon↗

USGS2001

Utility of splenic macrophage aggregates as an indicator of fish exposure to degraded environments

The utility of splenic macrophage aggregates (MAs) as an indicator of fish exposure to degraded environments was evaluated in several species of estuarine fishes as part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program–Estuaries (EMAP-E). Using image analysis, we measured the number and mean size of MAs per square millimeter on tissue sections of spleen from 983 fishes representing seven species from 266 stations scattered across coastal estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico. At 16 stations, at least one fish exhibited a high density of MAs (>40 MAs/mm 2 ). Densities of MAs that exceeded 40/mm 2 correlated with exposure to either hypoxic conditions or sediment contamination. Fisher's exact test showed that the observed frequencies of joint occurrence between high numbers of MAs and both high sediment contaminants and low dissolved oxygen were significantly greater than the expected background frequencies. For all 16 sites where MAs were greater than 40/mm 2 , sediments displayed at least one contaminant at a concentration in the highest 5% of those observed for all Gulf of Mexico stations. Additionally, comparison of subjective visual analyses with the image analysis measurements showed a strong correlation, indicating that similar analyses can be performed without computer image analysis. This study demonstrates that splenic MAs are effective biotic indicators for discriminating between fish exposed to degraded and nondegraded environments.

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas↗

USGS2021

Optimization of salt marsh management at the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, New York, through use of structured decision making

Structured decision making is a systematic, transparent process for improving the quality of complex decisions by identifying measurable management objectives and feasible management actions; predicting the potential consequences of management actions relative to the stated objectives; and selecting a course of action that maximizes the total benefit achieved and balances tradeoffs among objectives. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, applied an existing, regional framework for structured decision making to develop a prototype tool for optimizing tidal marsh management decisions at the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex in New York. Refuge biologists, refuge managers, and research scientists identified multiple potential management actions to improve the ecological integrity of five marsh management units within the refuge complex and estimated the outcomes of each action in terms of performance metrics associated with each management objective. Value functions previously developed at the regional level were used to transform metric scores to a common utility scale, and utilities were summed to produce a single score representing the total management benefit that could be accrued from each potential management action. Constrained optimization was used to identify the set of management actions, one per marsh management unit, that could maximize total management benefits at different cost constraints at the refuge-complex scale. Results indicated that, for the objectives and actions considered here, total management benefits may increase consistently up to about $24,000 , but that further expenditures may yield diminishing return on investment. Potential management actions in optimal portfolios at total costs less than $24,000 consistently included approaches for increasing drainage from the marsh surface within the marsh management units. The potential management benefits were derived from expected improvements in surface-water drainage and capacity for marsh elevation to keep pace with sea-level rise, and presumed increases in numbers of spiders (as an indicator of trophic health) and tidal marsh obligate birds. The prototype presented here does not resolve management decisions; rather, it provides a framework for decision making at the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex that can be updated as new data and information become available. Insights from this process may also be useful to inform future habitat management planning at the refuges.

New York↗

USGS1996

Water-quality assessment of the Trinity River Basin, Texas — Pesticides in streams draining an urban and an agricultural area, 1993-95

