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At least 1,531 records · Page 85Linked to original sources

USGS2019

Survival outcome patterns revealed by deploying advanced tags in quantity: Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) survivals after release from trawl catches through expedited sorting

Bycatch of Pacific halibut ( Hippoglossus stenolepis ) limits many trawl fisheries in Alaska and greatly concerns stakeholders from local communities and fisheries that rely on Pacific halibut. To reduce Pacific halibut mortality, trawlers in the Bering Sea that target flatfish have been developing expedited release procedures to sort Pacific halibut from catches earlier than current regulations allow, while continuing accurate bycatch accounting. We studied survival rates of released Pacific halibut from three trawlers by deploying accelerometer-equipped pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) on 160 fish handled under expedited procedures. PSATs recorded and transmitted two metrics indicating swimming activity every 2 h while attached to the fish (for up to 60 days). Analysis of the resulting survival outcomes largely validated current survival-estimation methods, based on structured viability assessments, and found that longer fish length, shorter duration of air exposure, and shorter duration of trawl tow improved predicted Pacific halibut survival. Differences in these results were detected among vessel trips and species targeted by trawling. PSATs provided detailed data from nearly all tagged fish, while exposing fish to conditions experienced by normal releases.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗

USGS2026

Resources to inform the 2026 Colorado Climate Preparedness Roadmap: Compound hazards and associated public health implications

Changing environmental conditions are increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather and environmental hazards, including heat waves, wildfires, drought, reduced water quality, and degraded air quality from ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter pollution (AghaKouchak et al., 2020; Bolinger et al., 2024; Colorado Health Institute, 2023a; Fann et al., 2015; IPCC, 2023a; Nagamoto et al., 2024; Nolte et al., 2018, 2021; Zscheischler et al., 2020). Strong scientific evidence indicates that climate change will increase risks to public health and safety throughout the 21st century, particularly through compound climate events (AghaKouchak et al., 2020; Cascio, 2018; Childs et al., 2022; Ebi, 2025; IPCC, 2023a, 2023b; Ma et al., 2024; Marlier et al., 2026; National Academy of Medicine, 2025; Reid et al., 2016; Reid & Maestas, 2019; Simpson et al., 2023; van den Hurk et al., 2023; Volckens, 2024; Zscheischler et al., 2018, 2020). Compound hazards, which are co-occurring or sequential hazards such as heat waves occurring alongside drought, wildfire, and poor air quality from smoke, can amplify public health risks beyond the effects of individual hazards alone (Marlier et al., 2026; Zscheischler et al., 2020). In Colorado, compound climate events with clear implications for public health are already evident (see “Core definitions” section for additional context on compound climate events). Recent statewide assessments have documented increasing heat waves, drought, and wildfires linked to rising temperatures, while emerging data show that climate change is reversing decades of air quality improvements through increased O3 and fine particulate matter pollution due to wildfire, and increased aerosolized topsoil (i.e., dust) due to drought (Bolinger et al., 2024; Childs et al., 2022; Fann et al., 2015; Ghanbari et al., 2023; Larsen et al., 2022; Nolte et al., 2018, 2021; Volckens, 2024). These environmental shifts are associated with increases in eye and kidney-health related concerns, heat-related illness, exacerbations of asthma and other respiratory conditions, increased risk of infectious disease, cardiovascular stress, and mental health impacts, with disparities in risk for children, older adults, outdoor workers, and communities with existing health and economic vulnerabilities (Baraghoshi et al., 2023; Butler-Dawson et al., 2026; Cascio, 2018; Cleland et al., 2022; Colorado Health Institute, 2023a; Grover et al., 2024; Lee et al., 2023; Ma et al., 2024; Macaluso et al., 2024; Marlier et al., 2026; National Academy of Medicine, 2025; Patnaik et al., 2024; Peters et al., 2019; Reid et al., 2016; Reid & Maestas, 2019). The state is actively pursuing strategies to mitigate the risks of these compound climate events on the public, including expanding climate and health surveillance, strengthening early-warning systems and public communication around smoke and air quality, and developing integrated policy agendas that link climate mitigation, adaptation, and health equity (CDPHE, 2025; Colorado Health Institute, 2023b; Zemaitis & Bailey, 2024). For example, state and partner organizations have articulated cross-sector goals to prepare for health impacts related to extreme heat, wildfires, flooding, drought, declines in water quality, and poor air quality, including updating workplace safety protocols, enhancing community-based resilience, adapting clinical care assessments to include climate-related stressors, and improving access to mental and behavioral health services following climate-related disasters (Colorado Health Institute, 2023b; CDPHE, 2025; Zemaitis & Bailey, 2024). To better prepare for current risks and make informed decisions, more information is needed, including methods to analyze historical and projected conditions in near real time, characterize interactions among compound hazards, and translate climate and air quality science into actionable guidance for public health agencies, health care systems, and communities across Colorado (Ebi, 2025; Marlier et al., 2026; National Academy of Medicine, 2025; Simpson et al., 2023; Zscheischler et al., 2018). For this report, we focus on extreme heat and outdoor air quality (ozone [O3] and fine particulate matter [PM2.5]) as the main compound hazards causing compound climate events, given that 1) the state of Colorado has experienced poor air quality for some time, 2) these climate events are affecting large population numbers, and 3) there is capacity to consider and respond to these climate-driven events.

