Enhancement of the volcanogenic "bromine explosion" via reactive nitrogen chemistry (Kīlauea volcano, Hawai'i)
G. G. Salerno, C. Oppenheimer, V. Tsanev, A.J. Sutton, T.J. Roberts, T. Elias
2010, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions (10) 10313-10334
Since the first detection of bromine monoxide in volcanic plumes attention has focused on the atmospheric synthesis and impact of volcanogenic reactive halogens. We report here new measurements of BrO in the volcanic plume emitted from Kīlauea volcano – the first time reactive halogens have been observed in emissions from...
Water-the Nation's Fundamental Climate Issue A White Paper on the U.S. Geological Survey Role and Capabilities
Harry F. Lins, Robert M. Hirsch, Julie Kiang
2010, Circular 1347
Of all the potential threats posed by climatic variability and change, those associated with water resources are arguably the most consequential for both society and the environment (Waggoner, 1990). Climatic effects on agriculture, aquatic ecosystems, energy, and industry are strongly influenced by climatic effects on water. Thus, understanding changes in...
100-Year flood–it's all about chance
Robert R. Holmes Jr., Karen Dinicola
2010, General Information Product 106
In the 1960's, the United States government decided to use the 1-percent annual exceedance probability (AEP) flood as the basis for the National Flood Insurance Program. The 1-percent AEP flood was thought to be a fair balance between protecting the public and overly stringent regulation. Because the 1-percent AEP flood...
Contamination of basaltic lava by seawater: Evidence found in a lava pillar from Axial Seamount, Juan de Fuca Ridge
Peter Schiffman, Robert A. Zierenberg, William W Chadwick, David A. Clague, Jacob B. Lowenstern
2010, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems (11)
A lava pillar formed during the 1998 eruption at Axial Seamount exhibits compositional and textural evidence for contamination by seawater under magmatic conditions. Glass immediately adjacent to anastomosing microfractures within 1 cm of the inner pillar wall is oxidized and significantly enriched in Na and Cl and depleted in Fe...
Tools for assessing contaminated sediments in freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems
Donald D. MacDonald, Christopher G. Ingersoll
Cristiano Poleto, Susanne Charlesworth, editor(s)
2010, Book chapter, Sedimentology of aqueous systems
Traditionally, concerns about the management of aquatic resources in aquatic ecosystems have focused primarily on water quality. As such, early water resource management efforts were often directed at assuring the potability of surface water or groundwater sources. Subsequently, the scope of these management initiatives expanded to include protection of instream...
Advances in estimation methods of vegetation water content based on optical remote sensing techniques
Jiahua Zhang, Yun Xu, Fengmei Yao, PeiJuan Wang, WenJuan Guo, Li Li, Limin Yang
2010, Science China Technological Sciences (53) 1159-1167
Quantitative estimation of vegetation water content (VWC) using optical remote sensing techniques is helpful in forest fire assessment, agricultural drought monitoring and crop yield estimation. This paper reviews the research advances of VWC retrieval using spectral reflectance, spectral water index and radiative transfer model (RTM) methods. It also evaluates the...
Aggregation methodology for the circum-arctic resource appraisal
John H. Schuenemeyer, Donald L. Gautier
2010, Mathematical Geosciences (42) 583-594
This paper presents a methodology that intends to aggregate the results of a recent assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of the Arctic by the U.S. Geological Survey. The assessment occurred in 48 geologically defined regions called assessment units. The methodology includes using assessor specified pair-wise correlations as...
Groundwater Quality in the Central Eastside San Joaquin Valley, California
Kenneth Belitz, Matthew K. Landon
2010, Fact Sheet 2010-3001
The Central Eastside study unit is located in California's San Joaquin Valley. The 1,695 square mile study unit includes three groundwater subbasins: Modesto, Turlock, and Merced (California Department of Water Resources, 2003). The primary water-bearing units consist of discontinuous lenses of gravel, sand, silt, and clay, which are derived largely...
Seasonal and Spatial Distribution of Freshwater Flow and Salinity in the Ten Thousand Islands Estuary, Florida, 2007-2009
Lars E. Soderqvist, Eduardo Patino
2010, Data Series 501
The watershed of the Ten Thousand Islands (TTI) estuary has been substantially altered through the construction of canals and roads for the Southern Golden Gate Estates (SGGE), Barron River Canal, and U.S. 41 (Tamiami Trail). Two restoration projects designed to improve freshwater delivery to the estuary are the Picayune Strand...
Mercury assessment and monitoring protocol for the Bear Creek Watershed, Colusa County, California
Thomas H. Suchanek, Roger L. Hothem, James J. Rytuba, Julie L. Yee
2010, Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5018
This report summarizes the known information on the occurrence and distribution of mercury (Hg) in physical/chemical and biological matrices within the Bear Creek watershed. Based on these data, a matrix-specific monitoring protocol for the evaluation of the effectiveness of activities designed to remediate Hg contamination in the Bear Creek watershed...
Analysis of the Shallow Groundwater Flow System at Fire Island National Seashore, Suffolk County, New York
Christopher Schubert
2010, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5259
Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS) occupies 42 kilometers of the barrier island for which it is named that lies off the southern shore of Suffolk County, N.Y. Freshwater in the highly permeable, sandy aquifer underlying Fire Island is bounded laterally by marine surface waters and at depth by saline groundwater....
