SEARCH · Search USGS

Results for “Basin Planning Report”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

USGS2015

Rangewide climate vulnerability assessment for threatened Bull Trout

The bull trout, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, is well adapted to the cold waters of the Northwest. Recent changes in climate have caused winter flooding and warmer summer water temperatures in the region, reducing the cold-water habitats that bull trout depend on. The southernmost bull trout populations, found in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada, are currently restricted to small reserves where the coldest waters still exist. These shrinking habitats have created a severed environment being further split by dams, poor water quality, and invasive species. The goal of this project was to determine how these factors threaten the species regionally by using predictions of stream temperature to map habitat areas that support juvenile bull trout. Results show that maintaining larger areas of cold water habitat had the greatest, positive impact on bull trout habitat conservation. Other conditions that support bull trout include very cold summer water temperatures, fewer winter floods, and fewer human disturbances (such as the building of dams). Based on these results, specific climate adaptation actions that local managers might consider include prioritizing land and water use to foster colder summer water temperatures, controlling invasive species, increasing connectivity between Bull Trout habitats, and continuing monitoring efforts. To ensure that these results and habitat maps could be incorporated into management actions, researchers met with stakeholders including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U.S. Forest Service, and the Burns Paiute Tribe. As a result, the maps were used in forest planning for the Lolo National Forest in Montana, the Wenatchee River basin, and in the lower Pend Oreille River during the relicensing process for local dam operations. In addition, the recovery plan proposed by the USFWS incorporated these models into detailed analyses of bull trout habitat loss, which managers can use to prioritize actions in their Recovery Unit Implementation Plans.

Report↗

USGS2025

Collaborative drought science planning in the Colorado River Basin

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is using collaborative, interdisciplinary planning to develop data and tools needed to optimize the management of water resources and land use by resource management agencies during an ongoing, multidecadal drought in the Colorado River Basin. The USGS Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology team works to build relationships with resource management agencies and other stakeholders who can benefit from the use of USGS data and products. In 2023, the Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology team hosted a series of collaborative workshops to bring together representatives of resource management agencies and other stakeholders (any person or entity with interests in a resource or location) with USGS program managers, scientists, and multidisciplinary subject matter experts to codevelop concepts for interdisciplinary drought science and technology projects to address pressing needs related to drought in the Colorado River Basin. Workshop participants identified current and recent scientific data that could be shared through a centralized online data portal. Workshop participants also identified drought science and technology needs and developed project concepts to address those science needs. Participants categorized project concepts based on their potential to develop short-, mid-, and long-term drought science data and tools, provide for the spatial or temporal expansion of ongoing USGS science projects, and address high-priority science needs. Participants developed nine project concepts: (1) understanding shifting ecohydrologic baselines, (2) San Juan River Basin synthesis, (3) incorporating dynamic land cover into hydrologic models, (4) aridification compared to drought, (5) surface water-groundwater interactions, (6) cascading effects of drought on dust, (7) cascading effects of drought on water availability, (8) cascading effects of drought on socioeconomic factors, and (9) the value of water in the Colorado River Basin. This report provides an overview of the 2023 Codesign Workshop Series, synthesized outcomes from workshop materials and discussions, and science project concepts that emerged from the collaborative meetings that will continue to be refined into science project proposals through codevelopment processes. This report also highlights lessons learned and next steps needed to receive feedback and testing of the USGS Science Collaboration Portal, continue collaboration to develop detailed specifics and steps for short-term wins, develop interdisciplinary project proposals, and implement science planning and studies.

Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico,↗

USGS1999

Water use in Kansas, 1990 and 1995

This fact sheet illustrates comparative water use from ground and surface sources for 1990 and 1995 for the largest categories of use in Kansas: public supply, irrigation, industrial and mining, livestock, and thermoelectric power generation. Total populations, including those served by public-water suppliers and those using private wells, also are illustrated. These data are organized by major river basin to provide perspective on trends in water use among geographic areas in Kansas. This fact sheet is produced as part of an ongoing cooperative study with the Kansas Water Office and is supported in part by the Kansas State Water Plan Fund.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS1969

Willamette Basin Comprehensive Study of Water and Related Land Resources: Appendix B--Hydrology

The study was undertaken to plan for the proper development of water and related land resources of the Willamette Basin in Oregon. Appendix B , along with Appendices A and C, provides supporting data for the functional Appendices D through L. Climate is first discussed, including the climatic significance of geographical features such as the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia Gorge, and the Coast and Cascade Ranges, climatic elements (e.g. , temperature, precipitation, evaporation), and meteorological aspects of major storms--rain, wind, and snow. A description of water resources , their distribution, and their variation at different times are presented. These resources are described in terms of factors influencing the occurrence of water . Specifically reviewed here are surface waters, groundwater, the relationship between surface and groundwater, management programs, and water rights and legal restrictions. Lastly, the adequacy of hydrologic data is reviewed. Statistical and interpretive hydrologic data necessary for broadscale water resources planning are provided. Data assembled are those concerning climate, streamflow, lakes and glaciers, chemical-quality, sediment, stream temperature, and groundwater. Geologic and soils mapping are briefly discussed, and a list of references is provided.

Report↗

USGS2019

Geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, New Mexico, 2017

About one-quarter of the water supply for the Village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, is derived from groundwater pumping along North Fork Eagle Creek in the Eagle Creek Basin near Alto, New Mexico. Because of concerns regarding the effects of groundwater pumping on surface-water hydrology in the Eagle Creek Basin and the effects of the 2012 Little Bear Fire, which resulted in substantial losses of vegetation in the basin, the monitoring of North Fork Eagle Creek for short-term geomorphic change has been required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Lincoln National Forest, as part of the permitting decision that allows for the continued pumping of the production wells. The monitoring of short-term geomorphic change in North Fork Eagle Creek began in June 2017 with a geomorphic survey of the stream reach located between the North Fork Eagle Creek near Alto, New Mexico, streamflow-gaging station (USGS site 08387550) and the Eagle Creek below South Fork near Alto, New Mexico, streamflow-gaging station (USGS site 08387600). The 2017 geomorphic survey was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Village of Ruidoso, and was the first in a planned series of five annual geomorphic surveys. The results of the 2017 geomorphic survey are summarized and interpreted in this report and are provided in their entirety in its companion data release. The study reach is 1.86 miles long, and large sections of the reach are characterized by intermittent streamflow. Where water is normally present (including at the upper and lower portions of the reach near the streamflow-gaging stations), the discharge typically remains below 2 cubic feet per second throughout the year. Therefore, if geomorphic change is to occur, it will likely be driven by seasonal high-flow events. Discharge records from streamflow-gaging stations in the Eagle Creek Basin indicated that high-flow events in the basin (with peaks above 50 cubic feet per second) typically occurred during the North American monsoon months of July, August, and September. Additionally, the records appear to indicate that, as expected, overland runoff and “flashy” responses to rainfall have increased in the 5 years since the 2012 Little Bear Fire. For the 2017 geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, cross sections were established and surveyed at 14 locations along the study reach. Cross-section survey results indicated that channel characteristics (including channel width and area) varied widely along the study reach. Also, as part of the survey, woody debris accumulations and pools in the channel of the study reach were identified, cataloged, photographed, and surveyed for location. There were 58 woody debris accumulations and 14 pools found in the study reach. On the basis that debris jams could be a driver of geomorphic change in North Fork Eagle Creek, woody debris accumulations were classified according to their debris jam potential. The burn marks found on some woody debris indicated that the 2012 Little Bear Fire may be a contributing factor to the volume of debris in North Fork Eagle Creek. However, the woody debris present at the time of the survey did not appear to have substantially affected the geomorphic state of the study reach. Further, the structure and composition of the woody debris accumulations indicated that, under high-flow conditions, most woody debris would likely be transported downstream and out of the study reach without causing substantial geomorphic change through further jamming.

