Smolting in coastal cutthroat trout Onchorhynchus clarkii clarkii
Joseph D. Zydlewski, G. Zydlewski, B. Kennedy, W. Gale
2014, Journal of Fish Biology (85) 1111-1130
Gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity, condition factor and seawater (SW) challenges were used to assess the development of smolt characteristics in a cohort of hatchery coastal cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii from the Cowlitz River in Washington State, U.S.A. Gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity increased slightly in the spring, coinciding with an...
Downscaled climate projections for the Southeast United States: evaluation and use for ecological applications
Adrienne Wootten, Kara Smith, Ryan Boyles, Adam Terando, Lydia Stefanova, Vasru Misra, Tom Smith, David L. Blodgett, Fredrick Semazzi
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1190
Climate change is likely to have many effects on natural ecosystems in the Southeast U.S. The National Climate Assessment Southeast Technical Report (SETR) indicates that natural ecosystems in the Southeast are likely to be affected by warming temperatures, ocean acidification, sea-level rise, and changes in rainfall and evapotranspiration. To better...
Shaking from injection-induced earthquakes in the central and eastern United States
Susan E. Hough
2014, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (104) 2619-2626
In this study I consider the ground motions generated by 11 moderate (Mw4.0-5.6) earthquakes in the central and eastern United States that are thought or suspected to be induced by fluid injection. Using spatially rich intensity data from the USGS “Did You Feel It?” system, I show that the...
Effects of disturbance and climate change on ecosystem performance in the Yukon River Basin boreal forest
Bruce K. Wylie, Matthew B. Rigge, Brian Brisco, Kevin Mrnaghan, Jennifer R. Rover, Jordan Long
2014, Remote Sensing (6) 9145-9169
A warming climate influences boreal forest productivity, dynamics, and disturbance regimes. We used ecosystem models and 250 m satellite Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data averaged over the growing season (GSN) to model current, and estimate future, ecosystem performance. We modeled Expected Ecosystem Performance (EEP), or anticipated productivity, in undisturbed...
Characterizing recent and projecting future potential patterns of mountain pine beetle outbreaks in the Southern Rocky Mountains
Lu Liang, Todd Hawbaker, Yanlei Chen, Zhi-Liang Zhu, Peng Gong
2014, Applied Geography (55) 165-175
The recent widespread mountain pine beetle (MPB) outbreak in the Southern Rocky Mountains presents an opportunity to investigate the relative influence of anthropogenic, biologic, and physical drivers that have shaped the spatiotemporal patterns of the outbreak. The aim of this study was to quantify the landscape-level drivers that explained the...
Can mercury in fish be reduced by water level management? Evaluating the effects of water level fluctuation on mercury accumulation in yellow perch (Perca flavescens)
James H. Larson, Ryan P. Maki, Brent C. Knights, Brian R. Gray
2014, Ecotoxicology (23) 1555-1563
Mercury (Hg) contamination of fisheries is a major concern for resource managers of many temperate lakes. Anthropogenic Hg contamination is largely derived from atmospheric deposition within a lake’s watershed, but its incorporation into the food web is facilitated by bacterial activity in sediments. Temporal variation in Hg content of fish...
Evaluation of the National Gap Analysis Program (GAP): survey of users of GAP data: report to respondents
Joan M. Ratz
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1166
This report provides a summary of responses to the questions included in a survey of individuals who use or have used data created and provided by the U.S. Geological Survey National Gap Analysis Program (GAP). The survey was commissioned by the GAP main office and was conducted by U.S. Geological...
U.S. Geological Survey quality-assurance plan for continuous water-quality monitoring in Kansas, 2014
Trudy J. Bennett, Jennifer L. Graham, Guy M. Foster, Mandy L. Stone, Kyle E. Juracek, Teresa J. Rasmussen, James E. Putnam
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1151
A quality-assurance plan for use in conducting continuous water-quality monitoring activities has been developed for the Kansas Water Science Center in accordance with guidelines set forth by the U.S. Geological Survey. This quality-assurance plan documents the standards, policies, and procedures used by the U.S. Geological Survey in Kansas for activities...
Hydrogeology, water resources, and water budget of the upper Rio Hondo Basin, Lincoln County, New Mexico, 2010
Michael J. Darr, Kurt J. McCoy, Gordon W. Rattray, Roger A. Durall
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5153
The upper Rio Hondo Basin occupies a drainage area of 585 square miles in south-central New Mexico and comprises three general hydrogeologic terranes: the higher elevation “Mountain Block,” the “Central Basin” piedmont area, and the lower elevation “Hondo Slope.” As many as 12 hydrostratigraphic units serve as aquifers locally and...
Global assessment of human losses due to earthquakes
Vitor Silva, Kishor S. Jaiswal, Graeme Weatherill, Helen Crowley
2014, Conference Paper
Current studies have demonstrated a sharp increase in human losses due to earthquakes. These alarming levels of casualties suggest the need for large-scale investment in seismic risk mitigation, which, in turn, requires an adequate understanding of the extent of the losses, and location of the most affected regions. Recent developments...
Assessing the value of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) in Everglades restoration: an ecosystem service approach
Leslie A. Richardson, Kelly Keefe, Christopher C. Huber, Laila Racevskis, Reynolds Gregg, Scott Thourot, Ian Miller
2014, Ecological Economics (107) 366-377
This study identifies a full range of ecosystem services that could be affected by a restoration project in the central Everglades and monetizes the economic value of a subset of these services using existing data. Findings suggest that the project will potentially increase many ecosystem services that have considerable economic...
