Monitoring and analysis of sand dune movement and growth on the Navajo Nation, southwestern United States
Margaret Hiza Redsteer, Rian Bogle, John M. Vogel
2011, Fact Sheet 2011-3085
Recurring drought and rising temperatures have caused reactivation and renewed growth of sand dunes on the lands of the Navajo Nation on the Colorado Plateau. Migrating dunes threaten health, housing, and transportation pathways. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists are conducting research to better understand the processes of dune growth and...
Using host-associated genetic markers to investigate sources of fecal contamination in two Vermont streams
Laura Medalie, Leslie J. Matthews, Erin A. Stelzer
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5113
The use of host-associated Bacteroidales-based 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid genetic markers was investigated as a tool for providing information to managers on sources of bacterial impairment in Vermont streams. The study was conducted during 2009 in two watersheds on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 303(d) List of Impaired Waters, the...
Catfish science: Status and trends in the 21st century
Thomas J. Kwak, Mark T. Porath, Paul H. Michaletz, Vincent H. Travnichek
2011, Conference Paper
Catfish science, the study of the fish order Siluriformes, is a diverse and expanding field in terms of advances and breadth of topics. We compiled literature from primary fisheries journals as an index of interest and advances in catfish science to examine temporal trends in the field. The number of...
Streamflow, groundwater hydrology, and water quality in the upper Coleto Creek watershed in southeast Texas, 2009–10
Christopher L. Braun, Rebecca B. Lambert
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5157
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Goliad County Groundwater Conservation District, Victoria County Groundwater Conservation District, Pecan Valley Groundwater Conservation District, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, and San Antonio River Authority, did a study to examine the hydrology and stream-aquifer interactions in the upper Coleto Creek watershed. Findings of...
Audiomagnetotelluric data, Taos Plateau Volcanic Field, New Mexico
Chad E. Ailes, Brian D. Rodriguez
2011, Open-File Report 2011-1264
The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a series of multidisciplinary studies of the San Luis Basin as part of the Geologic framework of the Rio Grande Basins project. Detailed geologic mapping, high-resolution airborne magnetic surveys, gravity surveys, audiomagnetotelluric surveys, and hydrologic and lithologic data are being used to better understand...
Volunteer map data collection at the USGS
B. Wolf Eric, Barbara S. Poore, Holly K. Caro, Greg D. Matthews
2011, Fact Sheet 2011-3103
Since 1994, citizen volunteers have helped the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) improve its topographic maps. Through the Earth Science Corps program, citizens were able to "adopt a quad" and collect new information and update existing map features. Until its conclusion in 2001, as many as 300 volunteers annotated paper maps...
Results and evaluation of a survey to estimate Pacific walrus population size, 2006
Suzann G. Speckman, Vladimir I. Chernook, Douglas M. Burn, Mark S. Udevitz, Anatoly A. Kochnev, Alexander Vasilev, Chadwick V. Jay, Alexander Lisovsky, Anthony S. Fischbach, R. Bradley Benter
2011, Marine Mammal Science (27) 514-553
In spring 2006, we conducted a collaborative U.S.-Russia survey to estimate abundance of the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). The Bering Sea was partitioned into survey blocks, and a systematic random sample of transects within a subset of the blocks was surveyed with airborne thermal scanners using standard strip-transect...
Global climate change implications for coastal and offshore oil and gas development
Virginia R. Burkett
2011, Energy Policy (39) 7719-7725
The discussion and debate about climate change and oil and gas resource development has generally focused on how fossil fuel use affects the Earth's climate. This paper explores how the changing climate is likely to affect oil and gas operations in low-lying coastal areas and the outer continental shelf. Oil...
Geophysical bed sediment characterization of the Androscoggin River from the former Chlor-Alkali Facility Superfund Site, Berlin, New Hampshire, to the state border with Maine, August 2009
James R. Degnan, Andrew Teeple, Craig M. Johnston, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Darryl Luce
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5158
The former Chlor-Alkali Facility in Berlin, New Hampshire, was listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Priorities List in 2005 as a Superfund site. The Chlor-Alkali Facility lies on the east bank of the Androscoggin River. Elemental mercury currently discharges from that bank into the Androscoggin River. The nature,...
