Search USGS⌕ Search

Geology topics

Research about North Dakota

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including North Dakota.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
USGS1975

Magnitude and frequency of floods in small drainage basins in North Dakota

This report describes methods for estimating flood-peak discharges having 2- to 50-year recurrence intervals on North Dakota streams draining less than 100 square miles ( 259 square kilometres). For gaged sites, frequency estimates are provided directly. For ungaged sites, flood peaks are estimated from multiple-regression equations using drainage-area size and, in two regions, soil-infiltration index as estimating variables. Nomographs provide simple solutions for the equations for flood-peak discharges having recurrence intervals of 10, 25, and 50 years. The methods described are not applicable to streams draining urban areas or basins affected by man-made regulation. Information is also provided on the maximum flood magnitude experienced.

North Dakota↗
USGS1975

Geology of Griggs and Steele Counties

Griggs and Steele Counties, located at the eastern edge of the Williston basin, are underlain by 400 to 2,600 feet of Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks that dip gently to the west. The Cretaceous Greenhorn, Carlile, Niobrara, and Pierre Formations lie directly beneath the glacial drift, and shale of the Pierre Formation is exposed in several places along the Sheyenne River. The Pleistocene Coleharbor Formation, which covers most of the area, consists mainly of glacial, fluvial, and lake sediment. The Coleharbor Formation averages 200 to 300 feet thick, but it is as much as 550 feet thick in some of the buried valleys. The Holocene Walsh Formation occurs in parts of the area, chiefly sloughs and river bottomland. It consists mainly of alluvial and eolian sediment. Griggs County and the western two-thirds of Steele County are part of the Drift Prairie, which is characterized by flat to gently rolling topography that is rugged in areas of end moraines and intense ice thrusting, subdued on the ground moraine and outwash plains. Associated with these major landforms are numerous washboard moraines, drumlins, eskers, kames, meltwater trenches, and water-washed areas. The eastern third of Steele County is a nearly flat area covered by lake deposits of the glacial Lake Agassiz. As the Late Wisconsinan glacier in eastern North Dakota thinned and receded eastward, it was increasingly affected by the topography over which it was flowing. This resulted in lobation of the glacier. Locally intense areas of thrusting developed within the lobate glacier, and large blocks of subglacial material were moved short distances. Large areas of Griggs County were washed by water flowing from the glacier, and in some areas gravel and sand were deposited. Continued withdrawal of the glacier resulted in ponding of melt water in parts of the two counties. These and other ponds tended to coalesce at lower and lower elevations, eventually forming Lake Agassiz, which flooded part of eastern Steele County.

North Dakota↗
USGS1974

Homing to nest baskets by wild female mallards

A high rate of homing to nest baskets by adult female mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) was observed in prairie potholes of North Dakota. One hundred and thirteen female mallards were caught on nest baskets, banded, and marked with nasal saddles. Forty-six percent homed at least once to nest baskets in the marshes where they were previously captured. Two-thirds of the returnees were observed in the same baskets where they had been caught. The observed rate of homing by previously successful nesters (52 percent) was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than by unsuccessful nesters (16 percent). Nesting success was 83 percent in the year of marking and 90 percent in subsequent years. Seven (5 percent) of an estimated 140 marked female 1-day-old ducklings that hatched in nest baskets were recaptured as nesting adults in baskets. Five of these hens returned to their natal marshes, and two others were found within 2 km of their natal marshes. Band recovery data indicated that 91 percent of the hunting mortality occurred within 10 km of the banding locations. Information on estimated rate of annual survival and the observed rate of homing suggests that nearly all surviving marked adults returned to within 10 km of the marshes where they were banded.

North Dakota↗
USGS1974

Feeding Ecology of Breeding Blue-Winged Teals

A 5-year investigation of factors influencing the selection of foods consumed by blue-winged teals ( Anas discors ) during the breeding season in the glaciated prairie region of south-central North Dakota showed that birds first arriving on the breeding grounds consumed a diet consisting of 45 percent invertebrates. The proportion of animal foods in the diet increased to 95 percent at the onset of the nesting season. The quality and quantity of foods selected at any given time were influenced by the biological demands and morphological adaptations of the bird, the behavior and ecology of the invertebrates selected as foods, and the general nature of the aquatic ecosystems as determined by the hydrology and geology of the area and modified by land use and weather. Feeding activities changed significantly when food availability within the aquatic ecosystem changed. During the spring and early summer, temporary and seasonal wetlands, if not severely disturbed, were of paramount importance to breeding blue-winged teals since they provided abundant and readily available, high protein, animal foods. Later in the summer when seasonal wetlands began to dry up, insects began to emerge in the semipermanent ponds and lakes, and feeding intensity shifted to these more permanent waters. This trend, however, was often reversed temporarily during the early summer following heavy precipitation that refilled shallow water areas and again stimulated invertebrate development.

North Dakota↗
USGS1974

Foods of breeding pintails in North Dakota

Food habits of breeding pintails ( Anas acuta ) were studied relative to sex, land use, and reproductive condition during the spring and summer of 1969, 1970, and 1971 in eastern North Dakota. Hens and drakes, respectively, consumed 79.2 percent and 30.0 percent animal matter on nontilled wetlands and consumed 16.6 percent and 1.1 percent animal matter on tilled wetlands. Aquatic dipterans (primarily larval forms), snails, fairy shrimp, and earthworms accounted for 71 percent of the diet of hens on nontilled wetlands, while barnyard grass ( Echinochloa crusgalli ) seeds formed 71 percent of the diet of hens on tilled wetlands. Cereal grain seeds formed 84 percent of the diet of 10 hens feeding on cropland. The diet of hens was influenced by reproductive status. Animal foods were predominant during the laying period (77.1 percent) but were less important in the postlaying diet (28.9 percent). Invertebrates formed 83.9 percent of the diet of renesting hens, 61.0 percent were dipteran larvae and snails. High consumption of animal foods during egg formation presumably is related to invertebrates being superior to plants in providing certain nutrients required for production of viable eggs. Research findings suggest that food requirements of prairie-nesting pintails can be met most effectively by providing pairs access to shallow, nontilled wetland habitat subject to periodic drawdowns.

