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At least 1,027 records · Page 57Linked to original sources
USGS2018

Hydrologic performance of retrofit rain gardens in a residential neighborhood (Cleveland Ohio USA) with a focus on monitoring methods

Green infrastructure refers to a range of urban stormwater management tools that can be flexibly implemented. These practices can aid in mitigating the negative impacts of runoff by increasing catchment detention capacity. We studied two engineered rain gardens (Cleveland OH) that were designed to infiltrate and detain direct runoff volume generated from an adjacent roadway, and sheet flow from pervious areas of each catchment area. We also accounted for hydrologic interactions between the engineered and upslope basic (non-engineered) rain gardens. A whole water-cycle monitoring approach was employed to fully assess the role of green infrastructure interventions on performance as inflows captured, duration of outflow drainage (i.e., excess moisture), hydrologic losses (e.g., evapotranspiration), and groundwater table dynamics. We found that these tandem rain gardens had good capacity for runoff inflow volumes over the course of over 100 storm events.The integration of green infrastructure in urban landscapes and long-term monitoring for effectiveness and its key functions produces novel data that can be used by researchers and other interested parties to conduct assessments of urban ecosystem functions and leverage these unique datasets by integrating with other datasets as per good scientific practice. We role model good monitoring practice, discuss unique ways to interpret challenging hydraulic circumstances, and conclude with a discussion of monitoring techniques that scale between the simple, passive and elegant; to full-blown research-grade monitoring infrastructure such as that employed in this study.

Ohio↗
USGS1995

Increased avian diseases with habitat change

Changes in disease patterns and trends reflect changing relationships between the affected species (host) and the causes of disease (agent). Host-agent interactions are closely linked to environmental factors that either enhance or reduce the potential for disease to occur. As a result, wildlife disease patterns and trends are, to a substantial extent, indicators of environmental quality and changing host-agent interactions within the environment being evaluated. The types, distribution, and frequency of diseases causing major avian die-offs have changed greatly during the 20th century. Too little is known to assess the changes of most avian diseases that result in chronic attrition rather than major die-offs, or about those that affect reproductive success, reduce body condition, or affect survival in other indirect ways. Nevertheless, the changing patterns and trends in highly visible avian diseases provide notice of problems needing attention. Information on the status of disease in wild birds was obtained from National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) evaluations of the cause of death for more than 30,000 carcasses from across the United States during the past two decades, reports of avian mortality received from collaborators, the scientific literature, and NWHC field investigations of bird mortality. Comprehensive assessments of causes of wild bird mortality, magnitude of losses, and geographic distribution of specific diseases are not possible from these data, although we can identify general relationships for waterfowl and some other species.

Book chapter↗
USGS2007

Summary of percentages of zero daily mean streamflow for 712 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations in Texas through 2003

Analysts and managers of surface-water resources might have interest in the zero-flow potential for U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow-gaging stations in Texas. The USGS, in cooperation with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, initiated a data and reporting process to generate summaries of percentages of zero daily mean streamflow for 712 USGS streamflow-gaging stations in Texas. A summary of the percentages of zero daily mean streamflow for most active and inactive, continuous-record gaging stations in Texas provides valuable information by conveying the historical perspective for zero-flow potential for the watershed. The summaries of percentages of zero daily mean streamflow for each station are graphically depicted using two thematic perspectives: annual and monthly. The annual perspective consists of graphs of annual percentages of zero streamflow by year with the addition of lines depicting the mean and median annual percentage of zero streamflow. Monotonic trends in the percentages of zero streamflow also are identified using Kendall's T. The monthly perspective consists of graphs of the percentage of zero streamflow by month with lines added to indicate the mean and median monthly percentage of zero streamflow. One or more summaries could be used in a watershed, river basin, or other regional context by analysts and managers of surface-water resources to guide scientific, regulatory, or other inquiries of zero-flow or other low-flow conditions in Texas.

