Watershed ‘chemical cocktails’: forming novel elemental combinations in Anthropocene fresh waters
Sujay S. Kaushal, Arthur J. Gold, Susana Bernal, Tammy A. Newcomer Johnson, Kelly Addy, Amy Burgin, Douglas A. Burns, Ashley A. Coble, Eran W. Hood, Yuehan Lu, Paul Mayer, Elizabeth C. Minor, Andrew W. Schroth, Philippe Vidon, Henry F. Wilson, Marguerite A. Xenopolous, Thomas Doody, Joseph G. Galella, Phillip Goodling, Katherine Haviland, Shahan Haq, Barret Wessel, Kelsey L. Wood, Norbert Jaworski, Kenneth T. Belt
2018, Biogeochemistry (141) 281-305
In the Anthropocene, watershed chemical transport is increasingly dominated by novel combinations of elements, which are hydrologically linked together as ‘chemical cocktails.’ Chemical cocktails are novel because human activities greatly enhance elemental concentrations and their probability for biogeochemical interactions and shared transport along hydrologic flowpaths. A new chemical cocktail approach...
Systematic variation in evapotranspiration trends and drivers across the Northeastern United States
Matthew A Vadeboncoeur, Mark B. Green, Heidi Asbjornsen, John L. Campbell, Mary Beth Adams, Elizabeth W. Boyer, Douglas A. Burns, Ivan J Fernandez, Myron J Mitchell, James B. Shanley
2018, Hydrological Processes (32) 3547-3560
The direction and magnitude of responses of evapotranspiration (ET) to climate change are important to understand, as ET represents a major water and energy flux from terrestrial ecosystems, with consequences that feed back to the climate system. We inferred multidecadal trends in water balance in 11 river basins (1940–2012) and...
Concentrations of nutrients at the water table beneath forage fields receiving seasonal applications of manure, Whatcom County, Washington, autumn 2011–spring 2015
Stephen E. Cox, Andrew R. Spanjer, Raegan L. Huffman, Robert W. Black, Jack E. Barbash, Nichole M. Embertson
2018, Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5124
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Whatcom Conservation District (WCD), collected groundwater-quality data for roughly 3 years (October 2011–May 2015) from near the water table beneath forage fields receiving regular seasonal applications of liquid dairy manure in Whatcom County, Washington. The work was done as part of...
Satellite remote sensing estimation of river discharge: Application to the Yukon River Alaska
David M. Bjerklie, Charon M. Birkett, John Jones, Claudia C. Carabajal, Jennifer Rover, John W, Fulton, Pierre-Andre Garambois
2018, Journal of Hydrology (561) 1000-1018
A methodology based on general hydraulic relations for rivers has been developed to estimate the discharge (flow rate) of rivers using satellite remote sensing observations. The estimates of discharge, flow depth, and flow velocity are derived from remotely observed water...
Rebuttal to “The case of the Biscayne Bay and aquifer near Miami, Florida: density-driven flow of seawater or gravitationally driven discharge of deep saline groundwater?” by Weyer (Environ Earth Sci 2018, 77:1–16)
Alden M. Provost, Adrian D. Werner, Vincent E. A. Post, Holly A. Michael, Christian D. Langevin
2018, Environmental Earth Sciences (77) 1-6
A recent paper by Weyer (Environ Earth Sci 2018, 77:1–16) challenges the widely accepted interpretation of groundwater heads and salinities in the coastal Biscayne aquifer near Miami, Florida, USA. Weyer (2018) suggests that the body of saltwater that underlies fresh groundwater just inland of the coast is not a recirculating...
Application of hydrologic-tracer techniques to the Casargiu adit and Rio Irvi (SW-Sardinia, Italy): Using enhanced natural attenuation to reduce extreme metal loads
Giovanni De Giudici, Daniela Medas, Rosa Cidu, Pierfranco Lattanzi, Francesca Podda, Franco Frau, Nicola Rigonat, Claudia Pusceddu, Stefania Da Pelo, Patrizia Onnis, Pier Andrea Marras, Richard B. Wanty, Briant A. Kimball
2018, Applied Geochemistry (96) 42-54
Hydrologic tracer techniques were applied to Rio Irvi (SW Sardinia), a stream affected by mine drainage, allowing the calculation of stream discharge and metal loads and comparison to other streams. The calculated discharge showed a continuous increase from near 21.2 L/s to 29.1 L/s. Cumulative loads of mine-related constituents, including the Casargiu...
Ice wedge degradation and stabilization impacts water budgets and nutrient cycling in Arctic trough ponds
Joshua C. Koch, M. Torre Jorgenson, Kimberly P. Wickland, Mikhail Z. Kanevskiy, Robert G. Striegl
2018, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences (123) 2604-2616
Trough ponds are ubiquitous features of Arctic landscapes and an important component of freshwater aquatic ecosystems. Permafrost thaw causes ground subsidence, creating depressions that gather water, creating ponds. Permafrost thaw also releases solutes and nutrients, which may fertilize these newly formed ponds. We measured water budget...
