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At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
USGS1984

Synthesized flood frequency for small urban streams in Tennessee

Bridge, culvert, and highway design often require knowledge of the magnitude and frequency of flood discharge from small streams where the drainage basin is urbanized. The results of a 6-year study by the U.S. Geological Survey provide methods for estimating flood magnitudes for selected frequencies on small streams draining urban areas in Tennessee. A total of 22 rainfall-runoff sites located in basins with drainage areas of 0.21 to 24.3 square miles in size and in municipalities with populations between 5,000 and 100,000 were used to derive regionalized flood-frequency equations. Impervious area, measured from recent aerial photographs, ranged between 4.7 percent and 74.0 percent of the basin. The equations were derived by multiple regression analyses of snythetic flood-frequency estimates, derived from a rainfall-runoff modeling procedure, versus physical basin characteristics and a precipitation factor. These equations can be used to estimate the magnitude of future floods with recurrence intervals of 2 to 100 years on ungaged urbanized streams in Tennessee. One equation for each recurrence interval applies statewide. Flood-frequency estimates for stations used in the analyses and example computations demonstrating applications of the regression equations to urban streams in Tennessee are given in the report. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1996

Availability and quality of water from drift aquifers in Marshall, Pennington, Polk, and Red Lake counties, northwestern Minnesota

Sand and gravel aquifers present within glacial deposits are important sources of water in Marshall, Pennington, Polk, and Red Lake Counties in northwestern Minnesota. Saturated thicknesses of the unconfined aquifers range from 0 to 30 feet. Estimated horizontal hydraulic conductivities range from 2.5 to 600 feet per day. Transmissivity of the unconfined aquifers ranges from 33 to greater than 3,910 feet squared per day. Theoretical maximum well yields for 6 wells with specific-capacity data range from 12 to 123 gallons per minute. Saturated thicknesses of shallow confined aquifers (depth to top of the aquifer less than 100 feet below land surface) range from 0 to 150 feet. Thicknesses of intermediate, deep, and basal confined aquifers (depths to top of the aquifer from 100 to 199 feet, from 200 to 299 feet, and 300 feet or more below land surface, respectively) range from 0 to more than 126 feet. Transmissivity of the confined aquifers ranges from 2 to greater than 210,000 feet squared per day. Theoretical maximum well yields range from 3 to about 2,000 gallons per minute. Recharge to ground water is predominantly from precipitation that percolates downward to the saturated zone. Recharge to unconfined aquifers in the study area ranged from 4.5 to 12.0 inches per year during 1991 and 1992, based on hydrograph analysis. Model simulations done for this study indicate that recharge rates from 8 to 9 inches per year to unconfined aquifers produce the best matches between model-simulated and measured water levels in wells. Discharge from ground water occurs by seepage to streams, lakes and wetlands, ground-water evapotranspiration, and withdrawals through wells. In 1990, total ground-water withdrawals in the study area were 6.0 million gallons per day. All of the withdrawals were from drift aquifers. Numerical models of ground-water flow were constructed to represent two beach-ridge aquifer systems under steady-state conditions. Beach-ridge aquifer systems were simulated in Pennington, Polk, and Red Lake County. Simulated recharge from the infiltration of precipitation accounts for most of the sources of water to the beach-ridge aquifer systems and simulated evapotranspiration accounts for all of the discharge other than ground-water withdrawals. The numerical-model simulations indicate that upward movement of water from underlying confined aquifers to overlying unconfined aquifers is an important component of ground-water flow within the beach-ridge aquifer systems. Simulated long-term, steady-state yields from the unconfined aquifers are generally less than 50 gallons per minute, due to the generally low saturated thickness of the aquifers and the relatively low hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer material. Water from all the drift aquifers in the study area is very hard (more than 180 milligrams per liter of calcium carbonate). The predominant ions in water from the unconfined and shallow confined aquifers were generally calcium and bicarbonate. Water from the intermediate confined aquifers includes a variety of water types, including calcium bicarbonate, calcium sulfate, mixed calcium-sodium bicarbonate, and sodium chloride type waters. Waters from the deep confined aquifers are predominantly calcium bicarbonate, mixed calcium-sodium bicarbonate, and sodium chloride type waters. Mean concentrations of calcium and magnesium generally decreased with depth below land surface. Mean concentrations of sodium and sulfate generally increased with depth. Mean chloride concentrations were greatest for the shallow and deep confined aquifers and least for the unconfined and intermediate confined aquifers. The concentration and percentage (as percent of total cations) of sodium, and concentration of dissolved solids tend to increase from east to west along regional flow paths. Concentrations and percentages (as percent of total anions) of chloride tend to be greater in the western part of the study area than in the eastern part. These trends are probably due to longer residence time of the water in the flow system, and upward leakage of water from the underlying Cretaceous and Paleozoic strata. Waters from the drift aquifers underlying most of the study area generally are suitable for domestic consumption, crop irrigation, and most other uses. Water from 20 wells screened in unconfined and confined aquifers exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended limits for dissolved solids concentrations. Chemical analyses of waters from the unconfined and confined aquifers generally indicated a potentially low sodium hazard and a medium to high salinity hazard for irrigation. Water samples analyzed for nitrate had nitrate concentrations below the reporting limit (0.05 milligrams per liter) in 10 out of 23 wells. Two samples had nitrate concentrations greater than 10 milligrams per liter. Pesticide concentrations in water samples from 17 wells screened in unconfined and shallow confined aquifers were below or only slightly above laboratory reporting limits.

