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Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

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At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
USGS2019

Variability of estimated ultimate recovery in shale oil and shale gas accumulations in the U.S.

Variability of mean EURs within and between unconventional reservoirs is becoming more apparent as thousands of wells are drilled and oil and gas is produced from unconventional low-permeability reservoirs. Production from many of these reservoirs shows that there is spatial heterogeneity of EURs, which is mainly related to geologic characteristics. The more refined view of spatial heterogeneity resulting from many producing wells directly impacts the assessment of unconventional oil and gas resources through the application of more appropriate EUR distributions. The variability presented here suggests that the EURs from any one shale-oil or shale-gas accumulation should not be used as a production analog for potential shale-oil or shale-gas accumulations in frontier areas. Rather, a range of EURs utilizing several analogs is more appropriate. Shale-oil and shale-gas reservoirs were the focus of this paper, but tight-gas reservoirs and coalbed-gas reservoirs exhibit similar variation in EURs.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1985

ROLE OF X-RAY FLUORESCENCE IN A MODERN GEOCHEMICAL LABORATORY.

Because modern geochemical laboratories can seldom have all new analytical equipment, it is clear that priorities must be assigned and choices made when selecting each new instrument. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy has come to play a vital role in this environment largely because it is a dependable, multielement, rapid method that covers a wide range of elemental concentrations, commonly with only one sample preparation. The following discussion centers on the role of modern XRF instrumentation in the resolution of geochemical problems. In order to present a comprehensive view of this role, this paper draws upon a great deal of information from numerous X-ray laboratories visited in the United States and Canada.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1986

ESTIMATION OF URBAN STORM-RUNOFF LOADS.

The United States was divided into three regions, on the basis of mean annual rainfall, to decrease the variability in storm-runoff constituent loads and to improve regression relations with basin and climatic characteristics. Multiple-regression analyses, in progress, are being refined to determine the best regression models for each of the storm-runoff constituent loads in each of the three regions. These techniques, when finalized, can be used to estimate storm-runoff constituent loads for gaged and ungaged urban watersheds. The preliminary standard errors of estimate for five constituents examined to date ranged from 54 to 223 percent, and the coefficients of determination (r**2) ranged from 0. 39 to 0. 94. Total storm rainfall and total contributing drainage area appear to be the most significant independent variables in the regression models. This paper is a progress report on preliminary results of estimating storm-runoff constituent loads for ungaged watersheds.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1993

U.S. Geological Survey bedload sampling policy

During the late 1960's, the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Resources Division (WRD) developed the Helley-Smith bedload sampler. Since then, the USGS and the Technical Committee of the Federal Interagency Subcommittee on Sedimentation (Technical Committee) have performed extensive flume and field studies concerning the calibration and use of bedload samplers. The policy and guidelines described in this paper are the results of this effort and are the current USGS policy and guidelines for the collection of bedload data.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2015

Using oblique digital photography for alluvial sandbar monitoring and low-cost change detection

The maintenance of alluvial sandbars is a longstanding management interest along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. Resource managers are interested in both the long-term trend in sandbar condition and the short-term response to management actions, such as intentional controlled floods released from Glen Canyon Dam. Long-term monitoring is accomplished at a range of scales, by a combination of annual topographic survey at selected sites, daily collection of images from those sites using novel, autonomously operating, digital camera systems (hereafter referred to as 'remote cameras'), and quadrennial remote sensing of sandbars canyonwide. In this paper, we present results from the remote camera images for daily changes in sandbar topography.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1987

The use of the National Water Data Exchange in support of estuarine and coastal programs

The National Water Data Exchange (NAWDEX) was established by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1976. Its program is directed toward improving the exchange of water and water -related data collected and made available by hundreds of federal and non-federal agencies throughout the United States. This paper describes the NAWDEX program and the services which can be provided to assist coastal and estuarine programs.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2008

Hemlock ecosystem monitoring in southern West Virginia

We initiated a long-term hemlock ecosystem monitoring study in 1998 on the New River Gorge National River (NERI) and Gauley River National Recreation Area (GARI), in Nicholas, Fayette, and Raleigh counties, West Virginia, to quantify ecosystem response to invasion by the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). Hemlock vigor and degree of adelgid infestation were quantified in 1998-2007, vegetation structure and composition were sampled in 1999 and 2007, and avian populations were sampled 1999-2007. The HWA was detected on eight of 36 sampling plots in 2004 and 22 of 36 by 2007. Now that most of the monitoring plots are infested with HWA and the literature suggests that tree mortality can occur within four to six years (McClure 1991), we expect hemlock mortality to ensue. In this paper, we summarize data collected pre-infestation and during the initial stages of infestation.

