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At least 1,639 records · Page 91Linked to original sources

USGS2001

Wildfire-related debris-flow initiation processes, Storm King Mountain, Colorado

A torrential rainstorm on September 1, 1994 at the recently burned hillslopes of Storm King Mountain, CO, resulted in the generation of debris flows from every burned drainage basin. Maps (1:5000 scale) of bedrock and surficial materials and of the debris-flow paths, coupled with a 10-m Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of topography, are used to evaluate the processes that generated fire-related debris flows in this setting. These evaluations form the basis for a descriptive model for fire-related debris-flow initiation. The prominent paths left by the debris flows originated in 0- and 1st-order hollows or channels. Discrete soil-slip scars do not occur at the heads of these paths. Although 58 soil-slip scars were mapped on hillslopes in the burned basins, material derived from these soil slips accounted for only about 7% of the total volume of material deposited at canyon mouths. This fact, combined with observations of significant erosion of hillslope materials, suggests that a runoff-dominated process of progressive sediment entrainment by surface runoff, rather than infiltration-triggered failure of discrete soil slips, was the primary mechanism of debris-flow initiation. A paucity of channel incision, along with observations of extensive hillslope erosion, indicates that a significant proportion of material in the debris flows was derived from the hillslopes, with a smaller contribution from the channels. Because of the importance of runoff-dominated rather than infiltration-dominated processes in the generation of these fire-related debris flows, the runoff-contributing area that extends upslope from the point of debris-flow initiation to the drainage divide, and its gradient, becomes a critical constraint in debris-flow initiation. Slope-area thresholds for fire-related debris-flow initiation from Storm King Mountain are defined by functions of the form Acr(tan ??)3 = S, where Acr is the critical area extending upslope from the initiation location to the drainage divide, and tan ?? is its gradient. The thresholds vary with different materials. ?? 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Geomorphology↗

USGS1999

Application of geologic map information to water quality issues in the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Maryland and Virginia, eastern United States

Geologic map units contain much information about the mineralogy, chemistry, and physical attributes of the rocks mapped. This paper presents information from regional-scale geologic maps in Maryland and Virginia, which are in the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the eastern United States. The geologic map information is discussed and analyzed in relation to water chemistry data from shallow wells and stream reaches in the area. Two environmental problems in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are used as test examples. The problems, high acidity and high nitrate concentrations in streams and rivers, tend to be mitigated by some rock and sediment types and not by others. Carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite, and carbonate-cemented rocks) have the greatest capacity to neutralize acidic ground water and surface water in contact with them. Rocks and sediments having high carbon or sulfur contents (such as peat and black shale) potentially contribute the most toward denitrification of ground water and surface water in contact with them. Rocks and sediments that are composed mostly of quartz, feldspar, and light-colored clay (rocks such as granite and sandstone, sediments such as sand and gravel) tend not to alter the chemistry of waters that are in contact with them. The testing of relationships between regionally mapped geologic units and water chemistry is in a preliminary stage, and initial results are encouraging.Geologic map units contain much information about the mineralogy, chemistry, and physical attributes of the rocks mapped. This paper presents information from regional-scale geologic maps in Maryland and Virginia, which are in the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the eastern United States. The geologic map information is discussed and analyzed in relation to water chemistry data from shallow wells and stream reaches in the area. Two environmental problems in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are used as test examples. The problems, high acidity and high nitrate concentrations in streams and rivers, tend to be mitigated by some rock and sediment types and not by others. Carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite, and carbonate-cemented rocks) have the greatest capacity to neutralize acidic ground water and surface water in contact with them. Rocks and sediments having high carbon or sulfur contents (such as peat and black shale) potentially contribute the most toward denitrification of ground water and surface water in contact with them. Rocks and sediments that are composed mostly of quartz, feldspar, and light-colored clay (rocks such as granite and sandstone, sediments such as sand and gravel) tend not to alter the chemistry of waters that are in contact with them. The testing of relationships between regionally mapped geologic units and water chemistry is in a preliminary stage, and initial results are encouraging.