Minnesota↗
USGS1998

Water quality in the Albemarle-Pamlico drainage basin, North Carolina and Virginia, 1992-95

The NAWQA Program is assessing the water-quality conditions of more than 50 of the Nation's largest river basins and aquifers, known as Study Units. Collectively, these Study Units cover about one-half of the United States and include sources of drinking water used by about 70 percent of the U.S. population. Comprehensive assessments of about one-third of the Study Units are ongoing at a given time. Each Study Unit is scheduled to be revisited every decade to evaluate changes in water-quality conditions. NAWQA assessments rely heavily on existing information collected by the USGS and many other agencies as well as the use of nationally consistent study designs and methods of sampling and analysis. Such consistency simultaneously provides information about the status and trends in water-quality conditions in a particular stream or aquifer and, more importantly, provides the basis to make comparisons among watersheds and improve our understanding of the factors that affect water-quality conditions regionally and nationally. This report is intended to summarize major findings that emerged between 1992 and 1995 from the water-quality assessment of the Albemarle-Pamlico Drainage Study Unit and to relate these findings to water-quality issues of regional and national concern. The information is primarily intended for those who are involved in water-resource management. Indeed, this report addresses many of the concerns raised by regulators, water-utility managers, industry representatives, and other scientists, engineers, public officials, and members of stakeholder groups who provided advice and input to the USGS during this NAWQA Study-Unit investigation. Yet, the information contained here may also interest those who simply wish to know more about the quality of water in the rivers and aquifers in the area where they live.

North Carolina, Virginia↗
USGS1999

High-resolution seismic reflection/refraction imaging from Interstate 10 to Cherry Valley Boulevard, Cherry Valley, Riverside County, California: Implications for water resources and earthquake hazards

