Geology Reports⌕ Search

SEARCH · Geology Reports

Results for “Hydrological Data”

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 1,621 records · Page 90Linked to original sources
USGS2015

Hydrogeologic framework of the Santa Clara Valley, California

The hydrologic framework of the Santa Clara Valley in northern California was redefined on the basis of new data and a new hydrologic model. The regional groundwater flow systems can be subdivided into upper-aquifer and lower-aquifer systems that form a convergent flow system within a basin bounded by mountains and hills on three sides and discharge to pumping wells and the southern San Francisco Bay. Faults also control the flow of groundwater within the Santa Clara Valley and subdivide the aquifer system into three subregions. After decades of development and groundwater depletion that resulted in substantial land subsidence, Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) and the local water purveyors have refilled the basin through conservation and importation of water for direct use and artificial recharge. The natural flow system has been altered by extensive development with flow paths toward major well fields. Climate has not only affected the cycles of sedimentation during the glacial periods over the past million years, but interannual to interdecadal climate cycles also have affected the supply and demand components of the natural and anthropogenic inflows and outflows of water in the valley. Streamflow has been affected by development of the aquifer system and regulated flow from reservoirs, as well as conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water. Interaquifer flow through water-supply wells screened across multiple aquifers is an important component to the flow of groundwater and recapture of artificial recharge in the Santa Clara Valley. Wellbore flow and depth-dependent chemical and isotopic data indicate that flow into wells from multiple aquifers, as well as capture of artificial recharge by pumping of water-supply wells, predominantly is occurring in the upper 500 ft (152 m) of the aquifer system. Artificial recharge represents about one-half of the inflow of water into the valley for the period 1970–1999. Most subsidence is occurring below 250 ft (76 m), and most pumpage occurs within the upper-aquifer system between 300 and 650 ft (between 91 and 198 m) below land surface. Overall, the natural quality of most groundwater in the Santa Clara Valley is good. Isotopic data indicate that artificial recharge is occurring throughout the shallower parts of the upper-aquifer system and that recent recharge (less than 50 yr old) occurs throughout most of the basin in the upper-aquifer system, but many of the wells in the center of the basin with deeper well screens do not contain tritium and recent recharge. Age dates indicate that the groundwater in the upper-aquifer system generally is less than 2000 yr old, and groundwater in the lower-aquifer system generally ranges from 16,700 to 39,900 yr old. Depth-dependent sampling indicates that wellbores are the main path for vertical flow between aquifer layers. Isotopic data indicate as much as 60% of water pumped from production wells originated as artificial recharge. Shallow aquifers not only contain more recent recharge but may be more susceptible to anthropogenic and natural contamination, as evidenced by trace occurrences of iron, nitrate, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in selected water-supply wells. Water-resource management issues are centered on sustaining a reliable and good-quality source of water to the residents and industries of the valley. While the basin has been refilled, increased demand owing to growth and droughts could result in renewed storage depletion and the related potential adverse effects of land subsidence and seawater intrusion. The new hydrologic model demonstrates the importance of the aquifer layering, faults, and stream channels in relation to groundwater flow and infiltration of recharge. This model provides a means to analyze water resource issues because it separates the supply and demand components of the inflows and outflows.

California↗
USGS2006

Hydrologic requirements of and consumptive ground-water use by riparian vegetation along the San Pedro River, Arizona

