Aluminum mobility in mildly acidic mine drainage: Interactions between hydrobasaluminite, silica and trace metals from the nano to the meso-scale
Manuel A. Caraballo, Richard B. Wanty, Philip Verplanck, Leonardo Navarro-Valdivia, Carlos Ayora, Michael Hochella
2019, Chemical Geology (519) 1-10
Aluminum precipitates control the hydrochemistry and mineralogy of a broad variety of environments on Earth (e.g., acid mine drainage, AMD, coastal wetlands, boreal and alpine streams, tropical acid sulfate soils, laterites and bauxites, …). However, the geochemical and mineralogical processes controlling Al (and other associated metals and metalloids) transport and removal in those environments...
Tracking legacy mercury in the Hackensack River Estuary using mercury stable isotopes
John R Reinfelder, Sarah E. Janssen
2019, Journal of Hazardous Materials (375) 121-129
Spatial redistribution of legacy mercury (Hg) contamination in the Hackensack River estuary (New Jersey, USA) was evaluated using mercury stable isotopes. Total Hg varied from 0.06 to 3.8 µg g-1 in sediment from the tidal Hackensack River and from 15 to 154 µg g-1 near historically contaminated sites in...
Shining light on the storm: In-stream optics reveal hysteresis of dissolved organic matter character
Matthew Vaughan, William B. Bowden, James B. Shanley, Andrew W. Vermilyea, Andrew W. Schroth
2019, Biogeochemistry (143) 275-291
The quantity and character of dissolved organic matter (DOM) can change rapidly during storm events, affecting key biogeochemical processes, carbon bioavailability, metal pollutant transport, and disinfection byproduct formation during drinking water treatment. We used in situ ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometers to concurrently measure dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration...
Temporal and abiotic fluctuations may be preventing successful rehabilitation of soil-stabilizing biocrust communities
Kristina E. Young, Matthew A. Bowker, Sasha C. Reed, Michael C. Duniway, Jayne Belnap
2019, Ecological Applications (29)
Land degradation is a persistent ecological problem in many arid and semi-arid systems globally (drylands hereafter). Most instances of dryland degradation include some form of soil disturbance and/or soil erosion, which can hinder vegetation establishment and reduce ecosystem productivity. To combat soil erosion, researchers have identified a need...
Risks of hydroclimatic regime shifts across the western United States
Subhrendu Gangopadhyay, Gregory J. McCabe, Gregory T. Pederson, Justin T. Martin, Jeremy S. Littell
2019, Nature Scientific Reports (9 p.)
Paleohydrologic reconstructions of water-year streamflow for 105 sites across the western United States (West) were used to compute the likelihood (risk) of regime (wet/dry state) shifts given the length of time in a specific regime and for a specified time in the future. The spatial variability...
Analysis and visualization of coastal ocean model data in the cloud
Richard P. Signell, Dharhas Pothina
2019, Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (7)
The traditional flow of coastal ocean model data is from High Performance Computing (HPC) centers to the local desktop, or to a file server where just the data needed can be extracted via services such as OPeNDAP. Analysis and visualization is then conducted using local hardware and software. This...
Seasonal patterns in hydrochemical mixing in three Great Lakes rivermouth ecosystems
Martha Carlson-Mazur, Jeff Schaeffer, Jennifer E. Granneman, Natalie Goldstrohm, Faith A. Fitzpatrick, James H. Larson, Paul Reneau, Kurt P. Kowalski, Paul W. Seelbach
2019, Journal of Great Lakes Research (45) 651-663
Rivermouth ecosystems in the Laurentian Great Lakes represent complex hydrologic mixing zones where lake and river water combine to form biologically productive areas that are functionally similar to marine estuaries. As urban, industrial, shipping, and recreational centers, rivermouths are the focus of human interactions with the Great Lakes and, likewise,...
Use of high-throughput screening results to prioritize chemicals for potential adverse biological effects within a West Virginia Watershed
Levi D. Rose, Denise Akob, Shea Tuberty, Jeff Colby, Derek Martin, Steven Corsi, Laura DeCicco
2019, Science of the Total Environment 362-372
Organic chemicals from industrial, agricultural, and residential activities can enter surface waters through regulated and unregulated discharges, combined sewer overflows, stormwater runoff, accidental spills, and leaking septic-conveyance systems on a daily basis. The impact of point and nonpoint contaminant sources can result in adverse biological effects for organisms living in...
Drinking water health standards comparison and chemical analysis of groundwater for 72 domestic wells in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, 2016
John W. Clune, Charles A. Cravotta III
2019, Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5170
Pennsylvania has the second highest number of residential wells of any state in the Nation with approximately 2.4 million residents that depend on groundwater for their domestic water supply. Despite the widespread reliance on groundwater in rural areas of the state, publicly available data to characterize the quality of private...
