The distribution and modeling of nitrate transport in the Carson Valley alluvial aquifer, Douglas County, Nevada
Ramon C. Naranjo, Toby L. Welborn, Michael R. Rosen
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5136
Residents of Carson Valley in Douglas County, Nevada, rely on groundwater from an alluvial aquifer for domestic use and agricultural irrigation. Since the 1970s, there has been a rapid increase in population in several parts of the valley that rely on domestic wells for drinking water and septic systems for...
Suspended-sediment loads and reservoir sediment trap efficiency for Clinton Lake, Kansas, 2010-12
Kyle E. Juracek
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5153
Continuous streamflow and turbidity data collected from October 1, 2010, to September 30, 2012, at a site upstream and downstream from Clinton Lake, Kansas, were used to compute the total suspended-sediment load delivered to and released from the reservoir as well as the sediment trap efficiency for the reservoir. Ongoing...
MODFLOW–LGR—Documentation of ghost node local grid refinement (LGR2) for multiple areas and the boundary flow and head (BFH2) package
Steffen W. Mehl, Mary C. Hill
2013, Techniques and Methods 6-A44
This report documents the addition of ghost node Local Grid Refinement (LGR2) to MODFLOW-2005, the U.S. Geological Survey modular, transient, three-dimensional, finite-difference groundwater flow model. LGR2 provides the capability to simulate groundwater flow using multiple block-shaped higher-resolution local grids (a child model) within a coarser-grid parent model. LGR2 accomplishes this...
Late Quaternary stratigraphy, sedimentology, and geochemistry of an underfilled lake basin in the Puna (north-west Argentina)
Michael M. McGlue, Andrew S. Cohen, Geoffrey S. Ellis, Andrew L. Kowler
2013, Basin Research (25) 638-658
Depositional models of ancient lakes in thin-skinned retroarc foreland basins rarely benefit from appropriate Quaternary analogues. To address this, we present new stratigraphic, sedimentological and geochemical analyses of four radiocarbon-dated sediment cores from the Pozuelos Basin (PB; northwest Argentina) that capture the evolution of this low-accommodation Puna basin over the...
The 3D Elevation Program: summary for Minnesota
William J. Carswell Jr.
2013, Fact Sheet 2013-3051
Elevation data are essential to a broad range of applications, including forest resources management, wildlife and habitat management, national security, recreation, and many others. For the State of Minnesota, elevation data are critical for agriculture and precision farming, natural resources conservation, flood risk management, infrastructure and construction management, water supply...
Design of Cycle 3 of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 2013-23: Part 2: Science plan for improved water-quality information and management
Gary L. Rowe, Kenneth Belitz, Charlie R. Demas, Hedeff I. Essaid, Robert J. Gilliom, Pixie A. Hamilton, Anne B. Hoos, Casey J. Lee, Mark D. Munn, David W. Wolock
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1160
This report presents a science strategy for the third decade of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, which since 1991, has been responsible for providing nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater; how water quality is changing over time; and the major natural and human...
Bioassay of estrogenicity and chemical analyses of estrogens in streams across the United States associated with livestock operations
David A. Alvarez, Nancy W. Shappell, L.O. Billey, Dietrich S. Bermudez, Vickie S. Wilson, Dana W. Kolpin, Stephanie D. Perkins, Nicola Evans, William T. Foreman, James L. Gray, J.M. Shipitalo, Michael T. Meyer
2013, Water Research (47) 3347-3363
Animal manures, used as a nitrogen source for crop production, are often associated with negative impacts on nutrient levels in surface water. The concentrations of estrogens in streams from these manures also are of concern due to potential endocrine disruption in aquatic species. Streams associated with livestock operations were sampled...
Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Beaver and Butler Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004-2010
Coral M. Roig-Silva, E. Terry Slonecker, Lesley E. Milheim, Alexander R. Malizia
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1226
Increased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing unconventional hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau,...
Landscape consequences of natural gas extraction in Lackawanna and Wayne Counties, Pennsylvania, 2004-2010
L.E. Milheim, E.T. Slonecker, C.M. Roig-Silva, A.R. Malizia
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1227
Increased demands for cleaner burning energy, coupled with the relatively recent technological advances in accessing unconventional hydrocarbon-rich geologic formations, have led to an intense effort to find and extract natural gas from various underground sources around the country. One of these sources, the Marcellus Shale, located in the Allegheny Plateau,...
