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At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources
USGS1995

Summary of sediment resuspension monitoring activities, Old Tampa Bay and Hillsborough Bay, Florida, 1988-91

Sediment resuspension was studied in Old Tampa BaY, the northwestern subembayment of Tampa Bay, and in Hillsborough Bay, the northeastern subembayment of Tampa Bay located along the coast of west-central Florida. Electromagnetic current meters, optical backscatterance sensors, and water samples were used to collect sediment resuspension data at several study sites in the two bays. This report describes the data-collection methods and summaries sediment resuspension data collected intermittently from October 1988 through December 1990 in Old Tampa Bay and from March 1990 through September 1991 in Hillsborough Bay. Example data are presented for selected monitoring events.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1971

Floods in Arkansas, magnitude and frequency characteristics through 1968

Techniques are presented for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods on Arkansas streams. Modern topographic maps now available and computer techniques facilitate in making a comprehensive analysis in which physical and climactic characteristics of river basins are related to flood characteristics at gaging stations. Equations derived from the analysis make it possible to estimate the magnitude of future floods with recurrence intervals of as much as 50 years on gaged and ungaged streams that have drainage areas of 0.1-3,000 square miles. An estimate of the future flood potential can be used to locate and design flood-control structures, establish flood-insurance rates, and devise flood-zoning plans. Appendixes in the report contain data on flood characteristics of gaged drainage basins, a summary of climatic and topographic characteristics of drainage basins, peak stages and discharges for gaging stations that have 5 or more years of record, and peak-flow data for outstanding floods at miscellaneous sites.

Arkansas↗
USGS2002

Water-level measurements and chloride concentrations for selected wells in Louisiana, January 1988-October 1997

This report presents water - level measurements and chloride concentrations in water from selected wells completed in aquifers in Louisiana . The data were collected during the period January 1988 - October 1997 . Water - level data are presented for 109 wells , and chloride data are presented for 45 wells . Hydrographs and summaries of water - level trends are presented for wells completed in aquifers throughout the State. Chlorographs and summaries of chloride trends are presented for wells completed in the Mississippi River alluvial and Sparta aquifers; Chicot aquifer system; and Gramercy, Norco, and Gonzales-New Orleans aquifers. Data are presented in graphical and tabular formats.

Water-Resources Bulletin↗
USGS2008

Consumptive Water Use in the Great Lakes Basin

Great Lakes state agencies and organizations view understanding consumptive water use as a critical component in water-resource management. To assist them in developing a better understanding of the factors involved in consumptive use, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has completed an inventory of consumptive-use coefficients for the Great Lakes Basin. This fact sheet highlights findings and data from a comprehensive report resulting from that inventory. This fact sheet includes information on water-use categories used to compile and organize consumptive-use coefficients, summary statistics for consumptive-use coefficients by category, and estimated water withdrawals and consumptive-use amounts for the Great Lakes States for 2000.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS1984

Evaluation of the ground-water resources of coastal Georgia: preliminary report of the data available as of July 1983

A compilation of ground-water data that have been collected for nearly 100 years in the coastal area of Georgia is presented in this report. The compilation of pertinent data indicates what information is available for use in the evaluation of the ground-water resources of the 13 counties of coastal Georgia. Also included in this report is a fairly complete discussion of previous and ongoing investigations and monitoring networks, and an extensive list of references. Maps at 1:24,000 and 1:1,000,000 scales contain well locations and identifiers for all wells in the Ground Water Site Inventory (GWSI) data base of the National Water Data Storage and retrieval System (WATSTORE). Tabular summaries of selected site information from GWSI, including well identifiers and names, latitude-longitude location, depth of well, altitude of land surface, and use of water are presented. Water-use data from the National Water Use Data System, and water use for irrigation from the University of Georgia, Department of Agriculture survey, also are tabulated. Also included are pertinent information on geophysical surveys and data obtained, and proposed project activities, particularly test-monitor well drilling. The data in this report were collected and compiled as part of the cooperative activities between the U.S. Geological Survey and other agencies.

