Environmental DNA surveys of Burmese pythons in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem
Caitlin E. Beaver, Gaia Meigs-Friend, Margaret E. Hunter
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1082
Improving the probability of detecting invasive giant snakes is vital for the management of emerging or established populations. Burmese pythons occupy thousands of square kilometers of mostly inaccessible habitats in Florida. Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods have been shown to be time and cost effective in a number of systems...
Geohydrologic and water-quality characterization of a fractured-bedrock test hole in an area of Marcellus Shale gas development, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania
Dennis W. Risser, John H. Williams, Aaron D. Bierly
2021, Open-File Report OFMI 21-02.0
The stratigraphy, water-bearing zones, and quality of groundwater were characterized in a 1,400-ft-deep test hole drilled during 2013 in fractured bedrock in Sullivan County, Pa., by collection and analysis of measurements made during drilling, geophysical logs, and depth-specific hydraulic tests and water samples. The multidisciplinary characterization of the test hole...
System characterization report on Resourcesat-2 Advanced Wide Field Sensor
Shankar N. Ramaseri Chandra, Minsu Kim, Jon Christopherson, Gregory L. Stensaas, Cody Anderson
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1030-G
Executive SummaryThis report addresses system characterization of the Indian Space Research Organisation Resourcesat-2 Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) and is part of a series of system characterization reports produced and delivered by the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Cal/Val Center of Excellence in 2021. These reports present...
Behavior and movement of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the forebay of Bonneville Dam, Columbia River, August–December 2020
Tobias J. Kock, Gabriel S. Hansen, Scott D. Evans
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1099
A telemetry study was conducted during August–December 2020 to evaluate behavior and movement patterns of adult smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the forebay of Bonneville Dam, Washington. A total of 40 smallmouth bass were collected, tagged, and released during August–September in seven distinct areas of the dam forebay and...
Detection and measurement of land-surface deformation, Pajaro Valley, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, California, 2015–18
Justin T. Brandt, Marisa M. Earll, Michelle Sneed, Wesley R. Henson
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1101
Land-surface deformation (subsidence) caused by groundwater withdrawal is identified as an undesirable result in the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency’s Basin Management Plan and California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. In Pajaro Valley, groundwater provides nearly 90 percent of the total water supply. To aid the development of sustainable groundwater management...
System characterization report on Resourcesat-2 Linear Imaging Self Scanning-3 (LISS–3) sensor
Shankar N. Ramaseri Chandra, Jon Christopherson, Cody Anderson, Gregory L. Stensaas, Minsu Kim
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1030-H
Executive Summary This report addresses system characterization of the Indian Space Research Organisation Resourcesat-2 Linear Imaging Self Scanning-3 (LISS–3) sensor and is part of a series of system characterization reports produced and delivered by the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Cal/Val Center of Excellence in 2021. These reports...
Managed aquifer recharge suitability—Regional screening and case studies in Jordan and Lebanon
Daniel J. Goode, editor(s)
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1089
The U.S. Geological Survey, at the request of the U.S. Agency for International Development, led a 5-year regional project to develop and apply methods for water availability and suitability mapping for managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in the Middle East and North Africa region. A regional model of surface runoff for...
Near-field receiving-water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in south San Francisco Bay, California—2019
Daniel J. Cain, Marie Noele Croteau, Janet K. Thompson, Francis Parchaso, A. Robin Stewart, Kelly H. Shrader, Emily L. Zierdt Smith, Samuel N. Luoma
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1079
Trace-metal concentrations in sediment and in the clam Limecola petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica and M. petalum), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure were investigated in a mudflat 1 kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (PARWQCP) in south San...
Water-quality distributions in the East Branch Black River near the Chemical Recovery Systems site in Elyria, Ohio, 2021
Jordan L. Wilson, Edward G. Dobrowolski
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1086
Autonomous underwater vehicles are uniquely designed to provide spatially dense water-quality data along with bathymetry and velocimetry. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 requested technical assistance from the U.S. Geological Survey in support of ongoing investigations at the Chemical Recovery Systems site to collect spatially dense water-quality and bathymetry...