This study is a coordinated effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), and Arizona State University, with assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the University of Wyoming, and the University of Arizona. The specific objectives of the study were: to determine the water needs of riparian vegetation through the riparian growing season and throughout the SPRNCA to ensure its long-term ecological integrity; to quantify the total water use of riparian vegetation within the SPRNCA; and to determine the source of water used by key riparian plant species within the SPRNCA. To meet these objectives, the study was divided into three elements: (1) a characterization of the status and variability of hydrologic factors within the riparian system (USGS), (2) a riparian biohydrology study to relate spatial and temporal aspects of riparian changes and condition to the hydrologic variables (Arizona State University), and (3) a water-use evapotranspiration (ET) study to quantify annual consumptive ground-water use by riparian transpiration and direct evaporation from the stream channel (USDA ARS) in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the University of Wyoming, and the University of Arizona. Twenty-six sites within the SPRNCA were selected for collection of vegetation data from three primary streamflow regimes (perennial, intermittent-wet, intermittent-dry), which include the principal vegetation communities. Detailed hydrologic-condition data were collected at a subset of 16 of these sites, called the SPRNCA biohydrology sites. Water-use and water-source data were collected at a subset of 5 of the 16 biohydrology sites. Vegetation data also were collected at supplemental sites within the SPRNCA boundary in the Upper San Pedro Basin and in the Lower San Pedro Basin. In addition to information about vegetation and geomorphic conditions, hydrologic data collected at the 16 biohydrology sites were used to delineate 14 reaches that were internally homogenous in terms of streamflow hydrology (spatial intermittence of streamflow) and geomorphology (channel sinuosity and flood-plain width). Although this overall study consisted of three elements, the elements were closely coordinated to derive integrated results. Specifically, the connection between water demand, water availability, and riparian functioning represents a synthesis of the study elements. The effects of intra- and inter-annual as well as spatial variability of hydrologic and riparian factors were observed in each of the three study elements.

Arizona↗
USGS1993

Interactions between ground water and wetlands, southern shore of Lake Michigan, USA

Wetlands between, and within, dune-beach complexes along the south shore of Lake Michigan are strongly affected by ground water. The hydrogeology of the glacial drift aquifer system in a 26 km 2 area was investigated to determine the effects of ground water on the hydrology and hydrochemistry of Cowles Bog and its adjacent wetlands. The investigation showed that ground water from intermediate- and regional-scale flow systems discharges to Cowles Bog from confined aquifers that underlie the wetland. These flow systems are recharged in moraines south of the dune-beach complexes. Water from the confined aquifers discharges into the surficial aquifer mainly by upward leakage through a buried till sheet that serves as the confining layer. However, the till sheet is breached below a raised peat mound in Cowles Bog, allowing direct upward discharge from the confinef aquifer into the surficial sand, marl, and peat. The shallow ground and wetland water in the area influenced by this leakage is a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type, with low tritium concentrations consistent with mixing of older ground water and more recent precipitation. Ground water and wetland water from surrounding areas are less mineralized and have higher tritium concentrations characteristic of precipitation in the late 1970s. The results of this study suggest that wetlands in complex hydrogeologic settings may be influenced by multiple ground-water flow systems that are affected by geomorphic features, stratigraphic discontinuities, and changes in sediment types. Discharge and recharge zones may both occur in the same wetland. Multidisciplinary studies incorporating hydrological, hydrochemical, geophysical, and sedimentological data are necessary to identify such complexities in wetland hydrology.

Journal of Hydrology↗
USGS1990

U.S. Geological Survey National Computer Technology Meeting; Program and abstracts, May 7-11, 1990

he Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has made major advancements in the use of computer technology to meet the Survey‘s mission of providing the hydrologic information and understanding needed for the optimum use and management of the Nation’s water resources. The Division requires substantial computer technology to process, store, and analyze data from about 60,000 sites. To meet this workload, the Division organized its computer resources in 1982 through the Distributed Information System (DIS) Program Office, which manages the Division's national network of computers. The DIS is designed to provide computer resources in support of the Division’s current and future activities -acquisition and storage of hydrologic information, hydrologic data analysis, geographic information systems, reports and electronic report processing, and administration. The Water Resources Division sponsored the first DIS Site Administrators Meeting in March 1984 in Denver, Colorado, and a second meeting in October 198.5 in Hyannis, Massachusetts. The thrust of the first two national meetings was the training of Water Resources Division personnel in the use and administration of the Division’s computer hardware and software. Starting with the third meeting, which was held in Atlanta, Georgia, in May 1987, the name was changed to the National Computer Technology Meeting because the format evolved to include presentation of papers prepared by computer and scientific personnel in the Division. These papers document work done in the field of computer science as applied to hydrology, including the design and use of geographic information systems, use of nationally distributed software, the development of procedures for data-base management, and research papers on the expanding field of computer technology. Training continues to be a major part of the National Computer Technology Meeting. This year’s meeting includes training on the use of UNIX operating system, UNIX system administration and security, the C programming language, local area networking, as well as a publication seminar. This report includes abstracts for papers and posters that have been accepted for presentation at the Fifth National Computer Technology Meeting.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1980

