Combined multibeam and bathymetry data from Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound: a regional perspective
Lawrence J. Poppe, Katherine Y. McMullen, William W. Danforth, Mark R. Blankenship, Andrew R. Clos, Kimberly A. Glomb, Peter G. Lewit, Megan A. Nadeau, Douglas A. Wood, Castleton E. Parker
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1012
Detailed bathymetric maps of the sea floor in Rhode Island and Block Island Sounds are of great interest to the New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts research and management communities because of this area's ecological, recreational, and commercial importance. Geologically interpreted digital terrain models from individual surveys provide important benthic...
Quantifying benthic nitrogen fluxes in Puget Sound, Washington: a review of available data
Richard W. Sheibley, Anthony J. Paulson
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5033
Understanding benthic fluxes is important for understanding the fate of materials that settle to the Puget Sound, Washington, seafloor, as well as the impact these fluxes have on the chemical composition and biogeochemical cycles of marine waters. Existing approaches used to measure benthic nitrogen flux in Puget Sound and elsewhere...
A framework for assessing water and proppant use and flowback water extraction associated with development of continuous petroleum resources
Seth S. Haines, Troy Cook, Joanna N. Thamke, Kyle W. Davis, Andrew J. Long, Richard W. Healy, Sarah J. Hawkins, Mark A. Engle
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3010
The U.S. Geological Survey is developing approaches for the quantitative assessment of water and proppant involved with possible future production of continuous petroleum deposits. The assessment approach is an extension of existing U.S. Geological Survey petroleum-assessment methods, and it aims to provide objective information that helps decision makers understand the...
The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Oregon
William J. Carswell Jr.
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3014
Elevation data are essential to a broad range of business uses, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. In the State of Oregon, elevation data are critical for river and stream resource management; forest resources management; water supply and quality; infrastructure and construction...
Detection limits and cost comparisons of human- and gull-associated conventional and quantitative PCR assays in artificial and environmental waters
Timothy E. Riedel, Amity G. Zimmer-Faust, Vanessa Thulsiraj, Tania Madi, Kaitlyn T. Hanley, Darcy L. Ebentier, Muruleedhara N. Byappanahalli, Blythe Layton, Meredith Raith, Alexandria B. Boehm, John F. Griffith, Patricia A. Holden, Orin C. Shanks, Stephen B. Weisberg, Jennifer A. Jay
2014, Journal of Environmental Management (136) 112-120
Some molecular methods for tracking fecal pollution in environmental waters have both PCR and quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays available for use. To assist managers in deciding whether to implement newer qPCR techniques in routine monitoring programs, we compared detection limits (LODs) and costs of PCR and qPCR assays with identical...
Applying downscaled global climate model data to a hydrodynamic surface-water and groundwater model
Eric Swain, Lydia Stefanova, Thomas Smith
2014, American Journal of Climate Change (3) 33-49
Precipitation data from Global Climate Models have been downscaled to smaller regions. Adapting this downscaled precipitation data to a coupled hydrodynamic surface-water/groundwater model of southern Florida allows an examination of future conditions and their effect on groundwater levels, inundation patterns, surface-water stage and flows, and salinity. The downscaled rainfall data...
Water-quality trends for selected sampling sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin, Montana, water years 1996-2010
Steven K. Sando, Aldo V. Vecchia, David L. Lorenz, Elliott P. Barnhart
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5217
A large-scale trend analysis was done on specific conductance, selected trace elements (arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, and zinc), and suspended-sediment data for 22 sites in the upper Clark Fork Basin for water years 1996–2010. Trend analysis was conducted by using two parametric methods: a time-series model (TSM) and...
USGS Field Activities 11CEV01 and 11CEV02 on the West Florida Shelf, Gulf of Mexico, in January and February 2011
Lisa L. Robbins, Paul O. Knorr, Kendra L. Daly, Carl A. Taylor
2014, Data Series 711
During January and February 2011 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the University of South Florida (USF), conducted geochemical surveys on the west Florida Shelf. Data collected will allow USGS and USF scientists to investigate the effects of climate change on ocean acidification within the northern Gulf of...
