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At least 577 records · Page 32Linked to original sources
USGS1974

Pesticides data-collection activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in Texas

The water-resources investigations program of the Geological Survey has the objective of seeing that the Nation's water resources are appraised and that the necessary water data to develop and manage them efficiently are available when needed. In carrying out this objective, the Survey is the primary source of hydrologic data that are basic not only to the quantification of the water resource but also to its development and conservation. In recent years, the need has developed for the Survey to provide data and technology to predict the impact of man's activities upon the water resource and the water environment. To accomplish its mission, the Geological Survey determines the source, quantity, quality, distribution, movement, and availability of both surface and ground water. This work includes the assessment of the chemical, physical, and biological quality of water resources and its relation to various parts of the hydrologic cycle; research to improve the scientific basis of investigations and techniques; design and operation of a national water-data network; and publication of its investigations.

Texas↗
USGS2020

Aboveground and belowground vegetation biomass and nutrients

Wetland biomass production, decomposition, and storage of organic matter govern estuarine energy transfer, in addition to determining the physical sustainability of marshes exposed to sea-level rise and subsidence. Peak standing biomass represents an indicator of wetland production or productivity but does not account for turnover (production and decomposition) of different pools of biomass with time. Understanding the nutrient status of plant biomass can be particularly helpful in diagnosing what constituents may be limiting wetland production. The biomass and nutrient measures described in the following field/laboratory data collection procedures are designed to provide the raw data to support predictive ecosystem models, as well as answer basic wetland process questions that will help inform restoration decisions. The following procedures outline the field and laboratory methods to collect vegetation biomass and other plant or soil characteristics as needed for the SWAMP. The sampling design incorporates expanded collection from predefined target plant species that typically occur within selected CRMS stations. CPRA will provide instructions regarding any data collection adjustments that may deviate from the general steps provided herein.

Louisiana↗
USGS1970

A proposed streamflow-data program for Montana

An evaluation of the streamflow data available in Montana was made to provide guidelines for planning future programs. The basic steps in the evaluation procedures were (1) definition of the long-term goals of the streamflow data program, (2) examination and analysis of all available data to determine which goals have already been met, and (3) consideration of alternate programs and techniques to meet remaining goals. Only one of the goals was met by generalization of the data for gaged basins by regression analysis. The regression method may be more successful at a future time if a more suitable model can be developed, and if an adequate sample of streamflow records can be obtained. In the meantime, other methods of transferring flow characteristics which require some information at the ungaged site may be used. A streamflow data program based on the guidelines developed in this study is proposed.

Montana↗
USGS2021

The 2008–2018 summit lava lake at Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai‘i

The 2008–2018 lava lake at the summit of Kīlauea marked the longest sustained period of lava lake activity at the summit in decades and provided a new opportunity for observing and understanding lava lake behavior. The individual chapters of this Professional Paper volume cover the basic chronology of the eruption, rich historical background, observations and measurements of lake activity, hydrological setting, as well as geophysical and other monitoring data that tracked the activity. The primary focus of this Professional Paper is the 2008–2018 lava lake activity, ending with the draining of the lake in May 2018. The 2018 summit collapse events that followed the lake draining, and which dramatically altered the topography of the summit region, are published elsewhere. As this volume was published online in January 2021, a new lava lake had just formed in Halemaʻumaʻu. This new activity is further testament to the dynamic nature of Halemaʻumaʻu and the proclivity for lava lake activity at the summit of Kīlauea.

Professional Paper↗
USGS2010

Stage measurement at gaging stations

Stream and reservoir stage are critical parameters in the computation of stream discharge and reservoir volume, respectively. In addition, a record of stream stage is useful in the design of structures that may be affected by stream elevation, as well as for the planning for various uses of flood plains. This report describes equipment and methodology for the observation, sensing, and recording of stage in streams and reservoirs. Although the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) still uses the traditional, basic stilling-well float system as a predominant gaging station, modern electronic stage sensors and water-level recorders are now commonly used. Bubble gages coupled with nonsubmersible pressure transducers eliminate the need for stilling wells. Submersible pressure transducers have become common in use for the measurement of stage in both rivers and lakes. Furthermore, noncontact methods, such as radar, acoustic, and laser methods of sensing water levels, are being developed and tested, and in the case of radar, are commonly used for the measurement of stage. This report describes commonly used gaging-station structures, as well as the design and operation of gaging stations. Almost all of the equipment and instruments described in this report will meet the accuracy standard set by the USGS Office of Surface Water (OSW) for the measurement of stage for most applications, which is ±0.01 foot (ft) or 0.2 percent of the effective stage. Several telemetry systems are used to transmit stage data from the gaging station to the office, although satellite telemetry has become the standard. These telemetry systems provide near real-time stage data, as well as other information that alerts the hydrographer to extreme or abnormal events, and instrument malfunctions.

