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USGS1877

Report upon United States geological surveys west of the one hundredth meridian, Volume IV: Paleontology

I [G.M. Wheeler] have the honor to submit herewith a report, in two parts, upon the paleontological results arising from the collections and examinations made during the years 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, and 1875, in connection with geographical explorations and surveys west of the one hundredth meridian, for publication as Volume IV of the reports authorized by acts of Congress approved June 23, 1874, and February 15, 1875.

Monograph↗
USGS2007

Geoscience for Alaska's D-1 lands: A preliminary report

Purpose of This Report This interim report follows from the June 2006 recommendations to Congress by the BLM concerning disposition of the d-1 lands. That report recommended lifting of a significant number of d-1 PLOs, through the ongoing land management process within the BLM (e.g. resource management planning areas), or through Congressional action. The strategic actions outlined in this document refer only to Federal lands under US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) jurisdiction that 1) are affected by temporary withdrawals from mineral entry and mineral leasing by PLOs made pursuant to the Section 17(d)(1) of the ANCSA; 2) have been identified by the BLM as candidates for possible lifting of these PLOs and restrictions (U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 2006); and 3) lie outside of current Federal parks, preserves, monuments, refuges, reserves, wilderness areas and military installations that are closed to mineral entry, because within those areas the potential lifting of the d-1 restrictions has no practical effect. The resulting lands discussed here comprise approximately 121,000 km2 (29.9 million acres) of Alaska (Table 1) that, pending final resolution of Native and State land claims, will or may remain under Federal (BLM) control, and could be opened to mineral entry. For the purposes of this report, only these 29.9 million acres will hereafter be referred to as 'd-1' lands. This report gives a brief overview of the spatial distribution and physiographic setting, mineral occurrences, and mineral resource potential of the d-1lands. It outlines further geoscience information which could be compiled, collected, and evaluated in order to make a more accurate and comprehensive examination of the potential for undiscovered, locatable mineral resources on these Federal lands. This information is intended to provide guidance to USGS program managers and Federal land managers on matters of future exploration, access needs, and consequences of land status changes.

Alaska↗
USGS1981

Evaluation of radar imagery for geological and cartographic applications

The House/Senate conference report on H.R. 4930 (96th Congress), the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, 1980, stated that the U.S. Geological Survey should "begin the use of side-looking airborne radar imagery for topographic and geological mapping, and geological resource surveys in promising areas, particularly Alaska." In response to this mandate, the Survey acquired radar data and began scientific studies to analyze and interpret these data. About 70 percent of the project funding was used to acquire radar imagery and to evaluate Alaskan applications. Results of these studies indicate that radar images have a unique incremental value for certain geologic and cartographic applications but that the images are best suited for use as supplemental information sources or as primary data sources in areas of persistent cloud cover. The value of radar data is greatest for geologic mapping and resource surveys, particularly for mineral and petroleum exploration, where the objective is to locate any single feature or group of features that may control the occurrences of these resources. Radar images are considered by oil and gas companies to be worth the cost of data acquisition within a limited area of active exploration. Radar images also have incremental value for geologic site studies and hazard mapping. The need in these cases is TO inventory all geologic hazards to human life, property, resources, and the environment. For other geologic applications, radar images have a relatively small incremental value over a combination of Landsat images and aerial photographs. The value of radar images for cartographic applications is minimal, except when they are used as a substitute for aerial photographs and topographic maps in persistently cloud-covered areas. If conventional data sources are not available, radar images provide useful information on terrain relief, landforms, drainage patterns, and land cover. Screen less lithography is a low-cost method of reproducing the images. The images from modern, commercially available radar systems have good visual quality; they also have better geometric accuracy and higher information content than images from older systems. Images from modern systems, however, also have some of the same disadvantages as those from older systems. The most serious problem is that considerable information is lost in the process of recording the radar return on film. Another problem is that the oblique radar view of the landscape results in interpretations that are biased by look direction. A compromise antenna depression angle also commonly results in inadequate or excessive shadowing in parts of the image. There is a need for high-resolution digital data, not currently available from the private sector, to significantly improve the utility of radar data for geologic and cartographic applications.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2018