Georgia↗
USGS2015

A simple web-based tool to compare freshwater fish data collected using AFS standard methods

The American Fisheries Society (AFS) recently published Standard Methods for Sampling North American Freshwater Fishes. Enlisting the expertise of 284 scientists from 107 organizations throughout Canada, Mexico, and the United States, this text was developed to facilitate comparisons of fish data across regions or time. Here we describe a user-friendly web tool that automates among-sample comparisons in individual fish condition, population length-frequency distributions, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) data collected using AFS standard methods. Currently, the web tool (1) provides instantaneous summaries of almost 4,000 data sets of condition, length frequency, and CPUE of common freshwater fishes collected using standard gears in 43 states and provinces; (2) is easily appended with new standardized field data to update subsequent queries and summaries; (3) compares fish data from a particular water body with continent, ecoregion, and state data summaries; and (4) provides additional information about AFS standard fish sampling including benefits, ongoing validation studies, and opportunities to comment on specific methods. The web tool—programmed in a PHP-based Drupal framework—was supported by several AFS Sections, agencies, and universities and is freely available from the AFS website and fisheriesstandardsampling.org . With widespread use, the online tool could become an important resource for fisheries biologists.

Fisheries↗
USGS1984

Evaluation of the ground-water resources of coastal Georgia; preliminary report on the data available as of July 1983

A compilation of ground-water data that have been collected for nearly 100 years in the coastal area of Georgia as part of cooperative activities between the U.S. Geological Survey and other agencies is presented in this report. The compilation of pertinent data indicates that information is available for use in the evaluation of the ground-water resources of the 13 counties of coastal Georgia. Included in this report is a fairly complete discussion of previous and ongoing investigations and monitoring networks, and an extensive list of references. Maps at 1:24,000, 1:100,000; and 1:1000,000 scales contain well locations and identifers for all wells in the Ground Water Site Inventory (GWSI) data base of the National Water Data Storage and Retrieval System (WATSTORE). Tabular summaries of selected site information from GWSI, including well identifiers and names , latitude-longitude location, depth of well, altitude of land surface, and use of water are presented. Water-use data from the National Water Use Data System, and water use for irrigation from the University of Georgia, Department of Agriculture survey , are tabulated. Also included are pertinent information on geophysical surveys and data obtained, and proposed project activities, particularly test-monitor well drilling.

Georgia↗
USGS1983

Statistical summary of daily values data and trend analysis of dissolved-solids data at National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) stations

A statistical summary is provided of the available continuous and once-daily discharge, specific-conductance, dissolved oxygen , water temperature, and pH data collected at NASQAN stations during the 1973-81 water years and documents the period of record on which the statistical calculations were based. In addition, dissolved-solids data are examined by regression analyses to determine the relation between dissolved solids and specific conductance and to determine if long-term trends can be detected in dissolved-solids concentrations. Statistical summaries, regression equations expressing the relation between dissolved solids and specific conductance, and graphical presentations of trend analyses of dissolved solids are presented for 515 NASQAN stations in the United States, Canada, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2006

Summary of available hydrogeologic data for the northeast portion of the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky

The hydrogeologic characteristics of the unconsolidated glacial outwash sand and gravel deposits that compose the northeast portion of the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky, indicate a prolific water-bearing formation with approximately 7 billion gallons of ground-water storage and an estimated sustainable yield of over 280 million gallons per day. This abundance of ground water and the need to properly develop and manage this resource has prompted many past investigations (since 1956), which have produced reports, maps, and data files covering a variety of topics relative to the movement, availability, and use of ground water in this area. These data have been compiled into a single report to assist in future development and use of the ground-water resources. Available ground-water data for the alluvial aquifer at Louisville, Kentucky, from Beargrass Creek to Harrods Creek, were compiled from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System and the Kentucky Groundwater Data Repository. Data contained in these databases include ground-water well-construction details and historical ground-water levels, drillers' logs, and water-quality information. Additional data and information were gathered from project files at the U.S. Geological Survey--Kentucky Water Science Center and files at the Louisville Water Company. Information contained in these files included data from area pumping tests describing aquifer characteristics and ground-water flow. Data describing current conditions of the ground-water system in the northeast portion of the alluvial aquifer also are included. Ground-water levels from a network of observation wells show recent trends in the flow system, and information from the Kentucky Division of Water-Groundwater Branch lists current permitted ground-water withdrawals in the area.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2010

