Geology Reports⌕ Search

SEARCH · Geology Reports

Results for “Bulletin”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Geologic map and guide of the island of Oahu, Hawaii

This bulletin, although designated Bulletin 2, is actually the fourth of a series published by the Division of Hydrography of the Territory of Hawaii. All four of the bulletins thus far published relate to the geology and ground-water resources of the island of Oahu.1 Together they present the results obtained on this island in the program of ground-water investigation of the Territory that has been conducted in cooperation with the Geological Survey, of the United States Department of the Interior. Bulletin 5 which is in preparation will describe the progress made in developing the ground-water resources of Oahu since Bulletin 1 was issued. In Bulletin 2 is presented the detailed geologic map of Oahu that has resulted from this investigation. The base for this map is the new topographic map of Oahu prepared by the Topographic Branch of the Geological Survey. This bulletin also contains a guide to the geology along the main highways, which can be used advantageously in connection with the geologic map. For 18 years the writer has had the great privilege of working under the technical direction of Mr. 0. E. Meinzer, geologist in charge of the Division of Ground Water, U. S. Geological Survey. Nearly two decades ago Mr. Meinzer envisioned the great benefits that the people of Hawaii would derive from a thorough study of the groundwater resources of these islands. He also recognized that a full knowledge of these resources could be obtained only by a complete understanding of the geology of the islands and the processes which formed them. This bulletin is one of a series that has been made possible largely as a result of his broad vision. Credit is due Mr. W. 0 . Clark for the location of all the dikes shown on plate 2 in the headwaters of Kamananui Stream near the north end of the Koolau Range, and to Dr. C. K. Wentworth for about a dozen dikes north of Kaimuki. Messrs. 0. E. Meinzer, G. R. Mansfield, M. H. Carson, G. A. Macdonald, and S. H. Elbert kindly criticized the manuscript. Mr. Harry L. Taeuber designed the cover and with James Y. Nitta prepared the illustrations. Their work has greatly enriched this bulletin. The topographic maps of 15-minute quadrangles, on a scale of 1 to 20,000 (approximately 3 inches to the mile), were used in the field as a base for the geologic mapping. The data were then transferred to the new topographic map of Oahu, which is on a scale of 1 to 62,500. The resulting geologic map is reproduced as plate 2 (in pocket) of this report. Some of the outcrops are too small to be shown on this smaller map. Plate 2 of this report was listed as plate 2 in Bulletin 1, which was, however, published without the map because of the time required to prepare and engrave the topographic base and the geologic map. The geologic structure sections at the bottom of plate 2 were not described in Bulletin 1, but are discussed below.

Hawai'i↗

Contributions to economic geology (short papers and preliminary reports), 1915: Part I. - metals and nonmetals except fuels

This volume is the thirteenth of a series that includes Bulletins 213, 225, 260, 285, 315, 340, 380, 430, 470, 530, 540, and 580, "Contributions to economic geology" for 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906 (Pt. I), 1907 (Pt. I), 1908 (Pt. I), 1909 (Pt. I), 1910 (P t. I), 1911 (Pt. I) , 1912 (Pt. I), and 1913 (Pt. I), respectively . These bulletins are prepared primarily to insure prompt publication of the economic results of investigations made by the United States Geological Survey. Beginning with the present volume the year included in the title will be the year of publication 1 instead of the year in which the field work reported was done. This volume is therefore dated 1915, and there will be no volume entitled "Contributions to economic geology, 1914." As the subtitle indicates, the papers included are of two classes -(1) short papers giving comparatively detailed description of occurrences that have economic interest but are not of sufficient importance to warrant a more extended description; (2) preliminary reports on economic investigations the results of which are to be published later in more detailed form. These papers are such only as have a direct economic bearing, all topic of purely scientific interest being excluded. Each paper has been issued as an advance chapter as soon as it was ready. Brief abstracts of the publications of the year are given in the annual report of the Director. The complete list of Survey publications affords, by means of finding list of subjects and of authors, further aid in ascertaining the extent of the Survey's work in economic geology. Since 1905 the annual economic bulletin has been printed in two parts, the second part comprising paper on mineral fuels. These volumes for 1906, 1907, 190 , 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, and 1913 are Bulletins 316, 341, 381, 431, 471, 531, 541, and 581. Bulletin 621 forms Part II of the "Contributions" for 1915. The reports on work in Alaska have been printed in a separate series since 1904, the volume so far issued being Bulletins 259, 284, 314, 345, 379, 442, 480, 520, 542, 592, and 622.