Journal of Geochemical Exploration↗

USGS2003

Composition, complexity, and tree mortality in riparian forests in the central Western Cascades of Oregon

Riparian forests contribute to the diversity and function of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. To assess some of these contributions, we compared tree composition, stand complexity, and temporal patterns of tree mortality on permanent plots in seven mature and old-growth stands representing upland forests and forests along low- and mid-order streams in the Western Cascade Range of Oregon. We also assessed recruitment of large wood into stream channels due to tree mortality, both by direct measurement and by estimation from tree mortality and location data. Stands differed in composition due to both stream order and successional stage. Stands on mid-order streams had high abundance of hardwood trees and/or Thuja plicata . Stand complexity (variability in tree diameters, tree life-form diversity, and tree species diversity), was high in stands on mid-order streams and in the upland, old-growth stand. Tree mortality was exceptionally high in six of the seven stands in 1996, the year in which the largest flood during the study occurred. However, only in the one stand on an unconstrained reach of a mid-order stream was mortality primarily due to flooding. Estimated recruitment of wood was much higher from the stand on the unconstrained reach than from the other stands on mid-order streams, suggesting that unconstrained reaches may be important for efforts to maintain or restore large wood in streams.

Oregon↗

USGS2005

Potential oxygen demand of sediments from Lake Erie

Dreissenid mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha and D. bugensis ) biodeposit large quantities of filtered materials (i.e., feces and pseudofeces) directly on bottom substrates. These biodeposits have the potential to increase oxygen demand in sediments and overlying waters and thus contribute to hypolimnetic anoxia in Lake Erie. We hypothesized that higher potential oxygen demand of sediments would occur in areas near shore than in offshore hypolimnetic waters as a result of biodeposits carried by currents from littoral water where mussels, available foods, and biodeposits may be most abundant. To address this hypothesis, we measured potential oxygen demand (mg O2/L/120 h incubation) at six sites near shore and six sites offshore monthly June to September 2002 and August 2003. In addition, we compared, in post priori hypothesis, seven sites with and five sites without dreissenid mussels. Contrary to our hypotheses, potential oxygen demand was not significantly higher in bottles containing nearshore sediments than offshore sediments. Similarly, potential oxygen demand was not significantly higher at sites with dreissenid mussels than at sites without mussels. Data are consistent with pre-dreissenid studies which show oxygen demand and percent ash-free dry weights of sediments were higher offshore than near shore and ash-free dry weight of sediments decreased June to September. Therefore, the present study provides no evidence that dreissenid mussels have contributed directly-via biodeposition-to increased anoxia observed in Lake Erie in the mid to late 1990s.

Lake Erie↗

USGS1984

Food of young-of-the-year lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) in Presque Isle Harbor, Lake Superior

The food habits of young lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) were studied by examining the digestive tracts of 293 young-of-the-year collected in Presque Isle Harbor, Lake Superior. Lake trout in the 25 to 27-mm length range started to eat food organisms before all of their yolk material was absorbed. Organisms consumed by the 25 to 27-mm young-of-the-year included Chironomidae, Copepoda (Harpacticoida, Calanoida, Cyclopoida), and Cladocerea ( Daphnia spp., Bosmina sp., Chydorus sp.). Chironomid pupae and chironomid larvae accounted for 74% and 5%, respectively, of the total volume of food eaten by the young lake trout in Presque Isle Harbor. Although copepods, cladocerans, and mysids were present in many stomachs, their contribution to the total volume of food was only 15%. Some lake trout in the 32 to 54-mm length range had consumed fry of sculpin ( Cottus spp.) or rainbow smelt ( Osmerus mordax ), but the overall contribution of fish fry to the total volume of food was only 4% (frequency of occurrence, 10%). The lake trout in Presque Isle Harbor fed heavily on planktonic organisms, sparingly on benthic organisms, and were opportunistic feeders that appeared to prey on whatever forage organisms were available in the shallow nearshore waters.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗

USGS1985

Effects of contaminants on toxicity of the lampricides TFM and Bayer 73 to three species of fish

