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Habitat Suitability Index Models: Lesser scaup (wintering)

A review and synthesis of existing information were used to develop a model for evaluating wintering habitat quality for the lesser scaup (Aythya affinis). The model is scaled to produce an index of habitat suitability between 0.0 (unsuitable habitat) to 1.0 (optimal habitat) for Southern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas of the continental United States. Habitat suitability indices are designed for use with the Habitat Evaluation Procedures previously developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Guidelines for model application and techniques for measuring model variables are provided.

FWS/OBS↗

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center—2018 annual report

The 2018 annual report of the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center summarizes the work of the center, as well as the work of each of its science groups, highlights accomplishments of 2018, and includes a list of publications published in 2018. This product allows readers to gain a general understanding of the focus areas of the center’s scientific research and learn more about specific projects and progress made throughout 2018, all while enjoying applicable photos taken in the field and of various models, maps, and web pages.

Massachusetts↗

Documentation for the MODFLOW 6 framework

MODFLOW is a popular open-source groundwater flow model distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Growing interest in surface and groundwater interactions, local refinement with nested and unstructured grids, karst groundwater flow, solute transport, and saltwater intrusion, has led to the development of numerous MODFLOW versions. Often times, there are incompatibilities between these different MODFLOW versions. The report describes a new MODFLOW framework called MODFLOW 6 that is designed to support multiple models and multiple types of models. The framework is written in Fortran using a modular object-oriented design. The primary framework components include the simulation (or main program), Timing Module, Solutions, Models, Exchanges, and Utilities. The first version of the framework focuses on numerical solutions, numerical models, and numerical exchanges. This focus on numerical models allows multiple numerical models to be tightly coupled at the matrix level.

Techniques and Methods↗

Modeling Escherichia coli in the Missouri River near Omaha, Nebraska, 2012–16

The city of Omaha, Nebraska, has a combined sewer system in some areas of the city. In Omaha, Nebr., a moderate amount of rainfall will lead to the combination of stormwater and untreated sewage or wastewater being discharged directly into the Missouri River and Papillion Creek and is called a combined sewer overflow (CSO) event. In 2009, the city of Omaha began the implementation of their Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) to mitigate the effects of CSOs on the Missouri River and Papillion Creek. As part of the LTCP, the city partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 2012 to begin monitoring in the Missouri River. Since 2012, monthly discrete water-quality samples for many constituents have been collected from the Missouri River at four sites. At 3 of the 4 sites, water quality has been monitored continuously for selected constituents and physical properties. These discrete water-quality samples and continuous water-quality monitoring data (from July 2012 to 2020) have been collected to better understand the water quality of the Missouri River, how it is changing with time, how it changes upstream from the city of Omaha to downstream, and how it varies during base-flow conditions and during periods of runoff. The purpose of this report is to document the development of Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) concentration models for these four Missouri River sites. Analysis was completed using the first 5 years of data (through 2016) to determine if the current approach is sufficient to meet future analysis goals and to understand if proposed models such as Load Estimator (LOADEST) models will be able to represent water-quality changes in the Missouri River. Multiple linear regression models were developed to estimate E. coli concentration using LOADEST as implemented in the rloadest package in the R statistical software program. A set of explanatory variables, including streamflow and streamflow anomalies, precipitation, information about CSOs, and continuous water quality, were evaluated for potential inclusion in regression models. The best model at Missouri River at NP Dodge Park at Omaha, Nebr. (USGS station 412126095565201; hereafter “NP Dodge”) included basin explanatory variables of upstream antecedent precipitation index measured at Tekamah, Nebr.; decimal time; season; and turbidity. The best model at Missouri River at Freedom Park Omaha, Nebr. (USGS station 411636095535401; hereafter “Freedom Park”) included the same explanatory variables as the NP Dodge model with the addition of turbidity anomalies and flow anomalies. The best models at the two downstream sites (Missouri River near Council Bluffs, Iowa, USGS station 06610505 and Missouri River near La Platte, Nebr., USGS station 410333095530101) included the same explanatory variables as the Freedom Park model with the addition of local antecedent precipitation index as measured at Eppley Airport in Omaha, Nebr., and additional turbidity and flow anomalies. The final selected models were the best models given our modeling design constraint in which explanatory variables included in the model for the upstream site were included in the downstream models. Explanatory variables currently (2020) being collected and included in the selected models through 2016 explained 64–75 percent of the variability of E. coli concentration in the Missouri River. Explaining 64–75 percent of the variability might be considered low when working with physical constituents (total nitrogen or sediment), but with the natural variability of biological constituents such as E. coli , the uncertainty of E. coli laboratory measurements, and the added complexity of modeling in a large drainage basin with multiple sources, these results are adequate and indicate that the explanatory variables being collected and models such as LOADEST can represent water-quality changes in the Missouri River for E. coli concentration from 2012 to 2016.

