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At least 1,099 records · Page 61Linked to original sources
USGS2019

Estimated use of water in the Cumberland River watershed in 2010 and projections of public-supply water use to 2040

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Nashville District, is conducting ongoing water-supply analyses of USACE reservoirs in the Cumberland River watershed to identify areas where potential water-resources issues may arise in the future. To assist the USACE in their efforts, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the USACE, collected and analyzed water-use data to estimate public-supply, self-supplied industrial, irrigation, and thermoelectric water use for 2010 and to project water demand to 2040 for the Cumberland River watershed area. Estimates of water use for public supply were projected in 10-year increments through 2040 and were based on 2010 public water-supply data and population projections for 2020 to 2040. Additionally, estimates of consumptive use, wastewater releases, and thermoelectric power and industrial return flows were calculated. All estimates are presented for the entire watershed and for the 10 reservoir catchment areas (RCAs) within the watershed. Estimated water withdrawals in the Cumberland River watershed during 2010 averaged 3,456.23 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of freshwater for offstream use. Return flow was estimated to be 3,370.08 Mgal/d, or 98 percent of the water withdrawn during 2010. Total consumptive use accounts for the remaining 2 percent, or 86.2 Mgal/d. Estimates of water withdrawals by source indicate that withdrawals from surface water during 2010 accounted for more than 99 percent of the total withdrawals, or 3,437.90 Mgal/d. Total groundwater withdrawals during 2010 were 18.33 Mgal/d, or less than 1 percent of the total withdrawals. During 2010, withdrawals by category were estimated as follows: thermoelectric power, 3,051.12 Mgal/d; public supply, 360.00 Mgal/d; industrial, 31.5 Mgal/d; and irrigation, 13.6 Mgal/d. Return flows were estimated as thermoelectric power, 3,051.06 Mgal/d, and industrial and public supply, 319.02 Mgal/d. Consumptive use was estimated as thermoelectric power, 0.06 Mgal/d; industrial and public supply, 72.5 Mgal/d; and irrigation, 13.6 Mgal/d. By 2040, the public supply of raw and (or) finished water to meet demand for the 10 RCAs is projected to increase 48 percent to 532.51 Mgal/d. This projected increase includes an increase from 51.5 to 72.5 Mgal/d, or 41 percent, in the Barkley RCA. The combined total water demand for the Cheatham, J. Percy Priest, and Old Hickory RCAs is projected to increase from 224.08 to 359.58 Mgal/d, or 61 percent. The combined total water demand for the Center Hill, Cordell Hull, and Dale Hollow RCAs is projected to increase from 31.7 to 43.0 Mgal/d, or 36 percent. The combined total water demand for the Martins Fork, Laurel, and Wolf Creek RCAs is projected to increase from 52.8 to 57.4 Mgal/d, or 9 percent. The only RCA in the watershed with a projected decrease in water demand is Martins Fork.

Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia↗
USGS2023

Quality of groundwater used for domestic drinking-water supply in the Coachella Valley, 2020

Groundwater is the primary source of drinking water in the Coachella Valley in the desert region of southern California. Although most people in Coachella Valley are served by public drinking-water systems, about 20,000 people rely on private domestic or small-system wells (referred to herein as domestic wells). Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found that 39 percent of the groundwater resources used by domestic wells in Coachella Valley contained arsenic, fluoride, or both constituents at concentrations greater than the maximum contaminant levels established for public drinking-water systems. Uranium, chromium, nitrate, and perchlorate were detected at moderate concentrations below maximum contaminant levels. Elevated (above background) perchlorate concentrations in some areas indicate that domestic wells may receive recharge from Colorado River water used for irrigation or aquifer replenishment. Moderate total dissolved solids (TDS) concentrations throughout the study area and the co-occurrence of high concentrations of TDS and perchlorate indicates that Colorado River water is a source of recharge in the southeastern Indio groundwater subbasin. Four volatile organic compounds were detected at low concentrations, and pesticides and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances were not detected.

California↗
USGS1997

Coal fields and federal lands of the conterminous United States

The map depicts the relationship of coal and public lands in the conterminous U. S. Multiple GIS layers are being created for the purpose of deriving estimates of how much coal is owned and administered by the Federal government. Federal coal areas have a profound effect on land-management decisions. Regulatory agencies attempt to balance energy development with alternative land-use and environmental concerns. A GIS database of Federal lands used in energy resource assessments is being developed by the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to integrate information on status of public land, and minerals owned by the Federal government with geologic information on coal resources, other spatial data, coal quality characteristics, and coal availability for development. Using national-scale data we estimate that approximately 60 percent of the area underlain by coal-bearing rocks in the conterminous United States are under Federal surface. Coal produced from Federal leases has tripled from about 12 percent of the total U.S. production in 1976 to almost 34 percent in 1995 (Energy Information Administration website ftp://ftp.eia.doe.gov/pub/coal/cia_95_tables/t13p01.txt). The reason for this increase is demand for low-sulfur coal for use in power plants and the fact that large reserves of this low-sulfur coal are in the western interior U.S., where the Federal government owns the rights to most of the coal reserves. The map was created using Arc/Info 7.0.3 on a UNIX system. The HPGL2 plot file for this map is available from the USGS Energy Resource Surveys Team from http://energy.cr.usgs.gov:8080/energy/coal.html.

