Sea-floor texture and physiographic zones of the inner continental shelf from Salisbury to Nahant, Massachusetts, including the Merrimack Embayment and Western Massachusetts Bay
Elizabeth E. Pendleton, Walter A. Barnhardt, Wayne E. Baldwin, David S. Foster, William C. Schwab, Brian D. Andrews, Seth D. Ackerman
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1153
A series of maps that describe the distribution and texture of sea-floor sediments and physiographic zones of Massachusetts State waters from Nahant to Salisbury, Massachusetts, including western Massachusetts Bay, have been produced by using high-resolution geophysical data (interferometric and multibeam swath bathymetry, lidar bathymetry, backscatter intensity, and seismic reflection profiles),...
U.S. Geological Survey Chesapeake science strategy, 2015-2025—Informing ecosystem management of America’s largest estuary
Scott Phillips, Joel D. Blomquist, Mark Bennett, Alicia Berlin, Vicki Blazer, Peter R. Claggett, Stephen Faulkner, Kenneth Hyer, Cassandra Ladino, Douglas Moyer, Rachel Muir, Gregory E. Noe, Patrick J. Phillips
Scott Phillips, Joel D. Blomquist, editor(s)
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1162
Executive Summary The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has the critical role of providing scientific information to improve the understanding and management of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. The USGS works with Federal, State, and academic science partners to provide research and monitoring, and communicate results of these activities to enhance ecosystem management...
Preliminary peak stage and streamflow data at selected USGS streamgaging stations for the South Carolina flood of October 2015
Toby D. Feaster, John M. Shelton, Jeanne C. Robbins
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1201
Heavy rainfall occurred across South Carolina during October 1–5, 2015, as a result of an upper atmospheric low-pressure system that funneled tropical moisture from Hurricane Joaquin into the State. The storm caused major flooding from the central to the coastal areas of South Carolina. Almost 27 inches of rain fell...
Uranium in the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative study area, southwestern Wyoming
Anna B. Wilson
2015, Open-File Report 2014-1123
Wyoming has led the nation as the producer of uranium ore since 1995 and contains the largest reserves of any state. Approximately one third of Wyoming’s total production came from deposits in, or immediately adjacent to, the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) study area in the southwestern corner of the...
Geologic and geophysical maps of the El Casco 7.5′ quadrangle, Riverside County, southern California, with accompanying geologic-map database
J. C. Matti, D. M. Morton, V. E. Langenheim
2015, Open-File Report 2010-1274
Introduction Earth materials and structures in the El Casco quadrangle provide considerable information about the late Cenozoic geologic evolution of southern California’s Inland Empire region (fig. 2). Important structural and stratigraphic elements include (1) modern traces of the right-lateral San Jacinto Fault zone, (2) older traces of the San Jacinto Fault...
Near-field receiving water monitoring of trace metals and a benthic community near the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant in south San Francisco Bay, California: 2014
Daniel J. Cain, Janet K. Thompson, Jeff Crauder, Francis Parcheso, A. Robin Stewart, Amy E. Kleckner, Jessica Dyke, Michelle I. Hornberger, Samuel N. Luoma
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1199
Trace-metal concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure were investigated in a mudflat 1 kilometer (km) south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (PARWQCP) in South San Francisco...
Hindcast storm events in the Bering Sea for the St. Lawrence Island and Unalakleet Regions, Alaska
Li H. Erikson, Robert T. McCall, Arnold van Rooijen, Benjamin Norris
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1193
This study provides viable estimates of historical storm-induced water levels in the coastal communities of Gambell and Savoonga situated on St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, as well as Unalakleet located at the head of Norton Sound on the western coast of Alaska. Gambell, Savoonga, and Unalakleet are small...
Surrogate Analysis and Index Developer (SAID) tool
Marian M. Domanski, Timothy D. Straub, Mark N. Landers
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1177
The use of acoustic and other parameters as surrogates for suspended-sediment concentrations (SSC) in rivers has been successful in multiple applications across the Nation. Tools to process and evaluate the data are critical to advancing the operational use of surrogates along with the subsequent development of regression models from which...