Water and bed-sediment samples from streams draining an urban and an agricultural area in the Trinity River Basin, Texas, were analyzed. The samples were collected during March 1993?September 1995 by the Trinity River Basin study-unit team of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program. A comparison of pesticide data for water samples from seven streams in the Dallas-Fort Worth urban area with five streams in an agricultural area in the west-central part of the Trinity River Basin showed detections of 24 herbicides in urban-area streams and 19 herbicides in agricultural-area streams and 10 insecticides in each area. Atrazine, a herbicide, was detected in all samples from both areas. Diazinon, an insecticide, was detected in all samples collected in urban-area streams and in about 60 percent of the samples collected in agricultural-area streams. Concentrations of alachlor, atrazine, fluometuron, metolachlor, and pendimethalin (herbicides) were always greater in agricultural-area streams, and prometon and simazine concentrations were always greater in urban-area streams. Atrazine was the only herbicide with concentrations greater than a health advisory limit of 3 micrograms per liter. Concentrations were greater in about 20 percent of the samples; all were in the agricultural area and occurred during spring and during higher streamflow. Diazinon was the only insecticide with concentrations greater than the health advisory of 0.6 microgram per liter. Concentrations were greater in about 15 percent of the samples from the urban area. All exceedances were during spring through early fall and during all ranges of streamflow. In the agricultural area, atrazine and metolachlor concentrations peaked during spring and early summer and increased with increasing streamflow; in the urban area, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, and diazinon peaked in April and remained relatively high during the summer and increased with increasing streamflow. A comparison of pesticide data for bed-sediment samples from five urban streams and five agricultural streams showed detections of 11 organochlorine insecticides in the urban area and 1 in the agricultural area. All compounds were either DDT-related or one of the components of chlordane except for mirex and dieldrin.

Texas↗

USGS2014

Water-quality variability and constituent transport and processes in streams of Johnson County, Kansas, using continuous monitoring and regression models, 2003-11

The population of Johnson County, Kansas increased by about 24 percent between 2000 and 2012, making it one of the most rapidly developing areas of Kansas. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program, began a comprehensive study of Johnson County streams in 2002 to evaluate and monitor changes in stream quality. The purpose of this report is to describe water-quality variability and constituent transport for streams representing the five largest watersheds in Johnson County, Kansas during 2003 through 2011. The watersheds ranged in urban development from 98.3 percent urban (Indian Creek) to 16.7 percent urban (Kill Creek). Water-quality conditions are quantified among the watersheds of similar size (50.1 square miles to 65.7 square miles) using continuous, in-stream measurements, and using regression models developed from continuous and discrete data. These data are used to quantify variability in concentrations and loads during changing streamflow and seasonal conditions, describe differences among sites, and assess water quality relative to water-quality standards and stream management goals. Water quality varied relative to streamflow conditions, urbanization in the upstream watershed, and contributions from wastewater treatment facilities and storm runoff. Generally, as percent impervious surface (a measure of urbanization) increased, streamflow yield increased. Water temperature of Indian Creek, the most urban site which is also downstream from wastewater facility discharges, was higher than the other sites about 50 percent of the time, particularly during winter months. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were less than the Kansas Department of Health and Environment minimum criterion of 5 milligrams per liter about 15 percent of the time at the Indian Creek site. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were less than the criterion about 10 percent of the time at the rural Blue River and Kill Creek sites, and less than 5 percent of the time at the other sites. Low dissolved oxygen at all sites generally coincided with lowest streamflow and warmer water temperatures. Hourly dissolved oxygen concentrations less than 5 milligrams per liter were measured at all sites every year, indicating that even under normal climate conditions in non-urban watersheds such as Kill Creek, dissolved oxygen concentrations may not meet State aquatic-life criterion. Specific conductance was nearly always highest in Indian and Mill Creeks, which were the most urban streams with the largest upstream discharges from wastewater treatment facilities. The largest chloride concentrations and variability were recorded at urban sites and during winter. Each winter during the study period, chloride concentrations in the most urban site, Indian Creek, exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-recommended criterion of 230 milligrams per liter for at least 10 consecutive days. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-recommended ecoregion criterion for turbidity was exceeded 30 (Indian Creek) to 50 (Blue River) percent of the time. The highest average annual streamflow-weighted suspendedsediment concentration during the study period was in Mill Creek, which has undergone rapid development that likely contributed to higher sediment concentrations. One of the largest suspended-sediment load events in Indian Creek was recorded in early May 2007 when about 25 percent of the total annual sediment load was transported during a period of about 2.25 days. A simultaneous load event was recorded in Kill Creek, when about 75 percent of the total annual sediment load was transported. Sediment yields generally increased as percent impervious surface increased. Computed hourly total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations and yields and streamflow-weighted concentrations generally were largest in Indian and Mill Creeks. Annual percent contribution of total nitrogen in the Blue River from wastewater treatment facility discharges ranged from 19 percent in 2010 to 60 percent in 2006. Annual percent contribution of total nitrogen in Indian Creek from wastewater treatment facility discharges ranged from 35 percent in 2010 to 93 percent in 2006. The largest percent nutrient contributions from wastewater discharges coincided with the smallest annual precipitation and streamflow volume, resulting in less contribution originating from runoff. Fecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli density at the urban Indian Creek site was usually the largest of the five monitoring sites, with an annual median density that consistently exceeded the State primary contact criterion value but was less than the secondary contact criterion. Less than 1 percent of the total annual bacteria load in the Blue River and Indian Creek originated from wastewater discharges, except during 2006 when about 6 percent of the Indian Creek load originated from wastewater. Continuous water-quality monitoring provides a foundation for comprehensive evaluation and understanding of variability and loading characteristics in streams in Johnson County. Because several directly measured parameters are strongly correlated with particular constituents of interest, regression models provide a valuable tool for evaluating variability and loading on the basis of computed continuous data. Continuous data are particularly useful for characterizing nonpoint-source contributions from stormwater runoff. Transmission of continuous data in real-time makes it possible to rapidly detect and respond to potential environmental concerns. As monitoring technologies continue to improve, so does the ability to monitor additional constituents of interest, with smaller measurement error, and at lower operational cost. Continuous water-quality data including model information and computed concentrations and loads during the study period are available at http://nrtwq.usgs.gov/ks/ .