Antecedent flow conditions and nitrate concentrations in the Mississippi River basin
Jennifer C. Murphy, Robert M. Hirsch, Lori A. Sprague
2014, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 967-979
The relationship between antecedent flow conditions and nitrate concentrations was explored at eight sites in the 2.9 million square kilometers (km2) Mississippi River basin, USA. Antecedent flow conditions were quantified as the ratio between the mean daily flow of the previous year and the mean daily flow from the period...
Evaluation of the expected moments algorithm and a multiple low-outlier test for flood frequency analysis at streamgaging stations in Arizona
Nicholas V. Paretti, Jeffrey R. Kennedy, Timothy A. Cohn
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5026
Flooding is among the costliest natural disasters in terms of loss of life and property in Arizona, which is why the accurate estimation of flood frequency and magnitude is crucial for proper structural design and accurate floodplain mapping. Current guidelines for flood frequency analysis in the United States are described...
Wetland Reserve Program enhances site occupancy and species richness in assemblages of anuran amphibians in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA
Susan C. Walls, J. Hardin Waddle, Stephen P. Faulkner
2014, Wetlands (34) 197-207
We measured amphibian habitat use to quantify the effectiveness of conservation practices implemented under the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), an initiative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. From February to June 2007, we quantified calling male anurans in cultivated cropland, former cultivated cropland restored through the...
Atrazine reduces reproduction in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas): raw data report
Donald E. Tillitt, Diana M. Papoulias, Jeffrey J. Whyte, Cathy A. Richter
2014, Data Series 805
The herbicide, atrazine, routinely is observed in surface and groundwaters, particularly in the “corn belt” region, a high-use area of the United States. Atrazine has demonstrated effects on reproduction in mammals and amphibians, but the characterization of endocrine-related effects in fish has received only limited attention. Peak concentrations of atrazine...
Quality of surface water in Missouri, water year 2012
Miya N. Barr
2014, Data Series 818
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, designed and operates a series of monitoring stations on streams and springs throughout Missouri known as the Ambient Water-Quality Monitoring Network. During the 2012 water year (October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012), data were collected at...
Simulation of groundwater flow pathlines and freshwater/saltwater transition zone movement, Manhasset Neck, Nassau County, New York
Paul Misut, Omkar Aphale
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5201
A density-dependent groundwater flow and solute transport model of Manhasset Neck, Long Island, New York, was used to analyze (1) the effects of seasonal stress on the position of the freshwater/saltwater transition zone and (2) groundwater flowpaths. The following were used in the simulation: 182 transient stress periods, representing the...
Digital surfaces and thicknesses of selected hydrogeologic units within the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system, northwestern Arkansas
John B. Czarnecki, Susan E. Bolyard, Rheannon M. Hart, Jimmy M. Clark
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5208
Digital surfaces and thicknesses of nine hydrogeologic units of the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system from land surface to the top of the Gunter Sandstone in northwestern Arkansas were created using geophysical logs, drillers’ logs, geologist-interpreted formation tops, and previously published maps. The 6,040 square mile study area in the Ozark...
Geophysical logging of bedrock wells for geothermal gradient characterization in New Hampshire, 2013
James R. Degnan, Gregory Barker, Neil Olson, Leland Wilder
2014, Data Series 823
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New Hampshire Geological Survey, measured the fluid temperature of groundwater and other geophysical properties in 10 bedrock wells in the State of New Hampshire in order to characterize geothermal gradients in bedrock. The wells selected for the study were deep (five ranging...
The 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake and tsunamis: a modern perspective and enduring legacies
Thomas M. Brocher, John R. Filson, Gary S. Fuis, Peter J. Haeussler, Thomas L. Holzer, George Plafker, J. Luke Blair
2014, Fact Sheet 2014-3018
The magnitude 9.2 Great Alaska Earthquake that struck south-central Alaska at 5:36 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 1964, is the largest recorded earthquake in U.S. history and the second-largest earthquake recorded with modern instruments. The earthquake was felt throughout most of mainland Alaska, as far west as Dutch Harbor in...
