Assessment of water-quality data from Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota--2008 through 2012
Brian A. Tangen, Raymond G. Finocchiaro, Robert A. Gleason, Michael J. Rabenberg, Charles F. Dahl, Mike J. Ell
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5183
ong Lake National Wildlife Refuge, located in south-central North Dakota, is an important habitat for numerous migratory birds and waterfowl, including several threatened or endangered species. The refuge is distinguished by Long Lake, which is approximately 65 square kilometers and consists of four primary water management units. Water levels in...
Detectability of thermal signatures associated with active formation of ‘chaos terrain’ on Europa
Oleg Abramov, J. Rathbun, Britney E. Schmidt, John R. Spencer
2013, Earth and Planetary Science Letters (384) 37-41
A recent study by Schmidt et al. (2011) suggests that Thera Macula, one of the “chaos regions” on Europa, may be actively forming over a large liquid water lens. Such a process could conceivably produce a thermal anomaly detectable by a future Europa orbiter or flyby mission, allowing for a...
Hydration free energies of cyanide and hydroxide ions from molecular dynamics simulations with accurate force fields
Myung W. Lee, M. Meuwly
2013, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (15) 20303-20312
The evaluation of hydration free energies is a sensitive test to assess force fields used in atomistic simulations. We showed recently that the vibrational relaxation times, 1D- and 2D-infrared spectroscopies for CN(-) in water can be quantitatively described from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with multipolar force fields and slightly enlarged...
Transient simulation of groundwater levels within a sandbar of the Colorado River, Marble Canyon, Arizona, 2004
Thomas A. Sabol, Abraham E. Springer
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1277
Seepage erosion and mass failure of emergent sandy deposits along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, are a function of the elevation of groundwater in the sandbar, fluctuations in river stage, the exfiltration of water from the bar face, and the slope of the bar face. In...
Functional diversity supports the physiological tolerance hypothesis for plant species richness along climatic gradients
Marko J. Spasojevic, James B. Grace, Susan Harrison, Ellen Ingman Damschen
2013, Journal of Ecology (102) 447-455
1. The physiological tolerance hypothesis proposes that plant species richness is highest in warm and/or wet climates because a wider range of functional strategies can persist under such conditions. Functional diversity metrics, combined with statistical modeling, offer new ways to test whether diversity-environment relationships are consistent with this hypothesis. 2....
Effects of summer drawdown on the fishes and larval chironomids in Beulah Reservoir, Oregon
Brien P. Rose, Matthew G. Mesa
2013, Northwest Science (87) 207-218
Summer drawdown of Beulah Reservoir, Oregon, could adversely affect fish and invertebrate production, limit sport fishing opportunities, and hinder the recovery of threatened species. To assess the impacts of drawdown, we sampled fish and Chironomidae larvae in Beulah Reservoir in the springs of 2006 to 2008. The reservoir was reduced...
Distribution and movement of Big Spring spinedace (Lepidomeda mollispinis pratensis) in Condor Canyon, Meadow Valley Wash, Nevada
Ian G. Jezorek, Patrick J. Connolly
2013, Western North American Naturalist (3) 323-336
Big Spring spinedace (Lepidomeda mollispinis pratensis) is a cyprinid whose entire population occurs within a section of Meadow Valley Wash, Nevada. Other spinedace species have suffered population and range declines (one species is extinct). Managers, concerned about the vulnerability of Big Spring spinedace, have considered habitat restoration actions or translocation,...
Comparative microhabitat characteristics at oviposition sites of the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii)
Jeff A. Alvarez, David G. Cook, Julie L. Yee, Michael G. van Hattem, Darren R. Fong, Robert N. Fisher
2013, Herpetological Conservation and Biology (8) 539-551
We studied the microhabitat characteristics of 747 egg masses of the federally-threatened Rana draytonii (California red-legged frog) at eight sites in California. our study showed that a broad range of aquatic habitats are utilized by ovipositing R. draytonii, including sites with perennial and ephemeral water sources, natural and constructed wetlands,...
