Stakeholder Evaluation for Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge: Completion Report
Natalie R. Sexton, Nina Burkardt, Margaret Earlene Swann, Susan C. Stewart
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1030
The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), is the largest system of public lands in the world dedicated to wildlife conservation. There are over 545 national wildlife refuges nationwide, encompassing 95 million acres. As part of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act...
Gas, water, and oil production from the Wasatch Formation, Greater Natural Buttes Field, Uinta Basin, Utah
Philip H. Nelson, Eric L. Hoffman
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1049
Gas, oil, and water production data were compiled from 38 wells with production commencing during the 1980s from the Wasatch Formation in the Greater Natural Buttes field, Uinta Basin, Utah. This study is one of a series of reports examining fluid production from tight gas reservoirs, which are characterized by...
Relations between Municipal Water Use and Selected Meteorological Parameters and Drought Indices, East-Central and Northeast Florida
Louis C. Murray Jr.
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5010
Water-use data collected between 1992 and 2006 at eight municipal water-supply utilities in east-central and northeast Florida were analyzed to identify seasonal trends in use and to quantify monthly variations. Regression analyses were applied to identify significant correlations between water use and selected meteorological parameters and drought indices. Selected parameters...
Proceedings of the Second All-USGS Modeling Conference, February 11-14, 2008: Painting the Big Picture
Shailaja R. Brady, editor(s)
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5013
The Second USGS Modeling Conference was held February 11-14, 2008, in Orange Beach, Ala. Participants at the conference came from all U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) regions and represented all four science discipline - Biology, Geography, Geology, and Water. Representatives from other Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies and partners from...
Environmental Impact of the Contact and Sonoma Mercury Mines on Water, Sediment, and Biota in Anna Belcher and Little Sulphur Creek Watersheds, Sonoma County, California
James J. Rytuba, Roger L. Hothem, Jason T. May, Christopher S. Kim, David Lawler, Daniel Goldstein
2009, Open-File Report 2008-1381
The Contact and Sonoma mercury (Hg) deposits are among the youngest Hg deposits in the Coast Range Hg mineral belt and are located in the western part of the Clear Lake volcanic field in Sonoma County, California. The mine workings and tailings are located in the headwaters of Anna Belcher...
Coastal Processes Study of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, California
Patrick L. Barnard, David L. Revell, Dan Hoover, Jon Warrick, John Brocatus, Amy E. Draut, Pete Dartnell, Edwin Elias, Neomi Mustain, Pat E. Hart, Holly F. Ryan
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1029
The Santa Barbara littoral cell (SBLC) is a complex coastal system with significant management challenges. The coastline ranges broadly in exposure to wave energy, fluvial inputs, hard structures, and urbanization. Geologic influence (structural control) on coastline orientation exerts an important control on local beach behavior, with anthropogenic alterations and the...
Geomorphic segmentation, hydraulic geometry, and hydraulic microhabitats of the Niobrara River, Nebraska — Methods and initial results
Jason S. Alexander, Ronald B. Zelt, Nathaniel J. Schaepe
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5008
The Niobrara River of Nebraska is a geologically, ecologically, and economically significant resource. The State of Nebraska has recognized the need to better manage the surface- and ground-water resources of the Niobrara River so they are sustainable in the long term. In cooperation with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission,...
Thorium deposits of the United States — Energy resources for the future?
Bradley S. Van Gosen, Virginia S. Gillerman, Theodore J. Armbrustmacher
2009, Circular 1336
Many nations are exploring new ways to meet their growing energy supply needs, with a particular focus upon methods that produce lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to traditional oil, natural gas, and coal power plants. As a result, thorium-based nuclear power has experienced renewed attention as a potential energy source....
Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls, selected persistent organochlorine pesticides, and polybrominated flame retardants in fillets of fishes from the 2007 Missouri Department of Conservation Monitoring Program
Robert W. Gale, Carl E. Orazio, Michael J. McKee
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1053
This report presents the results of a study to determine polychlorinated biphenyl, organochlorine pesticide, and polybrominated diphenylether flame retardant concentrations in selected fishes from lakes and streams across Missouri. Fillets were collected from each fish sample and after homogenization, compositing, and preparation, analyte concentrations were determined with dual column capillary...
