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At least 1,297 records · Page 72Linked to original sources
USGS1987

Effect of urbanization on the water resources of eastern Chester County, Pennsylvania

The effects of human activity on the water resources of a 207-square-mile area of eastern Chester County was evaluated. The most serious consequence of urbanization is the contamination of ground water by volatile organic compounds, which were detected in 39 percent of the 70 wells sampled. As many as nine compounds were found in one water sample, and the concentration of total volatile organic compounds was as high as 17,400 ug/L (micrograms per liter). In the Chester Valley, volatile organic compounds are moving down the hydraulic gradient caused by quarry dewatering. Movement through the quarries reduces concentrations of these compounds and removes most of them. Phenol was detected in 28 percent of 54 wells sampled, with concentrations up to 7 ug/L. Metals, except for iron and manganese, and other trace constituents generally are not a water-quality problem. However, ground water in an area in Chester Valley has been contaminated by concentrations of boron as high as 20,000 ug/L and lithium as high as 13,000 ug/L. The ground water discharges to Valley Creek, where concentrations of boron are as high as 130 ug/L and lithium as high as 800 ug/L. Concentrations of chloride as high as 2,100 mg/L (milligrams per liter) were found in a well at a former highway salt storage site. Wells completed in carbonate rock downgradient from the Pennsylvania Turnpike had chloride concentrations as high as 350 mg/L. The base-neutral organic compounds bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, and 1,2-dichlorobenzene, and the pesticides alachlor, aldrian, diazanon, DDD, DDT, dieldrin, methyl parathion, picloram, and 2,4-D were detected in a few water samples in low concentrations, However, these organic compounds do not present a widespread water-quality problem. Neither acid organic compounds nor polychlorinated napthalenes (PCN) were detected in ground water. The growth of public water and sewer systems has resulted in a significant interbasin transfer of water. Estimates for 1984 range from a net loss of 630 million gallons in the Valley Creek basin to a net gain of 783 million gallons in the Chester Creek basin. The quantity of wastewater discharged from treatment plants generally correlates well with the altitude of the water table and poorly with water use or precipitation, indicating substantial ground-water infiltration. Estimated ground-water infiltration to the West Goshen treatment plant for 1980-84 was 0.8 cubic feet per square mile, or 10 percent of the long-term average flow of Chester Creek. Estimated ground-water infiltration to the Valley Forge sewer system was as high as 4.9 million gallons per day. Dewatering operations at two active quarries in Chester Valley have lowered water levels locally and increased the range of the fluctuation of the local water table. The spread of the cones of depression caused by quarry pumping is limited by geologic and hydrologic controls. Pumping of high-capacity wells in Chester Valley has caused small local cones of depression and may have caused some reaches of Valley Creek or its tributaries to lose water. One of the greatest effects of human activity on the surface-water system has been the accumulation of organic compounds, particularly PCB and pesticides, on stream-bottom material. PCB, DDE, and dieldrin were found in bottom material from all eight streams sampled. Land-use changes in 10 selected subbasins were quantified and related to stream-benthic invertebrate diversity index. from 1970-80, the diversity index increased at all sites. Subbasins that had a greater change in land use had a greater increase in diversity index. The increase may be due to the banning of certain pesticides such as DDT, a decreasing use of pesticides in urbanizing subbasins, or flushing or burial of older pesticide-contaminated sediment.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1996

Initial effects of Stagecoach Reservoir on discharge, water-quality characteristics, and suspended-sediment loads in the Yampa River, northwestern Colorado