GRACE storage change characteristics (2003–2016) over major surface basins and principal aquifers in the Conterminous United States
Naga Manohar Velpuri, Gabriel B. Senay, Jessica M. Driscoll, Samuel Saxe, Lauren E. Hay, William H. Farmer, Julie E. Kiang
2019, Remote Sensing (936) 1-22
In this research, we characterized the changes in Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment’s (GRACE) monthly total water storage anomaly (TWSA) in 18 surface basins and 12 principal aquifers in the Conterminous United States (CONUS) over 2003–2016. Regions with high variability in storage were identified. Ten basins and 4 aquifers showed...
Use of a Numerical Model to Simulate the Hydrologic System and Transport of Contaminants Near Joint Base Cape Cod, Western Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Donald A. Walter, Timothy D. McCobb, Michael N. Fienen
2019, Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5139
Historical training and operational activities at Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC) on western Cape Cod, Massachusetts, have resulted in the release of contaminants into an underlying glacial aquifer that is the sole source of water to the surrounding communities. Remedial systems have been installed to contain and remove contamination from...
Groundwater-Level Elevations in the Denver Basin Bedrock Aquifers of Elbert County, Colorado, 2015–18
Colin A. Penn, Rhett R. Everett
2019, Scientific Investigations Report 2019-5014
Public and domestic water supplies in Elbert County, Colorado, rely on groundwater withdrawals from five bedrock aquifers in the Denver Basin aquifer system (lower Dawson, upper Dawson, Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie-Fox Hills) to meet water demands. Increased pumping in response to regional population growth and development has led to declining...
Strontium isotopes reveal ephemeral streams used for spawning and rearing by an imperiled potamodromous cyprinid--Clear Lake hitch Lavinia exilicauda chi
Frederick V. Feyrer, George Whitman, Matthew J. Young, Rachel C. Johnson
2019, Marine and Freshwater Research
Identification of habitats responsible for the successful production and recruitment of rare migratory species is a challenge in conservation biology. Here, a tool was developed to assess life stage linkages for the threatened potamodromous cyprinid Clear Lake hitch Lavinia exilicauda chi. Clear Lake hitch undertake migrations from Clear Lake...
Drought forecasting for streams and groundwaters in northeastern United States
Samuel H. Austin, Robert W. Dudley
2019, Fact Sheet 2019-3015
BackgroundWhen rainfall is lower than normal over an extended period, streamflows decline, groundwater levels fall, and hydrological drought can occur. Droughts can reduce the water available for societal needs, such as public and private drinking-water supplies, farming, and industry, and for ecological health, such as maintenance of water quality and...
Submarine permafrost map in the arctic modelled using 1D transient heat flux (SuPerMAP)
P.P. Overduin, T. Schneider, F. Miesner, M.N. Grigoriev, Carolyn D. Ruppel, A. Vasiliev, H. Lantuit, B. Juhls, S. Westermann
2019, Journal of Geophysical Research C: Oceans (124) 3490-3507
Offshore permafrost plays a role in the global climate system, but observations of permafrost thickness, state, and composition are limited to specific regions. The current global permafrost map shows potential offshore permafrost distribution based on bathymetry and global sea level rise. As a first‐order estimate, we employ a heat transfer...
Carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and residual oil zone studies at the U.S. Geological Survey
Peter D. Warwick, Emil D. Attanasi, Madalyn S. Blondes, Sean T. Brennan, Marc L. Buursink, Colin A. Doolan, Philip A. Freeman, Hossein Jahediesfanjani, C. Ozgen Karacan, Celeste D. Lohr, Matthew D. Merrill, Ricardo A. Olea, Jacqueline N. Roueche, Jenna L. Shelton, Ernie Slucher, Brian A. Varela, Mahendra K. Verma
2019, Conference Paper
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is preparing a national resource assessment of the potential hydrocarbons recoverable after injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) into conventional oil reservoirs in the United States. The implementation of CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) techniques can increase hydrocarbon production, and lead to incidental retention of CO2 in...
Long-term population dynamics of dreissenid mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and D. rostriformis): A cross-system analysis
David L. Strayer, Boris V. Adamovich, Rita Adrian, David C. Aldridge, Csilla Balogh, Lyubov E. Burlakova, Hannah Fried-Petersen, Laszlo G.-Toth, Amy L. Hetherington, Thomas S. Jones, Alexander Y. Karatayev, Jacqueline B. Madill, Oleg A. Makarevich, J. Ellen Marsden, Andre L. Martel, Dan Minchin, Thomas F. Nalepa, Ruurd Noordhuis, Timothy J. Robinson, Lars G. Rudstam, Astrid N. Schwalb, David R. Smith, Alan D. Steinman, Jonathan M. Jeschke
2019, Ecosphere (10)
Dreissenid mussels (including the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha and the quagga mussel D. rostriformis) are among the world's most notorious invasive species, with large and widespread ecological and economic effects. However, their long‐term population dynamics are poorly known, even though these dynamics are critical to determining impacts and effective management. We gathered and analyzed...
