http://pubs.usgs.gov New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey - Publications that have been added in the last 7 days. http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/sir/sir20095229 Wolff, Reuben H.; Koch, Linda A. (2009), Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5229. <br /> <br /> In 2006-07, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pacific Islands Water Science Center (PIWSC), in cooperation with the Hawai'i Department of Health (HDOH), conducted a pilot study as a participant in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Wadeable Streams Assessment (WSA) program. Forty randomly selected sites on perennial streams on O'ahu, Hawai'i, were surveyed for habitat characteristics, water chemistry, and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages. Of the original sampling frame of approximately 505.2 miles of perennial stream, roughly 96.7 +or- 30.7 miles were found to be nonperennial or estuarine and another 200.5 +or- 64.7 miles were judged to be inaccessible. The scope of this report presents an assessment of the remaining 208 +or- 57.6 miles of accessible, wadeable, perennial stream length on O'ahu. Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages were used to determine the ecological condition at each site. Components of the benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages were assessed using the multimetric Preliminary-Hawaiian Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (P-HBIBI) developed by Wolff (2005). Based on the P-HBIBI scores, an estimated 5.8 +or- 5.8 percent of the island's total stream length is in most disturbed condition, 56 +or- 13.5 percent is in intermediately disturbed condition, and 38.2 +or- 13.2 percent is in least disturbed condition. Windward O'ahu had the highest percentage of stream length in least disturbed biological condition at 56.7 +or- 20.8 percent. Using the relative abundance of insects, one of the core metrics that make up the P-HBIBI, 43.4 +or- 14.2 percent of the islandwide stream length was classified in the most disturbed condition - 52 +or- 31.2 percent of the Honolulu region stream length and 51.4 +or- 23.3 percent of the windward O'ahu stream length. An analysis of total nitrogen (N) estimated approximately 41.1 +or- 13.7 percent of the stream length on O'ahu was in most disturbed condition. Regionally, the Honolulu region had the ... 2009-11-21 SIR Scientific Investigations Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ofr/ofr20091138 Kennen, Jonathan G.; Henriksen, James A.; Heasley, John; Cade, Brian S.; Terrell, James W. (2009), Open-File Report 2009-1138. <br /> <br /> Natural flow regime concepts and theories have established the justification for maintaining or restoring the range of natural hydrologic variability so that physiochemical processes, native biodiversity, and the evolutionary potential of aquatic and riparian assemblages can be sustained. A synthesis of recent research advances in hydroecology, coupled with stream classification using hydroecologically relevant indices, has produced the Hydroecological Integrity Assessment Process (HIP). HIP consists of (1) a regional classification of streams into hydrologic stream types based on flow data from long-term gaging-station records for relatively unmodified streams, (2) an identification of stream-type specific indices that address 11 subcomponents of the flow regime, (3) an ability to establish environmental flow standards, (4) an evaluation of hydrologic alteration, and (5) a capacity to conduct alternative analyses. The process starts with the identification of a hydrologic baseline (reference condition) for selected locations, uses flow data from a stream-gage network, and proceeds to classify streams into hydrologic stream types. Concurrently, the analysis identifies a set of non-redundant and ecologically relevant hydrologic indices for 11 subcomponents of flow for each stream type. Furthermore, regional hydrologic models for synthesizing flow conditions across a region and the development of flow-ecology response relations for each stream type can be added to further enhance the process. The application of HIP to Missouri streams identified five stream types ((1) intermittent, (2) perennial runoff-flashy, (3) perennial runoff-moderate baseflow, (4) perennial groundwater-stable, and (5) perennial groundwater-super stable). Two Missouri-specific computer software programs were developed: (1) a Missouri Hydrologic Assessment Tool (MOHAT) which is used to establish a hydrologic baseline, provide options for setting environmental flow standards, and compare past and p... 2009-11-19 OFR Open-File Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/fs/fs20093097 Thormodsgard, June M. (2009), Fact Sheet 2009-3097. <br /> <br /> The Greater Platte River Basins (GPRB), located in the heartland of the United States, provides a collaborative opportunity for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and its partners to understand the sustainability of natural and managed ecosystems under changing climate and resource requirements. The Platte River Basin, an area of about 140,000 square miles, sustains thousands of acres of lakes and wetlands, which provide a staging and resting area for the North American Central Flyway. Part of the GPRB is within the U.S. Corn Belt, one of the most productive agricultural ecosystems on Earth. Changes in water and land use, changing patterns of snowmelt in the Rocky Mountains, drought, and increasing demands for irrigation have reduced flows in the Platte River. These changes raise questions about the sustainability of the region for both wildlife and agriculture. The USGS and partners are developing a science strategy that will help management address and balance the needs of this region. 