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

USGS1992

International strategic minerals inventory summary report; zirconium

Zircon, a zirconium silicate, is currently the most important commercial zirconium-bearing mineral. Baddeleyite, a natural form of zirconia, is less important but has some specific end uses. Both zircon and baddeleyite occur in hard-rock and placer deposits, but at present all zircon production is from placer deposits. Most baddeleyite production is from hard-rock deposits, principally as a byproduct of copper and phosphate-rock mining. World zirconium resources in identified, economically exploitable deposits are about 46 times current production rates. Of these resources, some 71 percent are in South Africa, Australia, and the United States. The principal end uses of zirconium minerals are in ceramic applications and as refractories, abrasives, and mold linings in foundries. A minor amount, mainly of zircon, is used for the production of hafnium-free zirconium metal, which is used principally for sheathing fuel elements in nuclear reactors and in the chemical-processing industry, aerospace engineering, and electronics. Australia and South Africa are the largest zircon producers and account for more than 70 percent of world output; the United States and the Soviet Union account for another 20 percent. South Africa accounts for almost all the world's production of baddeleyite, which is about 2 percent of world production of contained zirconia. Australia and South Africa are the largest exporters of zircon. Unless major new deposits are developed in countries that have not traditionally produced zircon, the pattern of world production is unlikely to change by 2020. The proportions, however, of production that come from existing producing countries may change somewhat.

Circular↗

USGS2019

Climate adaptation Science Centers—Annual report for 2018

2018 marked the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center! With the passage of the fiscal year 2018 budget on March 23, 2018, our program name was changed from the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center to the National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC). The eight regional Department of the Interior (DOI) Climate Science Centers were renamed Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs). The name changes more clearly align the national and regional centers and emphasize their focus on meeting natural resource adaptation needs. Although the program has a new name, our mission has not changed. We are still hard at work delivering science to help fish, wildlife, water, land, and people adapt to a changing climate. During the past 10 years, the NCASC and the eight regional CASCs funded over 425 science projects and built a network of research partners, resource management stakeholders, interdisciplinary staff, fellows, and early career researchers. In celebration of our work and accomplishments over the last 10 years, the NCASC began a monthly web post series on “10 Things You May Not Know” about topics our science has focused on, including drought, glaciers, and wildfire. Additionally, CASCs that had completed their initial hosting agreement with the USGS underwent a formal review and recompetition process. New hosting agreements were awarded to the Southwest and North Central CASCs in 2018. Read the 2018 annual report to learn more about the CASCs' great science, partnerships, capacity building, and more from 2018.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2015

Back-island and open-ocean shorelines, and sand areas of Assateague Island, Maryland and Virginia, April 12, 1989, to September 5, 2013

Assessing the physical change to shorelines and wetlands is critical in determining the resiliency of wetland systems that protect adjacent habitat and communities. The wetland and back-barrier shorelines of Assateague Island, located in Maryland and Virginia, changed as a result of wave action and storm surge that occurred during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. As part of the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geology Program, the impact of Hurricane Sandy will be assessed and placed in its historical context to understand the future vulnerability of wetland systems. Making these assessments will rely on data extracted from current and historical resources such as maps, aerial photographs, satellite imagery, and lidar elevation data, which document physical changes over time. This Data Series Report includes several open-ocean shorelines, back-island shorelines, back-island shoreline points, sand area polygons, and sand lines for Assateague Island that were extracted from natural-color orthoimagery (aerial photography) dated from April 12, 1989, to September 5, 2013. The images used were 0.3–2-meter (m)-resolution U.S. Geological Survey Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quads (DOQQ), U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) images, and Virginia Geographic Information Network Virginia Base Map Program (VBMP) images courtesy of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The back-island shorelines were hand-digitized at the intersect of the apparent back-island shoreline and transects spaced at 20-m intervals. The open-ocean shorelines were hand-digitized at the approximate still water level, such as tide level, which was fit through the average position of waves and swash apparent on the beach. Hand-digitizing was done at a scale of approximately 1:2,000. The sand polygons were derived by using an image-processing unsupervised classification technique that separates images into classes. The classes were then visually categorized as either sand or not sand. Also included in this report are 20-m-spaced transect lines and the transect base lines.

Maryland, Virginia↗

USGS2007

Thermal Maturity of Pennsylvanian Coals and Coaly Shales, Eastern Shelf and Fort Worth Basin, Texas

