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USGS2024

Drought prediction and water availability: A report on the 2022 USGS-NIDIS National Listening Session Series

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) conducted a series of four Listening Sessions in 2022 – each with a different application or topical focus – to seek input on priorities and needs related to predicting water availability changes under drought conditions at national and regional scales. This input was gathered to help inform the USGS Drought Program, regional and national drought efforts at NIDIS, and other national drought efforts. The series started with a February 2022 kick-off that introduced the series of Listening Sessions being held from March through September 2022. This kickoff also provided an overview of the USGS Drought Program’s work to characterize hydrological (e.g., streamflow and groundwater) drought, drought variability, drivers, and trends over the past century. Participants in these Listening Sessions included diverse stakeholder representation and perspectives. The first of the four Listening Sessions focused on streamflow (March 3, 2022), and included a short introduction to the USGS national streamflow drought research, the properties of a national drought prediction system, as well as presentations by other agencies on different drought prediction and forecasting efforts. The second session focused on groundwater (May 5, 2022), and included presentations on groundwater drought, sustainable groundwater management, and improving our understanding of soil moisture, groundwater, and surface water drought. The third session focused on water use (July 14, 2022), and included a discussion of the different drought types, as well as an introduction to several key projects, including the USGS Upper Colorado River Basin Study, the Ogallala Data Directory project, and a multi-agency drought prediction partnership in Oklahoma. The fourth and final Listening Session focused on water availability prediction for ecosystems (September 8, 2022), and included presentations on the development of a national capacity for eco-hydrological and drought science, building climate resilience, and actionable ecodrought resources.

Report↗

USGS2006

Sea floor topography and backscatter intensity of the Hudson Canyon region offshore of New York and New Jersey

These maps show the sea floor topography and backscatter intensity of the Hudson Canyon region on the continental slope and rise offshore of New Jersey and New York (fig. 1 and fig. 2). Sheet 1 shows sea floor topography as shaded relief. Sheet 2 shows sea floor topography as shaded relief with backscatter intensity superimposed in color. Both sheets are at a scale of 1:300,000 and also show smoothed topographic contours at selected intervals. The maps are based on new multibeam echo-sounder data collected on an 18-day cruise carried out aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ship Ronald H. Brown during August and September 2002. Additional multibeam data of the Hudson Canyon collected by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), on the continental shelf collected by the STRATAFORM project (Goff and others, 1999), and a survey of the Hudson Shelf Valley (Butman and others, 2003), and a compilation of bathymetric data from the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) Coastal Relief Model provide coverage of areas surrounding Hudson Canyon (fig. 2). Interpretations of the surficial geology also utilize widely spaced 3.5- and 10-kiloHertz (kHz) high-resolution seismic profiles collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (fig.2).

New Jersey, New York↗

USGS2023

Comprehensive inventory of habitat assessment and evaluation datasets to support Deepwater Horizon mesophotic and deep benthic communities

This report is part of the NOAA Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities (MDBC) Series of publications that share the results of work conducted by the Deepwater Horizon MDBC restoration projects. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill was an unprecedented event. Approximately 3.2 million barrels of oil were released into the deep ocean over nearly three months. The plume of oil moved throughout the water column, formed surface slicks that cumulatively covered an area the size of Virginia, and washed oil onto at least 1,300 miles of shoreline habitats. More than 770 square miles (2,000 square kilometers) of deep benthic habitat surrounding the Deepwater Horizon wellhead and 4-square miles of the Pinnacles mesophotic reef complex, located at the edge of the continental shelf, were injured by the oil spill. Under the Oil Pollution Act, state and federal natural resource trustees conducted a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). The Trustees assessed damages, quantifying the unprecedented injuries to natural resources and lost services. They also developed a programmatic restoration plan to restore injured resources and compensate the public for lost services. In April 2016, a settlement was finalized that included up to $8.8 billion in funding for the Deepwater Horizon Trustees to restore the natural resource injuries caused by the oil spill as described in their programmatic restoration plan, Final Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. The Deepwater Horizon Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group is responsible for restoring natural resources and their services within the Open Ocean Restoration Area that were injured by the oil spill. The Open Ocean Trustees include NOAA, Department of the Interior, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 2019, the Open Ocean Trustee Implementation Group committed more than $126 million to implement four restoration projects to address the injury to MDBC. The MDBC projects are: mapping, Ground-truthing, and Predictive Habitat Modeling; Habitat Assessment and Evaluation; Coral Propagation Technique Development; and Active Management and Protection. NOAA and the Department of the Interior are implementing the projects, in cooperation with a range of partners, over eight years. Together, the projects take a phased approach to meet the challenges involved in restoring deep-sea habitats. Challenges to restoration include a limited scientific understanding of these communities, limited experience with restoration at the depths at which these communities occur, and remote locations that limit accessibility. More information about Deepwater Horizon restoration and the MDBC restoration projects is available at: www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.

