Estimation of volume and mass and of changes in volume and mass of selected chat piles in the Picher mining district, Ottawa County, Oklahoma, 2005-10
S. Jerrod Smith
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5011
From the 1890s through the 1970s the Picher mining district in northeastern Ottawa County, Oklahoma, was the site of mining and processing of lead and zinc ore. When mining ceased in about 1979, as much as 165–300 million tons of mine tailings, locally referred to as “chat,” remained in the...
Evaluation of stream chemistry trends in US Geological Survey reference watersheds, 1970-2010
M. Alisa Mast
2013, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (185) 9343-9359
The Hydrologic Benchmark Network (HBN) is a long-term monitoring program established by the US Geological Survey in the 1960s to track changes in the streamflow and stream chemistry in undeveloped watersheds across the USA. Trends in stream chemistry were tested at 15 HBN stations over two periods (1970–2010 and 1990–2010)...
Transport of nitrogen in a treated-wastewater plume to coastal discharge areas, Ashumet Valley, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Jeffrey R. Barbaro, Donald A. Walter, Denis R. LeBlanc
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5061
Land disposal of treated wastewater from a treatment plant on the Massachusetts Military Reservation in operation from 1936 to 1995 has created a plume of contaminated groundwater that is migrating toward coastal discharge areas in the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts. To develop a better understanding of the potential impact of...
USGS Arctic Ocean carbon cruise 2011: field activity H-01-11-AR to collect carbon data in the Arctic Ocean, August - September 2011
Lisa L. Robbins, Kimberly K. Yates, Paul O. Knorr, Jonathan Wynn, John Lisle, Brian J. Buczkowski, Barbara Moore, Larry Mayer, Andrew Armstrong, Robert H. Byrne, Xuewu Liu
2013, Data Series 748
Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is absorbed at the surface of the ocean by reacting with seawater to form a weak, naturally occurring acid called carbonic acid. As atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, the concentration of carbonic acid in seawater also increases, causing a decrease in ocean pH and carbonate...
USGS Arctic Ocean carbon cruise 2010: field activity H-03-10-AR to collect carbon data in the Arctic Ocean, August - September 2010
Lisa L. Robbins, Kimberly K. Yates, Matthew D. Gove, Paul O. Knorr, Jonathan Wynn, Robert H. Byrne, Xuewu Liu
2013, Data Series 741
Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is absorbed at the surface of the ocean by reacting with seawater to form carbonic acid, a weak, naturally occurring acid. As atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, the concentration of carbonic acid in seawater also increases, causing a decrease in ocean pH and carbonate mineral...
Analysis of 1997–2008 groundwater level changes in the upper Deschutes Basin, Central Oregon
Marshall W. Gannett, Kenneth E. Lite Jr.
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5092
Groundwater-level monitoring in the upper Deschutes Basin of central Oregon from 1997 to 2008 shows water-level declines in some places that are larger than might be expected from climate variations alone, raising questions regarding the influence of groundwater pumping, canal lining (which decreases recharge), and other human influences. Between the...
Hydrographic surveys of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers at selected bridges and through Bismarck, North Dakota, during the 2011 flood
Brenda K. Densmore, Kellan R. Strauch, Benjamin J. Dietsch
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5087
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the North Dakota Department of Transportation and the North Dakota State Water Commission, completed hydrographic surveys at six Missouri River bridges and one Yellowstone River bridge during the 2011 flood of the Missouri River system. Bridges surveyed are located near the cities...
Foraging area fidelity for Kemp's ridleys in the Gulf of Mexico
Donna J. Shaver, Kristen M. Hart, Ikuko Fujisaki, Cynthia Rubio, Autumn R. Sartain-Iverson, Jaime Peña, Patrick M. Burchfield, Daniel Gomez Gamez, Jaime Ortiz
2013, Ecology and Evolution (3) 2002-2012
For many marine species, locations of key foraging areas are not well defined. We used satellite telemetry and switching state-space modeling (SSM) to identify distinct foraging areas used by Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) tagged after nesting during 1998–2011 at Padre Island National Seashore, Texas, USA (PAIS; N = 22),...
