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

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At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
USGS1992

The digital geologic map of Colorado in ARC/INFO format, Part B. Command files

This geologic map was prepared as a part of a study of digital methods and techniques as applied to complex geologic maps. The geologic map was digitized from the original scribe sheets used to prepare the published Geologic Map of Colorado (Tweto 1979). Consequently the digital version is at 1:500,000 scale using the Lambert Conformal Conic map projection parameters of the state base map. Stable base contact prints of the scribe sheets were scanned on a Tektronix 4991 digital scanner. The scanner automatically converts the scanned image to an ASCII vector format. These vectors were transferred to a VAX minicomputer, where they were then loaded into ARC/INFO. Each vector and polygon was given attributes derived from the original 1979 geologic map. This database was developed on a MicroVAX computer system using VAX V 5.4 nd ARC/INFO 5.0 software. UPDATE: April 1995, The update was done solely for the purpose of adding the abilitly to plot to an HP650c plotter. Two new ARC/INFO plot AMLs along with a lineset and shadeset for the HP650C design jet printer have been included. These new files are COLORADO.650, INDEX.650, TWETOLIN.E00 and TWETOSHD.E00. These files were created on a UNIX platform with ARC/INFO 6.1.2. Updated versions of INDEX.E00, CONTACT.E00, LINE.E00, DECO.E00 and BORDER.E00 files that included the newly defined HP650c items are also included. * Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Descriptors: The Digital Geologic Map of Colorado in ARC/INFO Format Open-File Report 92-050

Colorado↗
USGS1992

The digital geologic map of Colorado in ARC/INFO format

This geologic map was prepared as a part of a study of digital methods and techniques as applied to complex geologic maps. The geologic map was digitized from the original scribe sheets used to prepare the published Geologic Map of Colorado (Tweto 1979). Consequently the digital version is at 1:500,000 scale using the Lambert Conformal Conic map projection parameters of the state base map. Stable base contact prints of the scribe sheets were scanned on a Tektronix 4991 digital scanner. The scanner automatically converts the scanned image to an ASCII vector format. These vectors were transferred to a VAX minicomputer, where they were then loaded into ARC/INFO. Each vector and polygon was given attributes derived from the original 1979 geologic map. This database was developed on a MicroVAX computer system using VAX V 5.4 nd ARC/INFO 5.0 software. UPDATE: April 1995, The update was done solely for the purpose of adding the abilitly to plot to an HP650c plotter. Two new ARC/INFO plot AMLs along with a lineset and shadeset for the HP650C design jet printer have been included. These new files are COLORADO.650, INDEX.650, TWETOLIN.E00 and TWETOSHD.E00. These files were created on a UNIX platform with ARC/INFO 6.1.2. Updated versions of INDEX.E00, CONTACT.E00, LINE.E00, DECO.E00 and BORDER.E00 files that included the newly defined HP650c items are also included. * Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Descriptors: The Digital Geologic Map of Colorado in ARC/INFO Format Open-File Report 92-050

Colorado↗
USGS2007

Video documentation of experiments at the USGS debris-flow flume 1992–2024

This set of videos presents about 19.1 hours of footage documenting the 183 experiments conducted at the USGS debris-flow flume from 1992 to 2024. Owing to improvements in video technology over the years, the quality of footage from recent experiments generally exceeds that from earlier experiments. Use the link below to access the individual videos, which are mostly grouped by date and subject matter. When a video is selected from the list, multiple video sequences are generally shown in succession, beginning with a far-field overview and proceeding to close-up views and post-experiment documentation [ https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1315/ ]. Interpretations and data from experiments at the USGS debris-flow flume are not provided here but can be found in published reports, many of which are available online at www.usgs.gov . A brief introduction to the flume facility is also available online in USGS Open-File Report 92–483 [ https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr92483 ] .

