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At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources
USGS2011

Nearshore biological communities prior to the removal of the Elwha River dams: Chapter 6 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal

Increases in sediment delivery to coastal waters are expected following removal of dams on the Elwha River, Washington, potentially increasing sediment deposition on the seafloor and suspended sediment in the water column. Biological communities inhabiting shallow, subtidal depths (3–18 m) near the mouth of the Elwha River, between the west end of Freshwater Bay and the base of Ediz Hook, were surveyed in August and September 2008, to establish baselines prior to dam removal. Density was estimated for 9 kelp taxa, 65 taxa of invertebrates larger than 2.5 cm any dimension and 24 fish taxa. Density averaged over all sites was 3.1 per square meter (/m 2 ) for kelp, 2.7/m 2 for invertebrates, and 0.1/m 2 for fish. Community structure was partly controlled by substrate type, seafloor relief, and depth. On average, 12 more taxa occurred where boulders were present compared to areas lacking boulders but with similar base substrate. Four habitat types were identified: (1) Bedrock/boulder reefs had the highest kelp density and taxa richness, and were characterized by a canopy of Nereocystis leutkeana (bull kelp) at the water surface and a secondary canopy of perennial kelp 1–2 m above the seafloor; (2) Mixed sand and gravel-cobble habitats with moderate relief provided by boulders had the highest density of invertebrates and a taxa richness nearly equivalent to that for bedrock/boulder reefs; (3) Mixed sand and gravel-cobble habitats lacking boulders supported a moderate density of kelp, primarily annual species with low growth forms (blades close to the seafloor), and the lowest invertebrate density among habitats; and (4) Sand habitats had the lowest kelp density and taxa richness among habitats and a moderate density of invertebrates. Uncertainties about nearshore community responses to increases in deposited and suspended sediments highlight the opportunity to advance scientific understanding by measuring responses following dam removal.

Washington↗
USGS2011

Vegetation of the Elwha River estuary: Chapter 8 in Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington--biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal

The Elwha River estuary supports one of the most diverse coastal wetland complexes yet described in the Salish Sea region, in terms of vegetation types and plant species richness. Using a combination of aerial imagery and vegetation plot sampling, we identified 6 primary vegetation types and 121 plant species in a 39.7 ha area. Most of the estuary is dominated by woody vegetation types, with mixed riparian forest being the most abundant (20 ha), followed by riparian shrub (6.3 ha) and willow-alder forest (3.9 ha). The shrub-emergent marsh transition vegetation type was fourth most abundant (2.2 ha), followed by minor amounts of dunegrass (1.75 ha) and emergent marsh (0.2 ha). This chapter documents the abundance, distribution, and floristics of these six vegetation types, including plant species richness, life form, species origin (native or introduced), and species wetland indicator status. These data will serve as a baseline to which future changes can be compared, following the impending removal of Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams upstream on the Elwha River. Dam removals may alter many of the processes, materials, and biotic interactions that influence the estuary plant communities, including hydrology, salinity, sediment and wood transport, nutrients, and plant-microbe interactions.

Washington↗
USGS2017

Groundwater discharge to the Mississippi River and groundwater balances for the Interstate 94 Corridor surficial aquifer, Clearwater to Elk River, Minnesota, 2012–14

The Interstate 94 Corridor has been identified as 1 of 16 Minnesota groundwater areas of concern because of its limited available groundwater resources. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, completed six seasonal and annual groundwater balances for parts of the Interstate 94 Corridor surficial aquifer to better understand its long-term (next several decades) sustainability. A high-precision Mississippi River groundwater discharge measurement of 5.23 cubic feet per second per mile was completed at low-flow conditions to better inform these groundwater balances. The recharge calculation methods RISE program and Soil-Water-Balance model were used to inform the groundwater balances. For the RISE-derived recharge estimates, the range was from 3.30 to 11.91 inches per year; for the SWB-derived recharge estimates, the range was from 5.23 to 17.06 inches per year. Calculated groundwater discharges ranged from 1.45 to 5.06 cubic feet per second per mile, a ratio of 27.7 to 96.4 percent of the measured groundwater discharge. Ratios of groundwater pumping to total recharge ranged from 8.6 to 97.2 percent, with the longer-term groundwater balances ranging from 12.9 to 19 percent. Overall, this study focused on the surficial aquifer system and its interactions with the Mississippi River. During the study period (October 1, 2012, through November 30, 2014), six synoptic measurements, along with continuous groundwater hydrographs, rainfall records, and a compilation of the pertinent irrigation data, establishes the framework for future groundwater modeling efforts.

