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At least 1,063 records · Page 59Linked to original sources
USGS2018

Construction and calibration of a groundwater-flow model to assess groundwater availability in the uppermost principal aquifer systems of the Williston Basin, United States and Canada

The U.S. Geological Survey developed a groundwater-flow model for the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston Basin in parts of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the United States and parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan in Canada as part of a detailed assessment of the groundwater availability in the area. The assessment was done because of the potential for increased demands and stresses on groundwater associated with large-scale energy development in the area. As part of this assessment, a three-dimensional groundwater-flow model was developed as a tool that can be used to simulate how the groundwater-flow system responds to changes in hydrologic stresses at a regional scale. The three-dimensional groundwater-flow model was developed using the U.S. Geological Survey’s numerical finite-difference groundwater model with the Newton-Rhapson solver, MODFLOW–NWT, to represent the glacial, lower Tertiary, and Upper Cretaceous aquifer systems for steady-state (mean) hydrological conditions for 1981‒2005 and for transient (temporally varying) conditions using a combination of a steady-state period for pre-1960 and transient periods for 1961‒2005. The numerical model framework was constructed based on existing and interpreted hydrogeologic and geospatial data and consisted of eight layers. Two layers were used to represent the glacial aquifer system in the model; layer 1 represented the upper one-half and layer 2 represented the lower one-half of the glacial aquifer system. Three layers were used to represent the lower Tertiary aquifer system in the model; layer 3 represented the upper Fort Union aquifer, layer 4 represented the middle Fort Union hydrogeologic unit, and layer 5 represented the lower Fort Union aquifer. Three layers were used to represent the Upper Cretaceous aquifer system in the model; layer 6 represented the upper Hell Creek hydrogeologic unit, layer 7 represented the lower Hell Creek aquifer, and layer 8 represented the Fox Hills aquifer. The numerical model was constructed using a uniform grid with square cells that are about 1 mile (1,600 meters) on each side with a total of about 657,000 active cells. Model calibration was completed by linking Parameter ESTimation (PEST) software with MODFLOW–NWT. The PEST software uses statistical parameter estimation techniques to identify an optimum set of input parameters by adjusting individual model input parameters and assessing the differences, or residuals, between observed (measured or estimated) data and simulated values. Steady-state model calibration consisted of attempting to match mean simulated values to measured or estimated values of (1) hydraulic head, (2) hydraulic head differences between model layers, (3) stream infiltration, and (4) discharge to streams. Calibration of the transient model consisted of attempting to match simulated and measured temporally distributed values of hydraulic head changes, stream base flow, and groundwater discharge to artesian flowing wells. Hydraulic properties estimated through model calibration included hydraulic conductivity, vertical hydraulic conductivity, aquifer storage, and riverbed hydraulic conductivity in addition to groundwater recharge and well skin. The ability of the numerical model to accurately simulate groundwater flow in the Williston Basin was assessed primarily by its ability to match calibration targets for hydraulic head, stream base flow, and flowing well discharge. The steady-state model also was used to assess the simulated potentiometric surfaces in the upper Fort Union aquifer, the lower Fort Union aquifer, and the Fox Hills aquifer. Additionally, a previously estimated regional groundwater-flow budget was compared with the simulated steady-state groundwater-flow budget for the Williston Basin. The simulated potentiometric surfaces typically compared well with the estimated potentiometric surfaces based on measured hydraulic head data and indicated localized groundwater-flow gradients that were topographically controlled in outcrop areas and more generalized regional gradients where the aquifers were confined. The differences between the measured and simulated (residuals) hydraulic head values for 11,109 wells were assessed, which indicated that the steady-state model generally underestimated hydraulic head in the model area. This underestimation is indicated by a positive mean residual of 11.2 feet for all model layers. Layer 7, which represents the lower Hell Creek aquifer, is the only layer for which the steady-state model overestimated hydraulic head. Simulated groundwater-level changes for the transient model matched within plus or minus 2.5 feet of the measured values for more than 60 percent of all measurements and to within plus or minus 17.5 feet for 95 percent of all measurements; however, the transient model underestimated groundwater-level changes for all model layers. A comparison between simulated and estimated base flows for the steady-state and transient models indicated that both models overestimated base flow in streams and underestimated annual fluctuations in base flow. The estimated and simulated groundwater budgets indicate the model area received a substantial amount of recharge from precipitation and stream infiltration. The steady-state model indicated that reservoir seepage was a larger component of recharge in the Williston Basin than was previously estimated. Irrigation recharge and groundwater inflow from outside the Williston Basin accounted for a relatively small part of total groundwater recharge when compared with recharge from precipitation, stream infiltration, and reservoir seepage. Most of the estimated and simulated groundwater discharge in the Williston Basin was to streams and reservoirs. Simulated groundwater withdrawal, discharge to reservoirs, and groundwater outflow in the Williston Basin accounted for a smaller part of total groundwater discharge. The transient model was used to simulate discharge to 571 flowing artesian wells within the model area. Of the 571 established flowing artesian wells simulated by the model, 271 wells did not flow at any time during the simulation because hydraulic head was always below the land-surface altitude. As hydraulic head declined throughout the simulation, 68 of these wells responded by ceasing to flow by the end of 2005. Total mean simulated discharge for the 571 flowing artesian wells was 55.1 cubic feet per second (ft 3 /s), and the mean simulated flowing well discharge for individual wells was 0.118 ft 3 /s. Simulated discharge to individual flowing artesian wells increased from 0.039 to 0.177 ft 3 /s between 1961 and 1975 and decreased to 0.102 ft 3 /s by 2005. The mean residual for 34 flowing wells with measured discharge was 0.014 ft 3 /s, which indicates the transient model overestimated discharge to flowing artesian wells in the model area. Model limitations arise from aspects of the conceptual model and from simplifications inherent in the construction and calibration of a regional-scale numerical groundwater-flow model. Simplifying assumptions in defining hydraulic parameters in space and hydrologic stresses and time-varying observational data in time can limit the capabilities of this tool to simulate how the groundwater-flow system responds to changes in hydrologic stresses, particularly at the local scale; nevertheless, the steady-state model adequately simulated flow in the uppermost principal aquifer systems in the Williston Basin based on the comparison between the simulated and estimated groundwater-flow budget, the comparison between simulated and estimated potentiometric surfaces, and the results of the calibration process.

Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming↗
USGS2018

Conceptual model to assess water use associated with the life cycle of unconventional oil and gas development

As the demand for energy increases in the United States, so does the demand for water used to produce many forms of that energy. Technological advances, limited access to conventional oil and gas accumulations, and the rise of oil and gas prices resulted in increased development of unconventional oil and gas (UOG) accumulations. Unconventional oil and gas is developed using a method that combines directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques, allowing for greater oil and gas production from previously unrecoverable reservoirs. Quantification of the water resources required for UOG development and production is difficult because of disparate data sources, variable reporting requirements across boundaries (local, State, and national), and incomplete or proprietary datasets. A topical study was started in 2015 under the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Availability and Use Science Program, as part of the directive in the Secure Water Act for the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct a National Water Census, to better understand the relation between production of UOG resources for energy and the amount of water needed to produce and sustain this type of energy development in the United States. The Water Availability and Use Science Program goal for this topical study is to develop and apply a statistical model to better estimate the water use associated with UOG development, regardless of the location and target geologic formation. As a first step, a conceptual model has been developed to characterize the life cycle of water use in areas of UOG development. Categories of water use and the way water-use data are collected might change over time; therefore, a generic approach was used in developing the conceptual model to allow for greater flexibility in adapting to future changes or newly available data. UOG development can be summarized into four stages: predrilling construction, drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and ongoing production. The water used in UOG production can be categorized further as direct, indirect, or ancillary water use. Direct water use is defined as the water used for drilling and hydraulic fracturing a well and for maintaining the well during ongoing production. Indirect water use is defined as the water used at or near a well pad. The water used for dust abatement also is considered an indirect use but may be applied away from the well pad. Ancillary water use is defined as the additional local or regional water use resulting from a change (for example, population) directly related to UOG development throughout the life cycle that is not used directly in the well or indirectly for any other purpose at the well pad. The conceptual model presented in this report consists of five elements: (1) input data, (2) processes, (3) decisions, (4) output data, and (5) outcomes. The input data requirements for estimating water use associated with UOG development are somewhat onerous, and obtaining suitable datasets can be challenging because local, State, and Federal agencies do not collect data similarly. The quality of a water-use assessment that uses the conceptual model presented in this report is dependent on the quality and quantity of data that are available for a UOG play. The conceptual model can be used for an assessment with sparse data; however, having sparse data likely will result in greater uncertainty in the water-use estimates. The conceptual model presented in this report is designed to be robust to characterize and simulate the data processing to estimate water use associated with UOG development. Although the results of an analysis that includes missing data have greater uncertainty, the analysis still can be insightful because it can establish a baseline estimate of UOG water use that may be refined further as more data become available. Analysis of models that include missing data also could aid in identifying the data most needed for future water-use estimates. Characterizing individual model limitations is important because the conceptual model can be used in future water-use studies to facilitate data compiling, data processing, estimating, and assessing UOG activities regardless of location.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2018

Spatial and temporal trends in selenium in the upper Blackfoot River watershed, southeastern Idaho, 2001–16

Phosphate mining in southeastern Idaho has been an important economic driver for the region and State for over 100 years, but weathering of mining waste rock has also released selenium into the Blackfoot River. This report analyzes and presents data from three separate but complementary studies monitoring selenium in streams in the region. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, has been collecting streamflow and water-quality samples year-round on the Blackfoot River above reservoir near Henry, Idaho, (USGS streamgage 13063000) since 2001. Over the same period, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) has collected streamflow and water-quality samples from the Blackfoot River and tributaries during spring runoff. Data collected from 2001 to 2012 during these two studies were analyzed previously. This report extends the analysis using new data collected through 2016. This report also presents the results of a joint USGS and IDEQ seepage study conducted in June 2016 in the Blackfoot River near Dry Valley. Although limited in scope, this study explored the hypothesis that unaccounted selenium loading (loading in excess of tributary inputs) in this reach could be caused by groundwater inflow. USGS dissolved selenium concentration data from streamgage 13063000 on the Blackfoot River and IDEQ data from the mainstem and mining-affected tributaries are highest shortly after peak runoff and correlate with streamflow magnitude. Although earlier analyses indicated increasing selenium concentrations from 2001 to 2012, this study shows that runoff and baseflow dissolved selenium concentrations increased and then decreased during 2001–16. High median runoff concentrations from 2005 through 2011 are associated with high snowpack and streamflow. This result suggests that more snowmelt moving through selenium-bearing waste rock leads to increased instream concentrations. The time lag between peak runoff and then peak selenium concentrations suggests that selenium mobilization may occur as snowmelt percolates through waste rock rather than by faster surface runoff. However, variability in local snow accumulation and snowmelt conditions likely affects interannual variability in selenium concentrations in the mainstem Blackfoot River and tributaries. In contrast to runoff selenium concentrations, median baseflow (August to October) dissolved selenium concentrations were highest from 2009 to 2013. Aquatic plant senescence and release of selenium is an unlikely explanation for this trend because plants are still growing during this time of year. In addition, this trend is observed during and shortly after the observed period of high snowpack. Thus, increased baseflow selenium concentrations suggest that increased selenium loading to alluvial groundwater may occur during periods of high snowmelt and manifest in later years as higher instream concentrations during baseflows when the majority of streamflow is attributable to groundwater gains. Runoff-period streamflow and selenium loads were calculated for the tributaries and mainstem Blackfoot River. Selenium loads vary from year to year with mainstem loads greater than the total tributary contributions in some years and less than tributary contributions in other years. In general, East Mill Creek usually accounted for the largest proportion of the total Blackfoot River load, and unaccounted loads (loads in excess of tributary inputs) often occurred in the vicinity of Spring Creek and Dry Valley. The latter observation led the USGS and IDEQ to conduct a seepage study to further investigate groundwater and selenium loading to the Blackfoot River near Dry Valley. The seepage study results show consistent albeit small unaccounted increases in streamflow and dissolved selenium load in the Blackfoot River near Dry Valley. Field observation of a spring to the north of the river and independent groundwater monitoring data from Dry Valley to the south of the river suggest that alluvial groundwater may discharge to the river from both sides. However, the small unaccounted selenium load measured in the June 2016 study relative to loads measured during runoff suggest that groundwater loading in this reach may occur primarily during runoff. An improved understanding of alluvial groundwater extent, gradient, hydraulic conductivity, and quality would aid in interpreting unaccounted gains and losses in selenium loads in the Blackfoot River. Finally, State of Idaho selenium water-quality criteria have recently shifted to a hierarchical fish tissue and water concentration scheme. This report summarizes existing fish tissue and water-quality data in the mainstem and offers considerations for future selenium monitoring in the Blackfoot River.

Idaho↗
USGS2018

Conceptual and numerical models of dissolved solids in the Colorado River, Hoover Dam to Imperial Dam, and Parker Dam to Imperial Dam, Arizona, California, and Nevada