Hydrology and water quality of the copper-nickel study region, northeastern Minnesota

Data were collected on the hydrology of the Copper-Nickel study region to identify the location and nature of groundwater resources, determine the flow characteristics and general quality of the major streams, and determine the potential effects of mining copper and nickel on the hydrologic stream. Groundwater generally occurs in local flow systems within surficial deposits and in fractures in the upper few hundred feet of bedrock. Yields commonly range from 1 to 5 gallons per minute from wells in surficial materials and bedrock, but can be as much as 1,000 gallons per minute from wells in the sand and gravel aquifer underlying the Embarrass River valley. Groundwater generally is calcium-magnesium bicarbonate types. Over a mineralized zone, groundwater has concentrations of copper and nickel greater than 5 micrograms per liter. The average annual runoff from streams in the study area is about 10 inches. About 60% of the annual runoff occurs during snowmelt in spring. Flood peaks are reduced in streams that have surface storage available in on-channel lakes and wetlands. Specific conductance in streams can exceed 250 micromhos per centimeter at 25 Celsius where mine dewatering supplements natural discharge. Estimated groundwater discharge to projected copper-nickel mines ranges from less than 25 to about 2,000 gallons per minute. The introduction of trace metals from future mining activities to the groundwater system can be reduced if tailings basins and stockpiles are located on material which has low permeability, such as till, peat, or bedrock. (USGS)

Minnesota↗
USGS2014

Understanding the hydrologic sources and sinks in the Nile Basin using multisource climate and remote sensing data sets

In this study, we integrated satellite-drived precipitation and modeled evapotranspiration data (2000–2012) to describe spatial variability of hydrologic sources and sinks in the Nile Basin. Over 2000–2012 period, 4 out of 11 countries (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda) in the Nile Basin showed a positive water balance while three downstream countries (South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt) showed a negative balance. Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mass deviation in storage data analysis showed that at annual timescales, the Nile Basin storage change is substantial while over longer time periods, it is minimal (<1% of basin precipitation). We also used long-term gridded runoff and river discharge data (1869–1984) to understand the discrepancy in the observed and expected flow along the Nile River. The top three countries that contribute most to the flow are Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya. The study revealed that ∼85% of the runoff generated in the equatorial region is lost in an interstation basin that includes the Sudd wetlands in South Sudan; this proportion is higher than the literature reported loss of 50% at the Sudd wetlands alone. The loss in runoff and flow volume at different sections of the river tend to be more than what can be explained by evaporation losses, suggesting a potential recharge to deeper aquifers that are not connected to the Nile channel systems. On the other hand, we also found that the expected average annual Nile flow at Aswan is greater (97 km 3 ) than the reported amount (84 km 3 ). Due to the large variations of the reported Nile flow at different locations and time periods, the study results indicate the need for increased hydrometeorological instrumentation of the basin. The study also helped improve our understanding of the spatial dynamics of water sources and sinks in the Nile Basin and identified emerging hydrologic questions that require further attention.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2020

Small basin annual yield and percentage of snowmelt runoff in North Dakota, 1931–2016