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology are engaged in an ongoing collaborative study to characterize the organic composition and thermal maturity of Upper Paleozoic coal-bearing strata from the Eastern Shelf of the Midland basin and from the Fort Worth basin, north-central Texas. Data derived from this study will have application to a better understanding of the potential for coalbed gas resources in the region. This is an important effort in that unconventional resources such as coalbed gas are expected to satisfy an increasingly greater component of United States and world natural gas demand in coming decades. In addition, successful coalbed gas production from equivalent strata in the Kerr basin of southern Texas and from equivalent strata elsewhere in the United States suggests that a closer examination of the potential for coalbed gas resources in north-central Texas is warranted. This report presents thermal maturity data for shallow (<2,000 ft; <610 m) coal and coaly shale cuttings, core, and outcrop samples from the Middle-Upper Pennsylvanian Strawn, Canyon, and Cisco Groups from the Eastern Shelf of the Midland basin. Data for Lower Pennsylvanian Atoka Group strata from deeper wells (5,400 ft; 1,645 m) in the western part of the Fort Worth basin also are included herein. The data indicate that the maturity of some Pennsylvanian coal and coaly shale samples is sufficient to support thermogenic coalbed gas generation on the Eastern Shelf and in the western Fort Worth basin.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2012

Montana Valley and Foothill Prairies Ecoregion: Chapter 6 in Status and trends of land change in the Western United States--1973 to 2000

The Montana Valley and Foothill Prairies Ecoregion comprises numerous intermountain valleys and low-elevation foothill prairies spread across the western half of Montana, on both sides of the Continental Divide (Omernik, 1987; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1997). The ecoregion, which covers approximately 64,658 km 2 (24,965 mi 2 ), includes the Flathead Valley and the valleys surrounding Helena, Missoula, Bozeman, Billings, Anaconda, Dillon, and Lewistown (fig. 1). These valleys are generally characterized by shortgrass prairie vegetation and are flanked by forested mountains (Woods and others, 1999); thus, the valleys’ biotas with regards to fish and insects are comparable. In many cases, the valleys are conduits for some of the largest rivers in the state, including Clark Fork and the Missouri, Jefferson, Madison, Flathead, Yellowstone, Gallatin, Smith, Big Hole, Bitterroot, and Blackfoot Rivers (fig. 2). The Montana Valley and Foothill Prairies Ecoregion also includes the “Rocky Mountain front,” an area of prairies along the eastern slope of the northern Rocky Mountains. Principal land uses within the ecoregion include farming, grazing, and mining. The valleys serve as major transportation and utility corridors and also contain the majority of Montana’s human population. The Montana Valley and Foothill Prairies Ecoregion extends into 17 mostly rural counties throughout western Montana. Only three of the counties—Carbon, Yellowstone, and Missoula—are part of a metropolitan statistical area with contiguous built-up areas tied to an employment center. Nearly two-thirds of Montana residents live in nonmetropolitan counties (Albrecht, 2008). Ten of the counties within the ecoregion had population growth rates greater than national averages (9–13 percent) between 1970 and 2000 (table 1). Ravalli and Gallatin Counties had the highest growth rates. Population growth was largely due to amenity-related inmigration and an economy dependent on tourism, health care, and services. Counties that had population declines, such as Deer Lodge, Silver Bow, and Meagher Counties, also had declines in agriculture and mining activity, and they had railroad closures as well. Climate varies from north to south and from the east side of the Continental Divide to the west side. However, all areas are semiarid with long cold winters and short growing seasons. In the western part of the ecoregion, Beaverhead, Bitterroot, Flathead, and Lolo National Forests provide the natural resources, particularly timber, that form the economic base for towns within nearby valleys. Mineral resources from mines in and around Anaconda, Deer Lodge, and Butte have long provided an economic base for these towns (fig. 3).

Idaho;Montana;Wyoming↗

USGS2000

Comparability of suspended-sediment concentration and total suspended solids data

Two laboratory analytical methods — suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) and total suspended solids (TSS) — are predominantly used to quantify concentrations of suspended solid-phase material in surface waters of the United States. The analytical methods differ. SSC data are produced by measuring the dry weight of all the sediment from a known volume of a water-sediment mixture. TSS data are produced by several methods, most of which entail measuring the dry weight of sediment from a known volume of a subsample of the original. An evaluation of 3,235 paired SSC and TSS data, of which 860 SSC values include percentages of sand-size material, shows bias in the relation between SSC and TSS —SSC values tend to increase at a greater rate than their corresponding paired TSS values. As sand-size material in samples exceeds about a quarter of the sediment dry weight, SSC values tend to exceed their corresponding paired TSS values. TSS analyses of three sets of quality-control samples (35 samples) showed unexpectedly small sediment recoveries and relatively large variances in the TSS data. Two quality-control data sets (18 samples) that were analyzed for SSC showed both slightly deficient sediment recoveries, and variances that are characteristic of most other quality-control data compiled as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Sediment Laboratory Quality Assurance Program. The method for determining TSS, which was originally designed for analyses of wastewater samples, is shown to be fundamentally unreliable for the analysis of natural-water samples. In contrast, the method for determining SSC produces relatively reliable results for samples of natural water, regardless of the amount or percentage of sand-size material in the samples. SSC and TSS data collected from natural water are not comparable and should not be used interchangeably. The accuracy and comparability of suspended solid-phase concentrations of the Nation’s natural waters would be greatly enhanced if all these data were produced by the SSC analytical method.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2002

Water-quality and aquatic-community characteristics of selected reaches of the St. Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin, 2000