Minnesota↗
USGS2020

Modeling a 2- and 4-foot drawdown in the Link River to Keno Dam reach of the upper Klamath River, south-central Oregon

Executive Summary The most upstream, pooled reach of the Klamath River in south-central Oregon, from Link River mouth to Keno Dam (Link-Keno), has a water-surface elevation that remains relatively constant throughout the year. Two model scenarios, using an existing two-dimensional hydrodynamic and water-quality model (CE-QUAL-W2), were constructed to examine the effects of lowering the water-surface elevation by 2 and 4 feet (ft) (0.61 and 1.2 meters) throughout an entire calendar year to mimic some of the potential effects of removal or modification of Keno Dam. Model results for these drawdown scenarios were analyzed for changes in velocity, travel time, water temperature, total dissolved solids, inorganic suspended sediment, nutrients, organic matter, chlorophyll a , and dissolved oxygen, compared to the base-case model. The model used in this study had been previously calibrated with the presence of aquatic plants (macrophytes). However, most model analyses were completed for model runs where macrophytes were “turned off” because the species, abundance, and distribution of macrophytes in a lowered-water scenario were all highly uncertain. For comparison, a few model scenario runs were completed with macrophytes enabled within the model. Findings from this study include the following: Modeled water velocity increased and travel time decreased substantially throughout the reach with the 2- and 4-ft drawdown scenarios, with travel time roughly halved in the 4-ft scenario under unchanged flow conditions. For many water-quality constituents in the drawdown scenarios, the model showed little to no change in outflow concentrations at Keno Dam compared to the base case, which represents conditions based on year 2007 water-level elevations. However, chlorophyll a and particulate organic carbon concentrations increased in the Keno Dam outflow in summer with the drawdowns. This seemed to be related to the increased water velocity. As suspended algae and other particulate organic matter such as dead algal cells and detritus moved farther downstream with the faster velocity, there was relatively less deposition of that material in the most upstream model segments and relatively more deposition in downstream segments of the Link-Keno reach, especially in summer and autumn, the period with the largest algae bloom. Despite minor differences in the Keno Dam outflow, modeled dissolved oxygen concentration and water temperature showed some changes in the Link-Keno reach compared to the base case, with differences as large as 2 milligrams per liter and 2 degrees Celsius, respectively, computed as segment averages and daily averages. With macrophytes enabled, the model outflow in the drawdown scenarios showed a decrease in dissolved oxygen concentration in mid-summer that seemed to be related to decreased macrophyte abundance and primary production in those scenarios. The with-macrophyte model results have greater uncertainty, but the results indicated that macrophytes are likely to be an important factor in the dissolved oxygen budget under reduced water-surface elevations.

Oregon↗
USGS1979

River mileages and drainage areas for Illinois streams—Volume 1, Illinois except Illinois River basin

River mileages are presented for points of interest on Illinois streams draining 10 square miles or more. Points of interest include bridges, dams, gaging stations, county lines, hydrologic unit boundaries, and major tributaries. Drainage areas are presented for selected sites, including total drainage area for any stream draining at least 100 square miles. The report is contained in two volumes. This volume (Volume I) includes Illinois except Illinois River basin.

Illinois↗
USGS1979

Flow routing in the Susquehanna River Basin, Part II: Lowflow frequency characteristics of the Susquehanna River between Waverly, New York and Sunbury, Pennsylvania

Six flow-routing models were developed, calibrated, and verified for the Susquehanna River between Waverly, New York, and Sunbury , Pennsylvania. The models give the Susquehanna River Basin Commission tools to estimate effects of water-resource developments upstream from Waverly upon four gaged sites and two ungaged sites within the study reach. The models were used to simulate a 32-year record of daily flows at the two ungaged sites. Low-flow frequency curves for simulated flows at these sites were used to estimate 7-day low-flows at the 10-year recurrence interval of 540 and 770 cubic feet per second, respectively. The model errors, differences between model results and observed streamflow at gaged sites, are considered to be within reasonable limits and overall quality of simulated streamflow and low-flow frequency curves is considered good. (Woodard-USGS)

New York, Pennsylvania↗
USGS1981

Water type and suitability of Oklahoma surface waters for public supply and irrigation; Part I, Arkansas river mainstem and Verdigris, Neosho, and Illinois river basins through 1978

Water-quality data in the Arkansas River mainstem and the Verdigris, Neosho, and Illnois River basins are examined for water type and suitability for public water supply and for irrigation use. The classification of water type is based on the relation of the major ions -- calcium, magnesium, sodium, bicarbonate/carbonate, sulfate, and chloride -- to each other within the range of measured specific conductance. The evaluation of suitability for use as a public supply is based on the concentration levels and distribution of selected constituents. The Wilcox irrigation classification scheme is used to relate sodium concentrations and the salinity distribution to the use of the water for irrigation. The possibility of boron phytotoxic effects is discussed where data are available.