Techniques and Methods↗
USGS2008

Development of a Monitoring Protocol to Detect Ecological Change in the Intertidal Zone of Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska

A pilot study to develop and test a probability-based intertidal monitoring protocol for Sitka National Historical Park was conducted from 1999 to 2003. In 1999, the basic design, with a focus on sampling the whole of the designated intertidal was created, and sampling was conducted for sessile species and large mobile invertebrates by point-intercept sampling of vertical transects and band surveys along transects, respectively. In 2002 and 2003, the same types of sampling were conducted, but quadrat sampling for small mobile invertebrates was added and then modified. This project has produced basic data on the presence, abundance, and spatial distribution of substrates and intertidal biota. Additionally, statistical power analyses conducted on the biological data have allowed assessment of the ability of the sampling to detect trends in the abundance of the predominant species. Current sampling has an 80 percent probability to detect +10 percent annual changes in abundance of all targeted species with an a = 0.05; the ability to detect -10 percent trends is not as uniformly high. Various options are discussed for decreasing the spatial variance of the data. The information presented provides a basis for discussion of the major questions being asked, how the sampling design might be reconfigured to be consistent in approach, and how the intertidal monitoring should interface with other potential intertidal monitoring.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2022

2022 Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation—Remote sensing satellite compendium

The Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) is a collaboration between six Federal agencies that are major users and producers of satellite land remote sensing data. In recent years, the JACIE group has observed ever-increasing numbers of remote sensing satellites being launched. This rapidly growing wave of new systems creates a need for a single reference for land remote sensing satellites that provides basic system specifications and linkage to any JACIE assessment that may have been completed on existing systems. This volume has been assembled by the Requirements, Capabilities, and Analysis for Earth Observation Project under the U.S. Geological Survey National Land Imaging Program as a contribution to the JACIE community. This is the third edition of the JACIE compendium, which is planned to be updated and released annually.

Circular↗
USGS1983

Time series analysis of Cenozoic era sea level and paleotemperature data

A statistical analysis of Cenozoic era sea level and paleotemperature data was performed to determine the cycles of each data set and the correspondence between them. Accordingly, each of the four time series were first analyzed independently in the univariate mode of a spectral analysis. The two basic data sets were then analyzed in a paired cross-spectral analysis. The prominent periodic cycles remaining in the data sets after linear trend removal, were: sea level surface from seismic stratigraphy--9.6 million years, updated version of sea level surface from seismic stratigraphy--9.5 million years, continental paleotemperatures from paleobotanical interpretations--9.6 million years, and marine paleotemperatures from foraminiferal isotopic data--12.7 million years. The cross-correlation properties between the data sets of continental paleotemperatures from paleobotanical interpretations and sea level surface from seismic stratigraphy at the common prominent period of 9.6 million years were: (1) The squared coherency value which measures cross correlation between the two data sets has the value 0.30, and (2) the amount by which the continental paleotemperatures from paleobotanical interpretations data lags the sea level surface from seismic stratigraphy data is 2.70 million years.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1980

Relationships between basic soils-engineering equations and basic ground-water flow equations

The many varied though related terms developed by ground-water hydrologists and by soils engineers are useful to each discipline, but their differences in terminology hinder the use of related information in interdisciplinary studies. Equations for the Terzaghi theory of consolidation and equations for ground-water flow are identical under specific conditions. A combination of the two sets of equations relates porosity to void ratio and relates the modulus of elasticity to the coefficient of compressibility, coefficient of volume compressibility, compression index, coefficient of consolidation, specific storage, and ultimate compaction. Also, transient ground-water flow is related to coefficient of consolidation, rate of soil compaction, and hydraulic conductivity. Examples show that soils-engineering data and concepts are useful to solution of problems in ground-water hydrology.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS2011