Gulf of Mexico↗

USGS2014

Capturing interactions between nitrogen and hydrological cycles under historical climate and land use: Susquehanna watershed analysis with the GFDL land model LM3-TAN

We developed a process model LM3-TAN to assess the combined effects of direct human influences and climate change on terrestrial and aquatic nitrogen (TAN) cycling. The model was developed by expanding NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory land model LM3V-N of coupled terrestrial carbon and nitrogen (C-N) cycling and including new N cycling processes and inputs such as a soil denitrification, point N sources to streams (i.e., sewage), and stream transport and microbial processes. Because the model integrates ecological, hydrological, and biogeochemical processes, it captures key controls of the transport and fate of N in the vegetation–soil–river system in a comprehensive and consistent framework which is responsive to climatic variations and land-use changes. We applied the model at 1/8° resolution for a study of the Susquehanna River Basin. We simulated with LM3-TAN stream dissolved organic-N, ammonium-N, and nitrate-N loads throughout the river network, and we evaluated the modeled loads for 1986–2005 using data from 16 monitoring stations as well as a reported budget for the entire basin. By accounting for interannual hydrologic variability, the model was able to capture interannual variations of stream N loadings. While the model was calibrated with the stream N loads only at the last downstream Susquehanna River Basin Commission station Marietta (40°02' N, 76°32' W), it captured the N loads well at multiple locations within the basin with different climate regimes, land-use types, and associated N sources and transformations in the sub-basins. Furthermore, the calculated and previously reported N budgets agreed well at the level of the whole Susquehanna watershed. Here we illustrate how point and non-point N sources contributing to the various ecosystems are stored, lost, and exported via the river. Local analysis of six sub-basins showed combined effects of land use and climate on soil denitrification rates, with the highest rates in the Lower Susquehanna Sub-Basin (extensive agriculture; Atlantic coastal climate) and the lowest rates in the West Branch Susquehanna Sub-Basin (mostly forest; Great Lakes and Midwest climate). In the re-growing secondary forests, most of the N from non-point sources was stored in the vegetation and soil, but in the agricultural lands most N inputs were removed by soil denitrification, indicating that anthropogenic N applications could drive substantial increase of N 2 O emission, an intermediate of the denitrification process.

Pennsylvania↗

USGS2006

Geologic interpretation and multibeam bathymetry of the sea floor in southeastern Long Island Sound

Digital terrain models (DTMs) produced from multibeam echosounder (MBES) bathymetric data provide valuable base maps for marine geological interpretations (e.g. Todd and others, 1999; Mosher and Thomson, 2002; ten Brink and others, 2004; Poppe and others, 2006a,b). These maps help define the geological variability of the sea floor (one of the primary controls of benthic habitat diversity); improve our understanding of the processes that control the distribution and transport of bottom sediments, the distribution of benthic habitats and associated infaunal community structures; and provide a detailed framework for future research, monitoring, and management activities. The bathymetric survey interpreted herein (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) survey H11255) covers roughly 95 km? of sea floor in southeastern Long Island Sound (fig. 1). This bathymetry has been examined in relation to seismic reflection data collected concurrently, as well as archived seismic profiles acquired as part of a long-standing geologic mapping partnership between the State of Connecticut and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The objective of this work was to use these geophysical data sets to interpret geomorphological attributes of the sea floor in terms of the Quaternary geologic history and modern sedimentary processes within Long Island Sound.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2021

A characterization of deep-sea coral and sponge communities along the California and Oregon coast using a remotely operated vehicle on the EXPRESS 2018 expedition