Continuing progress toward a national assessment of water availability and use

Executive Summary The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111—11) was passed into law on March 30, 2009. Subtitle F, also known as the SECURE Water Act, calls for the establishment of a “national water availability and use assessment program” within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS issued the first report on the program in 2013. Program progress over the period 2013–17 is reported herein to fulfill the requirement to inform Congress on implementation of the national water availability and use assessment program, also referred to as the USGS National Water Census (the Water Census). Much work has been accomplished during 2013–17 on producing water budgets for the nation, a goal USGS outlined in its first report on program progress to Congress. The USGS has completed three geographic focus area studies and has begun three others. Work has advanced on nationwide efforts in streamflow analysis, groundwater assessment and research, evapotranspiration studies, water use, environmental water science, and drought science. The USGS works with Federal and non-Federal agencies, universities, and other organizations to ensure that the information can be aggregated with other types of water-availability and socioeconomic information, such as data on food and energy production. The USGS has also made great strides in measures for delivering data and information on the Water Census to stakeholders and the public. Much work remains to be accomplished for the Nation to have a comprehensive, ongoing Water Census. In this report, the USGS lays out activities to be accomplished in the next 5 years (2017–22), based upon current funding levels. These include selecting new focus area studies, conducting hydrologic modeling to complete water budgets for the conterminous United States, expanding groundwater modeling efforts, mapping a national classification system for environmental water science, and developing an inventory of interbasin water transfers. All of these steps are necessary in order for the Water Census to achieve the goals outlined by Congress in the SECURE Water Act.

Circular↗
USGS2010

Locatable Mineral Reports for Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming provided to the USDA Forest Service in Fiscal Years 2006-2009

The U.S. Geological Survey is required by Congress (under Public Law 86-509) to provide Locatable Mineral Reports to the USDA Forest Service whenever National Forest System lands are sold or exchanged. This volume is a compilation of the reports already provided to the Forest Service by the author in fiscal years 2006-2009 (October 2006-September 2009). Altogether, the reports describe the geology and locatable mineral resource potential of 57 properties offered in 10 land-exchange proposals. Approximately 41,084 acres were evaluated: 19,068 acres in Federal parcels and 22,016 acres in non-Federal parcels. The parcels are located in eight National Forests and one National Grassland in three States. Locatable Mineral Reports provide a summary of the geology and a subjective appraisal of the mineral resource potential of land parcels considered for exchange. Information in each report is based on a review of published maps and reports, unpublished data in U.S. Geological Survey files, the professional expertise of the writer, and interviews with other knowledgeable geoscientists. No visits were conducted to support the reports included in this volume. The mineral resource information provided is used in making relative comparisons of the potential future mineral value of lands being offered in an exchange and in appraising the value of the land. Future mineral potential value is subjectively expressed in qualitative terms using a three-tier nomenclature of 'high,' 'moderate,' and 'low.' In general, 'high' is applied where mineral deposits are present on the property or adjacent to it or there are other indications that the area has been mineralized. 'Moderate' is applied where mineralization is only suspected or where an area possesses some of the same geologic characteristics that are common to areas around known mineral deposits. A 'low' value is routinely applied to all remaining areas, with the understanding that the information required to prove the absence of any mineral resource potential will never be available. Copies of the reports reside in U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resource Program and USDA Forest Service files. Ten reports are included in this volume. They are grouped by State, then alphabetically by Forest. Each starts with a cover letter and title page. Geologic descriptions of properties, their mineral potential, and references make up the main body of each report. Legal descriptions of the property locations (either verbatim or paraphrased from descriptions supplied by the Forest Service) are included as attachments designated Exhibits A and B. Also included as attachments are the report request from the USDA Forest Service and any index maps, geologic maps, or other figures or illustrations that are provided for the convenience of the Forest Service minerals examiner. Page numbers for each individual report are retained: the larger number at the bottom of each page is the pagination for this volume.

Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming↗
USGS2006

Locatable mineral reports for Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming provided to the U.S.D.A. Forest Service in fiscal years 2003-2005

Introduction: The U.S. Geological Survey is required by Congress (under Public Law 86-509) to provide Locatable Mineral Reports to the U.S.D.A. Forest Service whenever National Forest System lands are sold or exchanged. This volume is a compilation of the reports already provided to the Forest Service by the author in fiscal years 2003-2005 (October 2002 - September 2005). Altogether, the reports describe the geology and locatable mineral resource potential of 74 properties offered in 15 land exchange proposals. Approximately 16,207 acres were evaluated: 9,176 acres in 31 Federal parcels and 7,031 acres in 43 non-Federal parcels. The parcels are located in 13 National Forests and three National Grasslands in three States. Fifteen reports are included in this volume. They are grouped by State, then alphabetically by Forest. Each starts with a cover letter and title page. Geologic descriptions of properties, their mineral potential, and references comprise the main body of each report. Legal descriptions (either verbatim or paraphrased from descriptions supplied by the Forest Service) of the property locations are included as attachments designated Exhibits A and B. Also included as attachments are the report request from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and any index maps, geologic maps, or other figures or illustrations that are provided for the convenience of the Forest Service minerals examiner. The original page numbers for each individual report are retained, the larger number at the bottom of each page is the pagination for this volume.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1907

Twenty-eighth annual report of the Director of the United States Geological Survey

The plan of operations for the last fiscal year, including an itemized statement of the appropriations, amounting to $1,758,720, with the allotments thereof, was approved by the Secretary of the Interior on July 10, 1906. The work of the various branches and divisions conformed to this plan, and a detailed statement of their operations may be found on later pages. On January 23 the former Director, Charles D. Walcott, was appointed to the position of Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and his resignation as Director was accepted by the President, becoming effective April 30, 1907. Mr. Walcott has been a member of the Survey since its organization, and the thirteen years of his service as the administrative head of the bureau cover the period of its greatest growth. At the beginning of his directorship Mr. Walcott disclaimed any desire to make radical changes in either the policy or the administration of the Survey as developed under his predecessors, King and Powell, but in his first report, the Director's sixteenth, he mentioned certain readjustments which he deemed desirable in order that the Survey might better meet the economic and educational needs of the country. It is noteworthy that, almost without exception, these improvements have been accomplished, and even more fully than as then outlined. Among these changes may be mentioned : The raising of the standard of the topographic maps, with the representation thereon of land subdivision lines, and the extension of exact leveling and primary triangulation; the placing of the entire topographic and geologic force within the classified service; the obtaining of authority from Congress to issue separates of the annual report in pamphlet form, thus permitting advance publication of chapters of the Mineral Resources report, as well as of papers on economic geology; the enlargement of the work of the divisions of hydrography, mineral resources, and geology, in the last case providing for reconnaissance surveys of regions of economic importance. Equally notable was the growth of the Survey under Mr. Walcott's administration, as shown by the increase in both the extent and the scope of its operations. The appropriations for the last fiscal year amounted to more than four times the total of those made thirteen years ago, and there was, of course, a corresponding increase in the amount of field and office work performed. The development of the relations between the Geological Survey and the public within the same period is measured by a more than fourfold increase in amount of official correspondence, nearly fourfold increase in number of printed pages in the various reports of the year, and a more than fivefold increase in copies of maps printed, while the total annual distribution of publications, books, and maps grew from less than 200,000 to nearly a million copies, the sales increasing from $2,100 to over $18,000. The extent to which the results of the work by this organization are now utilized by both the industrial world and the educational and scientific institutions furnishes the best index of the degree of success attained by Mr. Walcott and his colleagues.