Conterminous United States↗
USGS1972

Ground-water levels in observation wells in Oklahoma, 1969-70

The investigation of the ground-water resources of Oklahoma by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board includes a continuing program to collect records of water levels in selected observation wells on a systematic basis. These water-level records: (1) provide an index to available ground-water supplies; (2) facilitate the prediction of trends in water levels that will indicate likely changes in storage; (3) aid in the prediction of the base flow of streams; (4) provide information for use in basic research; (5) provide long-time continuous records of fluctuations of water levels in representative wells; and (6) serve as a framework to which other types of hydrologic data my be related. Prior to 1956, measurements of water levels in observation wells in Oklahoma were included in water-supply papers published annually by the U.S. Geological Survey. Beginning with the 1956 calendar year, however, Geological Survey water-level reports will contain only records of a selected network of observation wells, and will be published at 5-year intervals. The first of this series, for the 1956-59 period was published in 1962. In addition to the water-supply papers, the U.S. Geological Survey, cooperation with the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, has published the following informal reports on water levels in Oklahoma. Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1956-60 Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1961-62 Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1963-64 Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1965-66 Ground-water levels in observations wells in Oklahoma, 1967-68 Records of water-level measurements in wells in the Oklahoma Panhandle, 1966-70 Records of water-level measurements in wells in the Oklahoma Panhandle, 1971-72 The basic observation-well network in Oklahoma during the period 1969-70 included the following counties: Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Caddo, Cimarron, Cleveland, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kingfisher, LeFlore, Major, Muskogee, Oklahoma, Payne, Pontotoc, Rogers, Sequoyah, Texas, Tillman, Wagoner, Washita, and Woodward. Table 2 includes the basic observation-well network and other wells measured by the U.S. Geological Survey. The data in this report were compiled and prepared for publication under the cooperative agreement for ground-water investigations in Oklahoma between the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Oklahoma Geological Survey, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Oklahoma↗
USGS2013

National assessment of geologic carbon dioxide storage resources: Summary

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an evaluation of the technically accessible storage resource ( TA SR ) for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) for 36 sedimentary basins in the onshore areas and State waters of the United States. The TA SR is an estimate of the geologic storage resource that may be available for CO 2 injection and storage and is based on current geologic and hydrologic knowledge of the subsurface and current engineering practices. By using a geology-based probabilistic assessment methodology, the USGS assessment team members obtained a mean estimate of approximately 3,000 metric gigatons (Gt) of subsurface CO 2 storage capacity that is technically accessible below onshore areas and State waters; this amount is more than 500 times the 2011 annual U.S. energy-related CO 2 emissions of 5.5 Gt (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2012, http://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/carbon/). In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110–140) directed the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct a national assessment of geologic storage resources for CO 2 in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and State geological surveys. The USGS developed a methodology to estimate storage resource potential in geologic formations in the United States (Burruss and others, 2009, USGS Open-File Report (OFR) 2009–1035; Brennan and others, 2010, USGS OFR 2010–1127; Blondes, Brennan, and others, 2013, USGS OFR 2013–1055). In 2012, the USGS completed the assessment, and the results are summarized in this Fact Sheet and are provided in more detail in companion reports (U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources Assessment Team, 2013a,b; see related reports at right). The goal of this project was to conduct an initial assessment of storage capacity on a regional basis, and results are not intended for use in the evaluation of specific sites for potential CO 2 storage. The national assessment was a geology-based examination of all sedimentary basins in the onshore and State waters area of the United States that contain storage assessment units (SAUs) that could be defined according to geologic and hydrologic characteristics. Although geologic storage of CO 2 may be possible in some areas not assessed by the USGS, the SAUs identified in this assessment represent those areas within sedimentary basins that met the assessment criteria. A geologic description of each SAU was prepared; descriptions for SAUs in several basins are in Warwick and Corum (2012, USGS OFR 2012–1024).