2010 update—Streamflow characteristics at selected sites in southwestern Georgia, southeastern Alabama, and northwestern Florida, near Lake Seminole

Since the first edition of this report was published in 1996, continuous streamflow data have been recorded in the tri-state area of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, near Lake Seminole. Several notable floods and severe droughts have occurred during this additional 16-year period that have sparked the need to include these additional recorded data into a comprehensive report for use by local, State, and Federal agencies. Flow durations, low-flow, and mean-flow analyses of daily mean discharges were compiled and analyzed for 12 streamflow stations during three selected periods that included pre-Lake Seminole (1929-53), post-Lake Seminole and pre-irrigation (1958-70), and post-Lake Seminole and post-irrigation (1976-2010), as well as for specified partial periods. The analyses yielded information on the variability of inflow to and outflow from Lake Seminole and the variability of flows in area streams. Streamflow characteristics for Ichawaynochaway Creek at Milford, Georgia, and Chipola River near Altha, Florida, varied similarly from 1944-53 to 1958-70, with mean annual flows decreasing by about 8 and 6 percent, respectively. This decreasing trend continued from 1958-70 to 1976-2010 by about 10 and 2 percent, respectively. The mean annual streamflow for Spring Creek near Iron City, Georgia, however, remained basically unchanged from 1944-53 to 1958-70, as well as from 1958-70 to 1976-2010. Streamflow characteristics for inflow to and outflow from Lake Seminole varied similarly during 1929-53, 1958-70, and 1976-2010. Mean 30-day low flows for inflow and outflow at Lake Seminole increased by about 24 to 11 percent, respectively, from 1929-53 to 1958-70; the values for 1976-2010 returned to near, but less than, the low-flow values of 1929-53.

Georgia;Alabama;Florida↗
USGS2014

Appendix C—Report on research in the field of ground water being conducted by oil companies

In view of the shortness of time since the appointment of the writer to the Committee on Ground Water this report is confined to the technology and problems in the Gulf Coast Oil Province. Of course, many of the methods and practices would apply to most parts of the country however, some would differ materially from one region to another. The writer wishes to acknowledge the suggestions and comments by F. H. LAHEE and PAUL WEAVER. Having been stationed in Houston, Texas, in the heart of the Gulf Coast Area for four and a half years, the writer has had an opportunity to view the great similarity of the problems confronting the petroleum geologist and engineer and the ground‐water hydrologist. Both groups deal with the accumulation, movement, and withdrawal of fluid from underground strata, yet each group is content to study its own literature and use its own terminology without much concern for the other. The petroleum and ground‐water engineer, independently of one another, have developed mathematical formulas for the determination of permeability from field‐data. These formulas use the same basic principles of physics and the initial papers on the subject by both groups were published within two years of one another. Because of the similarity in the technology and problems of the petroleum engineer and the ground‐water hydrologist there is a definite need for closer cooperation. Some of the problems are so closely related that their solution rests in cooperative studies.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2014

Spatially explicit modeling of 1992-2100 land cover and forest stand age for the conterminous United States

Information on future land-use and land-cover (LULC) change is needed to analyze the impact of LULC change on ecological processes. The U.S. Geological Survey has produced spatially explicit, thematically detailed LULC projections for the conterminous United States. Four qualitative and quantitative scenarios of LULC change were developed, with characteristics consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on 5 Emission Scenarios (SRES). The four quantified scenarios (A1B, A2, B1, and B2) served as input to the Forecasting Scenarios of Land-use Change (FORE-SCE) model. Four spatially explicit datasets consistent with scenario storylines were produced for the conterminous United States, with annual LULC maps from 1992 through 2100. The future projections are characterized by a loss of natural land covers in most scenarios, with corresponding expansion of 10 anthropogenic land uses. Along with the loss of natural land covers, remaining natural land covers experience increased fragmentation under most scenarios, with only the B2 scenario remaining relatively stable in both proportion of remaining natural land covers and basic fragmentation measures. Forest stand age was also modeled. By 2100, scenarios and ecoregions with heavy forest cutting have relatively lower mean stand ages compared to those with less 15 forest cutting. Stand ages differ substantially between unprotected and protected forest lands, as well as between different forest classes. The modeled data were compared to the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and other data sources to assess model characteristics. The consistent, spatially explicit, and thematically detailed LULC projections and the associated forest stand age data layers have been used to analyze LULC impacts on carbon and greenhouse gas fluxes, 20 biodiversity, climate and weather variability, hydrologic change, and other ecological processes.