Conceptual and numerical models were developed to understand and simulate monthly flow-weighted dissolved-solids concentrations in the Colorado River at Imperial Dam. The ability to simulate dissolved-solids concentrations at this location will help the Bureau of Reclamation satisfy the binational agreement on the volume and salinity of Colorado River water delivered to Mexico. A robust spatial- and temporal-resolution dataset that consists of river discharge and dissolved-solids concentration and load information between January 1990 and September 2016 for 10 sites on canals, drains, tributaries, and the main stem of the Colorado River between Hoover and Imperial Dams was generated. Daily mean dissolved-solids concentrations were estimated and monthly mean dissolved-solids loads were computed for each site. Spatial and temporal load patterns, and historical and current controls on loads and concentrations, were analyzed in order to develop a conceptual model of dissolved-solids transport between Hoover and Imperial Dams. Two numerical models describing the relations between dissolved-solids concentrations and components controlling dissolved-solids concentrations and loads were developed, calibrated, and verified. Between January 1990 and September 2016, there was a 98.8-million-acre-feet loss of water and a 57.0-million-ton loss of dissolved-solids load from the Colorado River between Hoover and Imperial Dams. Between Hoover and Parker Dams, about 69.0 million acre-feet of water was lost and 51.1 million tons of dissolved solids were lost; between Parker and Imperial Dams, about 29.8 million acre-feet of water was lost and 5.9 million tons of dissolved solids were lost. Water was removed from the river at a relatively consistent rate over the 25-year study period through water transfers to California and Arizona, evapotranspiration from crop irrigation, transpiration processes of riparian vegetation, and evaporation from the river main stem. Dissolved solids were removed from the river between Hoover and Parker Dams at a relatively constant rate through water transfers to California and Arizona, and water pumped from the river for irrigation within the Mohave Valley. A small amount of dissolved solids are gained by the river from inflow from the Bill Williams River. Between Parker and Imperial Dams, however, dissolved solids were not removed from the river at a consistent rate over the study period. Dissolved solids were generally removed from the river from 1990 to 2012, then gained by the river from 2012 to 2015, and then removed from the river from 2015 through 2016. Dissolved solids are assumed to be removed from the river and accumulated within the floodplain sediments and aquifers during irrigation processes; some dissolved solids may also be removed from the river through uptake by crops and riparian vegetation. Dissolved solids accumulated on the landscape and in the floodplain aquifer during irrigation are transported to the river during periods when the hydraulic gradient between the floodplain aquifer and the river is increased, causing a gain in dissolved solids in the river. Dissolved-solids gains in the river occur during periods of relatively low river discharge, such as during the winter months and during drier climatic conditions. Two numerical models were developed and coefficients were estimated by using data from a May 2008-September 2016 calibration period. One model simulates concentrations at Imperial Dam based on the Colorado River system downstream from Parker Dam, and the other model simulates concentrations at Imperial Dam based on the Colorado River system downstream from Hoover Dam. Both models simulated monthly flow-weighted concentrations of dissolved solids for the Colorado River at Imperial Dam, which corresponded well with observed concentrations for the entire study period. The models are more sensitive to input variables of monthly discharge of the Colorado River below Parker Dam and monthly flow-weighted dissolved-solids concentrations of the Colorado River below Hoover Dam and Parker Dam than to the rate of change in concentration with respect to time and the combined discharge of the Colorado River Indian Reservation Main Canal and the Palo Verde Canal. The calibrated models can be used to run scenarios of future monthly flow-weighted dissolved-solids concentrations in the Colorado River at Imperial Dam. Although the models are expected to provide concentration estimates within 18 milligrams per liter (Parker Dam to Imperial Dam model) to 22 milligrams per liter (Hoover Dam to Imperial Dam model), 95 percent of the time, the error of future scenarios increases as uncertainty in the estimated future input variables increases.

Arizona, California, Nevada↗
USGS2019

Assessing water quality from highway runoff at selected sites in North Carolina with the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM)

In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) entered into a cooperative agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to develop a North Carolina-enhanced variation of the national Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM) with available North Carolina-specific streamflow and water-quality data and to demonstrate use of the model by documenting selected simulation scenarios. The USGS developed the national SELDM in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to provide the tools and techniques necessary for performing stormwater-quality simulations. SELDM uses a stochastic mass-balance approach to estimate combinations of flows, concentrations, and loads of stormwater constituents from the site of interest (often a highway catchment; nonhighway areas, such as a large impervious area at a shopping center complex, also can be used) and the basin upstream from the stormwater outfall to assess the risk for adverse effects of runoff. SELDM also can be used to simulate the effectiveness of volume reduction, hydrograph extension, and water-quality concentration reductions by stormwater best management practices (BMPs), which are designed to help mitigate the effects of runoff on receiving water bodies. Some of the statistical inputs needed for the North Carolina-enhanced SELDM were either calculated or augmented using local or regional data from North Carolina. Streamflow statistics used by SELDM were determined for 266 streamgages across North Carolina on the basis of data available through the 2015 water year. Recession ratio statistics used for triangular hydrographs were also developed for 30 streamgages across the State. The NCDOT identified previous research reports on highway-runoff and BMP studies in North Carolina for review of potential data addition to the national FHWA Highway-Runoff Database (HRDB). Following USGS review of these data, a total of 25,087 event mean concentration values and 1,140 storm events for 39 highway-runoff sites and 195 analytes were uploaded to the national HRDB from six North Carolina highway-runoff research reports and a recent USGS bridge deck runoff study. Using data for 27 streamgages in North Carolina, a total of 57 water-quality transport curves were developed for seven constituents for use in simulating water-quality conditions in the upstream basin. Performance data for three BMPs (bioretention, grass strip or swale, and wetland channel) from NCDOT research data were incorporated into the North Carolina-enhanced SELDM for volume-reduction statistics, including the effectiveness of treating four water-quality constituents (total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, nitrate plus nitrite) and turbidity. Simulations using the North Carolina-enhanced SELDM are presented for two hypothetical upstream basins in the Piedmont ecoregion and one hypothetical highway site to demonstrate how simulations can be used to provide risk-based information about potential effects of stormwater runoff on downstream water quality and the potential for mitigating those risks by using BMPs. The first group of simulations explores the stochastic variability in dilution factors (the ratio of the highway runoff to the total downstream stormflow) for a hypothetical Piedmont rural creek having drainage areas ranging from 1 to 100 square miles. The second group of simulations examines dilution factors based on variations in precipitation, streamflow, and recession ratios for two hypothetical Piedmont upstream basins (rural and urban) where the drainage area was held constant at 25 square miles. These simulations indicate the sensitivity of results to variations in each of the three variables. The third group of simulations examines the effects of varied concentrations in the upstream basin on water-quality conditions downstream from the highway crossing. Variations in upstream water-quality conditions for three constituents (suspended sediment concentration, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus) are based on water-quality transport curves selected from among the 57 curves developed as part of this study to represent low-, medium-, and high-concentration statistics. Simulations completed for this third group also examine the potential effects of grass swale and bioretention BMP treatment on total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations in highway runoff. The BMP performance data from the NCDOT research reports were applied in this group of simulations. The stochastic mass-balance approach used in SELDM analyses and simulations provides a strong tool for engineers and water-resource managers to use in exploring a wide range of possible hydrologic and water-quality inputs and their effects on downstream water quality. The results of this study can not only aid engineers and managers in planning for potential adverse effects of runoff at site-specific locations, they can also help the USGS and other Federal and State agencies with oversight responsibilities in stormwater-quality issues to continue gathering data on potential water-quality effects in receiving streams.

