SEARCH · Geology Reports
Results for “Open File”
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.
Confined-drift aquifers studied near the Pomme de Terre and Chippewa Rivers, west-central Minnesota
No abstract available.
Analysis of street sweepings, Portland, Oregon
A brief study involving collection and analysis of street sweepings was undertaken to provide the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with data on physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of dust and dirt accumulating on Portland streets. Most of the analyses selected were based on the pollutant loads predicted by the Storage, Treatment, Overflow, and Runoff Model (STORM). Five different basins were selected for sampling, and samples were collected three times in each basin. Because the literature reports no methodology for analysis of dust and dirt, the analytical methodology is described in detail. Results of the analyses are summarized in table 1.
Willamette River at Lambert Bend, Oregon, bridge-site report
The proposed crossing of the Willamette River at Lambert Bend involves a 2.3-mile-wide flood plain. Two of the three principal tangents of the crossing will include bridges that will span the main channel and an overflow channel of the river, as shown in figure 1, page 3. The Oregon State Highway Department wants to know what flow will result when the water-surface elevation upstream from the bridges is 100.0 feet (mean-sea-level datum). This design elevation will be referred to as Condition 1 in this report. Also required in Condition 1 is how much backwater is represented in the 100-foot elevation and how often did this flow occur before the river became regulated in 1941. The Highway Department also wants to know what flow could be expected from a flood event equal to that of December 1964, but regulated by three additional reservoirs that have been completed since 1964. This design discharge will be referred to as Condition 2 in this report. Also required in Condition 2 is the amount of backwater caused by the two constrictions and how often the design flood occurred before regulation began in 1941.
Evaporation study at Warm Springs Reservoir, Oregon
The mass transfer-water budget method of computing reservoir evaporation was tested on Warm Springs Reservoir, whose contents and surface area change greatly from early spring to late summer. The mass-transfer coefficient computed for the reservoir is two to three times greater than expected and results in a computed evaporation much greater than that from a land pan. Because of the remoteness of the area, the recommended study technique was modified, which could have reduced the accuracy of the results.
The quality and character of Pacific Northwest waters
This paper is a general discussion of the quality and chemical character of surface and ground waters in the Pacific Northwest as shown by the available data. Previous quality of water studies reported in the literature are reviewed. The composition of natural waters is considered as to the source and significance of the different mineral constituents. Analytical data are presented showing mineral constituents and physical properties of selected surface and ground waters in the region.
Selected flow characteristics of streams in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon
Flow-duration, annual low-flow, and annual high-flow tables through September 30, 1963, are given in this report for 110 stream-gaging stations in the Willamette and Sandy River basins. These tables summarize the basic data needed to define the streamflow characteristics at the gaging stations. The content of each of the three summary tables is described, and techniques for preparing flow-duration curves, low-flow frequency curves, and high-flow frequency curves are explained.
Evaluation of potential sources of water in Crater Lake Natonal Park, Oregon
Crater Lake National Park, in volcanic terrain at the crest of the southern Cascade Range, is well watered by a 67-inch average annual precipitation, measured at park headquarters. Existing park facilities utilize springs that provide quantities of water adequate for present-day as well as foreseeable future needs. Ground water occurs under both perched and water-table conditions in the park. Perched ground-water bodies drain to the numerous springs that issue at various altitudes. Test drilling in the northern part failed to locate perched-water bodies capable of supplying quantities of water adequate for proposed facilities, and established that the regional water table is at an altitude below 4,960 feet. Many springs and streams at altitudes below 6,500 feet in the western, southern, and southeastern parts discharge quantities of water adequate for a variety of park facilities. Future park-facility development should take into account where water supplies are available. The western, southern, and southeastern parts of the park are more favorable than the northern part in this respect. In the northern part of the park, where there are no springs or streams, artificial catchment aprons and storage facilities could be constructed to provide water to points of use. A 100- by 100-foot catchment apron and suitably sized storage tank could provide as much as 1,850 gallons per day for 120 days.