Annual Report↗
USGS1995

Water-resources activities in Utah by the U.S. Geological Survey, October 1, 1992, to September 30, 1993

This report contains summaries of the progress of water-resources studies in Utah by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Water Resources Division, Utah District, from October 1, 1992, to September 30, 1993. The program in Utah during this period consisted of 21 projects; a discussion of each project is presented in the main body of the report. The USGS was established by an act of Congress on March 3, 1879, to provide a permanent Federal agency to conduct the systematic and scientific classifi- cation of the public lands, and examination of the geologic structure, mineral resources, and products of national domain. An integral part of that original mission includes publishing and dissemi- nating the earth-science information needed to understand, to plan the use of, and to manage the Nation's energy, land, mineral, and water resources.

Utah↗
USGS2007

Keeping pace with Capitol Hill

At the Capitol Hill, the legislative branch of the United States government, the work is always at pace. Working with Congress is a tough job yet, rewarding. The Congress worked hard together to serve the public interest but many big issues are one small part of what Congress does. However, many US news media do not report what the government does instead, the media report what the government argues about. The media reports the conflicts but story is always incomplete. In order for the people know what is happening to the government, contact the congressional representative to know the complete story.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2014

Report of committee on relation of inch and meter

Those of you who attended the annual meeting of this Section on April 27, 1938, heard a paper entitled “A method for introducing a new standard of length” that was presented by Professor Philip Klssara, calling attention to the Bill then in Congress proposing to redefine the length of the inch. The paper has been published in the “Transactions of the American Geophysical Union“ [19th Annual Meeting, 1938, pp. 94–96]. Its closing paragraph is as follows: “As the American Geophysical Union has as one of its functions the duty of offering advice to the Congress on technical matters, I move, Mr. Chairman, that the Chairman be empowered to appoint a committee to study the matter and to report what recommendations should be made to Congress by the Union.”

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS1965

An appraisal of the ground-water resources of the lower Susquehanna River basin (An interim report)

This report describes the availability, quantity, quality, variability, and cost of development of the ground-water resources in the lower Susquehanna River basin. The report has been prepared for and under specifications established by the Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, and the Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. A comprehensive study of the water and related land resources of the Susquehanna River basin was authorized by the Congress of the United States in October 1961, and the task of preparing a report and of coordinating the work being done by others in support of the study was assigned to the Corps of Engineers. The comprehensive study is being conducted by several Federal departments and independent agencies in cooperation with the States of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The Public Health Service under its authority in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (P. L. 660) initiated a comprehensive water quality control program for the Chesapeake drainage basin, which includes the Susquehanna River basin. This report is intended to serve the specific needs for ground-water information of both the Corps of Engineers and the Public Health Service, as well as those of the other participating Federal and State agencies.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1966

An appraisal of the ground-water resources of the Juniata River Basin, Pennsylvania

This report describes the availability, quantity, quality, variability, and cost of development of the ground-water resources in the Juniata River basin, one of the larger sub-basins of the Susquehanna River basin. The report has been prepared for and under specifications established by the Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, and the Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. A comprehensive study of the water and related land resources of the Susquehanna River basin was authorized by the Congress of the United States in October 1961, and the task of preparing a report and of coordinating the work being done by others in support of the study was assigned to the Corps of Engineers. The comprehensive study is being conducted by several Federal departments and independent agencies in cooperation with the States of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The Public Health Service under its authority in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (P. L. 660) initiated a comprehensive water quality control program for the Chesapeake drainage basin, which includes the Susquehanna River basin.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1996

