Distal facies variability within the Upper Triassic part of the Otuk Formation in northern Alaska
Katherine J. Whidden, Julie A. Dumoulin, M.T. Whalen, E. Hutton, Thomas E. Moore, Stephanie B. Gaswirth
2014, Book chapter, Deposits, architecture, and controls of carbonate margin, slope and basinal settings
The Triassic-Jurassic Otuk Formation is a potentially important source rock in allochthonous structural positions in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range in the North Slope of Alaska. This study focuses on three localities of the Upper Triassic (Norian) limestone member, which form a present-day, 110-km-long, east-west transect in the...
Acceptability of residential development in a regional landscape: Potential effects on wildlife occupancy patterns
Charles A. Bettigole, Therese Donovan, Robert Manning, John Austin, Robert Long
2014, Biological Conservation (169) 401-409
The conversion of natural lands to developed uses may pose the single greatest human threat to global terrestrial biodiversity. Continued human growth and development over the next century will further exacerbate these effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. Natural resource managers are tasked with managing wildlife as a public trust,...
Assessing streamflow sensitivity to variations in glacier mass balance
Shad O’Neel, Eran Hood, Anthony Arendt, Louis C. Sass
2014, Climatic Change (123) 329-341
The mountains ringing the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) receive upwards of 4–8 m yr−1 of precipitation (Simpson et al.2005; Weingartner et al. 2005; O’Neel 2012), much of which runs off into productive coastal waters. The alpine landscape is heavily glacierized, and storage and turnover of water by glaciers substantially influences...
Slip rate and tremor genesis in Cascadia
Aaron G. Wech, Noel M. Bartlow
2014, Geophysical Research Letters (41) 392-398
At many plate boundaries, conditions in the transition zone between seismogenic and stable slip produce slow earthquakes. In the Cascadia subduction zone, these events are consistently observed as slow, aseismic slip on the plate interface accompanied by persistent tectonic tremor. However, not all slow slip at other plate boundaries coincides...
Dynamics of submarine groundwater discharge and associated fluxes of dissolved nutrients, carbon, and trace gases to the coastal zone (Okatee River estuary, South Carolina)
W.P. Porubsky, N.B. Weston, W.S. Moore, C. Ruppel, S.B. Joye
2014, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (131) 81-97
Multiple techniques, including thermal infrared aerial remote sensing, geophysical and geological data, geochemical characterization and radium isotopes, were used to evaluate the role of groundwater as a source of dissolved nutrients, carbon, and trace gases to the Okatee River estuary, South Carolina. Thermal infrared aerial remote sensing surveys illustrated the...
Trends in precipitation, streamflow, reservoir pool elevations, and reservoir releases in Arkansas and selected sites in Louisiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma, 1951–2011
Daniel M. Wagner, Joshua D. Krieger, Katherine R. Merriman
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5240
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) conducted a statistical analysis of trends in precipitation, streamflow, reservoir pool elevations, and reservoir releases in Arkansas and selected sites in Louisiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma for the period 1951–2011. The Mann-Kendall test was used to test for...
Undersampling power-law size distributions: effect on the assessment of extreme natural hazards
Eric L. Geist, Thomas E. Parsons
2014, Natural Hazards (72) 565-595
The effect of undersampling on estimating the size of extreme natural hazards from historical data is examined. Tests using synthetic catalogs indicate that the tail of an empirical size distribution sampled from a pure Pareto probability distribution can range from having one-to-several unusually large events to appearing depleted, relative to...
National requirements for improved elevation data
Gregory I. Snyder, Larry J. Sugarbaker, Allyson L. Jason, David F. Maune
2014, Open-File Report 2013-1237
This report presents the results of surveys, structured interviews, and workshops conducted to identify key national requirements for improved elevation data for the United States and its territories, including coastlines. Organizations also identified and reported the expected economic benefits that would be realized if their requirements for improved elevation were...