Synoptic sampling was used to determine chemical and biological characteristics of the St. Croix River within a study reach that extended from near Danbury, Wisconsin to the confluence with the Mississippi River at Prescott, Wisconsin. The study was conducted August 7- September 25, 2000 during summer low flow. Dissolved-residue concentrations were found to increase gradually as the river flows downstream, with an abrupt increase downstream of the confluence with the Sunrise River that was primarily attributed to an increase in calcium and magnesium. Dissolved residue concentrations were further augmented by increased yields of chloride and sulfate in the part of the St. Croix Basin between Nevers Dam near St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin and Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota. Nearly all of the nitrogen in transport was in the form of nitrate and organic nitrogen. Organic nitrogen, mainly in particulate form, accounted for most of the gain in total nitrogen load within the study reach. Nitrogen loading to the mainstem indicated relatively uniform nitrogen inputs from the Clam River, Kettle River, and Snake River watersheds. The rate of nitrogen load accrual increased downstream of the confluence with the Sunrise River and in the subreach extending from Nevers Dam through St. Croix Falls to Franconia, Minnesota. Nitrogen load also increased, primarily because of nitrate input, in the part of Lake St. Croix downstream of the confluence with the Kinnickinnic River. Total phosphorus concentrations and loads reflected variations in the amount of particulate phosphorus in transport. Phosphorus loading increased in the part of the St. Croix River that includes Danbury and the confluences of the Yellow River and Clam River. Phosphorus loading also increased downstream of the confluence with the Sunrise River, but the greatest load increase occurred between Nevers Dam and Franconia. Phosphorus load decreased substantially as the river flowed through the pooled reach of Lake St. Croix downstream of Stillwater. Suspended-sediment concentrations were low, ranging from 4.0 to 36 milligrams per liter. The small amount of sediment in transport was reflected in turbidity measurements that ranged from 0.5 to 3.6 Nephelometry Turbidity Units, and transparency tube measurements that were greater than 60 centimeters at all sites. Biological measures of resource quality change in the St. Croix River along its course from Danbury to Prescott. Changes in the biological indicators of resource quality (fish and invertebrate community composition) are most notable just upstream and downstream of the dam at St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. Aquatic communities in the upper St. Croix River, from near Danbury to near Rush City, Minnesota, indicate minimal physical and chemical disturbance as evidenced by relatively high taxa richness and greater proportions of taxa intolerant to physical and chemical disturbance. In contrast, aquatic communities downstream of the Sunrise River to Marine on St. Croix indicate both physical and chemical disturbance. Resource monitoring, consisting of short-term diagnostic studies, may be needed in parts of the St. Croix River mainstem and tributaries where results from this study indicate constituent loading is greatest and where the aquatic community composition indicates disturbance. Longer-term trend monitoring may be needed to detect physical, chemical and biological responses to natural processes and human activities in the St. Croix River Basin.

Minnesota, Wisconsin↗

USGS1984

Reconnaissance evaluation of contamination in the alluvial aquifer in the East Poplar oil field, Roosevelt County, Montana

Water moving from north to south in the alluvial aquifer of the Poplar River valley becomes contaminated with sodium chloride in the area underlain by the East Poplar oil fields. Four types of ground water were identified in the study area. Type 1 is sodium bicarbonate water. Type 2 is sodium chloride water with varying quantities of calcium and magnesium. Type 3 water contains sodium and chloride in significantly larger concentrations than Type 2. Type 4 water is the brine being injected into brine-disposal wells. Contamination of the alluvial aquifer is indicated by a brine-freshwater interface in the alluvium, by downstream increase in chloride concentration of the Poplar River, and by downstream change in water type of the Poplar River. Contamination also may be indicated by the distribution of iron and manganese concentrations in water from wells near a brine-disposal well. Possible sources of sodium chloride contamination in the alluvium are brine-disposal wells, pipelines, and storage or evaporation pits. The contamination can occur from leaks in the casing of disposal wells or in pipelines caused by the corrosive nature of the brine or from storage or evaporation pits that have been improperly sealed or have sustained tears in the sealing material. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1989

Effects of limestone quarrying and cement-plant operations on runoff and sediment yields in the Upper Permanente Creek basin, Santa Clara County, California

High sediment loads below headwater areas of the Permanente Creek drainage basin, Santa Clara County, California, have caused flood-control problems in downstream lowland areas. Measured sediment yields in Permanente Creek, which drains areas affected by limestone quarrying and cement-plant operations, were 14 times greater than yields from the West Fork Permanente Creek, which primarily drains parkland. Part of this large disparity in yields is the result of higher runoff/unit of drainage area in the Permanente Creek Basin. Results of rainfall-runoff modeling indicate that the tendency for higher runoff from Permanente Creek results from natural differences in basin physiography. Runoff during periods of high streamflow (when most sediment is transported) is dominated by subsurface flow, which is not affected by human activities. Although artificial features created by human activities seem to have had only minor effects on runoff, they apparently have had major effects on sediment availability. Artificial features accounted for 273 acres (89%) of the 307 acres of active erosional landforms mapped in 1984. Increased availability of sediment in the Permanente Creek basin appears to be indicated by elevated intercepts of sediment-transport curves. A comparison of sediment-transport curves for the West Fork Permanente Creek with similar curves for the Permanente Creek basin under natural conditions suggests that the sediment yield from Permanente Creek is about 3.5 times higher than it would be under natural basin conditions. The increased yield apparently is due to an increase in sediment availability rather than an increase in runoff. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2016