Colorado↗

USGS2013

Data entry module and manuals for the Land Treatment Digital Library

Across the country, public land managers make decisions each year that influence landscapes and ecosystems within their jurisdictions. Many of these decisions involve vegetation manipulations, which often are referred to as land treatments. These treatments include removal or alteration of plant biomass, seeding of burned areas, application of herbicides, and other activities. Data documenting these land treatments usually are stored at local management offices in various formats. Therefore, anyone interested in the types and effects of land treatments across multiple jurisdictions must first assemble the information, which can be difficult if data discovery and organization involve multiple local offices. A centralized system for storing and accessing the data helps inform land managers when making policy and management considerations and assists scientists in developing sampling designs and studies. The Land Treatment Digital Library (LTDL) was created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as a comprehensive database incorporating tabular data, documentation, photographs, and spatial data about land treatments in a single system. It was developed over a period of several years and refined based on feedback from partner agencies and stakeholders. Currently, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land treatment data are being entered by USGS personnel as part of a memorandum of understanding between the USGS and BLM. The LTDL has a website maintained by the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center where LTDL data can be viewed https://www.usgs.gov/apps/ltdl . The resources and information provided in this data series allow other agencies, organizations, and individuals to download an empty, stand-alone LTDL database to individual or networked computers. Data entered in these databases may be submitted to the USGS for possible inclusion in the online LTDL. Multiple computer programs are used to accomplish the objective of the LTDL. The support of an information-technology specialist or professionals familiar with Microsoft Access™, ESRI’s ArcGIS™, Python, Adobe Acrobat Professional™, and computer settings is essential when installing and operating the LTDL. After the program is operational, a critical element for successful data entry is an understanding of the difference between database tables and forms, and how to edit data in both formats. Complete instructions accompany the program, and they should be followed carefully to ensure the setup and operation of the database goes smoothly.

Data Series↗

USGS2015

Archive of bathymetry data collected at Cape Canaveral, Florida, 2014

Remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of the sea floor, acquired by boat- and aircraft-based survey systems, were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida, for the area at Cape Canaveral. The work was conducted as part of a study to describe an updated bathymetric dataset collected in 2014 and compare it to previous data sets. The updated data focus on the bathymetric features and sediment transport pathways that connect the offshore regions to the shoreline and, therefore, are related to the protection of other portions of the coastal environment, such as dunes, that support infrastructure and ecosystems. Cape Canaveral Coastal System (CCCS) is a prominent feature along the Southeast U.S. coastline and is the only large cape south of Cape Fear, North Carolina. Most of the CCCS lies within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and included within its boundaries are the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), and a large portion of Canaveral National Seashore. The actual promontory of the modern cape falls within the jurisdictional boundaries of the CCAFS. Hydrographic survey data were collected August 18-20, 2014 ( USGS Field Activity Number 2014-324-FA ). The study covered a 20 kilometer (km) section of shoreline extending from Port Canaveral, Fla., to the northern end of the KSC property, and from the shoreline to about 2.5 km offshore. Data were acquired using both sound navigation and ranging (sonar) and light detection and ranging (lidar) systems. Two jet skis and a 17-foot (ft) outboard motor boat equipped with the USGS SANDS (System for Accurate Nearshore Depth Surveying) hydrographic system collected precision sonar data. The USGS airborne EAARL-B mapping system flown in a twin engine airplane was used to collect lidar data. The missions were synchronized so that there was temporal and spatial overlap between the sonar and lidar operations. Additional data were collected to evaluate water clarity to verify the ability of lidar to receive bathymetric returns. Both systems used differential Global Positioning System GPS and utilized the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Geodetic Survey (NOAA/NGS) Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) station located at CCAFS was used as the reference station. This data series serves as an archive of processed single-beam sonar and lidar bathymetry data. Graphical Information System (GIS) data products include XYZ point bathymetry data files, a color coded bathymetry map, and interpolated bathymetry grid surface. Additional information includes an error analysis and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata. For more information about similar projects, please visit the Barrier Island Evolution Web site.