Bulletin↗

Inventory of published and unpublished chemical analyses of surface waters in the continental United States and Puerto Rico, 1961

This inventory contains a list of published and unpublished chemical analyses obtained through September 30, 1961, by agencies associated with the Subcommittee on Hydrology. Bulletin 6 of Subcommittee on Hydrology includes references to all surface-water analyses for states east of the Mississippi River known to exist in the files of Federal agencies through September 30, 1951. Records of analyses of surface waters for states west of the Mississippi River are included in Bulletins 2 and 9 of the Subcommittee. Bulletin 2 includes the period of record prior to October 1, 1947, and Bulletin 9 includes the period from October 1, 1947, to September 30, 1955. Therefore, the earliest date for which references to data are included in this volume varies from October 1951 for states east of the Mississippi River (including Minnesota) to October 1, 1955, for states west of the Mississippi River. Analyses of water from Alaska and Puerto Rico were not reported in earlier inventories. An attempt was made to include available analyses obtained in Alaska since October 1951, but additional chemical determinations of water in Alaska that are not inventoried in this report were undoubtedly made in years prior to 1951. Requests concerning specific records not reported herein should be directed to offices having responsibility in the area. This publication is patterned after preceding bulletins as far as practicable. The contents include a list of sampling stations and locations, drainage area above each station, period of record, number and frequency of samples collected, number of analytical values reported in each group arranged according to general types or purposes, and a list of references to the sources of basic data.

Water Supply Paper↗

Report of work done in the division of chemistry and physics, mainly during the fiscal year 1889-90

This bulletin, like the bulletins issued in previous years and numbered 9, 27, 42, 55, 60, and 64, contains a partial record of work completed in the chemical and physical laboratories of the Survey Turing one tiscAl year. It represents, however, only a portion of the whole work done, for various investigations, begun during the year 1859—'90, are still unfinished; many analyses are reserved for publication in other reports; and certain of the larger researches, notably the physical studies of Dr. Barns, will appear in independent form as separate bulletins. In the annual reports of the Director of the Survey a tolerably complete summary of the work done in the Division of Chemistry and Physics is always given, and such summaries, taken in connection with these bulletins, convey.a fair idea of the amount of ground actually covered.

Bulletin↗

Log Pearson type 3 quantile estimators with regional skew information and low outlier adjustments

The recently developed expected moments algorithm (EMA) [ Cohn et al. , 1997 ] does as well as maximum likelihood estimations at estimating log‐Pearson type 3 (LP3) flood quantiles using systematic and historical flood information. Needed extensions include use of a regional skewness estimator and its precision to be consistent with Bulletin 17B . Another issue addressed by Bulletin 17B is the treatment of low outliers. A Monte Carlo study compares the performance of Bulletin 17B using the entire sample with and without regional skew with estimators that use regional skew and censor low outliers, including an extended EMA estimator, the conditional probability adjustment (CPA) from Bulletin 17B , and an estimator that uses probability plot regression (PPR) to compute substitute values for low outliers. Estimators that neglect regional skew information do much worse than estimators that use an informative regional skewness estimator. For LP3 data the low outlier rejection procedure generally results in no loss of overall accuracy, and the differences between the MSEs of the estimators that used an informative regional skew are generally modest in the skewness range of real interest. Samples contaminated to model actual flood data demonstrate that estimators which give special treatment to low outliers significantly outperform estimators that make no such adjustment.

