Editor’s message: Groundwater modeling fantasies - Part 1, adrift in the details
Clifford I. Voss
2011, Hydrogeology Journal (19) 1281-1284
Fools ignore complexity. Pragmatists suffer it. Some can avoid it. Geniuses remove it. …Simplicity does not precede complexity, but follows it. (Epigrams in Programming by Alan Perlis, a computer scientist; Perlis 1982).A doctoral student creating a groundwater model of a regional aquifer put individual...
Quality of our groundwater resources: Arsenic and fluoride
D. Kirk Nordstrom
2011, Geosciences (13) 82-87
Groundwater often contains arsenic or fluoride concentrations too high for drinking or cooking. These constituents, often naturally occurring, are not easy to remove. The right combination of natural or manmade conditions can lead to elevated arsenic or fluoride which includes continental source rocks, high alkalinity and pH, reducing conditions for...
The human dimension of fire regimes on Earth
David M. J. S. Bowman, Jennifer Balch, Paulo Artaxo, William J. Bond, Mark A. Cochrane, Carla M. D'Antonio, Fay H. Johnston, Ruth DeFries, Jon E. Keeley, Meg A. Krawchuk, Christian A. Kull, Michelle Mack, Max A. Moritz, Stephen Pyne, Christopher I. Roos, Andrew C. Scott, Navjot S. Sodhi, Thomas W. Swetnam
2011, Journal of Biogeography (38) 2223-2236
Humans and their ancestors are unique in being a fire‐making species, but ‘natural’ (i.e. independent of humans) fires have an ancient, geological history on Earth. Natural fires have influenced biological evolution and global biogeochemical cycles, making fire integral to the functioning of some biomes. Globally, debate rages about the impact...
Differences in macroinvertebrate community structure in streams and rivers with different hydrologic regimes in the semi-arid Colorado Plateau
Matthew P. Miller, Anne M.D. Brasher
2011, River Systems (19) 225-238
Aquatic macroinvertebrates are sensitive to changes in their chemical and physical environment, and as such, serve as excellent indicators of overall ecosystem health. Moreover, temporal and spatial differences in macroinvertebrate community structure can be used to investigate broad issues in aquatic science, such as the hypothesis that changes in climate...
A multi-year comparison of IPCI scores for prairie pothole wetlands: implications of temporal and spatial variation
Ned H. Euliss Jr., David M. Mushet
2011, Wetlands (31) 713-723
In the prairie pothole region of North America, development of Indices of Biotic Integrity (IBIs) to detect anthropogenic impacts on wetlands has been hampered by naturally dynamic inter-annual climate fluctuations. Of multiple efforts to develop IBIs for prairie pothole wetlands, only one, the Index of Plant Community Integrity (IPCI), has...
Carbon gas fluxes in re-established wetlands on organic soils differ relative to plant community and hydrology
Robin L. Miller
2011, Wetlands (31) 1055-1066
We measured CO2 and CH4 fluxes for 6 years following permanent flooding of an agriculturally managed organic soil at two water depths (~25 and ~55 cm standing water) in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, as part of research studying C dynamics in re-established wetlands. Flooding rapidly reduced gaseous C losses,...
Role of biofilms in sorptive removal of steroidal hormones and 4-nonylphenol compounds from streams
Jeffrey H. Writer, Joseph N. Ryan, Larry B. Barber
2011, Environmental Science & Technology (45) 7275-7283
Stream biofilms play an important role in geochemical processing of organic matter and nutrients, however, the significance of this matrix in sorbing trace organic contaminants is less understood. This study focused on the role of stream biofilms in sorbing steroidal hormones and 4-nonylphenol compounds from surface waters using biofilms colonized...
Response in the trophic state of stratified lakes to changes in hydrology and water level: potential effects of climate change
Dale M. Robertson, William J. Rose
2011, Journal of Water and Climate Change (2) 1-18
To determine how climate-induced changes in hydrology and water level may affect the trophic state (productivity) of stratified lakes, two relatively pristine dimictic temperate lakes in Wisconsin, USA, were examined. Both are closed-basin lakes that experience changes in water level and degradation in water quality during periods of high water....