Florida↗

USGS1949

Fourth special report of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Hawaiian Volcano Research Association: Steam blast volcanic eruptions: A study of Mount Pelée in Martinique as type volcano

The investigation is concerned with the author's expedition to Martinique and St. Vincent in 1902 and comparison of the experience of investigators and sufferers with that of others in so-called "explosive" eruptions. The Hawaiian mechanism is reviewed with special reference to rifts, underground water, intrusion furnace, wedge rupture, and lowering of magma. These features of structure are applied to Martinique, St. Vincent, Kilauea, Tarawera, Sakurajima, Katmai, Taal and Tomboro as a series of steam blasts old and new. The comparison is found to be applicable and the analogy with Hawaii considered as fundamentally magmatic for gas and basaltic slag, brings out the contrast that lies in steam eruptions. For all volcanoes they are believed features of ground water and of collapse. Ground water stimulates lava eruptions. The Pelée disaster at St. Pierre May 8, 1902, followed by a dacite dome with spines, which renewed activity in 1929, is examined for paroxysms of downblast. These are distinguished sharply from the Carib migratory upblasts along valley fissures which are not uncommon elsewhere. The valleys are on rifts recognized as deep fumaroles. The Ghyben-Herzberg laws of ground water are applicable. Geyser rhythm was followed by Pelée, Soufriére of St. Vincent, and Kilauea in their sequence of paroxysms. Structure sections are drawn to scale, and the structural reactions of intrusion, rifts, boiler, gas effervescence, heat, and timing are thus outlined. The bearing of this machinery on volcanism in general, on world ignisepta and on reaction of magma is suggested. It is contended that steamblast is a climax of eruption in the water zone and should be sharply delimited from the rising and intrusion of fundamental earth magma, and from the high pressure water reactions of ocean bottoms. Rising magma is considered an age-long elevatory force along volcanic lines, modified by cyclical yielding. Compared with oceanic volcanism continental irruption in sediments is a separate science in experimental field geophysics. Every locality supramarine or submarine of warm ground and steep thermal gradient is a subject for volcanology, if pulsating ground water is critically, thermally and chemically measured. Authors are referred to herein by names and dates in parentheses, as listed in the appendices.

Martinique↗

USGS2016

Joint analysis of geodetic and earthquake fault-plane solution data to constrain magmatic sources: A case study from Kīlauea Volcano

A joint analysis of geodetic and seismic datasets from Kīlauea Volcano during a period of magmatic unrest in 2006 demonstrates the effectiveness of this combination for testing and constraining models of magma dynamics for a complex, multi-source system. At the end of 2003, Kīlauea's summit began a four-year-long period of inflation due to a surge in magma supply to the volcano. In 2006, for the first time since 1982, Kīlauea's Southwest Rift Zone (SWRZ) also experienced inflation. To investigate the characteristics of active magma sources and the nature of their interactions with faults in the SWRZ during 2006, we integrate, through Coulomb stress modeling, contemporary geodetic data from InSAR and GPS with a new catalogue of double-couple fault-plane solutions for volcano-tectonic earthquakes. We define two periods of inflation during 2006 based on the rate of deformation measured in daily GPS data, spanning February to 15 March 2006 (Period 1) and 16 March to 30 September 2006 (Period 2). InSAR data for these two periods are inverted to determine the position, change in size, and shape of inflation sources in each period. Our new models are consistent with microseismic activity from each period. They suggest that, during Period 1, deformation in the SWRZ can be explained by pressurization of magma in a spherical reservoir beneath the south caldera, and that, during Period 2, magma was also aseismically intruded farther to the southwest into the SWRZ along a sub-horizontal plane. Our Coulomb stress analysis shows that the microseismicity recorded in the SWRZ is induced by overpressurization of the south caldera reservoir, and not by magma intrusion into the SWRZ. This study highlights the importance of a joint analysis of independent geophysical datasets to fully constrain the nature of magma accumulation.