In-place oil shale resources underlying Federal lands in the Green River and Washakie Basins, southwestern Wyoming
Tracey J. Mercier, Ronald C. Johnson, Michael E. Brownfield
2011, Fact Sheet 2011-3113
Using a geologic-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated an in-place oil shale resource of 906 billion barrels under Federal mineral rights, or 62 percent of the total oil shale in place, in the Green River and Washakie Basins, Wyoming. More than 67 percent of the total oil shale...
Summary of oceanographic and water–quality measurements in West Falmouth Harbor and Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, 2009–2010
Neil K. Ganju, Patrick J. Dickhudt, Jennifer A. Thomas, Jonathan Borden, Christopher R. Sherwood, Ellyn T. Montgomery, Erin R. Twomey, Marinna A. Martini
2011, Open-File Report 2011-1113
This data report presents oceanographic and water-quality observations made at six locations in West Falmouth Harbor and Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, from August 2009 to September 2010. Both Buzzards Bay and West Falmouth Harbor are estuarine embayments; the input of freshwater on the eastern margin of Buzzards Bay adjacent to Cape...
Application of the SPARROW watershed model to describe nutrient sources and transport in the Missouri River Basin
Juliane B. Brown
2011, Fact Sheet 2011-3104
Spatially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models were developed to provide spatially explicit information on local and regional total nitrogen and total phosphorus sources and transport in the Missouri River Basin. Model results provide estimates of the relative contributions from various nutrient sources and delivery factors. The models also...
The role of dyking and fault control in the rapid onset of eruption at Chaitén Volcano, Chile
Charles W. Wicks Jr., J. Carlos de la Llera, Luis E. Lara, Jacob B. Lowenstern
2011, Nature (478) 374-377
Rhyolite is the most viscous of liquid magmas, so it was surprising that on 2 May 2008 at Chaitén Volcano, located in Chile’s southern Andean volcanic zone, rhyolitic magma migrated from more than 5 km depth in less than 4 hours and erupted explosively with only two days of detected precursory seismic activity....
PRISM: Processing routines in IDL for spectroscopic measurements (installation manual and user's guide, version 1.0)
Raymond F. Kokaly
2011, Open-File Report 2011-1155
This report describes procedures for installing and using the U.S. Geological Survey Processing Routines in IDL for Spectroscopic Measurements (PRISM) software. PRISM provides a framework to conduct spectroscopic analysis of measurements made using laboratory, field, airborne, and space-based spectrometers. Using PRISM functions, the user can compare the spectra of materials...
Seasonal movements of non-native lake trout in a connected lake and river system
Clint C. Muhlfeld, J. Joseph Giersch, Brian Marotz
2011, Fisheries Management and Ecology (19) 224-232
Non-native lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum), threaten native salmonid populations in the western United States. Effective management of lake trout requires understanding movements within connected lake and river systems. This study determined the seasonal movements of subadult lake trout in the Flathead River upstream of Flathead Lake, Montana, USA using radio telemetry....
Quantifying viruses and bacteria in wastewater—Results, interpretation methods, and quality control
Donna S. Francy, Erin A. Stelzer, Rebecca N. Bushon, Amie M. G. Brady, Brian E. Mailot, Susan K. Spencer, Mark A. Borchardt, Ashley G. Elber, Kimberly R. Riddell, Terry M. Gellner
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5150
Membrane bioreactors (MBR), used for wastewater treatment in Ohio and elsewhere in the United States, have pore sizes small enough to theoretically reduce concentrations of protozoa and bacteria, but not viruses. Sampling for viruses in wastewater is seldom done and not required. Instead, the bacterial indicators Escherichia coli (E. coli)...
