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USGS2010

CoalVal-A coal resource valuation program

CoalVal is a menu-driven Windows program that produces cost-of-mining analyses of mine-modeled coal resources. Geological modeling of the coal beds and some degree of mine planning, from basic prefeasibility to advanced, must already have been performed before this program can be used. United States Geological Survey mine planning is done from a very basic, prefeasibility standpoint, but the accuracy of CoalVal's output is a reflection of the accuracy of the data entered, both for mine costs and mine planning. The mining cost analysis is done by using mine cost models designed for the commonly employed, surface and underground mining methods utilized in the United States. CoalVal requires a Microsoft Windows? 98 or Windows? XP operating system and a minimum of 1 gigabyte of random access memory to perform operations. It will not operate on Microsoft Vista?, Windows? 7, or Macintosh? operating systems. The program will summarize the evaluation of an unlimited number of coal seams, haulage zones, tax entities, or other area delineations for a given coal property, coalfield, or basin. When the reader opens the CoalVal publication from the USGS website, options are provided to download the CoalVal publication manual and the CoalVal Program. The CoalVal report is divided into five specific areas relevant to the development and use of the CoalVal program: 1. Introduction to CoalVal Assumptions and Concepts. 2. Mine Model Assumption Details (appendix A). 3. CoalVal Project Tutorial (appendix B). 4. Program Description (appendix C). 5. Mine Model and Discounted Cash Flow Formulas (appendix D). The tutorial explains how to enter coal resource and quality data by mining method; program default values for production, operating, and cost variables; and ones own operating and cost variables into the program. Generated summary reports list the volume of resource in short tons available for mining, recoverable short tons by mining method; the seam or property being mined; operating cost per ton; and discounted cash flow cost per ton to mine and process the resources. Costs are calculated as loaded in a unit train, free-on-board the tipple, at a rate of return prescribed by the evaluator. The recoverable resources (in short tons) may be grouped by incremental cost over any range chosen by the user. For example, in the Gillette coalfield evaluation, the discounted cash flow mining cost (at an 8 percent rate of return) and its associated tonnage may be grouped by any applicable increment (for example, $0.10 per ton, $0.20 per ton, and so on) and using any dollar per ton range that is desired (for example, from $4.00 per ton to $15.00 per ton). This grouping ability allows the user to separate the coal reserves from the nonreserve resources and to construct cost curves to determine the effects of coal market fluctuations on the availability of coal for fuel whether for the generation of electricity or for coal-to-liquids processes. Coking coals are not addressed in this report.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2011

U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative-2010 Annual Report

This is the third report produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative (WLCI) to detail annual work activities. The first report described activities for 2007 and 2008, and the second report covered work activities for FY09. This third report covers work activities conducted in FY2010, and it continues the 2009 approach of reporting on all the individual activities to help give WLCI partners and other readers the full scope of what has been accomplished. New in this year's report is an additional section for each work activity that outlines the work planned for the following fiscal year. In FY2010, there were 35 ongoing/expanded, completed, or new projects conducted under the five major multi-disciplinary science and technical-assistance activities: (1) Baseline Synthesis; (2) Targeted Monitoring and Research; (3) Data and Information Management; (4) Integration and Coordination; and (5) Decisionmaking and Evaluation. The three new work activities were to (1) compile existing water data for the entire WLCI region and (2) develop regional curves (statistical models) for relating bankfull-channel geometry and discharge to drainages in the WLCI region, both of which will help guide long-term monitoring of water resources; and (3) initiate a groundwater-monitoring network to evaluate potential effects of energy-development activities on groundwater quality where groundwater is an important source of public/private water supplies. Results of the FY2009 work to develop methods for assessing soil organic matter and mercury indicated that selenium and arsenic levels may be elevated in the Muddy Creek Basin; thus, the focus of that activity was shifted in FY2010 to evaluate biogeochemical cycling of elements in the basin. In FY2010, two ongoing activities were expanded with the addition of more sampling plots: (a) the study of how greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) use vegetation-treatment areas (sites added to the Moxa Arch Natural Gas Development area) and (2) the study of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) occurrence in burn treatments of the Little Mountain Ecosystem. The activity that entails evaluating relationships between ungulate herbivory and fire on aspen (Populus tremuloides) recruitment also was expanded to include relationships between stand characteristics of and herbivory on aspen in various ecohydrological settings. The USGS continued compiling data and developing geospatial products from all of its WLCI activities to support (1) ranking and prioritizing of proposed conservation projects, (2) developing the WLCI Integrated Assessment, and (3) developing the WLCI 5-year Conservation Action Plan. Two activities were completed in FY2010: (1) the conceptual modeling and indicator selection for monitoring resource conditions across the WLCI region, and (2) the literature review on effects of oil and gas development in western regions of the United States, both of which are in the last stages of publication.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2008