Deep-sea coral and sponge (DSCS) communities serve as essential fish habitats (EFH) by providing shelter and nursery habitat, increasing diversity, and increasing prey availability (Freese and Wing, 2003; Bright, 2007; Baillon et al., 2012; Henderson et al., 2020). Threats to these long-lived, fragile organisms from bottom contact fishing gear, potential offshore renewable energy development, and ocean warming and acidification have increased the need for DSCS research along the U.S. West Coast (Gomez et al., 2018; Salgado et al., 2018; Yoklavich, et al., 2018; Gugliotti et al., 2019). The focus of these studies has varied from species distribution and abundance (Yoklavich and Love, 2005; Tissot et al., 2006) to developing and validating predictive distribution models (Huff et al., 2013; Rooper et al., 2017; Kreidler, 2020) to finding medicinal uses for corals and sponges (Essack et al., 2011; Shrestha et al., 2018). Due to the vast area of unexplored seafloor within the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ; 200 nautical miles off the coast) and the technological requirements and expanse of deep-sea research, there is still much to learn about the distributions and biology of DSCS. This information is critical to resource managers for effective conservation and management of DSCS habitats. Protections are provided by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) designation of groundfish EFH conservation areas (EFHCA) and the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA). Areas designated as EFHCA are closed to bottom trawl fishing to protect and preserve seafloor habitats. Recently the PFMC adopted Amendment 28 to the Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (GFMP; Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2019) which modified EFHCAs by closing new areas identified as vulnerable and reopening areas deemed not vulnerable. The NMSA prohibits bottom disturbance from certain activities within areas designated as national marine sanctuaries, such as oil and gas exploration or extraction, cable laying, and other forms of seabed alteration or construction that disturb benthic communities. NOAA’s Deep-Sea Coral and Research Technology Program (DSCRTP) began a 4-yr funding initiative for the U.S. West Coast in 2017. The goals of the West Coast Deep-Sea Coral Initiative (WCDSCI) were to: 1) gather baseline information on areas subject to fishing regulation changes prior to the implementation of Amendment 28; 2) improve our understanding of known DSCS bycatch “hot spots”; and 3) explore and assess DSCS resources within NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries with emphasis on areas of sanctuary resource protection and management concerns. During the first year of the program, a research cruise was developed to survey the West Coast from Oregon to California studying the DSCS ecosystems in priority areas. The 31-day expedition (9 Oct – 8 Nov, 2018) was launched from the NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada, beginning in Newport, OR and ending in San Diego, CA. The science team assembled for this cruise were members of the EXpanding Pacific Research and Exploration of Submerged Systems (EXPRESS) campaign, which brings together researchers from federal and nonfederal institutions to collaborate on scientific expeditions targeting the deepwater areas off California, Oregon, and Washington. EXPRESS supports researchers leveraging funding, resources, personnel, and expertise to accomplish more science than would have been possible by a single entity alone. The 2018 coastwide expedition included research partners from National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) and Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), National Ocean Service (Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, Greater Farallones, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Research objectives for the cruise were to: 1) Collect DSCS baseline information at 10 of the EFHCA sites undergoing protection modifications by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. 2) Collect DSCS and fish data at previously unexplored sites within West Coast National Marine Sanctuaries. 3) Revisit a subset of previously surveyed sites to document if changes in DCSC have occurred over time. 4) Collect information to validate BOEM supported cross-shelf habitat suitability models for DSCS. 5) Collect samples to help in identifying (and understanding) West Coast DSCS and expand use of new technologies (ROV, AUV, and environmental DNA [eDNA]). 6) Collect water samples for coastwide eDNA, nutrient, and carbon chemistry studies.

California, Oregon↗

USGS2010

Marine benthic habitat mapping of Muir Inlet, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, with an evaluation of the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard III

Seafloor geology and potential benthic habitats were mapped in Muir Inlet, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, using multibeam sonar, ground-truth information, and geological interpretations. Muir Inlet is a recently deglaciated fjord that is under the influence of glacial and paraglacial marine processes. High glacially derived sediment and meltwater fluxes, slope instabilities, and variable bathymetry result in a highly dynamic estuarine environment and benthic ecosystem. We characterize the fjord seafloor and potential benthic habitats using the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) recently developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NatureServe. Substrates within Muir Inlet are dominated by mud, derived from the high glacial debris flux. Water-column characteristics are derived from a combination of conductivity temperature depth (CTD) measurements and circulation-model results. We also present modern glaciomarine sediment accumulation data from quantitative differential bathymetry. These data show Muir Inlet is divided into two contrasting environments: a dynamic upper fjord and a relatively static lower fjord. The accompanying maps represent the first publicly available high-resolution bathymetric surveys of Muir Inlet. The results of these analyses serve as a test of the CMECS and as a baseline for continued mapping and correlations among seafloor substrate, benthic habitats, and glaciomarine processes.

Scientific Investigations Map↗

USGS1987

Status of worldwide Landsat archive

In cooperation with the International Landsat community, and through the Landsat Technical Working Group (LTWG), NOAA is assembling information about the status of the Worldwide Landsat Archive. During LTWG 9, member nations agreed to participate in a survey of International Landsat data holding and of their archive experiences with Landsat data. The goal of the effort was two-fold; one, to document the Landsat archive to date, and, two, to ensure that specific nations' experience with long-term Landsat archival problems were available to others. The survey requested details such as amount of data held, the format of the archive holdings by Spacecraft/Sensor, and acquisition years; the estimated costs to accumulated process, and replace the data (if necessary); the storage space required, and any member nation's plans that would establish the insurance of continuing quality. As a group, the LTWG nations are concerned about the characteristics and reliability of long-term magnetic media storage. Each nation's experience with older data retrieval is solicited in the survey. This information will allow nations to anticipate and plan for required changes to their archival holdings. Also solicited were reports of any upgrades to a nation's archival system that are currently planned and all results of attempts to reduce archive holdings including methodology, current status, and the planned access rates and product support that are anticipated for responding to future archival usage.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2008