The construction and filling of Stagecoach Reservoir on the Yampa River during 1988-91 were done to enhance water management and to use local water resources. To assess the initial effects of the reservoir on the hydrology of the upper Yampa River, physical, chemical, and biological data were collected at a site upstream (YR-1) during water years 1989-92 and a site downstream (YR-2) from the reservoir during water years 1985-92 and at two sites in the reservoir during 1990-92. Annual suspended-sediment loads were determined for the Yampa River for water years 1985-92, and sediment retention in Stagecoach Reservoir was estimated. The initial filling of the 33,275-acre-foot reservoir proceeded slower than expected because inflow from the Yampa River was about 50 to 73 percent of average during water years 1989-91. Secchi-disk measurements in Stagecoach Reservoir ranged from 2.5 to 18 feet. Algal growth and sediment transport during stormy weather decreased water clarity, and possible algal grazing by zooplankton and sediment deposition improved water clarity. Water temperature in the reservoir ranged from 0 to 22 degrees Celsius, and thermal stratification was maintained during summer. Values of pH ranged from 7.2 in the hypolimnion to 8.9 in the epilimnion. Changes in pH were related to photosynthesis and respiration. Concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the reservoir ranged from 0 milligram per liter in the hypolimnion to 13 milligrams per liter in the epilimnion. Average 5-day biochemical-oxygen-demand rates ranged from 0.33 to 0.46 milligram per liter per day. Oxygen production from photosynthesis was greatest in the epilimnion; oxygen depletion from respiration was characteristic in the hypolimnion. Near or above average inflow might decrease the incidence of anaerobic conditions. Specific conductance in the reservoir ranged from 414 to 520 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius, depending on the specific conductance of inflow from the Yampa River. The water was a very hard, calcium bicarbonate type. Nitrogen input to the reservoir was mostly as organic nitrogen that ranged in concentration from less than 0.18 to about 1.0 milligram per liter. Concentrations of dissolved phosphorus in the inflow of the Yampa River ranged from less than 0.01 to 0.06 milligram per liter. Decomposition of organic material and release of nutrients from sediments under reducing conditions were probable causes for dissolved-ammonia concentrations near the reservoir bottom to increase to maximum values of 0.9 to 1.6 milligrams per liter as nitrogen during thermal stratification in summer. Dissolved phosphorus also increased in the same conditions to a range of 0.32 to 0.35 milligram per liter. Except for concentrations of total recoverable manganese that ranged from 210 to 440 micrograms per liter near the reservoir bottom, most concentrations of 20 trace constituents were measured at or near analytical detection limits. A total of 119 phytoplankton from 7 phyla was identified in Stagecoach Reservoir during 1990-92. Cyanophyta (blue-green algae) accounted for most of the cell counts. Cyanophyta blooms of Aphanizomenon and Aphanocapsa developed during 1990-92, and photosynthesis caused concentrations of dissolved oxygen to exceed 150-percent saturation in the epilimnion. Diversity index values for phytoplankton ranged from 0.05 to 3.06. Values of diversity index during the summer of 1992 indicated that the community diversity of algae could be greatest in spring and least in fall. All colony counts of fecal coliform bacteria in the reservoir during 1990-92 were less than criteria limits set by the State of Colorado. During water years 1985-88 (preconstruction period), at a site on the Yampa River downstream from the proposed damsite, and water years 1989-92 (post-construction period), at a site upstream from the dam, annual loads of suspended sediment ranged from 2,480 to 22,650 tons. The average annual suspended-sediment load for th

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1996

Influences of environmental settings on aquatic ecosystems in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin

The watershed boundary of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River basin defines an aquatic ecosystem whose water quality is the result of complex interactions of natural and human influences on land and water resources. Topics relating to the basin's environmental setting-its physical, biological, and cultural characteristics-are summarized to provide an understanding of factors that influence water quality and the health of aquatic ecosystems. The ACF River basin lies partly in southwestern Georgia, southeastern Alabama, and northwestern Florida and covers 19,800 square miles in the Blue Ridge, the Piedmont, and the Coastal Plain Provinces. The basin includes the drainages of the Chattahoochee River and the Flint River, which meet to form the Apalachicola River. The Apalachicola River flows into the Gulf of Mexico at Apalachicola Bay. Basin hydrology and water quality are influenced by 16 mainstem reservoirs, 13 of which are on the Chattahoochee River. Ground water in the basin is contained in six aquifers-the surficial aquifer system, the Floridan aquifer system, the Claiborne aquifer, the Clayton aquifer, the Providence aquifer, and the crystalline-rock aquifer. Physiography, climate, and hydrology of the ACF River basin provide natural conditions that support a rich and abundant diversity of plants and animals. Although most of the ACF River basin has been altered by human activities, the basin's environment is noteworthy for its remaining biological diversity and the role it plays in sustaining biological productivity in Apalachicola Bay. The Bay produces 90 percent of Florida's and 13 percent of the Nation's oyster harvest; and functions as a nursery for penaeid shrimp, blue crabs, and a variety of fin fish. The diversity of the basin's aquatic fauna is noteworthy because the basin is home to (1) the largest number of fish species among Gulf Coast drainages east of the Mississippi River, (2) the largest assemblage of freshwater fish in Florida, (3) the largest number of mollusc species among western Florida drainages, and (4) the highest species density of amphibians and reptiles on the continent north of Mexico. Population of the ACF River basin in 1990 was estimated at 2.6 million. Nearly 90 percent of the total population lived in Georgia, and nearly 60 percent lived in the Metropolitan Atlanta area. The 1990 basin population is projected to increase by 15 percent to 3.0 million by the year 2000, and by 30 percent to 3.4 million by 2010. The largest increases in populations are projected for the Metropolitan Atlanta area. In 1972-76, approximately 59 percent of the basin was covered by forest, 29 percent was agricultural, 5 percent was wetland, 4 percent was urban, and 3 percent was water or barren land. Most of the original land cover of the basin has been transformed by human activity. Timber is the basin's largest cash crop and most forests consist of second-growth stands or large acreages of planted pine. The dominant agricultural land use in the Piedmont Province is pasture and confined feeding for dairy, livestock, and poultry production. Row-crop agriculture, orchards, and silviculture are most common in the Coastal Plain Province. The top five crops in order from most to least acres harvested in 1990 were peanuts, corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton. The water in the basin is used for public and industrial supply, irrigation, power generation, navigation, and recreation. Although most public-supply withdrawals in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Provinces are from surface-water sources, with the exception of counties near or immediately below the Fall Line, all publicly supplied water in the Coastal Plain is withdrawn from ground-water sources. Ground water supplied 18 percent of the basin's population served by public supply. Total water withdrawn in the ACF River basin in 1990 was 2,098 million gallons per day (Mgal/d), of which Georgia withdrew 82 percent and Florida and Alabama each withdrew 9 percent. Power generation is the single largest water use. Sixteen of the basin's 22 power generating plants are located along the mainstem of the Chattahoochee River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains a navigation channel from the mouth of the Apalachicola River to Columbus, Ga., on the Chattahoochee River and to Bainbridge, Ga., on the Flint River. Water quality in the basin is influenced by the operation of 137 municipal wastewater-treatment facilities. In 1990, 354 Mgal/d of municipal wastewater was discharged within the ACF River basin. Eighty-eight percent of the wastewater was discharged into the Chattahoochee River basin, 10.6 percent into the Flint River basin, and 1.4 percent into the Apalachicola River basin. Two-thirds of the 938 stream miles in the Georgia portion of the ACF River basin having water quality that does not meet or only partially meets the designated-use criteria in the Chattahoochee River basin. The Chattahoochee River is the most heavily-used water resource both in the ACF River basin and in Georgia. Urban runoff or unknown nonpoint sources are cited as the causes of water-quality regulations in 72 percent of violations. The remaining causes primarily are combined sewer overflows in the Atlanta area, and discharges from municipal or industrial treatment facilities with inadequate treatment capabilities or operational deficiencies.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia↗
USGS1948

