The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Wyoming
William J. Carswell Jr.
2015, Fact Sheet 2014-3108
Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Wyoming, elevation data are critical for geologic resource assessment and hazard mitigation, flood risk management, water supply an quality, natural resources conservation,...
Data and spatial studies of the USGS Texas Water Science Center
Thomas E. Burley
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3117
Hydrologists, geographers, geophysicists, and geologists with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Texas Water Science Center (TXWSC) work in the USGS Water Mission Area on a diverse range of projects built on a foundation of spatial data. The TXWSC has developed sophisticated data and spatial-studies-related capabilities that are an integral part...
Conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo: global tantalum processing plants, a critical part of the tantalum supply chain
John F. Papp
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3122
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) analyzes mineral and metal supply chains to identify and describe major components of mineral and metal material flows from ore extraction, through intermediate forms, to a final product. Supply chain analyses may be used (1) to identify risks to the United States associated with the...
Groundwater quality in the Sierra Nevada, California
Miranda S. Fram, Kenneth Belitz
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3096
Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access...
Effects of projected climate (2011–50) on karst hydrology and species vulnerability—Edwards aquifer, south-central Texas, and Madison aquifer, western South Dakota
Barbara Mahler, John F. Stamm, Mary F. Poteet, Amy J. Symstad, MaryLynn Musgrove, Andrew J. Long, Parker A. Norton
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3046
Karst aquifers—formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone—are critical groundwater resources in North America, and karst springs, caves, and streams provide habitat for unique flora and fauna. Springflow and groundwater levels in karst terrane can change greatly over short time scales, and therefore are likely to respond...
The Caloosahatchee River Estuary: a monitoring partnership between Federal, State, and local governments, 2007-13
Eduardo Patino
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3121
The tidal Caloosahatchee River and downstream estuaries have substantial environmental, recreational, and economic value for southwest Florida residents and visitors. Modifications to the Caloosahatchee River watershed have altered the predevelopment hydrology, thereby threatening the environmental health of estuaries in the area. Hydrologic monitoring of the freshwater contributions from tributaries to...
The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Michigan
William J. Carswell Jr.
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3107
Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Michigan, elevation data are critical for agriculture and precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, water supply and quality, infrastructure and...
A sight "fearfully grand": eruptions of Lassen Peak, California, 1914 to 1917
Michael A. Clynne, Robert L. Christiansen, Peter H. Stauffer, James W. Hendley II, Heather A. Bleick
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3119
On May 22, 1915, a large explosive eruption at the summit of Lassen Peak, California, the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range, devastated nearby areas and rained volcanic ash as far away as 280 miles to the east. This explosion was the most powerful in a series of eruptions...
The California Volcano Observatory: Monitoring the state's restless volcanoes
Wendy K. Stovall, Mae Marcaida, Margaret T. Mangan
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3120
Volcanic eruptions happen in the State of California about as frequently as the largest earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault Zone. At least 10 eruptions have taken place in California in the past 1,000 years—most recently at Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park (1914 to 1917) in the northern...
Water resources of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana
Lawrence B. Prakken, Vincent E. White
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3080
Information concerning the availability, use, and quality of water in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, is critical for proper water-supply management. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present information that can be used by water managers, parish residents, and others for stewardship of this vital resource. Information on the availability,...
Water resources of Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana
Vincent E. White, Lawrence B. Prakken
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3074
Information concerning the availability, use, and quality of water in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, is critical for proper water-supply management. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present information that can be used by water managers, parish residents, and others for stewardship of this vital resource. Information on the...
The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Ohio
William J. Carswell Jr.
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3111
Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Ohio, elevation data are critical for agriculture and precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply...
Public-supply water use in Kansas, 1990-2012
Joan F. Kenny
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3116
This fact sheet describes water-use data collection and quantities of surface water and groundwater diverted for public supply in Kansas for the years 1990 through 2012. Data used in this fact sheet are from the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources and the Kansas Water Office. Water used...
The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Indiana
William J. Carswell Jr.
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3113
Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Indiana, elevation data are critical for flood risk management, agriculture and precision farming, natural resources conservation, infrastructure and construction management, aviation navigation...