Enhanced sidescan-sonar imagery, north-central Long Island Sound

The U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection have been working cooperatively to map the sea-floor geology within Long Island Sound. Sidescan-sonar imagery collected during three NOAA hydrographic surveys (H11043, H11044, and H11045) was used to interpret the surficial-sediment distribution and sedimentary environments within the Sound. The original sidescan-sonar imagery generated by NOAA was used to evaluate hazards to navigation, which does not require consistent tonal matching throughout the survey. In order to fully utilize these data for geologic interpretation, artifacts within the imagery, primarily due to sidescan-system settings (for example, gain changes), processing techniques (for example, lack of across-track normalization) and environmental noise (for example, sea state), need to be minimized. Sidescan-sonar imagery from surveys H11043, H11044, and H11045 in north-central Long Island Sound was enhanced by matching the grayscale tones between adjacent sidescan-sonar lines to decrease the patchwork effect caused by numerous artifacts and to provide a more coherent sidescan-sonar image for use in geologic interpretation.

New York, Connecticut↗

USGS1992

Map showing bottom topography of the Pacific Continental Margin, Cape Mendocino to Point Conception

All contours, geographic outlines, and political boundaries shown on this map of the bottom topography, or bathymetry, of the Pacific continental margin between 34? and 41? N. latitudes were plotted from digital data bases in the library of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Joint Office for Mapping and Research (JOMAR). These digital data were obtained and compiled from many sources; consequently, data quality varies within particular data bases as well as from one data base to another. Bathymetric contours were digitized from a map compiled by Chase and others (1981) and from the unpublished large scale versions of that map (T.E. Chase, unpub. maps, 1981). Data for the area seaward of the continental slope (~2000 m depth) were obtained primarily from the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (C&GS) 1955 Pacific Exploratory Survey, a systematic and detailed (~8 -nmi trackline spacing) survey between Mexico and Canada. The USGS provided data from cruises S3-78-NC, S15-79-NC, L2-77-NC, Ll0-76-NC, and Bartlett 72. Data were also obtained from Scripps Institution of Oceanography cruises Merazine, Blue Flash, Kayak B, Scan I, and Seven Tow (Chase and Menard, 1971; Chase and others, 1975; Wilde and others, 1976; Wilde and others, 1978). The 200-m contour was derived from the National Ocean Survey charts 1306N-20 (1975), 1307N-l1B (1974a), 1307N-18B (1974b), and C&GS chart 1308N-12 (1969). Sea-floor depths were corrected for sound velocity in sea water using Matthew's (1939) tables. Onshore topographic contours were generated by computer from a modified version of 3-arc-second elevation data provided by the Defense Mapping Agency. The United States digital shoreline was obtained from the NOAA, NOS, Nautical Charting Division, National Atlas files. The coastline of Canada was digitized from Canadian Hydrographic Service bathymetric maps. The primary source of names of the sea floor features was the "Gazetteer of Undersea Features" (Defense Mapping Agency, 1990). Acknowledgments Christopher Hines assisted in the construction and verification of the digital data bases. Reviews and suggestions by Edward C. Escowitz and Florence Wong and advice provided by Will Stettner regarding the cartographic design substantially improved the quality of this map. References Cited Chase, T.E., and Menard, H.W., 1971, Bathymetric atlas of the northeastern Pacific Ocean: U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office Publication 1303, scale 1:2,000,000 at 33° latitude, 48 p. Chase, T.E., Wilde, Pat, and Normark, W.R., 1975, Oceanographic data of the Monterey Deep Sea Fan: San Diego, University of California, Institute of Marine Resources Publication TR 58, scale 1:898,524 at 35° latitude. Chase, T.E., Wilde, Pat, Normark, W.R., Miller, C.P., Seekins, B.A., and Young, J.D., 1981, Offshore topography of the Western United States between 32° and 49° North latitudes: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 81-443, scale 1:864,518 at 38° latitude, 2 sheets. Coast and Geodetic Survey, 1969, Point St. George to Point Delgada: Coast and Geodetic Survey Bathymetric Map 1308N-12, scale 1:250,000. Defense Mapping Agency, 1990, Gazetteer of undersea features (4th ed.): Washington, D.C., Defense Mapping Agency. Matthews, D.J., 1939, Tables of the velocity of sound in pure water and sea water (2d ed.): London, Admiralty, Hydrographic Department, H.D. 282, 52 p. National Ocean Survey, 1974a, Vicinity Pt. Sur to Pt. Reyes: National Ocean Survey Bathymetric Map 1307N-11B, scale 1:250,000. National Ocean Survey, 1974b, Pt. Reyes to Tolo Bank: National Ocean Survey Bathymetric Map 1307N-18B, scale 1:250,000. National Ocean Survey, 1975, Cape San Martin to Point Conception: National Ocean Survey Bathymetric Map 1306N-20, scale 1:250,000. Wilde, Pat, Normark, W.R., and Chase, T.E., 1976, Oceanographic data off central California 37° to 40° North including the Delgada Deep Sea Fan: Berkeley, University of California, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Publication 92, scale 1 :864,581 at 38° latitude. Wilde, Pat, Chase, T.E., Holmes, M.L., Normark, W.R., Thomas, J.A., McCulloch, D.S., and Kulm, L.D., 1978, Oceanographic data off northern California-southern Oregon 40° to 43° North including the Gorda Deep Sea Fan: Berkeley, University of California, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Publication 251, scale 1:815,482 at 42° latitude.