Water Resources Research↗

Peak-flow frequency estimates based on data through water year 2001 for selected streamflow-gaging stations in South Dakota

Numerous users, including the South Dakota Department of Transportation, have continuing needs for peak-flow information for the design of highway infrastructure and many other purposes. This report documents results from a cooperative study between the South Dakota Department of Transportation and the U.S. Geological Survey to provide an update of peak-flow frequency estimates for South Dakota. Estimates of peak-flow magnitudes for 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, 200-, and 500-year recurrence intervals are reported for 272 streamflow-gaging stations, which include most gaging stations in South Dakota with 10 or more years of systematic peak-flow records through water year 2001. Recommended procedures described in Bulletin 17B were used as primary guidelines for developing peak-flow frequency estimates. The computer program PEAKFQ developed by the U.S. Geological Survey was used to run the frequency analyses. Flood frequencies for all stations were initially analyzed by using standard Bulletin 17B default procedures for fitting the log-Pearson III distribution. The resulting preliminary frequency curves were then plotted on a log-probability scale, and fits of the curves with systematic data were evaluated. In many cases, results of the default Bulletin 17B analyses were determined to be satisfactory. In other cases, however, the results could be improved by using various alternative procedures for frequency analysis. Alternative procedures for some stations included adjustments to skew coefficients or use of user-defined low-outlier criteria. Peak-flow records for many gaging stations are strongly influenced by low- or zero-flow values. This situation often results in a frequency curve that plots substantially above the systematic record data points at the upper end of the frequency curve. Adjustments to low-outlier criteria reduced the influence of very small peak flows and generally focused the analyses on the upper parts of the frequency curves (10- to 500-year recurrence intervals). The most common alternative procedures involved several different methods to extend systematic records, which was done primarily to address biases resulting from nonrepresentative climatic conditions during several specific periods of record and to reduce inconsistencies among multiple gaging stations along common stream channels with different periods of record. In some cases, records for proximal stations could be combined directly. In other cases, the two-station comparison procedure recommended in Bulletin 17B was used to adjust the mean and standard deviation of the logs of the systematic data for a target station on the basis of correlation with concurrent records from a nearby long-term index station. In some other cases, a 'mixed-station procedure' was used to adjust the log-distributional parameters for a target station, on the basis of correlation with one or more index stations, for the purpose of fitting the log-Pearson III distribution. Historical adjustment procedures were applied to peak-flow frequency analyses for 17 South Dakota gaging stations. A historical adjustment period extending back to 1881 (121 years) was used for 12 gaging stations in the James and Big Sioux River Basins, and various other adjustment periods were used for additional stations. Large peak flows that occurred in 1969 and 1997 accounted for 13 of the 17 historical adjustments. Other years for which historical peak flows were used include 1957, 1962, 1992, and 2001. A regional mixed-population analysis was developed to address complications associated with many high outliers for the Black Hills region. This analysis included definition of two populations of flood events. The population of flood events that composes the main body of peak flows for a given station is considered the 'ordinary-peaks population,' and the population of unusually large peak flows that plot substantially above the main body of peak flows on log-probability scale is co

South Dakota↗

Flood-frequency estimates for Ohio streamgages based on data through water year 2015 and techniques for estimating flood-frequency characteristics of rural, unregulated Ohio streams