Waters in the Great Lakes basin contain more than 400 contaminant chemicals that potentially affect fishery resources, commerce, and human inhabitants. We determined in the laboratory the effects of selected contaminants on the toxicity of the widely used lampricides TFM (3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol) and Bayer 73 (2′,5-dichloro-4′-nitrosalicylanilide) to three species of fish—rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri ), white sucker ( Catostomus commersoni ), and fathead minnow ( Pimephales promelas ). The fish were exposed to paired mixtures of lampricides and selected contaminants in standardized, acute static toxicity tests to determine the resulting type of response—less than additive, additive, or greater than additive (synergistic). As expected, the toxicities of combinations of lampricides with organic pesticides, metal, industrial or municipal pollutants, and tannic acid were mostly additive. However, the toxicity of a combination of TFM, Delnav, and malathion was synergistic, and extremely small quantities of each chemical became lethal when mixed. The concentration that produced 50% mortality was 1.64 mg/L for TFM alone but only 0.041 mg/L for TFM with the pesticides. Toxicities of the pesticides in the combination also increased commensurately. The triple combination of chemicals produced extraordinary synergism and effectively demonstrated the hazards that may result if certain chemical combinations occur in the aquatic environment. However, synergism is not the only kind of toxic action that produces hazards to aquatic organisms. All three types of toxic action are of concern because toxic units produced by contaminant chemicals add to the toxic units of applied management chemicals. Since the toxicity of the majority of chemical combinations is simply additive, this cumulative toxic action contributes more total units to aquatic environments than the extreme actions of less than additive and synergism. The toxicity of the lampricide TFM, as well as other management chemicals, is reinforced by the presence of any contaminant that contributes additional units of toxicity. Therefore, all types of cumulative toxic action should be of concern to people and agencies involved with protecting the environment.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗

USGS1992

Lake trout spawning habitat in the Six Fathom Bank-Yankee Reef lake trout sanctuary, Lake Huron

Attempts to reestablish self-sustaining stocks of lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) in the lower four Great Lakes, where the species was extinguished in the 1950s and 1960s, have been largely unsuccessful. To avoid many of the problems believed to be contributing to this failure, the fishery management community recently established several sanctuaries in the offshore waters of the Great Lakes where the development and protection of self-sustaining stocks of lake trout would be a primary management objective. One of these, the Six Fathom Bank-Yankee Reef sanctuary, was created in the south-central portion of Lake Huron. This sanctuary covers 168,000 ha and includes the shallower portions of the Six Fathom and Ipperwash scarps, which are major bathymetric features in the southern half of the lake. Historical accounts describe Six Fathom Bank as the most important lake trout spawning ground in the lake. Here we present the results of lake bed surveys conducted in the sanctuary with side-scan sonar, underwater videocamera systems, and a small research submarine. Our observations of the lake bed are consistent with what is known of the bedrock stratigraphy, glacial history, and karst geomorphology of the Lake Huron basin. Most of the loose rock we found seemed to be derived from local carbonate bedrock formations, although non-carbonate rock probably from Precambrian sources to the north was also present in some areas. Much of the bedrock and loose rock displayed karst solution features described for the Bruce Peninsula on the Ontario shoreline. Our surveys revealed substantial areas of lake bed at water depths of 20–36 m that resembled suitable spawning and fry production habitat for the shallow-water strains of lake trout that are the focus of the rehabilitation effort. Low mid-lake nutrient levels documented recently by others and the extremely high abundance of Mysis relicta (an important item in the diet of young lake trout) that we documented on Yankee Reef also contributed to our evaluation of the sanctuary as a site with high potential to support a self-sustaining population of lake trout.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗

USGS1995

Concentrations of dissolved and particulate Polychlorinated Biphenyls in water from the Saginaw River, Michigan