IMAP↗

USGS2013

Large scale snow water status monitoring: Comparison of different snow water products in the upper Colorado basins

We illustrate the ability to monitor the status of snow water content over large areas by using a spatially distributed snow accumulation and ablation model that uses data from a weather forecast model in the upper Colorado Basin. The model was forced with precipitation fields from the National Weather Service (NWS) Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimator (MPE) and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) data-sets; remaining meteorological model input data were from NOAA's Global Forecast System (GFS) model output fields. The simulated snow water equivalent (SWE) was compared to SWEs from the Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) and SNOwpack TELemetry system (SNOTEL) over a region of the western US that covers parts of the upper Colorado Basin. We also compared the SWE product estimated from the special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I) and scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) to the SNODAS and SNOTEL SWE data-sets. Agreement between the spatial distributions of the simulated SWE with MPE data was high with both SNODAS and SNOTEL. Model-simulated SWE with TRMM precipitation and SWE estimated from the passive microwave imagery were not significantly correlated spatially with either SNODAS or the SNOTEL SWE. Average basin-wide SWE simulated with the MPE and the TRMM data were highly correlated with both SNODAS ( r = 0.94 and r = 0.64; d.f. = 14 – d.f. = degrees of freedom) and SNOTEL ( r = 0.93 and r = 0.68; d.f. = 14). The SWE estimated from the passive microwave imagery was significantly correlated with the SNODAS SWE ( r = 0.55, d.f. = 9, p = 0.05) but was not significantly correlated with the SNOTEL-reported SWE values ( r = 0.45, d.f. = 9, p = 0.05).The results indicate the applicability of the snow energy balance model for monitoring snow water content at regional scales when coupled with meteorological data of acceptable quality. The two snow water contents from the microwave imagery (SMMR and SSM/I) and the Utah Energy Balance forced with the TRMM precipitation data were found to be unreliable sources for mapping SWE in the study area; both data sets lacked discernible variability of snow water content between sites as seen in the SNOTEL and SNODAS SWE data. This study will contribute to better understanding the adequacy of data from weather forecast models, TRMM, and microwave imagery for monitoring status of the snow water content.

Colorado, Utah, Wyoming↗

USGS2008

Monitoring the Earth's dynamic magnetic field

The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey's Geomagnetism Program is to monitor the Earth's magnetic field. Using ground-based observatories, the Program provides continuous records of magnetic field variations covering long timescales; disseminates magnetic data to various governmental, academic, and private institutions; and conducts research into the nature of geomagnetic variations for purposes of scientific understanding and hazard mitigation. The program is an integral part of the U.S. Government's National Space Weather Program (NSWP), which also includes programs in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Defense (DOD), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSWP works to provide timely, accurate, and reliable space weather warnings, observations, specifications, and forecasts, and its work is important for the U.S. economy and national security. Please visit the National Geomagnetism Program?s website, http://geomag.usgs.gov, where you can learn more about the Program and the science of geomagnetism. You can find additional related information at the Intermagnet website, http://www.intermagnet.org.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS2007

Surficial geology in central Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island: interpretations of sidescan sonar and multibeam bathymetry

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is working cooperatively with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to interpret the surficial geology in estuaries along the coast of the northeastern United States. The purpose of our present study is to determine the distributions of surficial sediments and sedimentary environments in two areas of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, using sidescan sonar imagery, high-resolution bathymetry, and sediment data. This study provides a framework for future studies on topics such as benthic habitats and oceanographic processes that control the transport and distribution of bottom sediments. This study mapped two separate areas totalling about 33 km² One area lies in West Passage between Plum Point, Quonset Point and Conanicut Island; the other area lies in East Passage around Dyer Island and extends south of Prudence Island.