New Mexico↗

USGS2014

Updated estimates of long-term average dissolved-solids loading in streams and rivers of the Upper Colorado River Basin

The Colorado River and its tributaries supply water to more than 35 million people in the United States and 3 million people in Mexico, irrigating over 4.5 million acres of farmland, and annually generating about 12 billion kilowatt hours of hydroelectric power. The Upper Colorado River Basin, part of the Colorado River Basin, encompasses more than 110,000 mi 2 and is the source of much of more than 9 million tons of dissolved solids that annually flows past the Hoover Dam. High dissolved-solids concentrations in the river are the cause of substantial economic damages to users, primarily in reduced agricultural crop yields and corrosion, with damages estimated to be greater than 300 million dollars annually. In 1974, the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act created the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program to investigate and implement a broad range of salinity control measures. A 2009 study by the U.S. Geological Survey, supported by the Salinity Control Program, used the Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes surface-water quality model to examine dissolved-solids supply and transport within the Upper Colorado River Basin. Dissolved-solids loads developed for 218 monitoring sites were used to calibrate the 2009 Upper Colorado River Basin Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes dissolved-solids model. This study updates and develops new dissolved-solids loading estimates for 323 Upper Colorado River Basin monitoring sites using streamflow and dissolved-solids concentration data through 2012, to support a planned Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes modeling effort that will investigate the contributions to dissolved-solids loads from irrigation and rangeland practices.

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming↗

USGS2024

U.S. Geological Survey Mississippi River Science Forum—Summary of data and science needs and next steps

The U.S. Geological Survey hosted a Mississippi River Science Forum with Federal agencies; Tribal, State, and local governments located in States that border the Mississippi River; academia; and other interested stakeholders. The purpose of the forum was to share current (2023) science; identify data gaps and areas of concern; and to prioritize next steps needed to advance the goals of improving water quality, restoring habitat and natural systems, improving navigation, eliminating aquatic invasive species, and building local resilience to natural disasters along the Mississippi River. The forum was a directive for the U.S. Geological Survey in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 (Public Law 117—103, 136 Stat. 49). Participants and stakeholders that attended the Mississippi River Science Forum indicated the following. A Mississippi River Science Committee could bring together the voices of all stakeholders, including Federal agencies; State, local, and Tribal governments; academia; nongovernmental organizations; business and industry; and other interested parties. This committee would also work with (but not replace) Mississippi River Basin entities already in place and establish effective communication to identify and address Basin-wide management needs and to develop holistic solutions for those needs. A Mississippi River science plan could expand on the science and data gaps identified by the Forum. This plan could guide data collection and help resource managers develop and implement restoration initiatives within the Basin, recognizing that addressing these needs will require substantial resources. The science committee, working with other entities in the basin, should develop data standards for the Mississippi River Basin that allow stakeholders to utilize comparable data to address their needs. These standards would include data findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability. This report highlights data gaps and areas of concern discussed during the forum, and it identifies needs to advance the goals of improving water quality, restoring habitat and natural systems, improving navigation, eliminating aquatic invasive species, and building local resilience to natural disasters with specific emphasis on data collection and measurement, and scientific investigation. The report also summarizes stakeholder input and feedback and outlines next steps identified by forum participants.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2004

Nutrient concentrations in Upper and Lower Echo, Fallen Leaf, Spooner, and Marlette Lakes and associated outlet streams, California and Nevada, 2002-03

Five lakes and their outlet streams in the Lake Tahoe Basin were sampled for nutrients during 2002-03. The lakes and streams sampled included Upper Echo, Lower Echo, Fallen Leaf, Spooner, and Marlette Lakes and Echo, Taylor, and Marlette Creeks. Water samples were collected to determine seasonal and spatial concentrations of dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved ammonia, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, dissolved orthophosphate, total phosphorus, and total bioreactive iron. These data will be used by Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in revising threshold values for waters within the Lake Tahoe Basin. Standard U.S. Geological Survey methods of sample collection and analysis were used and are detailed herein. Data collected during this study and summary statistics are presented in graphical and tabular form.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2010

Relations Between Rainfall and Postfire Debris-Flow and Flood Magnitudes for Emergency-Response Planning, San Gabriel Mountains, Southern California

Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies are faced often with making evacuation decisions and deploying resources both well in advance of each coming winter storm and during storms themselves. Information critical to this process is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The National Weather Service (NWS) issues Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts (QPFs) for the San Gabriel Mountains twice a day, at approximately 4 a.m. and 4 p.m., along with unscheduled updates when conditions change. QPFs provide estimates of rainfall totals in 3-hour increments for the first 12-hour period and in 6-hour increments for the second 12-hour period. Estimates of one-hour rainfall intensities can be provided in the forecast narrative, along with probable peak intensities and timing, although with less confidence than rainfall totals. A compilation of information on the hydrologic response to winter storms from recently burned areas in southern California steeplands was used to develop a system for classifying the magnitude of the postfire hydrologic response. The four-class system is based on a combination of the reported volume of individual debris flows, the consequences of these events in an urban setting, and the spatial extent of the response to the triggering storm. Threshold rainfall conditions associated with debris flow and floods of different magnitude classes are defined by integrating local rainfall data with debris-flow and flood magnitude information. The within-storm rainfall accumulations (A) and durations (D) above which magnitude I events are expected are defined by A=0.3D0.6. The function A=0.5D0.6 defines the within-storm rainfall accumulations and durations above which a magnitude III event will occur in response to a regional-scale storm, and a magnitude II event will occur if the storm affects only a few drainage basins. The function A=1.0D0.5defines the rainfall conditions above which magnitude III events can be expected. Rainfall trigger-magnitude relations are linked with potential emergency-response actions in the form of an emergency-response decision chart. The chart leads a user through steps to determine potential event magnitudes, and identify possible evacuation and resource-deployment levels as a function of either individual storm forecasts or measured precipitation during storms. The ability to use this information in the planning and response decision-making process may result in significant financial savings and increased safety for both the public and emergency responders.

Open-File Report↗

USGS1973

Climatic factors related to land-use planning in the Puget Sound basin, Washington

Climate is a basic part of the natural environment and exerts a strong influence on many of man's activities. In the Puget Sound basin especially, effective land-use planning requires consideration of climatic influences, for the climate differs significantly in the various parts of the area. However, climatic information may not be given adequate consideration in the planning process if pertinent data are not readily available or if the importance of some climatic features is not apparent. The purpose of this study is to review available data related to the climate of the Puget Sound basin and to present selected climatic information along with an evaluation of its significance and general adequacy for planning purposes. This is part of continuing efforts aimed at imporving the accessibility and usefulness of environmental and other data needed for land-use planning, resource development, and environmental protection.

Washington↗

USGS2003

Emergency Assessment of Debris-Flow Hazards from Basins Burned by the Grand Prix and Old Fires of 2003, Southern California

These maps present preliminary assessments of the probability of debris-flow activity and estimates of peak discharges that can potentially be generated by debris flows issuing from basins burned by the Old and Grand Prix Fires of October 2003 in southern California in response to the 25-year, 10-year, and 2-year recurrence, 1-hour duration rain storms. The probability maps are based on the application of a logistic multiple regression model that describes the percent chance of debris-flow production from an individual basin as function of burned extent, soil properties, basin gradients and storm rainfall. The peak discharge maps are based on application of a multiple-regression model that can be used to estimate debris-flow peak discharge at a basin outlet as a function of basin gradient, burn extent, and storm rainfall. Probabilities of debris-flow occurrence range between 0 and 85% and estimates of debris flow peak discharges range between 460 and 5,900 ft3/s (13 to 167 m3/s). These maps are intended to identify those basins that are most prone to the largest debris-flow events and provide critical information for the preliminary design of mitigation measures and for the planning of evacuation timing and routes.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2003

Cruise report for A1-02-SC southern California CABRILLO project, Earthquake Hazards Task

A two-week marine geophysical survey obtained sidescan-sonar images and multiple sets of high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles in the southern California offshore area between Point Arguello and Point Dume. The data were obtained to support two project activities of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology (CMG) Program: (1) the evaluation of the geologic hazards posed by earthquake faults and landslides in the offshore areas of Santa Barbara Channel and western Santa Monica Basin and (2) determine the location of active hydrocarbon seeps in the vicinity of Point Conception as part of a collaborative study with the Minerals Management Service (MMS). The 2002 cruise, A1-02- SC, is the fourth major data-collection effort in support of the first objective (Normark et al., 1999a, b; Gutmacher et al., 2000). A cruise to obtain sediment cores to constrain the timing of deformation interpreted from the geophysical records is planned for the summer of 2003.