Discharge and sediment loads in the Boise River drainage basin, Idaho 1939-40

The Boise River project is a highly developed agricultural area comprising some 520 square miles of valley and bench lands in southwestern Idaho. Water for irrigation is obtained from the Boise River and its tributaries which are regulated by storage in Arrow Rock and Deer Flat reservoirs. Distribution of water to the farms is effected by 27 principal canals and several small farm laterals which divert directly from the river. The- New York Canal, which is the largest, not only supplies water to smaller canals and farm laterals, but also is used to fill Deer Flat Reservoir near Nampa from which water is furnished to farms in the lower valley. During the past 15 years maintenance costs in a number of those canals have increased due to deposition of sediment in them and in the river channel itself below the mouth of Moore Creek. Interest in determining the runoff and sediment loads from certain areas in the Boise River drainage basin led to an investigation by the Flood Control Coordinating Committee of the Department of Agriculture. Measurements of daily discharge and sediments loads were made by the Geological Survey at 13 stations in the drainage basin during the 18-month period ended June 30, 1940. The stations were on streams in areas having different kinds of vegetative cover and subjected to different kinds of land-use practice. Data obtained during the investigation furnish a basis for certain comparisons of runoff and sediment loads from several areas arid for several periods of time. Runoff measured at stations on the. Boise River near Twin Springs and on Moore Creek near Arrow Rock was smaller during 1939 than during 1940 and was below the average annual runoff for the period of available record. Runoff measured at the other stations on the project also was smaller during 1939 than during 1940 and probably did not exceed the average for the previous 25 years. The sediment loads measured during the spring runoff in 1939 were smaller at most stations than those measured during the spring runoff in 1940. At those stations where the flow was not affected, or only slightly affected, by upstream diversions or by placer-mining operations, the largest sadiment loads per unit of drainage area were measured in Grouse Creek during both 1939 and 1940, amounting to 3,460 and 2,490 tons per square mile, respectively, and the smallest loads per unit of drainage area were measured in Bannock Creek during 1939 and in the Boise River near Twin Springs during 1940, amounting to 14 and 83 tons per square mile, respectively. Size anaylses of a large number of samples of suspended and deposited sediments give an indication of the origin of sediments carried past some of the stations. The analyses show that most of the sediment measured at the five stations in the Moore Creek drainages basin above Idaho City consisted largely of coarse material. They show, also, that the sediment measured at the station on Moore Creek above Thorn Creek consisted almost entirely of fine material during practically the entire period of the investigation. Most of the coarse material passing the stations above Idaho City probably was retained behind the dikes or in the pools usually formed by tailings from dredging operations in the placer-mining area below Idaho City, and much of the fine material measured at the station on Moore Creek above Thorn Creek probably was contributed by placer-mining activity. During the years when the spring runoff is greater than that measured during 1939 and 1940, it is probable that the dikes and pools will be less effective in retaining coarse sediments within the placered area. Records of sediment loads measured in the New York Canal indicate that a negligible amount of sediment was deposited there during 1939, but that in 1940 from 10 to 15 percent of the total load at the gaging station consisted of coarse sediment which was later deposited on the canal bottom. Most of the fine material was doubtless carried through the canal and eventually deposited in diversion ditches and on farm land. Because the sediment carried past the station on Moore Creek above Thorn Creek consisted almost entirely of fine material, it is probable, that a considerable part of the coarse sediment carried in the New York Canal during the 1940 spring runoff period was scoured from the large bed of deposited material in the Boise River above Diversion- Dam, and that the remainder came from Grimes Creek. Arrow Rock Reservoir was not sluiced during the investigation, and it is therefore unlikely that any of the coarse sediment in the New York Canal came from the Boise River above Moore Creek during 1939 and 1940. The average dry weight of 71 samples of deposited sediments collected from several parts of the Boise River drainage basin is about 90 pounds per cubic foot. The average specific gravity of 77 samples of deposited sediments is 2.57.

