Estimating instream constituent loads using replicate synoptic sampling, Peru Creek, Colorado
Robert L. Runkel, Katherine Walton-Day, Briant A. Kimball, Philip L. Verplanck, David A. Nimick
2013, Journal of Hydrology (489) 26-41
The synoptic mass balance approach is often used to evaluate constituent mass loading in streams affected by mine drainage. Spatial profiles of constituent mass load are used to identify sources of contamination and prioritize sites for remedial action. This paper presents a field scale study in which replicate synoptic...
Return period adjustment for runoff coefficients based on analysis in undeveloped Texas watersheds
Nirajan Dhakal, Xing Fang, William H. Asquith, Theodore G. Cleveland, David B. Thompson
2013, Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering (139) 476-482
The rational method for peak discharge (Qp) estimation was introduced in the 1880s. The runoff coefficient (C) is a key parameter for the rational method that has an implicit meaning of rate proportionality, and the C has been declared a function of the annual return period by various researchers. Rate-based...
Capture of white sturgeon larvae downstream of The Dalles Dam, Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2012
Michael J. Parsley, Eric Kofoot
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1110
Wild-spawned white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) larvae captured and reared in aquaculture facilities and subsequently released, are increasingly being used in sturgeon restoration programs in the Columbia River Basin. A reconnaissance study was conducted to determine where to deploy nets to capture white sturgeon larvae downstream of a known white sturgeon...
Regional patterns and proximal causes of the recent snowpack decline in the Rocky Mountains, U.S.
Gregory T. Pederson, Julio L. Betancourt, Gregory J. McCabe
2013, Geophysical Research Letters (40) 1811-1816
We used a first-order, monthly snow model and observations to disentangle seasonal influences on 20th century,regional snowpack anomalies in the Rocky Mountains of western North America, where interannual variations in cool-season (November–March) temperatures are broadly synchronous, but precipitation is typically antiphased north to south and uncorrelated with temperature. Over the...
Field measurement of basal forces generated by erosive debris flows
S.W. McCoy, G.E. Tucker, J. W. Kean, J. A. Coe
2013, Journal of Geophysical Research F: Earth Surface (118) 589-602
It has been proposed that debris flows cut bedrock valleys in steeplands worldwide, but field measurements needed to constrain mechanistic models of this process remain sparse due to the difficulty of instrumenting natural flows. Here we present and analyze measurements made using an automated sensor network, erosion bolts, and a...
Expert assessment of vulnerability of permafrost carbon to climate change
E.A.G. Schuur, B.W. Abbott, W.B. Bowden, V. Brovkin, P. Camill, J.G. Canadell, J. P. Chanton, F. S. Chapin III, T.R. Christensen, P. Ciais, B.T. Crosby, C.I. Czimczik, G. Grosse, J. Harden, D.J. Hayes, G. Hugelius, J.D. Jastrow, Jack B. Jones, Thomas Kleinen, C.D. Koven, G. Krinner, P. Kuhry, D.M. Lawrence, A. D. McGuire, Susan M. Natali, J. A. O'Donnell, C.-L. Ping, W.J. Riley, A. Rinke, V.E. Romanovsky, A. B. K. Sannel, C. Schädel, K. Schaefer, J. Sky, Z.M. Subin, C. Tarnocai, M.R. Turetsky, M. P. Waldrop, K.M. Walter Anthony, K.P. Wickland, C. J. Wilson, S.A. Zimov
2013, Climatic Change (119) 359-374
Approximately 1700 Pg of soil carbon (C) are stored in the northern circumpolar permafrost zone, more than twice as much C than in the atmosphere. The overall amount, rate, and form of C released to the atmosphere in a warmer world will influence the strength of the permafrost C feedback...
Estimating economic losses from earthquakes using an empirical approach
Kishor Jaiswal, David J. Wald
2013, Earthquake Spectra (29) 309-324
We extended the U.S. Geological Survey's Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) empirical fatality estimation methodology proposed by Jaiswal et al. (2009) to rapidly estimate economic losses after significant earthquakes worldwide. The requisite model inputs are shaking intensity estimates made by the ShakeMap system, the spatial distribution of...
Simulating mechanisms for dispersal, production and stranding of small forage fish in temporary wetland habitats
Simeon Yurek, Donald L. DeAngelis, Joel C. Trexler, Fred Jopp, Douglas D. Donalson
2013, Ecological Modelling (250) 391-401
Movement strategies of small forage fish (<8 cm total length) between temporary and permanent wetland habitats affect their overall population growth and biomass concentrations, i.e., availability to predators. These fish are often the key energy link between primary producers and top predators, such as wading birds, which require high concentrations...