Shifting currents: Progress, setbacks, and shifts in policy and practice

The Wisconsin Academy’s initial Waters of Wisconsin project (WOW I) facilitated a statewide conversation between 2000 and 2003 around one main question: How can we ensure healthy aquatic ecosystems and clean, abundant water supplies for tomorrow’s Wisconsin? Robust participation in this conversation underscored the important role citizens have in the stewardship of our waters, and we found enthusiastic support for farsighted policies—based on sound science—to manage our water legacy. Overall, we found that Wisconsinites cherish water and see our waters as essential to our way of life in Wisconsin. Nationally, our state ranks 25th in land area but has the fourth-highest area covered by water. Wisconsin is 20th in population but is second only to Florida in the number of fishing licenses sold each year. Clean water supports billions of dollars’ worth of economic activity through tourism, agriculture, and industry. From the Northwoods cabin to the Port of Milwaukee to the Wisconsin Dells, water shapes our state’s identity. Our tradition of safeguarding Wisconsin’s waters is grounded in values such as responsibility to family and future generations, respect for land and wildlife, protecting public health and safety, and caring for water as a common good, as articulated in the state’s Public Trust Doctrine (see page 9). These deeply held values have also shaped a conservation ethic, and its legacy has served many generations who depend upon and enjoy the waters of the state. Through WOW I, we identified the need to overcome the institutional and disciplinary separation of science, policy, and management protocols through a more integrated approach to water management. WOW also affirmed that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other public agencies play a critical role in sound scientific application, citizen participation, and the practical implementation of policy while balancing public and private interests toward the goal of a clean water future. More than a decade has passed since our first statewide WOW conversation and the report that captured recommendations from its participants: Waters of Wisconsin: The Future of Our Aquatic Ecosystems and Resources. Drawing from a diverse and growing set of stakeholders from across the state, the Wisconsin Academy initiated a new conversation in 2012 (known as WOW II) to assess progress in regard to our 2003 recommendations. We also sought to review the status of waters in Wisconsin today. The result of this renewed conversation is Shifting Currents: Progress, Setbacks, and Shifts in Policy and Practice. The new report assesses progress in brief, and explores in greater depth the continuing and emerging challenges to water quality, supply, and aquatic ecosystems in Wisconsin. In this report, we first review the context and frameworks for public decision-making about water and then examine some of the root causes—or “drivers”—and ecological stressors that underlie many of the symptoms we see in the form of pollution or ecosystem degradation in Wisconsin. This is followed by a summary of current water issues, many of which had been identified in the 2003 report and remain relevant today. We examine progress since 2003 but also setbacks, and discuss issues that we are likely to continue to face in the coming decades, including controlling agricultural runoff, mitigating climate change and grappling with its effects on the state’s waters, protecting groundwater from bacterial contamination and other pollutants, and preventing groundwater depletion. We also attempt to anticipate issues on the horizon. We offer a deeper look at some particular challenges, such as phosphorus pollution and groundwater contamination. We then consider the current decision-making framework and how it is shaping our capacity to respond to water challenges in Wisconsin. Finally, we offer recommendations and identify opportunities to safeguard Wisconsin’s waters in the decades ahead. From its inception, the Wisconsin Academy’s Waters of Wisconsin Initiative has brought together a diverse community of experts from across the state and from varied fields and areas of interest, to address challenges and seize opportunities related to our precious waters. We have done so as a matter of both principle and practical reality: the state of our waters reflects the ways we interact not only with them, but also with one another and our institutions. The WOW Initiative has aimed to provide guidance for Wisconsin citizens in sustaining the health of our aquatic ecosystems and the resilience of our water supplies over the long term.

