Ocean acidification postcards
Heather A. Schreppel, Matthew J. Cimitile
2011, General Information Product 122
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting research on ocean acidification in polar, temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions including the Arctic, West Florida Shelf, and the Caribbean. Project activities include field assessment, experimental laboratory studies, and evaluation of existing data. The USGS is participating in international and interagency working groups...
Lidar postcards
Heather A. Schreppel, Matthew J. Cimitile
2011, General Information Product 124
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program develops and uses specialized technology to build high-resolution topographic and habitat maps. High-resolution maps of topography, bathymetry, and habitat describe important features affected by coastal-management decisions. The mapped information serves as a baseline for evaluating resources and tracking the effectiveness...
Science supporting Gulf of Mexico oil-spill response, mitigation, and restoration activities-Assessment, monitoring, mapping, and coordination
Jack Kindinger, Ann B. Tihansky, Matthew Cimitile
2011, General Information Product 123
The St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) investigates physical processes related to coastal and marine environments and societal implications related to natural hazards, resource sustainability, and environmental change. Immediately after the Deepwater Horizon event, the USGS began responding to data requests, directing response...
Data for giant constrictors - Biological management profiles and an establishment risk assessment for nine large species of pythons, anacondas, and the boa constrictor
C. S. Jarnevich, G.H. Rodda, R.N. Reed
2011, Data Series 579
Giant Constrictors' Climate Space The giant constrictors' climate space data set represents the information needed to recreate the climate space and climate matching analyses in Reed and Rodda (2009). A detailed methodology and results are included in that report. The data include locations for nine species of large constrictors including Python...
Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in Jurassic and Cretaceous strata of the Gulf Coast, 2010
Russell F. Dubiel, Peter D. Warwick, Sharon Swanson, Lauri Burke, Laura Biewick, Ronald R. Charpentier, James L. Coleman Jr., Troy A. Cook, Kris Dennen, Colin A. Doolan, Catherine Enomoto, Paul C. Hackley, Alexander W. Karlsen, Timothy R. Klett, Scott A. Kinney, Michael D. Lewan, Matthew D. Merrill, Krystal Pearson, Ofori N. Pearson, Janet K. Pitman, Richard M. Pollastro, Elizabeth L. Rowan, Christopher J. Schenk, Brett Valentine
2011, Fact Sheet 2011-3020
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 147.4 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas, 2.4 billion barrels of undiscovered oil, and 2.96 billion barrels of undiscovered natural gas liquids in Jurassic and Cretaceous strata in onshore lands and State waters of the Gulf Coast....
Insights on the 2009 South Pacific tsunami in Samoa and Tonga from field surveys and numerical simulations
Hermann M. Fritz, Jose C. Borrero, Costas E. Synolakis, Emile A. Okal, Robert Weiss, Vasily V. Titov, Bruce E. Jaffe, Spyros Foteinis, Patrick J. Lynett, I-Chi Chan, Philip L-F. Liu
2011, Earth-Science Reviews (107) 66-75
An Mw ≈ 8.1 earthquake south of the Samoan Islands on 29 September 2009 generated a tsunami that killed 189 people. From 4 to 11 October, an International Tsunami Survey Team surveyed the seven major islands of the Samoan archipelago. The team measured locally focused runup heights of 17 m at Poloa and inundation...
Zinc-The key to preventing corrosion
S.J. Kropschot, Jeff L. Doebrich
2011, Fact Sheet 2011-3016
Centuries before it was identified as an element, zinc was used to make brass (an alloy of zinc and copper) and for medicinal purposes. Metallic zinc and zinc oxide were produced in India sometime between the 11th and 14th centuries and in China in the 17th century, although the discovery...
Effects of groundwater flow on the distribution of biogenic gas in parts of the northern Great Plains of Canada and United States
Lawrence O. Anna
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5251
Parts of the northern Great Plains in eastern Montana and western North Dakota and southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada, were studied as part of an assessment of shallow biogenic gas in Upper Cretaceous rocks.Parts of the northern Great Plains in eastern Montana and western North Dakota and southeastern Alberta...