The North Dakota hydrology manual prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, presents methodologies primarily used for developing hydrology for onfarm conservation practices, watershed projects, Resource Conservation and Development project measures, and river basin studies. The manual includes data necessary for determining hydrologic factors and developing a design discharge for a given site and intended purpose. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the North Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service, developed methods to reproduce and update the annual yield maps for chapter 7 of the North Dakota hydrology manual. Annual yields, in acre-feet per square mile, for the 50- and 80-percent exceedance probabilities and expected percentage of snowmelt runoff isolines were estimated using U.S. Geological Survey streamflow data from 1931 to 2016 for 71 selected streamgages with drainage areas of 505 square miles or less. An application of a modified Maintenance of Variance Extension Type III was used to estimate missing annual streamflow volumes. An alternate expected percentage of snowmelt runoff isolines was estimated using High Plains Climatic Center precipitation and snowmelt data from 1931 to 2016 for 85 selected sites. The final expected percentage of snowmelt runoff isolines was estimated using streamflow data instead of precipitation and snowfall depth data. A snowmelt runoff seasonal period of March–May produced better isoline slopes than a November–May runoff seasonal period. Slopes of the expected percentage of snowmelt runoff isolines were sensitive to amounts of missing record. Suitable isoline slopes appeared when the missing record was set to 50 percent (43 years) and 66 percent (57 years) for the 86-year period of 1931–2016.

North Dakota↗
USGS2010

Water Information Programs in Kansas

The USGS has collected hydrologic information in Kansas for more than 100 years. This information consists of streamflow and gage-height data; reservoir content; water-quality and water-quantity data; suspended-sediment data; and groundwater levels. Hydrologic studies are conducted on statewide, regional, and local levels. The USGS in Kansas works cooperatively with 31 Federal, State, and local agencies, such as the Kansas Water Office, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the City of Wichita.

General Information Product↗
USGS2006

Tracermodel1- Excel workbook for calculation and presentation of environmental tracer data for simple groundwater mixtures: Use of chlorofluorocarbons in hydrology - a guidebook; Section III.10.3

Atmospheric environmental tracers commonly used to date groundwater on timescales of years to decades include CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, SF6, 85Kr, 3 H and 3 H/3 H0 , where 3 H0 refers to initial tritium (3 H + tritiogenic 3 He) (Cook and Herczeg, 2000). Interpretation of age from environmental tracer data may be relatively simple for a water sample with a single age, but the interpretation is more complex for a sample that is a mixture of waters of varying ages. A mixture can be a natural result of convergence of flow lines to a discharge area such as a spring or stream, or it can be an artefact of sampling a long-screen well. TRACERMODEL1 contains a worksheet that can be used to determine hypothetical concentrations of atmospheric environmental tracers in water samples with several different age distributions. It is designed to permit plotting of ages and tracer concentrations in a variety of different combinations to facilitate interpretation of measurements. TRACERMODEL1 includes several different types of graphs that are linked to the calculations. The spreadsheet and accompanying graphs can be modified for specific applications. For example, the selection of atmospheric environmental tracers can be changed to reflect analytes of interest, the input tracer data can be modified to reflect local conditions or different timescales, and the analytes of interest can include other types of non-point-source contaminants, such as nitrate (Böhlke, 2002). Previous versions of this workbook have been used to evaluate field data in studies of groundwater residence time and agricultural contamination (Böhlke and Denver, 1995; Focazio et al., 1998; Katz et al., 1999; Katz et al., 2001; Plummer et al., 2001; Böhlke and Krantz, 2003; Lindsey et al., 2003).

Report↗
USGS2021

Hydrologic and ecological investigations in the School Branch watershed, Hendricks County, Indiana—Water years 2016–2018