Report↗

USGS2024

Groundwater quality near the Placerita Oil Field, California, 2018

Groundwater-quality data and potential fluid-migration pathways near the Placerita Oil Field in Los Angeles County, California, were examined by the U.S. Geological Survey to determine if oil-field fluids (water and gas from oil-producing and non-producing zones) have mixed with groundwater resources. Six of the 13 new groundwater samples collected for this study contained petroleum hydrocarbons, thermogenic gas, inorganic chemical signatures, and (or) isotopic values consistent with potential mixing with fluids from hydrocarbon-bearing formations. For historical groundwater samples, benzene was the most detected petroleum hydrocarbon. The historical groundwater samples with a benzene concentration greater than 0.5 micrograms per liter were from environmental monitoring wells at industrial or commercial facilities unrelated to oil and gas development that, in many cases, have identified soil or groundwater contamination and were not typically analyzed for other constituents that could provide additional lines of evidence for potential mixing with oil-field fluids. Methane was not detected in any of the 12 historical samples with a reported measurement. Reviewing historical data revealed factors that could potentially adversely affect groundwater quality in the study area. These factors include modified hydraulic gradients caused by large volumes of water extracted from the main production area and reinjected downgradient into nonproducing zones, well-barrier failures in wells constructed in the northern part of the oil field before the 1970s, well-barrier failures in produced-water disposal wells downgradient from the main production area, and naturally occurring hydrocarbons at shallow intervals. The groundwater samples most geochemically similar to samples from hydrocarbon-bearing formations were in areas where hydrocarbons are naturally occurring at shallow intervals and where oil development is at shallow depths. Additional data for hydraulic heads, water quality, and formation temperatures at multiple depths in areas with large injection volumes and well-integrity issues are needed to evaluate whether those factors have contributed to mixing between fluids from oil-producing or injection formations and groundwater resources.

California↗

USGS2004

Assessment of ground-water withdrawals at municipal industrial parks in Puerto Rico, 2000

An assessment of ground-water withdrawals at municipal industrial parks throughout Puerto Rico was conducted to investigate the effect of ground-water usage on nearby surface- and ground-water resources. Water-bearing strata were divided into four generalized hydrogeologic units: (1) fissured aquifers (including karst and non-karst limestone); (2) intergranular aquifers; (3) intergranular aquifers overlying fissured rock units; and (4) strata with local or limited ground-water resources. Approximately 49 percent of the municipal industrial parks are located in areas with local or limited ground-water resources, 29 percent overlie intergranular aquifers, 13 percent overlie fissured aquifers, and 9 percent overlie intergranular units that overlie fissured rock units. Hydrogeologic data for the generalized hydrogeologic units were compiled from published U.S. Geological Survey reports. Depths to ground water near industrial parks range from approximately 20 to 400 feet in the fissured aquifers, 6 to 65 feet in coastal intergranular aquifers, 3 to 30 feet in intergranular aquifers overlying fissured rock units, and 1 to 100 feet in strata with local or limited ground-water resources. Aquifer transmissivities near industrial parks range from approximately 100,000 feet squared per day in the fissured aquifers to less than 100 feet squared per day in the strata with local or limited ground-water resources. Well construction data were compiled from published U.S. Geological Survey reports, drillers? logs, and unpublished reports. Specific capacity for wells near industrial parks ranges from approximately 100 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown in the fissured aquifer at Manati to approximately 0.1 gallon per minute per foot of drawdown in strata with local and limited ground-water resources at Bayamon. Reported well yields near industrial parks ranges from 2,800 gallons per minute in the intergranular aquifer at Santa Isabel to approximately 3 gallons per minute in strata with local and limited ground-water resources at Adjuntas. Historical ground-water-level data from U.S. Geological Survey observation wells were used to define ground-water levels trends in the vicinity of industrial parks. Areas showing ground-water level declines, and therefore possible aquifer over-development, are located in Barceloneta and Guayama. Rising ground-water levels were noted in the vicinity of industrial parks at Florida, Ponce, and Yauco. Ground-water withdrawal data were compiled from site visits to the industrial facilities and from information provided by Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. Total ground-water withdrawal at the municipal industrial parks was estimated to be 1.6 million gallons per day. Most withdrawals were from intergranular coastal aquifers, which accounted for about two thirds of the ground-water withdrawals. Municipal industrial parks with substantial ground-water withdrawals are located in Bayamon, Caguas, Humacao, and Ponce.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2008

Hydrocarbon Source Rocks in the Deep River and Dan River Triassic Basins, North Carolina