The Saginaw River receives water from a major drainage basin in the east-central portion of the lower peninsula of Michigan. Historically the river has been contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from several sources. The present study was conducted to determine the concentrations of PCBs in both the dissolved and particulate phases of water in the lower Saginaw River, as well as the relative contribution of PCBs from the lower portion of the river relative to more upstream locations. Water samples were collected in 1990–1991, during a range of discharge conditions. Suspended particulates were collected from water onto glass-fiber filters by use of a “Penta-plate” filtration apparatus. Filtered water was subsequently passed through XAD-2 macroreticular resin to collect the “dissolved” PCBs. Concentrations of PCBs in both phases were determined by congener specific gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Total concentrations of PCBs ranged from 11 to 31 ng/L. The concentrations of PCBs in the dissolved phase ranged from 1.9 to 16 ng/L. The ratio of total PCBs bound to suspended particulates, relative to dissolved PCBs, was 2:1 and remained fairly constant for discharges less than approximately 400 M 3 /sec. The loading of total PCBs to Saginaw Bay was estimated to be 225 kg/yr, of which approximately 60% was found to be contributed by the lower 8 km of the Saginaw River.

Michigan↗

USGS2001

Dry deposition of ammonia, nitric acid, ammonium, and nitrate to alpine tundra at Niwot Ridge, Colorado

Micrometeorological measurements and ambient air samples, analyzed for concentrations of NH3, HNO3, NH4+, and NO3-, were collected at an alpine tundra site on Niwot Ridge, Colorado. The measured concentrations were extremely low and ranged between 5 and 70ngNm-3. Dry deposition fluxes of these atmospheric species were calculated using the micrometeorological gradient method. The calculated mean flux for NH3 indicates a net deposition to the surface and indicates that NH3 contributed significantly to the total N deposition to the tundra during the August-September measurement period. Our pre-measurement estimate of the compensation point for NH3 in air above the tundra was 100-200ngNm-3; thus, a net emission of NH3 was expected given the low ambient concentrations of NH3 observed. Based on our results, however, the NH3 compensation point at this alpine tundra site appears to have been at or below about 20ngNm-3. Large deposition velocities (>2cms-1) were determined for nitrate and ammonium and may result from reactions with surface-derived aerosols. Copyright (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.Micrometeorological measurements and ambient air samples, analyzed for concentrations of NH3, HNO3, NH4+, and NO3-, were collected at an alpine tundra site on Niwot Ridge, Colorado. The measured concentrations were extremely low and ranged between 5 and 70 ng N m-3. Dry deposition fluxes of these atmospheric species were calculated using the micrometeorological gradient method. The calculated mean flux for NH3 indicates a net deposition to the surface and indicates that NH3 contributed significantly to the total N deposition to the tundra during the August-September measurement period. Our pre-measurement estimate of the compensation point for NH3 in air above the tundra was 100-200 ng N m-3; thus, a net emission of NH3 was expected given the low ambient concentrations of NH3 observed. Based on our results, however, the NH3 compensation point at this alpine tundra site appears to have been at or below about 20 ng N m-3. Large deposition velocities (>2 cm s-1) were determined for nitrate and ammonium and may result from reactions with surface-derived aerosols.

Atmospheric Environment↗

USGS2008

Modeling potential habitats for alien species Dreissena polymorpha in continental USA

The effective measure to minimize the damage of invasive species is to block the potential invasive species to enter into suitable areas. 1864 occurrence points with GPS coordinates and 34 environmental variables from Daymet datasets were gathered, and 4 modeling methods, i.e., Logistic Regression (LR), Classification and Regression Trees (CART), Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Prediction (GARP), and maximum entropy method (Maxent), were introduced to generate potential geographic distributions for invasive species Dreissena polymorpha in Continental USA. Then 3 statistical criteria of the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUC), Pearson correlation (COR) and Kappa value were calculated to evaluate the performance of the models, followed by analyses on major contribution variables. Results showed that in terms of the 3 statistical criteria, the prediction results of the 4 ecological niche models were either excellent or outstanding, in which Maxent outperformed the others in 3 aspects of predicting current distribution habitats, selecting major contribution factors, and quantifying the influence of environmental variables on habitats. Distance to water, elevation, frequency of precipitation and solar radiation were 4 environmental forcing factors. The method suggested in the paper can have some reference meaning for modeling habitats of alien species in China and provide a direction to prevent Mytilopsis sallei on the Chinese coast line.