Ecological Applications↗
USGS1961

Occurrence of minor elements in water

Three basic studies, using spectrographic methods, have been used to establish the occurrence of minor elements in natural waters. One study, of oceanborne chemicals in principal rivers, has established a method for the quantitative analysis of many minor elements. Strontium, barium, lithium, rubidium, chromium, nickel, copper, lead, boron, titanium, molybdenum, manganese, and vanadium occur most frequently in measurable quantities. Reconnaissance of the strontium in surface waters of the United States, shows that surface waters in parts of northern and western Texas and southern New Mexico and Arizona are comparatively high in strontium. A study of minor elements in selected waters of California is continuing. Assessment of preliminary data on uranium and radium in waters is facilitated by grouping data for 10 geotectonic regions of the United States.

Circular↗
USGS2005

Calculation of streamflow statistics for Ontario and the Great Lakes states

Basic, flow-duration, and n-day frequency statistics were calculated for 779 current and historical streamflow gages in Ontario and 3,157 streamflow gages in the Great Lakes states with length-of-record daily mean streamflow data ending on December 31, 2000 and September 30, 2001, respectively. The statistics were determined using the U.S. Geological Survey’s SWSTAT and IOWDM, ANNIE, and LIBANNE software and Linux shell and PERL programming that enabled the mass processing of the data and calculation of the statistics. Verification exercises were performed to assess the accuracy of the processing and calculations. The statistics and descriptions, longitudes and latitudes, and drainage areas for each of the streamflow gages are summarized in ASCII text files and ESRI shapefiles.

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, ↗
USGS2017

Forested floristic quality index: An assessment tool for forested wetland habitats using the quality and quantity of woody vegetation at Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) vegetation monitoring stations

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana and the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act, developed the Forested Floristic Quality Index (FFQI) for the Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS). The FFQI will help evaluate forested wetland sites on a continuum from severely degraded to healthy and will assist in defining areas where forested wetland restoration can be successful by projecting the trajectories of change. At each CRMS forested wetland site there are stations for quantifying the overstory, understory, and herbaceous vegetation layers. Rapidly responding overstory canopy cover and herbaceous layer composition are measured annually, while gradually changing overstory basal area and species composition are collected on a 3-year cycle. A CRMS analytical team has tailored these data into an index much like the Floristic Quality Index (FQI) currently used for herbaceous marsh and for the herbaceous layer of the swamp vegetation. The core of the FFQI uses basal area by species to assess the quality and quantity of the overstory at each of three stations within each CRMS forested wetland site. Trees that are considered by experts to be higher quality swamp species like Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) and Nyssa aquatica (water tupelo) are scored higher than tree species like Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow) and Salix nigra (black willow) that are indicators of recent disturbance. This base FFQI is further enhanced by the percent canopy cover in the overstory and the presence of indicator species at the forest floor. This systemic approach attempts to differentiate between locations with similar basal areas that are on different ecosystem trajectories. Because of these varying states of habitat degradation, paired use of the FQI and the FFQI is useful to interpret the vegetative data in transitional locations. There is often an inverse relation between the health of the overstory and health of the herbaceous community beneath it because of resource competition (for example, light) and differing environmental preferences between the two communities. The herbaceous layer vegetation responds rapidly to basic environmental factors such as flooding, salinity, and nutrients and can offer insight into the sustainability of swamps on a temporal scale shorter than tha of the slowly growing woody vegetation. The FFQI will be available via the CRMS spatial viewer ( http://lacoast.gov/crms2/home.aspx ), and a new score will be calculated annually for each CRMS forested wetland site as data are collected to establish trends, to compare among sites, and to evaluate specific restoration projects when applicable. The FFQI will identify forested wetland areas in need of restoration and conservation and will help define targets and trajectories for restoration planning.