This report presents an interpretation of the hydrocarbon source rock potential of the Triassic sedimentary rocks of the Deep River and Dan River basins, North Carolina, based on previously unpublished organic geochemistry data. The organic geochemical data, 87 samples from 28 drill holes, are from the Sanford sub-basin (Cumnock Formation) of the Deep River basin, and from the Dan River basin (Cow Branch Formation). The available organic geochemical data are biased, however, because many of the samples collected for analyses by industry were from drill holes that contained intrusive diabase dikes, sills, and sheets of early Mesozoic age. These intrusive rocks heated and metamorphosed the surrounding sediments and organic matter in the black shale and coal bed source rocks and, thus, masked the source rock potential that they would have had in an unaltered state. In places, heat from the intrusives generated over-mature vitrinite reflectance (%Ro) profiles and metamorphosed the coals to semi-anthracite, anthracite, and coke. The maximum burial depth of these coal beds is unknown, and depth of burial may also have contributed to elevated thermal maturation profiles. The organic geochemistry data show that potential source rocks exist in the Sanford sub-basin and Dan River basin and that the sediments are gas prone rather than oil prone, although both types of hydrocarbons were generated. Total organic carbon (TOC) data for 56 of the samples are greater than the conservative 1.4% TOC threshold necessary for hydrocarbon expulsion. Both the Cow Branch Formation (Dan River basin) and the Cumnock Formation (Deep River basin, Sanford sub-basin) contain potential source rocks for oil, but they are more likely to have yielded natural gas. The organic material in these formations was derived primarily from terrestrial Type III woody (coaly) material and secondarily from lacustrine Type I (algal) material. Both the thermal alteration index (TAI) and vitrinite reflectance data (%Ro) indicate levels of thermal maturity suitable for generation of hydrocarbons. The genetic potential of the source rocks in these Triassic basins is moderate to high and many source rock sections have at least some potential for hydrocarbon generation. Some data for the Cumnock Formation indicate a considerably higher source rock potential than the basin average, with S1 + S2 data in the mid-20 mg HC/g sample range, and some hydrocarbons have been generated. This implies that the genetic potential for all of these strata may have been higher prior to the igneous activity. However, the intergranular porosity and permeability of the Triassic strata are low, which makes fractured reservoirs more attractive as drilling targets. In some places, gravity and magnetic surveys that are used to locate buried intrusive rock may identify local thermal sources that have facilitated gas generation. Alternatively, awareness of the distribution of large intrusive igneous bodies at depth may direct exploration into other areas, where thermal maturation is less than the limits of hydrocarbon destruction. Areas prospective for natural gas also contain large surficial clay resources and any gas discovered could be used as fuel for local industries that produce clay products (principally brick), as well as fuel for other local industries.

North Carolina↗

USGS2013

Operational Group Sandy technical progress report

Hurricane Sandy made US landfall near Atlantic City, NJ on 29 October 2012, causing 72 direct deaths, displacing thousands of individuals from damaged or destroyed dwellings, and leaving over 8.5 million homes without power across the northeast and mid-Atlantic. To coordinate federal rebuilding activities in the affected region, the President established the cabinet-level Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force was charged with identifying opportunities for achieving rebuilding success while supporting economic vitality, improving public health and safety, protecting and enhancing natural and manmade infrastructure, bolstering resilience, and ensuring appropriate accountability. The Department of the Interior (DOI) Strategic Sciences Group (SSG) was established in 2012 to provide interdisciplinary science-based scenarios for environmental crises affecting Departmental resources. In January 2013, the Secretary of the Interior directed the SSG to support the Department’s participation in the Task Force. The SSG assembled a team of experts from government, academia, and non-governmental organizations – Operational Group Sandy (OGS) – to develop scenarios for the impacts of Hurricane Sandy and future major storms on coastal communities and urban systems in the New York/New Jersey region. This report documents results from the March 2013 deployment of the OGS. It includes background information on Hurricane Sandy and the federal response; the OGS methodology; scenarios for Hurricane Sandy’s impact on coastal communities and urban ecosystems; potential interventions to improve regional resilience to future major storms; a discussion of scenario results; and lessons learned about the OGS process.

Report↗

USGS2024

U.S. Geological Survey Mississippi River Science Forum—Summary of data and science needs and next steps

The U.S. Geological Survey hosted a Mississippi River Science Forum with Federal agencies; Tribal, State, and local governments located in States that border the Mississippi River; academia; and other interested stakeholders. The purpose of the forum was to share current (2023) science; identify data gaps and areas of concern; and to prioritize next steps needed to advance the goals of improving water quality, restoring habitat and natural systems, improving navigation, eliminating aquatic invasive species, and building local resilience to natural disasters along the Mississippi River. The forum was a directive for the U.S. Geological Survey in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 (Public Law 117—103, 136 Stat. 49). Participants and stakeholders that attended the Mississippi River Science Forum indicated the following. A Mississippi River Science Committee could bring together the voices of all stakeholders, including Federal agencies; State, local, and Tribal governments; academia; nongovernmental organizations; business and industry; and other interested parties. This committee would also work with (but not replace) Mississippi River Basin entities already in place and establish effective communication to identify and address Basin-wide management needs and to develop holistic solutions for those needs. A Mississippi River science plan could expand on the science and data gaps identified by the Forum. This plan could guide data collection and help resource managers develop and implement restoration initiatives within the Basin, recognizing that addressing these needs will require substantial resources. The science committee, working with other entities in the basin, should develop data standards for the Mississippi River Basin that allow stakeholders to utilize comparable data to address their needs. These standards would include data findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability. This report highlights data gaps and areas of concern discussed during the forum, and it identifies needs to advance the goals of improving water quality, restoring habitat and natural systems, improving navigation, eliminating aquatic invasive species, and building local resilience to natural disasters with specific emphasis on data collection and measurement, and scientific investigation. The report also summarizes stakeholder input and feedback and outlines next steps identified by forum participants.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2011

Hydrogeology, chemical characteristics, and water sources and pathways in the zone of contribution of a public-supply well in San Antonio, Texas