School Branch in Hendricks County in central Indiana, is a small stream with a variety of agricultural and suburban land uses that drains into the Eagle Creek Reservoir, a major source of drinking water for Indianapolis, Indiana. The School Branch watershed has become the focus of a collaborative partnership of Federal, State, and local agencies; a university research center; and agricultural producers to understand the effects of land use and management practices on water quality and water quantity in the watershed. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, contributed to the School Branch partnership with the operation of three streamgages (03353415 School Branch at Maloney Road near Brownsburg, Indiana; 03353420 School Branch at County Road 750 North at Brownsburg, Indiana; and 03353430 School Branch at Noble Drive at Brownsburg, Indiana) and the operation of a continuous water-quality gage (also known as a supergage) at County Road 750 North that measured dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, specific conductance, turbidity, nitrate, and orthophosphate. Additional efforts included the use of passive samplers to identify wastewater indicators; assessment of fish and macroinvertebrate communities and stream habitat to identify ecological impairment; sampling for nutrients and sediment to estimate loads; and using major ions, stable isotopes and nested groundwater monitoring wells at County Road 750 North to determine hydrologic connectivity between the groundwater and surface water. The objectives of this study were to collect surface and groundwater data to analyze the hydrology and water quality within the watershed. Total nitrogen yields were highest at the upstream site, Maloney Road, and indicated a mixture of nitrogen sources in the watershed. Differences found in total nitrogen loading patterns throughout the watershed may be linked to differences in hydrology and land-use management from site to site. The groundwater and surface water were shown to be highly connected, and except for some low-flow periods, the water was flowing from groundwater to the stream for most of the study period. Fish and macroinvertebrate communities show improvement from upstream to downstream, with increases in diversity, richness, and species sensitive to poor water quality and habitat. These increases were most likely due to improved habitat quality at the downstream station.

Indiana↗
USGS1981

Results of hydrologic tests and water-chemistry analyses, wells H-4A, H-4B, and H-4C, at the proposed waste isolation pilot plant site, southeastern New Mexico

Data were collected during hydrologic testing at wells H-4A, H-4B, and H-4C in the southern part of the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site in southeastern New Mexico. The three water-bearing zones tested, the Magenta and Culebra Dolomite Members of the Rustler Formation and the Rustler Formation-Salado Formation contact, yield water to wells at rates less than 0.9 gallon per minute. Throughout the testing, water-pressure response in the tested zone was monitored by a pressure transducer system. Shut-in and slug tests were conducted to acquire the data from which the following values were derived. Calculated transmissivities for the Magenta, Culebra and the Rustler-Salado contact at wells H-4A, H-4B, and H-4C were 0.06, 0.9, and 0.0006 foot squared per day respectively. Water samples from the Magenta and Culebra had dissolved-solids concentrations of 22,300 and 18,100 milligrams per liter, respectively. The major chemical constituents of ground-water samples from these two zones were sodium, chloride, and sulfate. Water samples from the Rustler-Salado contact had a dissolved-solids concentration of 322,000 milligrams per liter and magnesium, sodium, and chloride were the major constituents. Radium-226, a naturally occurring radioactive element, was present in samples from all three zones. (USGS)

New Mexico↗
USGS1982

Results of hydrologic tests and water-chemistry analyses, wells H-5A, H-5B, and H-5C, at the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site, southeastern New Mexico

Data were collected during hydrologic testing at wells H-5A, H-5B, and H-5C in the northeastern part of the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site in southeastern New Mexico. The three water-bearing zones tested, the Magenta and Culebra Dolomite Members of the Rustler Formation and the Rustler Formation-Salado Formation contact, yield water to wells at rates less than 0.6 gallon per minute. Throughout the testing, water-pressure response in the tested zone was monitored by a pressure-transducer system. Shut-in and slug tests were conducted to acquire data from which the following values were derived. Dissolved-solids concentrations In water samples were: (1) Magenta Dolomite Member, 6,090 milligrams per liter; (2) Culebra Dolomite Member, 144,000 milligrams per liter; and (3) Rustler Formation-Salado Formation contact, 412,000 milligrams per liter. The major chemical constituents of water samples from the Magenta Dolomite Member were sodium and sulfate; from the Culebra Dolomite Member, sodium and chloride; and from the Rustler Formation-Salado Formation contact, magnesium and chloride. Radium-226, a naturally occurring radioactive element, was present in samples from all three zones.

