Unsaturated flow characterization utilizing water content data collected within the capillary fringe
Arthur Baehr, Timothy J. Reilly
2014, Air, Soil and Water Research (7) 47-52
An analysis is presented to determine unsaturated zone hydraulic parameters based on detailed water content profiles, which can be readily acquired during hydrological investigations. Core samples taken through the unsaturated zone allow for the acquisition of gravimetrically determined water content data as a function of elevation at 3 inch intervals....
Water resources of De Soto Parish, Louisiana
Lawrence B. Prakken, Vincent E. White
2014, Fact Sheet 2013-3107
Information concerning the availability, use, and quality of water in De Soto 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...
Three-dimensional seismic velocity structure and earthquake relocations at Katmai, Alaska
Rachel Murphy, Clifford Thurber, Stephanie G. Prejean, Ninfa Bennington
2014, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research (276) 121-131
We invert arrival time data from local earthquakes occurring between September 2004 and May 2009 to determine the three-dimensional (3D) upper crustal seismic structure in the Katmai volcanic region. Waveforms for the study come from the Alaska Volcano Observatory's permanent network of 20 seismic stations in the area (predominantly single-component,...
Seismicity and seismic structure at Okmok Volcano, Alaska
Summer J. Ohlendorf, Clifford H. Thurber, Jeremy D. Pesicek, Stephanie G. Prejean
2014, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research (278-279) 103-119
Okmok volcano is an active volcanic caldera located on the northeastern portion of Umnak Island in the Aleutian arc, with recent eruptions in 1997 and 2008. The Okmok area had ~900 locatable earthquakes between 2003 and June 2008, and an additional ~600 earthquakes from the beginning of the 2008 eruption...
Accuracy assessment of the U.S. Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset, and comparison with other large-area elevation datasets: SRTM and ASTER
Dean B. Gesch, Michael J. Oimoen, Gayla A. Evans
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1008
The National Elevation Dataset (NED) is the primary elevation data product produced and distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey. The NED provides seamless raster elevation data of the conterminous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. island territories, Mexico, and Canada. The NED is derived from diverse source datasets that are processed...
The search for geologic evidence of distant-source tsunamis using new field data in California
Rick Wilson, Eileen Hemphill-Haley, Bruce Jaffe, Bruce Richmond, Robert Peters, Nick Graehl, Harvey Kelsey, Robert Leeper, Steve Watt, Mary McGann, Don F. Hoirup, Catherine Chague-Goff, James Goff, Dylan Caldwell, Casey Loofbourrow
2014, Open-File Report 2013-1170-C
A statewide assessment for geological evidence of tsunamis, primarily from distant-source events, found tsunami deposits at several locations, though evidence was absent at most locations evaluated. Several historical distant-source tsunamis, including the 1946 Aleutian, 1960 Chile, and 1964 Alaska events, caused inundation along portions of the northern and central California...
Impacts of white-tailed deer on red trillium (Trillium recurvatum): defining a threshold for deer browsing pressure at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Noel B. Pavlovic, Stacey A. Leicht-Young, Ralph Grundel
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5070
Overabundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been a concern for land managers in eastern North America because of their impacts on native forest ecosystems. Managers have sought native plant species to serve as phytoindicators of deer impacts to supplement deer surveys. We analyzed experimental data about red trillium (Trillium recurvatum),...
Geochemical and mineralogical maps for soils of the conterminous United States
David B. Smith, William F. Cannon, Laurel G. Woodruff, Federico Solano, Karl J. Ellefsen
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1082
The U.S. Geological Survey began sampling in 2007 for a low-density (1 site per 1,600 square kilometers, 4,857 sites) geochemical and mineralogical survey of soils in the conterminous United States as part of the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project. The sampling protocol for the national-scale survey included, at each...
Creating a monthly time series of the potentiometric surface in the Upper Floridan aquifer, Northern Tampa Bay area, Florida, January 2000-December 2009
Terrie M. Lee, Geoffrey G. Fouad
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5038
In Florida’s karst terrain, where groundwater and surface waters interact, a mapping time series of the potentiometric surface in the Upper Floridan aquifer offers a versatile metric for assessing the hydrologic condition of both the aquifer and overlying streams and wetlands. Long-term groundwater monitoring data were used to generate a...