Estimating the extent of impervious surfaces and turf grass across large regions
Peter R. Claggett, Frederick M. Irani, Renee L. Thompson
2013, Journal of the American Water Resources Association (49) 1057-1077
The ability of researchers to accurately assess the extent of impervious and pervious developed surfaces, e.g., turf grass, using land-cover data derived from Landsat satellite imagery in the Chesapeake Bay watershed is limited due to the resolution of the data and systematic discrepancies between developed land-cover classes, surface mines, forests,...
Preliminary groundwater flow model of the basin-fill aquifers in Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento Valleys, Mohave County, northwestern Arizona
Fred D. Tillman, Bradley D. Garner, Margot Truini
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5122
Preliminary numerical models were developed to simulate groundwater flow in the basin-fill alluvium in Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento Valleys in northwestern Arizona. The purpose of this exercise was to gather and evaluate available information and data, to test natural‑recharge concepts, and to indicate directions for improving future regional groundwater models...
Geologic framework, structure, and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Knippa Gap area in eastern Uvalde and western Medina Counties, Texas
Allan K. Clark, Diana E. Pedraza, Robert R. Morris
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5149
The Edwards aquifer is the primary source of potable water for the San Antonio area in south-central Texas. The Knippa Gap was postulated to channel or restrict flow in the Edwards aquifer in eastern Uvalde County, and its existence was based on a series of numerical simulations of groundwater flow...
High prevalence of cestodes in Artemia spp. throughout the annual cycle: relationship with abundance of avian final hosts
Marta I. Sanchez, Pavel N. Nikolov, Darina D. GEorgieva, Boyko B. Georgiev, Gergana P. Vasileva, Plamen Pankov, Mariano Paracuellos, Kevin D. Lafferty, Andy J. Green
2013, Parasitology Research (112) 1913-1923
Brine shrimp, Artemia spp., act as intermediate hosts for a range of cestode species that use waterbirds as their final hosts. These parasites can have marked influences on shrimp behavior and fecundity, generating the potential for cascading effects in hypersaline food webs. We present the first comprehensive study of the...
Effects of thinning on drought vulnerability and climate response in north temperate forest ecosystems
Anthony W. D’Amato, John B. Bradford, Shawn Fraver, Brian J. Palik
2013, Ecological Applications (23) 1735-1742
Reducing tree densities through silvicultural thinning has been widely advocated as a strategy for enhancing resistance and resilience to drought, yet few empirical evaluations of this approach exist. We examined detailed dendrochronological data from a long-term (>50 yrs) replicated thinning experiment to determine if density reductions conferred greater resistance and/or...
Potential depletion of surface water in the Colorado River and agricultural drains by groundwater pumping in the Parker-Palo Verde-Cibola area, Arizona and California
Stanley A. Leake, Sandra J. Owen-Joyce, Julian A. Heilman
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5134
Water use along the lower Colorado River is allocated as “consumptive use,” which is defined to be the amount of water diverted from the river minus the amount that returns to the river. Diversions of water from the river include surface water in canals and water removed from the river...
Geodatabase compilation of hydrogeologic, remote sensing, and water-budget-component data for the High Plains aquifer, 2011
Natalie A. Houston, Sophia L. Gonzales-Bradford, Amanda T. Flynn, Sharon L. Qi, Steven M. Peterson, Jennifer S. Stanton, Derek W. Ryter, Terry L. Sohl, Gabriel B. Senay
2013, Data Series 777
The High Plains aquifer underlies almost 112 million acres in the central United States. It is one of the largest aquifers in the Nation in terms of annual groundwater withdrawals and provides drinking water for 2.3 million people. The High Plains aquifer has gained national and international attention as a...
Hydrographs showing groundwater levels for selected wells in the Puyallup River watershed and vicinity, Pierce and King Counties, Washington
R. C. Lane, R. J. Julich, G.B. Justin
2013, Data Series 791
Hydrographs of groundwater levels for selected wells in and adjacent to the Puyallup River watershed in Pierce and King Counties, Washington, are presented using an interactive Web-based map of the study area to illustrate changes in groundwater levels on a monthly and seasonal basis. The interactive map displays well locations...