Open-File Report↗
USGS2008

Rainfall-Runoff and Erosion Data from the Mancos Shale Formation in the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, Southwestern Colorado, 2003-2006

Data were collected and experiments were conducted from 2003 to 2006 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, to support research into understanding processes that liberate, disperse, and concentrate erosion byproducts in Mancos Shale landscapes. The study area was the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area near Montrose and Delta, Colorado. This report includes data collected from 24, small-plot, rainfall-runoff simulations, 6 hillslope-erosion monitoring plots, 20 hillslope-creep monitoring sites, and 3 precipitation gages. Small-plot rainfall-runoff simulations were performed on paired (undisturbed and disturbed) plots to examine the effect of off-highway vehicle use on runoff and erosion. These data were collected in conjunction with several other studies done by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area. Data collected in companion studies are published in separate open-file reports.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1963

Fossils from lower part of the Mancos Shale, Disappointment Valley, San Miguel County, Colorado

About 400 fossiliferous segments of drill core from the lower part of the Mancos Shale of Late Cretaceous age were collected by the author during an exploratory drilling program for uranium deposits conducted in 1955 and 1956 by the Geological Survey in the Disappointment Valley area, San Miguel County, Colo. "The samples were submitted to the late J. B. Reeside, Jr., of the Geological Survey for identification. Reeside's identifications are being released in open file in order to make them available to those interested.

Colorado↗
USGS2000

Seismic reflection results from the GYRE 1997 cruise of the Bryant Canyon on the Louisiana Gulf Coast

The Texas-Louisiana continental slope is one of the few remaining frontiers for hydrocarbon exploration within the US Exclusive Economic Zone. This area has a complex seafloor morphology and highly discontinuous shallow stratigraphy that are the result of deformation by the highly mobile Louann salt that underlies much of this margin shoreward of the Sigsbee Escarpment.Gas hydrates exist both on the sea floor and at depth throughout the gas hydrate stability zone which extends to several hundred meters beneath the sea floor at greater water depths. Multibeam bathymetry, GLORIA sidescan sonar imagery, and site-specific studies have identified the presence of faults, mass-wasting deposits, variable sediment types, and gas hydrates exposed on the seafloor. The expression of these features on the seafloor suggests a tectonically active area. The distribution of these different processes and their relation to the subsurface stratigraphy and tectonic setting are not well understood, yet an understanding of these issues is essential as exploration extends into this deep-water area. To address the questions of surficial processes and their connection with deeper structures underlying this continental margin, a three-week cruise was conducted by the USGS in April, 1997 aboard the RV GYRE. The study area focussed on Bryant Canyon, a former submarine canyon, through which turbidity currents transported sands from a shelf-edge delta upslope of the study area to the Bryant Fan on the rise seaward of the base of the slope. The cruise was divided into two parts. The first part was devoted to collecting seismic-reflection profiles across parts of the canyon system to define the shallow stratigraphy and to determine the presence and distribution of gas hydrates in this area. Approximately 555 km of single-channel seismic-reflection data were collected during this first part of the cruise. A track map showing the locations of the profiles, low-resolution images of the profiles, and the SEG-Y format of these data are all presented on this CD-ROM. During the second part of the cruise, 38 piston cores were collected to describe the shallow subsurface facies of the study area. The coring data will be availible in an open file report to be published by Hans Nelson.

Lousiana↗
USGS2008

Taming of a wild research well in Yellowstone National Park during November 1992

Much of our current understanding of Yellowstone's geothermal areas comes from research drilling by the USGS during 1967 and 1968. Thirteen wells were drilled in thermal areas around the park. Scientists collected waters and rocks, measured temperatures and pressures and performed other tests to characterize the shallow subsurface at Yellowstone. Most wells were plugged and abandoned, but a few were left open for future scientific tests and sampling. One of those wells, the Y8, was located at Biscuit Basin, 2 miles north of Old Faithful. In November 1992, a valve at the ground surface failed, leading to a blowout, an uncontrolled eruption of steam and hot water. The USGS and Yellowstone National Park worked with a drilling contractor to control the flow and plug the well. The lead scientist, Robert Fournier, used video taken by the drilling contractor, Tonto Services, to create this fascinating 28-minute-long film. It is followed by a short news story by CNN, also from November 1992. Fifteen years later, we felt that the video was of sufficient scientific and historical interest that it was worth publishing as a USGS Open-file report, where it can be accessed into the future. Enjoy!

Open-File Report↗
USGS1999

Digital geologic map database of the Payette National Forest and vicinity, Idaho

The geology of the Payette National Forest and vicinity, Idaho (Fig. 1), was mapped and compiled by Karen Lund between 1992 and 1996. The geologic data for the digital map are from original mapping as well as compilation by Lund of numerous sources of published and unpublished geologic maps that are cited in the section 'Bibliography of Geologic Map Sources.' The geology was compiled onto 1:100,000-scale topographic base maps for input into a geographic information system (GIS). The digital geologic map database can be queried in many ways to produce a variety of geologic maps. Digital base map data files are not included: they may be obtained from a variety of commercial and government sources. This database is not meant to be used or displayed at any scale larger than 1:100,000 (e.g., 1:62,500 or 1:24,000). This open-file report describes the geologic units and the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format and documents the file structures. We wish to thank Gregory N. Green of the U.S. Geological Survey for reviewing the digital GIS files.