Data Series↗
USGS2023

Groundwater-flow model of the Treasure Valley, southwestern Idaho, 1986–2015

Most of the population of the Treasure Valley and the surrounding area of southwestern Idaho and easternmost Oregon depends on groundwater for domestic supply, either from domestic or municipal-supply wells. Current and projected rapid population growth in the area has caused concern about the long-term sustainability of the groundwater resource. In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Idaho Water Resource Board and the Idaho Department of Water Resources, began a project to construct a numerical groundwater-flow model of the westernmost portion of the western Snake River Plain aquifer system, called the Treasure Valley. The development of the model was guided by several objectives, including: to improve the understanding of groundwater and surface water interactions; to facilitate conjunctive water management; to provide a tool for water resources planning; and to provide a tool for water allocation. The model was constructed with a spatial scale and level of detail that aimed to meet these objectives while balancing the sometimes-competing goals of fast runtimes, numerical stability, usability, and parsimony. The Treasure Valley Groundwater Flow Model (TVGWFM) is a three-dimensional finite-difference numerical model constructed using MODFLOW 6 (Langevin and others, 2017, Documentation for the MODFLOW 6 Groundwater Flow Model: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, book 6, chap. A55, 197 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/tm6A55 ). The model covers the westernmost portion of the western Snake River Plain and is discretized into a regular grid of 64 by 65 cells with a side length of 1 mile and 6 layers of varying depth and active area. A historical model period was developed consisting of 360 month-long stress periods for 1986–2015. The model builds upon previous modeling efforts by adding a transient period, incorporating new head and discharge observations to constrain parameters, incorporating information from the hydrogeologic framework model (HFM) of Bartolino (2019, Hydrogeologic framework of the Treasure Valley and surrounding area, Idaho and Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2019–5138, https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20195138 ) and incorporating refined estimates of evapotranspiration and irrigation classification of lands in the study area. The TVGWFM includes all significant components of recharge to and discharge from the aquifer. Inflows include canal seepage, irrigation and precipitation recharge, mountain-front recharge, rivers and stream seepage, and seepage from Lake Lowell. Outflows include discharge to agricultural drainage ditches, discharge to rivers and streams, pumping, and discharge to Lake Lowell. Each recharge or discharge component is represented separately using individual MODFLOW 6 packages. Parameter values were derived with a combination of trial-and-error steps and automated parameter estimation using PEST software (Doherty, J.E., 2005, PEST, model-independent parameter estimation–User manual: Watermark Numerical Computing, https://pesthomepage.org/documentation ). Parameter estimates were constrained with several types of observation data, including water levels, water level changes, vertical water level differences, drain discharges, change in drain discharges, river seepage, seepage from Lake Lowell, and change in seepage from Lake Lowell. Material properties from the hydrogeologic framework were also used to assign the minimum and maximum values of some parameters. A final parameter realization was reached that minimized residuals between the observed and modelled values for the various observation groups. Mean residuals for the observation groups were 15.4 feet (ft) for water levels, 0.2 ft for water level changes, 19.4 ft for vertical water level differences, −3.9 cubic feet per second (ft 3 /s) for drain discharges, 0.0 ft 3 /s for changes in drain discharge, 45.0 ft 3 /s for river seepage, −40.1 ft 3 /s for Lake Lowell seepage, and 126.3 ft 3 /s for changes in Lake Lowell seepage. The quality of the model’s fit to observations varied spatially, with notable areas of under- or over-simulation of water levels present to the northwest and southwest of Lake Lowell, in the foothills along the eastern model boundary, and near the City of Eagle. Trends were observed in the residuals of many of the observation groups, indicating that the model is missing or not fully reproducing some phenomena that are observed in the system. The TVGWFM can be used as a tool for water resource planning, for understanding the interactions of groundwater and surface water at a basin scale, and for facilitating conjunctive management, but may lack the precision needed for water rights administration at a local scale. Additional sources of uncertainty or limitations of the model are noted. The quantity and spatial distribution of canal seepage and infiltration of irrigation water recharge, the largest sources of recharge to the system, are unknown and approximated indirectly. There is poor understanding of how canal seepage and incidental recharge change as land is converted from agricultural (irrigated) to suburban (semi-irrigated). These uncertainties will affect any scenarios that investigate changes to land use or irrigation practices. Finally, the model has relatively high water-level residuals around and to the southwest of Lake Lowell and should not be used to estimate water level effects in that region. The model was built with multiple, broadly expressed objectives and did not optimize performance for specific uses. However, the model and the tools included in an associated data release provide ample flexibility to improve the model for future uses. Adjustments and improvements could be made by refining the model in an area of interest, collecting additional calibration data, applying more rigorous boundary conditions, or re-estimating model parameters to optimize model performance for a specific model forecast.

Idaho↗
USGS2004

Application of Acoustic and Optic Methods for Estimating Suspended-Solids Concentrations in the St. Lucie River Estuary, Florida

