Flood-inundation maps for the Hoosic River, North Adams and Williamstown, Massachusetts, from the confluence with the North Branch Hoosic River to the Vermont State line
Pamela J. Lombard, Gardner C. Bent
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5236
A series of nine digital flood-inundation maps were developed for an 8-mile reach of the Hoosic River in North Adams and Williamstown, Massachusetts, by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The coverage of the maps extends from the confluence with the North Branch...
Geologic map of the southern White Ledge Peak and Matilija quadrangles, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, California
Scott A. Minor, Theodore R. Brandt
2015, Scientific Investigations Map 3321
This report presents a digital geologic strip map of the southern parts of the contiguous White Ledge Peak and Matilija 7.5’ quadrangles in coastal southern California. With a compilation scale of 1:24,000 (one inch on the map to 2,000 feet on the ground), the map depicts the distribution of bedrock...
Evaluating turbidity and suspended-sediment concentration relations from the North Fork Toutle River basin near Mount St. Helens, Washington; annual, seasonal, event, and particle size variations - a preliminary analysis.
Mark A. Uhrich, Kurt R. Spicer, Adam R. Mosbrucker, Tami S. Christianson
2015, Conference Paper, Proceedings of the joint federal interagency conference 2015
Regression of in-stream turbidity with concurrent sample-based suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) has become an accepted method for producing unit-value time series of inferred SSC (Rasmussen et al., 2009). Turbidity-SSC regression models are increasingly used to generate suspended-sediment records for Pacific Northwest rivers (e.g., Curran et al., 2014; Schenk and Bragg, 2014;...
Initiation of migration and movement rates of Atlantic salmon smolts in fresh water
Daniel S. Stich, Michael T. Kinnison, John F. Kocik, Joseph D. Zydlewski
2015, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (72) 1339-1351
Timing of ocean entry is critical for marine survival of both hatchery and wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts. Management practices and barriers to migration such as dams may constrain timing of smolt migrations resulting in suboptimal performance at saltwater entry. We modeled influences of stocking location, smolt development, and...
End-of-winter snow depth variability on glaciers in Alaska
Daniel Mcgrath, Louis C. Sass, Shad O’Neel, Anthony Arendt, Gabriel Wolken, Alessio Gusmeroli, Christian Kienholz, Christopher J. McNeil
2015, Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface (120) 1530-1550
A quantitative understanding of snow thickness and snow water equivalent (SWE) on glaciers is essential to a wide range of scientific and resource management topics. However, robust SWE estimates are observationally challenging, in part because SWE can vary abruptly over short distances in complex terrain due to interactions between topography...
Comparisons of estimates of annual exceedance-probability discharges for small drainage basins in Iowa, based on data through water year 2013
David A. Eash
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5055
Traditionally, the Iowa Department of Transportation has used the Iowa Runoff Chart and single-variable regional-regression equations (RREs) from a U.S. Geological Survey report (published in 1987) as the primary methods to estimate annual exceedance-probability discharge (AEPD) for small (20 square miles or less) drainage basins in Iowa. With the publication...
Automated calculation of surface energy fluxes with high-frequency lake buoy data
R. Iestyn Woolway, Ian D. Jones, David P. Hamilton, Stephen C Maberly, Kohji Muroaka, Jordan S. Read, Robyn L Smyth, Luke A. Winslow
2015, Environmental Modelling and Software (70) 191-198
Lake Heat Flux Analyzer is a program used for calculating the surface energy fluxes in lakes according to established literature methodologies. The program was developed in MATLAB for the rapid analysis of high-frequency data from instrumented lake buoys in support of the emerging field of aquatic sensor network science. To...
Tools for discovering and accessing Great Lakes scientific data
Jessica M. Lucido, Jennifer L. Bruce
2015, Fact Sheet 2015-3040
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is a multidisciplinary and interagency effort focused on the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes (GL) using the best available science and applying lessons learned from previous studies. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) contributes to the GLRI effort by providing resource managers with...