2009-11-19 FS Fact Sheet http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/cir/cir1341 Evans, Richard T.; Frye, Helen M. (2009), Circular 1341. <br /> <br /> From a very early period of the world's existence, man has endeavored to represent the earth's surface in a graphic form for the information of his fellow men, realizing that no oral or written description is capable of setting forth topographic facts so vividly and so clearly as a map. Mapping of the areas of the United States began with the charting of portions of its coast line by early explorers; the need for topographic maps was first recognized during the war of the Colonies for independence from Great Britain. On July 22, 1777, Congress authorized General Washington to appoint: 'Mr. Robert Erskine, or any other person that he may think proper, geographer and surveyor of the roads, to take sketches of the country and the seat of war.' By several acts during the Revolutionary War, Congress provided 'geographers' for the armies of the United States, some of them with the pay of a colonel, amounting to $60 a month and allowances. At the end of the War, a resolution of May 27, 1785, continued in service the 'geographer of the United States' for a period of 3 years. The War Department recognized the necessity of 'geographical engineers' and requested Congress to authorize their appointment, but it was not until the next war that Congress authorized on March 3, 1813, the appointment of eight topographic engineers and eight assistant topographic engineers under the direction of the General Staff of the Army. These officers formed the nucleus of the first Corps of Topographic Engineers in the Army, and that Corps continued to function as an independent unit until it was absorbed by the Corps of Engineers in 1863, during the Civil War between the States. Between the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and the outbreak of the Civil War, more than a hundred exploring and mapping expeditions were sent into the vast territory lying west of the Mississippi River to investigate the natural resources of this newly acquired country and to find possible locations for wagon ... 2009-11-19 CIR Circular http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/fs/fs20093104 Archuleta, Christy-Ann M.; Eames, Deanna R. (2009), Fact Sheet 2009-3104. <br /> <br /> The Rio Grande Civil Works and Restoration Projects Web Application, developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Albuquerque District, is designed to provide publicly available information through the Internet about civil works and restoration projects in the Rio Grande Basin. Since 1942, USACE Albuquerque District responsibilities have included building facilities for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, providing flood protection, supplying water for power and public recreation, participating in fire remediation, protecting and restoring wetlands and other natural resources, and supporting other government agencies with engineering, contracting, and project management services. In the process of conducting this vast array of engineering work, the need arose for easily tracking the locations of and providing information about projects to stakeholders and the public. This fact sheet introduces a Web application developed to enable users to visualize locations and search for information about USACE (and some other Federal, State, and local) projects in the Rio Grande Basin in southern Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. 2009-11-19 FS Fact Sheet http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/sir/sir20095165 Jastram, John D.; Moyer, Douglas L.; Hyer, Kenneth E. (2009), Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5165. <br /> <br /> Fluvial transport of sediment into the Chesapeake Bay estuary is a persistent water-quality issue with major implications for the overall health of the bay ecosystem. Accurately and precisely estimating the suspended-sediment concentrations (SSC) and loads that are delivered to the bay, however, remains challenging. Although manual sampling of SSC produces an accurate series of point-in-time measurements, robust extrapolation to unmeasured periods (especially highflow periods) has proven to be difficult. Sediment concentrations typically have been estimated using regression relations between individual SSC values and associated streamflow values; however, suspended-sediment transport during storm events is extremely variable, and it is often difficult to relate a unique SSC to a given streamflow. With this limitation for estimating SSC, innovative approaches for generating detailed records of suspended-sediment transport are needed. One effective method for improved suspended-sediment determination involves the continuous monitoring of turbidity as a surrogate for SSC. Turbidity measurements are theoretically well correlated to SSC because turbidity represents a measure of water clarity that is directly influenced by suspended sediments; thus, turbidity-based estimation models typically are effective tools for generating SSC data. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Chesapeake Bay Program and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, initiated continuous turbidity monitoring on three major tributaries of the bay - the James, Rappahannock, and North Fork Shenandoah Rivers - to evaluate the use of turbidity as a sediment surrogate in rivers that deliver sediment to the bay. Results of this surrogate approach were compared to the traditionally applied streamflow-based approach for estimating SSC. Additionally, evaluation and comparison of these two approaches were conducted for nutrient estimations. Result... 2009-11-17 SIR Scientific Investigations Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ofr/ofr20091255 Johnson, Branden L.; Henny, Charles J.; Kaiser, James L.; Davis, Jay W.; Schulz, Edmund P. (2009), Open-File Report 2009-1255. <br /> <br /> We evaluated the effects of contaminants on osprey (Pandion haliaetus) nesting along the lower Duwamish River (LDR), Washington, and used the upper reach of the Willamette River (WR), Oregon, as a reference site. Osprey eggs and nestling blood (plasma) were collected at nests along the LDR (11 eggs, 7 plasmas) and WR (10 eggs, 6 plasmas) in 2006-07 and analyzed for contaminants. Additionally, hematology and serum chemistries were determined in the blood/plasma samples of nestlings (about 35-45 days old) and were used as potential indicators of stress induced by contaminant exposure. Detailed foraging information for ospreys nesting along the LDR was collected and evaluated to better understand contaminant profiles observed in the eggs and plasma. Additional residue data from 26 osprey eggs collected and analyzed in 2002-03 from nests along the LDR, Snohomish River Estuary (SRE) and Lake Washington (LW) in the Puget Sound (PS) region also were evaluated. 2009-11-17 OFR Open-File Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/sir/sir20095234 Czarnecki, John B. (2009), Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5234. <br /> <br /> A groundwater-flow model of the Sparta aquifer was used to evaluate changes in water-level altitudes associated with the withdrawal of groundwater at varying rates from a well field near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in Jefferson County. Water-level altitudes at three different model cell locations from five different scenarios for varying withdrawal rates from the well field were compared for the period 1998 to 2048. The three model cells used for the comparison were located (1) near the center of the well field, (2) near the center of the city of Pine Bluff (about 5 miles west of the center of the well field), and (3) about 15 miles north of the well field. Pumping rates at the well field were varied from 7.2 million gallons per day to 27 million gallons per day for the five scenarios analyzed, and water-level hydrographs were constructed for each scenario for each of the three model cell locations. Water-level altitudes near the center of the well field changed the most of the three model cell locations analyzed. Water-level altitudes were approximately 90 feet higher for the 7.2 million gallon per day scenario in 2048 compared to the baseline scenario of 25.4 million gallons per day. Whereas, water-level altitudes at the same location were 9 feet lower for the 27 million gallon per day scenario in 2048 compared to the baseline scenario. 2009-11-17 SIR Scientific Investigations Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ofr/ofr20091244 Gordon, Debbie Warner (2009), Open-File Report 2009-1244. <br /> <br /> The U.S. Geological Survey has been working cooperatively with the Albany Water, Gas, and Light Commission to monitor groundwater quality and availability since 1977. This report presents an overview of groundwater conditions and studies in the Albany area of Dougherty County, Georgia, during 2008. Historical data also are presented for comparison with 2008 data. Ongoing monitoring activities include continuous water-level recording in 24 wells and periodic water-level measurements in 5 wells. During 2008, water levels in 10 of the continuous-recording wells were below normal, corresponding to lower than average rainfall. Groundwater samples collected from 25 wells in the Upper Floridan aquifer indicate that nitrate levels during 2008 were similar to values from 2007, with a maximum of 12.5 milligrams per liter at one well. Water samples collected from the Flint River and wells at the Albany well field were analyzed and plotted on a trilinear diagram to show the percent composition of selected major cations and anions. Groundwater constituents (major cations and anions) of the Upper Floridan aquifer at the Albany well field remain distinctly different from those in the water of the Flint River. To improve the understanding of the groundwater-flow system and nitrate movement in the Upper Floridan aquifer, the U.S. Geological Survey is developing a groundwater-flow model in the Albany area of southwestern Georgia. The model is being calibrated to simulate periods of dry (October 1999) hydrologic conditions. Preliminary results of particle tracking indicate that water flows to the well field from the northwest. 