This report is the second of two reports on seismic imaging investigations conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) during the summers of 1997 and 1998 in the Cherry Valley area in California (Figure 1a). In the first report (Catchings et al., 1999), data and interpretations were presented for four seismic imaging profiles (CV-1, CV-2, CV-3, and CV-4) acquired during the summer of 1997 . In this report, we present data and interpretations for three additional profiles (CV-5, CV-6, and CV-7) acquired during the summer of 1998 and the combined seismic images for all seven profiles. This report addresses both groundwater resources and earthquake hazards in the San Gorgonio Pass area because the shallow (upper few hundred meters) subsurface stratigraphy and structure affect both issues. The cities of Cherry Valley and Beaumont are located approximately 130 km (~80 miles) east of Los Angeles, California along the southern alluvial fan of the San Bernardino Mountains (see Figure 1b). These cities are two of several small cities that are located within San Gorgonio Pass, a lower-lying area between the San Bernardino and the San Jacinto Mountains. Cherry Valley and Beaumont are desert cities with summer daytime temperatures often well above 100 o F. High water usage in the arid climate taxes the available groundwater supply in the region, increasing the need for efficient management of the groundwater resources. The USGS and the San Gorgonio Water District (SGWD) work cooperatively to evaluate the quantity and quality of groundwater supply in the San Gorgonio Pass region. To better manage the water supplies within the District during wet and dry periods, the SGWD sought to develop a groundwater recharge program, whereby, excess water would be stored in underground aquifers during wet periods (principally winter months) and retrieved during dry periods (principally summer months). The SGWD preferred a surface recharge approach because it could be less expensive than a recharging program based on injection wells. However, at an existing surface recharge site, surface recharge of the aquifer was limited by the presence of clayrich layers that impede the downward percolation of the surface water. In boreholes, these clay-rich layers were found to extend from the near surface to about 50 m depth. If practical, the SGWD desired to relocate the recharge ponds to another location within the Cherry Valley–Beaumont area. This required that sites be found where the clay-rich layers were absent. The SGWD elected to explore for such sites by employing a combination of drilling and seismic techniques. A number of near-surface faults have been suggested in the Cherry Valley-Beaumont area (Figure 1b). However, there may be additional unmapped faults that underlie the alluvial valley of San Gorgonio Pass. Because faults are known to act as barriers to lateral groundwater flow in alluvial groundwater systems, mapped and unmapped subsurface faults in the Cherry Valley-Beaumont area would likely influence groundwater flow and the lateral distribution of recharged water. These same faults may pose a significant hazard to the local desert communities and to greater areas of southern California due to the presence of lifelines (water, electrical, gas, transportation, etc.) that extend through San Gorgonio Pass to larger urban areas. The three principal goals of the seismic investigation presented in this report were to laterally map the subsurface stratigraphic horizons, locate faults that may act as barriers to groundwater flow, and measure velocities of shallow sediments that may give rise to amplified shaking during major earthquakes.

California↗
USGS2003

Ground-water use, locations of production wells, and areas irrigated using ground water in 1998, middle Humboldt River basin, north-central Nevada

In 1998, ground water was being pumped from about 420 production wells in the middle Humboldt River Basin for a variety of uses. Principal uses were for agriculture, industry, mining, municipal, and power plant purposes. This report presents a compilation of the number and types of production wells, areas irrigated by ground water, and ground-water use in 14 hydrographic areas of the middle Humboldt River Basin in 1998. Annual pumping records for production wells usually are reported to the Nevada Division of Water Resources. However, operators of irrigation wells are not consistently required to report annual pumpage. Daily power-consumption and pump-discharge rates measured at 20 wells during the 1998 irrigation season and total power use at each well were used to estimate the amount of water, in feet of depth, applied to 20 alfalfa fields. These fields include about 10 percent of the total area, 36,700 acres, irrigated with ground water in the middle Humboldt River Basin. In 1998 an average of 2.0 feet of water was applied to 14 fields irrigated using center-pivot sprinkler systems, and an average of 2.6 feet of water was applied to 6 fields irrigated using wheel-line sprinkler systems. A similar approach was used to estimate the amount of water pumped at three wells using pumps powered by diesel engines. The two fields served by these three wells received 3.9 feet of water by flood irrigation during the 1998 irrigation season. The amount of water applied to the fields irrigated by center-pivot and wheel-line irrigation systems during the 1998 irrigation season was less than what would have been applied during a typical irrigation season because late winter and spring precipitation exceeded long-term monthly averages by as much as four times. As a result, the health of crops was affected by over-saturated soils, and most irrigation wells were only used sporadically in the first part of the irrigation season. Power consumption at 19 of the 20 wells in the 1994-97 irrigation seasons was 110 to 235 percent of the power consumption in the 1998 irrigation season. If the amount of water applied to fields during the 1998 irrigation season were adjusted to account for these differences in power consumption, the average amount of water applied to a field during a typical season using center-pivot and wheel-line sprinkler systems would be 3.1 feet and 3.7 feet, respectively. Total ground water pumped in the middle Humboldt River Basin during 1998 was about 298,000 acre-feet. This pumpage was distributed as follows: 78 percent for mining, 19 percent for irrigation, and 3 percent for industrial, municipal, and power plants combined. Mining pumpage is by far the largest source of ground-water use because several large gold mines have extended below local ground-water levels and the area around each mine must be dewatered in order to maintain a dry and workable mine. Total mining pumpage in 1998 was 233,000 acre-feet, of this total, 23,600 acre-feet was for consumptive use and 209,000 acre-feet was for dewatering eight mines. Excess water from the mines being dewatered was distributed as follows: 74,500 acre-feet was returned to aquifers by infiltration; 33,100 acre-feet was used for irrigation and for consumptive use at two mines and a power plant; 96,700 acre-feet was released to the Humboldt River or one of its tributaries; and 5,260 acre-feet was lost to evaporation.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1982