Five-year management plan for establishing and operating NVEWS—The National Volcano Early Warning System
Peter F. Cervelli, Charlie Mandeville, Victoria F. Avery, Aleeza Wilkins
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1092
On March 12, 2019, Congress passed the John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116–9; 133 Stat. 580), in which Title V, §5001 (43 U.S.C. 31k) authorized the establishment of the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System (NVEWS) within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Conceived...
Technical note—Relative variability of selected turbidity standards and sensors in use by the U.S. Geological Survey
Guy M. Foster, Lindsey R. King, John D. Jastram, John K. Joiner, Brian A. Pellerin, Jennifer L. Graham, Thomas J. Williams
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1009
The challenges associated with field measurements of turbidity are well known and result primarily from differences in reported values that depend on instrument design and the resulting need for reporting units that are specific to those designs. A critical challenge for making comparable turbidity measurements is the selection and use...
U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Forum—Summary of remaining data and science needs and next steps
Leon M. Carl, Jon Hortness, Russell M. Strach
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1096
A U.S. Geological Survey-led assessment of data gaps and science needs across the Great Lakes ecosystem indicated the following:• Expanded data collection or monitoring would provide basic ecosystem, social, and public health data to manage the Great Lakes system and to develop and test models and decision support tools.• New...
Optimization of salt marsh management at the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Maine, through use of structured decision making
Hilary A. Neckles, James E. Lyons, Jessica L. Nagel, Susan C. Adamowicz, Toni Mikula, Kathleen M. O’Brien, Bri Benvenuti, Ryan Kleinert
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1080
Structured decision making is a systematic, transparent process for improving the quality of complex decisions by identifying measurable management objectives and feasible management actions; predicting the potential consequences of management actions relative to the stated objectives; and selecting a course of action that maximizes the total benefit achieved and balances...
Historical streamflow and stage data compilation for the Lower Columbia River, Pacific Northwest
Carrie L. Boudreau, Marc A. Stewart, Adam J. Stonewall
2021, Open-File Report 2020-1138
The U.S. Geological Survey mined data from a variety of national and state agencies including USGS, Oregon Water Resources Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington Department of Ecology, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Portland State University, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A comprehensive dataset of streamflow, stage, and...
Economic assessment of surface water in the Harney Basin, Oregon
Lucas S. Bair, Matthew Flyr, Christopher Huber
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1087
Executive SummaryThe Harney Basin is a closed river basin in southeastern Oregon. Surface water in the basin is used for a variety of social, economic, and ecological benefits. While some surface water uses compete with one another, others are complementary or jointly produce multiple beneficial outcomes. The objective of this...
Kelp forest monitoring at Naval Base Ventura County, San Nicolas Island, California—Fall 2019, sixth annual repor
Michael C. Kenner, Joseph A. Tomoleoni
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1081
The U.S. Geological Survey conducts ecological monitoring of rocky subtidal communities at four permanent sites around San Nicolas Island. The sites—Nav Fac 100, West End, Dutch Harbor, and Daytona 100—were based on ones that had been monitored since 1980 by the U.S. Geological Survey and, in cooperation with the U.S....
Effect of the emergency drought barrier on the distribution, biomass, and grazing rate of the bivalves Corbicula fluminea and Potamocorbula amurensis, False River, California
Francis Parchaso, Emily L. Zierdt Smith, Janet K. Thompson
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1088
Executive SummaryBenthic samples were collected from the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta of northern California to examine the effect of the changing hydrologic flow on the bivalves Potamocorbula and Corbicula before, during, and after the False River Barrier (hereafter, barrier) was in operation (May–November 2015). Potamocorbula moved upstream in the Sacramento...