Land subsidence and relative sea-level rise in the southern Chesapeake Bay region
Jack Eggleston, Jason Pope
2013, Circular 1392
The southern Chesapeake Bay region is experiencing land subsidence and rising water levels due to global sea-level rise; land subsidence and rising water levels combine to cause relative sea-level rise. Land subsidence has been observed since the 1940s in the southern Chesapeake Bay region at rates of 1.1 to 4.8...
Circulation, mixing, and transport in nearshore Lake Erie in the vicinity of Villa Angela Beach and Euclid Creek, Cleveland, Ohio, September 11-12, 2012
P. Ryan Jackson
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5198
Villa Angela Beach, on the Lake Erie lakeshore near Cleveland, Ohio, is adjacent to the mouth of Euclid Creek, a small, flashy stream draining approximately 23 square miles and susceptible to periodic contamination from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) (97 and 163 CSO events in 2010 and 2011, respectively). Concerns over...
Physiological responses of adult rainbow trout experimentally released through a unique fish conveyance device
Matthew G. Mesa, Lisa P. Gee, Lisa K. Weiland, Helena E. Christiansen
2013, North American Journal of Fisheries Management (33) 1179-1183
We assessed the physiological stress responses (i.e., plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, and lactate) of adult Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss at selected time intervals after they had passed a distance of 15 m through a unique fish conveyance device (treatment fish) or not (controls). This device differs from traditional fish...
Spatio-temporal variability in movement, age, and growth of mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) in a river network based upon PIT tagging and otolith chemistry
Joseph R. Benjamin, Lisa A. Wetzel, Kyle D. Martens, Kimberly Larsen, Patrick J. Connolly
2013, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (70) 1-10
Connectivity of river networks and the movements among habitats can be critical for the life history of many fish species, and understanding of the patterns of movement is central to managing populations, communities, and the landscapes they use. We combined passive integrated transponder tagging over 4 years and strontium isotopes...
National assessment of shoreline change: historical shoreline change along the Pacific Northwest coast
Peter Ruggerio, Meredith G. Kratzmann, Emily A. Himmelstoss, David Reid, Jonathan Allan, George Kaminsky
2013, Open-File Report 2012-1007
Beach erosion is a chronic problem along most open ocean shores of the United States. As coastal populations continue to increase and infrastructure is threatened by erosion, there is increased demand for accurate information regarding past and present trends and rates of shoreline movement. There is also a need for...
Satellite images of the September 2013 flood event in Lyons, Colorado
Christopher J. Cole, Beverly A. Friesen, Stanley Wilds, Suzanne Noble, Harumi Warner, Earl M. Wilson
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1286
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Special Applications Science Center (SASC) produced an image base map showing high-resolution remotely sensed data over Lyons, Colorado—a city that was severely affected by the flood event that occurred throughout much of the Colorado Front Range in September of 2013. The 0.5-meter WorldView-2 data products...
Sediment transport and deposition in the lower Missouri River during the 2011 flood
Jason S. Alexander, Robert B. Jacobson, David L. Rus
2013, Professional Paper 1798-F
Floodwater in the Missouri River in 2011 originated in upper-basin regions and tributaries, and then travelled through a series of large flood-control reservoirs, setting records for total runoff volume entering all six Missouri River main-stem reservoirs. The flooding lasted as long as 3 months. The U.S Geological Survey (USGS) examined...
Geomorphic and vegetation processes of the Willamette River floodplain, Oregon: current understanding and unanswered science questions
J. Rose Wallick, Krista L. Jones, Jim E. O'Connor, Mackenzie K. Keith, David Hulse, Stanley V. Gregory
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1246
This report summarizes the current understanding of floodplain processes and landforms for the Willamette River and its major tributaries. The area of focus encompasses the main stem Willamette River above Newberg and the portions of the Coast Fork Willamette, Middle Fork Willamette, McKenzie, and North, South and main stem Santiam...