California↗

USGS1984

Gazetteer of hydrologic characteristics of streams in Massachusetts — Coastal river basins of the North Shore and Massachusetts Bay

The coastal river basins of the North Shore and Boston Bay include streams draining the Parker River (60.4 square miles), Rowley River (9.9 square miles), Ipswich River (156 miles), Mystic River (66.0 square miles), Charles River (311 square miles), Neponset River (117 square miles), Weymouth Fore and Weymouth Back Rivers (about 63 square miles) and Weir River (about 20 square miles) basins. The study area in eastern and northeastern Massachusetts also includes the minor river basins draining into Massachusetts Bay, Ipswich Bay, or the Atlantic Ocean. Drainage areas using the latest available 1:24,000 scale topographic maps were computed for the first time for streams draining more than 3 square miles and were recomputed for data-collection sites. Streamflow characteristics at 15 gaging stations were calculated using a new data base with daily flow records through 1981. These characteristics include annual and monthly flow statistics, duration of daily flow values, and the annual 7-day mean low flow at the 2-year and 10-year recurrence intervals. Seven-day low-flow statistics are presented for 95 partial-record sites and the procedures used to determine the hydrologic characteristics of a basin are summarized. Basin characteristics representing 14 commonly used indices to estimate various streamflows are presented for 15 gaged streams. This gazetteer will aid in the planning and siting of water-resources related activities and will provide a common data base for governmental agencies and the engineering and planning communities. (USGS)

Massachusetts↗

USGS2024

High-Flow Experimental Outcomes to Inform Everglades Restoration, 2010–22

The Decompartmentalization Physical Model (DPM) was an experimental facility in the central Everglades operated between 2010 and 2022 to release high flows through a levee-enclosed area of degraded ridge and slough wetland that had been isolated from flow for sixty years. The purpose of DPM experimental program was to make measurements before, during, and after seasonal high-flow releases that could help guide the Congressionally authorized Everglades restoration project known as the Decompartmentalization and Sheet Flow Enhancement Project. The DPM facility was operated by the South Florida Water Management District, with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and several universities participating in experimental design and leading aspects of the research. The USGS research at DPM focused on measuring high-flow hydraulics and its sedimentary and ecological responses in downstream wetlands. USGS investigated interactions between flow and vegetation and microtopography that influenced flow velocity and water depth, bed shear stress, sediment entrainment, and the resulting downstream transport of suspended sediment and fate of particle-associated phosphorus. USGS also investigated high-flow changes in water-column mixing and gas exchange and resulting effects on metabolism of the aquatic ecosystem (primary productivity and respiration). USGS also investigated effects of built structures such as levee gaps that were constructed to reconnect levee-enclosed basins. This report describes the methods and results of the USGS-led data collection at DPM. The USGS studies at DPM have identified factors that influence effectiveness of restoration, specifically how high-flow releases maximize sheet flow and affect sediment and nutrient dynamics while minimizing undesirable outcomes caused by past management that bypassed wetlands by conveying polluted water through canals to ecologically sensitive downstream areas. The DPM high-flow experiments reconnected the Water Conservation Area 3A and Water Conservation Area 3B basins, and it therefore has become a central feature of the restoration’s Decompartmentalization and Sheet Flow Enhancement Project. DPM’s scientific findings have already influenced the adaptive management of Everglades restoration in guiding elements of the final design and implementation of the Central Everglades Planning Project-South. In addition to serving Everglades restoration, the DPM has the potential to influence similar adaptive management programs throughout the nation’s network of federal and state-managed river corridors, floodplains, and riparian ecosystems.