USGS response to an urban earthquake, Northridge '94

The urban centers of our Nation provide our people with seemingly unlimited employment, social, and cultural opportunities as a result of the complex interactions of a diverse population embedded in an highly-engineered environment. Catastrophic events in one or more of the natural earth systems which underlie or envelop urban environment can have radical effects on the integrity and survivability of that environment. Earthquakes have for centuries been the source of cataclysmic events on cities throughout the world. Unlike many other earth processes, the effects of major earthquakes transcend all political, social, and geomorphic boundaries and can have decided impact on cities tens to hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter. In modern cities, where buildings, transportation corridors, and lifelines are complexly interrelated, the life, economic, and social vulnerabilities in the face of a major earthquake can be particularly acute. The 1994 Northridge Earthquake was a major test for parts of what many consider the most earthquake-prepared and best-engineered metropolitan region in the United States. While the combined efforts of concerned professionals at all levels of government, academia, and the private sector have produced significant advances in our knowledge of the causes and potential effects of earthquakes, and of ways to reduce their impact, it remains unfortunately true that actual earthquakes provide important opportunities to test those advances in our knowledge. In the hours and days following the Northridge Earthquake, the four Federal member agencies of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) laid out a detailed plan for collecting, analyzing, archiving, and reporting information that would benefit the Nation in future earthquake hazards reduction efforts. Congress provided a special appropriation to FEMA to carry out this plan and FEMA distributed those funds to the four NEHRP agencies. The USGS was responsible for conducting geophysical and geological investigations in support of the NEHRP Post-earthquake Study. For the past 2 years, the USGS has rigorously pursued over 40 tasks focused on the USGS Northridge Earthquake Mission. This document is a summary report of the USGS findings; additional technical reports on specific USGS tasks are appearing in various scientific journals and USGS publications.

California↗
USGS1962

Water resources investigations: A section in Thirty-third biennial report of the State Engineer to the governor of Utah: 1960-1962

The Geological Survey is authorized by Congress to cooperate with the States and other local governmental units in water-resources investigations on a 50-50 financial basis. Principal cooperation for Utah is through the office of the Utah State Engineer. Other State offices, such as the State Road Commission, Water and Power Board, Fish and Game Department, and Oil and Gas Conservation Commission have assisted financially. Counties, cities, education institutions, and water users’ organizations also have cooperated for many years. The need for water information applies to all levels of government. It is, therefore, advantageous for the Federal Government, State governments, and other political subdivisions to share in the expense to the extent possible consistent with their common interests and responsibilities. The formal cooperative program in Utah began in 1909, and has been continuous since that date.

Utah↗
USGS1965

Records of wells and test holes, materials tests, and chemical analyses of water in the Assabet River basin, Massachusetts

The Assabet River, located in Worcester and Middlesex Counties in eastern Massachusetts, drains an area of approximately 177 square miles. The area includes all or a portion of the following towns: Acton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Hudson, Littleton, Marlborough, Maynard, Stow, Sudbury, and Westford in Middlesex County; Berlin, Bolton, Boylston, Clinton, Grafton, Harvard, Northborough, Shrewsbury, and Westborough in Worcester County (see plate 1 in pocket). This report presents data collected as part of an investigation of the ground-water resources in the Assabet River basin by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Massachusetts Water Resources Commission. The data have been prepared for release in order to make available to the public basic ground-water data that will be useful in the planning of water-resources development. The data in this report were collected intermittently from 1939 to 1964 by H. A. Wilde, H. L. Pree, H. N. Halberg, J. A. Baker, R. W. Macomber, W. B. Fleck, and S. J. Pollock. The selected data in tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 represent those wells, test wells, and borings that were deemed representative of any given location. Data of some one hundred wells and test wells and over one thousand bridge and roadway borings are not included in this report, but may be inspected at the U.S. Geological Survey, Ground Water Branch, 211 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts. Tables 6-9 include data on chemical analyses of water samples, physical and hydrologic properties of materials samples, and water-table measurements made during the years 1961 through 1964. The geologic units used in tables 2 and 3 are described in table 1.

Massachusetts↗