Occurrence and distribution of iron, manganese, and selected trace elements in ground water in the glacial aquifer system of the northern United States
George E. Groschen, Terri Arnold, William S. Morrow, Kelly L. Warner
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5006
Dissolved trace elements, including iron and manganese, are often an important factor in use of ground water for drinking-water supplies in the glacial aquifer system of the United States. The glacial aquifer system underlies most of New England, extends through the Midwest, and underlies portions of the Pacific Northwest and...
Guide to Surficial Geology and River-Bluff Exposures, Noatak National Preserve, Northwestern Alaska
Thomas D. Hamilton
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2008-5125
From its origin in rugged granitic highlands of the central Brooks Range, the Noatak River flows westward between the De Long Mountains and the Baird Mountains before turning south to enter Kotzebue Sound. Glaciers of middle and late Pleistocene age entered the Noatak River valley from the east, north, and...
Publications of the Volcano Hazards Program 2007
Manuel Nathenson
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1071
The Volcano Hazards Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is part of the Geologic Hazards Assessments subactivity as funded by Congressional appropriation. Investigations are carried out in the Geology and Hydrology Disciplines of the USGS and with cooperators at the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, University of...
Geologic Map of the Yukon-Koyukuk Basin, Alaska
William W. Patton Jr., Frederic H. Wilson, Keith A. Labay, Nora B. Shew
2009, Scientific Investigations Map 2909
This map and accompanying digital files represent part of a systematic effort to release geologic data for the United States in a uniform manner. All the geologic data in this series will be published as parts of the U.S. Geological Survey Data Series. The geologic data in this series have...
Baseline Channel Geometry and Aquatic Habitat Data for Selected Streams in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Alaska
Janet H. Curran, William J. Rice
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5084
Small streams in the rapidly developing Matanuska-Susitna Valley in south-central Alaska are known to support anadromous and resident fish but little is known about their hydrologic and riparian conditions, or their sensitivity to the rapid development of the area or climate variability. To help address this need, channel geometry and...
Geologic Map of the Atlin Quadrangle, Southeastern Alaska
David A. Brew, Glen R. Himmelberg, Arthur B. Ford
2009, Scientific Investigations Map 2929
This map presents the results of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) geologic bedrock mapping studies in the mostly glacier covered Atlin 1:250,000-scale quadrangle, northern southeastern Alaska. These studies are part of a long-term systematic effort by the USGS to provide bedrock geologic and mineral-resource information for all of southeastern Alaska, covering...
Oblique Aerial Photography of the Arctic Coast of Alaska, Nulavik to Demarcation Point, August 7-10, 2006
Ann E. Gibbs, Bruce M. Richmond
2009, Data Series 436
The Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska, an area of strategic economic importance to the United States, is home to remote Native American communities and encompasses unique habitats of global significance. Coastal erosion along the Arctic coast is chronic and widespread; recent evidence suggests that erosion rates are among the...
Drilling and testing the DOI-04-1A coalbed methane well, Fort Yukon, Alaska
Arthur Clark, Charles E. Barker, Edwin P. Weeks
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1064
The need for affordable energy sources is acute in rural communities of Alaska where costly diesel fuel must be delivered by barge or plane for power generation. Additionally, the transport, transfer, and storage of fuel pose great difficulty in these regions. Although small-scale energy development in remote Arctic locations presents...
Quaternary uplift history of Wingham Island, south-central Alaska
James B. Chapman, Peter J. Haeussler, Terry L. Pavlis
2009, Professional Paper 1760-B
Marine terraces cut into Pleistocene deposits on Wingham Island in the Gulf of Alaska provide new constraints on the position of sea level, ice thickness and total glacioisostatic rebound at the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. A radiocarbon age of 13.9 +- 0.15 ka on the most prominent terrace...
Does winter region affect spring arrival time and body mass of king eiders in northern Alaska?