West Virginia↗
USGS1977

International training in remote sensing

The training and assistance programme at the Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (United States of America), is designed to provide for the transfer of remote-sensing technology to land managers and resource specialists, both domestic and foreign. The programme does not emphasize research and development (i.e., sensor development, feasibility analysis, applications research etc.) nor does it provide services to operational remote-sensing applications projects. Instead, the objectives of the programme are to comprehend, interpret, assess and translate state-of-the-art remote-sensing techniques and transfer to users those techniques in such manner that they can be easily understood. The purpose of this paper is to describe briefly the user assistance programmes available at the EROS Data Center, with emphasis on the international activities.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2008

Development of Landsat-5 thematic mapper internal calibrator gain and offset table

The National Landsat Archive Production System (NLAPS) has been the primary processing system for Landsat data since U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS) started archiving Landsat data. NLAPS converts raw satellite data into radiometrically and geometrically calibrated products. NLAPS has historically used the Internal Calibrator (IC) to calibrate the reflective bands of the Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM), even though the lamps in the IC were less stable than the TM detectors, as evidenced by vicarious calibration results. In 2003, a major effort was made to model the actual TM gain change and to update NLAPS to use this model rather than the unstable IC data for radiometric calibration. The model coefficients were revised in 2007 to reflect greater understanding of the changes in the TM responsivity. While the calibration updates are important to users with recently processed data, the processing system no longer calculates the original IC gain or offset. For specific applications, it is useful to have a record of the gain and offset actually applied to the older data. Thus, the NLAPS calibration database was used to generate estimated daily values for the radiometric gain and offset that might have been applied to TM data. This paper discusses the need for and generation of the NLAPS IC gain and offset tables. A companion paper covers the application of and errors associated with using these tables.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2012

Changes in the substrate of rivers in historic mining districts

The restoration of rivers in watersheds with historic mining districts has become a topic of interest during the last decade. Rivers restoration in these areas is difficult because the mines and mills can be scattered over a wide area and often small. Many have also been abandoned. This paper presents two substrate related factors that are important in the evaluation of river restoration alternatives in watersheds with significance impacts from mines and mills most of which are old and abandoned. The two factors are 1) changes in the size distribution and specific weights of the substrate, and 2) the changes in quality of the interstecial waters caused by metals associated with the tailings in the substrate. The most important impacts of tailings from mills may be on the physical characteristics of the substrate (porosity) and on the quality of the pore waters. The measurements presented in this paper do show significant variation in the porosity in gravel bed rivers and in the quality of the pore waters. Copyright ASCE 2004.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2008

Development of landsat-5 thematic mapper internal calibrator gain and offset table

The National Landsat Archive Production System (NLAPS) has been the primary processing system for Landsat data since U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS) started archiving Landsat data. NLAPS converts raw satellite data into radiometrically and geometrically calibrated products. NLAPS has historically used the Internal Calibrator (IC) to calibrate the reflective bands of the Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM), even though the lamps in the IC were less stable than the TM detectors, as evidenced by vicarious calibration results. In 2003, a major effort was made to model the actual TM gain change and to update NLAPS to use this model rather than the unstable IC data for radiometric calibration. The model coefficients were revised in 2007 to reflect greater understanding of the changes in the TM responsivity. While the calibration updates are important to users with recently processed data, the processing system no longer calculates the original IC gain or offset. For specific applications, it is useful to have a record of the gain and offset actually applied to the older data. Thus, the NLAPS calibration database was used to generate estimated daily values for the radiometric gain and offset that might have been applied to TM data. This paper discusses the need for and generation of the NLAPSIC gain and offset tables. A companion paper covers the application of and errors associated with using these tables.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1988

Power formula for open-channel flow resistance

This paper evaluates various power formulas for flow resistance in open channels. Unlike the logarithmic resistance equation that can be theoretically derived either from Prandtl's mixing-length hypothesis or von Karman's similarity hypothesis, the power formula has long had an appearance of empiricism. Nevertheless, the simplicity in the form of the power formula has made it popular among the many possible forms of flow resistance formulas. This paper reexamines the concept and rationale of the power formulation, thereby addressing some critical issues in the modeling of flow resistance.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2005

A method for quantifying bioavailable organic carbon in aquifer sediments

The fact that naturally occurring microorganisms can biodegrade PCE and TCE allows the use of monitored natural attenuation (MNA) as a remediation strategy at chlorinated solvent-contaminated sites. Research at numerous chlorinated solvent sites indicates an active dechlorinating microbial population coupled with an ample supply of organic carbon are conditions needed to sustain reductive dechlorination. A series of extraction experiments was used to compare the ability of the different extractants to remove organic carbon from aquifer sediments. The different extractants included pyrophosphate, sodium hydroxide, and polished water. Pyrophosphate served as a mild extractant that minimally alters the organic structure of the extracted material. Three concentrations (0.1, 0.5, and 1%) of pyrophosphate extracted 18.8, 24.9, and 30.8% of sediment organic carbon, respectively. Under alkali conditions (0.5 N NaOH), which provided the harshest extractant, 30.7% of the sediment organic carbon was recovered. Amorphous organic carbon, measured by potassium persulfate oxidization, consisted of 44.6% of the sediment organic carbon and served as a baseline control for maximum carbon removal. Conversely, highly purified water provided a minimal extraction control and extracted 5.7% of the sediment organic carbon. The removal of organic carbon was quantified by aqueous TOC in the extract and residual sediment organic carbon content. Characterization of the organic carbon extracts by compositional analysis prior and after exposure to the mixed culture might indicate the type organic carbon and functional groups used and/or generated by the organisms. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 8th International In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symposium (Baltimore, MD 6/6-9/2005).