Oklahoma↗
USGS1984

Flow routing in the Susquehanna River basin: Part V – Flow-routing models for the West Branch Susquehanna River basin, Pennsylvania

Digital-computer, daily-flow routing models were developed for four consecutive reaches of the West Branch Susquehanna River between Curwensville and Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. These models will enable water-resources managers to evaluate efficiently the effect of present and future water-resources developments on streamflows at six locations along the West Branch Susquehanna River. The models utilize a unit-response, convolution technique of flowrouting based on diffusion analogy and multilinearization. Estimates of streamflow from the intervening areas of each reach, wave celerity, and wave-dispersion coefficients are the model parameters. These were adjusted until simulated outflow hydrographs and flow statistics adequately approximated those for observed flow data. The overall accuracy of the models is considered good. Average, absolute, daily flow errors between observed and simulated flows ranged from 8.82 to 13.70 percent for the periods that were evaluated. Volume errors for the same periods were between -0.01 and 1.61 percent. Estimates of the 7-day, 10-year low flows for simulated conditions were within 5 percent of those computed for observed flows.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1981

Water type and suitability of Oklahoma surface waters for public supply and irrigation Part 4: Red River mainstem and North Fork Red River basin through 1979

Water-quality data for the Red River mainstem and the North Fork Red River basin within Oklahoma, through 1979, were examined for water type and suitability for public water supply and irrigation use. Of 96 stations with available data, 53 stations or 55 percent were considered to have sufficient data for analysis. The classification of water type was based on the relation of the major ions: calcium, magnesium, sodium, carbonate, bicarbonate, sulfate, and chloride to each other within the range of measured specific conductance. The suitability of the water for use as a public supply was based on the concentration distribution of selected constituents. The constituents selected were those with maximum contaminant levels established by regulation, or constituents for which recommended maximum limits have been established and for which historic data are available. The irrigation-classification method of Wilcox was used to relate sodium, calcium, and magnesium concentrations and the salinity distribution to the use of the water for irrigation. If data are available, the chance of phytotoxic effects by boron is discussed.

Oklahoma↗
USGS1984

Nutrient input from the Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District sewage-treatment plant to the Loxahatchee River Estuary, southeastern Florida

Two test discharges of treated-sewage effluent were made to the Loxahatchee River in February and September 1981 from the ENCON sewage-treatment plant to document nutrient loading and downstream transport of the effluent to the estuary under maximum daily discharge allowable by law (4 million gallons per day). Concentrations of total nitrogen in the effluent exceeded background concentrations by as much as 7 times during the February test, while concentrations of total phosphorus exceeded background concentrations by as much as 112 times during the September test. The effluent was transported downstream to the estuary in less than 24 hours. Discharge of treated sewage effluent to the river-estuary system in the 1981 water year accounted for less than 0.5 percent of the total nitrogen and 8 percent of the total phosphorus discharged from the major tributaries to the estuary. If maximum discharges of effluent (4 million gallons per day) were sustained throughout the year, annual nitrogen loading from the effluent would account for 5 to 18 percent of the total nitrogen input by the major tributaries to the estuary. With maximum discharges of effluent, annual phosphorus loading would exceed the amount of phosphorus input by the major tributaries to the estuary by 54 to 167 percent. (USGS)

Florida↗
USGS1988

Statistical summary of the chemical quality of surface water in the Powder River coal basin, the Hanna coal field, and the Green River coal region, Wyoming

A summary of the chemical quality of surface water in the three principal coal-producing areas of Wyoming was intensified by the U.S. Geologic Survey during 1975-81, in response to interest spurred by a dramatic increase in surface mining of the areas. This statistical summary consists of descriptive statistics and regression analyses of data from 72 stations on streams in the Powder River coal basin, the Hanna coal field, and the Green River coal region of Wyoming. The mean dissolved-solids concentrations in streams ranged from 15 to 4,800 mg/L. Samples collected near mountainous areas or in the upstream reaches of perennial streams in the plains had the smallest concentrations of dissolved solids, and the predominant ions were calcium and bicarbonate. Samples from ephemeral, intermittent, and the downstream reaches of perennial streams in the plains contained relatively large dissolved-solids concentrations, and the predominant ions usually were sodium and sulfate. Regression models showed that the concentrations of dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, sodium, alkalinity, sulfate, and chloride correlated well with specific-conductance values in many of the streams. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1986