Idaho↗
USGS1989

1990 National Water Quality Laboratory Services Catalog

PREFACE This catalog provides information about analytical services available from the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) to support programs of the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey. To assist personnel in the selection of analytical services, the catalog lists cost, sample volume, applicable concentration range, detection level, precision of analysis, and preservation techniques for samples to be submitted for analysis. Prices for services reflect operationa1 costs, the complexity of each analytical procedure, and the costs to ensure analytical quality control. The catalog consists of five parts. Part 1 is a glossary of terminology; Part 2 lists the bottles, containers, solutions, and other materials that are available through the NWQL; Part 3 describes the field processing of samples to be submitted for analysis; Part 4 describes analytical services that are available; and Part 5 contains indices of analytical methodology and Chemical Abstract Services (CAS) numbers. Nomenclature used in the catalog is consistent with WATSTORE and STORET. The user is provided with laboratory codes and schedules that consist of groupings of parameters which are measured together in the NWQL. In cases where more than one analytical range is offered for a single element or compound, different laboratory codes are given. Book 5 of the series 'Techniques of Water Resources Investigations of the U.S. Geological Survey' should be consulted for more information about the analytical procedures included in the tabulations. This catalog supersedes U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 86-232 '1986-87-88 National Water Quality Laboratory Services Catalog', October 1985.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1998

Maps showing geology, oil and gas fields and geologic provinces of the Arabian Peninsula

Introduction This digital map compilation, which includes geology, geologic provinces, and oil and gas fields of the Arabian Peninsula, is part of a map series of the world produced by the U.S. Geological Survey World Energy Project. The goal of the project is to produce a worldwide assessment of the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources and report these results by the year 2000. To assess the world's petroleum, a sequence of steps is being undertaken proceeding from defining geologic provinces of the world at a comparable scale, allocating oil and gas fields to these provinces, defining petroleum systems within these provinces, and ultimately assessing the undiscovered petroleum potential of selected provinces of the world. A more in-depth discussion of the geologic provinces and their relative ranking in terms of total known petroleum volume is given in USGS Open File Report 97-463 (see Klett and others, 1997).

Open-File Report↗
USGS2000

SMSIM--Fortran programs for simulating ground motions from earthquakes: Version 2.0.--a revision of OFR 96-80-A

A simple and powerful method for simulating ground motions is based on the assumption that the amplitude of ground motion at a site can be specified in a deterministic way, with a random phase spectrum modified such that the motion is distributed over a duration related to the earthquake magnitude and to distance from the source. This method of simulating ground motions often goes by the name "the stochastic method." It is particularly useful for simulating the higher-frequency ground motions of most interest to engineers, and it is widely used to predict ground motions for regions of the world in which recordings of motion from damaging earthquakes are not available. This simple method has been successful in matching a variety of ground-motion measures for earthquakes with seismic moments spanning more than 12 orders of magnitude. One of the essential characteristics of the method is that it distills what is known about the various factors affecting ground motions (source, path, and site) into simple functional forms that can be used to predict ground motions. SMSIM is a set of programs for simulating ground motions based on the stochastic method. This Open-File Report is a revision of an earlier report (Boore, 1996) describing a set of programs for simulating ground motions from earthquakes. The programs are based on modifications I have made to the stochastic method first introduced by Hanks and McGuire (1981). The report contains source codes, written in Fortran, and executables that can be used on a PC. Programs are included both for time-domain and for random vibration simulations. In addition, programs are included to produce Fourier amplitude spectra for the models used in the simulations and to convert shear velocity vs. depth into frequency-dependent amplification. The revision to the previous report is needed because the input and output files have changed significantly, and a number of new programs have been included in the set.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2016

User guide for MODPATH Version 7—A particle-tracking model for MODFLOW

MODPATH is a particle-tracking post-processing program designed to work with MODFLOW, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) finite-difference groundwater flow model. MODPATH version 7 is the fourth major release since its original publication. Previous versions were documented in USGS Open-File Reports 89–381 and 94–464 and in USGS Techniques and Methods 6–A41. MODPATH version 7 works with MODFLOW-2005 and MODFLOW–USG. Support for unstructured grids in MODFLOW–USG is limited to smoothed, rectangular-based quadtree and quadpatch grids. A software distribution package containing the computer program and supporting documentation, such as input instructions, output file descriptions, and example problems, is available from the USGS over the Internet ( http://water.usgs.gov/ogw/modpath/) .