Kansas↗

USGS2015

Human and bovine viruses and bacteria at three Great Lakes beaches: Environmental variable associations and health risk

Waterborne pathogens were measured at three beaches in Lake Michigan, environmental factors for predicting pathogen concentrations were identified, and the risk of swimmer infection and illness was estimated. Waterborne pathogens were detected in 96% of samples collected at three Lake Michigan beaches in summer, 2010. Samples were quantified for 22 pathogens in four microbial categories (human viruses, bovine viruses, protozoa, and pathogenic bacteria). All beaches had detections of human and bovine viruses and pathogenic bacteria indicating influence of multiple contamination sources at these beaches. Occurrence ranged from 40 to 87% for human viruses, 65–87% for pathogenic bacteria, and 13–35% for bovine viruses. Enterovirus, adenovirus A, Salmonella spp. , Campylobacter jejuni , bovine polyomavirus, and bovine rotavirus A were present most frequently. Variables selected in multiple regression models used to explore environmental factors that influence pathogens included wave direction, cloud cover, currents, and water temperature. Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment was done for C. jejuni , Salmonella spp. , and enteroviruses to estimate risk of infection and illness. Median infection risks for one-time swimming events were approximately 3 × 10 –5 , 7 × 10 –9 , and 3 × 10 –7 for C. jejuni , Salmonella spp., and enteroviruses, respectively. Results highlight the importance of investigating multiple pathogens within multiple categories to avoid underestimating the prevalence and risk of waterborne pathogens.

Wisconsin↗

USGS2015

Linking climate change and health outcomes: Examining the relationship between temperature, precipitation and birth weight in Africa

This paper examined the relationship between birth weight, precipitation, and temperature in 19 African countries. We matched recorded birth weights from Demographic and Health Surveys covering 1986 through 2010 with gridded monthly precipitation and temperature data derived from satellite and ground-based weather stations. Observed weather patterns during various stages of pregnancy were also used to examine the effect of temperature and precipitation on birth weight outcomes. In our empirical model we allowed the effect of weather factors to vary by the dominant food production strategy (livelihood zone) in a given region as well as by household wealth, mother's education and birth season. This allowed us to determine if certain populations are more or less vulnerable to unexpected weather changes after adjusting for known covariates. Finally we measured effect size by observing differences in birth weight outcomes in women who have one low birth weight experience and at least one healthy birth weight baby. The results indicated that climate does indeed impact birth weight and at a level comparable, in some cases, to the impact of increasing women's education or household electricity status.