Mercury and methylmercury in reservoirs in Indiana
Martin R. Risch, Amanda L. Fredericksen
2015, Professional Paper 1813
Mercury (Hg) is an element that occurs naturally, but evidence suggests that human activities have resulted in increased amounts being released to the atmosphere and land surface. When Hg is converted to methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic ecosystems, MeHg accumulates and increases in the food web so that some fish contain...
California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Tomales Point, California
Samuel Y. Johnson, Peter Dartnell, Nadine E. Golden, Stephen R. Hartwell, H. Gary Greene, Mercedes D. Erdey, Guy R. Cochrane, Janet Tilden Watt, Rikk G. Kvitek, Michael W. Manson, Charles A. Endris, Bryan E. Dieter, Lisa M. Krigsman, Ray W. Sliter, Erik N. Lowe, John L. Chinn
Samuel Y. Johnson, Susan A. Cochran, editor(s)
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1088
In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration,...
Self-noise models of five commercial strong-motion accelerometers
Adam T. Ringler, John R. Evans, Charles R. Hutt
2015, Seismological Research Letters (86) 1143-1147
Strong‐motion accelerometers provide onscale seismic recordings during moderate‐to‐large ground motions (e.g., up to tens of m/s2 peak). Such instruments have played a fundamental role in improving our understanding of earthquake source physics (Bocketal., 2011), earthquake engineering (Youdet al., 2004), and regional seismology (Zollo et al., 2010). Although strong‐motion accelerometers tend...
Offshore geology and geomorphology from Point Piedras Blancas to Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo County, California
Janet Watt, Samuel Y. Johnson, Stephen R. Hartwell, Michelle Roberts
2015, Scientific Investigations Map 3327
Marine geology and geomorphology were mapped along the continental shelf and upper slope between Point Piedras Blancas and Pismo Beach, California. The map area is divided into the following three (smaller) map areas, listed from north to south: San Simeon, Morro Bay, and Point San Luis. Each smaller map area...
California State Waters Map Series — Drakes Bay and vicinity, California
Janet Watt, Peter Dartnell, Nadine E. Golden, H. Gary Greene, Mercedes D. Erdey, Guy R. Cochrane, Samuel Y. Johnson, Stephen R. Hartwell, Rikk G. Kvitek, Michael W. Manson, Charles A. Endris, Bryan E. Dieter, Ray W. Sliter, Lisa M. Krigsman, Erik N. Lowe, John L. Chinn
Janet Watt, Susan A. Cochran, editor(s)
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1041
In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration,...
Stable isotope values in pup vibrissae reveal geographic variation in diets of gestating Steller sea lions Eumetopias jubatus
Rick D. Scherer, Andrew C. Doll, Lorrie D. Rea, Aaron M. Christ, Craig A. Stricker, Briana Witteveen, Thomas C. Kline, Carolyn M. Kurle, Michael B. Wunder
2015, Marine Ecology Progress Series (527) 261-274
Multiple factors, including limitation in food resources, have been proposed as possible causes for the lack of recovery of the endangered western segment of the Steller sea lion population in the United States. Because maternal body condition has important consequences on fetal development and neonatal survival, the diets of pregnant...
Geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the U.S. portion of the Michigan Basin
U.S. Geological Survey Michigan Basin Province Assessment Team, Christopher S. Swezey, Joseph R. Hatch, Daniel O. Hayba, John E. Repetski, Ronald R. Charpentier, Troy A. Cook, Timothy R. Klett, Richard M. Pollastro, Christopher P. Anderson, Christopher J. Schenk, Joseph A. East, Phuong A. Le
2015, Data Series 69-T
In 2004, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the U.S. portion of the Michigan Basin. For this assessment, the Michigan Basin includes most of the State of Michigan, as well as parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The...
Water-table and potentiometric-surface altitudes in the Upper Glacial, Magothy, and Lloyd aquifers of Long Island, New York, April-May 2013
Michael D. Como, Michael L. Noll, Jason S. Finkelstein, Jack Monti Jr., Ronald Busciolano
2015, Scientific Investigations Map 3326
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with State and local agencies, systematically collects groundwater data at varying measurement frequencies to monitor the hydrologic conditions on Long Island, New York. Each year during April and May, the USGS conducts a synoptic survey of water levels to define the spatial distribution...