Understanding and mitigating bee drownings in open feeders
Nimish B. Vyas, Amanda D. Plunkett, Evelynn Enciso, Victor Torrez
2019, Bee World (96) 92-95
Whereas open feeders are relatively inexpensive and are easily set up and maintained, they do present a drowning hazard to bees. We observed that bees feeding off the walls of the open container fell into the sugar water because of their incarnation, interactions with other bees and when shooed off...
Precipitation and temperature drive continental scale patterns in stream invertebrate production
Christopher J. Patrick, D. McGarvey, James H. Larson, W. Cross, D. Allen, A. Benke, T. Brey, A. Huryn, J. Douglas Jones, C. Murphy, C. Ruffing, P. Saffarinia, M. Whiles, B. P. Wallace, G. Woodward
2019, Nature (5)
Secondary production, the growth of new heterotrophic biomass, is a key process in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that has been carefully measured in many flowing water ecosystems. We combine structural equation modeling with the first worldwide dataset on annual secondary production of stream invertebrate communities to reveal core pathways linking...
Methane emissions from artificial waterbodies dominate the carbon footprint of irrigation: A study of transitions in the food-energy-water-climate nexus (Spain, 1900-2014)
Eduardo Aguilera, Jaime Vila-Traver, Bridget Deemer, Juan Infante-Amate, Gloria I. Guzman, Manuel Gonzalez de Molina
2019, Environmental Science & Technology
Irrigation in the Mediterranean region has been used for millennia and has greatly expanded with industrialization. Irrigation is critical for climate change adaptation, but it is also an important source of greenhouse gas emissions. This study analyzes the carbon (C) footprint of irrigation in Spain, covering the...
Fish assemblage structure and fisheries resources in Puerto Rico’s riverine estuaries
A.C. Engman, Thomas J. Kwak, J.R. Fischer, C.G. Lilyestrom
2019, Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science (11) 189-201
Tropical estuaries are diverse and productive habitats with respect to their fish assemblages and associated fisheries, but these ecosystems and fisheries are imperiled by multiple anthropogenic threats. Despite the economic, social, and biodiversity value of tropical estuarine fish assemblages, they are poorly understood, especially those on...
Sitting ducklings: Timing of hatch, nest departure, and predation risk for dabbling duck broods
Sarah H. Peterson, Joshua T. Ackerman, Mark P. Herzog, Christopher Hartman, Rebecca Croston, Cliff L. Feldheim, Michael L. Casazza
2019, Ecology and Evolution (9) 5490-5500
For ground‐nesting waterfowl, the timing of egg hatch and duckling departure from the nest may be influenced by the risk of predation at the nest and en route to wetlands and constrained by the time required for ducklings to imprint on the hen and be physically...
Water-level data for the Albuquerque Basin and adjacent areas, central New Mexico, period of record through September 30, 2017
Joseph E. Beman, Andre B. Ritchie, Amy E. Galanter
2019, Data Series 1113
The Albuquerque Basin, located in central New Mexico, is about 100 miles long and 25–40 miles wide. The basin is hydrologically defined as the extent of consolidated and unconsolidated deposits of Tertiary and Quaternary age that encompasses the structural Rio Grande Rift between San Acacia to the south and Cochiti...
Mechanisms of a coniferous refugium persistence under drought and heat
Nate G. McDowell, Charlotte Grossiord, Henry D. Adams, Sara Pinzon-Navarro, D. Scott MacKay, Dave Breshears, Craig D. Allen, Isaac Borrego, L. Turin Dickman, Adam D. Collins
2019, Environmental Research Letters (14)
Predictions of warmer droughts causing increasing forest mortality are becoming abundant, yet few studies have investigated the mechanisms of forest persistence. To examine the resistance of forests to warmer droughts, we used a five-year precipitation reduction (~45% removal), heat (+4 °C above ambient) and combined drought and...
Monitoring the Riverine Pulse: Applying high-frequency nitrate data to advance integrative understanding of biogeochemical and hydrological processes
Douglas A. Burns, Brian A. Pellerin, Matthew P. Miller, Paul Capel, Anthony J. Tesoriero, Jonathan M. Duncan
2019, WIREs Water
Widespread deployment of sensors that measure river nitrate (NO3-) concentrations has led to many recent publications in water resources journals including review papers focused on data quality assurance, improved load calculations, and better nutrient management. The principal objective of this paper is to review and synthesize studies of high-frequency NO3-...
