Land cover trends dataset, 1973-2000
Christopher E. Soulard, William Acevedo, Roger F. Auch, Terry L. Sohl, Mark A. Drummond, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Daniel G. Sorenson, Steven Kambly, Tamara S. Wilson, Janis L. Taylor, Kristi Sayler, Michael P. Stier, Christopher A. Barnes, Steven C. Methven, Thomas R. Loveland, Rachel Headley, Mark S. Brooks
2014, Data Series 844
The U.S. Geological Survey Land Cover Trends Project is releasing a 1973–2000 time-series land-use/land-cover dataset for the conterminous United States. The dataset contains 5 dates of land-use/land-cover data for 2,688 sample blocks randomly selected within 84 ecological regions. The nominal dates of the land-use/land-cover maps are 1973, 1980, 1986, 1992,...
Simulating soil-water movement through loess-veneered landscapes using nonconsilient saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements
Tanja N. Williamson, Brad D. Lee, Philip J. Schoeneberger, W. M. McCauley, Samuel J. Indorante, Phillip R. Owens
2014, Soil Science Society of America Journal (78) 1320-1331
Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) data are available for the entire United States, so are incorporated in many regional and national models of hydrology and environmental management. However, SSURGO does not provide an understanding of spatial variability and only includes saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) values estimated from particle size analysis...
Simulation of groundwater flow in the Edwards-Trinity and related aquifers in the Pecos County region, Texas
Jonathan V. Thomas
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3029
The Edwards-Trinity aquifer, a major aquifer in the Pecos County region of western Texas, is a vital groundwater resource for agricultural, industrial, and public supply uses. Resource managers would like to better understand the future availability of water in the Edwards-Trinity aquifer in the Pecos County region and the effects...
A multiphased approach to groundwater investigations for the Edwards-Trinity and related aquifers in the Pecos County region, Texas
Jonathan V. Thomas
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3025
The Edwards-Trinity aquifer is a vital groundwater resource for agricultural, industrial, and public supply uses in the Pecos County region of western Texas. Resource managers would like to understand the future availability of water in the Edwards-Trinity aquifer in the Pecos County region and the effects of the possible increase...
Remote sensing with simulated unmanned aircraft imagery for precision agriculture applications
E. Raymond Hunt Jr., Craig S.T. Daughtry, Steven B. Mirsky, W. Dean Hively
2014, IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing (7)
An important application of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) may be remote-sensing for precision agriculture, because of its ability to acquire images with very small pixel sizes from low altitude flights. The objective of this study was to compare information obtained from two different pixel sizes, one about a meter (the...
Refining the link between the Holocene development of the Mississippi River Delta and the geologic evolution of Cat Island, MS: implications for delta-associated barrier islands
Jennifer L. Miselis, Noreen A. Buster, Jack L. Kindinger
2014, Marine Geology (355) 274-290
The geologic evolution of barrier islands is profoundly influenced by the nature of the deposits underlying them. Many researchers have speculated on the origin and evolution of Cat Island in Mississippi, but uncertainty remains about whether or not the island is underlain completely or in part by deposits associated with...
Monitoring Everglades freshwater marsh water level using L-band synthetic aperture radar backscatter
Jin-Woo Kim, Zhong Lu, John Jones, C. K. Shum, Hyongki Lee, Yuanyuan Jia
2014, Remote Sensing of Environment (150) 66-81
The Florida Everglades plays a significant role in controlling floods, improving water quality, supporting ecosystems, and maintaining biodiversity in south Florida. Adaptive restoration and management of the Everglades requires the best information possible regarding wetland hydrology. We developed a new and innovative approach to quantify spatial and temporal variations in...
Density-stratified flow events in Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA: implications for mercury and salinity cycling
David L. Naftz, Gregory T. Carling, Cory Angeroth, Michael Freeman, Ryan Rowland, Eddy Pazmino
2014, Aquatic Geochemistry (20) 547-571
Density stratification in saline and hypersaline water bodies from throughout the world can have large impacts on the internal cycling and loading of salinity, nutrients, and trace elements. High temporal resolution hydroacoustic and physical/chemical data were collected at two sites in Great Salt Lake (GSL), a saline lake in the...