Detections, concentrations, and distributional patterns of compounds of emerging concern in the San Antonio River Basin, Texas, 2011-12
Stephen P. Opsahl, Rebecca B. Lambert
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5200
During 2011–12, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio River Authority, evaluated detections, concentrations, and distributional patterns of selected compounds of emerging concern (hereinafter referred to as “CECs”) from water-quality samples (hereinafter referred to as “samples”) collected at a total of 20 sampling sites distributed throughout the...
Estimation of traveltime and longitudinal dispersion in streams in West Virginia
Jeffrey B. Wiley, Terence Messinger
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5182
Traveltime and dispersion data are important for understanding and responding to spills of contaminants in waterways. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Office of Environmental Health Services, compiled and evaluated traveltime and longitudinal dispersion data representative of many West Virginia waterways. Traveltime...
GWM-VI: groundwater management with parallel processing for multiple MODFLOW versions
Edward R. Banta, David P. Ahlfeld
2013, Techniques and Methods 6-A48
Groundwater Management–Version Independent (GWM–VI) is a new version of the Groundwater Management Process of MODFLOW. The Groundwater Management Process couples groundwater-flow simulation with a capability to optimize stresses on the simulated aquifer based on an objective function and constraints imposed on stresses and aquifer state. GWM–VI extends prior versions of...
Streamflow monitoring and statistics for development of water rights claims for Wild and Scenic Rivers, Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness, Idaho, 2012
Molly S. Wood, Ryan L. Fosness
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5212
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), collected streamflow data in 2012 and estimated streamflow statistics for stream segments designated "Wild," "Scenic," or "Recreational" under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in the Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness in southwestern Idaho. The streamflow statistics were...
Origin and characteristics of discharge at San Marcos Springs, south-central Texas
MaryLynn Musgrove, Cassi L. Crow
2013, Fact Sheet 2013-3080
The Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas is one of the most productive aquifers in the Nation and is the primary source of water for the rapidly growing San Antonio area. Springs issuing from the Edwards aquifer provide habitat for several threatened and endangered species, serve as locations for recreational activities,...
Annual exceedance probabilities of the peak discharges of 2011 at streamgages in Vermont and selected streamgages in New Hampshire, western Massachusetts, and northeastern New York
Scott A. Olson, Gardner C. Bent
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5187
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, determined annual exceedance probabilities for peak discharges occurring during the 2011 water year (October 1 to September 30) at streamgages in Vermont and selected streamgages in New Hampshire, western Massachusetts, and northeastern New York. This report presents the...
Effect of ultramafic intrusions and associated mineralized rocks on the aqueous geochemistry of the Tangle Lakes Area, Alaska
Bronwen Wang, Larry P. Gough, Richard B. Wanty, Gregory K. Lee, James Vohden, J. Michael O’Neill, L. Jack Kerin
2013, Professional Paper 1795-C
Stream water was collected at 30 sites within the Tangle Lakes area of the Delta mineral belt in Alaska. Sampling focused on streams near the ultramafic rocks of the Fish Lake intrusive complex south of Eureka Creek and the Tangle Complex area east of Fourteen Mile Lake, as well as...
Flood-inundation maps for the DuPage River from Plainfield to Shorewood, Illinois, 2013
Elizabeth A. Murphy, Jennifer B. Sharpe
2013, Scientific Investigations Map 3275
Digital flood-inundation maps for a 15.5-mi reach of the DuPage River from Plainfield to Shorewood, Illinois, were created by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Will County Stormwater Management Planning Committee. The inundation maps, which can be accessed through the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science Web site...
Evidence for high salinity of Early Cretaceous sea water from the Chesapeake Bay crater
Ward E. Sanford, Michael W. Doughten, Tyler B. Coplen, Andrew G. Hunt, Thomas D. Bullen
2013, Nature (503) 252-256
High salinity groundwater more than 1000 metres deep in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of the United States has been documented in several locations1,2, most recently within the 35 million-year-old Chesapeake Bay impact crater3,4,5. Suggestions for the origin of increased salinity in the crater have included evaporite dissolution6, osmosis6, and evaporation...