Acta Ecologica Sinica↗

USGS2023

Climate-driven mid- to late Holocene hydrologic evolution of arid wetlands documented by strontium, uranium, and oxygen isotopes from Lower Pahranagat Lake, southern Nevada, USA

Lacustrine carbonates in a 12.4-m-long core from Lower Pahranagat Lake (LPAH), southern Nevada, indicate that radiogenic isotopes of Sr and U ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and 234 U/ 238 U) preserve evidence of past variations in water sources and evolving hydrologic conditions. Sr and U isotope compositions in LPAH carbonates fall within the range defined by the three primary groundwater sources in Pahranagat Valley and reflect variable mixtures of those sources since the mid-Holocene. Compositions in the oldest sample (5.78 ka) closely match modern compositions of modern discharge from nearby springs, indicating that LPAH water was derived almost exclusively from the local volcanic aquifer. By ca. 5.3–5.2 ka, LPAH water compositions shifted sharply towards isotopic compositions observed in groundwater from the regional carbonate aquifer, indicating a marked increase in surface flow from high-volume springs discharging from the carbonate aquifer to the north. Sediments deposited between 3.08–1.06 ka indicate reduced contributions from the regional aquifer. A comparison of uranium- and oxygen-isotope values in LPAH carbonates suggests that wetter climate conditions favor increased supply from deeper, regional carbonate aquifers compared to drier conditions when contributions from shallower, local volcanic aquifers were more important.

Nevada↗

USGS2015

Morphological identification and COI barcodes of adult flies help determine species identities of chironomid larvae (Diptera, Chironomidae)

Establishing reliable methods for the identification of benthic chironomid communities is important due to their significant contribution to biomass, ecology and the aquatic food web. Immature larval specimens are more difficult to identify to species level by traditional morphological methods than their fully developed adult counterparts, and few keys are available to identify the larval species. In order to develop molecular criteria to identify species of chironomid larvae, larval and adult chironomids from Western Lake Erie were subjected to both molecular and morphological taxonomic analysis. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) barcode sequences of 33 adults that were identified to species level by morphological methods were grouped with COI sequences of 189 larvae in a neighbor-joining taxon-ID tree. Most of these larvae could be identified only to genus level by morphological taxonomy (only 22 of the 189 sequenced larvae could be identified to species level). The taxon-ID tree of larval sequences had 45 operational taxonomic units (OTUs, defined as clusters with >97% identity or individual sequences differing from nearest neighbors by >3%; supported by analysis of all larval pairwise differences), of which seven could be identified to species or ‘species group’ level by larval morphology. Reference sequences from the GenBank and BOLD databases assigned six larval OTUs with presumptive species level identifications and confirmed one previously assigned species level identification. Sequences from morphologically identified adults in the present study grouped with and further classified the identity of 13 larval OTUs. The use of morphological identification and subsequent DNA barcoding of adult chironomids proved to be beneficial in revealing possible species level identifications of larval specimens. Sequence data from this study also contribute to currently inadequate public databases relevant to the Great Lakes region, while the neighbor-joining analysis reported here describes the application and confirmation of a useful tool that can accelerate identification and bioassesment of chironomid communities.