Occurrence of nitrate and herbicides in ground water in the upper Conestoga River basin, Pennsylvania : water-quality study of the Conestoga River headwaters, Pennsylvania

Nitrate-nitrogen and herbicide ground-water data is being collected by the u.s. Geological Survey as part of the nationwide Rural Clean Water Program designed to determine the effects of agricultural-management practices on water quality. Data collected from September 1982 to October 1983 · in the 188-square mile intensively farmed upper Conestoga River basin indicates high nitrate and detectable herbicide concentrations in ground water are closely associated with agricultural practices and carbonate geology. Maximum nitrate-nitrogen concentrations from 42 wells and one spring ranged from 37 to 40 milligrams per liter in the agricultural areas, and 12 to 19 milligrams per liter in the nonagricultural areas. Median concentrations of nitrate generally were three times higher in wells that penetrated carbonate rock than in wells that penetrated noncarbonate rocks. More than 40 percent of the wells in the carbonate and agricultural areas had dissolved-nitrate concentrations that exceeded 10 milligrams per liter as nitrogen, the criterion established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as excessive for drinking water. Atrazine, simazine, alachlor, and metolachlor were found almost exclusively in the agricultural and carbonate areas. Water-quality data collected before and after installation of terraces, manure storage, and nutrient and herbicide management practices is valuable in determining the effectiveness of these agricultural practices, and will provide useful information to protect agricultural land, local water supplies, the Conestoga and Susquehanna Rivers and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1998

Modeling of flood-deposited sand distributions in a reach of the Colorado River below the Little Colorado River, Grand Canyon, Arizona

A release from Glen Canyon Dam during March-April 1996 was designed to test the effectiveness with which the riparian environment could be renewed with discharges greatly in excess of the normal powerplant-restricted maximum. Of primary concern was the rebuilding of sand deposits along the channel sides that are important to the flora and fauna along the river corridor and that provide the only camp sites for riverside visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park. Analysis of the depositional processes with a model of flow, sand transport, and bed evolution shows that the sand deposits formed along the channel sides early during the high flow were affected only slightly by the decline in suspended-sand concentrations over the course of the controlled flood. Modeling results suggest that the removal of a large sand deposit over several hours was not a response to declining suspended-sand concentrations. Comparisons of the controlled-flood deposits with deposits formed during a flood in January 1993 on the Little Colorado River that contributed sufficient sand to raise the suspended-sand concentrations to predam levels in the main stem show that the depositional pattern as well as the magnitude is strongly influenced by the suspended-sand concentrations.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1980

Pomona Member of the Columbia River Basalt Group: an intracanyon flow in the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.

The Pomona Member of the Saddle Mountains Basalt (Columbia River Basalt Group) occurs as an intracanyon flow greater than 75m (250ft) thick along the S side of the Columbia River Gorge between Mitchell Point and Shellrock Mountain, Oregon. Best exposures are at Mitchell Point, where this flow caps more than 70m (230ft) of cobble conglomerate that partially fills a canyon cut into flows of the underlying Frenchman Springs Member. These exposures provide a necessary link between outcrops of the Pomona Member in the Columbia Plateau and western Washington. Post-Frenchman Springs, pre-Pomona canyon cutting implies deformation in the ancestral Cascade Range between about 14.5 and 12Ma ago.-Author

Oregon Geology↗
USGS2016

Long-term continuous acoustical suspended-sediment measurements in rivers – Theory, evaluation, and results from 14 stations on five rivers

We have developed a physically based method for using two acoustic frequencies to measure suspended-silt-and-clay concentration, suspended-sand concentration, and suspended-sand median grain size in river cross sections at 15-minute intervals over decadal timescales. The method is strongly grounded in the extensive scientific literature on the scattering of sound by suspensions of small particles. In particular, the method takes advantage of the specific theoretical relations among acoustic frequency, acoustic attenuation, acoustic backscatter, suspended-sediment concentration, and suspended-sediment grain-size distribution. We briefly describe the theory and methods, demonstrate the application of the method, and compute biases and errors in the method at 14 stations in the Colorado River and Rio Grande basins, where large numbers of suspended-sediment samples have been collected concurrently with acoustical measurements over many years. Quantification of errors in sediment-transport measurements made using this method is essential if the measurements are to be used effectively, e.g., to evaluate uncertainty in long-term sediment loads and budgets

Conference Paper↗
USGS1993

Palynostratigraphic correlation of the Fort Union formation (Paleocene) in the Wind River Reservation and Waltman Area, Wind River Basin, Wyoming