Acoustic and optic methods were applied to estimate suspended-solids concentrations in the St. Lucie River Estuary, southeastern Florida. Acoustic Doppler velocity meters were installed at the North Fork, Speedy Point, and Steele Point sites within the estuary. These sites provide varying flow, salinity, water-quality, and channel cross-sectional characteristics. The monitoring site at Steele Point was not used in the analyses because repeated instrument relocations (due to bridge construction) prevented a sufficient number of samples from being collected at the various locations. Acoustic and optic instruments were installed to collect water velocity, acoustic backscatter strength (ABS), and turbidity data that were used to assess the feasibility of estimating suspended-solids concentrations in the estuary. Other data collected at the monitoring sites include tidal stage, salinity, temperature, and periodic discharge measurements. Regression analyses were used to determine the relations of suspended-solids concentration to ABS and suspended-solids concentration to turbidity at the North Fork and Speedy Point sites. For samples used in regression analyses, measured suspended-solids concentrations at the North Fork and Speedy Point sites ranged from 3 to 37 milligrams per liter, and organic content ranged from 50 to 83 percent. Corresponding salinity for these samples ranged from 0.12 to 22.7 parts per thousand, and corresponding temperature ranged from 19.4 to 31.8 ?C. Relations determined using this technique are site specific and only describe suspended-solids concentrations at locations where data were collected. The suspended-solids concentration to ABS relation resulted in correlation coefficients of 0.78 and 0.63 at the North Fork and Speedy Point sites, respectively. The suspended-solids concentration to turbidity relation resulted in correlation coefficients of 0.73 and 0.89 at the North Fork and Speedy Point sites, respectively. The adequacy of the empirical equations seems to be limited by the number and distribution of suspended-solids samples collected throughout the expected concentration range at the North Fork and Speedy Point sites. Additionally, the ABS relations for both sites seem to overestimate at the low end and underestimate at the high end of the concentration range. Based on the sensitivity analysis, temperature had a greater effect than salinity on estimated suspended-solids concentrations. Temperature also appeared to affect ABS data, perhaps by changing the absorptive and reflective characteristics of the suspended material. Salinity and temperature had no observed effects on the turbidity relation at the North Fork and Speedy Point sites. Estimates of suspended-solids concentrations using ABS data were less 'erratic' than estimates using turbidity data. Combining ABS and turbidity data into one equation did not improve the accuracy of results, and therefore, was not considered.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2006

Review of Trace Element Blank and Replicate Data Collected in Ground and Surface Water for the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 1991-2002

The trace elements Sb, Be, and Tl in ground water and Sb, Be, Co, Mo, and U in surface water are unaffected by contamination. Limited quality control data (blanks) for Li and V in ground water and surface water do not allow for a good assessment on the potential contamination associated with these trace elements. Potential contamination was identified for Al, As, Ba, B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Se, Ag, Sr, and Zn in ground water and surface water. Evidence of potential contamination was shown for Co, Mo, and U in ground water; potential contamination was shown for T1 in surface water. In comparing the potential contamination for these trace elements with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) drinking-water standards, the contamination for most of these trace elements is less than 10 percent of the drinking-water standard; therefore, contamination would have little or no effect when comparing trace element concentrations with the USEPA drinking-water standards. The exceptions are Al, Cd, and possibly Pb in ground water, and As and possibly Pb in surface water. Potential contamination identified for these trace elements is greater than 10 percent of the USEPA drinking-water standard, but affects only 5 percent or less of the As, Cd, and Pb samples. For most trace elements, the level of potential contamination is not large enough to significantly affect the measured concentration of the environmental sample. The exceptions may be Fe in ground water and Al in surface water, which have concentrations for at least 10 percent of the environmental samples that exceeded the USEPA drinking-water standards. Sample variability for some of the trace elements could not be determined because there were either no detected concentrations, or there were less than 10 replicate sets with detected concentrations. These trace elements are Be, Ag, and Tl for ground water and Sb, Be, Cr, Co, Pb, Ag, and Tl for surface water. For most trace elements, sample variability was less than 10 percent, which would have little or no affect on the reported concentrations. The exceptions are Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, Rn (at concentrations less than about 700 picocuries per liter), Se, and Zn in ground water and Cu, Se, and Zn in surface water, all of which have sample variability ranging from 10 to 20 percent. Sample variability should be considered when evaluating the potential error associated with a sample measurement. Collection of additional quality control samples for some of these trace elements to determine bias and variability is probably warranted particularly for those trace elements that the NAWQA Program did not begin sampling until 1998. Results obtained from the analysis of the quality control data can be applied to the interpretation of the environmental data collected from 1991 to 2002 and for water-quality data that are currently being collected as part of the NAWQA Program. More...

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2006

Evaluation of well-purging effects on water-quality results for samples collected from the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer underlying the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

This report presents qualitative and quantitative comparisons of water-quality data from the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, to determine if the change from purging three wellbore volumes to one wellbore volume has a discernible effect on the comparability of the data. Historical water-quality data for 30 wells were visually compared to water-quality data collected after purging only 1 wellbore volume from the same wells. Of the 322 qualitatively examined constituent plots, 97.5 percent met 1 or more of the criteria established for determining data comparability. A simple statistical equation to determine if water-quality data collected from 28 wells at the INL with long purge times (after pumping 1 and 3 wellbore volumes of water) were statistically the same at the 95-percent confidence level indicated that 97.9 percent of 379 constituent pairs were equivalent. Comparability of water-quality data determined from both the qualitative (97.5 percent comparable) and quantitative (97.9 percent comparable) evaluations after purging 1 and 3 wellbore volumes of water indicates that the change from purging 3 to 1 wellbore volumes had no discernible effect on comparability of water-quality data at the INL. However, the qualitative evaluation was limited because only October-November 2003 data were available for comparison to historical data. This report was prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2009