Simulation of groundwater flow and saltwater movement in the Onslow County area, North Carolina: predevelopment-2010
Jason M. Fine, Eve L. Kuniansky
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5236
Onslow County, North Carolina, is located within the designated Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area (CCPCUA). The CCPCUA was designated by law as a result of groundwater level declines of as much as 200 feet during the past four decades within aquifers in rocks of Cretaceous age in the central...
Trends in major-ion constituents and properties for selected sampling sites in the Tongue and Powder River watersheds, Montana and Wyoming, based on data collected during water years 1980-2010
Steven K. Sando, Aldo V. Vecchia, Elliott P. Barnhart, Roy Sando, Melanie L. Clark, David L. Lorenz
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5179
The primary purpose of this report is to present information relating to flow-adjusted temporal trends in major-ion constituents and properties for 16 sampling sites in the Tongue and Powder River watersheds based on data collected during 1980–2010. In association with this primary purpose, the report presents background information on major-ion...
Deep long-period earthquakes west of the volcanic arc in Oregon: evidence of serpentine dehydration in the fore-arc mantle wedge
John E. Vidale, David A. Schmidt, Stephen D. Malone, Alicia J. Hotovec-Ellis, Seth C. Moran, Kenneth C. Creager, Heidi Houston
2014, Geophysical Research Letters (41) 370-376
Here we report on deep long-period earthquakes (DLPs) newly observed in four places in western Oregon. The DLPs are noteworthy for their location within the subduction fore arc: 40–80 km west of the volcanic arc, well above the slab, and near the Moho. These “offset DLPs” occur near the top of...
Influence of climate change on productivity of American White Pelicans, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Marsha A. Sovada, Lawrence D. Igl, Pamela J. Pietz, Alisa J. Bartos
2014, PLoS ONE (9)
In the past decade, severe weather and West Nile virus were major causes of chick mortality at American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) colonies in the northern plains of North America. At one of these colonies, Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge in North Dakota, spring arrival by pelicans has advanced approximately...
Changes in population evacuation potential for tsunami hazards in Seward, Alaska, since the 1964 Good Friday earthquake
Nathan J. Wood, Mathew C. Schmidtlein, Jeff Peters
2014, Natural Hazards (70) 1031-1053
Pedestrian evacuation modeling for tsunami hazards typically focuses on current land-cover conditions and population distributions. To examine how post-disaster redevelopment may influence the evacuation potential of at-risk populations to future threats, we modeled pedestrian travel times to safety in Seward, Alaska, based on conditions before the 1964 Good Friday earthquake...
Climate change implications and use of early warning systems for global dust storms
Lindsey M. Harriman
2014, Book chapter, Reducing Disaster: Early Warning Systems For Climate Change
With increased changes in land cover and global climate, early detection and warning of dust storms in conjunction with effective and widespread information broadcasts will be essential to the prevention and mitigation of future risks and impacts. Human activities, seasonal variations and long-term climatic patterns influence dust storms. More research...
An ecological basis for future fish habitat restoration efforts in the Huron-Erie Corridor
Darryl W. Hondorp, Edward F. Roseman, Bruce A. Manny
2014, Journal of Great Lakes Research (40) 23-30
This perspective describes the major natural and anthropogenic forces driving change in the abundance and quality of fish habitats in the Huron-Erie Corridor (HEC), the Great Lakes connecting channel comprised of the St. Clair River, the Lake St. Clair, and the Detroit River. Channels connecting the Laurentian Great Lakes discharge...
Simulated and observed 2010 flood-water elevations in selected river reaches in the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket River Basins, Rhode Island
Phillip J. Zarriello, David E. Straub, Stephen M. Westenbroek
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5191
Heavy persistent rains from late February through March 2010 caused severe flooding and set, or nearly set, peaks of record for streamflows and water levels at many long-term U.S. Geological Survey streamgages in Rhode Island. In response to this flood, hydraulic models were updated for selected reaches covering about 33...