In 2001, the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a series of studies on the transport of anthropogenic and natural contaminants (TANC) to public-supply wells (PSWs). The main goal of the TANC project was to better understand the source, transport, and receptor factors that control contaminant movement to PSWs in representative aquifers of the United States. Regional- and local-scale study areas were selected from within existing NAWQA study units, including the south-central Texas Edwards aquifer. The local-scale TANC study area, nested within the regional-scale NAWQA study area, is representative of the regional Edwards aquifer. The PSW selected for study is within a well field of six production wells. Although a single PSW was initially selected, because of constraints of well-field operation, samples were collected from different wells within the well field for different components of the study. Data collected from all of the well-field wells were considered comparable because of similar well construction, hydrogeology, and geochemistry. An additional 38 PSWs (mostly completed in the confined part of the aquifer) were sampled throughout the regional aquifer to characterize water quality. Two monitoring well clusters, with wells completed at different depths, were installed to the east and west of the well field (the Zarzamora and Timberhill monitoring well clusters, respectively). One of the monitoring wells was completed in the overburden to evaluate potential hydrologic connectivity with the Edwards aquifer. Geophysical and flowmeter logs were collected from one of the well-field PSWs to determine zones of contribution to the wellbore. These contributing zones, associated with different hydrogeologic units, were used to select monitoring well completion depths and groundwater sample collection depths for depth-dependent sampling. Depth-dependent samples were collected from the PSW from three different depths and under three different pumping conditions. Additionally, selected monitoring wells and one of the well-field PSWs were sampled several times in response to a rainfall and recharge event to assess short-term (event-scale) temporal variations in water quality. For comparison purposes, groundwater samples were categorized as being from regional aquifer PSWs, from the well field (wellhead samples), from the monitoring wells (excluding the overburden well), from the overburden well, from the PSW depth-dependent sampling, and from temporal sampling. Groundwater samples were analyzed for inorganic, organic, isotopic, and age-dating tracers to characterize geochemical conditions in the aquifer and provide understanding of the mechanisms of mobilization and movement of selected constituents from source areas to a PSW. Sources, tracers, and conditions used to assess water quality and processes affecting the PSW and the aquifer system included (1) carbonate host rock composition; (2) physicochemical constituents; (3) major and trace element concentrations; (4) saturation indices with respect to minerals in aquifer rocks; (5) elemental ratios, such as magnesium to calcium ratios, that are indicative of water-rock interaction processes; (6) oxidation-reduction conditions; (7) nutrient concentrations, in particular nitrate concentrations; (8) the isotopic composition of nitrate, which can point to specific nitrate sources; (9) strontium isotopes; (10) stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen; (11) organic contaminant concentrations, including pesticides and volatile organic compounds; (12) age tracers, apparent-age distribution, and dissolved gas data used in age interpretations; (13) depth-dependent water chemistry collected from the PSW under different pumping conditions to assess zones of contribution; and (14) temporal variability in groundwater composition from the PSW and selected monitoring wells in response to an aquifer recharge event. Geochemical results indicate that the well-field and monitoring well samples were largely representative of groundwater in the regional confined aquifer. Constituents of concern in the Edwards aquifer for the long-term sustainability of the groundwater resource include the nutrient nitrate and anthropogenic organic contaminants. Nitrate concentrations (as nitrogen) for regional aquifer PSWs had a median value of 1.9 milligrams per liter, which is similar to previously reported values for the regional aquifer. Nitrate-isotope compositions for groundwater samples collected from the well-field PSWs and monitoring wells had a narrow range, with values indicative of natural soil organic values. A comparison with historical nitrate-isotope values, however, suggests that a component of nitrate in groundwater from biogenic sources might have increased over the last 30 years. Several organic contaminants (the pesticide atrazine, its degradate deethylatrazine, trichloromethane (chloroform; a drinking-water disinfection byproduct), and the solvent tetrachloroethene (PCE)) were widely distributed throughout the regional aquifer and in the local-scale TANC study area at low concentrations (less than 1 microgram per liter). Higher concentrations of PCE were detected in samples from the well-field PSWs and Zarzamora monitoring wells relative to the regional aquifer PSWs. The urban environment is a likely source of contaminants to the aquifer, and these results indicate that one or more local urban sources might be supplying PCE to the Zarzamora monitoring wells and the well-field wells. Samples from the well field also had high concentrations of chloroform relative to the monitoring wells and regional aquifer PSWs. For samples from the regional aquifer PSWs, the most frequently detected organic contaminants generally decreased in concentration with increasing well depth. Deeper wells might intercept longer regional flow paths with higher fractions of older water or water recharged in rural recharge areas in the western part of the aquifer that have been less affected by anthropogenic contaminants. A scenario of hypothetical contaminant loading was evaluated by using results from groundwater-flow-model particle tracking to assess the response of the aquifer to potential contamination. Results indicate that the aquifer responds quickly (less than 1 year to several years) to contaminant loading; however, it takes a relatively long time (decades) for concentrations to reach peak values. The aquifer also responds quickly (less than 1 year to several years) to the removal of contaminant loading; however, it also takes a relatively long time (decades) to reach near background concentrations. Interpretation of geochemical age tracers in this well-mixed karst system was complicated by contamination of a majority of measured tracers and complexities of extensive mixing. Age-tracer results generally indicated that groundwater samples were composed of young, recently recharged water with piston-flow model ages ranging from less than 1 to 41 years, with a median of 17 years. Although a piston-flow model is typically not valid for karst aquifers, the model ages provide a basis for comparing relative ages of different samples and a reference point for more complex hydrogeologic models for apparent-age interpretations. Young groundwater ages are consistent with particle-tracking results from hydrogeologic modeling for the local-scale TANC study area. Age-tracer results compared poorly with other geochemical indicators of groundwater residence time and anthropogenic effects on water quality, indicating that hydrogeologic conceptual models used in groundwater age interpretations might not adequately account for mixing in this karst system. Groundwater samples collected from the well field under a variety of pumping conditions were relatively homogeneous and well mixed for numerous geochemical constituents (with the notable exception of age tracers). Groundwater contributions to the PSW were dominated by well-mixed, relatively homogeneous groundwater, typical of the regional confined aquifer. Zones of preferential flow were determined for the PSW, but groundwater samples from different stratigraphic units were not geochemically distinct. Variations in chemical constituents in response to a rainfall and aquifer recharge event occurred but were relatively minor in the PSW and monitoring wells. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that the response to individual recharge events in the confined aquifer, unless intersecting conduit flow paths, might be attenuated by mixing processes along regional flow paths. Results of this study are consistent with the existing conceptual understanding of aquifer processes in this karst system and are useful for water-resource development and management practices.