Global Environmental Change↗

USGS2016

Perchlorate and selected metals in water and soil within Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota, 2011–15

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is located in the east-central part of the Black Hills area of South Dakota and is challenged to provide drinking water to about 3 million annual visitors and year-round park personnel. An environmental concern to water resources within Mount Rushmore National Memorial has been the annual aerial fireworks display at the memorial for the Independence Day holiday during 1998–2009. A major concern of park management is the contamination of groundwater and surface water by perchlorate, which is used as an oxidizing agent in firework displays. A study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, was completed to characterize the occurrence of perchlorate and selected metals (constituents commonly associated with fireworks) in groundwater and surface water within and adjacent to Mount Rushmore National Memorial during 2011–15. Concentrations of perchlorate and metals in 106 water samples (collected from 6 groundwater sites and 14 surface-water sites) and 11 soil samples (collected from 11 soil sites) are reported. Within the Mount Rushmore National Memorial boundary, perchlorate concentrations were greatest in the Lafferty Gulch drainage basin, ranging from less than 0.20 to 38 micrograms per liter (μg/L) in groundwater samples and from 2.2 to 54 μg/L in surface-water samples. Sites within the Starling Gulch drainage basin also had some evidence of perchlorate contamination, with concentrations ranging from 0.61 to 19 μg/L. All groundwater and surface-water samples within the unnamed tributary to Grizzly Bear Creek drainage basin and reference sites outside the park boundary had concentrations less than 0.20 μg/L. Perchlorate concentrations in samples collected at the 200-foot-deep production well (Well 1) ranged from 17 to 38 μg/L with a median of 23 μg/L, whereas perchlorate concentrations in samples from the 500-foot-deep production well (Well 2) ranged from 2.1 to 17 μg/L, with a median of 6.1 μg/L. Perchlorate concentrations in samples of the treated groundwater were similar to the concentrations from Well 1, which was the predominant source of the water supply at Mount Rushmore National Memorial during the study period (2011–15). Springflow upstream from the production wells in the West Fork Lafferty Gulch drainage had the greatest perchlorate concentrations, ranging from 21 to 54 μg/L. The groundwater site within Lafferty Gulch drainage basin but downstream from the park boundary also had a perchlorate concentration less than 0.20 μg/L in the one sample collected at the site. Water samples collected at reference sites generally had concentrations of metals within the same range of those sites within the Mount Rushmore National Memorial boundary, presenting little evidence of metal contamination due to anthropogenic factors within the park boundary. Soil samples were collected near most water sampling sites and within the Hall of Records Canyon where fireworks were launched. Perchlorate concentrations in soil were greatest in the West Fork Lafferty Gulch drainage and Hall of Records Canyon, which are topographically higher than the two groundwater wells. The perchlorate concentrations in groundwater and surface water within Lafferty Gulch drainage basin during 2011–15 were greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Interim Drinking Water Health Advisory benchmark of 15 μg/L. The perchlorate concentrations in the Mount Rushmore water supply relative to this benchmark are of concern; however, this health advisory is based on the assumption that consumers are using the supply as their primary water source and currently is not a regulated standard. The groundwater system at West Fork Lafferty Gulch is highly susceptible to contamination by way of recharge and is isolated from downstream movement by an intrusive body acting as a dam, which may explain why a contamination problem is not likely to disappear or disperse, as could happen in larger aquifer systems. The observed deposition of firework debris within Lafferty Gulch drainage basin coupled with the lack of alternative perchlorate sources indicates that past firework displays are the most probable source of perchlorate contamination.