Preliminary classification of water areas within the Atchafalaya Basin Floodway System by using landsat imagery

The southern portion of the Atchafalaya Basin Floodway System (ABFS) is a large area (2,571 km 2 ) in south central Louisiana bounded on the east and west sides by a levee system. The ABFS is a sparsely populated area that includes some of the Nation's most significant extents of bottomland hardwoods, swamps, bayous, and backwater lakes, holding a rich abundance and diversity of terrestrial and aquatic species. The seasonal flow of water through the ABFS is critical to maintaining its ecological integrity. Because of strong interdependencies among species, habitat quality, and water flow in the ABFS, there is a need to better define the paths by which water moves at various stages of the hydrocycle. Although river level gages have collected a long historical record of water level variation, very little synoptic information has been available regarding the distribution and character of water at more remote locations in the basin. Most water management plans for the ABFS strive to improve water quality by increasing water flow and circulation from the main stem of the Atchafalaya River into isolated areas. To describe the distribution of land and water on a basin-wide scale, we chose to use Landsat 5 and Landsat 7 imagery to determine the extent of water distribution from 1985 to 2006 and at a variety of river stages. Because the visual signature of river water is high turbidity, we also used Landsat imagery to describe the distribution of turbid water in the ABFS. The ability to track water flow patterns by tracking turbid waters will enhance the characterization of water movement and aid in planning.

Louisiana↗
USGS2016

Targets set to reduce Lake Erie algae

In February 2016, the Great Lakes Executive Committee, which oversees the implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) between the U.S. and Canada, approved phosphorus loading targets for Lake Erie to reduce the size of harmful algal blooms (HABs), reduce the presence of the low oxygen zone in the central basin, and protect nearshore water quality. The targets are set with respect to the nutrient loads calculated for 2008. To reduce the impacts of HABs on Lake Erie a target was set of a 40 percent reduction in total and soluble reactive phosphorus loads in the spring from two Canadian rivers and several Michigan and Ohio rivers, especially the Maumee River (https://binational.net/2016/02/22/ finalptargets-ciblesfinalesdep/). States and the province of Ontario are already developing Domestic Action Plans to accomplish the reductions and scientists are developing research and monitoring plans to assess progress.

Report↗
USGS2007

Hydrology and water quality in two mountain basins of the northeastern US: Assessing baseline conditions and effects of ski area development

Mountain regions throughout the world face intense development pressures associated with recreational and tourism uses. Despite these pressures, much of the research on bio-geophysical impacts of humans in mountain regions has focused on the effects of natural resource extraction. This paper describes findings from the first 3 years of a study examining high elevation watershed processes in a region undergoing alpine resort development. Our study is designed as a paired-watershed experiment. The Ranch Brook watershed (9.6 km2) is a relatively pristine, forested watershed and serves as the undeveloped 'control' basin. West Branch (11.7 km2) encompasses an existing alpine ski resort, with approximately 17% of the basin occupied by ski trails and impervious surfaces, and an additional 7% slated for clearing and development. Here, we report results for water years 2001-2003 of streamflow and water quality dynamics for these watersheds. Precipitation increases significantly with elevation in the watersheds, and winter precipitation represents 36-46% of annual precipitation. Artificial snowmaking from water within West Branch watershed currently augments annual precipitation by only 3-4%. Water yield in the developed basin exceeded that in the control by 18-36%. Suspended sediment yield was more than two and a half times greater and fluxes of all major solutes were higher in the developed basin. Our study is the first to document the effects of existing ski area development on hydrology and water quality in the northeastern US and will serve as an important baseline for evaluating the effects of planned resort expansion activities in this area.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1976