Great Basin Integrated Landscape Monitoring Pilot Summary Report

The Great Basin Integrated Landscape Monitoring Pilot project (GBILM) was one of four regional pilots to implement the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Science Thrust on Integrated Landscape Monitoring (ILM) whose goal was to observe, understand, and predict landscape change and its implications on natural resources at multiple spatial and temporal scales and address priority natural resource management and policy issues. The Great Basin is undergoing rapid environmental change stemming from interactions among global climate trends, increasing human populations, expanding and accelerating land and water uses, invasive species, and altered fire regimes. GBLIM tested concepts and developed tools to store and analyze monitoring data, understand change at multiple scales, and forecast landscape change. The GBILM endeavored to develop and test a landscape-level monitoring approach in the Great Basin that integrates USGS disciplines, addresses priority management questions, catalogs and uses existing monitoring data, evaluates change at multiple scales, and contributes to development of regional monitoring strategies. GBILM functioned as an integrative team from 2005 to 2010, producing more than 35 science and data management products that addressed pressing ecosystem drivers and resource management agency needs in the region. This report summarizes the approaches and methods of this interdisciplinary effort, identifies and describes the products generated, and provides lessons learned during the project.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2000

Hydrogeology and hydrogeologic terranes of the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Physiographic Provinces in the eastern United States

Severe and prolonged droughts between 1961 and 1988, combined with increased demands for freshwater supplies in the United States, have resulted in a critical need to assess the potential for development of ground- and surface-water supplies. Rapid industrial growth and urban expansion have caused existing freshwater supplies to be used at or near maximum capacity. Begun in 1978, the Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is a systematic effort to study a number of the Nation's most important aquifer systems, which, in aggregate, underlie much of the country and represent an important component of the Nation's total water supply. The broad objective for each of the 28 studies in the program is to assemble geologic, hydrologic, and geochemical information, to analyze and develop an understanding of the system, and to develop predictive capabilities that will contribute to the effective management of the system. In 1988, as part of the RASA Program, the USGS began a 6-year study of the ground-water resources of parts of 11 States in the Eastern United States (Swain and others, 1991). The study was designated the Appalachian Valley and Piedmont Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (APRASA). The APRASA team investigated ground-water resources primarily in the unglaciated part of the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, the New England, and the Piedmont Physiographic Provinces (fig. 1). For the purposes of this report, the small area in the New England Physiographic Province that is within the study area in New Jersey and Pennsylvania was considered part of the Piedmont Physiographic Province. The results of the APRASA are contained in about 50 reports and abstracts, including reports on simulation of ground-water flow in three type areas, this atlas, and chapters in Professional Paper 1422. These chapters include the summary (Chapter A), descriptions of recharge rates and surface- and ground-water relations (Chapter B), hydrogeologic terranes in the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province (Chapter C), and ground-water geochemistry (Chapter D). The purposes of this atlas are to summarize the hydrogeology, to describe an analysis of maps and well records, and to present a classification and map of the hydrogeologic terranes of the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Physiographic Provinces within the APRASA study area. Hydrogeologic terranes are defined for this atlas as regionally mappable areas characterized by similar water-yielding properties of a grouping of selected rock types. The hydrogeologic terranes represent areas of distinct hydrologic character. The terranes are intended to help water users locate and develop adequate water supplies and to help hydrologists interpret the regional hydrogeology. Previous investigations provide maps and descriptions of the geologic units, describe the local quantity and quality of ground water within these units, and establish the statistical methods for comparing the water-yielding properties of these units. State geologic maps show the distribution of geologic units at a scale of 1:500,000 for Alabama (Osborne and others, 1989), Georgia (Lawton and others, 1976), North Carolina (Brown and Parker, 1985), and Virginia (Calver and Hobbs, 1963). State maps show geologic units at a scale of 1:250,000 for Maryland (Cleaves and others, 1968), New Jersey (Lewis and Kummel, 1912), Pennsylvania (Berg and others, 1980), South Carolina (Overstreet and Bell, 1965), Tennessee (Hardeman, 1966), and West Virginia (Cardwell and others, 1968). Quadrangle geologic maps show geologic units at a scale of 1:24,000 for parts of Delaware within the APRASA area (Woodruff and Thompson, 1972, 1975). Many reports have been published describing the groundwater resources of a county, parts of a county, multi-county areas, or river basins. The statistical methods used in this atlas are based largely on those used by Helsel and Hirsch (1992) and by Knopman (1990, p. 7-9). In her analysis of well records in the USGS Ground-Water Site Inventory (GWSI) data base, Knopman (1990) ranked factors that must be taken into account when assessing the water-yielding potential of the rocks in the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge, and the Piedmont Physiographic Provinces in Pennsylvania. Readers are referred to Helsel and Hirsch (1992) and Knopman (1990) for details regarding statistical methods.

Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, ↗
USGS2014

Report of the Committee on Underground Waters, 1934–35

The annual report this year consists almost wholly of a brief summary of investigations in progress in different parts of the country. It is by no means complete, and the Chairman of the Committee will be glad to receive information in regard to investigations that have not been mentioned. The outstanding feature of the past year has been the focusing of public attention on problems of underground water, as a result of the drought-conditions, the activities of the National and State resource and planning surveys, and the creation of emergency-relief projects.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2016

Water quality and hydrology of Silver Lake, Oceana County, Michigan, with emphasis on lake response to nutrient loading

Executive Summary Silver Lake is a 672-acre inland lake located in Oceana County, Michigan, and is a major tourist destination due to its proximity to Lake Michigan and the surrounding outdoor recreational opportunities. In recent years, Silver Lake exhibited patterns of high phosphorus concentrations, elevated chlorophyll a concentrations, and nuisance algal blooms. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Silver Lake Improvement Board and in collaboration with the Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) of Grand Valley State University, designed a study to assess the hydrologic and nutrient inputs to Silver Lake in order to identify the events and conditions that affect the nutrient chemistry and production of algal blooms in the lake. This information can inform water-resource managers in developing various management strategies to prevent or reduce the occurrence of future algal blooms. USGS and AWRI scientists collected data from November 2012 to December 2014 to provide information for future management decisions for Silver Lake. Silver Lake can be classified as a polymictic lake and has a residence time of approximately 223 days. Based on the mean lake Secchi depth, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen concentrations, Silver Lake is classified as a eutrophic lake. In-situ bioassay results indicate that algal growth in Silver Lake is colimited by both nitrogen and phosphorus. The nutrient budget for Silver Lake was calculated using the BATHTUB model based on 2 years of water-quality data collection. The BATHTUB model, developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, treats the lake as a well-mixed system with multiple inputs and outlets for both water and dissolved constituents, such as nutrients. Based on results of the BATHTUB model, which were conditioned on observed concentrations and flows, the mean annual input of phosphorus to Silver Lake was approximately 1,342 pounds (lb); the mean annual input of nitrogen to Silver Lake was approximately 51,998 lb. The major measured sources of phosphorus loading to Silver Lake were groundwater and Hunter Creek, whereas the major measured sources of nitrogen to Silver Lake were Hunter Creek, groundwater, and atmospheric deposition. The largest loading of phosphorus and nitrogen to Silver Lake occurred during the spring. Minimal phosphorus deposition (if any) occurred in the lakebed sediment; however, of the nitrogen that entered Silver Lake, approximately 42.2 percent was deposited in the lakebed sediment as simulated by the BATHTUB model. In addition to measured sources, a septic load model was used to estimate the likely range of septic contribution to groundwater and adjacent surface waters. The likely septic loading scenario estimates that septic systems contribute 47.8 percent of the phosphorus to groundwater and 22.3 percent of phosphorus to Hunter Creek. These results indicate that septic systems are a major source of phosphorus loading to Silver Lake. The likely septic loading scenario indicated that septic systems account for 0.95 percent of the nitrogen load to Hunter Creek and 1.1 percent of the contribution of nitrogen to groundwater. The BATHTUB model was used to estimate future nutrient loading and eutrophication scenarios based on water-quality data collected from Silver Lake, groundwater, major tributaries, and atmospheric deposition. A separate septic load model was used to estimate the septic contribution to groundwater or directly to surface water, and the nutrient load estimates were modeled using the BATHTUB model to determine subsequent water-quality changes to Silver Lake. BATHTUB model scenarios based on measured data: The first BATHTUB scenario evaluated the condition of Silver Lake and the change to lake water quality (trophic status) as a result of changes in nutrient loading from different sources. Based on BATHTUB model simulations, if groundwater loading of phosphorus and nitrogen only were decreased by 75 percent, and all of the other nutrient inputs stayed the same, the future condition of Silver Lake would most likely remain highly mesotrophic to eutrophic (the current [2014] condition of Silver Lake). If nutrient loading continued to increase in groundwater, the lake would continue to remain eutrophic with more frequent algal blooms. If nutrient loading from Hunter Creek only decreased by 50–75 percent, and all of the other nutrient inputs stayed the same as the baseline dataset, Silver Lake would remain eutrophic to highly mesotrophic. By reducing the input of manageable nutrient sources (Hunter Creek, groundwater, and lawn runoff) by 75 percent, the BATHTUB model simulation indicates that Silver Lake would be classified as mesotrophic, which is indicative of improved water quality, water clarity, and reduced algal bloom frequency. Simulations also were run using the BATHTUB model to evaluate the number of days Silver Lake could experience algal blooms (algal blooms are defined as modeled chlorophyll a in excess of 10 micrograms per liter [µg/L]) as a result of an increase/decrease in phosphorus and nitrogen loading from groundwater, Hunter Creek, and (or) a combination of sources. If the phosphorus and nitrogen loading from Hunter Creek is decreased (and all other sources are not altered), Silver Lake will continue to experience algal blooms, but less frequently than what is currently experienced. The same scenario holds true if the nutrient loading from groundwater is decreased. Another scenario was simulated using a combination of sources, which includes increases and decreases in phosphorus and nitrogen loading from sources that are the most likely to be managed, and includes groundwater (as a result of conversion of household septic to sewers), Hunter Creek (conversion of household septic to sewers), and lawn runoff. Results of the BATHTUB model indicated that a 50-percent reduction of phosphorus and nitrogen from these sources would result in a considerable decrease in algal bloom frequency (from 231 to 132 days) and severity, and a 75-percent reduction would greatly reduce algal bloom occurrence on Silver Lake (from 231 to 57 days). BATHTUB model scenarios based on septic load model: A scenario also was conducted using the BATHTUB model to simulate the conversion of septic to sewer and included a low, high, and medium (likely) scenario of nutrient loading to Silver Lake. Simulations of the BATHTUB model indicated that, under the likely scenario, the conversion of all onsite septic treatment to sewers would result in an overall change in lake trophic status from eutrophic to mesotrophic, thereby reducing the frequency of algal blooms and algal bloom intensity on Silver Lake (chlorophyll a >10 µg/L, from 231 to 184 days per year, or chlorophyll a >20 µg/L, from 80 to 49 days per year).

