Geology topics

Jack E. Veenhuis

Publications and source records attributed to Jack E. Veenhuis.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2003

Municipal stormwater sampling program, metropolitan area, Albuquerque, New Mexico—summary of sampling, 1992–2002

Since 1992, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Albuquerque, the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo and Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA), the New Mexico Highway Department (NMHD), and the University of New Mexico (UNM), has collected stormwater-quality data to meet regulatory requirements for the application phase of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permit. The phase I permit requirements apply to cities with populations of 100,000 or greater (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1990). This report describes the stormwater sampling program implemented in the City of Albuquerque from 1992 to the present (2002).

Fact Sheet↗

USGS2002

Effects of wildfire on the hydrology of Frijoles and Capulin canyons in and near Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

In June 1977, the La Mesa wildfire burned 15,270 acres in and near Frijoles Canyon in Bandelier National Monument (BNM) and the adjacent Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. In April 1996, the Dome wildfire in BNM burned 16,516 acres in and near Capulin Canyon and the surrounding Dome Wilderness area. Both Frijoles and Capulin Canyon watersheds are characterized by archeological artifacts that could be affected by increased runoff and accelerated rates of erosion, which typically occur after a fire. In response to this concern, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Park Service, conducted a study to monitor and document the wildfire effects on streamflow after the 1996 Dome fire.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS2002

Effects of Wildfire on the Hydrology of Capulin and Rito de los Frijoles canyons, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

In June of 1977, the La Mesa wildfire burned 15,270 acres in and around Frijoles Canyon in Bandelier National Monument and the adjacent Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. The Dome wildfire in April of 1996 in Bandelier National Monument burned 16,516 acres in Capulin Canyon and the surrounding Dome Wilderness area. Both watersheds are characterized by abundant and extensive archeological sites that could be affected by increased runoff and accelerated rates of erosion, which typically occur after a wildfire. The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service monitored the wildfires' effects on streamflow in both canyons. The magnitude of large stormflows increased dramatically after these wildfires; peak flows at the most downstream streamflow-gaging station in Frijoles and Capulin Canyons increased to about 160 times the maximum recorded flood prior to the fire. Maximum peak flow was 3,030 cubic feet per second at the gaging station in Frijoles Canyon (drainage area equals 18.1 square miles) and 3,630 cubic feet per second at the most downstream crest-stage gage in Capulin Canyon (drainage area equals 14.1 square miles). The pre-fire maximum peak flow recorded in these two canyons was 19 and an estimated 25 cubic feet per second, respectively. As vegetation reestablished itself during the second year, the post-fire annual maximum peak flow decreased to about 10 to 15 times the pre-fire annual maximum peak flow. During the third year, maximum annual peak flows decreased to about three to five times the pre-fire maximum peak flow. In the 22 years since the La Mesa wildfire, flood magnitudes have not completely returned to pre-fire size. Post-fire flood magnitudes in Frijoles and Capulin Canyons do not exceed the maximum floods per drainage area for physiographic regions 5 and 6 in New Mexico. For a burned watershed, however, the peak flows that occur after a wildfire are several orders of magnitude larger than normal forested watershed peak flows. The frequency of larger stormflows also increased in response to the effects of the wildfires in both canyons. In Frijoles Canyon, the number of peak stormflows greater than the pre-fire maximum flow of 19 cubic feet per second was 15 in 1977, 9 in 1978, and 5 in 1979, which is about the magnitude of the maximum pre-fire peak flow in both canyons. Again the hydrologic effects of a wildfire seem to be more pronounced for the 3 years following the date of the fire. Likewise, larger peakflows occurred more frequently in Capulin Canyon for the first 3 years after the 1996 wildfire. Median suspended-sediment concentrations in samples collected in Frijoles Canyon in 1977 were 1,330 milligrams per liter; median concentrations were 16 milligrams per liter after the watershed stabilized in 1993-95. The annual load calculated from regression equations for load compared to flow for the first year after the wildfire was 220 times the annual load for the post-recovery period. To convey the increased frequency and magnitude of average flows in Capulin Canyon after the 1996 Dome wildfire, the stream channel in Capulin Canyon increased in flow capacity by widening and downcutting. As Capulin Canyon peak flows have decreased in both magnitude and frequency with vegetative recovery, the stream channel also has slowly begun to readjust. The channel at the most downstream crest-stage gage, which has the shallowest initial valley slope, is showing the first signs of aggradation.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1987

Effects of runoff controls on the quantity and quality of urban runoff at two locations in Austin, Texas