North Carolina↗
USGS2020

Trends in recent historical and projected climate data for the Colorado River Basin and potential effects on groundwater availability

Understanding recent historical and projected trends in precipitation and temperature in the Colorado River Basin, and estimating what the projected changes in these climate parameters may mean for groundwater resources in the region, is important for water managers and policymakers to sustainably manage water resources in the basin. Historical (1896–2019) precipitation and temperature data for the upper and lower Colorado River Basins were analyzed to better understand recent trends in climate data that may affect groundwater resources in the area. Historical data indicate multidecadal-scale cyclical patterns in precipitation in both the upper and lower basins. Although upper basin precipitation had no statistical trend over the recent historical period, the lower basin had a weak negative trend over this period. Multidecadal-scale cyclical patterns in temperature also are observed in historical climate data in both the upper and lower basins, at least until the early 1970s. Beginning at that time, both the upper and lower basins experienced strong, monotonic positive trends in temperature. Basic principles of hydrology indicate that periods of decreasing precipitation as well as increasing temperature would have a negative effect, that is, reduction in groundwater infiltration and hence, reduced recharge of aquifer systems. Projected climate data from 97 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) ensemble members across the full range of Representative Concentration Pathway (RCPs) from water years 1951 through 2099 were evaluated to understand what current global climate models are projecting about future conditions in the Colorado River Basin, and what this might mean for groundwater systems in the region. Precipitation in the upper basin is projected to increase throughout the rest of the century, rising to 6 percent above the 1951–2015 historical period by mid-century and to 9 percent above the historical period by the end of the century. Temperature in the upper basin also is projected to be above the recent historical median throughout the rest of the century, with steady warming in decadal average temperatures expected until the last quarter of this century. In contrast to projected precipitation in the upper basin, precipitation in the lower basin is projected to be the same as, or slightly less than, the historical period throughout most of the rest of this century. Like projected temperature in the upper basin, temperature in the lower basin also is projected to be above the recent historical median throughout the rest of the century. Comparing median projections for all future decades with median results from all historical decades, future precipitation is expected to be greater than that of the past in the upper basin, though no significant difference is projected for precipitation in the lower basin. Significant increases (p-value<0.05) are expected in temperature in both the upper and lower basins. To estimate the effects of projected precipitation and temperature on groundwater systems in the region, results from the 97 member CMIP5 climate projection ensemble were used as input in a Soil-Water Balance (SWB) groundwater infiltration model for the Colorado River Basin. SWB simulation results indicate that the upper Colorado River Basin is expected to experience decades of above-historical-average groundwater infiltration through the end of the century. For the lower Colorado River Basin, simulated groundwater infiltration is projected to be consistently less than the recent (1951–2015) historical period for most of the remaining century. A comparison of the distribution of all median simulated groundwater infiltration results between recent historical and future periods indicates projected groundwater infiltration in the upper basin is significantly (p-value<0.05) greater over the combined 2020–2099 future period than the recent (1951–2015) historical period. Moreover, in 41 of 71 (58 percent) possible future decades in this century, groundwater infiltration is projected to be greater than the 75th percentile of historical simulated groundwater infiltration. Projected groundwater infiltration in the lower Colorado River Basin across all future decades is significantly less than in the historical period. Of the 71 future decades in the century, projected groundwater infiltration in the lower basin is expected to be less than the 25th percentile of historical infiltration in 55 (77 percent) of the 10-year periods. Important differences in projected precipitation between the upper (increasing precipitation) and lower (decreasing precipitation) basins largely drive the different responses of simulated groundwater infiltration in the upper (increasing infiltration) and lower (decreasing infiltration) basins. It will be useful to revisit projections in groundwater infiltration in the Colorado River Basin when more up-to-date projections of precipitation become available from the next Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phases or by using climate input developments through Regional Climate Modeling efforts and stochastic weather generators.

Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico,↗
USGS2021

Assessment of water quality and discharge in the Herring River, Wellfleet, Massachusetts, November 2015 to September 2017

The U.S. Geological Survey, Cape Cod National Seashore of the National Park Service, and Friends of Herring River cooperated from 2015 to 2017 to assess nutrient concentrations and fluxes across the ocean-estuary boundary at a dike on the Herring River in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. The purpose of this assessment was to characterize environmental conditions prior to a future removal of the dike, which has restricted saltwater inputs into the Herring River watershed for more than 100 years. Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance were monitored continuously, and flow-weighted composite samples were collected approximately twice per month at the ocean-estuary boundary. Bidirectional discharge was computed for the U.S. Geological Survey Herring River at Chequessett Neck Road at Wellfleet, Massachusetts, streamgage (011058798) by using a stage-area rating and index-velocity ratings developed with acoustic Doppler current profile measurements made upstream and downstream from the dike. LOADEST regression modeling software was used to estimate nutrient fluxes (loads) from composite, paired nutrient concentration and discharge data in conjunction with continuous discharge data. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and specific conductance were also monitored continuously on two tributaries to the Herring River, Pole Dike Creek and Bound Brook, from late-May 2016 to mid-June 2017. Composite or discrete water samples were collected from the tributaries approximately twice per month in most months from late-May 2016 to mid-June 2017 and analyzed for total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and dissolved organic carbon. Flow-weighted concentrations of ammonium, nitrate, and total nitrogen on the Herring River at the dike on the ebb tide generally varied between 0.01 and 0.1, 0.003 and 0.03, and 0.3 and 0.7 milligram per liter as nitrogen, respectively. Flow-weighted concentrations of orthophosphate, total dissolved phosphorus, and total phosphorus generally varied between 0.002 and 0.02, 0.003 and 0.06, and 0.03 and 0.1 milligram per liter as phosphorus, respectively, on the ebb tide. Flow-weighted concentrations of silicate and dissolved organic carbon on the ebb tide generally varied between 0.08 and 3.0 milligrams per liter of silica (silicon dioxide), and 1.7 and 5.6 milligrams per liter of carbon, respectively. Ebb tide concentrations of nitrate were highest in winter and lowest in summer. By contrast, ebb tide concentrations of phosphorus species were highest in late summer and early fall and lowest in winter. Silica and dissolved organic carbon did not exhibit systematic variation in seasonal concentrations. There was uncertainty in estimates of nutrient fluxes, but the LOADEST-estimated fluxes indicated that annual (and in almost all cases seasonal) exports (ebb tides) exceeded inputs (flood tides). Ebb tide concentrations of ammonium, nitrate, total nitrogen, and silica were positively correlated with antecedent cumulative 7-day precipitation.