Chronology, sedimentology, and microfauna of groundwater discharge deposits in the central Mojave Desert, Valley Wells, California
Jeffrey S. Pigati, David M. Miller, Jordon E. Bright, Shannon Mahan, Jeffrey C. Nekola, James B. Paces
2011, Geological Society of America Bulletin (123) 2224-2239
During the late Pleistocene, emergent groundwater supported persistent and long-lived desert wetlands in many broad valleys and basins in the American Southwest. When active, these systems provided important food and water sources for local fauna, supported hydrophilic and phreatophytic vegetation, and acted as catchments for eolian and alluvial sediments. Desert...
SICS: the Southern Inland and Coastal System interdisciplinary project of the USGS South Florida Ecosystem Program
Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey
2011, Report
State and Federal agencies are working jointly on structural modifications and improved water-delivery strategies to reestablish more natural surface-water flows through the Everglades wetlands and into Florida Bay. Changes in the magnitude, duration, timing, and distribution of inflows from the headwaters of the Taylor Slough and canal C-111 drainage basins...
Characterization of the intragranular water regime within subsurface sediments: pore volume, surface area, and mass transfer limitations
Michael B. Hay, Deborah L. Stoliker, James A. Davis, John M. Zachara
2011, Water Resources Research (47)
Although "intragranular" pore space within grain aggregates, grain fractures, and mineral surface coatings may contain a relatively small fraction of the total porosity within a porous medium, it often contains a significant fraction of the reactive surface area, and can thus strongly affect the transport of sorbing solutes. In this...
Estimating groundwater recharge
David A. Stonestrom
2011, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union (92) 269-269
Groundwater recharge is the entry of fresh water into the saturated portion of the subsurface part of the hydrologic cycle, the modifier “saturated” indicating that the pressure of the pore water is greater than atmospheric. Briefly stated, recharge is downward flux across the water table. The term “groundwater recharge” can...
Geomorphology of the Elwha River and its Delta: Chapter 3 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
Jonathan A. Warrick, Amy E. Draut, Michael L. McHenry, Ian M. Miller, Christopher S. Magirl, Matthew M. Beirne, Andrew W. Stevens, Joshua B. Logan
Jeffrey J. Duda, Jonathan A. Warrick, Christopher S. Magirl, editor(s)
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5120-3
The removal of two dams on the Elwha River will introduce massive volumes of sediment to the river, and this increase in sediment supply in the river will likely modify the shapes and forms of the river and coastal landscape downstream of the dams. This chapter provides the geologic and...
Baseline hydrologic studies in the lower Elwha River prior to dam removal
Christopher S. Magirl, Christopher A. Curran, Rich W. Sheibley, Jonathan A. Warrick, Jonathan A. Czuba, Christiana R. Czuba, Andrew S. Gendaszek, Patrick B. Shafroth, Jeffrey J. Duda, James R. Foreman
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5120-4
After the removal of two large, long‑standing dams on the Elwha River, Washington, the additional load of sediment and wood is expected to affect the hydrology of the lower river, its estuary, and the alluvial aquifer underlying the surrounding flood plain. To better understand the surface-water and groundwater characteristics of...
Persistence of the longnose darter (P. nasuta) in Lee Creek, Oklahoma
Michael R. Gatlin, James M. Long
2011, Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science (91) 11-14
The longnose darter Percina nasuta (Bailey) is one of Oklahoma’s rarest fish species (1) and is listed by the state as endangered. Throughout the rest of its range, which includes Missouri, Arkansas and the far eastern portion of Oklahoma, the longnose darter is classified as “rare” or “threatened” (2, 3,...
Anticipated sediment delivery to the lower Elwha River during and following dam removal: Chapter 2 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal
Christiana R. Czuba, Timothy J. Randle, Jennifer A. Bountry, Christopher S. Magirl, Jonathan A. Czuba, Christopher A. Curran, Christopher P. Konrad
Jeffrey J. Duda, Jonathan A. Warrick, Christopher S. Magirl, editor(s)
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5120-2
During and after the planned incremental removal of two large, century-old concrete dams between 2011 and 2014, the sediment-transport regime in the lower Elwha River of western Washington will initially spike above background levels and then return to pre-dam conditions some years after complete dam removal. Measurements indicate the upper...
Guidance manual for forensic analysis of perchlorate in groundwater using chlorine and oxygen isotopic analyses
2011, Report
Increased health concerns about perchlorate (ClO4-) during the past decade and subsequent regulatory considerations have generated appreciable interest in source identification. The key objective of the isotopic techniques described in this guidance manual is to provide evidence concerning the origin of ClO4- in soils and groundwater and, more specifically, whether...