South Dakota↗

USGS2010

A river system to watch: documenting the effects of saltcedar ( Tamarix spp.) biocontrol in the Virgin River valley

Throughout riparian areas of the southwestern United States, non-native saltcedar (also known as tamarisk; Tamarix spp.) can form dense, monotypic stands and is often reported to have detrimental effects on native plants and habitat quality (Everitt 1980; Shafroth et al. 2005). Natural resource managers of these riparian areas spend considerable time and resources controlling saltcedar using a variety of techniques, including chemical (Duncan and McDaniel 1998), mechanical, and burning methods (Shafroth et al. 2005). Approximately one billion dollars are spent each year on river restoration projects nationally (Bernhardt et al. 2005), and a majority of these projects focus on invasive species control in the Southwest (Follstad Shah et al. 2007). A technique that has drawn much attention is the use of the saltcedar leaf beetle ( Diorhabda spp.), a specialist herbivore, as biological control of saltcedar (Lewis et al. 2003). Research testing was conducted with beetles housed in secure enclosures in six states in 1998 and 1999 (Dudley et al. 2001), followed by open release at some of those sites starting in 2001 (DeLoach et al. 2004). By 2005, full-scale saltcedar biocontrol was implemented in 13 states, led by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the agency that oversees biological control programs, and with the participation and support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Despite the widespread application of Diorhabda , however, only limited research has quantified the consequences (benefits and costs) on biotic communities and ecosystem services. Alterations to riparian areas caused by various non-native species control activities have the potential to affect a variety of habitat types used by wildlife (Bateman et al. 2008a); processes like water availability, fluvial deposition, and erosion; and the establishment of other non-native species (Carruthers and D'Antonio 2005, Shafroth et al. 2005, DeLoach et al. 2006). Similarly, biocontrol is expected to modify riparian ecosystems, and it is imperative to document and evaluate both the environmental benefits and the potential costs of this tamarisk management method.

Virgin River↗

USGS2004

Lake Worth bottom sediments : A chronicle of water-quality changes in western Fort Worth, Texas, 1914-2001

In spring 2000, the Texas Department of Health issued a fish-consumption advisory for Lake Worth, Tex., because of elevated concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish (Texas Department of Health, 2000). In response to the advisory and in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected 21 surficial samples and three deeper gravity core samples from the sediment deposited at the bottom of Lake Worth. The purpose of that study was to assess the spatial distribution and historical trends of selected hydrophobic contaminants, including PCBs, and to determine, to the extent possible, sources of selected metals and hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) to Lake Worth. Hydrophobic (literally “water fearing”) contaminants tend to chemically adsorb to soils and sediments. Fifteen of the top 20 contaminants on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2001) priority list of hazardous substances are hydrophobic. Chemical analysis of sediment cores is one method that can be used to determine trends in HOCs such as PCBs. As sediments accumulate in lakes and reservoirs, they generate a partial historical record of water quality. This fact sheet describes the collection of sediment cores, age-dating methods, and historical trends in PCBs in Lake Worth sediments. The fact sheet also describes the spatial distribution of PCBs in surficial sediments and concludes with objectives for the second phase of data collection and the approach that will be used to achieve these objectives. The USGS published a comprehensive report on the first phase of the study (Harwell and others, 2003). Lake Worth is a reservoir on the West Fork Trinity River on the western edge of Fort Worth in Tarrant County. In 1914, the City of Fort Worth completed the reservoir to serve as a municipal water supply. Lake Worth has a surface area of 13.2 square kilometers and a storage capacity of 47 million cubic meters. The drainage area to the reservoir is 5,350 square kilometers(Ruddy and Hitt, 1990). The surrounding area to the south and east is primarily urban, and the area to the north and northwest is mostly residential.

Texas↗

USGS2008

Sulfur contamination in the Florida Everglades: Initial examination of mitigation strategies