Summary appraisals of the nation's ground-water resources – Great Basin region

Ground-water withdrawals by wells in the Great Basin Region were about 1.1 million acre-feet (1,360 cubic hectometres) in 1970. Most of these withdrawals were from 87 of the 234 hydrographic areas in the region. Withdrawals ranged from about 1,000 acre-feet (1.2 cubic hectometres) to more than 100,000 acre-feet (123 cubic hectometres). Jordan Valley, which includes Salt Lake City, had the largest withdrawal, about 115,000 acre-feet (142 cubic hectometres). An appraisal of the regional ground-water resource indicates the region could sustain an annual net pumpage of about 2.6 million acre-feet (3,200 cubic hectometres). Larger withdrawals could be sustained if only part of the pumped water was used consumptively, if conflicts with existing surface-water rights are resolved, and if extensive treatment, artificial recharge, and reuse of water prove feasible. Ground water stored in the upper 100 feet (30 metres) of saturated deposits of the valley ground-water reservoirs is estimated to be on the order of 300 million acre-feet (370,000 cubic hectometres). Total ground-water storage probably exceeds several billion acre-feet; however, much of this could not be developed within economic feasibility expected over the next several decades. Only a few areas of the Great Basin Region have been studied in detail sufficient to enable adequate design of an areawide groundwater development. These areas already have been developed. As of 1973 data for broadly outlining the ground-water resources of the region had been obtained. However, if large-scale planned development is to become a reality, a program for obtaining adequate hydrologic and related data would be a prerequisite. Ideally, the data should be obtained in time to be available for the successively more intensive levels of planning required to implement developments.

California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming↗
USGS1998

Somerset County Flood Information System

Introduction The timely warning of a flood is crucial to the protection of lives and property. One has only to recall the flood of August 2, 1973, in Somerset County, New Jersey, in which six lives were lost and major property damage occurred, to realize how unexpected and costly, especially in terms of human life, a flood can be. Accurate forecasts and warnings cannot be made, however, without detailed information about precipitation and streamflow in the drainage basin. Recognizing the need for detailed hydrologic information for Somerset County, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Somerset County, installed the Somerset County Flood Information System (SCFIS) in 1990. The availability of data provided by this system will improve the flood forecasting ability of the National Weather Service (NWS), and has assisted Somerset County and municipal agencies in planning and execution of flood-preparation and emergency evacuation procedures in the county. This fact sheet describes the Somerset County Flood Information System and identifies its benefits.

New Jersey↗
USGS1977

Availability of ground water in the lower Connecticut River basin, southwestern New Hampshire

This map scale 1:125,000 presents a preliminary assessment of the availability of ground water in the lower Connecticut River basin in southwestern New Hampshire. It is a generalization of several hydrogeologic factors and provides a guideline for ground-water exploration useful in water- and land-use planning. It does not describe the absolute quantity or quality of ground water available. The best aquifers in the basin are deposits of stratified sand or sand and gravel of Pleistocene age. Large aquifers of this type occur in places in the Connecticut River valley and in valleys of tributaries to the Connecticut River. Ground water is generally of good chemical quality. Iron and manganese in concentrations greater than the recommended limits for drinking water suggested by the U.S. Public Health Service are not uncommon. (USGS).

New Hampshire↗
USGS1957

Ground-water possibilities south of the Snake River between Twin Falls and Pocatello, Idaho