Michigan↗
USGS1998

Flood of January 19-20, 1996 in New York State

Heavy rain during January 18-19, 1996, combined with unseasonably warm temperatures that caused rapid snowmelt, resulted in widespread flooding throughout New York State. Damages to highways, bridges, and private property exceeded $100 million. The storm and flooding claimed 10 lives, stranded hundreds of people, destroyed or damaged thousands of homes and businesses, and closed hundreds of roads. Forty-one counties in New York were declared federal disaster areas. The most severely affected region was within and surrounding the Catskill Mountains. Damages and losses within Delaware County alone exceeded $20 million.More than 4.5 inches of rain fell on at least 45 inches of melting snow in the Catskill Mountain region during January 18-19 and caused major flooding in the area. The most destructive flooding was along Schoharie Creek and the East and West Branches of the Delaware River. Record peak discharges occurred at 57 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations throughout New York. Maximum discharges at 15 sites, mostly within the Schoharie Creek and Delaware River basins, had recurrence intervals equal to or greater than 100 years. The storage of significant amounts of floodwater in several reservoirs sharply reduced peak discharges downstream. This report presents a summary of peak stages and discharges, precipitation maps, floodflow hydrographs, inflow-outflow hydrographs for several reservoirs, and flood profiles along 83 miles of Schoharie Creek from its headwaters in the Catskill Mountains to its mouth at the Mohawk River.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2023

Value-aligned planning objectives for restoring North Carolina aquatic resources

Rapid population growth and development in the southeastern United States have resulted in substantial impairment to freshwater aquatic ecosystems. National or regional restoration policies strive to address impaired ecosystems but can suffer from inconsistent and opaque processes. The Clean Water Act, for example, establishes reallocation mechanisms to transfer ecosystem services from sites of disturbance to compensation sites to offset aquatic resource functions that are unavoidably lost through land development. However, planning for the prioritization of compensatory mitigation areas is often hampered by unstructured decision-making processes that are narrowly framed because they are not co-produced with stakeholders affected by, or having an interest in, the impacts and mitigation. This summary report represents the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Geological Survey and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Mitigation Services, to co-develop an applied decision framework following the principles of structured decision-making for prioritizing watershed catchments by their potential for realizing a range of beneficial outcomes from future mitigation projects. The framework focuses on supporting the State’s nationally recognized stream and wetlands compensatory mitigation program by clarifying a discrete decision problem and specifying agency and stakeholder values to formulate fundamental and means objectives for prioritizing restoration sites. The co-development of this decision framework resulted in a number of useful insights from the perspective of the decision maker, including recognition (1) that the problem is a multi-objective decision driven by values beyond restoring lost functionality of ecosystems (that is, biogeophysical goals), (2) that the decision comprises a linked and sequential planning-to-implementation process, and (3) that future risk associated with land-use and climate change must be considered. The outcomes of this collaboration can serve as a systematic and transparent framework to prioritize a wide range of restoration, conservation, and resource-allocation activities in similar environmental contexts across the Nation.