Idaho↗
USGS1962

Water resources of the Utica-Rome area, New York

The Utica-Rome area is along the Mohawk River and New York State Erie (Barge) Canal about midway between Lake Ontario and Albany. It encompasses about 390 square miles centered around the industrial cities of Utica and Rome. The Mohawk River, its tributary West Canada Creek, and a system of reservoirs and diversions to maintain the flow in the barge-canal system, assure an ample water supply for the foreseeable needs of the area. The water from these sources is generally of good chemical quality requiring little treatment, although that from the Mohawk River is only fair and may require some treatment for sensitive industrial processes. Additional surface water is available from smaller streams in the area, particularly Oriskany and Sauquoit Creeks, but the water from these sources is hard, and has a dissolved-solids content of more than 250 ppm (parts per million). Ground water is available in moderate quantities from unconsolidated sand and gravel deposits in the river valleys and buried bedrock channels, and in small quantities from bedrock formations and less permeable unconsolidated deposits. The quality of water from sand and gravel, and bedrock ranges from good to poor. However, where necessary, the quality can be improved with treatment. The Mohawk River is the source of the largest quantity of water in the area. The flow of the stream below Delta Dam equals or exceeds 108 mgd (million gallons per day) 90 percent of the time, and at Little Falls it equals or exceeds 560 mgd 90 percent of the time. The flow between these two points is increased by additions from Oriskany, Sauquoit, and West Canada Creeks and from many smaller tributary streams. The flow is also increased by diversions from outside the area, from the Black and Chenango Rivers and West Canada Creek for improvement of navigation in the Erie (Barge) Canal, and from West Canada and East Branch Fish Creeks for the public supplies of Utica and Rome. Much of the public-supply water eventually reaches the river by way of sewerage and industrial waste-disposal systems. The total diversion from these sources averages more than 92 mgd. An estimated 18.5 mgd is withdrawn from the Mohawk River by industry, mostly for nonconsumptive uses. Floods in the Utica-Rome area are not a frequent problem owing to the use of regulatory measures. The major streams fluctuate through a narrow range in stage and generally only a narrow strip along the streams is subject to flooding. Water-bearing sand and gravel deposits in the major river valleys are the principal sources of ground water, especially where they are recharged by infiltration from streams. The most important potential source is the deposit of sand and gravel underlying the extensive plain adjacent to the Mohawk River between Delta Reservoir and Rome. Maximum sustained yields from these deposits are not known; but moderate quantities of water, 300 gpm (gallons per minute) or less from a single well, can probably be obtained from some parts of the sand plain area, particularly in the vicinity of a buried bedrock channel that extends southwestward from Delta Reservoir. Similar quantities of ground water probably can be withdrawn from some parts of the flood plain of the Mohawk River between Rome and Frankfort and from the sand and gravel deposits filling the valley of Ninemile Creek below Holland Patent. The deposits underlying the flood plain of the Mohawk River generally are fine grained but in places contain interstratified beds of coarser sand and gravel. The most productive part of the flood plain is at the east end near Frankfort. The deposits in Ninemile Creek valley also are generally fine grained; but where they are sufficiently thick, as over a buried bedrock valley southwest of Floyd, moderate quantities of water may be obtained. Small to moderate quantities of water (150 gpm or less from a single well) can be obtained from sand and gravel deposits in the bottoms of Oriskany and Sauquoit Creek vall

New York↗
USGS1972

Water for cranberry culture in the Cranmoor area of central Wisconsin

The Cranmoor area of central Wisconsin is the principal cranberry producing area of the State. Cranberries are grown in only about 2.5 square miles of an 80-square-mile marsh and swamp in the Cranberry Creek basin. Cranberry growers have built reservoirs and ditches throughout 25 square miles of marsh for better management of the area's natural water supply. Additional water is diverted into the basin to supplement the cranberry needs. In the 1966-67 hydrologic budget for Cranberry Creek basin, annual inputs were 27.8 inches of precipitation, 3.8 inches of surface-water diversion into the basin, and 1.1 inches decrease in stored water. Annual outputs were. 20.8 inches of evapotranspiration, 11.7 inches of runoff, and 0.2 inch of groundwater outflow. During the 1966-67 period, precipitation averaged about 3 inches per year below normal. The water used for cranberry culture is almost exclusively surface water. Efficient management of the basin's water supply, plus intermittent diversions of about 100 cubic feet per second from outside the basin, provide cranberry growers with a sufficient quantity of water. Although the quantity of surface water is adequate, the pH (generally 5.7-6.7) is slightly high for optimum use. Dissolved oxygen is slightly low, generally between 4 and 10 milligrams per liter. The water is soft; iron and manganese contents vary seasonally, being high in winter and summer and low in spring. Additional supplies of surface water can be obtained by increasing diversions from outside the basin and by increasing reservoir capacity within the basin. Ground water, although not presently used for cranberries, is available in the central, southern, and eastern parts of the basin, where the thickness of the saturated alluvium exceeds 50 feet. Well yields in these areas might be as much as 1,000 gpm (gallons per minute). Additionally, well yields of as much as 1,000 gpm may be expected from saturated alluvium southeast of Cranberry Creek basin. Where saturated alluvium is less than 50 feet thick, in the northern and western parts of the basin, well yields generally are less than 50 gpm. Ground water is also available from sandstone in the western part of the basin. Where the sandstone is thickest (about 60 ft.), well yields may be as much as 200 gpm. The quality of ground water is similar to that of surface water. The pH of water from the shallow alluvium ranges between 6.0 and 6,6; the pH of water from the deep alluvium is about 7.0. Ground water is soft to moderately hard, 22 to 88 milligrams per liter, and contains excessive amounts of iron and manganese.