Findings and lessons learned from the assessment of the Mexico-United States transboundary San Pedro and Santa Cruz aquifers: The utility of social science in applied hydrologic research
James B. Callegary, Sharon B. Megdal, Elia Maria Tapia Villasenor, Jacob D. Petersen-Perlman, Ismael Minjarez Sosa, R. Monreal, F. Gray, Francisco Grijalva Noriega
2018, Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies (20) 60-73
Study RegionThis study region encompasses the Transboundary San Pedro and Santa Cruz aquifers which are shared between the states of Sonora (Mexico) and Arizona (US). Special regional considerations include a semi-arid climate, basin-fill aquifers with predominantly montane recharge areas, economic drivers in the mining, trade, and military...
Submerged aquatic vegetation mapping in coastal Louisiana through development of a spatial likelihood occurrence (SLOO) model
Kristin DeMarco, Brady Couvillion, Stuart Brown, Megan La Peyre
2018, Aquatic Botany (151) 87-97
Determining the spatial distribution of coastal foundation species is essential to accurately determine restoration goals, predict the ecological effects of climate change, and develop habitat management strategies. Mapping the distribution of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) species assemblages, which provide important habitat resource and ecological services in Louisiana, has been difficult...
Interseismic ground deformation and fault slip rates in the greater San Francisco Bay Area from two decades of space geodetic data
Wenbin Xu, Songbo Wu, Kathryn Materna, Robert Nadeau, Michael Floyd, Gareth J. Funning, Estelle Chaussard, Christopher W. Johnson, Jessica R. Murray, Xiaoling Ding, Roland Burgmann
Songbo Wu, Robert Nadeau, Xiaoling Ding, editor(s)
2018, Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth (123) 8095-8109
The detailed spatial variations of strain accumulation and creep on major faults in the northern San Francisco Bay Area (North Bay), which are important for seismic potential and evaluation of natural hazards, remain poorly understood. Here we combine interferometric synthetic aperture radar data from the ERS‐1/2 and Envisat satellites between...
Variability of organic carbon content and the retention and release of trichloroethene in the rock matrix of a mudstone aquifer
Allen M. Shapiro, Rebecca J. Brenneis
2018, Journal of Contaminant Hydrology (217) 32-42
Contaminants diffusing from fractures into the immobile porosity of the rock matrix are subject to prolonged residence times. Organic contaminants can adsorb onto organic carbonaceous materials in the matrix extending contaminant retention. An investigation of spatial variability of the fraction of organic carbon (foc) is conducted on samples of rock core from seven closely spaced boreholes in a mudstone aquifer contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE). A...
Hydrologic characteristics and water quality of headwater streams and wetlands at the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Summit area, Blair and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania, 2014–16
Charles A. Cravotta III, Daniel G. Galeone, Kathy A. Penrod
2018, Open-File Report 2018-1125
The Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (ALPO) in Blair and Cambria Counties, Pennsylvania, protects historic features of the first railroad portage over the Allegheny Front and the first railroad tunnel in the United States. This report, which was completed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National...
Climate Assessments and Scenario Planning (CLASP)
Alexander Bryan
2018, Report
The NE CASC boasts an interdisciplinary array of scientists, from ecologists to biologists, hydrologists to climatologists, each contributing new, original academic research to advance our understanding of the impacts of climate change on wildlife and other natural resources in the Northeast. Needed was an...
Current research in land, water, and agroecosystems: ASABE journals 2017 year in review
Kyle R. Douglas-Mankin
2018, Transactions of the ASABE (61) 1639-1651
This article highlights current research into land and water resources, agroecosystems, and agricultural production systems published by the Natural Resources and Environmental Systems (NRES) community of ASABE journals (Transactions of the ASABE and Applied Engineering in Agriculture) in 2017. This article reviews the context, scope, and key results of the...
Threats to cranes related to agriculture
Jane E. Austin
2018, Book chapter, Cranes and agriculture: A global guide for sharing the landscape
The greatest threats to cranes worldwide are related to agricultural activities. They include direct losses of wetlands or grasslands; altered wetland hydrology due to water control systems such as dams or irrigation ditches; fire; direct and indirect impacts from agricultural chemicals; human disturbances; disease risks where cranes congregate in high...
Interactions and impacts of domesticated animals on cranes in agriculture
Jane E. Austin, Kunikazu Momose, George W. Archibald
2018, Book chapter, Cranes and agriculture: A global guide for sharing the landscape
Affiliations of most cranes to humans and agriculture means they often interact with a variety of domestic animals. Those interactions can be beneficial or neutral when domestic animal densities and their impact on wetland or grassland systems are low to moderate, as found in more traditional agricultural practices. The most...