Abby N. Powell, Steffen Oppel
2009, Polar Biology (32) 1203-1209
Events during the non-breeding season may affect the body condition of migratory birds and influence performance during the following breeding season. Migratory birds nesting in the Arctic often rely on endogenous nutrients for reproductive efforts, and are thus potentially subject to such carry-over effects. We tested whether king eider (<i...
National assessment of historical shoreline change: a pilot study of historical coastal bluff retreat in the Great Lakes, Erie, Pennsylvania
Cheryl J. Hapke, Shamus Malone, Meredith G. Kratzmann
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1042
Coastal bluff retreat is a chronic problem along many high-relief coastlines in the United States. As coastal populations continue to grow and community infrastructures are threatened by erosion, there is increased demand for accurate information regard-ing trends and rates of bluff retreat. There is also a need for a comprehensive...
Occurrence of Selected Nutrients, Trace Elements, and Organic Compounds in Streambed Sediment in the Lower Chena River Watershed near Fairbanks, Alaska, 2002-03
Ben W. Kennedy, Cassidee C. Hall
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5067
In 2002-03, the U.S. Geological Survey collected samples of streambed sediment at 18 sites in the lower Chena River watershed for analysis of selected nutrients, traces elements, and organic compounds. The purpose of the project was to provide Federal, State, and local agencies as well as neighborhood committees, with information...
Status and Trends of Sea Otter Populations in Southeast Alaska, 1969-2003
George G. Esslinger, James L. Bodkin
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5045
Aerial surveys of all known sea otter (Enhydra lutris) habitat in Southeast Alaska (SE AK) in 2002-2003 indicated a population size of 8,949 otters [Standard Error (SE) = 899] at an average density of 0.92 otters per square kilometer. These findings on sea otter distribution and abundance were compared to...
Federal standards and procedures for the National Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD)
Kimberly A. Jones, Lily S. Niknami, Susan G. Buto, Drew Decker
2009, Techniques and Methods 11-A3
The Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) is a seamless, national hydrologic unit dataset developed using the guidelines and specifications outlined in this document. A hydrologic unit defines the areal extent of surface-water drainage to an outlet point on a dendritic stream network or to outlet points where the stream network is...
Model-Based Predictions of the Effects of Harvest Mortality on Population Size and Trend of Yellow-Billed Loons
Joel A. Schmutz
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1040
Yellow-billed loons (Gavia adamsii) breed in low densities in northern tundra habitats in Alaska, Canada, and Russia. They migrate to coastal marine habitats at mid to high latitudes where they spend their winters. Harvest may occur throughout the annual cycle, but of particular concern are recent reports of harvest from...
Surface rupture map of the 2002 M7.9 Denali fault earthquake, Alaska: Digital data
Peter J. Haeussler
2009, Data Series 422
The November 3, 2002, Mw7.9 Denali Fault earthquake produced about 340 km of surface rupture along the Susitna Glacier Thrust Fault and the right-lateral, strike-slip Denali and Totschunda Faults. Digital photogrammetric methods were primarily used to create a 1:500-scale, three-dimensional surface rupture map, and 1:6,000-scale aerial photographs were used for...
Studies by the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska, 2007
Peter J. Haeussler, John P. Galloway
2009, Professional Paper 1760
The collection of papers that follow continues the series of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) investigative reports in Alaska under the broad umbrella of the geologic sciences. This series represents new and sometimes-preliminary findings that are of interest to Earth scientists in academia, government, and industry; to land and resource managers;...
Mesozoic magmatism and base-metal mineralization in the Fortymile mining district, eastern Alaska — Initial results of petrographic, geochemical, and isotopic studies in the Mount Veta area
Cynthia Dusel-Bacon, John F. Slack, John N. Aleinikoff, James K. Mortensen
2009, Professional Paper 1760-A
We present here the initial results of a petrographic, geochemical, and isotopic study of Mesozoic intrusive rocks and spatially associated Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu-Au prospects in the Fortymile mining district in the southern Eagle quadrangle, Alaska. Analyzed samples include mineralized and unmineralized drill core from 2006 and 2007 exploration by Full Metal Minerals,...