Nebraska↗

Magnetotelluric data collected near geophysically logged boreholes in the Española and Middle Rio Grande Basins, New Mexico

The Santa Fe region is growing rapidly. The Santa Fe Group aquifer in the Española Basin is the main source of municipal water for the region, and water shortfalls could have serious consequences. Future growth and land management in the region depend on accurate assessment and protection of the region's ground-water resources. An important issue in managing the ground-water resources is a better understanding of the hydrogeology of the Tertiary Santa Fe Group. The Santa Fe Group includes the sedimentary deposits that fill the Rio Grande rift and contain the principal ground-water aquifers. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a series of multidisciplinary studies of the Española Basin in northern New Mexico. Detailed geologic mapping, high-resolution airborne magnetic surveys, electromagnetic surveys, and hydrologic, lithologic, and hydro-geochemical data are being used to better understand the aquifer systems. Magnetotelluric (MT) surveys were completed as part of these studies. The primary purpose of the MT surveys was to map changes in electrical resistivity with depth that are related to differences in various rock types that help control the properties of aquifers in the region. Resistivity modeling of the MT data can be used to investigate buried structures related to the basic geologic framework of the study area. The purpose of this report is to release MT sounding data collected near geophysically logged boreholes in the study area, including the nearby Middle Rio Grande Basin. This MT data can be used in subsequent resistivity modeling. No interpretation of the data is included in this report.

New Mexico↗

The hydrothermal system in southern Grass Valley, Pershing County, Nevada

Southern Grass Valley is typical extensional basin in the Basin and Range province. Leach Hot Springs, in the southern part of the valley, represents the discharge end of an active hydrothermal flow system with an estimated deep aquifer temperature of 163-173C. This report discusses results of geologic, hydrologic, geophysical and geochemical investigations used in an attempt to construct an internally consistent model of the system. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

Spatio-temporal modeling for assessing geoenergy resources: A workflow applied to gas in place variation in coal beds

The ability to estimate spatio-temporal changes in hydrocarbon reservoir properties and energy resources within pore volumes is essential for optimizing production, reservoir management, geologic energy storage, and safety in underground mining operations. In coal seams, predicting remaining methane gas-in-place (GIP) is critical for quantifying producible gas and improving mine safety and productivity through effective ventilation planning. Although such changes are commonly evaluated using physics-based numerical simulation models, these approaches often require extensive data, calibration effort, and time. This study presents a spatio-temporal geostatistical modeling approach that bridges the gap between purely spatial models and full numerical simulations. The method is applied to a case study of coal seam degasification in the Mary Lee coal group, Black Warrior Basin, Alabama, USA, to estimate GIP evolution over time within a selected mining district. The analysis uses published data from prior natural gas production history-matching of degasification using vertical wells. Empirical spatial and temporal statistics were calculated for reservoir pressure and water saturation, and spatio-temporal variogram models were fitted to experimental variograms. These models provided the structural basis for spatio-temporal kriging, integrated with spatial estimates of time-invariant parameters (porosity, density, and thickness) to estimate GIP. This approach enabled estimation of GIP changes over time, including periods without data. Boxplots of GIP estimates indicated systematic depletion and decreasing spatial variability, reflecting the impacts of degasification. Comparison with cumulative gas production from empirical well records showed approximately 85% agreement based on a relative similarity metric. Spatio-temporal GIP estimates were also used to estimate methane emissions to longwall ventilation systems and compared with reported emissions from the U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, showing similar distributions (≈80%) given data limitations. Overall, this integrated modeling approach provides time-dependent GIP estimates with broader implications for resource assessment applications.