North Carolina↗
USGS2022

Hydrology of the Yucaipa groundwater subbasin: Characterization and integrated numerical model, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California

Executive Summary Water management in the Santa Ana River watershed in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties in southern California is a complex task with various water purveyors navigating geographic, geologic, hydrologic, and political challenges to provide a reliable water supply to stakeholders. As the population has increased throughout southern California, so has the demand for water. The Yucaipa groundwater subbasin (hereafter referred to as “Yucaipa subbasin”), one of nine groundwater subbasins in what the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) refers to as the Upper Santa Ana Valley groundwater basin (California Department of Water Resources, 2016; the DWR naming convention is used within this report), is no exception; steady population growth since the 1940s and changes in water use has forced local water purveyors to regularly adapt their water infrastructure to meet demand. Groundwater has historically been the dominant source of water in the Yucaipa subbasin although recently, imported water via the California State Water Project has augmented the total water supply. Despite the influx of imported water, overall demand for groundwater continues to rise, and there is concern by local water managers that groundwater levels may adversely impact water supply and (or) decline to a point where it will be uneconomical to produce water, severely limiting the ability of local agencies to meet water-supply demand. To better understand the hydrogeology and water resources in the Yucaipa subbasin, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District initiated a cooperative study to understand the hydrogeologic system of the Yucaipa subbasin and in the encompassing Yucaipa Valley watershed (YVW). A three-dimensional hydrogeologic framework model was constructed to quantify the structure and extent of hydrogeologic units. Historical and present-day groundwater conditions were characterized to evaluate the groundwater-flow system. Lastly, the Yucaipa Integrated Hydrological Model (YIHM) was developed to simulate the integrated surface-water and groundwater systems, including natural and anthropogenic (that is, human influenced) recharge and discharge throughout the study area from 1947 to 2014. The Yucaipa subbasin is an inland groundwater basin located about 12 miles (mi) southeast of the City of San Bernardino and about 75 mi east of Los Angeles, California. The subbasin encompasses about 39 square miles (mi 2 ), including the City of Yucaipa. The geographic extent of the Yucaipa subbasin was established by the California Department of Water Resources, who defined the boundaries of the subbasin based on hydrogeologic transitions between crystalline rock and basin-fill sediments, active fault strands, surface-water drainage divides, and a portion of an adjudicated groundwater management boundary. Two groundwater subbasins of the Upper Santa Ana Valley groundwater basin are adjacent to the Yucaipa subbasin, the San Bernardino groundwater subbasin to the west and the San Timoteo groundwater subbasin to the south. The Yucaipa subbasin is encompassed by the YVW, which is in turn comprised of three sub-watersheds that represent surface-water flow across and within the Yucaipa subbasin. Although the Yucaipa subbasin is the specific area of interest for this study, the entire YVW was considered for the purposes of characterizing the hydrogeology of the Yucaipa subbasin and for development of the YIHM. The purposes of this report are to (1) describe the hydrologic and hydrogeologic settings of the Yucaipa subbasin and aquifer system, (2) describe the construction and calibration of the fully coupled groundwater and surface-water flow model for the Yucaipa subbasin and the encompassing YVW, referred to as the YIHM, and (3) present numerical results, including water budgets and hydraulic heads, and the effect of pumping and climate stresses (precipitation and temperature) on water-budget components.

California↗
USGS2013

U.S. Geological Survey water science strategy—Observing, understanding, predicting, and delivering water science to the Nation

Executive Summary This report expands the Water Science Strategy that began with the USGS Science Strategy, “Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges—U.S. Geological Survey Science in the Decade 2007–2017” (U.S. Geological Survey, 2007). This report looks at the relevant issues facing society and develops a strategy built around observing, understanding, predicting, and delivering water science for the next 5 to 10 years by building new capabilities, tools, and delivery systems to meet the Nation’s water-resource needs. This report begins by presenting the vision of water science for the USGS and the societal issues that are influenced by, and in turn influence, the water resources of our Nation. The essence of the Water Science Strategy is built on the concept of “water availability,” defined as spatial and temporal distribution of water quantity and quality, as related to human and ecosystem needs, as affected by human and natural influences. The report also describes the core capabilities of the USGS in water science—the strengths, partnerships, and science integrity that the USGS has built over its 134-year history.