Science to support the understanding of Ohio's water resources, 2014-15
Kimberly Shaffer, Stephanie P. Kula
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3097
Ohio’s water resources support a complex web of human activities and nature—clean and abundant water is needed for drinking, recreation, farming, and industry, as well as for fish and wildlife needs. Although rainfall in normal years can support these activities and needs, occasional floods and droughts can disrupt streamflow, groundwater,...
USGS investigations of water produced during hydrocarbon reservoir development
Mark A. Engle, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Bruce D. Smith
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3104
Significant quantities of water are present in hydrocarbon reservoirs. When brought to the land surface during oil, gas, and coalbed methane production, the water—either naturally occurring or injected as a method to enhance production—is termed produced water. Produced water is currently managed through processes such as recycling, treatment and discharge,...
The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Kansas
William J. Carswell Jr.
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3106
Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Kansas, elevation data are critical for agriculture and precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, geologic resource...
The rare-earth elements: Vital to modern technologies and lifestyles
Bradley S. Van Gosen, Philip L. Verplanck, Keith R. Long, Joseph Gambogi, Robert R. Seal II
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3078
Until recently, the rare-earth elements (REEs) were familiar to a relatively small number of people, such as chemists, geologists, specialized materials scientists, and engineers. In the 21st century, the REEs have gained visibility through many media outlets because of (1) the public has recognized the critical, specialized properties that REEs...
Mapping traditional place names along the Koyukuk River: Koyukuk, Huslia, and Hughes, Western Interior Alaska
Sarah E. McCloskey, Benjamin M. Jones
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3105
Koyukon Athabascan peoples have settled along the Koyukuk River in Western Interior Alaska for thousands of years using the surrounding landscape for subsistence and cultural resources. However, recent changes in climate, technology, resource availability, and way of life have affected land-use patterns in the region, as well as use of...
Summary of estimated water use in the United States in 2010
Nancy L. Barber
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3109
About 355,000 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of water was withdrawn for use in the United States during 2010, a decline of 13 percent from 2005 and a substantial change from the level of about 400,000 Mgal/d reported from 1985 to 2005. Withdrawals for 2010 were lower than withdrawals estimated...
Changing Arctic ecosystems: resilience of caribou to climatic shifts in the Arctic
David D. Gustine, Layne G. Adams, Mary E. Whalen, John M. Pearce
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3103
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Changing Arctic Ecosystems (CAE) initiative strives to inform key resource management decisions for Arctic Alaska by providing scientific information and forecasts for current and future ecosystem response to a warming climate. Over the past 5 years, a focal area for the USGS CAE initiative has...
Microbial water quality during the northern migration of Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) at the central Platte River, Nebraska
Matthew T. Moser
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3094
The central Platte River is an important resource in Nebraska. Its water flows among multiple channels and supports numerous beneficial uses such as drinking water, irrigation for agriculture, groundwater recharge, and recreational activities. The central Platte River valley is an important stopover for migratory waterfowl and cranes, such as the...
Effects of wastewater effluent discharge on stream quality in Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas
Jennifer L. Graham, Guy M. Foster
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3100
Contaminants from point and other urban sources affect stream quality in Indian Creek, which is one of the most urban drainage basins in Johnson County, Kansas. The Johnson County Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin and Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facilities discharge to Indian Creek. Data collected by the U.S. Geological...
The National Map hydrography data stewardship: what is it and why is it important?
Dave Arnold
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3084
The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) were designed and populated by a large consortium of agencies involved in hydrography across the United States. The effort was led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)....
Assessment of potential shale-oil and shale-gas resources in Silurian shales of Jordan, 2014
Christopher J. Schenk, Janet K. Pitman, Ronald R. Charpentier, Timothy R. Klett, Marilyn E. Tennyson, Tracey J. Mercier, Philip H. Nelson, Michael E. Brownfield, Mark J. Pawlewicz, Craig J. Wandrey
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3082
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 11 million barrels of potential shale-oil and 320 billion cubic feet of shale-gas resources in Silurian shales of Jordan....