Passage and survival probabilities of juvenile Chinook salmon at Cougar Dam, Oregon, 2012
John W. Beeman, Scott D. Evans, Philip V. Haner, Hal C. Hansel, Amy C. Hansen, Collin D. Smith, Jamie M. Sprando
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1038
This report describes studies of juvenile-salmon dam passage and apparent survival at Cougar Dam, Oregon, during two operating conditions in 2012. Cougar Dam is a 158-meter tall rock-fill dam used primarily for flood control, and passes water through a temperature control tower to either a powerhouse penstock or to a...
Contaminants of emerging concern in the lower Stillaguamish River Basin, Washington, 2008-11
Richard J. Wagner, Patrick W. Moran, Steven D. Zaugg, Jennifer M. Sevigny, Judy M. Pope
2014, Open-File Report 2014-1028
A series of discrete water-quality samples were collected in the lower Stillaguamish River Basin near the city of Arlington, Washington, through a partnership with the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians. These samples included surface waters of the Stillaguamish River, adjacent tributary streams, and paired inflow and outflow sampling at three wastewater...
Sex in the Suwannee, the secretive love life of Gulf Sturgeons
Kenneth J. Sulak
2014, American Currents (39) 22-24
Mid-February in the Gulf of Mexico and a timeless ritual is about to repeat itself for perhaps the millionth time. Some mysterious signal, possibly increasing day length, flips an internal switch, feeding stops, and the homeward migration begins for the Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi). From far flung places along...
Estimating movement and survival rates of a small saltwater fish using autonomous antenna receiver arrays and passive integrated transponder tags
Paul J. Rudershausen, Jeffery A. Buckel, Todd Dubreuil, Matthew J. O’Donnell, Joseph E. Hightower, Steven J. Poland, Benjamin H. Letcher
2014, Marine Ecology Progress Series (499) 177-192
We evaluated the performance of small (12.5 mm long) passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and custom detection antennas for obtaining fine-scale movement and demographic data of mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus in a salt marsh creek. Apparent survival and detection probability were estimated using a Cormack Jolly Seber (CJS) model fitted to...
Significance of carbon dioxide density estimates for basin-scale storage resource assessments
Marc L. Buursink
2014, Energy Procedia (63) 5130-5140
The geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) storage resource size is a function of the density of CO2 in the subsurface. The pressure and temperature of the storage reservoir at depth affect the CO2 density. Therefore, knowing these subsurface conditions allows for improved resource estimates of potential geologic CO2 storage capacity. In 2012, the U.S....
Occurrence and origin of Escherichia coli in water and sediments at two public swimming beaches at Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Camden County, Missouri, 2011-13
Jordan L. Wilson, John G. Schumacher, Joel G. Burken
2014, Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5005
In the past several years, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has closed two popular public beaches, Grand Glaize Beach and Public Beach 1, at Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Osage Beach, Missouri when monitoring results exceeded the established Escherichia coli (E. coli) standard. As a result of...
Using cure models for analyzing the influence of pathogens on salmon survival
Adam R Ray, Russell W. Perry, Nicholas A. Som, Jerri L Bartholomew
2014, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (143) 387-398
Parasites and pathogens influence the size and stability of wildlife populations, yet many population models ignore the population-level effects of pathogens. Standard survival analysis methods (e.g., accelerated failure time models) are used to assess how survival rates are influenced by disease. However, they assume that each individual is equally susceptible...
A methodology for assessing the impact of sea level rise on representative military installations in the Southwestern United States (RC-1703)
Bart Chadwick, Pei F. Wang, Marissa Brand, Reinhard Flick, Adam Young, William O’Reilly, Peter Bromirski, Walter Crampton, Robert Gruza, John Helly
2014, Report
The objective of the project was to develop an analysis framework and methodologies for evaluation of coastal military installation vulnerabilities and test them under prescribed scenarios of increased local mean sea level over the next century. Methodologies were developed to assess the potential scope and magnitude of impacts from physical effects of...