Geology for a changing world 2010-2020-Implementing the U.S. Geological Survey science strategy
Linda C.S. Gundersen, Jayne Belnap, Martin Goldhaber, Arthur Goldstein, Peter J. Haeussler, S. E. Ingebritsen, John W. Jones, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, E. Robert Thieler, Robert S. Thompson, Judith M. Back
2011, Circular 1369
This report describes a science strategy for the geologic activities of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the years 2010-2020. It presents six goals with accompanying strategic actions and products that implement the science directions of USGS Circular 1309, 'Facing Tomorrow's Challenges-U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007-2017.' These...
PQLX: A seismic data quality control system description, applications, and users manual
Daniel E. McNamara, Richard I. Boaz
2011, Open-File Report 2010-1292
We present a detailed description and users manual for a new tool to evaluate seismic station performance and characteristics by providing quick and easy transitions between visualizations of the frequency and time domains. The software is based on the probability density functions (PDF) of power spectral densities (PSD) (McNamara and...
The effects of sediment and mercury mobilization in the South Yuba River and Humbug Creek confluence area, Nevada County, California: Concentrations, speciation, and environmental fate – Part 1: Field characterization
Jacob A. Fleck, Charles N. Alpers, Mark Marvin-DiPasquale, Roger L. Hothem, Scott Wright, Kevin Ellett, Elizabeth Beaulieu, Jennifer L. Agee, Evangelos Kakouros, Le H. Kieu, Dennis D. Eberl, Alex E. Blum, Jason T. May
2011, Open-File Report 2010-1325-A
Millions of pounds of mercury (Hg) were deposited in the river and stream channels of the Sierra Nevada from placer and hard-rock mining operations in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The resulting contaminated sediments are relatively harmless when buried and isolated from the overlying aquatic environment. The entrained Hg...
Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, water year 2010: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards
Dwight Q. Tanner, Heather M. Bragg, Matthew W. Johnston
2011, Open-File Report 2010-1293
Significant Findings When water is released through the spillways of dams, air is entrained in the water, increasing the downstream concentration of dissolved gases. Excess dissolved-gas concentrations can have adverse effects on freshwater aquatic life. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, collected...
Simulation of streamflow in the Pleasant, Narraguagus, Sheepscot, and Royal Rivers, Maine, using watershed models
Robert W. Dudley, Martha G. Nielsen
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5221
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a study in 2008 to investigate anticipated changes in summer streamflows and stream temperatures in four coastal Maine river basins and the potential effects of those changes on populations of endangered Atlantic salmon. To achieve this purpose, it was necessary to characterize the quantity...
Resolving structural uncertainty in natural resources management using POMDP approaches
B. Kenneth Williams
2011, Ecological Modelling (222) 1092-1102
In recent years there has been a growing focus on the uncertainties of natural resources management, and the importance of accounting for uncertainty in assessing management effectiveness. This paper focuses on uncertainty in resource management in terms of discrete-state Markov decision processes (MDP) under structural uncertainty and partial observability. It...
Moderate-resolution sea surface temperature data for the nearshore North Pacific
Meredith C. Payne, Deborah A. Reusser, Henry Lee II, Cheryl A. Brown
2011, Open-File Report 2010-1251
Coastal sea surface temperature (SST) is an important environmental characteristic in determining the suitability of habitat for nearshore marine and estuarine organisms. This publication describes and provides access to an easy-to-use coastal SST dataset for ecologists, biogeographers, oceanographers, and other scientists conducting research on nearshore marine habitats or processes. The...
Avian conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region, Northern Great Plains-Understanding the links between climate, ecosystem processes, wetland management, and bird communities
S. K. Skagen, Cynthia Melcher
2011, Fact Sheet 2011-3030
Water budgets and groundwater volumes for abandoned underground mines in the Western Middle Anthracite Coalfield, Schuylkill, Columbia, and Northumberland Counties, Pennsylvania: Preliminary estimates with identification of data needs
Daniel J. Goode, Charles A. Cravotta III,, Roger J. Hornberger, Michael A. Hewitt, Robert E. Hughes, Daniel J. Koury, Lee W. Eicholtz
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5261
This report, prepared in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP), the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, and the Dauphin County Conservation District, provides estimates of water budgets and groundwater volumes stored in abandoned underground mines in the Western Middle Anthracite Coalfield, which encompasses an area...