Falling-stream turbidimeter as a means of measuring sediment concentrations in streams
An optical (photocell) sensing device was used to measure the relative transparency characteristics of sediment suspensions with a view toward improving our ability to measure the temporal variations of suspended-sediment concentration moving in streams. The instrument used was a commercial "falling stream" turbidimeter that measured the relative transparency of a gravity induced smooth flat sample stream formed as the flow drops vertically from an orifice. Output results were recorded on a strip-chart recorder as a function of concentration, up to about 100,000 mg/2, for a range of particle sizes and for three kinds of sediment--a fine sand, a silty alluvial soil, and a clayey residual soil. The sensitivity range was improved by use of both the 1/8- and 1/16-inch thick orifices. The use of the two orifice or nozzle sizes provided data useful in evaluation of the effect of particle size and type of sediment at different concentrations. The unique relative transparency-concentration relationships were more linear for coarse than for fine sediments of a given kind. It was concluded that curvature in this relationship resulted from light reflections from the surface of the particles and (or) the fact that some particles moved through the system while in the "shadow" of other particles closer to the light source. The ratio of suspended-sediment concentration to the square root of the median particle size of sand-sized sediments was found to be a useful parameter for elimination of the effect of particle size in the relative transparency-concentration relationships. Thus it was possible to evaluate the effect of the different type of sediment on the relative transparency independent of particle size. The use of this parameter to eliminate the effect of particle size was unsuccessful for finer sediments. -
Limnological data for the major streams in Chester County, Pennsylvania
Limnological data on major streams in Chester County, Pennsylvania are tabulated to provide a base line as to the present stream conditions. As land-use patterns change and further urbanization takes place, it is anticipated that these data will serve as a basis for comparison of conditions in the future. The 13 basins encompass a total drainage area of 1,812 km2 (697 mi2) of the 1,976 km2 (760 mi2) within Chester County. Four of the streams are tributaries to the Schuylkill River and include Pickering, Stony Run, Pigeon, and French Creek. Tributaries to the Delaware River include Darby, Crum, Ridley, Chester, Red Clay, and White Clay Creeks. The Elk Creeks flow into the Chesapeake Bay. The Brandywine is a tributary to the Christiana River, itself a tributary to the Delaware. The Octoraro Creek is a tributary to the Susquehanna River. Chester County, which is located in the Piedmont area of Pennsylvania, is undergoing rapid transition from a rural to suburban condition as the population increases. This basic-data report contains the chemical, physical, and biological information collected for the period fall 1969 through fall 1974. The network of 50 stations is shown in figure 1, which is followed by a listing (table 1) of station numbers and a brief description of station locations. Table 2 shows the physical, chemical, and bacteriological data collected by station and date. Table 3 shows the benthic invertebrate data collected by station and date.
Sediment yields of streams in the Umpqua River Basin, Oregon
This report summarizes sediment data collected at 11 sites in the Umpqua River basin from 1956 to 1973 and updates a report by C. A. Onions (1969) of estimated sediment yields in the basin from 1956-67. Onions' report points out that the suspended-sediment data, collected during the 1956-67 period, were insufficient to compute reliable sediment yields. Therefore, the U.S, Geological Survey, in cooperation with Douglas County, collected additional data from 1969 to 1973 to improve the water discharge-sediment discharge relationships at these sites. These data are published in "Water resources data for Oregon, Part 2, Water quality records," 1970 through 1973 water years. In addition to the 10 original sites, data were collected during this period from the Umpqua River near Elkton station, and a summary of the data for that station is included in table 1.
The acoustic streamflow-measuring system on the Columbia River at The Dalles, Oregon
Records of discharge on the Columbia River at The Dalles, Oreg., are vital to the management of the complex water-development projects in the Columbia River basin. Accurate discharge figures are needed for consistent day-to-day management and are required to meet treaty obligations with Canada. Because dams have been erected that completely control watersurface elevations at nearly all points in the river from Bonneville Dam to the Canadian border, conventional stream-gaging methods, used historically, are no longer adequate. Consequently, new techniques must be used to obtain the accurate discharge records required--records that are computed independently from the hydroelectric operation logs and that stand alone as the recognized flow records in the basin. This need for an accurate, independent gaging system has been met by the installation of an acoustic streamflow-measuring system in the river channel at The Dalles, Oreg. This device provides an index of water velocity by measuring the difference in traveltimes of acoustic pulses transmitted through the water in each direction along a diagonal path across the river. The flow of water along the path increases the speed of one signal and retards the speed of the other. The difference in time of travel is related linearly to the water velocity along the path. The velocity index and river stage are used as a two-variable index in the computation of flow. These variables, correlated against current-meter measurements made with specialized boat equipment, provide a reliable basis for computations of instantaneous and daily mean discharges. Installation of this sytem, which is the first application of an AVM (acoustic velocity meter) in a large natural channel, was completed in April 1969. It has been in continuous operation since that date. Performance has been satisfactory, and similar installations at other key points in the Columbia River basin are now under consideration. This paper covers the general theory behind acoustic velocity meters, tracing development from earlier concepts to the present commercially available system. Conclusions are that the AVM can now be considered as an operational instrument which permits accurate gaging of river discharge at many sites where conventional stream-gaging procedures have proved to be unreliable.