The Snake River Plain and tributary valleys south of the Snake River between Twin Falls and Pocatello, Idaho (here called the South Side area), contain about 180,000 acres of irrigated land, of which 145,000 acres is irrigated with surface water and 35,000 is irrigated wholly or partly with ground water. The area also contains more than 200,000 acres of arable land that is idle or used only for grazing because it lacks irrigation water. Most of the surface-water supply is already used or reserved, and some land now irrigated needs supplemental water. The climate of the area ranges from semiarid on the Snake River Plain to subhumid on higher mountains. The average annual precipitation at lowland stations ranges from about 9 to 12 inches. The principal sources of ground water are extrusive volcanic rocks of silicic to intermediate composition, basalt, and sand and gravel. Ground water occurs commonly under artesian conditions in the silicic to intermediate volcanic rocks and in sand and gravel tongues and lenses in lake beds. Basalt and alluvium commonly contain unconfined water. The area of this report is divided into 13 roughly defined ground-water districts, some of which are further divided into subdistricts. The known geologic and hydrologic factors of each area are summarized and a preliminary appraisal is made of the ground-water resources in relation to land resources and to the regimen of streams. The current state of development, proposed new developments, and ground-water potential of each division are discussed. The Dry Creek district is the most intensively irrigated area in Idaho in which wells furnish the water supply. Ground water occurs under both artesian and water-table conditions. More than 53,000 acre-feet of ground water was pumped in 1954. There are large areas of undeveloped arable land in the district, but pumping in some parts of the district currently is approaching or surpasses the perennial yield of the ground-water reservoirs. The Golden Valley district contains considerable arable land but, owing to the relatively great depth to water and the generally poor yield of wells, the prospects for extensive ground-water development are not promising. In the Oakley district ground water is pumped from alluvium to supplement surface water and to bring new land into production. The ground water will be fully exploited within a few years if the present rate of development by individual landowners continues. The total area of nonirrigated land far exceeds the amount that could be irrigated with indigenous ground water. Both artesian and unconfined water occur in the Burley district. Most existing wells tap unconfined water in the southern part where there are still large tracts of idle arable land. Pumping lifts are rather high. The South Walcott district contains a considerable acreage of arable land and is underlain by excellent aquifers. The effect that heavy pumping would have on the flow of the Raft and Snake Rivers and on seepage from Lake Walcott is Taot well understood. Presumably substantial pumping would be feasible without direct deleterious effects. The Raft River basin, including the Elba and Almo-Yost subbasins, is the largest district in the South Side area. Ground water occurs in both unconfined and artesian aquifers. Possibly as much as 150,000 acres of dry land is irrigable, but the ground-water supply presumably is sufficient to irrigate only a few thousand acres in addition to the approximately 40,000 now irrigated with surface and ground water. Pumping of wells at some locations would deplete the base flow of the Raft River and would be competitive with surface-water use. The United States Bureau of Reclamation has started construction of the Michaud Flats Irrigation Project in the Western Michaud Flats district. The adopted reclamation plan is to irrigate about 10,000 acres, using surface water pumped from American Falls Reservoir and ground water pumped from wells. Ground water in part of the district is tributary to the reservoir. Withdrawals of ground water will be compensated in part by the return of waste water to the reservoir and to the Snake River. The Eastern Michaud Flats district contains more arable land and has better aquifers than the Western Michaud Flats district, but pumping might reduce noticeably the discharge of ground water to the American Falls Reservoir. The Bureau of Indian Affairs plans to develop about 13,600 acres of Indian land with water stored in Palisades and American Falls Reservoirs. Virtually nothing is known about ground-water conditions in the Arbon and Rockland Valleys and in several small areas such as the Basin district, the Albion basin, and along the northern border of the Sublett Range. Preliminary studies have been made in three areas, the Dry Creek, Raft River, and Western. Michaud Flats districts. None has been studied comprehensively. The available data for each district are summarized in tabular form. Further investigations in the area are needed and should include accurate hydrologic mapping. Studies are needed of the sources and amounts of groundwater recharge, of the effects of ground-water withdrawals on the total water supply, and of numerous related problems.

Idaho↗
USGS2009

Use of StreamStats in the Upper French Broad River Basin, North Carolina: A Pilot Water-Resources Web Application

StreamStats is a Web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) application that was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) to provide access to an assortment of analytical tools that are useful for water-resources planning and management. StreamStats allows users to easily obtain streamflow statistics, basin characteristics, and descriptive information for USGS data-collection sites and selected ungaged sites. StreamStats also allows users to identify stream reaches upstream and downstream from user-selected sites and obtain information for locations along streams where activities occur that can affect streamflow conditions. This functionality can be accessed through a map-based interface with the user's Web browser or through individual functions requested remotely through other Web applications.

North Carolina↗
USGS1990

Management of percids in Lake Erie, North America

Lake Erie's fish populations and their habitats have undergone very substantial changes since 1945. Of the four percid forms originally present, the blue pike (Stizostedion vitreum glaucum) is presumed extinct, and the sauger (S. canadense) was commercially extinct by the 1950's. The walleye (S. v. vitreum) has remained stable in eastern Lake Erie but the highly productive stock of the western basin collapsed in the 1960's. Closure of the walleye fishery from 1970 to 1973, necessitated by mercury contamination, provided an opportunity for the development of an international management plan for restoration of the stock. An inter-agency Scientific Protocol Committee evaluated walleye dynamics and recommended management by quota beginning in 1976. Although quotas have been exceeded several times, the walleye stock responded well to limited exploitation, steadily increased, and expanded its range. Landings of the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) increased during the 1950's, but a steady decline in abundance, beginning in the early 1970's led to the formation in 1980 of another international inter-agency task group to recommend a basis for quota management. The short-term management recommendation, reported and accepted in 1986, was to reduce fishing effort by 20% by 1990. Both management schemes evolved when the resource agencies of the five jurisdictions (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario), in the two nations surrounding Lake Erie, perceived a need for the increased and improved management of a shared resource. They sought an international forum in which to develop strategies, appointed inter-agency scientific task groups to develop a basis for management recommendations, and adopted a quota management scheme. Each jurisdiction is responsible for the enforcement and allocation of its portion of the quota between user groups. Reports of catch, effort, and biological observations on stock performance are submitted annually to a standing technical committee charged with updating quotas.