In-reservoir behavior, dam passage, and downstream migration of juvenile Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead from Detroit Reservoir and Dam to Portland, Oregon, February 2013-February 2014
John W. Beeman, Noah S. Adams
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1090
In the second year of 2 years of study, the movements of juvenile spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and juvenile summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) through Detroit Reservoir, passing Detroit Dam, and migrating downstream to Portland, Oregon, were studied during a 1-year-long period beginning in February 2013. The primary purpose of...
California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of San Francisco, California
Guy R. Cochrane, Samuel Y. Johnson, Peter Dartnell, H. Gary Greene, Mercedes D. Erdey, Nadine E. Golden, Stephen R. Hartwell, Charles A. Endris, Michael W. Manson, Ray W. Sliter, Rikk G. Kvitek, Janet Tilden Watt, Stephanie L. Ross, Terry R. Bruns
Guy R. Cochrane, Susan A. Cochran, editor(s)
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1068
In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of...
Laboratory evaluation of the pressure water level data logger manufactured by Infinities USA, Inc.: results of pressure and temperature tests
Mark V. Carnley
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1049
The Pressure Water Level Data Logger manufactured by Infinities USA, Inc., was evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility for conformance with the manufacturer’s stated accuracy specifications for measuring pressure throughout the device’s operating temperature range and with the USGS accuracy requirements for water-level measurements. The Pressure...
Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau study unit, 2010: California GAMA Priority Basin Project
Miranda S. Fram, Jennifer L. Shelton
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5238
Groundwater quality in the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau study unit was investigated as part of the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program Priority Basin Project. The study was designed to provide a statistically unbiased assessment of untreated groundwater quality in the primary...
An evaluation of the efficiency of minnow traps for estimating the abundance of minnows in desert spring systems
James T. Peterson, Paul D. Scheerer, Shaun Clements
2015, North American Journal of Fisheries Management (35) 491-502
Desert springs are sensitive aquatic ecosystems that pose unique challenges to natural resource managers and researchers. Among the most important of these is the need to accurately quantify population parameters for resident fish, particularly when the species are of special conservation concern. We evaluated the efficiency of baited minnow traps...
Water-quality characteristics of stormwater runoff in Rapid City, South Dakota, 2008-14
Galen K. Hoogestraat
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5069
The water quality of Rapid Creek is important because the reach that flows through Rapid City, South Dakota, is a valuable spawning area for a self-sustaining trout fishery, actively used for recreation, and a seasonal municipal water supply for the City of Rapid City. This report presents the current (2008–14)...
Reducing cross-sectional data using a genetic algorithm method and effects on cross-section geometry and steady-flow profiles
Charles E. Berenbrock
2015, Scientific Investigations Report 2015-5034
Reduction of cross-sectional data using a genetic algorithm method, and the effects of data reduction on channel geometry and steady-flow profiles, were analyzed. Two reduction methods─standard and genetic algorithms─were used to reduce cross-sectional data from the Kootenai River in northern Idaho. Cross sections that are representative of meander, straight, braided,...
High-resolution digital elevation model of lower Cowlitz and Toutle Rivers, adjacent to Mount St. Helens, Washington, based on an airborne lidar survey of October 2007
Adam R. Mosbrucker
2015, Data Series 936
The lateral blast, debris avalanche, and lahars of the May 18th, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington, dramatically altered the surrounding landscape. Lava domes were extruded during the subsequent eruptive periods of 1980–1986 and 2004–2008. More than three decades after the emplacement of the 1980 debris avalanche, high sediment...
The Holocene history of the North American Monsoon: 'known knowns' and 'known unknowns' in understanding its spatial and temporal complexity
Sarah E. Metcalfe, John A. Barron, Sarah J. Davies
2015, Quaternary Science Reviews (120) 1-27
Evidence for climatic change across the North American Monsoon (NAM) and adjacent areas is reviewed, drawing on continental and marine records and the application of climate models. Patterns of change at 12,000, 9000, 6000 and 4000 cal yr BP are presented to capture the nature of change from the Younger Dryas (YD) and...