Estimates of the magnitudes of annual peak streamflows with annual exceedance probabilities of 0.5, 0.2, 0.1, 0.04, 0.02, 0.01, and 0.002 (equivalent to recurrence intervals of 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, and 500-years, respectively) were computed for 391 streamgages in Ohio and adjacent states based on data collected through the 2015 water year. The flood-frequency estimates were computed following guidance outlined in Bulletin 17C, developed by the Advisory Committee on Water Information. The Bulletin 17C guidelines retain the basic statistical framework of the superseded Bulletin 17B guidelines; however, the Bulletin 17C guidelines add several enhancements including an improved method of moments approach for fitting the log-Pearson Type III (LPIII) distribution to the flood peaks (called the expected moments algorithm), a generalization of the Grubbs Beck low-outlier test (called the Multiple Grubbs Beck test) that permits identification of multiple potentially influential low floods, and new methods for estimating regional skew and uncertainty. Equations for estimating flood-frequency characteristics at ungaged sites on rural, unregulated streams in Ohio were developed with a two-step process involving ordinary least-squares and generalized least-squares regression techniques. Data from 333 streamgages with 10 or more years of unregulated record were screened for redundancy and a regression dataset was selected that was composed of flood-frequency and basin-characteristic data for 275 streamgages in Ohio and adjacent states. Two sets of equations were developed—one set, referred to as the “simple model,” uses regression region and drainage area as regressor variables, and a second set, referred to as the “full model,” uses regression region, drainage area, main-channel slope, and the percentage of the watershed covered by water and wetlands as regressor variables. The average standard errors of prediction ranged from about 40.5 to 46.5 percent for the simple-model equations and from about 37.2 to 40.3 percent for the full-model equations. For sites meeting the rural, unregulated criteria, flood-frequency estimates determined by means of LPIII analyses are reported along with weighted flood-frequency estimates, computed as a function of the LPIII estimates and the regression estimates. For sites with homogenous periods of regulation, flood-frequency estimates determined by means of LPIII analyses are reported. Ninety-five percent confidence limits are reported for all estimates. Values of regressor variables were determined from digital spatial datasets by means of a geographic information system (GIS). The GIS datasets and the new full-model equations have been incorporated into Ohio’s StreamStats application, a web-based, GIS-backed system designed to facilitate the estimation of streamflow statistics at ungaged locations on streams. Seasonal patterns in peak flows were assessed for 295 streamgages in Ohio. Annual peak flows occurred most frequently between January and April, with March having the highest frequency of occurrence. The month with the fewest number of annual peaks was October. Peak-of-record flows occurred most frequently in March, followed by January (months in which two of Ohio’s most severe widespread floods in recent history occurred). None of the peak-of-record flows occurred in October and only two occurred in November. Temporal trend in annual peak flows were assessed for 133 streamgages on unregulated streams in Ohio with 30 or more years of systematic record. Trends were assessed by computing the rank correlation (as measured with the two-sided Kendall’s tau statistic) between time and annual peak flows. Weak but statistically significant trends were indicated at 15 of the 133 streamgages. Of the 15 streamgages with significant trend in annual peak flows, 12 had an upward trend (positive tau) and 3 had a downward trend (negative tau). All 12 streamgages with positive tau values were at latitudes north of 40°33', and streamgages with negative tau values were at latitudes south of 40°33'.

Ohio↗

Peak streamflow trends and their relation to changes in climate in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

Flood-frequency analysis, also called peak-flow frequency or flood-flow frequency analysis, is essential to water resources management applications including critical structure design and floodplain mapping. Federal guidelines for doing flood-frequency analyses are presented in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods report known as Bulletin 17C. A basic assumption within Bulletin 17C is that for drainage basins without major hydrologic alterations, statistical properties of the distribution of annual peak streamflows (peak flows) are stationary; that is, the mean, variance, and skew are constant. The stationarity assumption has been widely accepted within the flood-frequency community; however, a better understanding of long-term climatic persistence and concerns about potential climate change and land-use change has caused a reexamination of the stationarity assumption. This work is part of that reexamination. The stationarity assumption is a concern because flood-frequency analyses that do not incorporate observed trends and abrupt changes may result in a poor representation of the true flood risk. Bulletin 17C does not offer guidance for incorporating nonstationarities when estimating floods, and it describes a need for studies that incorporate changing climate or basin characteristics. In response to this need and a history of concern regarding nonstationarity peak flows in the region, this study was done to assess potential nonstationarity in peak flows in the north-central United States. This report summarizes the methods used to detect hydroclimatic changes in peak-flow data in the study region. Four periods were selected for analysis of peak flow, daily streamflow, and climate data. The periods are (1) a 100-year period, 1921–2020; (2) a 75-year period, 1946–2020; (3) a 50-year period, 1971–2020; and (4) a 30-year period, 1991–2020. The starting point for these analyses was the initial data analysis of peak flow described in Bulletin 17C, which includes plotting the peak flow and checking for autocorrelation, monotonic trends, and changes points. Analyses were added to examine additional features in the data. Results are provided in a U.S. Geological Survey data release. The study limitations are documented for users of the results.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