Realized detection and capture probabilities for giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) using modified floating aquatic funnel traps
Brian J. Halstead, Shannon M. Skalos, Michael L. Casazza, Glenn D. Wylie
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1200
Executive Summary Rigorous analysis and management of animal populations requires that observers account for limitations inherent to the detection of those populations and the individuals within them. Researchers are usually unable to see every individual of a population or to even detect some entire populations. Ignoring this imperfect detectability can...
Barrier Island Shorelines Extracted from Landsat Imagery
Kristy K. Guy
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1179
Introduction Changes to barrier islands occur at time scales that vary from the few hours it takes an individual storm to pass (Morton, 2008) to the millennia it takes for coastal systems to undergo geologic evolution. Developing an understanding of how barrier islands will respond to climate change, sea level rise,...
Accuracy testing of steel and electric groundwater-level measuring tapes: Test method and in-service tape accuracy
Janice M. Fulford, Christopher S. Clayton
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1137
The accuracy of groundwater-level tapes was investigated by developing a tape calibration method and device and testing the accuracy of a sample of groundwater-level tapes with the calibration method and device. The sample of tapes included in-service U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Science Center steel and electric groundwater-level tapes. The tape...
Identifying trout refuges in the Indian and Hudson Rivers in northern New York through airborne thermal infrared remote sensing
Anne G. Ernst, Barry P. Baldigo, Fred J. Calef, Douglas A. Freehafer, Robert L. Kremens
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1078
The locations and sizes of potential cold-water refuges for trout were examined in 2005 along a 27-kilometer segment of the Indian and Hudson Rivers in northern New York to evaluate the extent of refuges, the effects of routine flow releases from an impoundment, and how these refuges and releases might...
Analysis of bathymetric surveys to identify coastal vulnerabilities at Cape Canaveral, Florida
David M. Thompson, Nathaniel G. Plant, Mark E. Hansen
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1180
Cape Canaveral, Florida, is a prominent feature along the Southeast U.S. coastline. The region includes Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and a large portion of Canaveral National Seashore. The actual promontory of the modern Cape falls within the jurisdictional boundaries of...
Preliminary estimates of annual agricultural pesticide use for counties of the conterminous United States, 2013
Nancy T. Baker
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1176
Summary This report provides preliminary estimates of annual agricultural use of 387 pesticide compounds in counties of the conterminous United States in 2013, compiled by means of methods described in Thelin and Stone (2013) and Baker and Stone (2015). U.S. Department of Agriculture county-level data for harvested-crop acreage were used in...
Status and trends of adult Lost River (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose (Chasmistes brevirostris) sucker populations in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2014
David A. Hewitt, Eric C. Janney, Brian S. Hayes, Alta C. Harris
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1189
Executive Summary Data from a long-term capture-recapture program were used to assess the status and dynamics of populations of two long-lived, federally endangered catostomids in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon. Lost River suckers (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose suckers (Chasmistes brevirostris) have been captured and tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags during...
Aeromagnetic survey map of Sacramento Valley, California
Victoria E. Langenheim
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1186
Three aeromagnetic surveys were flown to improve understanding of the geology and structure in the Sacramento Valley. The resulting data serve as a basis for geophysical interpretations, and support geological mapping, water and mineral resource investigations, and other topical studies. Local spatial variations in the Earth's magnetic field (evident...