Bulletin of Entomological Research↗

USGS2026

Importance of fish in the diet of Adélie penguins across multiple life stages

Over recent decades, the Adélie penguin ( Pygoscelis adeliae ) population has grown across most of its range, the exception being the northern coast of the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). In the Ross Sea, the very large Cape Crozier colony grew to reach ~9% of the global population. Demographic factors driving the Cape Crozier trend have yet to be identified. However, low chick fledging mass - a negative influence in the northern WAP where the diet is mostly less-energy-dense krill - is not showing an effect in the Cape Crozier colony. Previously, we hypothesized that Cape Crozier fledglings, and post-breeding adults, must be finding sufficient higher-quality prey once free of the prey-depleted colony foraging area, with subsequent higher survival. Here we explore penguin diet within and outside the colony foraging area using stable isotope analysis (SIA) of feathers: those grown by post-breeding adults outside the foraging area, prior to moult, compared to those of near-fledged chicks raised on meals obtained within the foraging area. Second, we explore whether a major difference occurs between breeding and post-breeding diet of adults from a small, nearby colony (Cape Royds) that exploits a smaller, little-depleted preyscape. Finally, we compare the results to SIA analyses published by others to explore whether the pre-moult diet of Ross Island adults, mostly foraging within the north-eastern Ross Sea, compares with that of adults nesting in the southern WAP (Bellingshausen Sea coast). At the latter, populations are not decreasing, with diet containing an appreciable contribution of fish. The results confirmed that fish contributed greatly to chick diets at both Ross Island colonies (δ 15 N 10.6–11.4). Once adults were released from central-place foraging, SIA levels (δ 15 N 9.7–12.9) were similar to those of the southern WAP. Foraging on energy-dense fish in coastal Antarctic waters could be one reason Adélie penguins are among the most abundant and therefore most ecologically successful penguin species.

Antarctic Science↗

USGS2021

miR133b microinjection during early development targets transcripts of sardiomyocyte ion channels and induces oil-like cardiotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

Previous studies have shown that altered expression of a family of small noncoding RNAs (microRNAs, or miRs) regulates the expression of downstream mRNAs and is associated with diseases and developmental disorders. miR133b is highly expressed in mammalian cardiac and skeletal muscle, and aberrant expression is associated with cardiac disorders and electrophysiological changes in cardiomyocytes. Similarly, cardiac dysfunction has been observed in early life-stage mahi-mahi ( Coryphaena hippurus ) exposed to crude oil, a phenotype that has been associated with an upregulation of miR133b as well as subsequent downregulation of a delayed rectifier potassium channel (I Kr ) and calcium signaling genes that are important for proper heart development during embryogenesis. To examine the potential role of miR133b in oil-induced early life-stage cardiotoxicity in fish, cleavage-stage zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) embryos were either (1) microinjected with ∼3 nL of negative control miR (75 μM) or miR133b (75 μM) or (2) exposed to a treatment solution containing 5 μM benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, as a positive control. At 72 h post fertilization (hpf), miR133b-injected fish exhibited BaP-like cardiovascular malformations, including a significantly increased pericardial area relative to negative control miR-injected embryos, as well as a significantly reduced eye area. qPCR revealed that miR133b microinjection decreased the abundance of cardiac-specific I Kr kcnh6 at 5 hpf, which may contribute to action potential elongation in oil-exposed cardiomyocytes. Additionally, ryanodine receptor 2, a crucial calcium receptor in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, was also downregulated by miR133b. These results indicate that an oil-induced increase in miR133b may contribute to cardiac abnormalities in oil-exposed fish by targeting cardiac-specific genes essential for proper heart development.

Chemical Research in Toxicology↗

USGS2026

An ecosystem-scale model of PFAS dynamics in stream-to-riparian food webs

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, where they bioaccumulate and trophically transfer through food webs. We derived an ecosystem-scale model assessing Σ 12 PFAS partitioning, bioaccumulation by larval aquatic insects, bioamplification by adult aquatic insects, and trophic transfer from aquatic insects to riparian spiders using data collected across five streams in a mildly impacted watershed. Partitioning involved the greatest PFAS enrichments (range in posterior median log 10 k d values = 1.5–2.1), with lesser concentration increases from particulates to larval aquatic insects and from larval to adult aquatic insects, and Σ 12 PFAS concentration decreases from adult aquatic insects to spiders. Among the 12 compounds, PFOS had the largest proportional contribution to Σ 12 PFAS concentrations for all sample types, with consistently increasing concentrations from surface water to adult aquatic insects. Σ 12 PFAS concentrations (5.4–51 ppb wet weight), body burdens (0.44–5.2 ng per individual), and bioamplification factors (0.15–4.9) differed considerably among five common aquatic insect taxa. This study presents a robust modeling framework for PFAS trophodynamics and offers insights into the biological controls that contribute to the context dependency of PFAS at the interfaces of aquatic and terrestrial food webs.