Rapid urban development in the Austin metropolitan area, Texas, is causing concern about increasing peak discharges from storm runoff and the degradation of the quality of water in receiving streams, lakes, and aquifers. In an attempt to decrease peak discharges and improve water quality, runoff controls are being required in some watersheds. This report summarizes the precipitation, streamflow, and water-quality data collected from September 1982 to September 1984 upstream and downstream from runoff controls at two locations, and presents the effects of these runoff controls on streamflow and the quality of runoff water. The two controls are a detention and filtering pond near Barton Creek Square Shopping Center, a large shopping center southwest of downtown Austin, and a grass-swale control in the Al ta Vista Planned Unit Development, a multipie-family housing area. At Barton Creek Square Shopping Center, rainfall for the storms analyzed ranged from 0.14 to 2.88 inches. The rainfall rate for the September 7, 1983, storm exceeded the 100-year return period for the 5- and 10-minute duration and was equal to the 50-year return period for the 15-minute duration. Peak discharge at the inflow station to the detention pond was closely related to the maximum rainfall during a 5-minute period and occurred about 10 minutes later. The maximum inflow at this station was 185 cubic feet per second and appeared to be the limit of the storm sewer system. For small- and moderate-sized storms, the runoff is contained in the detention pond and passes through a filter system. Runoff from large storms overflows into the drop outlet. For storms contained in the pond, peak discharges at the outflow station generally were less than 3.1 cubic feet per second. As time passed, the outflow peak discharges tended to decrease as a result of reduced permeability of the filter. Cleaning the filter appeared to increase the peak flows but did not restore them to the previous level. The runoff-rainfall ratio averaged 0.85 at the inflow station and 0.36 at the outflow station. A water budget shows unexplained losses to average 20 percent. At the Barton Creek Square Shopping Center, discharge-weighted densities of fecal-col iform and fecal-streptococci bacteria and discharge-weighted concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, suspended solids, total ammonia plus organic nitrogen, and total phosphorus generally were larger in the inflow than in the outflow. Discharge-weighted concentrations of dissolved lead, dissolved iron, and dissolved zinc generally were small in both the inflow and outflow; however, the larger discharge-weighted concentrations of these constituents generally were found in the inflow. Discharge-weighted concentrations of volatile dissolved solids were smaller in the inflow than in the outflow for 10 of the 22 storms analyzed. Discharge-weighted concentrations of total nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen and dissolved solids generally were much smaller in the inflow than in the outflow. It is likely that organic and ammonia nitrogen trapped in the pond from previous storms and in the inflow water as it flows through the pond is being oxidized to nitrite and nitrate nitrogen. Similarly, dissolved solids retained in the filter or on the bed of the pond from previous storms are being leached to the outflow. Measured peak concentrations or densities of most constituents in the inflow were significantly larger than those in the outflow for most constituents. An exception was noted for concentrations of total nitrite plus nitrate which were larger in the outflow than the inflow as indicated by discrete sample analysis for six storms. Loads of most constituents and total numbers of bacteria were significantly larger in the inflow than in the outflow. The total numbers of bacteria were reduced by approximately 80 percent. Average removal efficiencies for suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, total organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand, and dissolved zinc ranged between 60 and 80 percent. The average loads of dissolved solids were approximately 13 percent larger in the outflow than the inflow. Average loads of total nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen were approximately 110 percent larger in the outflow than in the inflow. The increase in loads of these constituents is due to material being leached from the bed of the pond or from the filter system. At Al ta Vista, rainfall for the storms analyzed ranged from 0.25 to 2.00 inches. The maximum rainfall intensity was 0.30 inch for a 5-minute interval. The runoff-rainfall ratio averaged 0.42 and appeared to be evenly distributed about the mean ratio line. The peak discharge at the inflow station to the grass-covered swale area was 0.93 cubic foot per second. Inaccuracies of discharge at the outflow station and variations in the ungaged drainage area with the size of the storm prevented a hydrologic analysis of the basin above this station. Discharge-weighted concentrations of total phosphorus were larger in the outflow than in the inflow for each of the 19 storms analyzed. Discharge-weighted concentrations of dissolved solids, volatile dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and total organic carbon were larger in the outflow than in the inflow for at least 12 of the 19 storms analyzed. Discharge-weighted densities of fecal streptococci were decreased between the inflow and outflow, with discharge-weighted densities of fecal streptococci being less in the outflow for 15 of the 19 storms analyzed. Because of the relatively small variations in concentrations and densities of constituents between the inflow and outflow sites, and because of the errors in discharge at the outflow gage, it is not feasible to determine the effect of the grass-covered swales on discharge-weighted concentrations and densities of water-quality constituents. Discrete concentrations or densities of most constituents were not decreased. Peak concentrations of dissolved solids in the outflow exceeded peak concentrations in the inflow for all five of the storms analyzed with discrete samples. Peak concentrations of suspended solids, total ammonia plus organic nitrogen, total nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, total nitrogen, and dissolved iron were larger in the outflow than in the inflow for four of the five storms analyzed. Load-removal efficiencies of water-quality constituents could not be determined because of inaccuracies in measuring discharge at the outflow site,

Texas↗

USGS1986

The effects of urbanization on floods in the Austin metropolitan area, Texas

The effects of urbanization on flood peaks in streams in the Austin metropolitan area were studied in two separate analyses. In the first analysis, annual peak discharge records at 13 streamflow-gaging sites were used to compute a recorded flood frequency relation for each site. Rainfall and streamflow data for 10 to 20 storms for each of these sites were used to calibrate a rainfall-runoff model in which a 55-year rainfall record was used to simulate 55 annual peak discharges. These simulated discharges also were used to develop a flood-frequency relation at each site. The flood-frequency relations from recorded and generated data were then combined by weighting the recorded flood frequency by the years of record at each site to produce a combined (or weighted) flood frequency at each site. Flood frequencies for all 13 sites were subsequently regressed against basin characteristics at each site to determine possible effects of urbanization. The regression analysis of the combined flood-frequency data for the 13 sites yielded an equation for estimating floods of a given recurrence interval at ungaged sites in the Austin area as a function of the contributing drainage area, the total impervious area percentage, and basin shape. The regression equation estimates that a near fully developed hypothetical drainage basin (impervious area percentage, 45) would have discharges for the 2- and 100-year recurrence interval that are 99 percent and 73 percent greater, respectively, than discharges for those frequencies from a rural drainage basin (impervious percentage, 0). In the second analysis, records at one streamflow-gaging site on Waller Creek were analyzed for changes in rainfall-runoff and flood-frequency relations due to urbanization. Annual peak discharges from 1956 to 1980 and data from a total of 80 storms at the Waller Creek site were analyzed. Both analyses showed increases comparable to those predicted using the equations developed from the 13-station analysis. The last 14 years of record (the near fully developed land-use stage for the Waller Creek analysis) at the two sites on Waller Creek were part of the 13-station analysis.

Texas↗