Hydrogeologic Framework of Bedrock Units and Initial Salinity Distribution for a Simulation of Groundwater Flow for the Lake Michigan Basin

The U.S. Geological Survey is assessing groundwater availability in the Lake Michigan Basin. As part of the assessment, a variable-density groundwater-flow model is being developed to simulate the effects of groundwater use on water availability throughout the basin. The hydrogeologic framework for the Lake Michigan Basin model was developed by grouping the bedrock geology of the study area into hydrogeologic units on the basis of the functioning of each unit as an aquifer or confining layer within the basin. Available data were evaluated based on the areal extent of coverage within the study area, and procedures were established to characterize areas with sparse data coverage. Top and bottom altitudes for each hydrogeologic unit were interpolated in a geographic information system for input to the model and compared with existing maps of subsurface formations. Fourteen bedrock hydrogeologic units, making up 17 bedrock model layers, were defined, and they range in age from the Jurassic Period red beds of central Michigan to the Cambrian Period Mount Simon Sandstone. Information on groundwater salinity in the Lake Michigan Basin was compiled to create an input dataset for the variable-density groundwater-flow simulation. Data presented in this report are referred to as 'salinity data' and are reported in terms of total dissolved solids. Salinity data were not available for each hydrogeologic unit. Available datasets were assigned to a hydrogeologic unit, entered into a spatial database, and data quality was visually evaluated. A geographic information system was used to interpolate salinity distributions for each hydrogeologic unit with available data. Hydrogeologic units with no available data either were set equal to neighboring units or were vertically interpolated by use of values from units above and below.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2012

Estimation of evaporation from open water - A review of selected studies, summary of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data collection and methods, and evaluation of two methods for estimation of evaporation from five reservoirs in Texas

Organizations responsible for the management of water resources, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), are tasked with estimation of evaporation for water-budgeting and planning purposes. The USACE has historically used Class A pan evaporation data (pan data) to estimate evaporation from reservoirs but many USACE Districts have been experimenting with other techniques for an alternative to collecting pan data. The energy-budget method generally is considered the preferred method for accurate estimation of open-water evaporation from lakes and reservoirs. Complex equations to estimate evaporation, such as the Penman, DeBruin-Keijman, and Priestley-Taylor, perform well when compared with energy-budget method estimates when all of the important energy terms are included in the equations and ideal data are collected. However, sometimes nonideal data are collected and energy terms, such as the change in the amount of stored energy and advected energy, are not included in the equations. When this is done, the corresponding errors in evaporation estimates are not quantifiable. Much simpler methods, such as the Hamon method and a method developed by the U.S. Weather Bureau (USWB) (renamed the National Weather Service in 1970), have been shown to provide reasonable estimates of evaporation when compared to energy-budget method estimates. Data requirements for the Hamon and USWB methods are minimal and sometimes perform well with remotely collected data. The Hamon method requires average daily air temperature, and the USWB method requires daily averages of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. Estimates of annual lake evaporation from pan data are frequently within 20 percent of energy-budget method estimates. Results of evaporation estimates from the Hamon method and the USWB method were compared against historical pan data at five selected reservoirs in Texas (Benbrook Lake, Canyon Lake, Granger Lake, Hords Creek Lake, and Sam Rayburn Lake) to evaluate their performance and to develop coefficients to minimize bias for the purpose of estimating reservoir evaporation with accuracies similar to estimates of evaporation obtained from pan data. The modified Hamon method estimates of reservoir evaporation were similar to estimates of reservoir evaporation from pan data for daily, monthly, and annual time periods. The modified Hamon method estimates of annual reservoir evaporation were always within 20 percent of annual reservoir evaporation from pan data. Unmodified and modified USWB method estimates of annual reservoir evaporation were within 20 percent of annual reservoir evaporation from pan data for about 91 percent of the years compared. Average daily differences between modified USWB method estimates and estimates from pan data as a percentage of the average amount of daily evaporation from pan data were within 20 percent for 98 percent of the months. Without any modification to the USWB method, average daily differences as a percentage of the average amount of daily evaporation from pan data were within 20 percent for 73 percent of the months. Use of the unmodified USWB method is appealing because it means estimates of average daily reservoir evaporation can be made from air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation data collected from remote weather stations without the need to develop site-specific coefficients from historical pan data. Site-specific coefficients would need to be developed for the modified version of the Hamon method.