National assessment of geologic carbon dioxide storage resources: methodology implementation
Madalyn S. Blondes, Sean T. Brennan, Matthew D. Merrill, Marc L. Buursink, Peter D. Warwick, Steven M. Cahan, M.D. Corum, Troy A. Cook, William H. Craddock, Christina A. DeVera, Ronald M. Drake II, Lawrence J. Drew, P.A. Freeman, Celeste D. Lohr, Ricardo A. Olea, Tina L. Roberts-Ashby, Ernie R. Slucher, Brian A. Varela
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1055
In response to the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a national assessment of potential geologic storage resources for carbon dioxide (CO2). Storage of CO2 in subsurface saline formations is one important method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb global climate change. This...
Tidal wetlands of the Yaquina and Alsea River estuaries, Oregon: Geographic Information Systems layer development and recommendations for National Wetlands Inventory revisions
Laura S. Brophy, Deborah A. Reusser, Christopher N. Janousek
2013, Open-File Report 2012-1038
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) layers of current, and likely former, tidal wetlands in two Oregon estuaries were generated by enhancing the 2010 National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data with expert local field knowledge, Light Detection and Ranging-derived elevations, and 2009 aerial orthophotographs. Data were generated for two purposes: First, to enhance...
Digital tabulation of stratigraphic data from oil and gas wells in Cuyama Valley and surrounding areas, central California
Donald S. Sweetkind, Shiera C. Bova, Victoria E. Langenheim, Lauren E. Shumaker, Daniel S. Scheirer
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1084
Stratigraphic information from 391 oil and gas exploration wells from Cuyama Valley, California, and surrounding areas are herein compiled in digital form from reports that were released originally in paper form. The Cuyama Basin is located within the southeasternmost part of the Coast Ranges and north of the western Transverse...
Groundwater depletion in the United States (1900−2008)
Leonard F. Konikow
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5079
A natural consequence of groundwater withdrawals is the removal of water from subsurface storage, but the overall rates and magnitude of groundwater depletion in the United States are not well characterized. This study evaluates long-term cumulative depletion volumes in 40 separate aquifers or areas and one land use category in...
Effects of isolation and fishing on the marine ecosystems of Easter Island and Salas y Gómez, Chile
Alan M. Friedlander, Enric Ballesteros, Jim Beets, Eric Berkenpas, Carlos F. Gaymer, Matthias Gorny, Enric Sala
2013, Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (23) 515-531
1. An expedition to Salas y Gómez and Easter islands was conducted to develop a comprehensive baseline of the nearshore marine ecosystem, to survey seamounts of the recently created Motu Motiro Hiva Marine Park (MMHMP) – a no-take marine reserve of 150 000 km2 – and to compare these results with...
Ecosystem services from keystone species: diversionary seeding and seed-caching desert rodents can enhance Indian ricegrass seedling establishment
William Longland, Steven M. Ostoja
2013, Restoration Ecology (21) 285-291
Seeds of Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), a native bunchgrass common to sandy soils on arid western rangelands, are naturally dispersed by seed-caching rodent species, particularly Dipodomys spp. (kangaroo rats). These animals cache large quantities of seeds when mature seeds are available on or beneath plants and recover most of their...
Ecosystem services from converted land: the importance of tree cover in Amazonian pastures
Kirsten Barrett, Judson Valentim, B. L. Turner II
2013, Urban Ecosystems (16) 573-591
Deforestation is responsible for a substantial fraction of global carbon emissions and changes in surface energy budgets that affect climate. Deforestation losses include wildlife and human habitat, and myriad forest products on which rural and urban societies depend for food, fiber, fuel, fresh water, medicine, and recreation. Ecosystem services gained...
Effects of mining-associated lead and zinc soil contamination on native floristic quality
Matthew A. Struckhoff, Esther D. Stroh, Keith W. Grabner
2013, Journal of Environmental Management (119) 20-28
We assessed the quality of plant communities across a range of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) soil concentrations at a variety of sites associated with Pb mining in southeast Missouri, USA. In a novel application, two standard floristic quality measures, Mean Coefficient of Conservatism (Mean C) and Floristic Quality Index...