Book chapter↗
USGS2014

Preliminary bedrock and surficial geologic map of the west half of the Sanders 30' x 60' quadrangle, Navajo and Apache Counties, northern Arizona

The bedrock and surficial geologic map of the west half of the Sanders 30' x 60' quadrangle was completed in a cooperative effort of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Navajo Nation to provide regional geologic information for management and planning officials. This report provides baseline geologic information that will be useful in future studies of groundwater and surface water resources, geologic hazards, and the distribution of soils and plants. The west half of the Sanders quadrangle encompasses approximately 2,509 km 2 (980 mi 2 ) within Navajo and Apache Counties of northern Arizona and is bounded by lat 35°30' to 35° N., long 109°30' to 110° W. The majority of the land within the map area lies within the Navajo Nation. South of the Navajo Nation, private and State lands form a checkerboard pattern east and west of Petrified Forest National Park. In the west half of the Sanders quadrangle, Mesozoic bedrock is nearly flat lying except near folds. A shallow Cenozoic erosional basin that developed about 20 Ma in the western part of the map area cut across late Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks that were subsequently filled with flat-lying Miocene and Pliocene mudstone and argillaceous sandstone and fluvial sediments of the Bidahochi Formation and associated volcanic rocks of the Hopi Buttes volcanic field. The Bidahochi rocks are capped by Pliocene(?) and Pleistocene fluvial sediments and Quaternary eolian and alluvial deposits. Erosion along northeast-southwest-oriented drainages have exposed elongated ridges of Bidahochi Formation and basin-fill deposits that are exposed through shallow eolian cover of similarly oriented longitudinal dunes. Stokes (1964) concluded that the accumulation of longitudinal sand bodies and the development of confined parallel drainages are simultaneous processes resulting in parallel sets of drainages and ridges oriented along the prevailing southwest wind direction on the southern Colorado Plateau.

Arizona↗
USGS2010

The use of scenario analysis to assess water ecosystem services in response to future land use change in the Willamette River Basin, Oregon

Human pressures on the natural resources of the United States have resulted in many unintended changes in our ecosystems, e.g., loss of biodiversity, habitat degradation, increases in the number of endangered species, and increases in contamination and water pollution. Environmental managers are concerned about broad-scale changes in land use and landscape pattern and their cumulative impact on hydrologic and ecological processes that affect stream conditions. The type of land use and land cover has direct consequences for most ecosystem services, including water quantity and water quality, erosion control, and biodiversity. As human pressure continues to increase, ecosystem services worldwide are projected to suffer continued loss and degradation, thus reducing the capacity of ecosystems to provide essential goods and services that contribute to human well-being (MEA 2005). The ability to assess, report, and forecast the life support functions of ecosystems is absolutely critical to our capacity to make informed decisions which will maintain the sustainable nature of our environmental services and secure these resources into the future. This study presents an integrated approach to identify areas with potential water quality problems as a result of land cover change projected by stakeholders within a moderately large river basin in the Pacific Northwest (USA). A process-based hydrologic watershed model was used to examine the contribution of land use/land cover to sediment yield, and nitrate and phosphorous loadings, and identify subwatersheds within the Willamette River basin that would be most affected in the year 2050 relative to three possible future scenarios which include inherent differences related to conservation, existing planning trends, and open development. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of alternative future scenarios that describe varying degrees of urban development and human use on hydrological response related to water quality. Results of this study suggest that the amount of forest along streams and agriculture consistently explained a high percentage of variation in nutrients. The AGWA-SWAT model was used to simulate change in sediment yield, nitrate and phosphorus transported with surface runoff for the three future scenarios. With regard to nitrate, the greatest increase was associated with subwatersheds with agricultural land use and urban areas. Although the model predicted some improvement in basin headwaters for all scenarios, nitrate loadings are expected to decrease under the conservation scenario. The largest decrease was observed in the Coast Range. With regard to phosphorous loadings, the lowest reduction was observed in subwatersheds draining predominantly forest areas. The greatest increase was observed under the open development scenario in subwatersheds with agricultural land use. Urbanization and agriculture are presumed to be the major environmental stressors affecting watershed condition of the Willamette River Basin.