Alabama↗

Hydrology, description of computer models, and evaluation of selected water-management alternatives in the San Bernardino area, California

The San Bernardino area of southern California has complex water-management issues. As an aid to local water managers, this report provides an integrated analysis of the surface-water and ground-water systems, documents ground-water flow and constrained optimization models, and provides seven examples using the models to better understand and manage water resources of the area. As an aid to investigators and water managers in other areas, this report provides an expanded description of constrained optimization techniques and how to use them to better understand the local hydrogeology and to evaluate inter-related water-management problems. In this report, the hydrology of the San Bernardino area, defined as the Bunker Hill and Lytle Creek basins, is described and quantified for calendar years 1945-98. The major components of the surface-water system are identified, and a routing diagram of flow through these components is provided. Annual surface-water inflow and outflow for the area are tabulated using gaged measurements and estimated values derived from linear-regression equations. Average inflow for the 54-year period (1945-98) was 146,452 acre-feet per year; average outflow was 67,931 acre-feet per year. The probability of exceedance for annual surface-water inflow is calculated using a Log Pearson Type III analysis. Cumulative surface-water inflow and outflow and ground-water-level measurements indicate that the relation between the surface-water system and the ground-water system changed in about 1951, in about 1979, and again in about 1992. Higher ground-water levels prior to 1951 and between 1979 and 1992 induced ground-water discharge to Warm Creek. This discharge was quantified using streamflow measurements and can be estimated for other time periods using ground-water levels from a monitoring well (1S/4W-3Q1) and a logarithmic-regression equation. Annual wastewater discharge from the area is tabulated for the major sewage and power-plant facilities. More...

Open-File Report↗

Ground-water levels in water years 1984-86 and estimated ground-water pumpage in water years 1984-85, Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada

Tabulations of groundwater level measurements made during the water years 1984-86 and summaries of estimated pumpage for water years 1984 and 1985 in Carson valley, Douglas County, Nevada, are included in this report. The data are being collected to provide a record of long-term groundwater changes and pumpage estimates that can be incorporated in a groundwater model change at a later date. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

Data report for seismic refraction surveys conducted from 1980 to 1982 in the Livermore Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains, California

We provide documentation for two seismic refraction profiles acquired by the U.S. Geological Survey in the San Francisco Bay area between 1980 and 1982 in Livermore Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains. We also include the waveforms and travel times from five aftershocks of the April 1980 Livermore earthquake that were recorded on temporary seismic stations and that have not been published. Although seismic refraction profiles from the 1980 Livermore study have been published, none of the other data for this experiment, including shot times and locations, receiver locations, data quality, and travel times, have been reported. Similarly, such data from the 1981 to 1982 seismic refraction survey in the Santa Cruz Mountains included here have not been published. The first-arrival travel times from these profiles are reported in the hope that they can be used for three-dimensional velocity models in the San Francisco Bay area, particularly for the Livermore Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains.

California↗

The distribution of meteoric 36Cl/Cl in the United States: A comparison of models