Lateral baroclinic forcing enhances sediment transport from shallows to channel in an estuary
Jessica R. Lacy, Steve Gladding, Andreas Brand, Audric Collignon, Mark T. Stacey
2014, Estuaries and Coasts (37) 1058-1077
We investigate the dynamics governing exchange of sediment between estuarine shallows and the channel based on field measurements at eight stations spanning the interface between the channel and the extensive eastern shoals of South San Francisco Bay. The study site is characterized by longitudinally homogeneous bathymetry and a straight channel,...
Comparison of surficial CO2 efflux to other measures of subsurface crude oil degradation
Ean Warren, Natasha J. Sihota, Frances D. Hostettler, Barbara A. Bekins
2014, Journal of Contaminant Hydrology (164) 275-284
At a spill site near Bemidji, Minnesota, crude oil at the water table has been undergoing anaerobic biodegradation for over 30 years. Previous work at this site has shown that methane produced from biodegradation of the oil migrates upward and is oxidized in a methanotrophic zone midway between the water...
Bayesian historical earthquake relocation: an example from the 1909 Taipei earthquake
Sarah E. Minson, William H.K. Lee
2014, Geophysical Journal International (198) 1419-1430
Locating earthquakes from the beginning of the modern instrumental period is complicated by the fact that there are few good-quality seismograms and what traveltimes do exist may be corrupted by both large phase-pick errors and clock errors. Here, we outline a Bayesian approach to simultaneous inference of not only the...
Report of the River Master of the Delaware River for the period December 1, 2007-November 30, 2008
Bruce E. Krejmas, Gary N. Paulachok, Stephen F. Blanchard
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1111
A Decree of the Supreme Court of the United States, entered June 7, 1954, established the position of Delaware River Master within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In addition, the Decree authorizes diversions of water from the Delaware River Basin and requires compensating releases from certain reservoirs, owned by New...
Autonomous bed-sediment imaging-systems for revealing temporal variability of grain size
Daniel Buscombe, David M. Rubin, Jessica R. Lacy, Curt D. Storlazzi, Gerald Hatcher, Henry Chezar, Robert Wyland, Christopher R. Sherwood
2014, Limnology and Oceanography: Methods (12) 390-406
We describe a remotely operated video microscope system, designed to provide high-resolution images of seabed sediments. Two versions were developed, which differ in how they raise the camera from the seabed. The first used hydraulics and the second used the energy associated with wave orbital motion. Images were analyzed using...
Historical channel-planform change of the Little Colorado River near Winslow, Arizona
Debra L. Block
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5112
This study evaluates channel-planform adjustment on an alluvial reach of the Little Colorado River and documents the geomorphic evolution of the channel through an analysis of aerial photographs and orthophotographs for the period 1936–2010. The Little Colorado River has adjusted to the effects of an extreme flood in 1923 and...
Methods and equations for estimating peak streamflow per square mile in Virginia’s urban basins
Samuel H. Austin
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5090
Models are presented that describe Virginia urban area annual peak streamflow per square mile based on basin percent urban area and basin drainage area. Equations are provided to estimate Virginia urban peak flow per square mile of basin drainage area in each of the following annual exceedance probability categories: 0.995,...
Watershed characteristics and water-quality trends and loads in 12 watersheds in Gwinnett County, Georgia
John K. Joiner, Brent T. Aulenbach, Mark N. Landers
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5141
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, established a Long-Term Trend Monitoring (LTTM) program in 1996. The LTTM program is a comprehensive, long-term, water-quantity and water-quality monitoring program designed to document and analyze the hydrologic and water-quality conditions of selected watersheds of Gwinnett County,...
Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012
Robert E. Zuellig, James F. Bruce, Stogner, Krystal D. Brown
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5049
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at...
A comprehensive list and photographic collection of the vascular flora of Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, March 2011-March 2012
Larry Allain
2014, Data Series 854
A floristics inventory was conducted to identify and photograph the vascular plants occurring at Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Texas, from March 2011 to March 2012 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This research resulted in the identification of 511 taxa...
Mapping and monitoring Mount Graham red squirrel habitat with Lidar and Landsat imagery
James R. Hatten
2014, Ecological Modelling (289) 106-123
The Mount Graham red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis) is an endemic subspecies located in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeast Arizona. Living in a conifer forest on a sky-island surrounded by desert, the Mount Graham red squirrel is one of the rarest mammals in North America. Over the last two decades,...
Geostatistical estimation of signal-to-noise ratios for spectral vegetation indices
Lei Ji, Li Zhang, Jennifer R. Rover, Bruce K. Wylie, Xuexia Chen
2014, ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (96) 20-27
In the past 40 years, many spectral vegetation indices have been developed to quantify vegetation biophysical parameters. An ideal vegetation index should contain the maximum level of signal related to specific biophysical characteristics and the minimum level of noise such as background soil influences and atmospheric effects. However, accurate quantification...
Holocene sea surface temperature and sea ice extent in the Okhotsk and Bering Seas
Naomi Harada, Kota Katsuki, Mitsuhiro Nakagawa, Akiko Matsumoto, Osamu Seki, Jason A. Addison, Bruce P. Finney, Miyako Sato
2014, Progress in Oceanography (126) 242-253
Accurate prediction of future climate requires an understanding of the mechanisms of the Holocene climate; however, the driving forces, mechanisms, and processes of climate change in the Holocene associated with different time scales remain unclear. We investigated the drivers of Holocene sea surface temperature (SST) and sea ice extent in...
Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: global tungsten processing plants, a critical part of the tungsten supply chain
Omayra Bermudez-Lugo
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3069
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) analyzes supply chains to identify and define major components of mineral and material flows from ore extraction, through intermediate forms, to a final product. Two major reasons necessitate these analyses: (1) to identify risks associated with the supply of critical and strategic minerals to the...
Adaptations of indigenous bacteria to fuel contamination in karst aquifers in south-central Kentucky
Thomas D. Byl, David W. Metge, Daniel T. Agymang, Mike Bradley, Gregg Hileman, Ronald W. Harvey
2014, Journal of Cave and Karst Studies (76) 104-113
The karst aquifer systems in southern Kentucky can be dynamic and quick to change. Microorganisms that live in these unpredictable aquifers are constantly faced with environmental changes. Their survival depends upon adaptations to changes in water chemistry, taking advantage of positive stimuli and avoiding negative environmental conditions. The U.S. Geological...
What caused terrestrial dust loading and climate downturns between A.D. 533 and 540?
Dallas H. Abbott, Dee Breger, Pierre E. Biscaye, John A. Barron, Robert A. Juhl, Patrick McCafferty
2014, GSA Special Papers (505) 421-437
Sn-rich particles, Ni-rich particles, and cosmic spherules are found together at four discrete stratigraphic levels within the 362-360 m depth interval of the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 (GISP2) ice core (72.6°N, 38.5°W, elevation: 3203 m). Using a previously derived calendar-year time scale, these particles span a time of increased...
Implementation of NGA-West2 ground motion models in the 2014 U.S. National Seismic Hazard Maps
Sanaz Rezaeian, Mark D. Petersen, Morgan P. Moschetti, Peter Powers, Stephen C. Harmsen, Arthur D. Frankel
2014, Earthquake Spectra (30) 1319-1333
The U.S. National Seismic Hazard Maps (NSHMs) have been an important component of seismic design regulations in the United States for the past several decades. These maps present earthquake ground shaking intensities at specified probabilities of being exceeded over a 50-year time period. The previous version of the NSHMs was...