Community for Data Integration 2014 annual report
Madison L. Langseth, Michelle Y. Chang, Jennifer Carlino, Daniella D. Birch, Joshua Bradley, R. Sky Bristol, Craig Conzelmann, Robert H. Diehl, Paul S. Earle, Laura E. Ellison, Anthony L. Everette, Pamela L. Fuller, Janice M. Gordon, David L. Govoni, Michelle R. Guy, Heather S. Henkel, Vivian B. Hutchison, Tim Kern, Frances L. Lightsom, Joseph W. Long, Ryan Longhenry, Todd M. Preston, Stan W. Smith, Roland J. Viger, Katherine E. Wesenberg, Eric C. Wood
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1184
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researches Earth science to help address complex issues affecting society and the environment. In 2006, the USGS held the first Scientific Information Management Workshop to bring together staff from across the organization to discuss the data and information management issues affecting the integration and delivery...
A preliminary investigation of the variables affecting the distribution of giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) in the Sacramento Valley, California
Brian J. Halstead, Shannon M. Skalos, Michael L. Casazza, Glenn D. Wylie
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1178
Giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) comprise a species of rare, semi-aquatic snake precinctive to the Central Valley of California. Because of the loss of more than 90% of their natural habitat, giant gartersnakes are listed as Threatened by the United States and California endangered species acts. Little is known, however, about...
Summarizing components of U.S. Department of the Interior vulnerability assessments to focus climate adaptation planning
Laura M. Thompson, Michelle D. Staudinger, Shawn L. Carter
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1110
A secretarial order identified climate adaptation as a critical performance objective for future management of U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) lands and resources in response to global change. Vulnerability assessments can inform climate adaptation planning by providing insight into what natural resources are most at risk and why. Three...
Status report for the 3D Elevation Program, 2013-2014
Vicki Lukas, Diane F. Eldridge, Allyson L. Jason, David L. Saghy, Pamela R. Steigerwald, Jason M. Stoker, Larry J. Sugarbaker, Diana R. Thunen
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1161
The 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) goal is to acquire, manage, and distribute enhanced three-dimensional elevation data for the Nation and U.S. territories by 2023. This status report covers implementation activities during 2013–2014 to include meeting funding objectives, developing a management structure, modernizing systems, and collecting and producing initial 3DEP data...
Comparison of evaporation at two central Florida lakes,
April 2005–November 2007
Amy Swancar
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1075
Evaporation from April 2005 through October 2007 at two central Florida lakes, one close to the Gulf of Mexico and one in the center of the peninsula, was 4.043 and 4.111 meters (m), respectively; evaporation for 2006 was 1.534 and 1.538 m, respectively. Although annual evaporation rates at the two...
Whooping crane stopover site use intensity within the Great Plains
Aaron T. Pearse, David A. Brandt, Wade C. Harrell, Kristine L. Metzger, David M. Baasch, Trevor J. Hefley
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1166
Whooping cranes (Grus americana) of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population migrate twice each year through the Great Plains in North America. Recovery activities for this endangered species include providing adequate places to stop and rest during migration, which are generally referred to as stopover sites. To assist in recovery efforts, initial...
National assessment of nor’easter-induced coastal erosion hazards: mid- and northeast Atlantic coast
Justin J. Birchler, P. Soupy Dalyander, Hilary F. Stockdon, Kara S. Doran
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1154
Beaches serve as a natural buffer between the ocean and inland communities, ecosystems, and natural resources. However, these dynamic environments move and change in response to winds, waves, and currents. During extreme storms, changes to beaches can be great, and the results are sometimes catastrophic. Lives may be lost, communities...
Agricultural irrigated land-use inventory for Jackson, Calhoun, and Gadsden Counties in Florida, and Houston County in Alabama, 2014
Richard L. Marella, Joann F. Dixon
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1170
A detailed inventory of irrigated crop acreage is not available at the level of resolution needed to accurately estimate water use or to project future water demands in many Florida counties. This report provides a detailed digital map and summary of irrigated areas for 2014 within Jackson, Calhoun, and Gadsden...
Geology of Joshua Tree National Park geodatabase
Robert E. Powell, Jonathan C. Matti, Pamela M. Cossette
2015, Open-File Report 2015-1175
The database in this Open-File Report describes the geology of Joshua Tree National Park and was completed in support of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS). The geologic observations and interpretations represented in the database...