The natural distribution of 36Cl/Cl in groundwater across the continental United States has recently been reported by Davis et al. (2003). In this paper, the large-scale processes and atmospheric sources of 36Cl and chloride responsible for controlling the observed 36Cl/Cl distribution are discussed. The dominant process that affects 36Cl/Cl in meteoric groundwater at the continental scale is the fallout of stable chloride from the atmosphere, which is mainly derived from oceanic sources. Atmospheric circulation transports marine chloride to the continental interior, where distance from the coast, topography, and wind patterns define the chloride distribution. The only major deviation from this pattern is observed in northern Utah and southern Idaho where it is inferred that a continental source of chloride exists in the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. In contrast to previous studies, the atmospheric flux of 36Cl to the land surface was found to be approximately constant over the United States, without a strong correlation between local 36Cl fallout and annual precipitation. However, the correlation between these variables was significantly improved (R 2=0.15 to R 2=0.55) when data from the southeastern USA, which presumably have lower than average atmospheric 36Cl concentrations, were excluded. The total mean flux of 36Cl over the continental United States and total global mean flux of 36Cl are calculated to be 30.5??7.0 and 19.6??4.5 atoms m-2 s-1, respectively. The 36Cl/Cl distribution calculated by Bentley et al. (1996) underestimates the magnitude and variability observed for the measured 36Cl/Cl distribution across the continental United States. The model proposed by Hainsworth (1994) provides the best overall fit to the observed 36Cl/Cl distribution in this study. A process-oriented model by Phillips (2000) generally overestimates 36Cl/Cl in most parts of the country and has several significant local departures from the empirical data.

Hydrogeology Journal↗

A Graphical-User Interface for the U. S. Geological Survey's SUTRA Code using Argus ONE (for simulation of variable-density saturated-unsaturated ground-water flow with solute or energy transport)

This report describes a Graphical-User Interface (GUI) for SUTRA, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) model for saturated-unsaturated variable-fluid-density ground-water flow with solute or energy transport,which combines a USGS-developed code that interfaces SUTRA with Argus ONE, a commercial software product developed by Argus Interware. This product, known as Argus Open Numerical Environments (Argus ONE TM ), is a programmable system with geographic-information-system-like (GIS-like) functionality that includes automated gridding and meshing capabilities for linking geospatial information with finite-difference and finite-element numerical model discretizations. The GUI for SUTRA is based on a public-domain Plug-In Extension (PIE) to Argus ONE that automates the use of ArgusONE to: automatically create the appropriate geospatial information coverages (information layers) for SUTRA, provide menus and dialogs for inputting geospatial information and simulation control parameters for SUTRA, and allow visualization of SUTRA simulation results. Following simulation control data and geospatial data input bythe user through the GUI, ArgusONE creates text files in a format required for normal input to SUTRA,and SUTRA can be executed within the Argus ONE environment. Then, hydraulic head, pressure, solute concentration, temperature, saturation and velocity results from the SUTRA simulation may be visualized. Although the GUI for SUTRA discussed in this report provides all of the graphical pre- and post-processor functions required for running SUTRA, it is also possible for advanced users to apply programmable features within Argus ONE to modify the GUI to meet the unique demands of particular ground-water modeling projects.

Open-File Report↗

Synthesizing ground magnetic disturbance using dipole-aligned loop elementary currents and Biot-Savart relationship

This report presents a method for constructing a simplified numerical description of the electric current distributions in the ionosphere and gap region based on dipole-aligned loop elementary currents (DALECs). A theoretical basis for DALECs is presented, along with a prototypical algorithm for constructing an elementary numerical DALEC. The algorithm is verified and validated by combining DALECs with an efficient Biot-Savart solver in order to estimate magnetic disturbance on the Earth’s surface. We examine (1) simple scenarios with known solutions and (2) hemispherical magnetic disturbance fields obtained from a state-of-the-art global geospace circulation model.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

Introduction to the geologic and geophysical studies of Fort Irwin, California

Geologic and geophysical investigations in the vicinity of Fort Irwin National Training Center, California, have been completed in support of groundwater investigations, and are presented in eight chapters of this report. A generalized surficial geologic map along with field and borehole investigations conducted during 2010–11 provide a lithostratigraphic and structural framework for the area during the Cenozoic. Electromagnetic properties of resistivity were measured in the laboratory on hand and core samples, and compared to borehole geophysical resistivity data. These data were used in conjunction with ground-based time-domain and airborne data and interpretations to provide a framework for the shallow lithologic units and structure. Gravity and aeromagnetic maps cover areas ~4 to 5 times that of Fort Irwin. Each chapter includes hydrogeologic applications of the data or model results.