2009-11-17 OFR Open-File Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ds/ds455 Shelton, Jennifer L.; Fram, Miranda S.; Belitz, Kenneth (2009), Data Series 455. <br /> <br /> Groundwater quality in the approximately 860-square-mile Madera-Chowchilla study unit (MADCHOW) was investigated in April and May 2008 as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin Project was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of raw groundwater used for public water supplies within MADCHOW, and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of groundwater quality throughout California. Samples were collected from 35 wells in Madera, Merced, and Fresno Counties. Thirty of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study area (grid wells), and five more were selected to provide additional sampling density to aid in understanding processes affecting groundwater quality (flow-path wells). Detection summaries in the text and tables are given for grid wells only, to avoid over-representation of the water quality in areas adjacent to flow-path wells. Groundwater samples were analyzed for a large number of synthetic organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOCs], low-level 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane [DBCP] and 1,2-dibromoethane [EDB], pesticides and pesticide degradates, polar pesticides and metabolites, and pharmaceutical compounds), constituents of special interest (N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA], perchlorate, and low-level 1,2,3-trichloropropane [1,2,3-TCP]), naturally occurring inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, and trace elements), and radioactive constituents (uranium isotopes, and gross alpha and gross beta particle activities). Naturally occurring isotopes and geochemical tracers (stable isotopes of hyd... 2009-11-17 DS Data Series http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ofr/ofr20091205 Riley, Jeffrey W.; Jacobson, Robert B. (2009), Open-File Report 2009-1205. <br /> <br /> This report presents the data used to assess geomorphic adjustment of streams over time and to changing land-use conditions. Thirty-seven U.S. Geological Survey streamgages were selected within the Piedmont physiographic region of Georgia. Width, depth, stage, and discharge data from these streams were analyzed to assess channel stability and determine if systematic adjustments of channel morphology could be related to time or land use and land cover. Residual analyses of stage-discharge data were used to infer channel stability, which could then be used as an indicator of habitat stability. Streamgages, representing a gradient of urbanization, were selected to test hypotheses regarding stream stability and adjustment to urban conditions. Results indicate that 14 sites exhibited long-term channel stability, 11 were degrading, 6 were aggrading, and 6 showed variability in response over the study period. 2009-11-17 OFR Open-File Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/fs/fs20093100 Thomas, Karen A. (2009), Fact Sheet 2009-3100. <br /> <br /> Organic compounds studied in this U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessment generally are man-made, including, in part, pesticides, solvents, gasoline hydrocarbons, personal care and domestic-use products, and refrigerants and propellants. Of 258 compounds measured, 28 were detected in at least 1 source water sample collected approximately monthly during 2002-05 at the intake of the Chalk Bluff Treatment Plant, on the Truckee River upstream of Reno, Nevada. The diversity of compounds detected indicate various sources and uses (including wastewater discharge, industrial, agricultural, domestic, and others) and different pathways (including point sources from treated wastewater outfalls upstream of the sampling location, overland runoff, and groundwater discharge) to drinking-water supply intakes. Three compounds were detected in more than 20 percent of the source-water intake samples at low concentrations (less than 0.1 microgram per liter), including caffeine, p-cresol (a wood preservative), and toluene (a gasoline hydrocarbon). Sixteen of the 28 compounds detected in source water also were detected in finished water (after treatment, but prior to distribution; 2004-05). Additionally, two disinfection by-products not detected in source water, bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane, were detected in all finished water samples. Two detected compounds, cholesterol and 3-beta-coprostanol, are among five naturally occurring biochemicals analyzed in this study. Concentrations for all detected compounds in source and finished water generally were less than 0.1 microgram per liter and always less than human-health benchmarks, which are available for about one-half of the compounds. Seven compounds (toluene, chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromodichloromethane, bisphenol A, cholesterol, and 3-beta-coprostanol) were measured at concentrations greater than 0.1 microgram per liter. On the basis of this screening-level assessment, adverse effects to human health are ex... 2009-11-17 FS Fact Sheet http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/sir/sir20095185 Petkewich, Matthew D.; Campbell, Bruce G. (2009), Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5185. <br /> <br /> The effect of injecting reclaimed water into the Middendorf aquifer beneath Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was simulated using a groundwater-flow model of the Coastal Plain Physiographic Province of South Carolina and parts of Georgia and North Carolina. Reclaimed water, also known as recycled water, is wastewater or stormwater that has been treated to an appropriate level so that the water can be reused. The scenarios were simulated to evaluate potential changes in groundwater flow and groundwater-level conditions caused by injecting reclaimed water into the Middendorf aquifer. Simulations included a Base Case and two injection scenarios. Maximum pumping rates were simulated as 6.65, 8.50, and 10.5 million gallons per day for the Base Case, Scenario 1, and Scenario 2, respectively. The Base Case simulation represents a non-injection estimate of the year 2050 groundwater levels for comparison