Simulation of groundwater flow, 1895–2010, and effects of additional groundwater withdrawals on future stream base flow in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, central Nebraska—Phase three
Amanda T. Flynn, Jennifer S. Stanton
2018, Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5106
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Lewis and Clark, Lower Elkhorn, Lower Loup, Lower Platte North, Lower Niobrara, Middle Niobrara, Upper Elkhorn, and the Upper Loup Natural Resources Districts, designed a study to refine the spatial and temporal discretization of a previously modeled area. This updated study focused on...
Efficient delineation of nested depression hierarchy in digital elevation models for hydrological analysis using level-set method
Qiusheng Wu, Charles R. Lane, Lei Wang, Melanie K. Vanderhoof, Jay R. Christensen, Hongxing Liu
2018, Journal of the American Water Resources Association (55) 354-368
In terrain analysis and hydrological modeling, surface depressions (or sinks) in a digital elevation model (DEM) are commonly treated as artifacts and thus filled and removed to create a depressionless DEM. Various algorithms have been developed to identify and fill depressions in DEMs during the past decades. However, few studies...
Ecohydrologic changes caused by hydrologic disconnection of ephemeral stream channels in Mojave National Preserve, California
Kimberlie Perkins, David M. Miller, Darren R. Sandquist, Miguel Macias, Aimee Roach
2018, Vadose Zone Journal (17)
Emplacement of highways and railroads has altered natural hydrologic systems by influencing surface-water flow paths and biotic communities in Mojave National Preserve. Infiltration experiments were conducted along active and abandoned channels to evaluate changes in hydrology and related effects on plant water availability and use. Simulated rainfall infiltration experiments with...
Flood-inundation maps for the lower Pawcatuck River in Westerly, Rhode Island, and Stonington and North Stonington, Connecticut
Gardner C. Bent, Pamela J. Lombard
2018, Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5112
A series of 11 digital flood-inundation maps was developed for a 5.5-mile reach of the lower Pawcatuck River in Westerly, Rhode Island, and Stonington and North Stonington, Connecticut, by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Town of Westerly, Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island Office of Housing...
Quantifying and forecasting changes in the areal extent of river valley sediment in response to altered hydrology and land cover
Alan Kasprak, Joel B. Sankey, Daniel D. Buscombe, Joshua Caster, Amy E. East, Paul E. Grams
2018, Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment (42) 739-764
In river valleys, sediment moves between active river channels, near-channel deposits including bars and floodplains, and upland environments such as terraces and aeolian dunefields. Sediment availability is a prerequisite for the sustained transfer of material between these areas, and for the eco-geomorphic functioning of river networks in general. However, the...
Assessing the impact of site-specific BMPs using a spatially explicit, field-scale SWAT model with edge-of-field and tile hydrology and water-quality data in the Eagle Creek watershed, Ohio
Katherine R. Merriman, Prasad Daggupati, Raghavan Srinivasan, Chad Toussant, Amy M. Russell, Brett A. Hayhurst
2018, Water (10) 1-37
The Eagle Creek watershed, a small subbasin (125 km2) within the Maumee River Basin, Ohio, was selected as a part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) “Priority Watersheds” program to evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) funded through GLRI at the field and watershed scales. The...
Responses of unimpaired flows, storage, and managed flows to scenarios of climate change in the San Francisco Bay-Delta watershed
Noah Knowles, Collin Cronkite-Ratcliff, David W Pierce, Daniel R. Cayan
2018, Water Resources Research (54) 7631-7650
Projections of meteorology downscaled from global climate model runs were used to drive a model of unimpaired hydrology of the Sacramento/San Joaquin watershed, which in turn drove models of operational responses and managed flows. Twenty daily climate change scenarios for water years 1980–2099 were evaluated with...
Annual and approximately quarterly series peak streamflow derived from interpretations of indirect measurements for a crest-stage gage network in Texas through water year 2015
William H. Asquith, Glenn R. Harwell, Karl E. Winters
2018, Scientific Investigations Report 2018-5107
In 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), incooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation,began collecting annual and approximately quarterly seriespeak-streamflow data at streamflow-gaging stations in smalltomedium-sized watersheds in central and western Texasas part of a crest-stage gage (CSG) network, along withselected flood-hydrograph data at a subset of these stations.CSGs record...
Developing hydro-meteorological thresholds for shallow landslide initiation and early warning
Benjamin B. Mirus, Michael D. Morphew, Joel B. Smith
2018, Water (10) 1-19
Consistent relations between shallow landslide initiation and associated rainfall characteristics remain difficult to identify, due largely to the complex hydrological and geological processes causing slopes to be predisposed to failure and those processes that subsequently trigger failures. Considering the importance of hillslope hydrology for rainfall-induced landsliding, we develop and test...
