Assessment of Undiscovered Petroleum Resources of the North and East Margins of the Siberian Craton, Russian Federation
T. R. Klett
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3020
Four geologic provinces located along the north and east margins of the Siberian craton were assessed for undiscovered crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids/condensates resources as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Circum-Arctic Oil and Gas Resource Appraisal. Using a geology-based methodology, the USGS estimated the mean...
USGS Research Helps the County of Los Angeles Address New Arsenic Standards
James Nickles
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3043
In January 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) enacted stringent standards on arsenic in drinking water. The new limitsraised concerns about wells in the Antelope Valley of northern Los Angeles County that had high levels of naturally occurring arsenic. To meet the new standard, Los Angeles County Waterworks District...
Research to More Effectively Manage Critical Ground-Water Basins
James Nickles
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3037
As the regional management agency for two of the most heavily used ground-water basins in California, the Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD) plays a vital role in sheparding the water resources of southern Los Angeles County. WRD is using the results of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) studies...
Pacific Walrus Response to Arctic Sea Ice Losses
Chadwick V. Jay, Anthony S. Fischbach
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3041
Sea ice plays an important role in the life of the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists are seeking to understand how losses of sea ice during summer over important foraging grounds in the Chukchi Sea will affect walruses. USGS scientists recently modified a remotely deployed...
Providing Data and Modeling to Help Manage Water Supplies
James Nickles
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3038
The Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) and other local water purveyors have partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to assess hydrologic conditions and to quan-tify the county-wide interconnections between surface water and ground water. Through this partnership, USGS scientists have completed assessments of the geohydrology and geochemistry of the Sonoma...
Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Trace Contamination of Streams and Beaches
James Nickles
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3040
Concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria in urban streams and ocean beaches in and around Santa Barbara occasionally can exceed public-health standards for recreation. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), working with the City of Santa Barbara, has used multi-disciplinary science to trace the sources of the bacteria. This research is helping local...
Science to Help Understand and Manage Important Ground-Water Resources
James Nickles
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3039
Throughout California, as pressure on water resources continues to grow, water-supply agencies are looking to the state?s biggest ?reservoir? ? its ground-water basins ? for supply and storage. To better utilize that resource, the Sweetwater Authority and other local partners, including the city of San Diego and Otay Water Districts,...
WaterWatch — Maps, graphs, and tables of current, recent, and past streamflow conditions
Xiaodong Jian, David Wolock, Harry F. Lins
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3031
WaterWatch (http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/) is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) World Wide Web site that displays maps, graphs, and tables describing real-time, recent, and past streamflow conditions for the United States. The real-time information generally is updated on an hourly basis. WaterWatch provides streamgage-based maps that show the location of more than...
Introduction to Field Water-Quality Methods for the Collection of Metals - 2007 Project Summary
Monica L. Allen
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3012
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Region VI of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the Osage Nation presented three 3-day workshops, in June-August 2007, entitled ?Introduction to Field Water-Quality Methods for the Collection of Metals.? The purpose of the workshops was to provide instruction to tribes within USEPA Region...
USGS Alaska State Mosaic
Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3023
The Alaska State Mosaic consists of portions of scenes from the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics 2001 (MRLC 2001) collection. The 172 selected scenes have been geometrically and radiometrically aligned to produce a seamless, relatively cloud-free image of the State. The scenes were acquired between July 1999 and September 2002, resampled to...
Geospatial Information is the Cornerstone of Effective Hazards Response
Mark Newell
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3026
Every day there are hundreds of natural disasters world-wide. Some are dramatic, whereas others are barely noticeable. A natural disaster is commonly defined as a natural event with catastrophic consequences for living things in the vicinity. Those events include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, landslides, tsunami, volcanoes, and wildfires. Man-made disasters are...
Water-Quality and Fish-Community Data for the Niobrara National Scenic River, Nebraska, 2003-05
Benjamin Dietsch
2008, Fact Sheet 2007-3098
In 1991, a 76-mile reach of the Niobrara River in north-central Nebraska was designated as a National Scenic River (NSR). This reach of the river hosts a unique ecosystem that provides habitat for a diverse fish and wildlife population that include several threatened and endangered species. The Niobrara NSR also...
Water Availability--The Connection Between Water Use and Quality
Robert M. Hirsch, Pixie A. Hamilton, Timothy L. Miller, Donna N. Myers
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3015
Water availability has become a high priority in the United States, in large part because competition for water is becoming more intense across the Nation. Population growth in many areas competes with demands for water to support irrigation and power production. Cities, farms, and power plants compete for water needed...