Texas↗
USGS2014

Hydrogeologic framework and groundwater/surface-water interactions of the upper Yakima River Basin, Kittitas County, central Washington

The hydrogeology, hydrology, and geochemistry of groundwater and surface water in the upper (western) 860 square miles of the Yakima River Basin in Kittitas County, Washington, were studied to evaluate the groundwater-flow system, occurrence and availability of groundwater, and the extent of groundwater/surface-water interactions. The study area ranged in altitude from 7,960 feet in its headwaters in the Cascade Range to 1,730 feet at the confluence of the Yakima River with Swauk Creek. A west-to-east precipitation gradient exists in the basin with the western, high-altitude headwaters of the basin receiving more than 100 inches of precipitation per year and the eastern, low-altitude part of the basin receiving about 20 inches of precipitation per year. From the early 20th century onward, reservoirs in the upper part of the basin (for example, Keechelus, Kachess, and Cle Elum Lakes) have been managed to store snowmelt for irrigation in the greater Yakima River Basin. Canals transport water from these reservoirs for irrigation in the study area; additional water use is met through groundwater withdrawals from wells and surface-water withdrawals from streams and rivers. Estimated groundwater use for domestic, commercial, and irrigation purposes is reported for the study area. A complex assemblage of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous bedrock underlies the study area. In a structural basin in the southeastern part of the study area, the bedrock is overlain by unconsolidated sediments of glacial and alluvial origin. Rocks and sediments were grouped into six hydrogeologic units based on their lithologic and hydraulic characteristics. A map of their extent was developed from previous geologic mapping and lithostratigraphic information from drillers’ logs. Water flows through interstitial space in unconsolidated sediments, but largely flows through fractures and other sources of secondary porosity in bedrock. Generalized groundwater-flow directions within the unconfined part of the aquifers in unconsolidated sediments indicate generalized groundwater movement toward the Yakima River and its tributaries and the outlet of the study area. Groundwater movement through fractures within the bedrock aquifers is complex and varies over spatial scales depending on the architecture of the fracture-flow system and its hydraulic properties. The complexity of the fracturedbedrock groundwater-flow system is supported by a wide range of groundwater ages determined from geochemical analyses of carbon-14, sulfur hexafluoride, and tritium in groundwater. These geochemical data also indicate that the shallow groundwater system is actively flushing with young, isotopically heavy groundwater, but isotopicallylight, Pleistocene-age groundwater with a geochemicallyevolved composition occurs at depth within the fracturedbedrock aquifers of upper Kittitas County. An eastward depletion of stable isotopes in groundwater is consistent with hydrologically separate subbasins. This suggests that groundwater that recharges in one subbasin is not generally available for withdrawal or discharge into surface-water features within other subbasins. Water budget components were calculated for 11 subbasins using a watershed model and varied based on the climate, land uses, and geology of the subbasin. Synoptic streamflow measurements made in August 2011 indicate that groundwater discharges into several tributaries of the Yakima River with several losses of streamflow measured where the streams exit bedrock uplands and flow over unconsolidated sediments. Profiles of stream temperature during late summer suggest cool groundwater inflow over discrete sections of streams. This groundwater/surfacewater connection is further supported by the stable-isotope composition of stream water, which reflects the local stableisotope composition of groundwater measured at some wells and springs. Collectively, these hydrogeologic, hydrologic, and geochemical data support a framework for evaluating the potential effects of future groundwater appropriations on senior surface-water and groundwater rights and streamflows. Although total pumping rates in upper Kittitas County of about 3.5 cubic feet per second are small relative to other components of the water budget, the magnitude, timing, and location of withdrawals may have important effects on the hydrologic system. The heterogeneous and variably fractured bedrock in the study area precluded a detailed evaluation of localized effects of pumping, but several generalizations about the groundwater and surface-water systems can be made. These generalizations include evidence for the continuity between the groundwater and surface-water system apparent from synoptic streamflow measurements, stream-temperature profiles, and stable-isotope data of groundwater and surface waters.

Washington↗
USGS2019

Spatial distribution of nutrients, chloride, and suspended sediment concentrations and loads determined by using different sampling methods in a cross section of the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, Michigan, November 2014–November 2015