Wisconsin↗
USGS1972

Factors contributing to unusually low runoff during the period 1962-68 in the Concho River Basin, Texas

To determine the reasons for the unusually low runoff in the Concho River basin during the period 1962-68, the physical developments and climatic changes in the basin were identified and related to changes in the regimen of streamflow. Land use, brush infestation, and land-treatment practices have not caused significant changes in the rainfall-runoff relationship. The use of surface water for irrigation has increased very little during the past 70 years, and although the use of ground water for irrigation has greatly increased in the past 25 years, springflow has not been significantly diminished. The base flow of the streams is materially reduced by surface-water irrigation diversions. Diversions for municipal and industrial use have increased rapidly, but these diversions affect only the streamflow downstream from San Angelo. Statistical analyses showed the annual rainfall to be highly variable, with little serial correlation. Records of rainfall during the period 1943-68 are significantly different in character from previous long-term records. The frequency of monthly rainfall equal to or greater than 2.0 inches during the period 1943-68, and especially during the period 1962-68, was significantly less than the long-term averages. Analyses of annual runoff data, adjusted for depletions, show large variations in annual runoff. Coefficients of variation ranged from 0.8 to 1.4, and first-order serial correlations ranged from 0.01 to 0.28. The estimated recurrence interval of the 1962-68 drought is about 200 years. The analyses of rainfall-intensity and runoff data indicate that the basic cause for the relatively low runoff during the period 1962-68 was the lack of high-intensity, long-duration storms rather than any physical changes or agricultural practices in the watershed

Texas↗
USGS1986

Hydrology of the Price River basin, Utah, with emphasis on selected coal-field areas

Data obtained during a hydrologic study of the Price River basin, Utah, are used to describe seasonal variations off low of springs, relation between ground water and surface water, hydraulic properties of the ground-water reservoir, ground-water recharge and discharge, flood characteristics of streams, mineralogic composition and depositional rates of sediments, nutrient and inorganic loading in streams and Scofield Reservoir, and water budgets for selected basins. Additional study and monitoring are needed to detect possible hydrologic changes caused by coal mining. Much of the ground-water discharge from the Star Point Sandstone in the Mesaverde Group in the Wasatch Plateau occurs along faults. In the Book Cliffs, where faulting is less extensive, most of the ground-water discharge is from the Flagstaff Limestone. The Flagstaff Limestone is greatly diffusive, has a small storage coefficient, and contains water which is perched. Springs issuing from the Star Point Sandstone in the Mud Creek drainage (Wasatch Plateau) had recession indexes greater than 365 days per log cycle. Springs issuing at higher altitudes from the Colton Formation and the Flagstaff Limestone in the Soldier Creek area (Book Cliffs) have great seasonal variability, with recession indexes ranging from 24 to 115 days per log cycle. Estimated transmissivities in the Soldier Creek area ranged from 0.003 foot squared per day in the lower part of the Castlegate Sandstone to 0.07 foot squared per day in the Price River Formation. Seepage from the Star Point Sandstone is the major contributor to base flow of the stream in Eccles Canyon (Wasatch Plateau). Gains of as much as 230 gallons per minute occurred near a fault zone which crosses Eccles Canyon at the junction with South Fork Canyon. The potentiometric surface of water in the Blackhawk Formation in the Wasatch Plateau (Mud Creek drainage) and the Book Cliffs (Soldier Creek area) generally is above the coal zones, and dewatering will be necessary in most places during mining. The total reported mine discharge during 1980 was about 2,800 acre-feet. During the 1980 water year, ground-water discharge from the Flagstaff Limestone contributed about 4,400 acre-feet, or 41 percent of the combined streamflow of Coal, Soldier, and Dugout Creeks. Discharge from the Blackhawk and other formations contributed about 2,200 acrefeet, or 21 percent of the streamflow. The recharge to a 4,020-acre outcrop of the Flagstaff Limestone in the Soldier Creek area was determined from measurements of the discharge of springs and seepage gains in streams. The estimated recharge was 2 inches per year, or 12 percent of the April 1 snowpack, or 9 percent of the precipitation during 1980. Benthic-diversity indexes at streams in the Book Cliffs and Wasatch Plateau are related to the size of the bed material. The Shannon-Weiner diversity index for five sites in the Mud Creek drainage ranged from 1.57 to 4.'20 during four sampling periods in 1979-80. In the Soldier Creek drainage, the diversity index for four sampling sites ranged from 0.8 to 2.3 during three sampling periods in 1979-80. Sediment deposition in Scofield Reservoir during 1943-79 was estimated to be 3,000 acre-feet but most of the coal deposition in the reservoir occurred prior to about 1950. An anaerobic zone develops in the reservoir during the summer, but water in the reservoir completely mixes during late summer or early fall.