North Dakota↗
USGS1974

Preliminary map showing availability of ground water from major glacial-drift aquifers in Griggs and Steele Counties, North Dakota

This investigation is part of a statewide program to determine the location, extent, and hydrologic characteristics of the ground-water reservoirs (aquifers). The investigation was made cooperatively by the U.S. Geological Survey, North Dakota State Water Commission, North Dakota Geological Survey, and Griggs and Steele Counties Water Management Districts. This preliminary map is the first product of an intensive study of Griggs and Steele Counties. A well inventory provided data on depth, construction, and productivity of private and public wells. Test drilling by the North Dakota State Water Commission, Federal agencies, and commercial well drillers provided information regarding the thickness, grain size, and extent of the aquifers. Potential well yields were estimated from the thickness and hydraulic conductivity of the water-bearing materials logged at each test hole, and from aquifer tests. Generally, the yield of a well is proportional to the hydraulic conductivity and thickness of the aquifer.

North Dakota↗
USGS1974

An investigation of basin effects on flood discharges in North Dakota

An investigation of the relationship of peak discharge to causative storm variables and drainage-basin characteristics was made to provide guidelines for future analyses of frequency and magnitudes of floods from small drainage areas. The procedure used was (l) to estimate peak discharges on the ll study basins from multiple-regression models developed from the storm variables and (2) to relate the peak discharges to the basin characteristics through regression or correlation with particular attention given to the effect of basin shape. The average standard error of estimate for the peak discharges ranged from n5 to 119 percent when only the four storm variables common to most basins were used.

North Dakota↗
USGS1973

High survival and homing rate of hand-reared wild-strain mallards

In the summer of 1970, 648 (329 males and 319 females) hand-reared wild-strain mallards ( Anas platyrhynchos ) were banded and released at the Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge, Edmunds, North Dakota. The females were also marked with numbered nasal saddles. Liberation was by the gentle release method, and no special effort was made to isolate or condition the ducklings prior to release. Ducklings were placed in an enclosed pond area at 25 to 45 days of age. Altogether, 627 (97 percent) ducklings reached flight age and dispersed gradually into the wild. All had left the release area by 25 November. First-year band recovery reports indicated that 68 (11 percent) of the birds were shot in 15 states. Their migration pattern was similar to that for immature wild mallards banded in North Dakota in 1970. Eighty-nine (33 percent) of a possible 270 marked females returned to Arrowwood Refuge during 1971. When consideration is given to assumed normal natural mortality and crippling loss, an estimated minimum of 43 percent of the surviving females returned to the release area. Returning birds not observed would raise this figure even higher. This potential homing rate is considerably higher than rates reported for other studies using various strains of mallards. Numerous observations of nests and broods indicated that breeding behavior and nesting success were similar to those of wild mallards in the area. The success of this release is attributed to the inherent capability of hand-reared, wild-strain mallards to revert to their wild behavior, and to the high survival to flight age and first fall migration afforded by the gentle release in a sanctuary area. Indications are that releases of this type under the described conditions can be used to increase the breeding population of mallards in a local area.

North Dakota↗
USGS1973

Mercury residues in pintails breeding in North Dakota

Livers of 42 pintail hens ( Anas acuta ) breeding in eastern North Dakota during the spring and early summer of 1969 and 1970 were analyzed for total mercury by the neutron activation technique. Mercury content on a wet weight basis ranged from 0.055 ppm to 9.512 ppm and averaged 0.888 ± 1.796 ppm (SD). Liver mercury levels of hens collected in early spring (prior to planting of crops) were significantly lower than those of hens taken late in the nesting season ( P < 0.01). Mercury residues among prelaying, laying, and postlaying groups collected following the onset of spring planting did not differ significantly ( P > 0.05). Albumen mercury residue was correlated with liver mercury content (r = 0.756, P < 0.05). Mercury content in livers of five wild juveniles averaged 0.123 ± 0.074 ppm.

North Dakota↗
USGS1973

Land use and prairie grouse population relationships in North Dakota

The relationship between prairie grouse and land use was studied during the period 1964-71. Prairie chickens ( Tympanuchus cupido ) declined from 48 males in 1964 to none in 1971. Sharp-tailed grouse ( Pedioecetes phasianellus ) declined from 166 males in 1964 to 57 in 1971. These declines were related to the decline in vigor and eventual loss of Soil Bank habitat on the study area. Two new courtship grounds, established near fields recently retired under the Cropland Adjustment Program, were used by 44 percent of the male sharp-tailed grouse population in 1971. Hay lands on the study area did not support prairie grouse. Pasture lands were of no apparent value to prairie chickens and of limited value to sharp-tailed grouse. Management for prairie grouse should be directed toward developing and maintaining vigorous grass-forb communities on retired croplands and native prairie.

North Dakota↗
USGS1973

An incident of fenthion mosquito control and subsequent avian mortality

Mass mortality among migratory birds at Grand Forks, North Dakota, was attributed to a mosquito control operation employing the insecticide fenthion. The factors involved may have included the toxicity of the pesticide for birds, the method of application and coincidence with the peak of the spring warbler migration.

North Dakota↗