Organic waste compounds in streams: Occurrence and aquatic toxicity in different stream compartments, flow regimes, and land uses in southeast Wisconsin, 2006–9
Austin K. Baldwin, Steven R. Corsi, Kevin D. Richards, Steven W. Geis, Christopher Magruder
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5104
An assessment of organic chemicals and aquatic toxicity in streams located near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, indicated high potential for adverse impacts on aquatic organisms that could be related to organic waste compounds (OWCs). OWCs used in agriculture, industry, and households make their way into surface waters through runoff, leaking septic-conveyance systems,...
Fine-grained sediment dispersal along the California coast
Jonathan A. Warrick, Curt D. Storlazzi
2013, Fact Sheet 2013-3023
Fine-grained sediment (silt and clay) enters coastal waters from rivers, eroding coastal bluffs, resuspension of seabed sediment, and human activities such as dredging and beach nourishment. The amount of sediment in coastal waters is an important factor in ocean ecosystem health, but little information exists on both the natural and...
A conceptual hydrogeologic model for the hydrogeologic framework, geochemistry, and groundwater-flow system of the Edwards-Trinity and related aquifers in the Pecos County region, Texas
Jonathan V. Thomas, Gregory P. Stanton, Johnathan R. Bumgarner, Daniel K. Pearson, Andrew Teeple, Natalie A. Houston, Jason Payne, MaryLynn Musgrove
2013, Fact Sheet 2013-3024
The Edwards-Trinity aquifer is a vital groundwater resource for agricultural, industrial, and municipal uses in the Trans-Pecos region of west Texas. A conceptual model of the hydrogeologic framework, geochemistry, and groundwater-flow system in the 4,700 square-mile study area was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the...
The use of process models to inform and improve statistical models of nitrate occurrence, Great Miami River Basin, southwestern Ohio
Donald A. Walter, J. Jeffrey Starn
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2012-5001
Statistical models of nitrate occurrence in the glacial aquifer system of the northern United States, developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, use observed relations between nitrate concentrations and sets of explanatory variables—representing well-construction, environmental, and source characteristics— to predict the probability that nitrate, as nitrogen, will exceed a threshold concentration....
Final report for sea-level rise response modeling for San Francisco Bay estuary tidal marshes
John Y. Takekawa, Karen M. Thorne, Kevin J. Buffington, Kyle A. Spragens, Kathleen M. Swanson, Judith Z. Drexler, David H. Schoellhamer, Cory T. Overton, Michael L. Casazza
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1081
The International Panel on Climate Change has identified coastal ecosystems as areas that will be disproportionally affected by climate change. Current sea-level rise projections range widely with 0.57 to 1.9 meters increase in mea sea level by 2100. The expected accelerated rate of sea-level rise through the 21st century will...
Evidence for extensive methane venting on the southeastern U.S. Atlantic margin
L.L. Brothers, C.L. Van Dover, C.R. German, C.L. Kaiser, D.R. Yoerger, C.D. Ruppel, E. Lobecker, A.D. Skarke, J.K.S. Wagner
2013, Geology (41) 807-810
We present the first evidence for widespread seabed methane venting along the southeastern United States Atlantic margin beyond the well-known Blake Ridge diapir seep. Recent ship- and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)–collected data resolve multiple water-column anomalies (>1000 m height) and extensive new chemosynthetic seep communities at the Blake Ridge and...
Implications of flume slope on discharge estimates from 0.762-meter H flumes used in edge-of-field monitoring
Matthew J. Komiskey, Todd D. Stuntebeck, Amanda L. Cox, Dennis R. Frame
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1082
The effects of longitudinal slope on the estimation of discharge in a 0.762-meter (m) (depth at flume entrance) H flume were tested under controlled conditions with slopes from −8 to +8 percent and discharges from 1.2 to 323 liters per second. Compared to the stage-discharge rating for a longitudinal flume...
Postwildfire debris-flow hazard assessment of the area burned by the 2012 Little Bear Fire, south-central New Mexico
Anne C. Tillery, Anne Marie Matherne
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1108
A preliminary hazard assessment was developed of the debris-flow potential from 56 drainage basins burned by the Little Bear Fire in south-central New Mexico in June 2012. The Little Bear Fire burned approximately 179 square kilometers (km2) (44,330 acres), including about 143 km2 (35,300 acres) of National Forest System lands...