purposes for the two injection scenarios. For Scenarios 1 and 2, the simulated injection of reclaimed water at 3 million gallons per day begins in 2012 and continues through 2050. The flow paths and time of travel for the injected reclaimed water were simulated using particle-tracking analysis. The simulations indicated a general decline of groundwater altitudes in the Middendorf aquifer in the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, area between 2004 and 2050 for the Base Case and two injection scenarios. For the Base Case, groundwater altitudes generally declined about 90 feet from the 2004 groundwater levels. For Scenarios 1 and 2, although groundwater altitudes initially increased in the Mount Pleasant area because of the simulated injection, these higher groundwater levels declined as Mount Pleasant Waterworks pumping increased over time. When compared to the Base Case simulation, 2050 groundwater altitudes for Scenario 1 are between 15 feet lower to 23 feet higher for production wells, between 41 and 77 feet higher for the injection wells, and between 9 and 23 feet higher for... 2009-11-17 SIR Scientific Investigations Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ofr/ofr20091243 Griffin, Paul C.; Schoenecker, Kate A.; Gogan, Peter J. P.; Lubow, Bruce C. (2009), Open-File Report 2009-1243. <br /> <br /> Reliable estimates of elk (Cervus elaphus) and deer (Odocoileus hemionus) abundance on Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California, are required to assess the success of management actions directed at these species. We conducted a double-observer aerial survey of elk on a large portion of Santa Rosa Island on March 19, 2009. All four persons on the helicopter were treated as observers. We used two analytical approaches: (1) with three capture occasions corresponding to three possible observers, pooling the observations from the two rear-seat observers, and (2) with four capture occasions treating each observer separately. Approach 1 resulted in an estimate of 483 elk in the survey zone with a 95-percent confidence interval of 479 to 524 elk. Approach 2 resulted in an estimate of 489 elk in the survey zone with a 95-percent confidence interval of 471 to 535 elk. Approximately 5 percent of the elk groups that were estimated to have been present in the survey area were not seen by any observer. Fog prevented us from collecting double-observer observations for deer as intended on March 20. However, we did count 434 deer during the double-observer counts of elk on March 19. Both the calculated number of elk and the observed number of deer are minimal estimates of numbers of each ungulate species on Santa Rosa Island as weather conditions precluded us from surveying the entire island. 2009-11-17 OFR Open-File Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ofr/ofr20091125 Beman, Joseph E. (2009), Open-File Report 2009-1125. <br /> <br /> The Albuquerque Basin, located in central New Mexico, is about 100 miles long and 25 to 40 miles wide. The basin is defined as the extent of consolidated and unconsolidated deposits of Tertiary and Quaternary age that encompass the structural Rio Grande Rift within the basin. Drinking-water supplies throughout the basin are currently (2008) obtained soley from ground-water resources. An increase of about 20 percent in the population from 1990 to 2000 also resulted in an increased demand for water. A network of wells was established to monitor changes in ground-water levels throughout the basin from April 1982 through September 1983. This network consisted of 6 wells with analog-to-digital recorders and 27 wells where water levels were measured monthly in 1983. Currently (2008), the network consists of 144 wells and piezometers. This report presents water-level data collected by U.S. Geological Survey personnel at 125 sites through water-year 2008. In addition, data from 19 wells (Sites 127-30, 132-134, 136, 138-142 and 144-149) owned, maintained, and measured by Sandia National Laboratories are presented in this report. 2009-11-17 OFR Open-File Report http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/ofr/ofr20091253 Hagar, Joan; Friesen, Cheryl (2009), Open-File Report 2009-1253. <br /> <br /> The response of songbird assemblages to commercial thinning is likely to change as vegetation develops over time after thinning. The influence of thinning intensity and pattern on the timing of transitions in bird community composition following thinning is of interest to managers when a goal is to maintain diversity and accelerate the development of late-seral forest structure. We investigated changes in the composition of songbird assemblages and density of individual species from 2 years before to 12 years after experimental thinning of 40-year-old stands dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in the Oregon Cascades. Species richness, and density for five species and the neotropical migrant group were greater in thinned than in unthinned control stands over all post-treatment years of the study. Similarly, three species maintained a negative response to thinning over the post-treatment period. The initial positive influence of thinning was no longer in evidence a decade after harvest for five species. Of seven species with an initial negative response to thinning, three indicated recovery towards pre-treatment densities by the end of the most recent post-treatment survey. Our study is one of the first to document long-term effects of commercial thinning on forest songbird assemblages in the Pacific Northwest. 2009-11-17 OFR Open-File Report