New Mexico↗
USGS2025

Quantifying groundwater response and uncertainty in beaver-influenced mountainous floodplains using machine learning-based model calibration

Beavers ( Castor canadensis ) alter river corridor hydrology by creating ponds and inundating floodplains, and thereby improving surface water storage. However, the impact of inundation on groundwater, particularly in mountainous alluvial floodplains with permeable gravel/cobble layers overlain by a soil layer, remains uncertain. Numerical modeling across various floodplain structures considers topographic and sediment complexity and multidirectional flow, linking inundation to groundwater response. This study develops a model-data integration workflow to address uncertainty in groundwater response to beaver-induced inundations in a mountainous alluvial floodplain in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Uncertain factors include seasonal hydrologic dynamics, hydraulic conductivities, floodplain structures, and meteorological forcings. We employed an ensemble of groundwater models, based on geophysical and hydrologic data, with machine learning-based calibration using a neural density estimator. This allowed us to quantify the vertical flux from the soil layer to the permeable gravel bed, the down-valley underflow within the gravel bed, and their ratios. Results show a significant increase in the vertical flux relative to down-valley underflow, from 2% during dry pond periods to 20% during wet periods, serving as an analogy for conditions without and with beaver ponds. The study highlights the influence of floodplain structure on groundwater storage, water balance, and water quality impacted by beaver ponds. A thick gravel bed layer, with a large down-valley underflow, minimizes the effect of beaver-induced inundation on water quality. We emphasize the need for field-scale measurements of floodplain structure and improved characterization of evapotranspiration changes to reduce uncertainty in groundwater response.

Colorado↗
USGS2008

Precipitation, Ground-water Hydrology, and Recharge Along the Eastern Slopes of the Sandia Mountains, Bernalillo County, New Mexico

The spatial and temporal distribution of recharge to carbonate and clastic aquifers along the eastern slopes of the Sandia Mountains was investigated by using precipitation, water-level, dissolved chloride, and specific-conductance data. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Bernalillo County Public Works Division, conducted a study to assess ground-water conditions and provide technical data that could be used as a basis for management and future planning of eastern Bernalillo County water resources. The intent of the investigation was to improve the current understanding of subsurface mechanisms controlling recharge dynamics in a geologically complex aquifer system. In the Sandia Mountains, precipitation events are generally limited to snowfalls in winter months and monsoon rainfall in late summer. Monthly meteorological data from weather stations in the study area indicate that monsoon rainfall during July and August constitutes close to one-third of annual precipitation totals. Following precipitation and snowmelt events, daily ground-water level data show low-amplitude, long-duration peaks in hydrographs of wells north and west of the Tijeras Fault. Hydrographs of monthly and biannual water-level data from across the study area show seasonal variation and water-level fluctuations in excess of 30 ft during a period of below-average precipitation. Water level observations in 67 percent of wells showing drought-induced water-level declines rebounded to at or near predrought conditions within 6 months of return to normal climate conditions. Cross-correlation of annual hydrologic data shows aquifer response to periods of monsoon recharge to persist from 1 to 6 months following events. The lag time between precipitation input and response of water levels or solute concentrations was largest near the Tijeras and Gutierrez Faults. These results indicate regional faults hydrologically isolate the Tijeras Graben from groundwater recharge originating at high elevations along the eastern slopes of the Sandia Mountains. Recharge rates calculated by using the chloride-mass-balance method for five springs located at the base of the Sandia Mountains ranged from 1 to 23 percent of annual precipitation.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS1984

Uses, funding, and availability of continuous streamflow data in Montana

This report documents the results of a study of the uses, funding, and availability of continuous streamflow data collected and published by the U.S. Geological Survey in Montana. Data uses and funding sources are identified for the 218 continuous streamflow gages currently (1984) being operated. These stations are supported by 18 different funding sources at a budget for the 1984 water year of $1,065,000. The streamflow-gaging program in Montana has evolved through the years as Federal, State, and local needs for surface-water data have increased. Continuous streamflow records for periods ranging from less than 1 year to more than 90 years have been collected. This report describes phase 1 of a cost-effectiveness study of the streamflow-gaging program in Montana. Evaluation of the program indicates that numerous agencies use the data for studies involving regional hydrology, hydrologic systems, and planning and design. They also use the data for operations of existing hydroelectric and irrigation dams, forecasting flood and seasonal flows, water-quality monitoring, research studies for fish habitat, and other uses such as recreational management. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗
USGS2005