Hyperspectral remote sensing of wetland vegetation
Elijah Ramsey III, Amina Rangoonwala
2011, Book chapter, Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Vegetation
Wetlands proportionally exert a higher influence on biogeochemical fluxes among the land, the atmosphere, and hydrologic systems than their 1% worldwide occurrence suggests [1]. Although their frequency of occurrence is low and their importance is high, wetlands continue to face high detrimental pressures from natural and human-induced...
Bias-adjusted satellite-based rainfall estimates for predicting floods: Narayani Basin
Guleid A. Artan, S.A. Tokar, D.K. Gautam, S.R. Bajracharya, M.S. Shrestha
2011, Journal of Flood Risk Management (4) 360-373
In Nepal, as the spatial distribution of rain gauges is not sufficient to provide detailed perspective on the highly varied spatial nature of rainfall, satellite-based rainfall estimates provides the opportunity for timely estimation. This paper presents the flood prediction of Narayani Basin at the Devghat hydrometric station (32 000 km2) using bias-adjusted...
Groundwater availability of the Denver Basin aquifer system, Colorado
Suzanne S. Paschke, editor(s)
2011, Professional Paper 1770
The Denver Basin aquifer system is a critical water resource for growing municipal, industrial, and domestic uses along the semiarid Front Range urban corridor of Colorado. The confined bedrock aquifer system is located along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountain Front Range where the mountains meet the Great...
The Hydrogeology of the San Juan Mountains Chapter 5
Jonathan S. Caine, Anna B. Wilson
Robert Blair, George Bracksieck, editor(s)
2011, Book chapter, The Eastern San Juan Mountains Their Ecology, Geology, and Human History
Knowledge of the occurrence, storage, and flow of groundwater in mountainous regions is limited by the lack of integrated data from wells, streams, springs, and climate. In his comprehensive treatment of the hydrogeology of the San Luis Valley, Huntley (1979) hypothesized that the underlying, fractured volcanic bedrock of the San...
Assessing controls on perched saturated zones beneath the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, Idaho
Benjamin B. Mirus, Kim S. Perkins, John R. Nimmo
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5222
Waste byproducts associated with operations at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) have the potential to contaminate the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer. Recharge to the ESRP aquifer is controlled largely by the alternating stratigraphy of fractured volcanic rocks and sedimentary interbeds within the overlying vadose zone...
Characterizing the performance of ecosystem models across time scales: A spectral analysis of the North American Carbon Program site‐level synthesis
Michael C. Dietze, Rodrigo Vargas, Andrew D. Richardson, Paul C. Stoy, Ryan Anderson, M. A. Arain, I. Baker, T. Andrew Black, Jing M. Chen, Philippe Ciais, Lawrence B. Flanagan, Christopher M. Gough, Robert Grant, David Hollinger, R. C. Izaurralde, C.J. Kucharik, P. Lafleur, Shuguang Liu, E. Lokupitiya, Y. Luo, J.W. Munger, Changhui Peng, Benjamin Poulter, David T. Price, D. Ricciuto, William J. Riley, A. Sahoo, Kevin Schaefer, Andrew E. Suyker, Hanqin Tian, Christina Tonitto, Hans Verbeeck, Shashi B. Verma, W. Wang, Ensheng Weng
2011, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences (116)
[1] Ecosystem models are important tools for diagnosing the carbon cycle and projecting its behavior across space and time. Despite the fact that ecosystems respond to drivers at multiple time scales, most assessments of model performance do not discriminate different time scales. Spectral methods, such as wavelet analyses, present an...
U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 26-29, 2011
Eve L. Kuniansky, editor(s)
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5031
Karst aquifer systems are present throughout parts of the United States and some of its territories and are developed in carbonate rocks (primarily limestone and dolomite) that span the entire geologic time frame. The depositional environments, diagenetic processes, and post-depositional tectonic events that form carbonate rock aquifers are varied and...
Groundwater conditions in the Brunswick-Glynn County area, Georgia, 2009
Gregory S. Cherry, Michael F. Peck, Jaime A. Painter, Welby L. Stayton
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5087
The Upper Floridan aquifer is contaminated with saltwater in a 2-square-mile area of downtown Brunswick, Georgia. The presence of this saltwater has limited the development of the groundwater supply in the Glynn County area. Hydrologic, geologic, and water-quality data are needed to effectively manage water resources. Since 1959, the U.S....