Hawaii↗

USGS2003

Heat flow and brine generation following the Chesapeake Bay bolide impact

Calculations indicate that the impact of an asteroid or comet on the Atlantic Coastal Plain 35 million years ago created subsequent hydrothermal activity and conditions suitable for phase separation and the creation of the brine observed in the groundwater at the site today. A calculation of groundwater velocity using Darcy's law suggests flow rates are insufficient to have moved the water out of the crater within 35 million years. A similar calculation using Pick's law demonstrates that solutes cannot have escaped by molecular diffusion since the impact. Simulations from other investigators using shock-physics codes indicate that the crust would have been vaporized or melted down to at least 2 km at the time of impact. Based on these calculations, a simulation of heat conduction was made assuming a 1000 ??C initial crustal temperature. The hot crust acted as a heat source, with temperatures peaking in the overlying sediment about 10,000 years later. The pressure and temperature conditions within the sediment during that time would have been favorable for phase separation and generation of a residual brine, which may be found today in the inner crater. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2014

Archive of single-beam bathymetry data collected from select areas in Weeks Bay and Weeks Bayou, southwest Louisiana, January 2013

A team of scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, collected 92 line-kilometers of dual-frequency single-beam bathymetry data in the tidal creeks, bayous, and coastal areas near Weeks Bay, southwest Louisiana. Limited bathymetry data exist for these tidally and meteorologically influenced shallow-water estuarine environments. In order to reduce the present knowledge gap, the objectives of this study were to (1) develop methods for regional inland bathymetry mapping and monitoring, (2) test inland bathymetry mapping system in pilot locations for integrating multiple elevation (aerial and terrestrial lidar) and bathymetry datasets, (3) implement inland bathymetry mapping and monitoring in highly focused sites, and (4) evaluate changes in bathymetry and channel-fill sediment storage using these methods. This report contains single-beam bathymetric data collected between January 14 and 18, 2013. Data were collected from the RV Mako (5-meter vessel) in water depths that ranged from <1 meter to 7.7 meters. Locations of data collection ranged from open-bay systems to narrow inland tidal creeks (U.S. Geological Survey Field Activity Number 13CCT01). This report serves as an archive of processed bathymetry data. Geographic information system data provided in this document include a 10-meter cell-size interpolated gridded bathymetry surface, and trackline maps. Additional files include error analysis maps, Field Activity Collection System logs, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata. Do not use these data for navigational purposes.

Louisiana↗

USGS2016

Evolutionary traps as keys to understanding behavioral maladaptation

Evolutionary traps are severe cases of behavioral maladaptation that occur when, due to human activity, the cues animals use to guide their behavior become uncoupled from their fitness consequences. The result is that animals can prefer the most dangerous resources or behaviors, even when better options are available. Traps are increasingly common and represent a significant wildlife conservation problem. Understanding of the more proximate sensory-cognitive mechanisms underpinning traps remains poor, which highlights the need for interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to investigating traps. Key to advancing basic trap theory and its conservation applications will be the development of appropriate and tractable model systems to investigate the mechanisms that cause traps within species, and how mechanisms vary across species.

Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences↗

USGS2002

Snow chemistry of the Cascade-Sierra Nevada Mountains

This investigation assesses geographic variations in atmospheric deposition in Washington, Oregon, and California using snow cores from the Cascade-Sierra Nevada Mountains, collected from late February to mid-March 1983. A statistical analysis of the analytical and sampling precision was made. The snowpack in the higher Cascades and Sierra Nevada is not strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities at present. The pH of snow samples ranges from 5.11 to 5.88. Sulfate and nitrate correlate with H+ in some segments of the sample traverse. The SO4 data show apparent influence from major source areas in Washington and California; nitrate does not. An apparent decrease in NH4 in snow in Washington and California suggests atmospheric interactions resulting in the removal of NH4. The NH4 reduction raises questions about nutrient supply to the mountain vegetation. Heavy-metal correlations included Cd, Cu, and Fe with Pb, and Mn with K and DOC, among others. No correlation was found between constituents and snow-water content.