The Detroit River separates the United States and Canada as it flows from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie. The Trenton Channel is a 13-kilometer-long branch of the Detroit River that flows to the west of Grosse Ile before rejoining the Detroit River near its mouth, just before the Detroit River flows into Lake Erie. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has listed both the Trenton Channel and Detroit River as Areas of Concern because of a list of Beneficial Use Impairments such as interrupted drinking-water services, loss of aquatic life, and reduced recreational use. Phosphorus loading from tributaries such as the Trenton Channel is one of the primary drivers of eutrophication in Lake Erie. The complex flow patterns and variable distribution of chemical constituents in the Trenton Channel make it difficult to accurately characterize the concentrations and loads of nutrients and other constituents conveyed through the channel to Lake Erie. In order to better understand the Trenton Channel’s contributions of nutrients (total phosphorus, orthophosphate, total nitrogen, and ammonia), chloride, and suspended sediment to Lake Erie and evaluate differences in results obtained by using different sample methodologies, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada, completed 12 sampling campaigns on the Trenton Channel in Detroit, Michigan, from November 2014 through November 2015. Acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) techniques were used to characterize the distribution of velocity components within a cross section corresponding to a transect of the Trenton Channel at U.S. Geological Survey station 041686401 Trenton Channel of Detroit River at Grosse Ile, Mich. Three methods of collecting water-quality data at the same transect of the Trenton Channel were used: multiple-vertical depth-integrated (MVDI), fixed-point, and discrete samples. Horizontal and vertical variations in concentrations of nutrients, chloride, and suspended sediment were analyzed from discrete samples to better understand distributions of these constituents throughout the channel. Constituent loads were calculated by using individual sample concentrations and ADCP measurements for discharge made on the same day that the water-quality samples were collected. Constituent loads calculated from MVDI and fixed-point sampling methods were compared. The relation between MVDI and fixed-point samples helped quantify the differences between the sampling methods. Linear regression equations depicting the relation between concentrations measured by using MVDI and fixed-point samples were prepared. ADCP data indicates that velocities throughout the sampled transect remain uniform except for one location around 200 meters from the west bank of the channel. Secondary flow vectors suggest the presence of counter-rotating helical flow cells, and these helical flow cells could affect the mixing of constituents in transport by preventing cross-channel mixing. Flow discharges throughout the sampling campaign showed small variations, although lower flow rates were observed in the early winter months than in the summer months. Discrete sampling methods results displayed both heterogeneity throughout the channel horizontally, representing limited horizontal mixing in the channel, and displayed homogeneity throughout vertical transects, indicating mixing vertically. Comparisons between MVDI and fixed-point methods found consistently higher concentrations were measured in MVDI samples compared to concentrations measured in fixed-point samples. To correct for this bias between MVDI and fixed-point sample results, simple linear-regression equations were developed for all major constituents to help estimate constituent concentrations from fixed-point samples equivalent to those measured by using MVDI sampling techniques. Instantaneous constituent loads were developed by using velocity and discharge data obtained from ADCPs and constituent concentrations obtained from MVDI and fixed-point samples.

Michigan↗
USGS2021

Estimation of dissolved-solids concentrations using continuous water-quality monitoring and regression models at four sites in the Yuma area, Arizona and California, January 2017 through March 2019

Multiple linear regression models were developed to estimate dissolved-solids concentrations in water at four sites in the Yuma area between Imperial Dam, Arizona and California and the southerly international boundary with Mexico at San Luis, Arizona. Continuous and discrete water-quality data were collected at gaging stations in the Colorado River upstream from Imperial Dam, Arizona-California, the Colorado River below Cooper wasteway near Yuma, Arizona, the Yuma Main Drain above Arizona–Sonora, Mexico boundary, and the 242 lateral above Main Drain at the Arizona–Sonora boundary. Continuous specific conductance and water temperature data were collected at each site between January 2017 and March 2019. Bi-weekly to monthly dissolved-solids water samples were collected during the same period. Continuous specific conductance data collected at the Colorado River below Cooper wasteway were affected by poorly mixed streamflow during periods when the Pilot Knob Hydro-electric Plant was releasing water to the river. The continuous specific conductance data for the site downstream from Cooper wasteway were corrected using mean specific conductance values computed from cross-section measurements collected during site visits. Continuous specific conductance data were affected by sensor fouling issues at the 242 lateral site, and continued operation at the site would require more frequent visits for cleaning and service to ensure data quality. During the study, instream specific conductance readings ranged from 966 to 3,030 microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm) at 25 degrees Celsius. Computed dissolved-solids concentrations from discrete samples ranged from 690 to 2,580 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Dissolved-solids concentrations were estimated from regression models using the optimal relation between dissolved solids and environmental factors, such as specific conductance, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, streamflow, and seasonality. Specific conductance was the primary factor at all four sites and explained 87.6 to 94 percent of variation in dissolved solids. Water temperature, as an indicator of seasonality, was determined to be a statistically significant secondary factor at both the Colorado River above Imperial Dam and Colorado River below Cooper wasteway sites explaining an additional 6.9 and 2.1 percent of variation in dissolved solids, respectively. Regression models explained 87.6 to 96.9 percent of the variation in dissolved solids; the root mean square error in the modeled data ranged between about 6 and 27 mg/L.