Introduction and methods of analysis for peak streamflow trends and their relation to changes in climate in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

Flood-frequency analysis, also called peak-flow frequency or flood-flow frequency analysis, is essential to water resources management applications including critical structure design and floodplain mapping. Federal guidelines for doing flood-frequency analyses are presented in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods Report known as Bulletin 17C. A basic assumption within Bulletin 17C is that for drainage basins without major hydrologic alterations, statistical properties of the distribution of annual peak streamflows (peak flows) are stationary; that is, the mean, variance, and skew are constant. The stationarity assumption has been widely accepted within the flood-frequency community; however, a better understanding of long-term climatic persistence and concerns about potential climate change and land-use change has caused a reexamination of the stationarity assumption. Flood-frequency analyses that do not incorporate observed trends and abrupt changes may result in a poor representation of the true flood risk. Bulletin 17C does not offer guidance for incorporating nonstationarities when estimating floods, and it describes a need for studies that incorporate changing climate or basin characteristics. In response to this need and a history of concern regarding nonstationarity peak flows in the region, this study was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Departments of Transportation of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wisconsin; the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; and the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, to assess potential nonstationarity in peak flows in the north-central United States. This chapter summarizes the methods used to detect hydroclimatic changes in peak-flow data in the study region. A wide range of analyses and statistical approaches are applied to document the primary mechanisms controlling floods and characterize temporal changes in hydroclimatic variables and peak flow. Four periods were selected for analysis of peak flow, daily streamflow, and climate data. The periods are (1) a 100-year period, 1921–2020; (2) a 75-year period, 1946–2020; (3) a 50-year period, 1971–2020; and (4) a 30-year period, 1991–2020. The climate data consist of monthly time series estimates of temperature, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration, snowfall, soil moisture storage, snow water equivalent, and runoff on a 3.1-mile by 3.1-mile grid for the conterminous United States. Statistical and graphical analyses were used to investigate potential changes in hydrology and climate. The starting point for these analyses was the initial data analysis of peak flow described in Bulletin 17C, which includes plotting the peak flow and checking for autocorrelation, monotonic trends, and changes points. Analyses were added to examine additional features in the data. To examine potential causal drivers of changes, the climate data were analyzed graphically and statistically. Results are provided in a U.S. Geological Survey data release. The study limitations are documented for users of the results.

Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Mon↗

Contributions to economic geology, 1902

This bulletin has been prepared primarily with a view to securing prompt publication of the economic results of investigations by the United States Geological Survey. It is designed to meet the wants of the busy man, and is so condensed that he will be able to obtain results and conclusions with a minimum expenditure of time and energy. It also affords a better idea of the work which the Survey as an organization is-carrying on for the direct advancement of mining interests throughout the country than can readily be obtained from the more voluminous reports. Should this bulletin be favorably received by those interested in the development of the mineral industries of the United States, it is proposed to publish early in each calendar year a similar bulletin containing the results of the last year's field work in economic geology. In the preparation of the present volume, promptness of publication has been made secondary only to the economic utility of the material presented. The papers included are such only as have a direct economic bearing, all questions of purely scientific interest being excluded. The papers represent three classes : (1) Preliminary discussions of the results of extended economic investigations, which will later be published by the Survey in more detailed form; (2) comparatively detailed descriptions of occurrences of economic interest, noted by geologists of the Survey in the course of their field work, but not of sufficient importance to necessitate a later and more extended description; (3) abstracts of certain economic papers which have appeared in Survey publications during the last year, chiefly such as give a general account of the distribution and mode of occurrence of particular mineral deposits throughout the United States. The papers have been grouped according to the subjects treated. At the end of each section is given a list of previous publications on that subject by this Survey. These lists will be found serviceable by those who wish to ascertain what has been accomplished by the Survey in the investigation of any particular group of mineral products. They are generally confined to Survey publications, though a few titles of important papers published elsewhere by members of the Survey are included.