Rhode Island↗

USGS2022

Great Lakes spatial priorities study

Spatial data about the bathymetry, habitat characteristics, underlying geology, and other features of the ocean and inland seas are essential for decision-making. Marine research and management organizations use these data to help ensure safe navigation, promote sustainable fisheries, extract energy, and protect marine habitats in the coastal and ocean waters of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Laurentian Great Lakes. Many of these organizations may have overlapping or shared mapping interests without knowing it. In a multi-jurisdictional planning environment, it can be challenging and cumbersome to determine where other entities have shared or overlapping mapping interests, especially across a transnational region such as the Great Lakes. State and provincial governments, federal governments, academia, tribes and First Nations, and other stakeholders from both the U.S. and Canada all have mapping interests across Great Lakes waters. Identifying and communicating target geographies for new data collection that are shared among multiple organizations can both help to avoid redundancy of new mapping efforts, and create opportunities for greater efficiency through collaboration. To address this issue, a spatial priorities study was conducted using a geospatial tool developed by the National Ocean Services National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science (NCCOS). The tool provided an easy-to-use online interface in which programs can identify their priorities in a simple and straightforward way. This study asked representatives of Great Lakes management and science organizations to identify the areas for which they needed maps of lakebed features on a near-term, mid-term, and long-term timeframe, and why. Then, the responses were analyzed and overlaid to determine areas of shared mapping need and opportunity and to determine the types of map products needed. The analysis revealed high interest among multiple organizations in discrete geographies including the Minnesota and Wisconsin shoreline from Duluth to the eastern extent of the Bayfield Peninsula, Green Bay in Lake Michigan, and the southern coastlines of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, the St. Marys River, and the northern Lake Superior coastal waters near Grand Portage, MN. Lower priority mapping interest were distributed widely across all lakes, but tended to be concentrated in nearshore areas (<30 m depth). The analysis also indicated that the top mapping justifications were Habitat/biota/natural area, Benthic exploration, Commercial and recreational fishing, and Scientific research. The top desired map product types were Elevation, Substrate/sub-bottom geologic characterization, and Habitat map/characterization, although participants on some lakes noted other less prevalent product types. Following from previously conducted NOAA and non-NOAA Federal spatial prioritization exercises, the results of this regional focus can help mapping organizations better understand how their priorities align with the needs of regional organizations, allow for more efficient coordination and funding, and enable partners to leverage assets and resources to fill their most pressing data and information gaps across Great Lakes waters. The U.S. Mapping Coordination Site hosts the results of this study and other spatial prioritization studies. Through this website, one can interact with the study results along with recent and planned mapping efforts. NOAA intends to update their spatial priorities on a three- to five-year basis. Future studies should strive to expand participation of federal agencies, state and local governments, federally-recognized tribes, academia, and private industry (among other stakeholders) to seek out ocean mapping partnerships in conjunction with the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration and Characterization (NOMEC) goals map once, use many times.”