Oregon↗
USGS2002

Strategic plan for the Coordinated Intermountain Restoration Project

In 1982, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Idaho State Office began the Intermountain Greenstripping and Rehabilitation Research Project (IGRRP), or the “Greenstripping Program,” to investigate plant materials and technologies that can reduce wildfire incidence and improve rehabilitation practices. Rehabilitation is normally applied as a reactive process to wildfires, yet land managers in the Great Basin wish to become proactive by replacing fire-prone invasive annual grasses with native plants. The Coordinated Intermountain Restoration Project (CIRP) evolved from the Greenstripping Program to conduct research studies and provide technical assistance on restoration of native ecosystems on rangelands that are infested with invasive annual grasses or other invasive or noxious weeds. To accomplish this objective, the CIRP will promote the understanding of ecosystem disturbance dynamics as well as evaluate plant materials, site preparation techniques, weed control methods, seeding equipment, management methods, and monitoring techniques for restoration projects. The CIRP will not address the restoration of forested or woodland (juniper [Juniperus]) ecosystems. It will include a component on fuel management to reduce the impacts of wildfires on semiarid rangeland ecosystems where exotic annual grasses provide the fuel. The people who will benefit directly from this research include land managers and users of public and private lands in the northern Great Basin, the Columbia Plateau, and the Snake River Plain. The CIRP will provide an integration framework for a multidisciplinary approach to research with numerous opportunities for input and collaboration. The U.S. Geological Survey will initially dedicate approximately \$1 million over 5 years (about \$200,000 per year) to jump-start this effort. U.S. Geological Survey funds will establish a science advisory board to oversee the project. This board will contain members of Federal research and management agencies within the region. U.S. Geological Survey funds will support (1) continued development of VegSpec, a computer program that is a restoration expert system, (2) research to examine changes in ecosystem processes when native plant-dominated communities shift to communities dominated by exotic annual grasses, and (3) research to address mechanisms for establishing native plants in locations dominated by exotic annual grasses. Through these initial funds, USGS hopes to leverage additional research with other agencies (e.g., BLM’s Great Basin Restoration Initiative or the Native Plant Materials Development Project, which is an interagency program to supply and manage native plant materials for restoration and rehabilitation on Federal lands) or funding organizations (e.g., the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s [USDA] National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program, or the USDA’s and U.S. Department of the Interior’s [USDOI] Joint Fire Science Program), and to obtain additional research partners (e.g., university or Federal scientists) willing to expand this effort to address all aspects of this strategic plan.

Information and Technology Report↗
USGS1977

Availability of ground water in the lower Merrimack River basin southern New Hampshire

This map, scale 1:125,000, is a preliminary assessment of the availability of ground water in the lower Merrimack River basin in southern New Hampshire. It is a generalization of several hydrogeologic factors and provides a guideline for ground-water exploration, which is useful in water- and land-use planning. It does not describe the absolute quantity or quality of ground water available. The best aquifers in the basin are deposits of stratified sand or sand and gravel of Pleistocene age. Large aquifers of this type occur in places in the Merrimack River valley and in valleys of tributaries to the Merrimack River. Ground water is generally of good chemical quality. Iron and manganese in concentrations greater than the recommended limits for drinking water suggested by the U.S. Public Health Service, however, are not uncommon. (Woodard-USGS)

New Hampshire↗
USGS2016

Groundwater-flow model for the Wood River Valley aquifer system, south-central Idaho