Proceedings of the third USGS modeling conference, June 7-11, 2010, Broomfield, Colorado-Understanding and predicting for a changing world
Shailaja R. Brady
2011, Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5147
The Third USGS Modeling Conference was held June 7th-11, 2010, in Broomfield, Colorado. The conference focused on the development and application of analytical and theoretical models and data availability that support managing the Nation's resources and help protect lives and property. Participants at the conference included scientists and managers from...
Developing a regional canopy fuels assessment strategy using multi-scale lidar
Birgit E. Peterson, Kurtis Nelson
2011, Conference Paper, Proceedings of SilviLaser 2011, 11th International Conference on LiDAR Applications for Assessing Forest Ecosystems, University of Tasmania, Australia, 16-20 October 2011
Accurate assessments of canopy fuels are needed by fire scientists to understand fire behavior and to predict future fire occurrence. A key descriptor for canopy fuels is canopy bulk density (CBD). CBD is closely linked to the structure of the canopy; therefore, lidar measurements are particularly well suited to assessments...
Organic contaminants, trace and major elements, and nutrients in water and sediment sampled in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Lisa H. Nowell, Amy S. Ludtke, David K. Mueller, Jonathon C. Scott
2011, Open-File Report 2011-1271
Beach water and sediment samples were collected along the Gulf of Mexico coast to assess differences in contaminant concentrations before and after landfall of Macondo-1 well oil released into the Gulf of Mexico from the sinking of the British Petroleum Corporation's Deepwater Horizon drilling platform. Samples were collected at 70...
Location and age of foraminifer samples examined by Chevron Petroleum Company paleontologists from more than 2,500 oil test wells in California
Earl E. Brabb
2011, Open-File Report 2011-1262
Chevron Petroleum Company in 2001 donated an estimated 50,000 foraminifer slides, 5,000 well logs, geologic and surface locality maps, and paleontologic reports to the California Academy of Sciences and Stanford University for safekeeping, because they stopped or cut back exploration for petroleum deposits in California. The material was loaned to...
Comment on "Changes in climatic water balance drive downhill shifts in plant species' optimum elevations"
Nathan L. Stephenson, Adrian J. Das
2011, Science (334) 177
Crimmins et al. (Reports, 21 January 2011, p. 324) attributed an apparent downward elevational shift of California plant species to a precipitation-induced decline in climatic water deficit. We show that the authors miscalculated deficit, that the apparent decline in species’ elevations is likely a consequence of geographic biases, and that unlike...
Alaska Geochemical Database (AGDB)-Geochemical data for rock, sediment, soil, mineral, and concentrate sample media
Matthew Granitto, Elizabeth A. Bailey, Jeanine M. Schmidt, Nora B. Shew, Bruce M. Gamble, Keith A. Labay
2011, Data Series 637
The Alaska Geochemical Database (AGDB) was created and designed to compile and integrate geochemical data from Alaska in order to facilitate geologic mapping, petrologic studies, mineral resource assessments, definition of geochemical baseline values and statistics, environmental impact assessments, and studies in medical geology. This Microsoft Access database serves as a...
Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment including site effects for Evansville, Indiana, and the surrounding region
Jennifer S. Haase, Tim Bowling, Robert L. Nowack, Yoon S. Choi, Chris H. Cramer, Oliver S. Boyd, Robert A. Bauer
2011, Open-File Report 2011-1231
We provide a probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for the Evansville, Indiana region incorporating information from new surficial geologic mapping efforts on the part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Kentucky and Indiana State Geological Surveys, as well as information on the thickness and properties of near surface soils...
Undiscovered hydrocarbon resources in the U.S. Gulf Coast Jurassic Norphlet and Smackover Formations
Ofori N. Pearson
2011, Conference Paper, Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies transactions
The U.S. Geological Survey has completed assessments of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Jurassic Norphlet and Smackover formations of the onshore coastal plain and State waters of the U.S. Gulf Coast. The Norphlet Formation consists of sandstones and interbedded shales and siltstones deposited during a marine...
Assessment of bats for white-nose syndrome at El Malpais National Monument and adjacent lands
Ernest Valdez
2011, Conference Paper, 1st One Day Chapter Conference and Corridors Workshop
No abstract available....