Massachusetts↗
USGS2021

Assessment of streamflow and water quality in the Upper Yampa River Basin, Colorado, 1992–2018

The Upper Yampa River Basin drains approximately 2,100 square miles west of the Continental Divide in north-western Colorado. There is a growing need to understand potential changes in the quantity and quality of water resources as the basin is undergoing increasing land and water development to support growing municipal, industrial, and recreational needs. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with stakeholders in the Upper Yampa River Basin water community, began a study to characterize and identify changes in streamflow and selected water-quality constituents, including suspended sediment, Kjeldahl nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and orthophosphate, in the basin. This study used streamflow and water-quality data from selected U.S. Geological Survey sites to provide a better understanding of how major factors, including land use, climate change, and geological features, may influence streamflow and water quality. Analysis of long-term (1910–2018) and short-term (1992–2018) records of streamflow at main-stem Yampa River and tributary sites indicate downward trends in one or more streamflow statistics, including 1-day maximum, mean, and 7-day minimum. Long-term downward trends in daily mean streamflow in April (22 percent overall) at Yampa River at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, correspond to observed changes in streamflow documented across western North America and the Colorado River Basin that are predominately associated with changes in snowmelt runoff and temperatures. During the short-term period of analysis, decreases in streamflow at main-stem Yampa River and some tributary sites are likely related to changes in consumptive use and reservoir management or, at sites with no upstream flow impoundments, changes in irrigation diversions and climate. Concentrations of water-quality constituents were typically highest in spring (March, April, and May) during the early snowmelt runoff period as material that is washed off the land surface drains into streams. Highest concentrations occurred slightly later, in May, June, and July, at Yampa River above Stagecoach Reservoir, Colo., and slightly earlier, in February and March at Yampa River at Milner, Colo., indicating that these sites may have different or additional sources of phosphorus from upstream inputs. Yampa River at Milner, Colo., and Yampa River above Elkhead Creek, Colo., had the highest net yields of suspended sediment, Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total phosphorus, and are likely influenced by land use and erosion as the basins of both of these sites are underlain by highly erodible Cretaceous shales. Upward trends in estimated Kjeldahl nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations and loads were found at Yampa River at Steamboat Springs, Colo. From 1999 to 2018, the Kjeldahl nitrogen concentration increased by 10 percent or 0.035 milligram per liter, and load increased by 22 percent or 26 tons. Total phosphorus concentration increased by 20 percent or 0.0081 milligram per liter, and loads increased by 41 percent or 6.2 tons. Decreases in streamflow and changes in land use may contribute to these trends. During multiple summer sampling events at Stagecoach Reservoir, the physical and chemical factors indicated conditions conducive to cyanobacterial blooms, including surface-water temperatures greater than 20 degrees Celsius and total phosphorus and total nitrogen concentrations in exceedance of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment interim concentrations for water-quality standards. Local geological features (predominately sandstones and shales) and additional inputs from upstream land use likely contribute to the elevated nutrient conditions in Stagecoach Reservoir.

Colorado↗
USGS2021

Nitrogen and phosphorus loads from groundwater to Lake Spokane, Spokane, Washington, October 2016–October 2019

Shallow nearshore groundwater and estimates of groundwater seepage were collected at 21 locations along the north and south shores of Lake Spokane beginning in October 2016 and ending in October 2019. Nitrate plus nitrite concentrations in nearshore groundwater ranged from <0.04 to 7.60 milligrams of nitrogen per liter. Nearshore groundwater orthophosphate concentrations ranged from <0.004 to 0.381 milligrams of phosphorus per liter, and, overall, there were no consistent seasonal differences in nearshore groundwater nutrients during this study. Nitrate plus nitrite concentrations were highest at sites located adjacent to nearshore development and similar to concentrations in water collected from nearby drinking water wells. Similarly, samples from locations adjacent to nearshore development were statistically greater than samples collected from other locations for orthophosphate concentrations. Dissolved boron concentrations, elevated values of which are an indicator of household-detergent use, were elevated in spring and summer at some locations, indicating that residential wastewater was reaching the lake. Stable isotope ratios of nitrate ( 15 N and 18 O), which were used to identify the source nitrate in sampled groundwater, showed that most data indicated a mix of soil nitrogen and nitrogen sources from human or animal waste. Generally, median groundwater discharge to the lake was low across all sites and seasons, with most values smaller than 1 centimeter per day (cm/d). Similar to the nutrient-concentration data, seasonal patterns in seepage flux were weak, and, where there were seasonal increases in flux, the increased groundwater discharge did not carry increased nutrients. Localized estimates of groundwater seepage flux were scaled up to the entire length of the lakeshore. The median groundwater flux of 0.34 cm/d scaled to 1.9 cubic feet per second (ft 3 /s) and the maximum recorded seepage flux of 17.6 cm/d was equivalent to 97 ft 3 /s. These estimates of groundwater inputs are orders of magnitude less than surface water inputs to the lake. Nutrient loads were determined from the product of groundwater flow and a representative nutrient concentration. Using the median seepage flux of 1.9 ft 3 /s, the orthophosphate load ranged from 0.7 to 3.8 pounds of phosphorus per day based on the median and maximum orthophosphate concentrations, respectively. For nitrate plus nitrite, loads ranged from 5.8 to 76.6 pounds of nitrogen per day. Using the maximum value of seepage flux, maximum orthophosphate loads ranged from 35 to 198 pounds of phosphorus per day, and maximum nitrate plus nitrite loads ranged from 296 to 3,943 pound of nitrogen per day. Overall, groundwater nutrient loads are small compared to other sources to the lake. Continued monitoring of future nutrient loads would aid decisions by resource managers as infrastructure within the neighboring residential communities continues to age around Lake Spokane.

Washington↗
USGS2021

Simulating the effects of climate-related changes to air temperature and precipitation on streamflow and water temperature in the Meduxnekeag River watershed, Maine

Responsible stewardship of native fish populations and riparian plants in the Meduxnekeag River watershed in northeastern Maine is a high priority for the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. Understanding the potential changes in hydrology and water temperature as a result of climate change is important to this priority for evaluating future habitat conditions in the watershed. This report, prepared in cooperation with the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, documents and presents the results of a model using the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS), a hydrologic model designed to provide streamflow and water temperature simulations under predicted changes in precipitation and air temperature during the next century. To estimate streamflows and water temperature in the Meduxnekeag River watershed, a PRMS model was developed and calibrated. By using the calibrated PRMS model, simulations were made for projected scenarios of 0, 5, 10, and 15 percent increases in precipitation and for increases in air temperature of 0.0, 3.6, 7.0, and 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). The increases in precipitation and temperature were applied to all the daily input values uniformly. These scenarios were based upon the results from 30 climate change models summarized in the National Climate Change Viewer. Streamflows and water temperatures modeled for different climate scenarios were compared with streamflows and water temperatures modeled with unadjusted climate inputs. Overall, streamflow increased with increasing precipitation and decreased with increasing air temperature. Water temperature increased with increasing air temperature. At the outlet of the studied Meduxnekeag River watershed, with both a 15 percent increase in precipitation and a 10.4 °F increase in air temperature, the mean annual streamflow increased by 17 percent from 489 cubic feet per second (ft 3 /s) to 572 ft 3 /s, and the mean annual maximum streamflow decreased by 8.3 percent from 3,870 ft 3 /s to 3,550 ft 3 /s. At the same location and under the same scenario, the mean annual water temperature increased by 17.5 percent from 47.4 °F to 55.7 °F. Significant changes in mean monthly streamflows were found with increasing air temperature. The PRMS model results showed that when air temperature was increased, there was an increase in mean monthly streamflow during the winter months and a decrease in mean monthly streamflow during the spring months. In addition, with a 10.4 °F increase in the air temperature, the month with the greatest monthly streamflow changed from April to December. In addition, the PRMS model estimated that the mean annual maximum snowpack in snow water equivalent for the watershed would decrease from 7.67 inches to 1.26 inches, and the mean annual date of the maximum snowpack would change from March 21 to January 28 with a 15 percent increase in precipitation and a 10.4 °F increase in air temperature.