2008 United States National Seismic Hazard Maps
M.D. Petersen, and others
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3018
The U.S. Geological Survey recently updated the National Seismic Hazard Maps by incorporating new seismic, geologic, and geodetic information on earthquake rates and associated ground shaking. The 2008 versions supersede those released in 1996 and 2002. These maps are the basis for seismic design provisions of building codes, insurance rate...
Monitoring indicators of harmful cyanobacteria in Texas
Richard L. Kiesling, Robin H. Gary, Marcus O. Gary
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3009
Harmful algal blooms can occur when certain types of microscopic algae grow quickly in water, forming visible patches that might harm the health of the environment, plants, or animals. In freshwater, species of Cyanobacteria (also known as bluegreen algae) are the dominant group of harmful, bloom-forming algae. When Cyanobacteria form...
United States National Seismic Hazard Maps
M.D. Petersen, and others
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3017
The U.S. Geological Survey?s maps of earthquake shaking hazards provide information essential to creating and updating the seismic design provisions of building codes and insurance rates used in the United States. Periodic revisions of these maps incorporate the results of new research. Buildings, bridges, highways, and utilities built to meet...
Forecasting California's earthquakes— What can we expect in the next 30 years?
Edward H. Field, Kevin R. Milner, The 2007 Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3027
In a new comprehensive study, scientists have determined that the chance of having one or more magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquakes in the California area over the next 30 years is greater than 99%. Such quakes can be deadly, as shown by the 1989 magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta and the...
The Hayward Fault— Is it due for a repeat of the powerful 1868 earthquake?
Thomas M. Brocher, Jack Boatwright, James J. Lienkaemper, Carol S. Prentice, David P. Schwartz, Howard Bundock
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3019
On October 21, 1868, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay region. Although the region was then sparsely populated, this quake on the Hayward Fault was one of the most destructive in California's history. Recent studies show that such powerful Hayward Fault quakes have repeatedly jolted the region...
Assessment of Undiscovered Oil Resources in the Devonian-Mississippian Bakken Formation, Williston Basin Province, Montana and North Dakota, 2008
Richard M. Pollastro, Troy A. Cook, Laura N.R. Roberts, Christopher J. Schenk, Michael D. Lewan, Lawrence O. Anna, Stephanie B. Gaswirth, Paul G. Lillis, Timothy R. Klett, Ronal R. Charpentier
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3021
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered volumes of 3.65 billion barrels of oil, 1.85 trillion cubic feet of associated/dissolved natural gas, and 148 million barrels of natural gas liquids in the Bakken Formation of the Williston Basin Province, Montana and North Dakota....
Continuous water-quality monitoring of streams in Johnson County, Kansas 2002-06
Teresa J. Rasmussen, Casey J. Lee, Andrew C. Ziegler
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3007
Water quality in Johnson County, Kansas was characterized on the basis of continuous, in-stream monitoring. The results summarized in this fact sheet may be used to better understand concentration and load variability during changing seasonal and streamflow conditions and to assess water-quality conditions relative to water-quality standards and management goals....
An Overview of the GIS Weasel
Roland J. Viger
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3004
This fact sheet provides a high-level description of the GIS Weasel, a software system designed to aid users in preparing spatial information as input to lumped and distributed parameter environmental simulation models (ESMs). The GIS Weasel provides geographic information system (GIS) tools to help create maps of geographic features relevant...
Hydroacoustic Applications in South Carolina: Technological Advancements in the Streamgaging Network
John M. Shelton
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3001
Until the 1990s, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) had been making streamflow measurements using the same type of equipment for more than 100 years. The Price AA current meter was developed by USGS engineers in 1896. Until recently, the majority of all streamflow measurements made by the USGS were made...
Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Permian Basin Province of West Texas and Southeast New Mexico, 2007
Christopher J. Schenk, Richard M. Pollastro, Troy A. Cook, Mark J. Pawlewicz, Timothy R. Klett, Ronald R. Charpentier, Harry E. Cook
2008, Fact Sheet 2007-3115
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently assessed the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Permian Basin Province of west Texas and southeast New Mexico. The assessment was geology based and used the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system are petroleum source rocks (quality,...
A New Method for Mapping Population Distribution
Rachel Sleeter
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3010
Human population counts are collected and commonly displayed uniformly across areas, such as U.S. Census Bureau block-groups and tracts. The limitation inherent in this type of representation is the assumption that people are evenly distributed across each areal unit, when in actuality many areas such as parks, open spaces, and...
Science Activities Associated with Proposed 2008 High-Flow Experiment at Glen Canyon Dam
John Hamill
2008, Fact Sheet 2008-3011
Grand Canyon National Park lies approximately 15 miles downriver from Glen Canyon Dam, which was built on the Colorado River just south of the Arizona-Utah border. Because the dam stops most sediment moving downstream, its presence has resulted in erosion and shrinkage of river sandbars in Grand Canyon. Fewer and...