California↗

Hydrologic data for urban studies in the Houston metropolitan area, Texas, 1983

Hydro!ogic investigations of urban watersheds in Texas were begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1954. Studies are now in progress in the Austin and Houston areas, and have been completed in the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio areas. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the city of Houston, began studies in the Houston metropolitan area in 1964. The program was expanded in 1968 to include collection of water-quality data. The objectives of the Houston urban-hydrology study are as follows: To determine, on the basis of historical data and hydrologic analyses, the magnitude and frequency of flood peaks and flood volumes. To determine the effect of urban development on flood peaks and volumes. To ascertain the variation in water quality for different flow conditions and different seasons. This report, the twentieth in a series of reports to be published annually, is primarily applicable to objective No. 2. The report presents hydrologic data collected in the Houston urban area for the 1983 water year (October 1, 1982, to September 30, 1983). A report by Johnson and Sayre (1973) utilized records collected from 1965 to 1969 to study the effects of urbanization on floods in the Houston area. That report also summarized various basin parameters. A report by Waddell, Massey, and Jennings (1979) presented data on runoff from the Houston area and computed concentrations and loads of selected water-quality constituents discharged to Galveston Bay. The study utilized a variation of the "STORM" model developed by the Hydrologic Engineering Center of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A report prepared by Li scum and Massey (1980) presented a technique for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods in the Houston area from drainage areas, bank-full conveyance, and percentage )f urban development. A definition of terms related to streamflow, water quality, and other hydrologic data, as used in this report, are defined in " U.S. Geological Survey, Water-resources data for Texas, water year 1983, volume 2."

Texas↗

Hydrologic data for urban studies in the Houston metropolitan area, Texas, 1984

Hydrologic investigations of urban watersheds in Texas were begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1954. Studies are now in progress in the Austin and Houston areas, and have been completed in the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio areas. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the city of Houston, began studies in the Houston metropolitan area in 1964. The program was expanded in 1968 to include collection of water-quality data. The objectives of the Houston urban-hydrology study are as follows: To determine, on the basis of historical data and hydrologic analyses, the magnitude and frequency of flood peaks and flood volumes; To determine the effect of urban development on flood peaks and volumes; and To ascertain the variation in water quality for different flow conditions and different seasons. This report, the twenty-first and last scheduled in a series of reports published annually, is primarily applicable to objective 2. The report presents hydrologic data collected in the Houston urban area for the 1984 water year (October 1, 1983 to September 30, 1984). A report by Johnson and Sayre (1973) utilized records collected from 1965 to 1969 to study the effects of urbanization on floods in the Houston area. That report also summarized various basin parameters. A report by Waddell, Massey, and Jennings (1979) presented data on runoff from the Houston area and computed concentrations and loads of selected water-quality constituents discharged to Galveston Bay. The study utilized a variation of the "STORM" model developed by the Hydrologic Engineering Center of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A report prepared by Liscum and Massey (1980) presented a technique for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods in the Houston area from drainage areas, bank-full conveyance, and percentage of urban development. A definition of terms related to streamflow, water quality, and other hydrologic data, as used in this report, are defined in "U.S. Geological Survey, Water-resources data for Texas, water year 1984, volume 2."

Texas↗

Groundwater-level change and evaluation of simulated water levels for irrigated areas in Lahontan Valley, Churchill County, west-central Nevada, 1992 to 2012