Florida↗

USGS1984

Water resources of Ponape, Caroline Islands

Ponape is the third largest island in the western Pacific, with a land area of 129 square miles. The island is volcanic, nearly circular in shape, and covered with lush tropical vegetation. The mountainous interior has the highest peaks in the western Pacific. Annual rainfall at Kolonia and other coastal areas is 191 inches. Inland at higher elevations, the rainfall is considerably higher. The upper Nanpil River basin averages about 340 inches annually. Runoff-to-rainfall ratios for Ponapean streams show that about two thirds of the rain falling on the island runs off. Flow-duration curves show the similarity of the geology, vegetation, and rainfall of the drainage basins and indicate little ground-water contribution to surface runoff. Surface-water quality is excellent as shown by 53 chemical anlyses of water from 19 streams. Water of the Nanpil River, the source of water for the central water system, is especially low in dissolved elements and solids. This report summarizes in one volume all the hydrologic data collected and provides analyses that may be used by planning and public works officials as a basis for making decisions on the development and management of their water resources. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1968

Selected hydrologic data, San Pitch River drainage basin, Utah

The u.s. Geological Survey investigated the ground-water resources of the San Pitch River drainage basin during the period 1964- 67. The investigation was a cooperative project, financed equally by the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Federal Government, and was a part of an investigation of the groundwater resources of the entire Sevier River drainage system. This report is intended to serve two purposes: (1) To make available to the public basic water-resources data useful in planning and studying development of water resources and (2) to supplement an interpretive report that will be published later. Included in the release are data collected by the Geological Survey since 1930.

Utah↗

USGS1977

Climatologic and hydrologic data, southeastern Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado, water years 1975 and 1976

This report contains climatologic and hydrologic data that were collected as a part of an investigation of the southeastern Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado, by the U.S. Geological Survey. The data apply mainly to water years 1975 and 1976, which includes the period from October 1974 through September 1976. Included also are some earlier ground-water data not previously published. Similar reports will be published periodically during the data-collection phase of the project, which ends September 1979. The investigation encompasses the collection and interpretation of a variety of climatologic, hydrologic, and geologic information in and near the southeastern Uinta Basin in order to (1) define the natural hydrologic system according to the occurrence, use, quantity, and quality of water; (2) define various hydrologic characteristics such as the seasonal and areal distribution of temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, and streamflow; (3) determine the water demands that might be imposed on the hydrologic system as a result of oil-shale development; and (3) develop simulation models that could be used to predict the effects of various water-use plans that would satisfy these demands . The data collection during water years 1975 and 1976 was carried out in cooperation with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the U. S. Environmental Protect:ion Agency.

Colorado, Utah↗

USGS1975

An introduction to the processes, problems, and management of urban lakes

Lakes are bodies of water formed in depressions on the earth's surface, and as such, act as depositories for a variety of chemical and biological materials. The study of lakes has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Lakes are a valuable resource, and their multiple uses have made them susceptible to water-quality problems such as algal blooms, sediment deposition and fish kills. These problems are products of the eutrophication process (enrichment, aging and extinction of lakes), which is often accelerated by man. Therefore, it becomes important to understand the properties and processes of lakes which govern lake enrichment, and the measures available to control enrichment. Lakes are described in terms of their physical (light penetration, temperature, sediment, and morphology), chemical (chemical constituents, plant nutrients:, and dissolved gases) and biological (plankton, benthos, and nekton) properties. These properties are all interre]ated, and are important variables to measure to evaluate water quality. In addition, lake processes, such as photosynthesis, respiration, eutrophication, and biogeochemical cycling, are important factors in determining the sources and extent of enrichment, and managing a lake for maximum benefit. Meeting demands for water of high quality requires a general knowledge of lake properties and processes, coupled with lake-basin planning, watershed and lake management, and water-quality control. There are many lake-management and control practices, but the best tools for quality control are preventive measures. Once extensive enrichment has occurred, there are few management or control options available. As lake studies become more common, sampling techniques for data collection need increased accuracy and consistency, in order to make meaningful comparisons between different lakes. Therefore, the report discusses the main factors involved in conducting lake studies. These factors include the types and frequency of measurements useful in lake reconnaissance studies and a review of literature on sampling equipment and techniques. A glossary of selected terms begins the report, which is intended for guideline use by urban planners and managers.

Circular↗