Utah↗
USGS1915

Springs of California

In 1903 the United States Geological Survey began an investigation of the underground water of California, generally with financial cooperation on the part of the State. Since that year ten papers on the underground water of the State have been issued by the Survey, each representing an investigation that has been completed. The field work which is to serve as the basis for two additional papers has also been done and the reports are in preparation. Investigations have been begun in two other areas in the State and their results will eventually be assembled and published. Since a period soon after the inception of the California work those responsible for its conduct have realized the desirability of a special study of the springs, particularly those which yield mineral waters and which are utilized to a greater or less extent by citizens of the State and by tourists as recreation and health resorts. It did not become practicable to begin this work until the summer of 1908, when Mr. G. A. Waring, who had assisted in some of the earlier California studies and had investigated for the Survey certain areas in southern Oregon and Washington, was assigned to the task of collecting and assembling the necessary data. California, with an area of 158,000 square miles, is the second largest State in the Union. It exhibits wide geographic diversity, since it includes the lowest area in the United States Death Valley, 276 feet below sea level and the highest Mount Whitney, 14,501 feet above the sea; and accompanying this geographic diversity there is a corresponding range in scenic effects, climate, and vegetation. The records obtained at meteorological stations in the Salton Sink indicate a maximum temperature of 130° in the shade, the highest of record within the continental United States. It is probable that minimum temperatures on the higher peaks, like Mount Whitney and Mount Shasta, approach the minimum within our boundaries. Rainfall records in the most arid sections of the southern deserts of the State represent the extreme of aridity in the United States, with averages of less than 3 inches per annum and periods of 12 months or more with only traces of rain, whereas the precipitation in northwestern California is very heavy, an annual average of close to 100 inches being recorded at a few stations in Mendocino and Del Norte counties. The immensity of the area of the State has made the collection of the field data required for the report a task of considerable magnitude, though its diversity has added greatly to the interest of the work. In the original plan it was estimated that two years of field studies would prove sufficient. Mr. Waring succeeded in visiting the more important localities during this period, although some of his examinations were, of necessity, rather cursory. In midsummer, 1910, after the completion of the field work and the assembling of the greater portion of his data in manuscript form he was called by the Government of Brazil to take charge of general water supply investigations in the northeastern arid portion of that South American republic. The task of reviewing, editing, and supplementing in some respects, the results of his studies was thus unavoidably left to others. This task was rendered light by the systematic form in which Mr. Waring's material was left. It was a matter of regret to Mr. Waring, as it has been to those associated with him, that the financial limitations which controlled his work made it impracticable to procure the large number of new analyses which are particularly important in a paper of this type, in which waters of unusual chemical characteristics are discussed. Such analyses as are available have been assembled from all possible sources and combined with those which were prepared especially in connection with this investigation. The result, although it is in some respects unsatisfactory, furnishes a basis for a general view of the characteristics of the spring waters and serves to permit, their classification in a general way. Mr. Herman Stabler has reviewed the chemical data and rearranged and interpreted the available analyses. It is hoped that the report, setting forth as it does the results of impartial observations upon one of the important present and more important prospective resources of the State, will prove of value to its citizens as well as to its visitors, and that the assembled material will not be without interest to physicians, chemists, geologists, and teachers who may have especial need for the information contained in the volume.

California↗
USGS2014

Bat flight and zoonotic viruses

Bats are sources of high viral diversity and high-profile zoonotic viruses worldwide. Although apparently not pathogenic in their reservoir hosts, some viruses from bats severely affect other mammals, including humans. Examples include severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses, Ebola and Marburg viruses, and Nipah and Hendra viruses. Factors underlying high viral diversity in bats are the subject of speculation. We hypothesize that flight, a factor common to all bats but to no other mammals, provides an intensive selective force for coexistence with viral parasites through a daily cycle that elevates metabolism and body temperature analogous to the febrile response in other mammals. On an evolutionary scale, this host–virus interaction might have resulted in the large diversity of zoonotic viruses in bats, possibly through bat viruses adapting to be more tolerant of the fever response and less virulent to their natural hosts.

Emerging Infectious Diseases↗
USGS2003

Molecular epidemiology of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus reveals complex virus traffic and evolution within southern Idaho aquaculture

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is a rhabdovirus which infects salmon and trout and may cause disease with up to 90% mortality. In the Hagerman Valley of Idaho, IHNV is endemic or epidemic among numerous fish farms and resource mitigation hatcheries. A previous study characterizing the genetic diversity among 84 IHNV isolates at 4 virus-endemic rainbow trout farms indicated that multiple lineages of relatively high diversity co-circulated at these facilities (Troyer et al. 2000 J Gen Virol. 81:2823-2832). We tested the hypothesis that high IHNV genetic diversity and co-circulating lineages are present in aquaculture facilities throughout this region. In this study, 73 virus isolates from 14 rainbow trout farms and 3 state hatcheries in the Hagerman Valley, isolated between 1978 and 1999, were genetically characterized by sequence analysis of a 303 nucleotide region of the glycoprotein gene. Phylogenetic and epidemiological analyses showed that multiple IHNV lineages co-circulate in a complex pattern throughout private trout farms and state hatcheries in the valley. IHNV maintained within the valley appears to have evolved significantly over the 22 yr study period.