Introduction Sulfate contamination of the Everglades is a serious water quality issue facing restoration of this ecosystem. Sulfate concentrations in some marsh areas are more than 60 times background concentrations, and sulfate in excess of background levels covers an estimated 60% of the freshwater Everglades (Orem et al., 1997; Stober et al., 1996 and 2001; Orem et al., 2004). The excess sulfate enters the Everglades in the discharge of canal water from the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA). Excess phosphorus also enters the ecosystem in EAA canal water discharge (Koch and Reddy, 1992; Craft and Richardson, 1993; DeBusk et al. 1994; Zielinski et al., 1999). Existing data suggest that sulfur in fertilizer and soil amendments used in the EAA (both new additions and legacy sulfur in the soil) is a major source of excess sulfate entering the ecosystem (Bates et al., 2001 and 2002). Other potential sources of sulfate (including groundwater), however, need further investigation. The report by Gilmour et al. (2007b) in the 2007 South Florida Environmental Report provides a complete examination of the current state of knowledge of the sulfur contamination issue in the Everglades. Sulfate discharged from canals or leaking through levees into the ecosystem spreads out over a large area since, unlike phosphorus, it is not removed to any great extent by plant uptake. Sulfate slowly diffuses into the anoxic soils (peats) underlying the Everglades and stimulates microbial sulfate reduction (MSR), producing toxic hydrogen sulfide as a byproduct (Goldhaber and Kaplan, 1974; Berner, 1980; Rheinheimer, 1994). Hydrogen sulfide at contaminated sites may build up in sediments to concentrations thousands of times background levels (Gilmour et al., 2007b). The excess sulfate and sulfide has numerous deleterious impacts on the Everglades. One of the more environmentally important impacts is the link between sulfate contamination and methylmercury (MeHg) production in the ecosystem (Gilmour et al., 1998; Benoit et al., 1998, 1999a, b; Axelrad et al., 2007; Gilmour et al., 2007a). MeHg, a bioaccumulative neurotoxin, is produced primarily by methylation of ambient inorganic mercury during MSR (Compeau and Bartha, 1985; Gilmour et al., 1992; Munthe et al., 1995; Branfireun et al., 1999). Contamination of fish with MeHg is the most significant environmental contaminant issue in the USA in terms of number of locations impacted (Krabbenhoft and Wiener, 1999; USEPA, 1998). Neurotoxic MeHg represents a serious threat to wildlife (Bouton et al., 1999; Frederick et al., 1999; Heath and Frederick, 2005), and is a human health issue, with human exposure through fish consumption (Gilbert and Grant-Webster, 1995; Schober et al., 2003). In addition to its neurotoxic effects, MeHg may also be an endocrine disruptor that affects successful reproduction in fish and fish-eating wildlife (Klaper et al., 2006). South Florida has among the highest levels of MeHg in fish in the USA (Lambou et al., 1991). Experimental chamber (mesocosm) studies conducted in the Everglades have shown that sulfate addition stimulates the production and bioaccumulation of MeHg (Gilmour et al., 2007b). Inorganic mercury enters the Everglades primarily in rainfall, and most of the inorganic mercury in the rainfall appears to originate from outside of the USA (Hanisch, 1998). The origin of most inorganic mercury from outside of the USA severely limits the ability of state and Federal officials to limit MeHg production and bioaccumulation in fish in the Everglades by controlling emissions of inorganic mercury from various anthropogenic sources (e.g. coal-fired power plants, medical waste incinerators, cement manufacture). Thus, controlling sulfate inputs to the Everglades may represent the most effective way of minimizing MeHg production and bioaccumulation here. In addition to impacts on MeHg production and bioaccumulation, sulfur contamination has also dramatically altered redox p

Florida↗

USGS2005

Health evaluation of amphibians in and near Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado, USA)

We conducted a health survey of amphibians in and adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) to document current disease presence inside RMNP and identify disease outside RMNP with the potential to spread to the Park's amphibians. Amphibians from five sites within RMNP and seven sites within 60 km of Park boundaries were collected and examined. Necropsies (n - 238), virus isolation, bacterial and fungal cultures, and histological examinations were carried out on amphibian egg masses (outside RMNP/within RMNP: 26/22), larvae (30/42), imagos (recently metamorphosed individuals) (0/3) and adults (61/67) of five species. Marked infections by a pathogenic chytrid fungus (chyridiomycosis), Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, were detected in three species (Bufo boreas, Pseudacris maculata and Rana sylvatica) from three of five sites within RMNP and in one of three species (P. maculata) from three sites outside RMNP. Of the fully metamorphosed individuals tested (B. boreas, P. maculata and R. sylvatica), chytridiomycosis was found in 60 % (n = 3), 46 % (n = 37) and 54 % (n = 7), respectively. Chytridiomycosis was the principal lethal pathogenic infectious disease detected in three amphibian species within or adjacent to RMNP. Higher fungi were isolated from the cloaca and skin of all five amphibian species. Watermolds (Oomycetes) were isolated from amphibian eggs or skin of all five species. No evidence of Ranavirus was found in cultures and histological examinations of 176 and 142 amphibians, respectively. Fifteen genera of bacteria were identified in larval and just metamorphosed amphibians, and a potentially pathogenic lungworm, Rhabdias sp, was identified in 61.1 % (n = 11) of B. woodhousii outside RMNP, but in only 2 (15.4 %) R. sylvatica within the Park.