Quality of Water from Domestic Wells in Principal Aquifers of the United States, 1991-2004
Leslie A. DeSimone
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2008-5227
As part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), water samples were collected during 1991-2004 from domestic wells (private wells used for household drinking water) for analysis of drinking-water contaminants, where contaminants are considered, as defined by the Safe Drinking Water Act, to be all...
An Index to PGE-Ni-Cr Deposits and Occurrences in Selected Mineral-Occurrence Databases
J. Douglas Causey, John P. Galloway, Michael L. Zientek
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1045
Databases of mineral deposits and occurrences are essential to conducting assessments of undiscovered mineral resources. In the USGS's (U.S. Geological Survey) global assessment of undiscovered resources of copper, potash, and the platinum-group elements (PGE), only a few mineral deposit types will be evaluated. For example, only porphyry-copper and sediment-hosted copper...
The quality of our nation’s waters: Quality of water from domestic wells in principal aquifers of the United States, 1991–2004— Overview of major findings
Leslie A. DeSimone, Pixie A. Hamilton, Robert J. Gilliom
2009, Circular 1332
More than 43 million people - about 15 percent of the U.S. population - rely on domestic wells as their source of drinking water (Hutson and others, 2004). The quality and safety of water from domestic wells, also known as private wells, are not regulated by the Federal Safe Drinking...
Data files for ground-motion simulations of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and scenario earthquakes on the Northern San Andreas Fault
Brad T. Aagaard, Michael Barall, Thomas M. Brocher, David Dolenc, Douglas Dreger, Robert W. Graves, Stephen Harmsen, Stephen H. Hartzell, Shawn Larsen, Kathleen McCandless, Stefan Nilsson, N. Anders Petersson, Arthur Rodgers, Bjorn Sjogreen, Mary Lou Zoback
2009, Data Series 413
This data set contains results from ground-motion simulations of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, seven hypothetical earthquakes on the northern San Andreas Fault, and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The bulk of the data consists of synthetic velocity time-histories. Peak ground velocity on a 1/60th degree grid and geodetic displacements...
Analysis of vertical flow during ambient and pumped conditions in four monitoring wells at the Pantex Plant, Carson County, Texas, July-September 2008
Gregory P. Stanton, Jonathan V. Thomas, Jeffery Stoval
2009, Open-File Report 2009-1017
The Pantex Plant is a U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (USDOE/NNSA)-owned, contractor-operated facility managed by Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Pantex, LLC (B&W Pantex) in Carson County, Texas, approximately 17 miles northeast of Amarillo. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with B&W Pantex through the USDOE/NNSA, made a...
Comparison of Surface Flow Features from Lidar-Derived Digital Elevation Models with Historical Elevation and Hydrography Data for Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Sandra K. Poppenga, Bruce B. Worstell, Jason M. Stoker, Susan K. Greenlee
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5065
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has taken the lead in the creation of a valuable remote sensing product by incorporating digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) into the National Elevation Dataset (NED), the elevation layer of 'The National Map'. High-resolution lidar-derived DEMs provide the accuracy...
Hydrologic Conditions in Florida during Water Year 2007
Richard Jay Verdi, Stewart A. Tomlinson, Ronald B. Irvin, David L. Fulcher
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2008-5221
Record-high and record-low hydrologic conditions occurred during water year 2007 (October 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007) based on analyses of precipitation, surface-water flows, lake elevations, and ground-water levels. For example, the streamgage at Suwannee River at White Springs in northwest Florida recorded an annual streamflow of 103 cubic feet...
Transport and sources of suspended sediment in the Mill Creek Watershed, Johnson County, Northeast Kansas, 2006-07
Casey J. Lee, Patrick P. Rasmussen, Andrew C. Ziegler, Christopher C. Fuller
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5001
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Johnson County Stormwater Management Program, evaluated suspended-sediment transport and sources in the urbanizing, 57.4 mi2 Mill Creek watershed from February 2006 through June 2007. Sediment transport and sources were assessed spatially by continuous monitoring of streamflow and turbidity as well as sampling...