Connecticut, Massachusetts↗

USGS2023

Salinity trends in a groundwater system supplemented by 50 years of imported Colorado River water

The Indio subbasin of the Coachella Valley is a desert area of southern California where a growing population depends primarily on groundwater for drinking and agricultural uses. The aquifer system has been supplemented with Colorado River water through managed recharge and widespread irrigation since the mid-20th century. We use a combination of geochemical modeling and trend analysis to identify changes in total dissolved solids through time, elucidate the sources of dissolved solids, and quantify the extent of contributions from those sources throughout the Indio subbasin. We conclude that recharged Colorado River water is the primary source and driver of increasing salinity, particularly in areas immediately downgradient from the recharge locations and in the eastern part of the subbasin away from the recharge ponds due to irrigation using imported water. Other contributions of dissolved solids to groundwater resources include geothermal waters, wastewater effluent, and agricultural return flow, although their effects are more localized. This study presents a broadly applicable framework for identifying sources of dissolved solids in groundwater wells and salinity trends at a regional scale in a large data set.

California↗

USGS2002

Atmospheric mercury deposition during the last 270 years: A glacial ice core record of natural and anthropogenic sources

Mercury (Hg) contamination of aquatic ecosystems and subsequent methylmercury bioaccumulation are significant environmental problems of global extent. At regional to global scales, the primary mechanism of Hg contamination is atmospheric Hg transport. Thus, a better understanding of the long-term history of atmospheric Hg cycling and quantification of the sources is critical for assessing the regional and global impact of anthropogenic Hg emissions. Ice cores collected from the Upper Fremont Glacier (UFG), Wyoming, contain a high-resolution record of total atmospheric Hg deposition (ca. 1720−1993). Total Hg in 97 ice-core samples was determined with trace-metal clean handling methods and low-level analytical procedures to reconstruct the first and most comprehensive atmospheric Hg deposition record of its kind yet available from North America. The record indicates major atmospheric releases of both natural and anthropogenic Hg from regional and global sources. Integrated over the past 270-year ice-core history, anthropogenic inputs contributed 52%, volcanic events 6%, and background sources 42%. More significantly, during the last 100 years, anthropogenic sources contributed 70% of the total Hg input. Unlike the 2−7-fold increase observed from preindustrial times (before 1840) to the mid-1980s in sediment-core records, the UFG record indicates a 20-fold increase for the same period. The sediment-core records, however, are in agreement with the last 10 years of this ice-core record, indicating declines in atmospheric Hg deposition.

Environmental Science & Technology↗

USGS2011

Tracking nonpoint source nitrogen pollution in human-impacted watersheds

Nonpoint source nitrogen (N) pollution is a leading contributor to U.S. water quality impairments. We combined watershed N mass balances and stable isotopes to investigate fate and transport of nonpoint N in forest, agricultural, and urbanized watersheds at the Baltimore Long-Term Ecological Research site. Annual N retention was 55%, 68%, and 82% for agricultural, suburban, and forest watersheds, respectively. Analysis of δ 15 N-NO 3 – , and δ 18 O-NO 3 – indicated wastewater was an important nitrate source in urbanized streams during baseflow. Negative correlations between δ 15 N-NO 3 – and δ 18 O-NO 3 – in urban watersheds indicated mixing between atmospheric deposition and wastewater, and N source contributions changed with storm magnitude (atmospheric sources contributed &sim;50% at peak storm N loads). Positive correlations between δ 15 N-NO 3 – and δ 18 O-NO 3 – in watersheds suggested denitrification was removing septic system and agriculturally derived N, but N from belowground leaking sewers was less susceptible to denitrification. N transformations were also observed in a storm drain (no natural drainage network) potentially due to organic carbon inputs. Overall, nonpoint sources such as atmospheric deposition, wastewater, and fertilizer showed different susceptibility to watershed N export. There were large changes in nitrate sources as a function of runoff, and anticipating source changes in response to climate and storms will be critical for managing nonpoint N pollution.

Environmental Science & Technology↗