Hydrologic data for urban studies in the San Antonio, Texas, metropolitan area, 1979-80

Hydrologic investigations of urban drainage basins in Texas were begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1954. These studies are now in progress in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. Studies were completed in the Fort Worth metropolitan area at the end of the 1977 water year, and in the Dallas metropolitan area at the end of the 1979 water year. The Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Water Resources, expanded the existing streamflow network in the San Antonio metropolitan area in May 1968 to begin urban hydrology studies in this area. In September 1968, the program was further expanded to include the collection of water-quality data. The operation and maintenance of stations 08178000, San Antonio River at San Antonio; 08178700, Salado Creek (upper station) at San Antonio; and 08178800, Sal ado Creek (lower station) at San Antonio are funded by the San Antonio River Authority in conjunction with the Texas Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Geological Survey. The operation and maintenance and collection of water-quality data at station 08178720, Lorence Creek at Thousand Oaks Blvd., San Antonio, station 08178640, West Elm Creek at San Antonio, and station 08178645, East Eln Creek at San Antonio, are funded by the Edwards Underground Water District in cooperation with the Texas Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Geological Survey. Station 08178640, West Elm Creek at San Antonio, and station 08178645, East Elm Creek at San Antonio will provide hydrologic data on similar and adjacent watersheds. The West Elm watershed is still predominately rural but is undergoing extensive urbanization in some areas. The East Elm watershed is relatively stable and undeveloped. The objectives of the San Antonio urban hydrology study are: To provide data showing the effects of various stages of urbanization on flood discharge and runoff. To provide water-quality data on surface-water runoff from floods of various magnitudes, during all seasons of the year from areas with different types of urban development. Annual publication of the San Antonio urban studies was initiated in 1969. A defination of terms related to streamflow, water quality, and other hydrologic data, as used in this report, are defined in the U.S. Geological Survey's 1979 and 1980 "Water resources data for Texas" reports.