Freshwater availability and coastal wetland foundation species: ecological transitions along a rainfall gradient
Michael J. Osland, Nicholas M. Enwright, Camille L. Stagg
2014, Ecology (95) 2789-2802
Climate gradient-focused ecological research can provide a foundation for better understanding critical ecological transition points and nonlinear climate-ecological relationships, which is information that can be used to better understand, predict, and manage ecological responses to climate change. In this study, we examined the influence of freshwater availability upon the coverage...
Factors affecting public-supply well vulnerability in two karst aquifers
MaryLynn Musgrove, Brian G. Katz, Lynne S. Fahlquist, Christy A. Crandall, Richard J. Lindgren
2014, Ground Water (52) 63-75
Karst aquifers occur in a range of climatic and geologic settings. Nonetheless, they are commonly characterized by their vulnerability to water-quality impairment. Two karst aquifers, the Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas and the Upper Floridan aquifer in western Florida, were investigated to assess factors that control the movement of contaminants...
Cruise report for P1-13-LA, U.S. Geological Survey gas hydrates research cruise, R/V Pelican April 18 to May 3, 2013, deepwater Gulf of Mexico
Seth S. Haines, Patrick E. Hart, Carolyn Ruppel, Thomas O'Brien, Wayne Baldwin, Jenny White, Eric Moore, Peter Dal Ferro, Peter Lemmond
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1080
The U.S. Geological Survey led a seismic acquisition cruise in the Gulf of Mexico from April 18 to May 3, 2013, with the objectives of (1) achieving improved imaging and characterization at two established gas hydrate study sites, and (2) refining geophysical methods for gas hydrate characterization in other locations....
Bathymetry and acoustic backscatter: outer mainland shelf and slope, Gulf of Santa Catalina, southern California
Peter Dartnell, James E. Conrad, Holly F. Ryan, David P. Finlayson
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1094
In 2010 and 2011, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Coastal and Marine Geology Program, acquired bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data from the outer shelf and slope region offshore of southern California. The surveys were conducted as part of the USGS Marine Geohazards Program. Assessment of the hazards posed by...
Distribution and landscape controls of organic layer thickness and carbon within the Alaskan Yukon River Basin
Neal J. Pastick, Matthew B. Rigge, Bruce K. Wylie, M. Torre Jorgenson, Joshua R. Rose, Kristofer D. Johnson, Lei Ji
2014, Geoderma (230-231) 79-94
Understanding of the organic layer thickness (OLT) and organic layer carbon (OLC) stocks in subarctic ecosystems is critical due to their importance in the global carbon cycle. Moreover, post-fire OLT provides an indicator of long-term successional trajectories and permafrost susceptibility to thaw. To these ends, we 1) mapped OLT and...
The shallow stratigraphy and sand resources offshore from Cat Island, Mississippi
Jack L. Kindinger, Jennifer L. Miselis, Noreen A. Buster
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1070
In collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center collected over 487 line kilometers (> 300 miles) of high-resolution geophysical data around Cat Island, Mississippi, to improve understanding of the island's geologic evolution and identify potential...
Weekly resolution particulate flux from a sediment trap in the northern Gulf of Mexico, 2008-2012
Julie N. Richey, Caitlin E. Reynolds, Eric Tappa, Robert Thunell
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1035
The U.S. Geological Survey anchored a sediment trap in the northern Gulf of Mexico to collect time-series data on sediment flux from 2008 to 2012. There are continuous measurements of total mass flux and organic carbon flux (ogC) at 7–14 day resolution from 2008 to 2012. The flux of calcium...
A new Liopropoma sea bass (Serranidae, Epinephelinae, Liopropomini) from deep reefs off Curaçao, southern Caribbean, with comments on depth distributions of western Atlantic liopropomins
Carole C. Baldwin, D. Ross Robertson
2014, ZooKeys (409) 71-92
Collecting reef-fish specimens using a manned submersible diving to 300 m off Curaçao, southern Caribbean, is resulting in the discovery of numerous new fish species. The new Liopropoma sea bass described here differs from other western Atlantic members of the genus in having VIII, 13 dorsal-fin rays; a moderately indented dorsal-fin margin;...
Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the South Coast Interior groundwater basins, 2008: California GAMA Priority Basin Project
Mary C. Parsons, Justin T. Kulongoski, Kenneth Belitz
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5023
Groundwater quality in the approximately 653-square-mile (1,691-square-kilometer) South Coast Interior Basins (SCI) study unit was investigated as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The South Coast Interior Basins study unit contains eight priority groundwater basins grouped into three study areas, Livermore,...
Adaptive nest clustering and density-dependent nest survival in dabbling ducks
Kevin M. Ringelman, John M. Eadie, Joshua T. Ackerman
2014, Oikos (123) 239-247
Density-dependent population regulation is observed in many taxa, and understanding the mechanisms that generate density dependence is especially important for the conservation of heavily-managed species. In one such system, North American waterfowl, density dependence is often observed at continental scales, and nest predation has long been implicated as a key...
Two graphical user interfaces for managing and analyzing MODFLOW groundwater-model scenarios
Edward R. Banta
2014, Techniques and Methods 6-A50
Scenario Manager and Scenario Analyzer are graphical user interfaces that facilitate the use of calibrated, MODFLOW-based groundwater models for investigating possible responses to proposed stresses on a groundwater system. Scenario Manager allows a user, starting with a calibrated model, to design and run model scenarios by adding or modifying stresses...
Origins and delineation of saltwater intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer and changes in the distribution of saltwater in Miami-Dade County, Florida
Scott T. Prinos, Michael A. Wacker, Kevin J. Cunningham, David V. Fitterman
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5025
Intrusion of saltwater into parts of the shallow karst Biscayne aquifer is a major concern for the 2.5 million residents of Miami-Dade County that rely on this aquifer as their primary drinking water supply. Saltwater intrusion of this aquifer began when the Everglades were drained to provide dry land for...
Evaluation of sensor types and environmental controls on mapping biomass of coastal marsh emergent vegetation
Kristin B. Byrd, Jessica L. O'Connell, Stefania Di Tommaso, Maggi Kelly
2014, Remote Sensing of Environment (149) 166-180
There is a need to quantify large-scale plant productivity in coastal marshes to understand marsh resilience to sea level rise, to help define eligibility for carbon offset credits, and to monitor impacts from land use, eutrophication and contamination. Remote monitoring of aboveground biomass of emergent wetland vegetation will help address...
Land use patterns, ecoregion, and microcystin relationships in U.S. lakes and reservoirs: a preliminary evaluation
John R. Beaver, Erin E. Manis, Keith A. Loftin, Jennifer L. Graham, Amina I. Pollard, Richard M. Mitchell
2014, Harmful Algae (36) 57-62
A statistically significant association was found between the concentration of total microcystin, a common class of cyanotoxins, in surface waters of lakes and reservoirs in the continental U.S. with watershed land use using data from 1156 water bodies sampled between May and October 2007 as part of the USEPA National...
Assessment of suitable habitat for Phragmites australis (common reed) in the Great Lakes coastal zone
Martha L. Carlson Mazur, Kurt P. Kowalski, David Galbraith
2014, Aquatic Invasions (9) 1-19
In the Laurentian Great Lakes, the invasive form of Phragmites australis (common reed) poses a threat to highly productive coastal wetlands and shorelines by forming impenetrable stands that outcompete native plants. Large, dominant stands can derail efforts to restore wetland ecosystems degraded by other stressors. To be proactive, landscape-level management...
Comparative biogeochemistry-ecosystem-human interactions on dynamic continental margins
Lisa A. Levin, Kon-Kee Liu, Kay-Christian Emeis, Denise L. Breitburg, James Cloern, Curtis Deutsch, Michele Giani, Anne Goffart, Eileen E. Hofmann, Zouhair Lachkar, Karin Limburg, Su-Mei Liu, Enrique Montes, Wajih Naqvi, Olivier Ragueneau, Christophe Rabouille, Santosh Kumar Sarkar, Dennis P. Swaney, Paul Wassman, Karen F. Wishner
2014, Journal of Marine Systems (141) 3-17
The ocean’s continental margins face strong and rapid change, forced by a combination of direct human activity, anthropogenic CO2-induced climate change, and natural variability. Stimulated by discussions in Goa, India at the IMBER IMBIZO III, we (1) provide an overview of the drivers of biogeochemical variation and change on margins,...