Arizona, California↗
USGS2025

Peak streamflow trends in North Dakota and their relation to changes in climate, water years 1921–2020

Standardized guidelines for completing flood-flow frequency analyses are presented in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods report known as Bulletin 17C, https://doi.org/10.3133/tm4B5 . In recent decades (since about 2000), a better understanding of long-term climatic persistence (periods of clustered floods or droughts, or wet or dry periods) and concerns about potential climate change and land-use change have caused a reexamination of the stationarity assumptions underlying methods in Bulletin 17C. Bulletin 17C does not offer guidance on incorporating nonstationarities and further identifies a need for flood-frequency studies that incorporate changing climate or basin characteristics. As part of that reexamination, a study of annual peak streamflow (peak flow) has begun in the Midwest. This chapter of the study summarizes how hydroclimatic variability affects peak flows in North Dakota. In this analysis of peak flow, daily streamflow, and climate metrics, four periods were selected: (1) a 100-year period, 1921–2020; (2) a 75-year period, 1946–2020; (3) a 50-year period, 1971–2020; and (4) a 30-year period, 1991–2020. Output from a monthly water-balance model was used for the climate data. Statistical analysis of peak flow consisted of evaluations of autocorrelation, trends, and change points and was augmented with analyses of seasonality and daily streamflow. The long-term pattern of decreasing peak flow in the west and increasing peak flow in the east is a pattern of opposing signals on either side of the 100th meridian. Analyses indicate that a key factor in changing hydroclimatology is the increase in fall precipitation. The trends in soil moisture closely match the trends in annual precipitation. Nonstationary flood-frequency analysis necessitates detailed exploratory data analysis and additional data and information about climate, land use, and other factors. This study provides extensive exploratory analysis for peak flow, daily streamflow, and climate data for North Dakota, setting the stage for informed nonstationary flood-frequency analysis.

North Dakota↗
USGS2024

Estimating groundwater level records using MOVE.1 and computing monthly percentiles from estimated groundwater records in Massachusetts

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, performed record extensions on groundwater levels at select wells using the Maintenance of Variance Extension type 1 (MOVE.1) method. The groundwater levels estimated from these record extensions were used to compute monthly percentiles to improve future determinations of a groundwater index. In Massachusetts, 27 of 29 short-record study wells with continuous groundwater levels between 0.8 and 8.1 years were suitable for record extensions; 37 long-record index wells were used to extend the groundwater level records at the study wells. The index well selected to pair with a study well was chosen based on Pearson correlation coefficient values; cross-correlation between the two wells; geologic and topographic similarity; and smallest distance spanning the wells. Each study well and its corresponding index well have 1 or more years of concurrent, overlapping data; a Pearson correlation coefficient that exceeded a threshold value of 0.8; and a similar aquifer type and hydrologic characteristics. Of the 29 study wells, 2 showed poor correlations with all index wells and were not considered for record extensions. Performance metrics used to assess the accuracy of the MOVE.1 models indicated that most models provided reasonable estimates of groundwater levels. Root mean square error values ranged from 0.097 to 2.292 feet, with a median of 0.536 foot. Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient values ranged from 0.623 to 0.996, with a median value of 0.759. Generally, study wells in close geographical proximity to their index well resulted in stronger model performance. The average length of groundwater level records was extended by 14.1 years to a new average of 18.1 years. The estimated groundwater level records from the MOVE.1 models resulted in an increase in the range of highest and lowest groundwater levels at 23 of 27 wells. The increase in range of groundwater levels was between 0.08 to 7.95 feet. Monthly percentiles for State drought indices were computed from the estimated MOVE.1 records and observed records through December 31, 2021. Percentiles computed from estimated records show an average groundwater level about 1.0 foot lower than observed data at the 2d percentile and 0.1 foot lower at the 30th percentile.

Massachusetts↗
USGS2025

User’s guide for the National Hydrography Dataset Plus High Resolution (NHDPlus HR)

The National Hydrography Dataset Plus High Resolution (NHDPlus HR) is a scalable hydrologic geospatial fabric or framework, built from (1) the High Resolution (1:24,000-scale or better) National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), (2) nationally complete Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD), and (3) 1/3-arc-second 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) digital elevation model (DEM) data (at a 10-meter ground spacing; or 5-meter 3DEP DEM in Alaska only). The NHDPlus HR provides a modeling and assessment framework at a local 1:24,000 scale, while nesting seamlessly into the national context. NHDPlus HR is modeled after the highly successful NHDPlus version 2 (NHDPlusV2). Like NHDPlusV2, the NHDPlus HR includes data for a nationally seamless network of stream reaches, elevation-based catchment areas, flow surfaces, and value-added attributes that enhance stream-network navigation, analysis, and data display. However, NHDPlus HR provides much greater spatial detail than NHDPlusV2, while NHDPlusV2 is, at present, more complete in its attribution of additions, removals, and diversions, as well as stream connectivity. This user’s guide is intended to provide necessary information and guidance in the use of NHDPlus HR data.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2006

Geohydrology and water chemistry of the Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California