Texas↗
USGS1967

Hydrogeologic data for the Shetucket River basin, Connecticut

This report presents hydrologic and geologic data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during an investigation of water resources in the Shetucket River basin of Connecticut in cooperation with the Connecticut Water Resources Commission. The Shetucket River basin occupies about 507 square miles in the eastern part of the State, including the towns of Andover, Ashford, Chaplin, Coventry, Mansfield, Scotland, Sprague, Windham, and Willington, and parts of Bolton, Canterbury, Columbia, Eastford, Ellington, Franklin, Lebanon, Lisbon, Hampton, Hebron, Norwich, Pomfret, Stafford, Tolland, Union, Vernon, and Woodstock. A companion interpretive report, Connecticut Water Resources Bulletin ll, (Thomas, and others, 1967), evaluates the water resources of the basin. The data on the following pages serve to document and supplement that report and should be especially useful in planning the development of water resources at specific localities. Data were collected as part of this investigation during the period July 1962 through December 1964. Streamflow records from continuous-record gaging stations in the basin for this period have been published annually along with data from other parts of the State in a series of U.S. Geological Survey reports entitled "Surface Water Records of Connecticut." Water-level measurements in wells throughout the State from 1960 through 1964, including those made as part of this investigation, are published in Connecticut Water Resources Bulletin 7 (Meikle and Baker, 1965). Most other data collected during this investigation are tabulated on the following pages. Included are some well records and chemical analyses of water samples collected prior to July 1962 and not previously published. The locations of sites at which data were collected are shown on plate A in the pocket at the back of the report. Plate A includes the locations of 98 sites where 2 to 6 miscellaneous measurements of streamflow were made during 1963 and 13 other sites where continuous records are maintained. Data for these sites have already been published in "Surface Water Records of Connecticut" and are not repeated here. Data presented~ unless otherwise noted, were collected by U.S. Geological Survey personnel.

Connecticut↗
USGS1972

Low-flow investigations

This manual describes methods of defining the low-flow characteristics of streams, shows how certain basin characteristics influence the mean and variability of annual low flows, and recommends procedures for data collection, analysis, and reporting.

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations↗
USGS1980

Hydrologic and land-cover features of the Loxahatchee River Basin, Florida

This map report represents the first published product of the Loxahatchee River estuary assessment, and primarily fulfills the first objective as outlined in the report. It presents an overview of the major physical features of the basin and presents selected information on the U.S. Geological Survey assessment. The report includes a photomosaic map with the names of major tributaries, the location of selected U.S. Geological Survey stations, basin and subbasin boundaries, and direction of surface-water flow. The scale of the map (1 inch = 1 mile) allows a synoptic view with adequate detail of physical features. The report also includes information on the types of soil and land use in the basinand on characteristics of the estuary. The map report provides a work base for future interpretive reports.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1990

Floods of February 1989 in Tennessee

Rainfall amounts of over 5 inches the night of February 13 and the morning of February 14, 1989, caused flooding in areas of Middle and West Tennessee. The towns of Lebanon in Middle Tennessee and Obion in West Tennessee were most severely affected. Most of the business district in Lebanon and many residential areas in Obion were flooded. Recurrence intervals for 24-hour rainfall totals were as high as 25 years at some sites but most peak discharges had recurrence intervals of less than 10 years. Rainfall amounts for the period February 13-20, 1989, peak stages and discharges for this flood, the peak of record, and a list of discharge measurements made during the flood are documented in this report.

Tennessee↗
USGS1983

Selected ground-water data in parts of Gilliam, Morrow, and Umatilla counties, Oregon

Over the last 20 years there has been a shift from dryland to irrigated agriculture in parts of Gilliam, Morrow, and Umatilla Counties in northeastern Oregon. Some irrigation water used in this area obtained from surface sources, but a significant amount is obtained from wells. The principal aquifer in the area is the Columbia River Basalt Group. Wells in the basalt are commonly drilled to depths of 500 to 1,200 ft and many produce more than 1,000 gal/min. A cooperative ground-water modeling study by the U.S. Geological Survey and Oregon Water Resources Department has resulted in the compilation of data from drillers logs and well inspections for wells completed in the basalt aquifer. Water-level measurements have been made in some wells in the area since the 1950's. The wells with longest periods of record are those that are part of a Statewide network of observation wells measured by the U. S. Geological Survey and Oregon Water Resources Department. This report includes a table of well information, representative hydrographs, and well location maps. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1994