Tsunami Preparedness Along the U.S. West Coast (video)
Kurt Loeffler, Justine Gesell
2010, General Information Product 105
Tsunamis are a constant threat to the coasts of our world. Although tsunamis are infrequent along the West coast of the United States, it is possible and necessary to prepare for potential tsunami hazards to minimize loss of life and property. Community awareness programs are important, as they strive to...
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center-Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Report
Janice S. Nelson
2010, Open-File Report 2010-1060
The Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) facility focused on providing science and imagery to better understand our Earth. As part of the USGS Geography Discipline, EROS contributes to the Land Remote Sensing (LRS) Program, the Geographic Analysis and Monitoring (GAM) Program, and...
Geomorphology and depositional subenvironments of Gulf Islands National Seashore, Mississippi
Robert A. Morton, Bryan E. Rogers
2010, Open-File Report 2009-1250
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is studying coastal hazards and coastal change to improve our understanding of coastal ecosystems and to develop better capabilities of predicting future coastal change. One approach to understanding the dynamics of coastal systems is to monitor changes in barrier-island subenvironments through time. This involves examining...
Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the central-eastside San Joaquin Basin, 2006: California GAMA Priority Basin Project
Matthew K. Landon, Kenneth Belitz, Bryant C. Jurgens, Justin T. Kulongoski, Tyler D. Johnson
2010, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5266
Groundwater quality in the approximately 1,695-square-mile Central Eastside San Joaquin Basin (Central Eastside) study unit was investigated as part of the Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA PBP was developed in response to the California Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001,...
River-corridor habitat dynamics, Lower Missouri River
Robert B. Jacobson
2010, Fact Sheet 2010-3022
Intensive management of the Missouri River for navigation, flood control, and power generation has resulted in substantial physical changes to the river corridor. Historically, the Missouri River was characterized by a shifting, multithread channel and abundant unvegetated sandbars. The shifting channel provided a wide variety of hydraulic environments and large...
Assessment of soil-gas, surface-water, and soil contamination at the Installation Railhead, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 2008-2009
James Landmeyer, Larry G. Harrelson, W. Hagan Ratliff, John B. Wellborn
2010, Open-File Report 2010-1054
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon, assessed soil gas, surface water, and soil for contaminants at the Installation Railhead (IR) at Fort Gordon, Georgia, from October 2008 to...
Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS)
Gregory D. Steyer
2010, Fact Sheet 2010-3018
In 1990, the U.S. Congress enacted the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) in response to growing awareness of a land loss crisis in Louisiana. Projects funded by CWPPRA require monitoring and evaluation of project effectiveness, and there is also a need to assess the cumulative effects of...
Estimated Withdrawals and Use of Water in Colorado, 2005
Tamara Ivahnenko, Jennifer L. Flynn
2010, Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5002
The future health and economic welfare of the people and environment of Colorado depend on a continuous supply of fresh water. Detailed, comprehensive information on the use of water from Colorado's diverse surface-water and groundwater resources is important to water managers and planners by providing information they need to quantify...
The pallid sturgeon: Scientific investigations help understand recovery needs
Aaron J. DeLonay
2010, Fact Sheet 2010-3024
Understanding of the pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) has increased significantly since the species was listed as endangered over two decades ago. Since 2005, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) have been engaged in an interdisciplinary research program in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps...
The transition of benthic nutrient sources after planned levee breaches adjacent to upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon
James S. Kuwabara, Brent R. Topping, James L. Carter, Francis Parchaso, Jason M. Cameron, Jessica R. Asbill, Steven V. Fend, John H. Duff, Anita C. Engelstad
2010, Open-File Report 2010-1062
Four sampling trips were coordinated after planned levee breaches that hydrologically reconnected both Upper Klamath Lake and Agency Lake, Oregon, to adjacent wetlands. Sets of nonmetallic pore-water profilers were deployed during these trips in November 2007, June 2008, May 2009, and July 2009. Deployments temporally spanned the annual cyanophyte bloom...
National GAP Conference 2007-Discussion Groups Report
Joan M. Ratz, Berton Lee Lamb
2010, Open-File Report 2010-1026
We led two discussion groups during the 2007 National GAP Conference. These discussion groups provided information to help develop a survey of National Gap Analysis Program (GAP) data users. One group discussed technical issues, and the second group discussed the use of GAP data for decisionmaking. Themes emerging from the...
Documentation for initial seismic hazard maps for Haiti
Arthur Frankel, Stephen Harmsen, Charles Mueller, Eric Calais, Jennifer Haase
2010, Open-File Report 2010-1067
In response to the urgent need for earthquake-hazard information after the tragic disaster caused by the moment magnitude (M) 7.0 January 12, 2010, earthquake, we have constructed initial probabilistic seismic hazard maps for Haiti. These maps are based on the current information we have on fault slip rates and historical...
Studies of Climate Change in the Yukon River Basin: Connecting Community and Science Through a Unique Partnership
Paul F. Schuster, Karonhiakta’tie Byran Maracle
2010, Fact Sheet 2010-3020
An exciting new partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (YRITWC) is yielding critical data for the assessment of climate change effects in the Yukon River Basin. The foundation of this partnership is a shared interest in the current and future water quality...
Reconnaissance geologic map of the Hayfork 15' quadrangle, Trinity County, California
William P. Irwin
2010, Scientific Investigations Map 3119
The Hayfork 15' quadrangle is located just west of the Weaverville 15' quadrangle in the southern part of the Klamath Mountains geologic province of northern California. It spans parts of six generally north-northwest-trending tectonostratigraphic terranes that are, from east to west, the Eastern Klamath, Central Metamorphic, North Fork, Eastern Hayfork,...