Pesticides in groundwater of the United States: decadal-scale changes, 1993-2011
Patricia L. Toccalino, Robert J. Gilliom, Bruce D. Lindsey, Michael G. Rupert
2014, Groundwater (52) 112-125
The national occurrence of 83 pesticide compounds in groundwater of the United States and decadal-scale changes in concentrations for 35 compounds were assessed for the 20-year period from 1993–2011. Samples were collected from 1271 wells in 58 nationally distributed well networks. Networks consisted of shallow (mostly monitoring) wells in agricultural...
Estimated monthly streamflows for selected locations on the Kabul and Logar Rivers, Aynak copper, cobalt, and chromium area of interest, Afghanistan, 1951-2010
Kevin C. Vining, Aldo V. Vecchia
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5157
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, used the stochastic monthly water-balance model and existing climate data to estimate monthly streamflows for 1951–2010 for selected streamgaging stations located within the Aynak copper, cobalt, and chromium area of interest...
User's manual for the upper Delaware River riverine environmental flow decision support system (REFDSS), Version 1.1.2
Colin Talbert, Kelly O. Maloney, Chris Holmquist-Johnson, Leanne Hanson
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1183
Between 2002 and 2006, the Fort Collins Science Center (FORT) at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted field surveys, organized workshops, and performed analysis of habitat for trout and shad in the Upper Delaware River Basin. This work culminated in the development of decision support system software (the Delaware River...
Watershed Data Management (WDM) database for Salt Creek streamflow simulation, DuPage County, Illinois, water years 2005-11
Maitreyee Bera
2014, Data Series 870
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with DuPage County Stormwater Management Division, maintains a USGS database of hourly meteorologic and hydrologic data for use in a near real-time streamflow simulation system, which assists in the management and operation of reservoirs and other flood-control structures in the Salt Creek watershed...
Groundwater and surface-water interaction and potential for underground water storage in the Buena Vista-Salida Basin, Chaffee County, Colorado, 2011
Kenneth R. Watts, Tamara I. Ivahnenko, Stogner, James F. Bruce
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5095
By 2030, the population of the Arkansas Headwaters Region, which includes all of Chaffee and Lake Counties and parts of Custer, Fremont, and Park Counties, Colorado, is forecast to increase about 73 percent. As the region’s population increases, it is anticipated that groundwater will be used to meet much of...
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)....
Nearshore bathymetric mapping along a 7-mile reach of Lake Sharpe shoreline near Lower Brule, South Dakota, 2013
Ryan F. Thompson
2014, Scientific Investigations Map 3307
Shoreline erosion rates along Lake Sharpe, a Missouri River reservoir, near the community of Lower Brule, South Dakota, were studied previously during 2011–12 by the U.S. Geological Survey, the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, and Oglala Lakota College. The rapid shoreline retreat has caused many detrimental effects along the shoreline of...
Map of assessed tight-gas resources in the United States
Laura R. H. Biewick (compiler), USGS National Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources Team
2014, Data Series 69-HH
This report presents a digital map of tight-gas resource assessments in the United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Assessment of Oil and Gas Project. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS quantitatively estimated potential volumes of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas resources within tight-gas assessment...
Predicting foundation bunchgrass species abundances: Model-assisted decision-making in protected-area sagebrush steppe
Thomas J. Rodhouse, Kathryn M. Irvine, Roger L. Sheley, Brenda S. Smith, Shirley Hoh, Daniel M. Esposito, Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez
2014, Ecosphere (5) 1-19
Foundation species are structurally dominant members of ecological communities that can stabilize ecological processes and influence resilience to disturbance and resistance to invasion. Being common, they are often overlooked for conservation but are increasingly threatened from land use change, biological invasions, and over-exploitation. The pattern of foundation species abundances over...
Data compilation for assessing sediment and toxic chemical loads from the Green River to the lower Duwamish Waterway, Washington
Kathleen E. Conn, Robert W. Black
2014, Data Series 880
Between February and June 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey collected representative samples of whole water, suspended sediment, and (or) bed sediment from a single strategically located site on the Duwamish River, Washington, during seven periods of different flow conditions. Samples were analyzed by Washington-State-accredited laboratories for a large suite of...
Organization of marine phenology data in support of planning and conservation in ocean and coastal ecosystems
Kathryn A. Thomas, Mark D. Fornwall, Jake F. Weltzin, R.B. Griffis
2014, Ecological Informatics (24) 169-176
Among the many effects of climate change is its influence on the phenology of biota. In marine and coastal ecosystems, phenological shifts have been documented for multiple life forms; however, biological data related to marine species' phenology remain difficult to access and is under-used. We conducted an assessment of potential...
A compilation of K-Ar-ages for southern California
Fred K. Miller, Douglas M. Morton, Janet L. Morton, David M. Miller
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1195
The purpose of this report is to make available a large body of conventional K-Ar ages for granitic, volcanic, and metamorphic rocks collected in southern California. Although one interpretive map is included, the report consists primarily of a systematic listing, without discussion or interpretation, of published and unpublished ages that...
A generalization of the double-corner-frequency source spectral model and its use in the SCEC BBP validation exercise
David M. Boore, Carola Di Alessandro, Norman A. Abrahamson
2014, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (104) 2387-2398
The stochastic method of simulating ground motions requires the specification of the shape and scaling with magnitude of the source spectrum. The spectral models commonly used are either single-corner-frequency or double-corner-frequency models, but the latter have no flexibility to vary the high-frequency spectral levels for a specified seismic moment....
Digital database of microfossil localities in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California
Kristin McDougall, Debra L. Block
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5120
The eastern San Francisco Bay region (Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, California) is a geologically complex area divided by faults into a suite of tectonic blocks. Each block contains a unique stratigraphic sequence of Tertiary sediments that in most blocks unconformably overlie Mesozoic sediments. Age and environmental interpretations based on...