The δ2H and δ18O of tap water from 349 sites in the United States and selected territories
Tyler B. Coplen, Jurate M. Landwehr, Haiping Qi, Jennifer M. Lorenz
2013, Data Series 703
Because the stable isotopic compositions of hydrogen (δ2H) and oxygen (δ18O) of animal (including human) tissues, such as hair, nail, and urine, reflect the δ2H and δ18O of water and food ingested by an animal or a human and because the δ2H and δ18O of environmental waters vary geographically, δ2H...
Linking river management to species conservation using dynamic landscape scale models
Mary Freeman, Gary R. Buell, Lauren E. Hay, W. Brian Hughes, Robert B. Jacobson, John W. Jones, S.A. Jones, Jacob H. LaFontaine, Kenneth R. Odom, James T. Peterson, Jeffrey W. Riley, J. Stephen Schindler, C. Shea, J.D. Weaver
2013, River Research and Applications (29) 906-918
Efforts to conserve stream and river biota could benefit from tools that allow managers to evaluate landscape-scale changes in species distributions in response to water management decisions. We present a framework and methods for integrating hydrology, geographic context and metapopulation processes to simulate effects of changes in streamflow on fish...
Does calving matter? Evidence for significant submarine melt
Timothy C. Bartholomaus, Christopher F. Larsen, Shad O’Neel
2013, Earth and Planetary Science Letters (380) 21-30
During the summer in the northeast Pacific Ocean, the Alaska Coastal Current sweeps water with temperatures in excess of 12 °C past the mouths of glacierized fjords and bays. The extent to which these warm waters affect the mass balance of Alaskan tidewater glaciers is uncertain. Here we report hydrographic measurements...
Sediment distribution and hydrologic conditions of the Potomac aquifer in Virginia and parts of Maryland and North Carolina
Randolph E. McFarland
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5116
Sediments of the heavily used Potomac aquifer broadly contrast across major structural features of the Atlantic Coastal Plain Physiographic Province in eastern Virginia and adjacent parts of Maryland and North Carolina. Thicknesses and relative dominance of the highly interbedded fluvial sediments vary regionally. Vertical intervals in boreholes of coarse-grained sediment...
The influence of stream thermal regimes and preferential flow paths on hyporheic exchange in a glacial meltwater stream
Karen D. Cozzetto, Kenneth E. Bencala, Michael N. Gooseff, Diane M. McKnight
2013, Water Resources Research (49) 5552-5569
Given projected increases in stream temperatures attributable to global change, improved understanding of relationships between stream temperatures and hyporheic exchange would be useful. We conducted two conservative tracer injection experiments in a glacial meltwater stream, to evaluate the effects of hyporheic thermal gradients on exchange processes, including preferential flow paths...
Environmental consequences of the Retsof Salt Mine roof collapse
Richard M. Yager
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1174
In 1994, the largest salt mine in North America, which had been in operation for more than 100 years, catastrophically flooded when the mine ceiling collapsed. In addition to causing the loss of the mine and the mineral resources it provided, this event formed sinkholes, caused widespread subsidence to land,...
Monitoring plan for mercury in fish tissue and water from the Boise River, Snake River, and Brownlee Reservoir, Idaho and Oregon
Christopher A. Mebane, Dorene E. MacCoy
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1068
The methylmercury criterion adopted as a water-quality standard in the State of Idaho is a concentration in fish tissue rather than a concentration in water. A plan for monitoring mercury in fish tissue and water was developed to evaluate whether fish in the Boise River, Idaho, upstream and downstream of...
A network extension of species occupancy models in a patchy environment applied to the Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus canorus)
Eric L. Berlow, Roland A. Knapp, Steven M. Ostoja, Richard J. Williams, Heather McKenny, John R. Matchett, Qinghau Guo, Gary M. Fellers, Patrick Kleeman, Matthew L. Brooks, Lucas Joppa
2013, PLoS ONE (8)
A central challenge of conservation biology is using limited data to predict rare species occurrence and identify conservation areas that play a disproportionate role in regional persistence. Where species occupy discrete patches in a landscape, such predictions require data about environmental quality of individual patches and the connectivity among high...