Great Lakes↗

USGS1993

1993 Annual Report: San Francisco estuary regional monitoring program for trace substances

This first annual report of the San Francisco Estuary Regional Monitoring Program contains the results of monitoring measurements made in 1993. Measurements of conventional water quality parameters and trace contaminant concentrations were made at 16 stations throughout the Estuary three times during the year: the wet period (March), during declining Delta outflow (May), and during the dry period (September). Water toxicity tests were conducted at 8 of those stations. Measurements of sediment quality and contaminant concentrations were made at the same 16 stations during the wet and dry sampling periods. Sediment toxicity was measured at 8 of those stations. Transplanted, bagged bivalve bioaccumulation and condition was measured at 11 stations during the wet and dry sampling periods. Water Monitoring. Total or near-total (dissolved + particulate, see text) arsenic, cadmium, selenium, and dissolved (0.45 µm filtered) arsenic, cadmium, copper, nickel, silver, and zinc in water were highest in the South Bay. In general, dissolved metals in water were usually lowest in the Central Bay due to ocean influences. Near-total nickel and total mercury in water were highest in the northern estuary (San Pablo and Suisun Bays). Dissolved chromium and lead were highest at the Sacramento and San Joaquin River confluence stations. Six of the ten dissolved trace metals were highest in March during high runoff. Dissolved and total arsenic, selenium, and near-total cadmium were highest in September. Concentrations of trace organic contaminants are reported for the March sampling period. Total PAHs and PCBs were highest in the South Bay, but PCBs were also high in the Napa River. Dissolved PAHs were highest in the Central Bay, and dissolved PCBs were highest in the Napa River. Total and dissolved pesticides were highest in the Sacramento River and in the Extreme South Bay. Concentrations of trace elements in water (except selenium) were usually closely related with other environmental parameters. Total or near-total metals concentrations in water were most often associated with the amount of particulate material (TSS) in the water. Dissolved concentrations were usually associated with salinity or dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content. Dissolved PAHs were well correlated with TSS, but dissolved and total trace organic contaminants were poorly correlated with other water parameters. Based on deviations from conservative mixing of fresh and salt water, three different patterns of possible sources of metals were identified in 1993. For dissolved chromium and lead, rivers and local runoff appeared to be important sources. For dissolved arsenic, cadmium, copper, and nickel year-round inputs from the South Bay appeared to be important sources. Dissolved mercury, selenium, and zinc were associated with local runoff in the South Bay during the wet period. Dissolved silver did not fit any of these patterns. Although most contaminant concentrations were below water quality objectives, several trace contaminants were above the objectives at some stations. Comparisons to water quality objectives are used as a guide for evaluation of contaminant concentrations, but there are some differences in the way the RMP data are measured and that prescribed for regulatory purposes (see text). Concentrations of 5 metals in water were above EPA or Regional Basin Plan water quality objectives at six stations (see Table 30). Most of these elevated levels occurred at the northern estuary stations. Total PCB concentrations were above EPA human health objectives at all RMP stations. The pesticides chlordane, dieldrin, and DDTs were above the EPA objectives at several RMP stations, particularly at the northern-most, and river confluence stations. Although some of the contaminant concentrations were above water quality objectives, water toxicity tests (96 hour algal growth and 48 hour bivalve larval development tests) did not indicate toxicity (sometimes inconclusive) associated with the water samples collected at any of the RMP stations in 1993. Exposure to Bay San Francisco Estuary Regional Monitoring Program Regional Monitoring Program 1993 Report ii water actually enhanced algal growth at most stations. In addition to the Estuary-wide sampling, the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers were sampled upstream from their confluence. Stations in each river were sampled six times over a 6 week period of high flows. In the Sacramento River, seven of the ten dissolved metals measured had concentrations lower than those measured at the river confluence stations. Some metals concentrations in the San Joaquin River were higher, and some were lower than concentrations from the river confluence station. Metals concentrations in the Sacramento River were poorly related to river flow because the station at Rio Vista is under considerable tidal influence. In the San Joaquin River, flows were inversely related to 7 of 10 total metals concentrations. Sediment Monitoring. Concentrations of silver, mercury, and lead in sediment were highest in the South Bay. However, concentrations of most trace metals in sediments were highest in the northern estuary at stations with the finest (silt, clay) sediments. The northern estuary stations with the coarsest (sand, shell) sediments generally had the lowest metals concentrations. There were differences in concentrations of cadmium, lead, and selenium in sediments between the sampling periods, but no consistent trend as to which sampling period had higher values. In September, PAHs and PCBs in sediments were highest in the Central Bay, but pesticides in sediments were highest in the northern estuary and Extreme South Bay. NOAA’s Median Effects Ranges (ERM) for sediments were used as a guide for evaluation of sediment contaminant concentrations. Nickel was the only trace contaminant in sediment above the ERM guidelines, and it was high at all RMP stations. These high levels are probably due to natural, geologic sources. Although sediment contaminant concentrations were below ERMs, sediment toxicity tests (10 day amphipod mortality, and 48 hour bivalve larval development in elutriates) indicated toxicity at all stations tested. Sediment factors that could have caused the toxicity were not investigated. Bivalve Bioaccumulation. Mussels, oysters, and freshwater clams were transplanted to the RMP stations to evaluate bioaccumulation of trace substances. Trace metals were bioaccumulated at nearly all RMP stations. However, arsenic, lead, and mercury did not appear to bioaccumulate. There was generally more bioaccumulation during the dry season than during the wet season. In September, PAHs, PCBs, and pesticides accumulated in all samples. Bioaccumulation of PAHs and pesticides was generally highest at the river confluence stations, and the Napa River. PCBs accumulated most at Redwood Creek. There were substantial differences in the degree of bioaccumulation among the species. Oysters appeared to accumulate higher concentrations of trace metals than the other species, especially copper, which may be a natural phenomenon. There are no established tissue contaminant standards for trace metal and organic contaminants. Therefore, comparisons to Median International Standards (MIS) for human consumption, or U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) action levels for trace organics are used to evaluate the bioaccumulation results. Concentrations of selenium were higher than MIS guidelines at all stations during the wet season. Other trace metal concentrations were higher than MIS guidelines at various stations during one or the other sampling period. However, none of the bivalves contained concentrations above the USFDA or National Academy of Sciences (NAS) guidelines for trace organic contaminants. The transplanted bivalves survived well at all stations except in the Napa River where less than 35% survived during both sampling seasons. Measures of bivalve condition (dry weight, shell volume) indicated that bivalves deployed in the Central Bay grew significantly, but those at most other stations actually lost weight. Whether these differences were due to natural causes such as salinity or food supply, or to contamination, was not determined. Pilot Studies. Two pilot monitoring studies were conducted in 1993. A pilot study of Estuary hydrography and phytoplankton was conducted by scientists from the U.S. Summary Geological Survey in Menlo Park and U.C. Davis. Water column profiles at up to 37 stations were monitored along a transect of the Estuary run monthly between the South Bay and the Delta. The primary objective of this study was to define physical (salinity, temperature, suspended particulate matter, and light penetration), chemical (dissolved oxygen) and biological (chlorophyll a) characteristics of Estuary water that may influence other chemical and biological reactions. A second objective was to investigate planktonic indicators of ecosystem structure and function. The data collected in 1993 showed the extent and duration of the spring phytoplankton bloom in the South Bay, other localized blooms in the northern estuary, the stratification and mixing associated with the entrapment zone in the northern estuary, and mixing in the Estuary resulting from the high rainfall in 1993. Knowledge of the duration and extent of these natural features of the Estuary provide context for interpretation of the RMP contaminant data collected only 3 times per year. Another pilot study of suspended sediment transport processes was conducted by the USGS in Sacramento. This study used continuous recording sensors at Point San Pablo and the Bay Bridge to measure the amount of suspended sediment in the water at mid-depth and near the bottom, as well as tide height. The objectives of this study were to estimate which factors determine suspended solids concentrations in the Central Bay and to collect time series of suspended solids that are appropriate for continuous monitoring of suspended solids and for calibration and validation of numerical models. The investigators determined that spring tides accounted for most of the variation in suspended solids concentrations at the stations monitored, not runoff from the Sacramento or San Joaquin Rivers, or semidiurnal and diurnal tides. Comparisons were also made between measurements made by the continuous recordings and the RMP samples collected during the regular monitoring cruises. The different ways of measuring TSS were generally comparable, however only 3 measurements per year as made by the RMP could not provide the information of TSS variation actually occurring in the Estuary. This information is important because as shown by the RMP data, total contaminant concentrations in Estuary water is largely dependent on the TSS in the water. This implies that the RMP measurements alone cannot determine accurately the range of contaminant concentrations without better characterizing the dynamics of TSS. The RMP Pilot Studies are important to the developing RMP because they will help put RMP measurements into the perspective of Estuary processes and mechanisms at other time scales. The studies can relate those processes to the RMP measurements and will facilitate revision of sampling design and interpretation. Summaries of other monitoring activities pertinent to regional monitoring are also included in the Report: a description of the Regional Board’s Bay Protection Studies, the Sacramento Coordinated Monitoring Program, and a wetlands monitoring plan are included.