Rainfall-runoff in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area: Measurements, analyses and comparisons

Albuquerque, New Mexico, has experienced significant growth over the last 20 years like many other cities in the Southwestern United States. While the US population grew by 37% between the 1970 and 2000 censuses, the growth for Albuquerque was 83%. More people mean more development and increased problems of managing runoff from urbanizing watersheds. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Albuquerque Arroyo Metropolitan Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA) and the City of Albuquerque has maintained a rainfall-runoff data collection program since 1976. The data from measured precipitation events can be used to verify hydrologic modeling. In this presentation, data from a representative gaged watershed is analyzed and discussed to set the overall framework for the rainfall-runoff process in the Albuquerque area. Of particular interest are the basic relationships between rainfall and watershed runoff response and an analysis of curve numbers as an indicator of runoff function. In urbanized areas, four land treatment types (natural, irrigated lawns, compacted soil, and impervious) are used to define surface infiltration conditions. Rainfall and runoff gage data are used to compare curve number (CN) and initial abstraction/uniform infiltration (IA/INF) techniques in an Albuquerque watershed. The IA/INF method appears to produce superior results over the CN method for the measured rainfall events.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2010

Data mining for water resource management part 2 - methods and approaches to solving contemporary problems

This is the second of two papers that describe how data mining can aid natural-resource managers with the difficult problem of controlling the interactions between hydrologic and man-made systems. Data mining is a new science that assists scientists in converting large databases into knowledge, and is uniquely able to leverage the large amounts of real-time, multivariate data now being collected for hydrologic systems. Part 1 gives a high-level overview of data mining, and describes several applications that have addressed major water resource issues in South Carolina. This Part 2 paper describes how various data mining methods are integrated to produce predictive models for controlling surface- and groundwater hydraulics and quality. The methods include: - signal processing to remove noise and decompose complex signals into simpler components; - time series clustering that optimally groups hundreds of signals into "classes" that behave similarly for data reduction and (or) divide-and-conquer problem solving; - classification which optimally matches new data to behavioral classes; - artificial neural networks which optimally fit multivariate data to create predictive models; - model response surface visualization that greatly aids in understanding data and physical processes; and, - decision support systems that integrate data, models, and graphics into a single package that is easy to use.

South Carolina↗
USGS2019

The dependence of hydroclimate projections in snow‐dominated regions of the western United States on the choice of statistically downscaled climate data

We assess monthly temperature and precipitation data produced by four statistically based techniques that were used to downscale general circulation models (GCMs) in the Climate Model Intercomparison Program Phase 5 (CMIP5) (Taylor et al., 2012). We drive a simple water-balance model with the downscaled data to demonstrate the effect of the methods on the cold season hydrology of three, snow dominated regions in the western U.S. Independent of substantial variation among the GCM simulations over the regions (maximum range of ~3.5 °C and 50% change in precipitation), the four methods produce disparate high resolution representations of the magnitude and spatial patterns of future temperature and precipitation simulated by the models that range for up to ~3 °C and 30% change in precipitation that propagate into the hydrologic simulations. Temperature-dependent snowfall, accumulation, and melt in the model are sensitive to how atmospheric lapse rates are applied in the gridded observations that are used to remove the bias in raw GCM temperatures. By the end of the century the same downscaling method (Bias Corrected Spatial Disaggregation) yields a loss of cold-season snowpack of 34% over the Greater Yellowstone Area under a constant lapse rate ( 6.5°C km-1), whereas spatially variable lapse rates nearly double the loss to 66%, highlighting the roll of both lapse rates and high elevation stations in the bias correction dataset. The two newest downscaling methods (Multivariate Adaptive Constructed Analogs and Localized Constructed Analogs) preserve the magnitude of change simulated GCMs better than the other methods and the produce comparable hydrologic projections. Because the downscaled data from the methods vary spatially and by GCM, the downscaled data should be evaluated carefully as part of the process of using downscaled climate products to drive hydrological models over the area of interest.

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,Neva↗