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms↗
USGS2016

Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on deep-sea coral-associated sediment communities

Cold-water corals support distinct populations of infauna within surrounding sediments that provide vital ecosystem functions and services in the deep sea. Yet due to their sedentary existence, infauna are vulnerable to perturbation and contaminant exposure because they are unable to escape disturbance events. While multiple deep-sea coral habitats were injured by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, the extent of adverse effects on coral-associated sediment communities is unknown. In 2011, sediments were collected adjacent to several coral habitats located 6 to 183 km from the wellhead in order to quantify the extent of impact of the DWH spill on infaunal communities. Higher variance in macrofaunal abundance and diversity, and different community structure (higher multivariate dispersion) were associated with elevated hydrocarbon concentrations and contaminants at sites closest to the wellhead (MC294, MC297, and MC344), consistent with impacts from the spill. In contrast, variance in meiofaunal diversity was not significantly related to distance from the wellhead and no other community metric (e.g. density or multivariate dispersion) was correlated with contaminants or hydrocarbon concentrations. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) provided the best statistical explanation for observed macrofaunal community structure, while depth and presence of fine-grained mud best explained meiofaunal community patterns. Impacts associated with contaminants from the DWH spill resulted in a patchwork pattern of infaunal community composition, diversity, and abundance, highlighting the role of variability as an indicator of disturbance. These data represent a useful baseline for tracking post-spill recovery of these deep-sea communities.

Marine Ecology Progress Series↗
USGS2017

Food-web dynamics and isotopic niches in deep-sea communities residing in a submarine canyon and on the adjacent open slopes

Examination of food webs and trophic niches provide insights into organisms' functional ecology, yet few studies have examined trophodynamics within submarine canyons, where the interaction of canyon morphology and oceanography influences habitat provision and food deposition. Using stable isotope analysis and Bayesian ellipses, we documented deep-sea food-web structure and trophic niches in Baltimore Canyon and the adjacent open slopes in the US Mid-Atlantic Region. Results revealed isotopically diverse feeding groups, comprising approximately 5 trophic levels. Regression analysis indicated that consumer isotope data are structured by habitat (canyon vs. slope), feeding group, and depth. Benthic feeders were enriched in 13 C and 15 N relative to suspension feeders, consistent with consuming older, more refractory organic matter. In contrast, canyon suspension feeders had the largest and more distinct isotopic niche, indicating they consume an isotopically discrete food source, possibly fresher organic material. The wider isotopic niche observed for canyon consumers indicated the presence of feeding specialists and generalists. High dispersion in δ 13 C values for canyon consumers suggests that the isotopic composition of particulate organic matter changes, which is linked to depositional dynamics, resulting in discrete zones of organic matter accumulation or resuspension. Heterogeneity in habitat and food availability likely enhances trophic diversity in canyons. Given their abundance in the world's oceans, our results from Baltimore Canyon suggest that submarine canyons may represent important havens for trophic diversity.

Baltimore Canyon↗
USGS2009

Evaluating wildlife response to coastal dune habitat restoration in san francisco, california

The vast dune system that once dominated the entire western half of the San Francisco peninsula in California has been reduced to a few fragments that conserve locally threatened plant and animal species. We measured the effects of ongoing restoration efforts on wildlife abundance and diversity on one of the largest of these fragments, Fort Funston in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Efforts included removal of non-native species, active restoration of native dune vegetation, and restricted visitor use. We collected data regarding the composition and abundance of vegetation, birds, and ground-dwelling vertebrates on four treatments including an actively restored area with restricted visitor use, an unrestored area where visitor use had been restricted for ten years, an unrestored area where visitor use had been restricted for two years, and an unrestored area with unrestricted visitor use. Results indicated that the diversity and abundance of wildlife species, as well as the richness and cover of native plant species, were greater in the restored area than in all other sampled areas. Restricted visitor use alone had only modest positive effects on the abundance and diversity of wildlife and the richness and cover of native plant species.

Ecological Restoration↗
USGS2009

Promoting species establishment in a phragmites-dominated great lakes coastal wetland

This study examined efforts to promote species establishment and maintain diversity in a Phragmites-dominated wetland where primary control measures were underway. A treatment experiment was performed at Crane Creek, a drowned-river-mouth wetland in Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge along the shore of western Lake Erie. Following initial aerial spraying of Phragmites with glyphosate, this study tested combinations of cutting, raking, and additional hand spraying of Phragmites with glyphosate as methods to promote growth of other wetland species and increase plant diversity. Percent-cover vegetation data were collected in permanent plots before and after treatments, and follow-up sampling was performed the following year. Increased species richness, species emergence, and relative dominance of non-Phragmites taxa were used as measures of treatment success. We also examined treatment effects on Phragmites cover. Dimensionality of seedbank and soil properties was reduced using principal component analysis. With the exception of nitrogen, soil nutrients affected species establishment, non-Phragmites taxa dominance, and Phragmites cover. A more viable seedbank led to greater species emergence. Treatments had differential effects on diversity depending on elevation and resulting degree of hydrologic inundation. Whereas raking to remove dead Phragmites biomass was central to promoting species establishment in dry areas, spraying had a greater impact in continually inundated areas. For treatment success across elevations into the year following treatments, spraying in combination with cutting and raking had the greatest effect. The results of this study suggest that secondary treatments can produce a short-term benefit to the plant community in areas treated for Phragmites.