Wildlife disease and environmental health in Alaska
Caroline R. Van Hemert, John M. Pearce, Karen Oakley, Mary E. Whalen
2013, Fact Sheet 2013-3027
Environmental health is defined by connections between the physical environment, ecological health, and human health. Current research within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recognizes the importance of this integrated research philosophy, which includes study of disease and pollutants as they pertain to wildlife and humans. Due to its key geographic...
Effects of grazing on leaf area index, fractional cover and evapotranspiration by a desert phreatophyte community at a former uranium mill site on the Colorado Plateau
Cynthia J. Bresloff, Uyen Nguyen, Edward P. Glenn, Jody Waugh, Pamela L. Nagler
2013, Journal of Environmental Management (114) 92-104
This study employed ground and remote sensing methods to monitor the effects of grazing on leaf area index (LAI), fractional cover (fc) and evapotranspiration (ET) of a desert phreatophyte community over an 11 year period at a former uranium mill site on the Colorado Plateau, U.S. Nitrate, ammonium and sulfate...
Ecotoxicology of organochlorine chemicals in birds of the Great Lakes
Donald E. Tillitt, John P. Giesy
2013, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (32) 490-492
Silent Spring was fulfilled in the United States with passage of environmental legislation such as the Clean Water Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, and the Toxic Substance Control Act in the 1970s. Carson's writings, television interviews, and testimony before Congress alerted a nation and the world to...
Effects of historical lead–zinc mining on riffle-dwelling benthic fish and crayfish in the Big River of southeastern Missouri, USA
A.L. Allert, R.J. DiStefano, J.F. Fairchild, C. J. Schmitt, M.J. McKee, J.A. Girondo, W. G. Brumbaugh, T.W. May
2013, Ecotoxicology (22) 506-521
The Big River (BGR) drains much of the Old Lead Belt mining district (OLB) in southeastern Missouri, USA, which was historically among the largest producers of lead–zinc (Pb–Zn) ore in the world. We sampled benthic fish and crayfish in riffle habitats at eight sites in the BGR and conducted 56-day...
Effectiveness of an integrated hatchery program: Can genetic-based performance differences between hatchery and wild Chinook salmon be avoided?
Michael C. Hayes, Reginald R. Reisenbichler, Stephen P. Rubin, Deanne C. Drake, Karl D. Stenberg, Sewall F. Young
2013, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (70) 147-158
Performance of wild (W) and hatchery (H) spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was evaluated for a sixth generation hatchery program. Management techniques to minimize genetic divergence from the wild stock included regular use of wild broodstock and volitional releases of juveniles. Performance of HH, WW, and HW (hatchery female spawned...
Remote sensing survey of Chinese tallow tree in the Toledo Bend Reservoir area, Louisiana and Texas
Elijah W. Ramsey III, Amina Rangoonwala, Terri Bannister, Yukihiro Suzuoki
2013, Open-File Report 2012-1215
We applied Hyperion sensor satellite data acquired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite in conjunction with reconnaissance surveys to map the occurrences of the invasive Chinese tallow tree (Triadica sebifera) in the Toledo Bend Reservoir study area of northwestern Louisiana and northeastern Texas. The rationale...
Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Amery Ice Shelf area, Antarctica: 1961–2004
Kevin M. Foley, Jane G. Ferrigno, Charles Swithinbank, Richard S. Williams Jr., Audrey L. Orndorff
2013, IMAP 2600-Q
Reduction in the area and volume of Earth’s two polar ice sheets is intricately linked to changes in global climate and to the resulting rise in sea level. Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by...
Characterization of mercury contamination in the Androscoggin River, Coos County, New Hampshire
Ann Chalmers, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, James R. Degnan, James Coles, Jennifer L. Agee, Darryl Luce
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1076
The former chloralkali facility in Berlin, New Hampshire, was designated a Superfund site in 2005. Historic paper mill activities resulted in the contamination of groundwater, surface water, and sediments with many organic compounds and mercury (Hg). Hg continues to seep into the Androscoggin River in elemental form through bedrock fractures....
Methods for estimating annual exceedance-probability discharges for streams in Iowa, based on data through water year 2010
David A. Eash, Kimberlee K. Barnes, Andrea G. Veilleux
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5086
A statewide study was performed to develop regional regression equations for estimating selected annual exceedance-probability statistics for ungaged stream sites in Iowa. The study area comprises streamgages located within Iowa and 50 miles beyond the State’s borders. Annual exceedance-probability estimates were computed for 518 streamgages by using the expected moments...
