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G.H. Leavesley

Publications and source records attributed to G.H. Leavesley.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS1995

Hydrochemical processes during snowmelt in a subalpine watershed, Colorado, USA

Snowmelt is the primary hydrologic event in the studied subalpine watershed, generating streamflow for 3 months from a 1-month snowmelt period which commenced in mid-April 1992 and mid-May 1993. The melting rate of the snowpack varied diurnally and was asymmetrical, increasing rapidly to a maximum at the onset of daily melt followed by an attenuated decrease. Streamflow varied diurnally, displaying a similar pattern to that of snowmelt, but variations were much less marked. Groundwater levels also varied diurnally, but were more attenuated than that of streamflow, and the time of daily maximum coincided with the streamflow maximum, whereas the snowmelt maximum preceded them. The major ions in meltwater were preferentially eluted from the snowpack, and meltwater was dominated by calcium, sulfate, and nitrate. The concentration decreases observed in snowmelt are partially reflected in stream water. Groundwater was dominated by calcium and generally bicarbonate. Concentrations of weathering products (silica, alkalinity, and base cations) increased down gradient, consistent with an increase in water residence time. A watershed mass balance for 1992 and 1993 indicates that (1) a major percentage of the primarily atmospherically derived N-species are retained by the watershed, (2) the watershed is the major source of base cations and silica, and (3) for the 2 year combined, atmospheric deposition balances stream water transport of sulfate and chloride.

Biogeochemistry of seasonally snow-covered catchme↗
USGS1994

Modeling the effects of climate change on water resources - a review

Hydrologic models provide a framework in which to conceptualize and investigate the relationships between climate and water resources. A review of current studies that assess the impacts of climate change using hydrologic models indicates a number of problem areas common to the variety of models applied. These problem areas include parameter estimation, scale, model validation, climate scenario generation, and data. Research needs to address these problems include development of (1) a more physically based understanding of hydrologic processes and their interactions; (2) parameter measurement and estimation techniques for application over a range of spatial and temporal scales; (3) quantitative measures of uncertainty in model parameters and model results; (4) improved methodologies of climate scenario generation; (5) detailed data sets in a variety of climatic and physiographic regions; and (6) modular modeling tools to provide a framework to facilitate interdisciplinary research. Solutions to these problems would significantly improve the capability of models to assess the effects of climate change. ?? 1994 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Climatic Change↗
USGS1989

Problems of snowmelt runoff modelling for a variety of physiographic and climatic conditions

Problems include: a) definition of the spatial and temporal distribution of model input; b) measurement or estimation of snow accumulation, snowmelt, and runoff process parameters for a range of applications and scales; and c) development of accurate short term and long term snowmelt runoff forecasts. Procedures being investigated to solve these problems include: a) integrating conventional and remote-sensing data to improve estimates of input data; b) developing snowmelt process algorithms which have parameters that are closely related to measurable basin and climatic characteristics; and c) updating model paramters and components using measured data or knowledge of past uncertainty. -from Author

Hydrological Sciences Journal↗
USGS1989

Assessment of the potential effects of climate change on water resources of the Delaware River basin; work plan for 1988-90

The current consensus is that some global atmospheric warming will occur as a result of increasing ' greenhouse ' gases. Water resources scientists, planners, and managers are concerned about the uncertainty associated with climatic-change effects on water supplies and what planning might be necessary to mitigate the effects. Collaborative studies between climatologists, hydrologists, biologists, and others are needed to gain this understanding. The Delaware River basin study is an interdisciplinary effort on the part of the U.S. Geological Survey that was initiated to improve understanding of the sensitivity of the basin 's water resources to the potential effects of climate change. The Delaware River basin is 12,765 sq mi in area, crosses five physiographic provinces, and supplies water for an estimated 20 million people within and outside the basin. Climate change presumably will result in changes in precipitation and temperature and could have significant effects on evapotranspiration, streamflow, and groundwater recharge. A rise in sea level is likely to accompany global warming and, depending on changes in freshwater inflows, could alter the salinity of the Estuary and increase saline-water intrusion into adjacent aquifer systems. Because the potential effects are not well understood, this report discusses how the effects of climate change on the basin 's water resources might be defined and evaluated. The study objective is to investigate the basin 's hydrologic response, under existing water management policy and infrastructure, to various scenarios of climate change. Specific objectives include defining the temporal and spatial variability of basin hydrology under existing climate conditions , developing climate-change scenarios, and evaluating the potential effects and sensitivities of basin water availability to these scenarios. The objectives will be accomplished through intensive modeling analysis of the basin 's climate, watershed, estuary, and aquifer systems. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1983

Precipitation-runoff modeling system; user's manual

The concepts, structure, theoretical development, and data requirements of the precipitation-runoff modeling system (PRMS) are described. The precipitation-runoff modeling system is a modular-design, deterministic, distributed-parameter modeling system developed to evaluate the impacts of various combinations of precipitation, climate, and land use on streamflow, sediment yields, and general basin hydrology. Basin response to normal and extreme rainfall and snowmelt can be simulated to evaluate changes in water balance relationships, flow regimes, flood peaks and volumes, soil-water relationships, sediment yields, and groundwater recharge. Parameter-optimization and sensitivity analysis capabilites are provided to fit selected model parameters and evaluate their individual and joint effects on model output. The modular design provides a flexible framework for continued model system enhancement and hydrologic modeling research and development. (Author 's abstract)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1978

Site evaluation for U.S. Bureau of Mines experimental oil-shale mine, Piceance Creek basin, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

The U.S. Geological Survey is cooperating with the U.S. Bureau of Mines in the selection of a site for a shaft and experimental mine to be constructed in the Piceance Creek basin, Rio Blanco County, Colo. The Piceance Creek basin, an asymmetric, northwest-trending large structural downwarp, is located approximately 40 km (25 mi) west of the town of Meeker in Rio Blanco County, Colo. The oil-shale, dawsonite, nahcolite, and halite deposits of the Piceance Creek basin occur in the lacustrine Green River Formation of Eocene age. In the basin the Green River Formation comprises three members. In ascending order, they are the Douglas Creek, the Garden Gulch, and the Parachute Creek Members, Four sites are presented for consideration and evaluated on geology and hydrology with respect to shale-oil economics. Evaluated criteria include: (1) stratigraphy, (2) size of site, (3) oil-shale yield, (4) representative quantities of the saline minerals dawsonite and nahcolite, which must be present with a minimum amount of halite, (5) thickness of a 'leached' saline zone, (6) geologic structure, (7) engineering characteristics of rock, (8) representative surface and ground-water conditions, with emphasis on waste disposal and dewatering, and (9) environmental considerations. Serious construction and support problems are anticipated in sinking a deep shaft in the Piceance Creek basin. The two major concerns will be dealing with incompetent rock and large inflow of saline ground water, particularly in the leached zone. Engineering support problems will include stabilizing and hardening the rock from which a certain amount of ground water has been removed. The relative suitability of the four potential oil-shale experimental shaft sites in the Piceance Creek basin has been considered on the basis of all available geologic, hydrologic, and engineering data; site 2 is preferred to sites 1, 3, and 4, The units in this report are presented in the form: metric (English). Both units of measurement are necessary as measurements were taken in English units, and most of the contracting agencies involved are using predominantly English units.

Open-File Report↗