Palynologic samples of the Fort Union Formation (Paleocene) were collected from selected composite measured sections and a drill hole in the Wind River Basin. Intervals studied are in outcrop in the Wind River Reservation in the Shotgun Butte area and near Hudson, Wyoming, and in the subsurface in the Muddy Ridge field. Age determinations were made using the palynostratigraphic zonation originally developed near Waltman, Wyoming, in the northeastern part of the basin. Although parts of the zonation have been called into question by other recent work in the basin, only the basal Paleocene biozone (P1) is in need of modification, and the zonation remains an effective tool for age determination and correlation in these rocks. Age control is sparse in parts of some sections studied, mostly because of a dominance of sandstone and conglomerate facies, but palynostratigraphy permits correlation of the study areas with each other and with the Waltman reference section. Palynology supports the following correlations: The lower unnamed member of the Fort Union Formation in the Shotgun Butte area correlates stratigraphically and chronologically with the lower part of the formation in the subsurface at Muddy Ridge field, with a short interval in the Hudson area, and with the lower and middle parts of the unnamed member in the Waltman area. The Shotgun Member correlates chronologically with the coal-bearing upper part of the Fort Union Formation in the subsurface at Muddy Ridge field and with the upper part of the unnamed member and Waltman Shale Member in the Waltman area. These correlations show that significant coal deposits in the subsurface have little or no expression in outcrop because of changes in facies.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2011

Treating floodplain lakes of large rivers as study units for variables that vary within lakes; an evaluation using chlorophyll a and inorganic suspended solids data from floodplain lakes of the Upper Mississippi River

Contiguous floodplain lakes ('lakes') have historically been used as study units for comparative studies of limnological variables that vary within lakes. The hierarchical nature of these studies implies that study variables may be correlated within lakes and that covariate associations may differ not only among lakes but also by spatial scale. We evaluated the utility of treating lakes as study units for limnological variables that vary within lakes based on the criteria of important levels of among-lake variation in study variables and the observation of covariate associations that vary among lakes. These concerns were selected, respectively, to ensure that lake signatures were distinguishable from within-lake variation and that lake-scale effects on covariate associations might provide inferences not available by ignoring those effects. Study data represented chlorophyll a (CHL) and inorganic suspended solids (ISS) data from lakes within three reaches of the Upper Mississippi River. Sampling occurred in summer from 1993 through 2005 (except 2003); numbers of lakes per reach varied from 7 to 19, and median lake area varied from 53 to 101 ha. CHL and ISS levels were modelled linearly, with lake, year and lake x year effects treated as random. For all reaches, the proportions of variation in CHL and ISS attributable to differences among lakes (including lake and lake x year effects) were substantial (range: 18%-73%). Finally, among-lake variation in CHL and ISS was strongly associated with covariates and covariate effects that varied by lakes or lake-years (including with vegetation levels and, for CHL, log(ISS)). These findings demonstrate the utility of treating floodplain lakes as study units for the study of limnological variables and the importance of addressing hierarchy within study designs when making inferences from data collected within floodplain lakes.

Illinois;Iowa;Minnesota;Missouri;Wisconsin↗
USGS2017

Effects of lateral confinement in natural and leveed reaches of a gravel-bed river: Snake River, Wyoming, USA

This study examined the effects of natural and anthropogenic changes in confining margin width by applying remote sensing techniques – fusing LiDAR topography with image-derived bathymetry – over a large spatial extent: 58 km of the Snake River, Wyoming, USA. Fused digital elevation models from 2007 and 2012 were differenced to quantify changes in the volume of stored sediment, develop morphological sediment budgets, and infer spatial gradients in bed material transport. Our study spanned two similar reaches that were subject to different controls on confining margin width: natural terraces versus artificial levees. Channel planform in reaches with similar slope and confining margin width differed depending on whether the margins were natural or anthropogenic. The effects of tributaries also differed between the two reaches. Generally, the natural reach featured greater confining margin widths and was depositional, whereas artificial lateral constriction in the leveed reach produced a sediment budget that was closer to balanced. Although our remote sensing methods provided topographic data over a large area, net volumetric changes were not statistically significant due to the uncertainty associated with bed elevation estimates. We therefore focused on along-channel spatial differences in bed material transport rather than absolute volumes of sediment. To complement indirect estimates of sediment transport derived by morphological sediment budgeting, we collected field data on bed mobility through a tracer study. Surface and subsurface grain size measurements were combined with bed mobility observations to calculate armoring and dimensionless sediment transport ratios, which indicated that sediment supply exceeded transport capacity in the natural reach and vice versa in the leveed reach. We hypothesize that constriction by levees induced an initial phase of incision and bed armoring. Because levees prevented bank erosion, the channel excavated sediment by migrating rapidly across the restricted braidplain and eroding bars and islands.

Wyoming↗