The acquisition and transfer of water rights to wetland areas of Lahontan Valley, Nevada, has caused concern over the potential effects on shallow aquifer water levels. In 1992, water levels in Lahontan Valley were measured to construct a water-table map of the shallow aquifer prior to the effects of water-right transfers mandated by the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribal Settlement Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-618, 104 Stat. 3289). From 1992 to 2012, approximately 11,810 water-righted acres, or 34,356 acre-feet of water, were acquired and transferred to wetland areas of Lahontan Valley. This report documents changes in water levels measured during the period of water-right transfers and presents an evaluation of five groundwater-flow model scenarios that simulated water-level changes in Lahontan Valley in response to water-right transfers and a reduction in irrigation season length by 50 percent. Water levels measured in 98 wells from 2012 to 2013 were used to construct a water-table map. Water levels in 73 of the 98 wells were compared with water levels measured in 1992 and used to construct a water-level change map. Water-level changes in the 73 wells ranged from -16.2 to 4.1 feet over the 20-year period. Rises in water levels in Lahontan Valley may correspond to annual changes in available irrigation water, increased canal flows after the exceptionally dry and shortened irrigation season of 1992, and the increased conveyance of water rights transferred to Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. Water-level declines generally occurred near the boundary of irrigated areas and may be associated with groundwater pumping, water-right transfers, and inactive surface-water storage reservoirs. The largest water-level declines were in the area near Carson Lake. Groundwater-level response to water-right transfers was evaluated by comparing simulated and observed water-level changes for periods representing water-right transfers and a shortened irrigation season in areas near Fallon and Stillwater, Nevada. In the Stillwater modeled area, water rights associated with nearly 50 percent of the irrigated land were transferred from 1992 to 1998, represented by the model scenario reduction in groundwater recharge by 50 percent. The scenario resulted in a simulated average decline of 0.6 foot; average observed water-level change for the modeled area was estimated to be 0.0 foot, or no change. In the Fallon modeled area, transfers of water rights associated with 180 acres of land occurred from 1994 to 2008. The transfer is most similar to the scenario for removal of 320 acres of irrigated land. The model scenario resulted in simulated water-level declines of 0.1; water levels measured from 1994 to 2012 indicate no significant trends in water levels, or approximately zero change in water levels, for the Fallon modeled area. The model scenarios included the simulation of a irrigation season shortened by 50 percent, which was determined to have occurred in the 1992 irrigation season in both modeled areas. The shortening of the irrigation season in the Fallon modeled area resulted in simulated water-level declines of 1.1 feet; observed declines were estimated to be 1.3 feet. The Stillwater model simulations resulted in a simulated decline of 1.4 feet, and observed water levels declined an estimated 2.3 feet for the area. The estimated difference between simulated and observed water levels are 0.2 and 0.9 foot for the Fallon and Stillwater modeled areas, respectively. Observed water-level changes were generally within one standard deviation of changes from model simulations, based on the selected periods of comparison. Simulated and observed water-level changes agree well, generally within 1 foot; however, the model scenarios were only approximately similar to the observed conditions, and periods of comparison were generally shorter for the observed periods and included additional cumulative effects of water-right transfers. Climate variability was not considered in the model scenarios.

Nevada↗

Initial estimates of net infiltration and irrigation from a soil-water-balance model of the Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study Area

The Mississippi embayment encompasses about 100,000 square miles and covers parts of eight States. In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey began updating previous work for a part of the embayment known as the Mississippi Alluvial Plain to support informed water use and agricultural policy in the region. Groundwater, water use, economic, and other related models are being combined with field surveys and observations to create a quantitative framework for evaluating regional groundwater withdrawals and their effects on long-term water availability in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. As part of this effort, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Soil-Water-Balance code (version 2.0) is being used to model potential groundwater recharge and irrigation water use, as necessary inputs to the long-term groundwater modeling efforts. The Soil-Water-Balance code is designed to estimate the distribution and timing of net infiltration leaving the root zone. Soil-Water-Balance makes use of gridded datasets of elevation, soils, land use (including specific crop types), and daily weather datasets to calculate other components of the root-zone water balance, including soil moisture, reference, actual evapotranspiration, snowfall, snowmelt, and canopy interception. Parameters on plant height and growing-season water needs are used to estimate crop-water demand and potential irrigation water use. This report documents the initial construction, calibration, and application of a Soil-Water-Balance model of the Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study area for simulations running from 1915 to 2017. Further refinements of the model calibration for an expanded model area are planned.

Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, ↗