U. S. Geological Survey Federal-State Cooperative Water-Resources Program Fiscal Year 1993

The Federal-State Cooperative Program is a part- nership between the U.S. Geological Survey and State and local agencies. It provides a balanced approach to the study and resolution of water- related problems and to acquiring hydrologic data. The principal program objectives are to: (1) collect, on a systematic basis, data needed for the continuing determination and evaluation of the quantity, quality, and use of the Nation's water resources, and (2) appraise the availa- bility and the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of surface and ground water through analytical and interpretive investi- gations. During fiscal year 1993, hydrologic data collection, interpretive investigations, and research were conducted by Geological Survey personnel in offices in every State, Puerto Rico, and in several territories in cooperation with about 1,100 local, State, and regional agencies. In fiscal year 1993, Federal funding of $63.5 million was matched by cooperating agencies, which also provided almost $23 million unmatched for a total program of about $150 million. This amounted to nearly 40 percent of the total funds for Geological Survey water- resources activities. This report presents examples of current (1993) investigations. It also provides updated information on Cooperative Program investigations related to agricultural activities.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2014

Methods for estimating magnitude and frequency of 1-, 3-, 7-, 15-, and 30-day flood-duration flows in Arizona

Large floods have historically caused extensive damage in Arizona. Although peak-flow frequency estimates are required for managing the risk posed by floods, estimates of the frequency of sustained flood flow (flood-duration flow) are also useful for planning and assessing the adequacy of retention and conveyance structures and for water-resource planning. This report presents a flood-duration flow frequency analysis for selected durations (1 day, 3 day, 7 day, 15 day, and 30 day) at 173 streamgaging stations throughout Arizona and in western New Mexico. For each n -day duration, a log-Pearson type III distribution was fitted to the annual series of n -day flood-duration flows using the expected moments algorithm with a multiple Grubbs-Beck low-outlier test. Regional skews were developed independently for each n -day duration using a hybrid weighted least squares/generalized least squares method. No basin characteristics were found to adequately explain variation in skew among stations and a constant statewide skew model was used for all n -day durations. The regional skewness coefficient is negative for all n -day durations and becomes increasingly negative for longer n -day durations. Uncertainty associated with the skewness coefficient is estimated using a Bayesian generalized least squares technique. Regression equations, which allow predictions of n -day flood-duration flows for selected annual exceedance probabilities at ungaged sites, were developed using generalized least-squares regression and flood-duration flow frequency estimates at 56 streamgaging stations within a single, relatively uniform physiographic region in the central part of Arizona, between the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range Province, called the Transition Zone. Drainage area explained most of the variation in the n -day flood-duration annual exceedance probabilities, but mean annual precipitation and mean elevation were also significant variables in the regression models. Standard error of prediction for the regression equations varies from 28 to 53 percent and generally decreases with increasing n -day duration. Outside the Transition Zone there are insufficient streamgaging stations to develop regression equations, but flood-duration flow frequency estimates are presented at select streamgaging stations.

Arizona↗
USGS2014

HydroClimATe: hydrologic and climatic analysis toolkit

The potential consequences of climate variability and climate change have been identified as major issues for the sustainability and availability of the worldwide water resources. Unlike global climate change, climate variability represents deviations from the long-term state of the climate over periods of a few years to several decades. Currently, rich hydrologic time-series data are available, but the combination of data preparation and statistical methods developed by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of the Groundwater Resources Program is relatively unavailable to hydrologists and engineers who could benefit from estimates of climate variability and its effects on periodic recharge and water-resource availability. This report documents HydroClimATe, a computer program for assessing the relations between variable climatic and hydrologic time-series data. HydroClimATe was developed for a Windows operating system. The software includes statistical tools for (1) time-series preprocessing, (2) spectral analysis, (3) spatial and temporal analysis, (4) correlation analysis, and (5) projections. The time-series preprocessing tools include spline fitting, standardization using a normal or gamma distribution, and transformation by a cumulative departure. The spectral analysis tools include discrete Fourier transform, maximum entropy method, and singular spectrum analysis. The spatial and temporal analysis tool is empirical orthogonal function analysis. The correlation analysis tools are linear regression and lag correlation. The projection tools include autoregressive time-series modeling and generation of many realizations. These tools are demonstrated in four examples that use stream-flow discharge data, groundwater-level records, gridded time series of precipitation data, and the Multivariate ENSO Index.