Maine↗
USGS2021

Historical changes in bed elevation and water depth within the Nehalem Bay, Oregon, 1891–2019

Estuaries, at the nexus of rivers and the ocean, are depositional areas that respond to changes in streamflow, tides, sea level, and inputs of sediment from marine and watershed sources. Understanding changes in bed elevations, deposited and eroded sediment, and water depth throughout estuaries is relevant for understanding their present-day status and long-term evolution, identifying potential hazards to human communities, and informing estuarine conservation. In response to observations of sedimentation in the Nehalem Bay, northwestern Oregon, by the Port of Nehalem, the magnitudes and patterns of bathymetric change in the Bay were documented and described by two approaches. The first approach compared changes in bed elevation with estimated volumes of erosion and deposition from overlapping survey data acquired in 1957 and 2019 for the area of the Nehalem Bay from upstream of the Highway 101 bridge to downstream of Fishery Point. The second approach examined changes in water depth for seven zones from the confluence of the North Fork and Nehalem Rivers to the mouth of the Nehalem River using nautical charts (1891, 1947, 1970, 1990, and 2004). These two approaches were used because the bathymetric surveys from 1957 and 2019 could be tied to a common vertical datum, allowing for a direct comparison of changes in bed elevations, whereas the nautical charts could not be tied to a common vertical datum, which limited the analyses to a comparison of changes in water depths over a broader time frame. Bed elevation changes from 1957 to 2019 were assessed from upstream of the Highway 101 bridge to downstream of Fishery Point where the two surveys overlapped (2 square kilometers) using thalweg longitudinal profiles, channel cross sections, and digital elevation models (DEMs) showing the elevation differences between the two surveys (or DEMs of difference). The most prominent change between 1957 and 2019 was the migration of the thalweg (or deepest part of the channel) between the downstream end of Lazarus Island and downstream of Fishery Point; this migration resulted in sediment deposition in the former thalweg and sediment erosion in formerly shallow areas to form the new thalweg. Bed elevation changes in the thalweg also varied longitudinally between 1957 and 2019. The bed elevation of the thalweg in both surveys, however, was generally less than 1 meter (m). The thalweg in the area of overlapping surveys shortened from about 7.0 to 6.7 kilometers in length over that same period. The bed elevation changes between the DEMs showed that maximum erosion and deposition was 4.3 and 4.5 m, respectively. In this same time period, the net change in sediment volume was 230,000 cubic meters (m 3 ), indicating net deposition. However, the error estimated for the 95 percent confidence interval analyses is ±315,000 m 3 , and therefore does not preclude the possibility that net erosion may have occurred. Historical changes in water depth from soundings depicted on nautical charts from 1891, 1947, 1970, 1990, and 2004 were evaluated by assessing spatial and temporal changes for seven zones of the Nehalem Bay. Across all years and zones, water depths ranged from about 0.2 to 9.4 m, whereas median water depths ranged from 0.3 to 6.4 m. Median depths and the range of water depths did not systematically increase or decrease throughout all zones during the same periods. In all nautical charts, the zone at the mouth of the Nehalem River consistently had the deepest soundings (7.9 to 9.4 m) and the greatest range of water depths (7.3 to 8.8 m). Qualitative evaluation of the nautical charts showed minimal changes in the overall shape of the Nehalem Bay. The exception to this observation was at the mouth of the Bay, where two historical outlets to the Pacific Ocean depicted in the 1891 nautical chart were reduced to one outlet following the construction of jetties (1916 and 1918). The results of this study emphasize that bed elevations and water depths within the Nehalem Bay have varied between 1891 and 2019, as illustrated by the lateral and vertical changes in the thalweg and changes in water depths over time. Changes in thalweg position and related patterns of sediment erosion and deposition are expected in the future as the Nehalem Bay continues to respond to changes in tides, sea level, streamflow, and sediment inputs from watershed and marine sources. The results of this study and the surveys from 1957 and 2019 provide a foundation for documenting and evaluating future changes in the Nehalem Bay and prioritizing actions to manage and protect natural resources and recreational access to the Nehalem Bay.

Oregon↗
USGS2022

Thermal heterogeneity and cold-water anomalies within the lower Yakima River, Yakima and Benton Counties, Washington

Warm water temperatures in the lower Yakima River in central Washington are key limitations to the restoration of Pacific salmon ( Onchorhynchus spp .) populations within the Yakima River Basin. Identification of the location and magnitude of cold-water anomalies, which are cooler than ambient river temperatures during summer months, and the processes that create and maintain them is needed to inform salmon restoration efforts within the Yakima River Basin. Longitudinal thermal profiles of nine reaches in the lower Yakima River were surveyed at ambient river velocity during summer 2018 when surface-water temperatures were near their annual maximum and the difference between surface-water and groundwater temperatures was greatest. The profiles were compared to previously published profiles of the same reaches measured in 2001, 2002, 2008, and 2009, and analyzed in the context of hydrologic, geomorphic, and hydrogeologic conditions that may create and maintain cold-water inputs to the river. Cold-water anomalies that departed from expected diurnal increases in water temperature were measured in all nine study reaches and were attributed to diffuse groundwater discharge through the streambed, discrete groundwater discharge at seeps and springs, and cold-water tributaries entering the river. Some cold-water anomalies were measured during repeated surveys in different years, whereas other cold-water anomalies did not persist across surveys. Additionally, some discrete cold-water anomalies were confined to one side of the channel, but others associated with diffuse groundwater discharge were present across the channel for several river miles. Hydrogeologic conditions including the extent and thickness of aquifers connected to the Yakima River, geomorphic conditions including channel gradient, channel geometry, and floodplain extent, and the location of tributaries, irrigation returns, and other surface-water inputs created the large-scale conditions that facilitate the formation and maintenance of cold-water anomalies. Finer-scale geomorphic features such as side channels, gravel-bar alcoves, deep pools, and other locations, where colder water collected and remained relatively unmixed with upstream surface water, were also important factors in the occurrence and distribution of cold-water anomalies. These hydrogeologic and geomorphic conditions, coupled with the alteration of the Yakima River’s hydrologic regime to support irrigation within the Yakima Valley, contributed to the surveyed distribution of cold-water anomalies within the river.