Conference Paper↗
USGS2005

Natural attenuation software (NAS): Assessing remedial strategies and estimating timeframes

Natural Attenuation Software (NAS) is a screening tool to estimate remediation timeframes for monitored natural attenuation (MNA) and to assist in decision-making on the level of source zone treatment in conjunction with MNA using site-specific remediation objectives. Natural attenuation processes that NAS models include are advection, dispersion, sorption, non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) dissolution, and biodegradation of either petroleum hydrocarbons or chlorinated ethylenes. Newly-implemented enhancements to NAS designed to maximize the utility of NAS for site managers were observed. NAS has expanded source contaminant specification options to include chlorinated ethanes and chlorinated methanes, and to allow for the analysis of any other user-defined contaminants that may be subject to microbially-mediated transformations (heavy metals, radioisotopes, etc.). Included is the capability to model co-mingled plumes, with constituents from multiple contaminant categories. To enable comparison of remediation timeframe estimates between MNA and specific engineered remedial actions , NAS was modified to incorporate an estimation technique for timeframes associated with pump-and-treat remediation technology for comparison to MNA. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 8th International In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symposium (Baltimore, MD 6/6-9/2005).

Conference Paper↗
USGS2012

Applications of 3D hydrodynamic and particle tracking models in the San Francisco bay-delta estuary

Three applications of three-dimensional hydrodynamic and particle-tracking models are currently underway by the United States Geological Survey in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary. The first application is to the San Francisco Bay and a portion of the coastal ocean. The second application is to an important, gated control channel called the Delta Cross Channel, located within the northern portion of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The third application is to a reach of the San Joaquin River near Stockton, California where a significant dissolved oxygen problem exists due, in part, to conditions associated with the deep-water ship channel for the Port of Stockton, California. This paper briefly discusses the hydrodynamic and particle tracking models being used and the three applications. Copyright ASCE 2005.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2016

The development of small, cabled, real-time video based observation systems for near shore coastal marine science including three examples and lessons learned

The effects of climate change on the near shore coastal environment including ocean acidification, accelerated erosion, destruction of coral reefs, and damage to marine habitat have highlighted the need for improved equipment to study, monitor, and evaluate these changes [1]. This is especially true where areas of study are remote, large, or beyond depths easily accessible to divers. To this end, we have developed three examples of low cost and easily deployable real-time ocean observation platforms. We followed a scalable design approach adding complexity and capability as familiarity and experience were gained with system components saving both time and money by reducing design mistakes. The purpose of this paper is to provide information for the researcher, technician, or engineer who finds themselves in need of creating or acquiring similar platforms.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1986

Repetitive digital NOAA-AVHRR data for Alaskan engineering and scientific applications

Selected digitally enhanced NOAA - Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) images taken by the NOAA 6, 7, 8 and 9 Polar Orbiting Satellites demonstrate the capability and application of repetitive low-resolution satellite data to Alaska's engineering and science community. Selected cloud-free visible and thermal infrared images are enhanced to depict distinct oceanographic and geologic processes along Alaska's west coast and adjacent seas. Included are the advance of the Bering Sea ice field, transport of Yukon River sediment into Norton Sound, and monitoring of plume trajectories from the Mount Augustine volcanic eruptions. Presented illustrations are representative of the 94 scenes in a cooperative USGS EROS/NOAA Alaskan AVHRR Digital Archive. This paper will discuss the cooperative efforts in establishing the first year data set and identifying Alaskan applications.

Alaska↗
USGS2005

Development and composition of a mixed culture for bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes and ethanes

Microbial organisms capable of dechlorinating 1,1,2,2 tetrachloroethane (TeCA) and its chlorinated ethane and ethylene daughter products were enriched in surface sediments collected from the West Branch Canal Creek wetland area, leading to the formation of two mixed cultures using slightly different enrichment methods. Both WBC-1 and WBC-2 were capable of rapid and complete reductive dechlorination of TeCA and its daughter products (1,1,2-trichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride) to ethylene, and addition of either culture to wetland sediment and to engineered peat/compost mixtures resulted in significant enhancement of dechlorination. However, the WBC-2 culture supported better sustained activity and was more readily scaled up for application in bioaugmentation treatments, whereas dechlorination activity was gradually lost in WBC-1. The microbial composition of WBC-1 and WBC-2 were determined by cloning and sequencing 500 base pairs of the 16S rDNA gene and the methyl co-reductase. Methanogens identified in the consortia were members of the Order Methanomicrobiales, which includes acetoclastic methanogens. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the Proceedings of the 8th International In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation Symposium (Baltimore, MD 6/6-9/2005).

Conference Paper↗