California↗

USGS2007

Geologic interpretation and multibeam bathymetry of the sea floor in the vicinity of the Race, eastern Long Island Sound

Digital terrain models (DTMs) produced from multibeam bathymetric data provide valuable base maps for marine geological interpretations (Todd and others, 1999; Mosher and Thomson, 2002; ten Brink and others, 2004; Poppe and others, 2006a, b, c, d). These maps help define the geological variability of the sea floor (one of the primary controls of benthic habitat diversity), improve our understanding of the processes that control the distribution and transport of bottom sediments and the distribution of benthic habitats and associated infaunal community structures, and provide a detailed framework for future research, monitoring, and management activities. The bathymetric survey interpreted herein (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) survey H11250) covers roughly 94 km² of sea floor in an area where a depression along the Orient Point-Fishers Island segment of the Harbor Hill-Roanoke Point-Charlestown Moraine forms the Race, the eastern opening to Long Island Sound. The Race also divides easternmost Long Island Sound from northwestern Block Island Sound (fig. 1). This bathymetry has been examined in relation to seismic reflection data collected concurrently, as well as archived seismic profiles acquired as part of a long-standing geologic mapping partnership between the State of Connecticut and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The objective of this work was to use these acoustic data sets to interpret geomorphological attributes of the sea floor, and to use these interpretations to better understand the Quaternary geologic history and modern sedimentary processes.

Connecticut;New York↗

USGS2019

Council Monitoring and Assessment Program (CMAP): Inventory of existing water quality and habitat monitoring, and mapping metadata for Gulf of Mexico Programs

Under the Council-Selected Restoration Component of the RESTORE Act, the Council develops Funded Priority Lists (FPLs) that describe the projects and programs it will fund. Projects and programs funded through this component must be in furtherance of the goals and objectives of the Council’s Comprehensive Plan and address at least one of the restoration criteria identified in the RESTORE Act. The Initial FPL, finalized in December of 2015, had a strong focus on watershed and estuary restoration and foundational cross-Gulf projects. Approved as a Gulf-wide investment in the 2015 Initial FPL, The Council Monitoring and Assessment Program (CMAP) is administered jointly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Funded activities include the development of basic, foundational components for Gulf-wide monitoring to measure beneficial impacts of investments in Gulf restoration by the Council. The program, in coordination with the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) and through collaboration with the Gulf States, Federal and local partners, academia, non-governmental organizations, and business and industry, has leveraged existing resources, capacities, and expertise and build on existing monitoring data and programs.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi,↗

USGS2007

EAARL submarine topography: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

This Web site contains 46 Lidar-derived submarine topography maps and GIS files for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. These Lidar-derived submarine topographic maps were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program, FISC St. Petersburg, Florida, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Remote Sensing Division, the National Park Service (NPS) South Florida/Caribbean Network Inventory and Monitoring Program, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Wallops Flight Facility. One objective of this research is to create techniques to survey coral reefs and barrier islands for the purposes of geomorphic change studies, habitat mapping, ecological monitoring, change detection, and event assessment. As part of this project, data from an innovative instrument under development at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, the NASA Experimental Airborne Advanced Research Lidar (EAARL) are being used. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in this realm for measuring subaerial and submarine topography within cross-environment surveys. High spectral resolution, water-column correction, and low costs were found to be key factors in providing accurate and affordable imagery to coastal resource managers.

Florida↗