Washington↗
USGS2022

Longitudinal water-temperature profiles in Mill Creek, Mason County, Washington

In streams supporting Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.) within the southern Puget Lowland, high water temperatures during late summer are a primary water-quality concern. The metabolic rates of fish and other ectothermic (in other words, cold-blooded) species are regulated by water temperature; salmon and other cold-water fish have specific thermal tolerances outside of which they are susceptible to infection, disease, increased predation, and decreased reproductive success. Mill and Gosnell Creeks, which collectively drain a 30-square mile area of the Puget Lowland in Mason County, Washington, support several species of anadromous salmonids. Whereas previous studies documented relatively cool water temperatures in Gosnell Creek, which drains the watershed upstream from Lake Isabella, water temperatures in Mill Creek, which heads at the outlet of Lake Isabella, regularly exceed thermal tolerances for cold-water fish. The occurrence and distribution of cold-water anomalies in less-than-ambient water temperatures in Mill Creek, however, have not been assessed. In this report, we present spatially and temporally continuous measurements of near-streambed water temperature measured using fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing for three reaches of Mill Creek during August–September 2020 when the water temperatures of streams in western Washington were near their annual maximum. Water temperature was collected every hour and averaged spatially over 1.015-meter sections of the fiber-optic cable deployed at the streambed of Mill Creek. The lengths of the fiber-optic cables deployed in Reaches A, B, and C were 883, 270, and 1,014 meters, respectively. Daily maximum water temperature and daily temperature variability, as measured by standard deviation of water temperature during the deployment, progressively decreased downstream as distance from Lake Isabella increased. However, no abrupt decreases in daily maximum or standard deviation of water temperature were detected in longitudinal temperature profiles of any of the three reaches. Collectively, these results suggest that warm water discharged from Lake Isabella was progressively buffered downstream as it equilibrated with downstream heat fluxes mediated by physical processes including riparian shading and diffuse groundwater input. Although parts of the surveyed reaches associated with deep pools were cooler than other locations, no large (less than 2 °C) water-temperature anomalies characteristic of discrete sources of cold groundwater or surface-water inputs were measured in any of the three surveyed reaches.

Washington↗
USGS2023

Modeling flow and water quality in reservoir and river reaches of the Mahoning River Basin, Ohio

Executive Summary The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is considering changes to the management of water surface elevation in four lakes in the Mahoning River Basin. These changes would affect the timing and amounts of water released to the Mahoning River and could affect the water quality of those releases. To provide information on possible water-quality effects from these operational changes, flow and water-quality models were constructed for Berlin Lake, Lake Milton, Michael J Kirwan Reservoir, Mosquito Creek Lake, Mosquito Creek, and the Mahoning River from the dams downstream to Lowellville, Ohio. The models were calibrated for two calendar years each, with model years selected depending on the availability of water-quality data. Models were developed with CE-QUAL-W2 version 4.2 (Wells, S.A., 2020, CE-QUAL-W2—A two-dimensional, laterally averaged, hydrodynamic and water quality model [version 4.2]: Portland State University, variously paged), a two-dimensional, laterally averaged hydrodynamic and water-quality model. Modeled constituents included flow, velocity, ice cover, water temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), sulfate, chloride, inorganic suspended sediment, nitrate, ammonia, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, dissolved and particulate organic matter, algae, and dissolved oxygen. Iron was included for the lake models, but not the river. A whole-basin model, with the four lake models and river model, was used to run model scenarios to examine the effects of altered lake water surface elevations on flow and water quality in the lakes, the lake outflows, and the Mahoning River. The initial whole-basin model, with calendar year 2013 hydrology and measured or typical water quality, was designated as scenario 0. Mahoning River flows for calendar year 2013 were close to a 20-year median flow. Four additional scenarios were constructed based on reservoir operations model (RES-SIM) model water surface elevations for the four lakes as provided by USACE. Scenario 1 was the RES-SIM base case, scenario 2 kept Berlin Lake water surface elevations higher in summer, scenario 3 allowed 25 percent of summer flood storage to extend the guide curve, and scenario 4 allowed more flexibility in lake management by removing any downstream Mahoning River minimum flow requirements. The Mahoning River model was not changed in any scenarios but received altered flows from the lakes. Significant findings from this study include the following: In two of the four lakes (Berlin and Mosquito Creek Lakes), development of lake model grids using recent bathymetric surveys suggests that sedimentation in these lakes has occurred since they were constructed, altering volume-elevation curves. Tests of model parameter sensitivity showed that modeled water temperature, TDS, and dissolved oxygen were relatively insensitive to model parameter values. Modeled chlorophyll a , a measure of algal concentration, was most sensitive to parameter values; nitrate and total phosphorus concentrations were affected by a few of the parameters tested. As a group, the lake model results were more sensitive to model parameter values compared to the Mahoning River model. Data gaps were identified for inflows, both for water quantity and water quality, that could be filled through future sampling programs. Ample data were available from within the waterbodies for model calibration. The model simulated the general spatial and temporal patterns of water temperature, TDS, chloride, sulfate, nutrients, suspended sediment, organic matter, chlorophyll a , and dissolved oxygen in the lakes and Mahoning River. From late spring to autumn in the years modeled (2006, 2013, 2017–19 depending on the lake), all lakes developed thermal stratification and periods of anoxia in bottom waters. Stratification was most stable in Michael J Kirwan Reservoir and least stable in Mosquito Creek Lake. The stratification and anoxia in Berlin Lake, Lake Milton, and Mosquito Creek Lake could be interrupted by high-flow inputs moving through those lakes. The model predicted the release of ammonia and iron during anoxic periods in the lake hypolimnions. Concentrations of TDS, nitrate, orthophosphate, and total phosphorus increased in the Mahoning River down to Lowellville, the end of the river model, in the years modeled. These concentrations were greater than those in upstream lake releases. Chloride and sulfate concentrations were underpredicted in the Mahoning River, suggesting the presence of unreported chloride and sulfate inputs to the river, at least in the years modeled. Model scenario 4 kept water surface elevations the highest in all lakes in the April to mid-December period, compared to scenarios 1–3. Model scenario 2 kept water surface elevations in Berlin Lake higher in summer and late autumn, compared to scenarios 1 and 3, but to satisfy downstream minimum flow requirements, water surface elevations in the other lakes had periods of lower water surface elevation. As a group, scenarios 1–3 had largely similar effects on flow and water surface elevation in the Mahoning River because the lake releases in those scenarios still met downstream Mahoning River flow targets. Modeling the removal of downstream flow targets, scenario 4 had periods of lower flow in the Mahoning River from April to mid-September as water was held in the lakes, and periods of higher Mahoning River flow from mid-September through November as the lakes were drawn down to prepare for winter flood-risk management. In the four scenarios, all the lakes and lake outflows had generally similar seasonal cycles of water quality, though some differences were predicted. For instance, higher concentrations of iron and ammonia in the Lake Milton hypolimnion were modeled during a period of both low inflows from Berlin Lake and low outflows at Lake Milton dam. It is possible that those changes could be minimized by maintaining more flow or pulses of higher flow through the lake. Compared to the scenario 1 base case, changes to Mahoning River water quality were relatively minor for scenarios 2 and 3, which maintained downstream flows but shifted the flow source among the upstream lakes. The largest changes in Mahoning River water quality were predicted between Leavittsburg and Lowellville for scenario 4. The periods of lower lake outflows between April and mid-September led to correspondingly higher concentrations of TDS, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, and nitrate in the river, compared to the base case scenario 1. Conversely, the overall greater lake outflows from mid-September through November in scenario 4 led to periods of lower concentrations of TDS and nutrients in that portion of the river, at that time of year.