The application of induced polarization techniques to detect metal-bearing offshore anthropogenic waste and unexploded ordnance
Jeff Wynn, William Roberts
2009, Conference Paper, Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems 2009
Raw sewage and industrial waste have been dumped into sensitive estuaries, bays, and sounds for centuries. The full extents of the resulting sludge deposits are largely unknown, because they move in response to tidal and long‐shore currents, and because they are often buried by younger inert sediments. USGS field and...
Method for Estimating Water Withdrawals for Livestock in the United States, 2005
John K. Lovelace
2009, Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5041
Livestock water use includes ground water and surface water associated with livestock watering, feedlots, dairy operations, and other on-farm needs. The water may be used for drinking, cooling, sanitation, waste disposal, and other needs related to the animals. Estimates of water withdrawals for livestock are needed for water planning and...
Postcatastrophe population dynamics and density dependence of an endemic island duck
N.E. Seavy, M.H. Reynolds, W.A. Link, Jeff S. Hatfield
2009, Journal of Wildlife Management (73) 414-418
Laysan ducks (Anas laysanensis) are restricted to approximately 9 km2 in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, USA. To evaluate the importance of density dependence for Laysan ducks, we conducted a Bayesian analysis to estimate the parameters of a Gompertz model and the magnitude of process variation and observation error based on...
Distribution and abundance of host-seeking Culex species at three proximate locations with different levels of West Nile virus activity
Ilia Rochlin, Howard S. Ginsberg, Scott R. Campbell
2009, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (80) 661-668
Culex species were monitored at three proximate sites with historically different West Nile virus (WNV) activities. The site with human WNV transmission (epidemic) had the lowest abundance of the putative bridge vectors, Culex pipiens and Cx. salinarius. The site with horse cases but not human cases (epizootic) had the highest percent composition of Cx. salinarius,...
Dust deposition effects on growth and physiology of the endangered Astragalus jaegerianus (Fabaceae)
Upekala C. Wijayratne, Sara J. Scoles-Sciulla, Lesley A. Defalco
2009, Madroño (56) 81-88
Human expansion into the Mojave Desert is a significant threat to rare desert plants. While immediate habitat loss is often the greatest concern, rare plants situated near areas where soil surfaces experience frequent disturbance may be indirectly impacted when fine particulate dust accumulates on leaf surfaces. Remaining populations of the...
Surface-dwelling and subterranean invertebrate fauna associated with giant reed (Arundo donax Poaceae) in Southern California
Robert E. Lovich, Edward L. Ervin, Robert N. Fisher
2009, Bulletin, Southern California Academy of Sciences (108) 29-35
In the southwestern United States giant reed, Arundo donax, is a non-native invasive plant that has become widely established in moist places and forms its largest stands along riparian corridors. The most widely reported negative effects include competition with native species, increased rate of transpiration, increased potential for wildfires, and...
Fire in the Earth system
David M. J. S. Bowman, Jennifer Balch, Paulo Artaxo, William J. Bond, Jean M. Carlson, Mark A. Cochrane, Carla M. D'Antonio, Ruth S. DeFries, John C. Doyle, Sandy P. Harrison, Fay H. Johnston, Jon E. Keeley, Meg A. Krawchuk, Christian A. Kull, J. Brad Marston, Max A. Moritz, I. Colin Prentice, Christopher I. Roos, Andrew C. Scott, Thomas W. Swetnam, Guido R. van der Werf, Stephen Pyne
2009, Science (324) 481-484
Fire is a worldwide phenomenon that appears in the geological record soon after the appearance of terrestrial plants. Fire influences global ecosystem patterns and processes, including vegetation distribution and structure, the carbon cycle, and climate. Although humans and fire have always coexisted, our capacity to manage fire remains imperfect and...
A spatial model to assess the effects of hydropower operations on Columbia River fall Chinook Salmon spawning habitat
James R. Hatten, Kenneth F. Tiffan, Donald R. Anglin, Steven L. Haeseker, Joseph J. Skalicky, Howard Schaller
2009, North American Journal of Fisheries Management (29) 1379-1405
Priest Rapids Dam on the Columbia River produces large daily and hourly streamflow fluctuations throughout the Hanford Reach during the period when fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha are selecting spawning habitat, constructing redds, and actively engaged in spawning. Concern over the detrimental effects of these fluctuations prompted us to quantify...