Colorado↗

USGS2015

Evaluation of methods for assessing physiological biomarkers of stress in freshwater mussels

Freshwater mussel populations are highly susceptible to environmental alterations because of their diminished numbers and primarily sessile behaviors; nonlethal biomonitoring programs are needed to evaluate the health of populations prior to mass mortality events. Our objectives were to determine ( i ) which biochemical parameters in freshwater mussel hemolymph could be consistently quantified, ( ii ) how hemolymph parameters and tissue glycogen respond to a thermal stress gradient (25, 30, and 35 °C), and ( iii ) the effects of tissue and hemolymph extraction on long-term growth and survival of smaller- and larger-bodied mussel species. Glucose exhibited elevated expression in both species with increasing water temperature. Two transaminase enzymes had elevated expression in the 30 °C treatment. The effects of hemolymph extraction and tissue biopsies were evaluated with a large-bodied species, Elliptio crassidens , and a smaller species, Villosa vibex . Individuals were monitored for 820 to 945 days after one of four treatments: hemolymph extraction, tissue biopsy, tissue and hemolymph extraction, and control. Hemolymph extraction and tissue biopsy adversely affected survival of V. vibex , suggesting that these extraction methods may add some risk of reduced survival to smaller-bodied species. Survival of E. crassidens was not impaired by any of the treatments, supporting the use of these techniques in nonlethal biomonitoring programs for larger-bodied mussel species.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗

USGS2022

Optimization of salt marsh management at the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Maine, through use of structured decision making

Structured decision making is a systematic, transparent process for improving the quality of complex decisions by identifying measurable management objectives and feasible management actions; predicting the potential consequences of management actions relative to the stated objectives; and selecting a course of action that maximizes the total benefit achieved and balances tradeoffs among objectives. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, applied an existing, regional framework for structured decision making to develop a prototype tool for optimizing tidal marsh management decisions at the Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Maine. Refuge biologists, refuge managers, and research scientists identified multiple potential management actions to improve the ecological integrity of two marsh management units within the refuge complex, totaling about 47 hectares, and estimated the outcomes of each action in terms of performance metrics associated with each management objective. Value functions previously developed at the regional level were used to transform metric scores to a common utility scale, and utilities were summed to produce a single score representing the total management benefit that could be accrued from each potential management action. Constrained optimization was used to identify the set of management actions, one per marsh management unit, that could maximize total management benefits at different cost constraints at the refuge scale. Results indicated that, for the objectives and actions considered here, total management benefits may increase consistently up to $ 9,545, and may continue to increase at a lower rate with further expenditures. Potential management actions in optimal portfolios at total costs less than or equal to $ 9,545 included removing dikes to restore tidal flow in the Gouldsboro Bay management unit and installing runnels to improve surface-water drainage in the Sawyers Marsh management unit. The potential management benefits were derived from expected increases in the numbers of tidal marsh obligate breeding birds and density of spiders (as an indicator of trophic health), reduced duration of flooding, and increased capacity of marsh elevation to keep pace with sea-level rise. The prototype presented here does not resolve management decisions; rather, it provides a framework for decision making at the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex that can be updated for implementation as new data and information become available. Insights from this process may also be useful to inform future habitat management planning at the refuge complex.

Maine↗