Removal of nonnative slider turtles (Trachemys scripta) and effects on native Sonora mud turtles (Kinosternon sonoriense) at Montezuma Well, Yavapai County, Arizona
Charles A. Drost, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Sheila V. Madrak, A.J. Monatesti
2011, Open-File Report 2010-1177
The National Park Service (NPS) estimates that 234 national parks contain nonnative, invasive animal species that are of management concern (National Park Service, 2004). Understanding and controlling invasive species is thus an important priority within the NPS (National Park Service, 1996). The slider turtle (Trachemys scripta) is one such invasive...
Rainfall and evapotranspiration data for southwest Medina County, Texas, August 2006-December 2009
Richard N. Slattery, William H. Asquith, Darwin J. Ockerman
2011, Data Series 554
During August 2006-December 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, collected rainfall and evapotranspiration data to help characterize the hydrology of the Nueces River Basin, Texas. The USGS installed and operated a station to collect continuous (30-minute interval) rainfall...
Chloride control and monitoring program in the Wichita River Basin, Texas, 1996–2009
M. M. Haynie, G. F. Burke, Stanley Baldys
2011, Fact Sheet 2011-3018
Water resources of the Wichita River Basin in north-central Texas are vital to the water users in Wichita Falls, Tex., and surrounding areas. The Wichita River Basin includes three major forks of the Wichita River upstream from Lake Kemp, approximately 50 miles southwest of Wichita Falls, Tex. The main stem...
2007 Volcanic activity in Alaska, Kamchatka, and the Kurile Islands: Summary of events and response of the Alaska Volcano Observatory
Robert G. McGimsey, Christina A. Neal, James P. Dixon, Nataliya Malik, Marina Chibisova
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5242
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) responded to eruptions, possible eruptions, and volcanic unrest at or near nine separate volcanic centers in Alaska during 2007. The year was highlighted by the eruption of Pavlof, one of Alaska's most frequently active volcanoes. Glaciated Fourpeaked Mountain, a volcano thought to have been inactive...
Documentation for the State Variables Package for the Groundwater-Management Process of MODFLOW-2005 (GWM-2005)
David P. Ahlfeld, Paul M. Barlow, Kristine M. Baker
2011, Techniques and Methods 6-A36
Many groundwater-management problems are concerned with the control of one or more variables that reflect the state of a groundwater-flow system or a coupled groundwater/surface-water system. These system state variables include the distribution of heads within an aquifer, streamflow rates within a hydraulically connected stream, and flow rates into or...
The concept of geologic carbon sequestration
Douglas W. Duncan, Eric A. Morrissey
2011, Fact Sheet 2010-3122
Petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment from the northern Gulf of Mexico shoreline, Texas to Florida
Robert J. Rosenbauer, Pamela L. Campbell, Angela Lam, T.D. Lorenson, Frances D. Hostettler, Burt Thomas, Florence L. Wong
2011, Open-File Report 2011-1014
Petroleum hydrocarbons were extracted and analyzed from shoreline sediment collected from the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) coastline that could potentially be impacted by Macondo-1 (M-1) well oil. Sediment was collected before M-1 well oil made significant local landfall and analyzed for baseline conditions by a suite of diagnostic petroleum...
Implications of community concordance for assessing stream integrity at three nested spatial scales in Minnesota, U.S.A.
Christine L. Dolph, David D. Huff, Christopher J. Chizinski, Bruce C. Vondracek
2011, Freshwater Biology (56) 1652-1669
1. Fish and invertebrate assemblage data collected from 670 stream sites in Minnesota (U.S.A.) were used to calculate concordance across three nested spatial scales (statewide, ecoregion and catchment). Predictive taxa richness models, calibrated using the same data, were used to evaluate whether concordant communities exhibited similar trends in human‐induced taxa...