Ohio↗
USGS2024

Three-dimensional geologic framework model of the Rio San Jose groundwater basin and adjacent areas, New Mexico

As part of a U.S. Geological Survey study in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico, and the Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico, a digital three-dimensional geologic framework model was constructed for the Rio San Jose and its surface-water drainage basin in west-central New Mexico. This three-dimensional model defines the altitude, thickness, and extent of 18 geologic units for use in a regional numerical hydrologic model. The model included an undifferentiated Proterozoic basement layer, 13 consolidated Paleozoic and Mesozoic rock units, and 4 Cenozoic units. Model input data were compiled from published cross sections, well data, structure contour maps, selected geophysical data, and data derived from geologic maps and structural features in the study area. These data were used to construct faulted surfaces that represent the upper and lower subsurface geologic unit boundaries. The digital three-dimensional geologic framework model combines faults, the altitude of the tops of each geologic unit, and boundary lines depicting the subsurface extent of each geologic unit. The digital three-dimensional geologic model described in this report and the corresponding data release represents the generalized geometry of the subsurface geologic units; it reproduces with reasonable accuracy the input geologic data and is consistent with previously published subsurface conceptualizations of the region. The geologic framework model is at a scale and resolution appropriate for use as the foundation for a numerical hydrologic model of the study area.

New Mexico↗
USGS2023

Approaches for assessing flows, concentrations, and loads of highway and urban runoff and receiving-stream stormwater in southern New England with the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM)

The Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM) was designed to help quantify the risk of adverse effects of runoff on receiving waters, the potential need for mitigation measures, and the potential effectiveness of such management measures for reducing these risks. SELDM is calibrated using representative hydrological and water-quality input statistics. This report by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration and the Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Departments of Transportation, documents approaches for assessing flows, concentrations, and loads of highway- and urban-runoff and receiving-stream stormwater in southern New England with SELDM. In this report, the term “urban runoff” is used to identify stormwater flows from developed areas with impervious fractions ranging from 10 to 100 percent without regard to the U.S. Census Bureau designation for any given location. There are more than 48,000 delineated road-stream crossings in southern New England, but because there are relatively few precipitation, streamflow, and water-quality monitoring sites in this area, methods were needed to simulate conditions at unmonitored sites. This report documents simulation methods, methods for interpreting stochastic model results, sensitivity analyses to identify the most critical variables of concern, and examples demonstrating how simulation results can be used to inform scientific decision-making processes. Results of 7,511 SELDM simulations were used to do the sensitivity analyses and provide information decisionmakers can use to address runoff-quality issues in southern New England and other areas of the Nation. The sensitivity analyses indicate the relatively strong effect of input variables on variations in output results. These analyses indicate that highway and urban runoff quality and upstream water-quality statistics that vary considerably from site to site have the greatest effect on simulated results. Further data are needed to improve available water-quality statistics, and because the number of monitored sites will never approach the number of sites of interest for water-quality management, research is needed to identify methods to select statistics for unmonitored sites and quantify the uncertainties in the selection process. Hydrologically, prestorm streamflows with and without zero flows are the most sensitive and therefore the most important hydrologic variables to quantify. Results of analyses also are sensitive to statistics used for simulating structural best management practices. Although the focus of the report is on data, statistics, simulation methods, and methods to interpret stochastic simulations, the examples in this report provide results that can be used to inform scientific decision-making processes. The results of 441 simulations that provide regional and site-specific highway and urban runoff yields across southern New England can be used for total maximum daily load analyses. The example stormwater load analysis done for 16 tributaries of the Narragansett Bay demonstrates that highway nitrogen loads are a small fraction of stormwater loads (about 3.6 percent), and a much smaller fraction of all nitrogen loads to the bay, primarily because highways have a small footprint on the land. Examples evaluating the potential effectiveness of end-of-pipe treatment indicate that offsite treatment is warranted in developed areas, and land conservation may be an effective mitigation strategy. The results of these analyses are consistent with conclusions from other simulation and monitoring studies.

Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode I↗
USGS2024

Characterizing future streamflows in Massachusetts using stochastic modeling—A pilot study

Communities throughout Massachusetts face the potential effects of climate change, ranging from more extreme rainfall to more pronounced and frequent droughts. Understanding the effects of climate change on hydrology is important to State and community officials to evaluate the potential effects on infrastructure and water systems. To better understand the effects of climate change on hydrology, the U.S. Geological Survey, in partnership with Cornell University and Tufts University, conducted a study in cooperation with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to develop tools for projecting 21st-century climate and hydrologic characteristics in Massachusetts. A stochastic weather generator was developed to project future climatic characteristics for Massachusetts. The stochastic weather generator estimates daily precipitation, minimum temperature, and maximum temperature for 17 warming scenarios (from 0 to 8 degrees Celsius, in 0.5-degree increments). To project future hydrologic characteristics, the stochastic weather generator output data were input to the Precipitation-Watershed Modeling System deterministic watershed model for the Squannacook River watershed, which is the watershed selected as the pilot study location for investigating future hydrologic characteristics. Hydrologic data output from the deterministic watershed model were then input to a stochastic watershed model developed for this study to correct model errors (model errors are often observed in the output from deterministic models at the high- and low-flow extremes). The output from the stochastic watershed model was then used to characterize hydrology for the 17 warming scenarios. For the Squannacook River watershed, the results project more extreme flood and low streamflows under the warming scenarios. Output from the tools allows the characterization of future streamflows for the years 2030, 2050, 2070, and 2090, which expands our understanding of 21st-century climatic and hydrologic risk in Massachusetts. These tools could improve Federal, State, and community officials’ ability to mitigate the effects of climate change over the next several decades.

Massachusetts↗
USGS2024

Evaluation of groundwater resources in the Upper White River Basin within Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, 2020

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Park Service, investigated groundwater gains and losses on the upper White River within Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. This investigation was conducted using stream discharge measurements at 14 locations within 7 reaches over a 6.5-mile river length from near the White River’s origin at the terminus of the Emmons Glacier on Mount Rainier to the White River Entrance near the northeast boundary of Mount Rainier National Park. Locations selected for the stream discharge measurements were on the main channel of the White River and on tributary streams near their confluence with the White River. A soil-water-balance (SWB) model analysis was also performed on the White River basin to estimate groundwater recharge throughout the basin during the time of the study. Analyses were made for the White River basin at the sub-basin (zone) scale to determine groundwater input to the stream for individual stream reaches. The gridded SWB model was simulated at a 10-meter (m) horizontal resolution, where recharge simulations were constructed using five spatially distributed datasets. Daily climate data as input for the simulation included gridded daily precipitation and air temperature. Upon analysis of the seepage run results, three of the seven reaches showed groundwater gains in this study. The SWB model results were used in conjunction with the baseflow gain totals in the reaches to estimate the length of time for recharge to become base flow. Further analysis estimated the rates of groundwater flow in the zones with adjacent gaining reaches. A streamflow gain curve was created from a simple flow model for each of the zones to relate the recharge from the zones to the adjacent reaches on the White River and tributaries. The fit of the streamflow gain curve to the calculated streamflow gain during the seepage run was used to analyze where the recharge from each zone resulted as streamflow gain. Consecutive reach losses from zones D and L were immediately followed downstream by a relatively large gain in zone GH, indicating that the gain in the reach adjacent to zone GH could be from the recharge in zones D and L.

Washington↗