This study of the geohydrology and water chemistry of the Alexander Valley, California, was done to provide an improved scientific basis for addressing emerging water-management issues, including potential increases in water demand and changes in flows in the Russian River. The study tasks included (1) evaluation of existing geohydrological, geophysical, and geochemical data; (2) collection and analysis of new geohydrologic data, including subsurface lithologic data, ground-water levels, and streamflow records; and (3) collection and analysis of new water-chemistry data. The estimated total water use for the Alexander Valley for 1999 was approximately 15,800 acre-feet. About 13,500 acre-feet of this amount was for agricultural use, primarily vineyards, and about 2,300 acre-feet was for municipal/industrial use. Ground water is the main source of water supply for this area. The main sources of ground water in the Alexander Valley are the Quaternary alluvial deposits, the Glen Ellen Formation, and the Sonoma Volcanics. The alluvial units, where sufficiently thick and saturated, comprise the best aquifer in the study area. Average recharge to the Alexander Valley is estimated from a simple, basinwide water budget. On the basis of an estimated annual average of 298,000 acre-feet of precipitation, 160,000 acre-feet of runoff, and 113,000 to 133,000 acre-feet of evapotranspiration, about 5,000 to 25,000 acre-feet per year is available for ground-water recharge. Because this estimate is based on differences between large numbers, there is significant uncertainty in this recharge estimate. Long-term changes in ground-water levels are evident in parts of the study area, but because of the sparse network and lack of data on well construction and lithology, it is uncertain if any significant changes have occurred in the northern part of the study area since 1980. In the southern half of the study area, ground-water levels generally were lower at the end of the 2002 irrigation season than at the end of the 1980 season, which suggests that a greater amount of ground water is being pumped in the southern half of the study area in recent years compared with that pumped in the early 1980s. Water-chemistry data for samples collected from 11 wells during 2002-04 indicate that water quality in the study area generally is acceptable for potable use. Two wells, however, each contained one constituent (241 ?g/L of manganese and 1,350 ?g/L of boron) in excess of the recommended standards for drinking water (50 ?g/L and 1,000 ?g/L, respectively). The chemical composition of water from most of the wells sampled for major ions plot as a mixed cation-bicarbonate, magnesium-bicarbonate, or calcium-bicarbonate type water. The ionic composition of the historical and recent samples from wells in the Alexander Valley is similar to that of the historical surface-water samples collected from the Russian River near Healdsburg. This suggests a similar source of water, particularly for wells that are less than 200 feet total depth and perforated in Quaternary alluvial deposits. Water from deeper, non-alluvial wells may contain slightly higher concentrations of sodium as a result of cation exchange. Water samples collected from several wells over an approximately 30-year period suggest a progressive change in water chemistry over time. Samples from the southern part of the valley show a trend towards higher ionic concentrations and increasing concentrations of particular constituents such as sulfate.

California↗
USGS2018

Historical eruptions and hazards at Bogoslof volcano, Alaska

Bogoslof volcano is a submarine volcano in the southern Bering Sea (53.9272°N, 168.0344°W), located 100 kilometers (km) west of Dutch Harbor/Unalaska, and 40 km north of Umnak Island. The volcano has a relatively long history of scientific investigation and several of its historical eruptions have been documented during brief visits to the area since the late 1700s. The purpose of this report is to provide a modern volcanological perspective on past eruptions of Bogoslof and to readdress some of the eruptive phenomena described in historical documents and reports. We also present for the first time a brief analysis of the hazards posed by Bogoslof eruptions. While this report was being prepared, Bogoslof volcano was in an ongoing state of eruptive activity that began in mid-December 2016. Detectable eruptive activity ended in late August 2017 and the volcano has remained quiet since then. Because we have not yet visited Bogoslof Island and have only a few distal tephra samples from two eruptive events, we will not discuss in detail the 2016–17 eruptive sequence, but will provide some information for comparative purposes. When more detailed data has been collected, a more extensive review of the 2016–17 Bogoslof eruption should be the subject of future reports.

Alaska↗
USGS2023

The changing dynamics of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1: Next steps for management & science in North America

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 was introduced in North America in late 2021 through trans-Atlantic pathways via migratory birds. These introductions have resulted in an unprecedented epizootic, a widespread disease event in animals, heavily affecting poultry, wild birds, and recently mammals. The North American incursions occurred during the largest epidemic season (2021–2022) in Europe where H5N1 may now be endemic (i.e., continuously present). The continuing outbreak includes expansion into Mexico, Central and South America beginning in late 2022. Here, we provide an overview of the Eurasian origin H5N1 introduction to the Americas, including a significant shift in virus dynamics and severe disease in wild birds. Then, to investigate the global changes in confirmed detections in wild birds and poultry across time and geographic regions, we analyzed FAO's EMPRES-i + database. To examine the 2021 introduction and spread in North American wild birds and poultry, we collated publicly available data across USA and Canadian federal sources. Based on our assessment, the unique magnitude of the North American H5N1 spread indicates the need for effective decision framing to prioritize management needs and scientific inquiry, particularly for species at risk and interface areas for wildlife, poultry, and humans. We illustrate the rapidly occurring and likely increasing detrimental effects that this One Health issue has on wildlife, agriculture, and potentially human health, and we offer a reframing of HPAIV disease response towards a decision analytical context to guide scientific prioritization as a potentially valuable change in focus.

Biological Conservation↗