Bulletin↗

Catalogue and index of the publications of the United States Geological Survey, 1901 to 1903

This catalogue and index are supplemental to those published in 1901 as Bulletin No. 177. These begin where those end; but there will be found in this index some entries—additional and corrective— which refer to papers covered by Bulletin No. 177. The two bulletins constitute a general catalogue and index of the publications of the Geological Survey from its organization, in 1879., to the present time. It is hoped that within the next few years someone will have the time and the inclination to combine the two and bring the work down to date. The indexing has been done in a desultory manner, as opportunity arose; and in the work the writer has had the assistance of other members of the editorial corps, viz, Messrs.Charles A. Mansuy, Laurence F. Schmeckebier, and George M. Wood.

Bulletin↗

Report of work done in the division of chemistry and physics mainly during the fiscal year 1884-85

The present bulletin contains some of the more important results obtained in the chemical laboratory of the United States Geological Survey during the fiscal year 1884—'85. It also contains two physical papers representing work which was mainly done during previous fiscal years, but completed during the one for which this bulletin is issued. These papers are practically continuations of or supplements to Bulletin 14.

Bulletin↗

Index to the known fossil insects of the world, including myriapods and arachnids

With the view of furthering study in the too neglected field of fossil insects, I transmit herewith for publication the card catalogue of described fossil insects which I have used for twenty years and kept constantly up to date, and which has greatly facilitated my own researches. It is believed to be practically complete. At least where insects are figured, and in many other cases where they are the first or only references from a given locality, entries are given where only the genus, the family, or even the order is mentioned. This has been done because the early literature of fossil insects is essentially vague and general, but it should not for that reason be wholly overlooked ; and to-day our knowledge of the occurrence of insects of a particular locality, even when of recent discovery, is not infrequently confined to statements of a general nature, which, if not brought to view or mind in a list like this, would be lost sight of, while their recognition may lead to further local investigation, to the earlier benefit of science. It is in no sense a systematic catalogue, and except occasionally in the notes contains no immediate results of investigation. No questions of synonymy are settled. The entries are made as the authors quoted gave them, with only the corrections of spelling required; it follows that the same insect appears at several points, to which the student is referred by full cross-references, and that more than one insect may (though probably rarely does) figure under one name. In one or two such instances, where the same name has been given by inadvertence to two totally different creatures, the later one is separated from the earlier. For convenience' sake, the entries are grouped into large sections, nearly identical with those I have employed in my systematic review of fossil insects (Bulletin 31, U. S. Geological Survey), by which method the insects from the Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary rocks are kept distinct; but otherwise the entries are purely alphabetical under the orders. It should be noticed, however, that the vague references to groups higher than genera are brought together at the beginning of each alphabet, first the most vague, and then those which permit some alphabetization. In these cases the primary or secondary alphabetization is first by authors, second by dates, and in all cases where under one entry there is more than one date the order therein is chronological. In a previous bulletin (Bulletin 69, U. S. Geological Survey) is given a complete bibliography of the literature from which these entries are taken, and the two works are thus complementary to each other.

Bulletin↗

Transit traverse in Missouri, 1900-1937. Part 1, Southeastern Missouri, 1903-37

This bulletin, which for convenience is to be published in eight parts, contains the results of all transit traverse* done In Missouri through 1937 by the Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior, including those heretofore published. (See page X.) Each of the parts deals with one of eight sections into which the State has been divided for this purpose and which have been designated northeastern, northwestern, southeastern, southwestern, central, east-central, south-central, and west-central Missouri. In each part descriptions of the points for which geodetic positions have been determined are listed according to the quadrangles in which the points occur. Results of transit traverse other than that done by the Geological Survey have not been included. Southeastern Missouri, as the term is used in this bulletin and as the subject of part 1 of the bulletin, is that section of the State lying south of latitude 38°00' and east of longitude 91°15'.

Missouri↗