California, Oregon, Washington↗

USGS2024

Using models of local environmental conditions for biological assessment

A common approach for biological assessment is to compare current observations of biota at a site to predictions of the biota that would occur if the site were in reference condition. To estimate these reference expectations, predictive bioassessment models use only data collected at reference sites and estimate relationships between biota and environmental variables that are unaffected by human activities (i.e., immutable variables). However, in some areas where human activities are pervasive, few reference sites are available. Here, we introduce a new approach for bioassessment, in which we first estimate relationships between widely available measurements of both immutable and human-influenced landscape variables and local environmental conditions (conductivity, dissolved total P, total suspended solids, percentage of sand and fines in the substrate, and dissolved organic C), and then we estimate the relationship between these local environmental variables and total macroinvertebrate richness. We then calculate the values of the local environmental variables under reference conditions by adjusting predictors that are strongly influenced by human activities to levels that are consistent with those observed at reference sites. Reference values of local environmental variables are then combined with the model for taxon richness to calculate taxon richness expected under reference conditions. Predictions of total taxon richness in validation data using the new approach are similar in accuracy and precision as predictions calculated using a traditional approach that focuses only on reference site data. The new approach complements existing bioassessment methods by highlighting types of sites in which estimates of reference expectations are uncertain and by improving our understanding of how instream stressors affect expected total taxon richness.

conterminous United States↗

USGS2006

Application of municipal biosolids to dry-land wheat fields - A monitoring program near Deer Trail, Colorado (USA). A presentation for an international conference: "The Future of Agriculture: Science, Stewardship, and Sustainability", August 7-9, 2006, Sacramento, CA

Since late 1993, Metro Wastewater Reclamation District of Denver (Metro District), a large wastewater treatment plant in Denver, Colorado, has applied Grade I, Class B biosolids to about 52,000 acres of non-irrigated farmland and rangeland near Deer Trail, Colorado. In cooperation with the Metro District in 1993, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began monitoring ground water at part of this site. In 1999, the USGS began a more comprehensive study of the entire site to address stakeholder concerns about the chemical effects of biosolids applications. This more comprehensive monitoring program has recently been extended through 2010. Monitoring components of the more comprehensive study included biosolids collected at the wastewater treatment plant, soil, crops, dust, alluvial and bedrock ground water, and stream bed sediment. Streams at the site are dry most of the year, so samples of stream bed sediment deposited after rain were used to indicate surface-water effects. This presentation will only address biosolids, soil, and crops. More information about these and the other monitoring components are presented in the literature (e.g., Yager and others, 2004a, b, c, d) and at the USGS Web site for the Deer Trail area studies at http://co.water.usgs.gov/projects/CO406/CO406.html. Priority parameters identified by the stakeholders for all monitoring components, included the total concentrations of nine trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, and zinc), plutonium isotopes, and gross alpha and beta activity, regulated by Colorado for biosolids to be used as an agricultural soil amendment. Nitrogen and chromium also were priority parameters for ground water and sediment components. In general, the objective of each component of the study was to determine whether concentrations of priority parameters (1) were higher than regulatory limits, (2) were increasing with time, or (3) were significantly higher in biosolids-applied areas than in a similar farmed area where biosolids were not applied. Where sufficient samples could be collected, statistical methods were used to evaluate effects. Rigorous quality assurance was included in all aspects of the study. The roles of hydrology and geology also were considered in the design, data collection, and interpretation phases of the study. Study results indicate that the chemistry of the biosolids from the Denver plant was consistent during 1999-2005, and total concentrations of regulated trace elements were consistently lower than the regulatory limits. Plutonium isotopes were not detected in the biosolids. Leach tests using deionized water to simulate natural precipitation indicate arsenic, molybdenum, and nickel were the most soluble priority parameters in the biosolids. Study results show no significant difference in concentrations of priority parameters between biosolids-applied soils and unamended soils where no biosolids were applied. However, biosolids were applied only twice during 1999-2003. The next soil sampling is not scheduled until 2010. To date concentrations of most of the priority parameters were not much greater in the biosolids than in natural soil from the sites. Therefore, many more biosolids applications would need to occur before biosolids effects on the soil priority constituents can be quantified. Leach tests using deionized water to simulate precipitation indicate that molybdenum and selenium were the priority parameters that were most soluble in both biosolids-applied soil and natural or unamended soil. Study results do not indicate significant differences in concentrations of priority parameters between crops grown in biosolids-applied areas and crops grown where no biosolids were applied. However, crops were grown only twice during 1999-2003, so only two crop samples could be collected. The wheat-grain elemental data collected during 1999-2003 for both biosolids-applied areas and unamended areas are similar