A three-dimensional numerical model of groundwater flow was developed for the Wood River Valley (WRV) aquifer system, Idaho, to evaluate groundwater and surface-water availability at the regional scale. This mountain valley is located in Blaine County and has a drainage area of about 2,300 square kilometers (888 square miles). The model described in this report can serve as a tool for water-rights administration and water-resource management and planning. The model was completed with support from the Idaho Department of Water Resources, and is part of an ongoing U.S. Geological Survey effort to characterize the groundwater resources of the WRV. A highly reproducible approach was taken for constructing the WRV groundwater-flow model. The collection of datasets, source code, and processing instructions used to construct and analyze the model was distributed as an R statistical-computing and graphics package. Flow in the WRV aquifer was simulated using the MODFLOW-USG groundwater flow model. The transient flow model simulates groundwater flow between 1995 and 2010. The model uses a 100-meter (328-feet) uniform grid spacing with 54,922 active model cells distributed over three model layers. A confining unit in the south-central part of the Bellevue fan necessitated the use of a multi-layer model. Specified-flow boundaries were used to simulate the groundwater inflows from each of the major tributary basins (also known as tributary basin underflow) and the areal recharge of precipitation and applied irrigation. Head‑dependent flow boundaries were used to simulate the stream-aquifer flow exchange in river reaches and the groundwater discharge at the outlet boundaries of Stanton Crossing and Silver Creek. The model was calibrated by adjusting aquifer hydraulic properties to match simulated and measured water levels and stream-aquifer flow exchange, using the parameter-estimation program PEST. The model reasonably simulated the measured water-table elevation, orientation, and gradients. Stream-aquifer flow exchange along river reaches also was reasonably simulated by the model. Inflow into the WRV aquifer system originates from three sources (from largest to smallest): Streamflow loss from the Big Wood River and Silver Creek, Areal recharge of precipitation and applied irrigation, and Tributary basin underflow. Outflow from the WRV aquifer system originates from five sources (from largest to smallest): Aquifer discharge into the Big Wood River and Silver Creek, Production-well pumping, Discharge across the water table into the vadose zone, Subsurface outflow beneath Silver Creek near Picabo, and Subsurface outflow beneath the Big Wood River near Stanton Crossing. Temporal changes in aquifer storage are most affected by areal recharge and groundwater pumping, and also contribute to changes in streamflow gains.

Idaho↗
USGS2013

Identifying stakeholder-relevant climate change impacts: a case study in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, USA

Designing climate-related research so that study results will be useful to natural resource managers is a unique challenge. While decision makers increasingly recognize the need to consider climate change in their resource management plans, and climate scientists recognize the importance of providing locally-relevant climate data and projections, there often remains a gap between management needs and the information that is available or is being collected. We used decision analysis concepts to bring decision-maker and stakeholder perspectives into the applied research planning process. In 2009 we initiated a series of studies on the impacts of climate change in the Yakima River Basin (YRB) with a four-day stakeholder workshop, bringing together managers, stakeholders, and scientists to develop an integrated conceptual model of climate change and climate change impacts in the YRB. The conceptual model development highlighted areas of uncertainty that limit the understanding of the potential impacts of climate change and decision alternatives by those who will be most directly affected by those changes, and pointed to areas where additional study and engagement of stakeholders would be beneficial. The workshop and resulting conceptual model highlighted the importance of numerous different outcomes to stakeholders in the basin, including social and economic outcomes that go beyond the physical and biological outcomes typically reported in climate impacts studies. Subsequent studies addressed several of those areas of uncertainty, including changes in water temperatures, habitat quality, and bioenergetics of salmonid populations.

Washington↗
USGS2014

Arkansas StreamStats: A U.S. Geological Survey web map application for basin characteristics and streamflow statistics

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides streamflow and other related information needed by water-resource managers responsible for protecting people and property from floods, planning and managing water-resource activities, and protecting water quality. Streamflow statistics provided by the USGS, such as the 1-percent annual exceedance probability (100-year flood) and the 7-day 10-year low flow, are frequently used by engineers, flood forecasters, land managers, biologists, and others to guide their everyday decisions. Additionally, resource managers often need to know basin characteristics, the physical and climatic characteristics of a drainage basin, to help understand the mechanisms that control water availability, water quality, and aquatic habitats at various locations. Users of streamflow information often require streamflow statistics and basin characteristics at various locations along a stream. The USGS periodically calculates and publishes streamflow statistics and basin characteristics for streamflowgaging stations and partial-record stations, but these data commonly are scattered among many reports that may or may not be readily available to the public. The USGS also provides and periodically updates regional analyses of streamflow statistics that include regression equations and other prediction methods for estimating statistics for ungaged and unregulated streams across the State. Use of these regional predictions for a stream can be complex and often requires the user to determine a number of basin characteristics that may require interpretation. Basin characteristics may include drainage area, classifiers for physical properties, climatic characteristics, and other inputs. Obtaining these input values for gaged and ungaged locations traditionally has been time consuming, subjective, and can lead to inconsistent results.

Arkansas↗