Natural Areas Journal↗
USGS2025

Tracing invasion routes of Cuban treefrogs into Louisiana using mitochondrial DNA

Understanding the origin and spread of invasive species is critical for predicting when and where new introductions will establish, and impact native species. However, due to the complexity of contributing factors such as multiple introductions, dispersal method, genetic admixture in founding populations, and variable propagule pressure, genetic patterns observed in invasive species may not always conform to a single theoretical expectation. Cuban treefrogs ( Osteopilus septentrionalis ) are invasive in peninsular Florida and sporadically in the Florida panhandle. Though O. septentrionalis has been occasionally reported in Louisiana since the 1990s, established populations were not present until the discovery of a breeding population in New Orleans in 2017. In this study we investigated the source of this novel population using existing and newly generated cytochrome B (cyt-b) mitochondrial gene sequences from the native and invasive range of O. septentrionalis . We recovered a total of 14 cyt-b haplotypes, nine novel and five previously published. Within the 95 Louisiana invasion samples, we recovered seven haplotypes including five novel haplotypes. The haplotypes most common in Louisiana were shared exclusively with west and east Florida localities in central Florida, indicating a possible source population. The presence of haplotypes private to the Louisiana locality suggests other unsampled localities may also be contributing to the Louisiana settlement. Metrics of genetic diversity across native and invasive localities did not significantly differ. Furthermore, the Louisiana samples had higher genetic diversity than any single location sampled within Florida. Thus, genetic diversity and our haplotype connectivity suggest the Louisiana population is derived from multiple introductions from Florida. Our study highlights how demographic and genetic analyses can be utilized to understand the source and future expansion potential of invasive populations.

Florida, Louisiana↗
USGS2026

Seasonal and hydrologic variation influences habitat and functional structure of stream fish assemblages

Introduction: Hydrologic variability is a key driver of ecological structure in lotic systems, shaping habitat conditions, taxonomic diversity, and the functional traits that mediate species’ persistence and performance (e.g., reproductive success). While many studies examine taxonomic responses to variation in flows, few evaluate how spatiotemporal hydrologic variation influences the functional organization within stream fish communities. Methods: We quantified seasonal habitat structure and functional trait diversity of fish assemblages across six Ozark Plateau headwater streams representing two contrasting flow regimes: Groundwater Flashy and Runoff/Intermittent Flashy. Fish and habitat data were collected seasonally during a dry year (2002) and a wet year (2003). Functional space was constructed using PCoA of morphological, ecological, and life-history traits, and functional diversity was measured using community weighted means (CWMs), functional richness (FRic), functional evenness (FEve), and functional divergence (FDiv). Results: We found that habitat structure differed strongly by flow regime and season, with Runoff/Intermittent streams exhibiting pronounced reductions in depth, area, and velocity, while groundwater streams remained structurally stable. Functional identity of assemblages was similar across flow regimes, dominated by benthic, hydrodynamic taxa with opportunistic and periodic life-history strategies. However, functional structure differed significantly: FEve and FDiv were consistently lower in Runoff/Intermittent Flashy streams in both years, indicating assemblage dominance of species with similar trait combinations and reduced trait partitioning under variable flow. FRic and taxonomic richness remained stable across seasons and flow regimes, suggesting high functional redundancy despite species turnover. Discussion: Together, results show that flow regime mediates both habitat structural stability and functional organization. As climatic warming and extreme drought increase hydrologic instability in headwaters, functional trait approaches provide a sensitive tool for detecting losses of functional roles that may not be evident by using taxonomic metrics alone.

Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma↗
USGS2019

Global observational needs and resources for marine biodiversity

The diversity of life in the sea is critical to the health of ocean ecosystems that support living resources and therefore essential to the economic, nutritional, recreational, and health needs of billions of people. Yet there is evidence that the biodiversity of many marine habitats is being altered in response to a changing climate and human activity. Understanding this change, and forecasting where changes are likely to occur, requires monitoring of organism diversity, distribution, abundance, and health. It requires a minimum of measurements including productivity and ecosystem function, species composition, allelic diversity, and genetic expression. These observations need to be complemented with metrics of environmental change and socio-economic drivers. However, existing global ocean observing infrastructure and programs often do not explicitly consider observations of marine biodiversity and associated processes. Much effort has focused on physical, chemical and some biogeochemical measurements. Broad partnerships, shared approaches, and best practices are now being organized to implement an integrated observing system that serves information to resource managers and decision-makers, scientists and educators, from local to global scales. This integrated observing system of ocean life is now possible due to recent developments among satellite, airborne, and in situ sensors in conjunction with increases in information system capability and capacity, along with an improved understanding of marine processes represented in new physical, biogeochemical, and biological models.

Frontiers in Marine Science↗