Regional bankfull-channel dimensions of non-urban wadeable streams in Indiana
Bret A. Robinson
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5078
During floods, damage to properties and community infrastructure may result from inundation and the processes of erosion. The damages imparted by erosion are collectively termed the fluvial erosion hazard (FEH), and the Indiana Silver Jackets Multi-agency Hazard Mitigation Taskforce is supporting a program to build tools that will assist Indiana...
Climate warming shifts carbon allocation from stemwood to roots in calcium-depleted spruce forests
Andrei Gennady Lapenis, Gregory B. Lawrence, Alexander Heim, Chengyang Zheng, Walter Shortle
2013, Global Biogeochemical Cycles (27) 101-107
Increased greening of northern forests, measured by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), has been presented as evidence that a warmer climate has increased both net primary productivity (NPP) and the carbon sink in boreal forests. However, higher production and greener canopies may accompany changes in carbon allocation that favor...
Arsenic and mercury in the soils of an industrial city in the Donets Basin, Ukraine
Kathryn M. Conko, Edward R. Landa, Allan Kolker, Kostiantyn Kozlov, Herman J. Gibb, Jose Centeno, Boris S. Panov, Yuri B. Panov
2013, Soil and Sediment Contamination: An International Journal (22) 574-593
Soil and house dust collected in and around Hg mines and a processing facility in Horlivka, a mid-sized city in the Donets Basin of southeastern Ukraine, have elevated As and Hg levels. Surface soils collected at a former Hg-processing facility had up to 1300 mg kg−1 As and 8800 mg...
Visualizing flow fields using acoustic Doppler current profilers and the Velocity Mapping Toolbox
P. Ryan Jackson
2013, Fact Sheet 2013-3028
The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide examples of how the U.S. Geological Survey is using acoustic Doppler current profilers for much more than routine discharge measurements. These instruments are capable of mapping complex three-dimensional flow fields within rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Using the Velocity Mapping Toolbox to...
A USANS/SANS study of the accessibility of pores in the Barnett Shale to methane and water
Leslie F. Ruppert, Richard Sakurovs, Tomasz P. Blach, Lilin He, Yuri B. Melnichenko, David F. Mildner, Leo Alcantar-Lopez
2013, Energy & Fuels (27) 772-779
Shale is an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States. The gas is held in fine pores that need to be accessed by horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing techniques. Understanding the nature of the pores may provide clues to making gas extraction more efficient. We have investigated two...
Improved estimates of filtered total mercury loadings and total mercury concentrations of solids from potential sources to Sinclair Inlet, Kitsap County, Washington
Anthony J. Paulson, Kathleen E. Conn, John F. DeWild
2013, Scientific Investigations Report 2013-5081
Previous investigations examined sources and sinks of mercury to Sinclair Inlet based on historic and new data. This included an evaluation of mercury concentrations from various sources and mercury loadings from industrial discharges and groundwater flowing from the Bremerton naval complex to Sinclair Inlet. This report provides new data from...
Bathymetric surveys of selected lakes in Missouri--2000-2008
Joseph M. Richards
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1101
Years of sediment accumulation and abnormally dry conditions in the Midwest in 1999 and 2000 led to the water level decline of many water-supply lakes in Missouri, and caused renewed interest in modernizing outdated area/volume tables for these lakes. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of...
Peak streamflows and runoff volumes for the Central United States, February through September, 2011
Robert R. Holmes Jr., Gregg J. Wiche, Todd A. Koenig, Steven K. Sando
2013, Professional Paper 1798-C
During 2011, excessive precipitation resulted in widespread flooding in the Central United States with 33 fatalities and approximately $4.2 billion in damages reported in the Souris/Red River of the North (Souris/Red) and Mississippi River Basins. At different times, beginning in late February 2011 and extending through September 2011, various rivers...
Nahcolite and halite deposition through time during the saline mineral phase of Eocene Lake Uinta, Piceance Basin, western Colorado
Ronald C. Johnson, Michael E. Brownfield
2013, Open-File Report 2013-1114
Halite and the sodium bicarbonate mineral nahcolite were deposited during the saline phase of Eocene Lake Uinta in the Piceance Basin, western Colorado. Variations in the area of saline mineral deposition through time were interpreted from studies of core and outcrop. Saline minerals were extensively leached by groundwater, so the...