Vulnerability and adaptation to climate-related fire impacts in rural and urban interior Alaska
Sarah F. Trainor, Monika Calef, David Natcher, F. Stuart Chapin III, A. David McGuire, Orville Huntington, Paul A. Duffy, T. Scott Rupp, La’Ona DeWilde, Mary Kwart, Nancy Fresco, Amy Lauren Lovecraft
2009, Polar Research (28) 100-118
This paper explores whether fundamental differences exist between urban and rural vulnerability to climate-induced changes in the fire regime of interior Alaska. We further examine how communities and fire managers have responded to these changes and what additional adaptations could be put in place. We engage a variety of social...
Geography of Alaska lake districts: Identification, description, and analysis of lake-rich regions of a diverse and dynamic state
Christopher D. Arp, Benjamin M. Jones
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2008-5215
Lakes are abundant landforms and important ecosystems in Alaska, but are unevenly distributed on the landscape with expansive lake-poor regions and several lake-rich regions. Such lake-rich areas are termed lake districts and have landscape characteristics that can be considered distinctive in similar respects to mountain ranges. In this report, we...
Optical satellite data volcano monitoring: a multi-sensor rapid response system
Kenneth A. Duda, Michael Ramsey, Rick L. Wessels, Jonathan Dehn
2009, Book chapter, Geoscience and remote sensing
In this chapter, the use of satellite remote sensing to monitor active geological processes is described. Specifically, threats posed by volcanic eruptions are briefly outlined, and essential monitoring requirements are discussed. As an application example, a collaborative, multi-agency operational volcano monitoring system in the north Pacific is highlighted with a...
Paleoceanography of the Gulf of Alaska during the past 15,000 years: Results from diatoms, silicoflagellates, and geochemistry
John A. Barron, David Bukry, Walter E. Dean, Jason A. Addison, Bruce Finney
2009, Marine Micropaleontology (72) 176-195
High-resolution records of diatoms, silicoflagellates, and geochemistry covering the past 15,000 years were studied in three cores from the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). Core EW0408-85JC in an oceanic setting on the Kayak Slope displays a paleoceanographic record similar to that at several locations on the California margin during deglaciation. Biologic...
Implications for the dynamic health of a glacier from comparison of conventional and reference-surface balances
W.D. Harrison, L.H. Cox, R. Hock, R.S. March, E.C. Pettit
2009, Annals of Glaciology (50) 25-30
Conventional and reference-surface mass-balance data from Gulkana and Wolverine Glaciers, Alaska, USA, are used to address the questions of how rapidly these glaciers are adjusting (or 'responding') to climate, whether their responses are stable, and whether the glaciers are likely to survive in today's climate. Instability means that a glacier...
Late Proterozoic-Paleozoic evolution of the Arctic Alaska-Chukotka terrane based on U-Pb igneous and detrital zircon ages: Implications for Neoproterozoic paleogeographic reconstructions
J.M. Amato, J. Toro, E. L. Miller, G. E. Gehrels, G. L. Farmer, E.S. Gottlieb, A.B. Till
2009, Geological Society of America Bulletin (121) 1219-1235
The Seward Peninsula of northwestern Alaska is part of the Arctic Alaska-Chukotka terrane, a crustal fragment exotic to western Laurentia with an uncertain origin and pre-Mesozoic evolution. U-Pb zircon geochronology on deformed igneous rocks reveals a previously unknown intermediate-felsic volcanic event at 870 Ma, coeval with rift-related magmatism associated with...
Historical abundance and morphology of Didymosphenia species in Naknek Lake, Alaska
D.P. Pite, K.A. Lane, A.K. Hermann, S. A. Spaulding, B. P. Finney
2009, Conference Paper, Acta Botanica Croatica
Since the 1980s, nuisance blooms of Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngbye) M. Schmidt have been documented in sites that are warmer and more mesotrophic than historical records indicate. While the invasion of D. geminata in New Zealand is well documented, it is less clear whether nuisance blooms in North America are a...