Rigorously valuing the coastal hazard risks reduction provided by potential coral reef restoration in Florida and Puerto Rico
Curt D. Storlazzi, Borja G. Reguero, Kristen A. Cumming, Aaron Cole, James B. Shope, Camila Gaido L., T. Shay Viehman, Barry A. Nickel, Michael W. Beck
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1054
The restoration of coastal habitats, particularly coral reefs, can reduce risks by decreasing the exposure of coastal communities to flooding hazards. In the United States, the protective services provided by coral reefs were recently assessed in social and economic terms, with the annual protection provided by U.S. coral reefs off...
Rigorously valuing the impact of projected coral reef degradation on coastal hazard risk in Florida
Curt D. Storlazzi, Borja G. Reguero, Kimberly K. Yates, Kristen A. Cumming, Aaron Cole, James B. Shope, Camila Gaido L., David G. Zawada, Stephanie R. Arsenault, Zachery W. Fehr, Barry A. Nickel, Michael W. Beck
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1055
The degradation of coastal habitats, particularly coral reefs, raises risks by increasing the exposure of coastal communities to flooding hazards. In the United States, the physical protective services provided by coral reefs were recently assessed, in social and economic terms, with the annual protection provided by U.S. coral reefs off...
Rigorously valuing the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on coastal hazard risks in Florida and Puerto Rico
Curt D. Storlazzi, Borja G. Reguero, T. Shay Viehman, Kristen A. Cumming, Aaron Cole, James B. Shope, Sarah H. Groves, Camila Gaido L., Barry A. Nickel, Michael W. Beck
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1056
The degradation of coastal habitats, particularly coral reefs, raises risks by increasing the exposure of coastal communities to flooding hazards. In the United States, the physical protective services provided by coral reefs were recently assessed in social and economic terms, with the annual protection provided by U.S. coral reefs off...
Using ALOS-2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and interferometric SAR to detect landslides on the mountainous island of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
Elijah W. Ramsey III, Amina Rangoonwala
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1084
This study was undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey to assess the detectability of landslides in the densely forested and mountainous island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. The study used existing field-observed land-cover changes and landslides visible on Google Earth (GE) images. A limited number of ALOS-2...
Behavior and survival of hatchery rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2013 and 2017
Amy C. Hansen, Tobias J. Kock, Brian K. Ekstrom, Theresa L. Liedtke
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1085
A two-year study (2013 and 2017) was conducted to determine if annual releases of hatchery rainbow trout (resident Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington adversely affected anadromous fish in the basin. Rainbow trout tagged with radio transmitters were monitored after release to describe movement patterns, entrainment...
Water quality, instream habitat, and the distribution of suckers in the upper Lost River watershed of Oregon and California, summer 2018
Barbara A. Martin, Summer M. Burdick, Stephen T. Staiger, Caylen M. Kelsey
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1077
Executive SummaryEndangered Lost River (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose (Chasmistes brevirostris) suckers primarily use lotic habitats during the spring spawning season in the Upper Klamath Lake watershed. However, summer-time surveys of the upper Lost River watershed in 1972, 1975 and 1989–90 indicated that adults of both endangered species use tributaries...
Evaluation of movement and survival of juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Klickitat River, Washington, 2018–2019
Scott D. Evans, David S. Lindley, Tobias J. Kock, Amy C. Hansen, Russell W. Perry, Joseph S Zendt, Nicolas Romero
2021, Open-File Report 2021-1083
A 2-year telemetry study was conducted April–July in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate migration behavior and survival of juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and coho salmon (O. kisutch) in the Klickitat River, Washington. A total of 612 natural-origin steelhead, collected in a smolt trap on the Klickitat River, were tagged,...
Development of demographic models to analyze populations with multi-year data—Using Agassiz’s Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) as a case study
Kristin H. Berry, Julie L. Yee
2021, Open-File Report 2018-1094
We developed a model for analyzing multi-year demographic data for long-lived animals and used data from a population of Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area in the western Mojave Desert of California as a case study. The study area was 7.77 square kilometers and...