Open-File Report↗

USGS1987

Selenium accumulation in mammals exposed to contaminated California irrigation drainwater

In May 1984, 332 mammals of 10 species were collected at Kesterson Reservoir (San Joaquin Valley, Merced Co., CA), which had received selenium-laden irrigation drainwater, and at the nearby Volta Wildlife Area, which had not. The study concentrated on the California vole ( Microtus californicus ); 88 were taken at Kesterson, 89 at Volta. Mean selenium concentrations in livers were as much as 522 times higher at Kesterson. There were species-to-species differences at Kesterson; higher selenium concentrations occurred in carnivorous species and/or species that feed on foods closely linked to pond water. There were also pond-to-pond differences at Kesterson; drainwater historically was delivered to Ponds 1 and 2, where concentrations in 1984 were higher, with subsequent flow to other ponds, where they were lower. Whereas none of 50 adult female voles from Kesterson was pregnant, 12 of 41 (29%) from Volta were pregnant. However, this cessation of reproductive activity at Kesterson was probably not due to selenium toxicity but could have resulted because drying conditions at Kesterson forced voles to a seed diet earlier than at Volta. One malformation was found among five embryonic litters of three species from Kesterson. Mammals seem much less susceptible to selenium-induced embryonic abnormalities than birds. No adverse impacts of selenium on wild mammals were demonstrated; however, some sensitive species might have been extirpated from Kesterson before this study began. In addition, high concentrations in small mammal species at Kesterson may threaten predatory birds and mammals that feed on them, with the endangered San Joaquin kit fox ( Vulpes macrotis mutica ) of particular concern.

Science of the Total Environment↗

USGS2003

Quaternary vegetation and climate change in the western United States: Developments, perspectives, and prospects

This chapter explores the strengths and shortcomings of the major sources of data on Quaternary vegetation and climate change and discusses the use of models as a means to explore past and potential future environmental changes. The flora and major vegetation types of the western United States are present for several million years. Ongoing changes in atmospheric chemistry , climate, and human activities may lead to major vegetation changes over the coming decades to centuries. The combination of observations from the paleoenvironmental record, modern ecological studies, and modeling now permit assessments of the magnitude of potential future changes in the context of natural variability. They also provide opportunities for hypothesis testing and identification of the processes driving past changes in vegetation and climate. Understanding the dynamics of paleoenvironmental change can contribute to current conservation and natural resource management efforts and will help conservation and natural resource managers anticipate the potential rate, magnitude, and complexity of future vegetation change.

western United States↗

USGS2001

Hunting statistics: what data for what use? An account of an international workshop

Hunting interacts with the underlying dynamics of game species in several different ways and is, at the same time, a source of valuable information not easily obtained from populations that are not subjected to hunting. Specific questions, including the sustainability of hunting activities, can be addressed using hunting statistics. Such investigations will frequently require that hunting statistics be combined with data from other sources of population-level information. Such reflections served as a basis for the meeting, ?Hunting Statistics: What Data for What Use,? held on January 15-18, 2001 in Saint-Benoist, France. We review here the 20 talks held during the workshop and the contribution of hunting statistics to our knowledge of the population dynamics of game species. Three specific topics (adaptive management, catch-effort models, and dynamics of exploited populations) were highlighted as important themes and are more extensively presented as boxes.

Game and Wildlife Science↗

USGS2014

Science for the stewardship of the groundwater resources of Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Groundwater is the sole source of drinking water and a major source of freshwater for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Groundwater discharged from aquifers also supports freshwater pond and stream ecosystems and coastal wetlands. Six hydraulically distinct groundwater-flow systems (lenses) have been delineated on Cape Cod. Of the approximately 450 million gallons per day of water that enters these lenses as recharge from precipitation, about 69 percent discharges directly to the coast, about 24 percent discharges to streams, and almost 7 percent is withdrawn by public-supply wells. In most areas, groundwater in the sand and gravel aquifers is shallow and susceptible to contamination from anthropogenic sources and saltwater intrusion. Continued land development and population growth on Cape Cod have created concerns that potable water will become less available and that the quantity and quality of water flowing to natural discharge areas such as ponds, streams, and coastal waters will continue to decline. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been investigating groundwater and surface-water resources on Cape Cod for more than 50 years. Recent studies highlighted in this fact sheet have focused on the sources of water to public-supply wells, ponds, streams, and coastal areas; the transport and discharge of nitrogen derived from domestic and municipal disposal of wastewater; and the effects of climate change on groundwater and surface-water resources. Other USGS activities include long-term monitoring of groundwater and pond levels and field research on groundwater contamination at the USGS Cape Cod Toxic Substances Hydrology Research Site ( http://ma.water.usgs.gov/MMRCape/ ) near the Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC), formerly the Massachusetts Military Reservation.