Louisiana↗
USGS2009

A landscape indicator approach to the identification and articulation of the consequences of land-cover change in the Mid-Atlantic Region, 1973-2001

Landscape indicators, derived from land-use and land-cover data, hydrology, nitrate deposition, and elevation data, were used by Jones and others (2001a) to calculate the ecological consequences of land-cover change. Nitrate loading and physical bird habitat were modeled from 1973 and 1992 land-cover and other spatial data for the Mid-Atlantic region. Utilizing the same methods, this study extends the analysis another decade with the use of the 2001 National Land Cover Dataset. Land-cover statistics and trends are calculated for three time periods: 1973-1992, 1992-2001 and 1973-2001. In addition, high-resolution aerial photographs (1 meter or better ground-sample distance) were acquired and analyzed for thirteen pairs of adjacent USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle maps in areas where distinct positive or negative changes to nitrogen loading and bird habitat were previously calculated. During the entire 30 year period, the data show that there was extensive loss of agriculture and forest area and a major increase in urban land-cover classes. However, the majority of the conversion of other classes to urban occurred during the 1992-2001 period. During the 1973-1992 period, there was only moderate increase in urban area, while there was an inverse relationship between agricultural change and forest change. In general, forest gain and agricultural loss was found in areas of improving landscape indicators, and forest loss and agricultural gain was found to occur in areas of declining indicators related to habitat and nitrogen loadings, which was generally confirmed by the aerial photographic analysis. In terms of the specific model results, bird habitat, which is mainly related to the extent of forest cover, declined overall with forest extent, but was also affected more in the decline of habitat quality. Nitrate loading, which is mainly related to agricultural land cover actually improved from 1992-2001, and in the overall study, mainly due to the conversion of agriculture to forests and urban. The high-resolution imagery analysis was significant in that it confirmed, at a very local level, the specific land-cover changes that were driving the landscape metrics and model results that were calculated from moderate resolution land-cover data and models. These were generally subtle changes in patch size of agriculture, forest, and urban areas, but had substantial effects on bird habitat and nitrogen loadings. This analysis of high-resolution imagery demonstrates and confirms the important ability of moderate-resolution land-cover data to capture significant landscape-level activity that is directly related to specific metrics of ecological significance. It also demonstrates consistent landscape-scale relationships between data derived from high-resolution, moderate-resolution and landscape-model sources. Finally, many of the areas of improvement and decline in bird habitat and nitrogen loadings appear to be potentially regional in nature and likely reflect some local trend in landscape activity. Although the use of ecoregions as sampling units has been criticized in recent years, these results show that basic changes in Level 1 land-cover categories, such as forest and agriculture, may still reflect ecoregional patterns and considerations at some scale of mapping and analysis. This is a potentially important area for future landscape-indicator research. This and other follow-on research opportunities are discussed.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1953

Interpreting geologic maps for engineering purposes: Hollidaysburg quadrangle, Pennsylvania

This set of maps has been prepared to show the kinds of information, useful to engineers, that can be derived from ordinary geologic maps. A few additional bits of information, drawn from other sources, are mentioned below. Some of the uses of such maps are well known; they are indispensable tools in the modern search for oil or ore deposits; they are the first essential step in unraveling the story of the earth we live on. Less well known, perhaps, is the fact that topographic and geologic maps contain many of the basic data needed for planning any engineering construction job, big or little. Any structure built by man must fit into the topographic and geologic environment shown on such maps. Moreover, most if not all construction jobs must be based on knowledge of the soils and waters, which also are intimately related to this same environment. The topographic map shows the shape of the land the hills and valleys, the streams and swamps, the man-made features such as roads, railroads, and towns. The geologic map shows the kinds and shapes of the rock bodies that form the land surface and that lie beneath it. These are the facts around which the engineer must build.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1968

Records of wells, water levels, and chemical quality of water in the lower Santiam River basin, middle Willamette Valley, Oregon

Basic water data on the lower Santiam River basin is preliminary to a comprehensive hydrologic study of this productive and intensely irrigated area where expanding population and industry increases the demand for water . Highest yielding wells are in shallow alluvial aquifers near the main streams; yields range from several hundred to more than a thousand gpm. Wells in lacustrine and older alluvial aquifers that underlie low, flat terraces have yields from a few tens to a few hundred gpm. Wells in the Salem Hills and in the Cascade Range foothills yield moderate to small quantities of water and tap a variety of geologic units. Tabulated material includes records of representative wells , drillers' logs, and chemical and spectrographic analyses of the ground water .

Oregon↗