Circular↗
USGS2017

Hydrogeologic framework and selected components of the groundwater budget for the upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon

Executive Summary This report presents a summary of the hydrogeology of the upper Umatilla River Basin, Oregon, based on characterization of the hydrogeologic framework, horizontal and vertical directions of groundwater flow, trends in groundwater levels, and components of the groundwater budget. The conceptual model of the groundwater flow system integrates available data and information on the groundwater resources of the upper Umatilla River Basin and provides insights regarding key hydrologic processes, such as the interaction between the groundwater and surface water systems and the hydrologic budget. The conceptual groundwater model developed for the study area divides the groundwater flow system into five hydrogeologic units: a sedimentary unit, three Columbia River basalt units, and a basement rock unit. The sedimentary unit, which is not widely used as a source of groundwater in the upper basin, is present primarily in the lowlands and consists of conglomerate, loess, silt and sand deposits, and recent alluvium. The Columbia River Basalt Group is a series of Miocene flood basalts that are present throughout the study area. The basalt is uplifted in the southeastern half of the study area, and either underlies the sedimentary unit, or is exposed at the surface. The interflow zones of the flood basalts are the primary aquifers in the study area. Beneath the flood basalts are basement rocks composed of Paleogene to Pre-Tertiary sedimentary, volcanic, igneous, and metamorphic rocks that are not used as a source of groundwater in the upper Umatilla River Basin. The major components of the groundwater budget in the upper Umatilla River Basin are (1) groundwater recharge, (2) groundwater discharge to surface water and wells, (3) subsurface flow into and out of the basin, and (4) changes in groundwater storage. Recharge from precipitation occurs primarily in the upland areas of the Blue Mountains. Mean annual recharge from infiltration of precipitation for the upper Umatilla River Basin during 1951–2010 is about 9.6 inches per year (in/yr). Annual recharge from precipitation for water year 2010 ranged from 3 in. in the lowland area to about 30 in. in the Blue Mountains. Using Kahle and others (2011) data and methods from the Columbia Plateau regional model, average annual recharge from irrigation is estimated to be about 2.2 in/yr for the 13 square miles of irrigated land in the upper Umatilla River Basin. Groundwater discharges to streams throughout the year and is a large component of annual streamflow in the upper Umatilla River Basin. Upward vertical hydraulic gradients near the Umatilla River indicate the potential for groundwater discharge. Groundwater discharge to the Umatilla River generally occurs in the upper part of the basin, upstream from the main stem. Groundwater development in the upper Umatilla River Basin began sometime after 1950 (Davies-Smith and others, 1988; Gonthier and Bolke, 1991). By water year 2010, groundwater use in the upper Umatilla River Basin was approximately 11,214 acre-feet (acre-ft). Total groundwater withdrawals for the study area were estimated at 7,575 acre-ft for irrigation, 3,173 acre-ft for municipal use, and 466 acre-ft for domestic use. Total groundwater flow into or from the study area depends locally on geology and hydraulic head distribution. Estimates of subsurface flow were calculated using the U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Plateau regional groundwater flow model. Net flux values range from 25,000 to 27,700 acre-ft per year and indicate that groundwater is moving out of the upper Umatilla River Basin into the lower Umatilla River Basin. Water level changes depend on storage changes within an aquifer, and storage changes depend on the storage properties of the aquifer, as well as recharge to or discharge from the aquifer. Groundwater level data in the upper Umatilla River Basin are mostly available from wells in Columbia River basalt units, which indicate areas of long-term water level declines in the Grande Ronde basalt unit near Pendleton and Athena, Oregon. Groundwater levels in the Wanapum basalt unit do not show long-term declines in the upper Umatilla River Basin. Because of pumping, some areas in the upper Umatilla River Basin have shown a decrease, or reversal, in the upward vertical head gradient. Key data needs are improvement of the spatial and temporal distribution of water-level data collection and continued monitoring of streamflow gaging sites. Additionally, refinement of recharge estimates would enhance understanding of the processes that provide the groundwater resources in the upper Umatilla River Basin.

Oregon↗