Texas↗

USGS2007

Total Petroleum Systems of the Carpathian - Balkanian Basin Province of Romania and Bulgaria

The U.S. Geological Survey defined the Moesian Platform Composite Total Petroleum System and the Dysodile Schist-Tertiary Total Petroleum System, which contain three assessment units, in the Carpathian-Balkanian Basin Province of Romania and Bulgaria. The Moesian Platform Assessment Unit, contained within the Moesian Platform Composite Total Petroleum System, is composed of Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks within the Moesian platform region of southern Romania and northern Bulgaria and also within the Birlad depression in the northeastern platform area. In Romania, hydrocarbon sources are identified as carbonate rocks and bituminous claystones within the Middle Devonian, Middle Jurassic, Lower Cretaceous, and Neogene stratigraphic sequences. In the Birlad depression, Neogene pelitic strata have the best potential for generating hydrocarbons. In Bulgaria, Middle and Upper Jurassic shales are the most probable hydrocarbon sources. The Romania Flysch Zone Assessment Unit in the Dysodile Schist-Tertiary Total Petroleum System encompasses three structural and paleogeographic subunits within the Pre-Carpathian Mountains region: (1) the Getic depression, a segment of the Carpathian foredeep; (2) the flysch zone of the eastern Carpathian Mountains (also called the Marginal Fold nappe); and (3) the Miocene zone (also called the Sub-Carpathian nappe). Source rocks are interpreted to be Oligocene dysodile schist and black claystone, along with Miocene black claystone and marls. Also part of the Dysodile Schist-Tertiary Total Petroleum System is the Romania Ploiesti Zone Assessment Unit, which includes a zone of diapir folds. This zone lies between the Rimnicu Sarat and Dinibovita valleys and between the folds of the inner Carpathian Mountains and the external flanks of the Carpathian foredeep. The Oligocene Dysodile Schist is considered the main hydrocarbon source rock and Neogene black marls and claystones are likely secondary sources; all are thought to be at their maximum thermal maturation. Undiscovered resources in the Carpathian-Balkanian Basin Province are estimated, at the mean, to be 2,076 billion cubic feet of gas, 1,013 million barrels of oil, and 116 million barrels of natural gas liquids.

Bulletin↗

USGS1994

Observation-well network for collection of ground-water level data in Massachusetts

Aquifers--water-bearing deposits of sand and gravel, glacial till, and fractured bedrock--provide an extensive and readily accessible ground-water supply in Massachusetts. Ground water affects our everyday lives, not just in terms of how much water is available, but also in terms of the position of ground-water levels in relation to land surface. Knowledge of ground-water levels is needed by Federal, State, and local agencies to help plan, manage, and protect ground-water supplies, and by private construction companies for site planning and evaluation. A primary part of the mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Water Resources Division, is the systematic collection of ground-water, surface-water, and water-quality data. These data are needed to manage and protect the nation's water resources. The Massachusetts-Rhode Island District of the USGS, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (DEM), Office of Water Resources, and county and town environmental agencies, has maintained a network of observation wells throughout the Commonwealth since the mid 1930's. The purpose of this network is to monitor seasonal and long-term changes in groundwater storage in different lithologic, topographic, and geographic settings. These data are analyzed to provide a monthly index of ground-water conditions to aid in water-resources management and planning, and to define long-term changes in water levels resulting from manmade stresses (such as pumping and construction-site drainage) and natural stresses (such as floods and droughts).

Massachusetts↗