Techniques and Methods↗
USGS1975

The Miocene aquifer system in Mississippi

A large amount of information is available on the aquifers of Mississippi. Reports resulting from various areal studies have described the ground-water resources of the areas concerned, but no reports dealing specifically with the statewide occurrence of individual aquifer systems have been prepared previously. A series of "aquifer atlases" was deemed the most effective way to point out the character, the potential, and the extent of development of the aquifers and thereby provide water managers with data needed for efficient utilization of available resources. This report on the Miocene aquifer system is the first in the series. Information on the aquifers was obtained in the cooperative programs of the U.S. Geological Survey with the Mississippi Board of Water Commissioners and other State and Federal agencies.

Mississippi↗
USGS1975

Hydrogeologic data for the Farmington River basin, Connecticut

This report contains hydrologic and geologic data collected and compiled as part of a water resources investigation of the Farmington River basin, Connecticut. The study was made by the U.S. Geological Survey in fiscal cooperation with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. A companion report, Connecticut Water Resources Bulletin No. 29 (in preparation), contains the interpretation of ground-water, quality-of-water, and surfacewater data collected for the study.

Connecticut↗
USGS1996

Atlas of ground-water resources in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

This atlas presents an overview of the ground-water resources of the main island of Puerto Rico; two of its larger offshore islands, Isla de Culebra and Isla de Vieques; and the three principal islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. The atlas presents the most important ground-water information available for these islands, and is written for water managers and the general public. It describes, through the use of maps, graphs, and hydrogeologic sections, the most important aspects of the geohydrology, ground-water flow system, and groundwater withdrawals for the principal aquifers in these islands. Most of the information presented in the atlas is from published reports, although unpublished data from ongoing studies by the U.S. Geological Survey were used to prepare parts of the atlas. This report provides a useful compilation of information concerning major aquifers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and provides a first step in gaining a general knowledge of these aquifers. More detailed information is available from the primary sources referenced in the report. The atlas contains an introductory section and 15 sections describing the ground-water resources of 12 regions within the 7 ground-water areas of the main island of Puerto Rico, Isla de Culebra and Isla de Vieques (described in a single section of the atlas), and the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas and St. John are described in one section of the atlas and St. Croix in another), and a concluding section describing present and potential problems related to the development of ground-water resources. Information presented in each of 15 descriptive sections of the atlas include the (1) location and major geographic features of the area covered by that section, (2) population and estimated (4) hydrogeology of the area, (5) ground-water levels and movements, and (6) a description of soil permeabilities.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1986

Water demands in Kansas, 1944-84

The State of Kansas has administered water rights according to an appropriations doctrine since 1945. Water rights are issued by the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, Division of Water Resources, for eight categories of beneficial use. Water rights data and limited information on reported water use are stored on a computerized State data base; the U.S. Geological Survey cooperates with the State on maintenance of this system. This report analyzes trends in appropriations from 1944-84 for surface and groundwater for three major categories of use: irrigation, public supply, and industry. Demands for water, represented by these appropriations, are compared for three geographic areas within the State. These areas correspond to general patterns of water availability, population, and enterprises. As of 1984, 87% of the water appropriated for the three major types of use was for irrigation; most of this demand was for groundwater in the western one-third of the State. Seventy-five percent of the water demands in the central one-third of Kansas were met by groundwater; appropriations for irrigation represent the largest demand on water supplies in this area but must compete with appropriations for public supply and industry. Demands for surface water have increased substantially only in the eastern part of the State for industrial use and public supplies. The most prominent trends in water rights permit activity were related to climatic fluctuations, particularly the drought of the 1950's, legislative changes in the 1970 's requiring permits, and growth of urban populations in the central and eastern areas of the State. Analysis of trends in water appropriations can be useful in understanding the water issues facing Kansas in the future. (Author 's abstract)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