The surface elevation table: marker horizon method for measuring wetland accretion and elevation dynamics
John C. Callaway, Donald R. Cahoon, James C. Lynch
2014, Book chapter, Methods in biogeochemistry of wetlands
Tidal wetlands are highly sensitive to processes that affect their elevation relative to sea level. The surface elevation table–marker horizon (SET–MH) method has been used to successfully measure these processes, including sediment accretion, changes in relative elevation, and shallow soil processes (subsidence and expansion due to root production). The SET–MH...
Simulated and observed 2010 floodwater elevations in the Pawcatuck and Wood Rivers, Rhode Island
Phillip J. Zarriello, David E. Straub, Thor E. Smith
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5193
Heavy, persistent rains from late February through March 2010 caused severe flooding that set, or nearly set, peaks of record for streamflows and water levels at many long-term U.S. Geological Survey streamgages in Rhode Island. In response to this flood, hydraulic models of Pawcatuck River (26.9 miles) and Wood River...
Simulated and observed 2010 floodwater elevations in selected river reaches in the Pawtuxet River Basin, Rhode Island
Phillip J. Zarriello, Scott A. Olson, Robert H. Flynn, Kellan R. Strauch, Elizabeth A. Murphy
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5192
Heavy, persistent rains from late February through March 2010 caused severe flooding that set, or nearly set, peaks of record for streamflows and water levels at many long-term streamgages in Rhode Island. In response to this event, hydraulic models were updated for selected reaches covering about 56 river miles in...
Validation of adipose lipid content as a body condition index for polar bears
Melissa A. McKinney, Todd C. Atwood, Rune Dietz, Christian Sonne, Sara J. Iverson, Elizabeth L. Peacock
2014, Ecology and Evolution (4) 516-527
Body condition is a key indicator of individual and population health. Yet, there is little consensus as to the most appropriate condition index (CI), and most of the currently used CIs have not been thoroughly validated and are logistically challenging. Adipose samples from large datasets of capture biopsied, remote biopsied,...
Approaches for evaluating the effects of bivalve filter feeding on nutrient dynamics in Puget Sound, Washington
Christopher P. Konrad
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5237
Marine bivalves such as clams, mussels, and oysters are an important component of the food web, which influence nutrient dynamics and water quality in many estuaries. The role of bivalves in nutrient dynamics and, particularly, the contribution of commercial shellfish activities, are not well understood in Puget Sound, Washington. Numerous...
Crustal earthquake triggering by pre-historic great earthquakes on subduction zone thrusts
Brian L. Sherrod, Joan Gomberg
2014, Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth (119) 1273-1294
Triggering of earthquakes on upper plate faults during and shortly after recent great (M>8.0) subduction thrust earthquakes raises concerns about earthquake triggering following Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes. Of particular regard to Cascadia was the previously noted, but only qualitatively identified, clustering of M>~6.5 crustal earthquakes in the Puget Sound region...
American white pelican predation on Cui-ui in Pyramid Lake, Nevada
Gayton G. Scoppettone, Peter H. Rissler, Mark C. Fabes, Donna Withers
2014, North American Journal of Fisheries Management (1) 57-67
Anthropogenic changes to the Pyramid Lake–Truckee River ecosystem in Nevada are suspected to have altered the predator–prey balance between American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos and Cui-ui Chasmistes cujus. We estimated the loss of the adult Cui-ui population to pelican predation over a 13-year period by netting and tagging Cui-uis as...
Water, ice and mud: Lahars and lahar hazards at ice- and snow-clad volcanoes
Christopher F. Waythomas
2014, Geology Today (30) 34-39
Large-volume lahars are significant hazards at ice and snow covered volcanoes. Hot eruptive products produced during explosive eruptions can generate a substantial volume of melt water that quickly evolves into highly mobile flows of ice, sediment and water. At present it is difficult to predict the size of lahars that...
Linkage of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool and the Texas Water Availability Model to simulate the effects of brush management on monthly storage of Canyon Lake, south-central Texas, 1995-2010
William H. Asquith, Johnathan R. Bumgarner
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5239
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, developed and applied an approach to create a linkage between the published upper Guadalupe River Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) brush-management (ashe juniper [Juniperus ashei]) model and the full authorization version Guadalupe River Water...