Massachusetts↗

USGS2024

Prioritizing US Geological Survey science on salinization and salinity in candidate and selected priority river basins

The US Geological Survey (USGS) is selecting and prioritizing basins, known as Integrated Water Science basins, for monitoring and intensive study. Previous efforts to aid in this selection process include a scientifically defensible and quantitative assessment of basins facing human-caused water resource challenges (Van Metre et al. in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment , 192(7), 458 2020). In the present work, we explore this ranking process based on water quality considerations, specifically salinity and salinization. We selected top candidate basins to study salinity and salinization issues in 18 hydrologic regions that include 163 candidate basins. Our prioritization is based on quantitative assessment of sources of salinity, drivers of change, and receptors that must respond to those sources and drivers. Source terms represented in the prioritization include geology, depth to brackish groundwater, stream conductivity, chloride in precipitation, urban and agricultural land use, application of road salt as a deicer, and irrigation. Drivers represented in prioritization include changes in chemical weathering as a result of changes in rainwater chemistry. Receptors include measures of water stress, measurements of stream ecological health, and socioeconomic factors. In addition, we present research activities for the USGS on salinity and salinization that can be pursued in these basins including assessment of sources, pathways, and loadings; predicting and understanding changes in sources, peaks, and trends; understanding the components of salinity and mobilization of contaminants; understanding the relationship between salinization and changing ecosystems; and developing knowledge on the causes and distribution of groundwater salinity, brackish water resources, and challenges related to desalination.

Enviornmental Monitoring and Assessment↗

USGS2001

Borehole P- and S-wave velocity at thirteen stations in Southern California

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as part of a program to acquire seismic velocity data at locations of strong-ground motion in earthquakes (e.g., Gibbs et al., 2000), has investigated thirteen additional sites in the Southern California region. Of the thirteen sites, twelve are in the vicinity of Whittier, California, and one is located in San Bernardino, California. Several deployments of temporary seismographs were made after the Whittier Narrows, California earthquake of 1 October 1987 (Mueller et al., 1988). A deployment, between 2 October and 9 November 1987, was the motivation for selection of six of the drill sites. Temporary portable seismographs at Hoover School (HOO), Lincoln School (LIN), Corps of Engineers Station (NAR), Olive Junior High School (OLV), Santa Anita Golf Course (SAG), and Southwestern Academy (SWA) recorded significant aftershock data. These portable sites, with the exception of Santa Anita Golf Course, were co-sited with strong-motion recorders. Stations at HOO, Lincoln School Whittier (WLB), Saint Paul High School (STP), Alisos Adult School (EXC), Cerritos College Gymnasium (CGM), Cerritos College Physical Science Building (CPS), and Cerritos College Police Building (CPB) were part of an array of digital strong-motion stations deployed from "bedrock" in Whittier to near the deepest part of the Los Angeles basin in Norwalk. Although development and siting of this new array (partially installed at the time of this writing) was generally motivated by the Whittier Narrows earthquake, these new sites (with the exception of HOO) were not part of any Whittier Narrows aftershock deployments. A similar new digital strong-motion site was installed at the San Bernardino Fire Station during the same time frame. Velocity data were obtained to depths of about 90 meters at two sites, 30 meters at seven sites, and 18 to 25 meters at four sites. Lithology data from the analysis of cuttings and samples was obtained from the two 90-meter deep holes and from five of the shallower holes to supplement the velocity interpretation. The two 90-meter boreholes (SB1, CPB) have been instrumented with borehole seismometers for continuous monitoring of earthquake activity (Rogers et al., 1998). No drill samples or cuttings were obtained from the other six sites, but driller's logs were scanned for major changes noted there. The velocity models at those sites were interpreted using only the measured data and major changes in the driller's log as noted above. The sites are shown in Figure 1 and listed in Table 1, which gives references to information regarding the strong-motion data. Several hundred strong-motion records of the main-shock were written by this moderate size earthquake (ML = 5.9), making it important from a scientific and engineering prospective (Brady et al., 1988; Shakal et al., 1988).

California↗