Open-File Report↗
USGS1979

A compilation of the data from the 1976 Hawaii seismic refraction experiment

In November 1976, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in conjunction with the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics (HIG) of the University of Hawaii established a seismic refraction line perpendicular to the southeast coast of Hawaii (Fig. 1). The purpose of the experiment was to define the crustal structure of the southeast coast and its relationship to the tectonics of Kilauea volcano. This open-file report describes the experiment and presents the data without interpretation.

Hawaii↗
USGS1998

Digital geologic map of the Spokane 1:100,000 quadrangle, Washington and Idaho: A digital database for the 1990 N.L. Joseph map

Geologic data from the geologic map of the Spokane 1:100,000-scale quadrangle compiled by Joseph (1990) were entered into a geographic information system (GIS) as part of a larger effort to create regional digital geology for the Pacific Northwest. The map area is located in eastern Washington and extends across the state border into western Idaho (Fig. 1). This open-file report describes the methods used to convert the geologic map data into a digital format, documents the file structures, and explains how to download the digital files from the U.S. Geological Survey public access World Wide Web site on the Internet.

Idaho, Washington↗
USGS1998

Simulation of ground-water flow in the Albuquerque Basin, central New Mexico, 1901-95, with projections to 2020

The ground-water-flow model of the Albuquerque Basin (Kernodle, J.M., McAda, D.P., and Thorn, C.R., 1995, Simulation of ground-water flow in the Albuquerque Basin, central New Mexico, with projections to 2020: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4251, 114 p.) was updated to include new information on the hydrogeologic framework (Hawley, J.W., Haase, C.S., and Lozinsky, R.P., 1995, An underground view of the Albuquerque Basin: Proceedings of the 39th Annual New Mexico Water Conference, November 3-4, 1994, p. 37-55). An additional year of ground-water-withdrawal data was appended to the simulation of the historical period and incorporated into the base for future projections to the year 2020. The revised model projects the simulated ground-water levels associated with an aerally enlarged occurrence of the relatively high hydraulic conductivity in the upper part of the Santa Fe Group east and west of the Rio Grande in the Albuquerque area and north to Bernalillo. Although the differences between the two model versions are substantial, the revised model does not contradict any previous conclusions about the effect of City of Albuquerque ground-water withdrawals on flow in the Rio Grande or the net benefits of an effort to conserve ground water. Recent revisions to the hydrogeologic model (Hawley, J.W., Haneberg, W.C., and Whitworth, P.M., in press, Hydrogeologic investigations in the Albuquerque Basin, central New Mexico, 1992-1995: Socorro, New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources Open- File Report 402) of the Albuquerque Basin eventually will require that this model version also be revised and updated.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2007

Seafloor mapping and benthic habitat GIS for southern California, volume III

From August 8-27, 2005, more than 75 km of the continental shelf (Fig. 1) in water depths of 20-70m southeast of Santa Barbara, were surveyed during the USGS cruise S-1-05-SC (http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/infobank/s/s105sc/html/s-1-05-sc.meta.html). Both Interferometric sonar and 14 hours of both vertical and oblique georeferenced submarine digital video were collected to (1) obtain geophysical data (bathymetry and acoustic reflectance), (2) examine and record geologic characteristics of the sea floor, and (3) construct maps of seafloor geomorphology and habitat distribution. Substrate distribution is predicted using a modified version of Cochrane and Lafferty (2002) video-supervised statistical classification of sonar data that includes derivatives of bathymetry data. Specific details of the methods can be found in the meatadata of the bathymetry data file. Substrates observed are predominantly sand with some rock. Rocky substrates were restricted primarily to an east-west trending bathymetric high 2,000 m north of oil platforms. This is an updated report (version 2.0) from the earlier 2007-1271 (version 1.0) open-file report. This updated report re-releases the data files in UTM, zone 11, WGS84 coordinates. Also, the bathymetry data has been corrected for a vertical offset discovered in the earlier 2007-1271 (version 1.0) report.

California↗