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2009

Water Resources of Ouachita Parish

Ouachita Parish, located in north-central Louisiana, contains fresh groundwater and surface-water resources. In 2005, about 152 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) were withdrawn from water sources in Ouachita Parish. About 84 percent (128 Mgal/d) was withdrawn from surface water, and 16 percent (24 Mgal/d) was withdrawn from groundwater. Power generation (87 Mgal/d) accounted for 58 percent of the total water withdrawn. Withdrawals for other uses included public supply (22 Mgal/d), industrial (24 Mgal/d), and irrigation (18 Mgal/d). This fact sheet summarizes basic information on the water resources of Ouachita Parish, La. Information on groundwater and surface-water availability, quality, development, use, and trends is based on previously published reports.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2008

Quantitative mineral resource assessment of copper, molybdenum, gold, and silver in undiscovered porphyry copper deposits in the Andes Mountains of South America

Quantitative information on the general locations and amounts of undiscovered porphyry copper resources of the world is important to exploration managers, land-use and environmental planners, economists, and policy makers. This publication contains the results of probabilistic estimates of the amounts of copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), gold (Au), and silver (Ag) in undiscovered porphyry copper deposits in the Andes Mountains of South America. The methodology used to make these estimates is called the 'Three-Part Form'. It was developed to explicitly express estimates of undiscovered resources and associated uncertainty in a form that allows economic analysis and is useful to decisionmakers. The three-part form of assessment includes: (1) delineation of tracts of land where the geology is permissive for porphyry copper deposits to form; (2) selection of grade and tonnage models appropriate for estimating grades and tonnages of the undiscovered porphyry copper deposits in each tract; and (3) estimation of the number of undiscovered porphyry copper deposits in each tract consistent with the grade and tonnage model. A Monte Carlo simulation computer program (EMINERS) was used to combine the probability distributions of the estimated number of undiscovered deposits, the grades, and the tonnages of the selected model to obtain the probability distributions for undiscovered metals in each tract. These distributions of grades and tonnages then can be used to conduct economic evaluations of undiscovered resources in a format usable by decisionmakers. Economic evaluations are not part of this report. The results of this assessment are presented in two principal parts. The first part identifies 26 regional tracts of land where the geology is permissive for the occurrence of undiscovered porphyry copper deposits of Phanerozoic age to a depth of 1 km below the Earth's surface. These tracts are believed to contain most of South America's undiscovered resources of copper. The second part presents probabilistic estimates of the amounts of copper, molybdenum, gold, and silver in undiscovered porphyry copper deposits in each tract. The study also provides tables showing the location, tract number, and age (if available) of discovered deposits and prospects. For each of the 26 permissive tracts delineated in this study, summary information is provided on: (1) the rationale for delineating the tract; (2) the rationale for choosing the mineral deposit model used to assess the tract; (3) discovered deposits and prospects; (4) exploration history; and (5) the distribution of undiscovered deposits in the tract. The scale used to evaluate geologic information and draw tracts is 1:1,000,000.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2002

June 2002 floods in the Red River of the North basin in northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota

The Red River of the North is a complex river system in the north-central plains of the United States. The river continues to affect the people and property within its basin. During June of 2002, major flooding occurred for the third time in 5 years in the Red River of the North Basin, especially on tributaries in northwestern Minnesota. The worst damage occurred in Roseau, Minn., where about 95 percent of the town was inundated. Extensive damage to roads, bridges, and crops occurred throughout the flooded area in northwestern Minnesota and northeastern North Dakota. Roseau County, Minn., was designated a major disaster area on June 14, 2002, by President Bush and later twelve more counties were added to the disaster declaration. Unlike the 1997 floods, which were the result of record-high, region-wide snowpacks and a late spring blizzard, the June 2002 floods were the result of heavy rainfall that swept across the region on June 9-10 and again on June 22-24, 2002. Flooding in the Red River of the North Basin commonly is caused by spring snowmelt, and the severity of the flooding is affected by (1) substantial precipitation in the fall that produces high levels of soil moisture; (2) above-normal snowfall in the winter; (3) moist, frozen ground that prohibits infiltration of moisture; (4) a late spring thaw; (5) above-normal precipitation during spring thaw; and (6) ice jams (temporary dams of ice) on rivers and streams. Flooding during June 2002, however, was not caused by most factors usually associated with major flooding in the Red River Basin. In fact, precipitation had been below normal since late last summer and as of June 1, 2002, the flooded area was in a moderate drought based on the Palmer Drought Severity Index. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), one of the principal Federal agencies responsible for the collection and interpretation of water-resources data, works with other Federal, State, and local agencies to ensure that accurate and timely data are available for making decisions regarding the public's welfare (a listing of cooperators in the Red River Basin is given at the end of this report). This report presents preliminary meteorologic data provided by the National Weather Service, Grand Forks Office and water-resources 2002 flood data that were obtained from selected streamflow-gaging stations located in the Red River of the North Basin (fig. 1). Historical peak stages and peak discharges and the June 2002 peak stages, peak discharges, and recurrence intervals are shown in table 1. The streamflow-gaging stations are listed in downstream order by station number, and station locations are shown in figure 1. The June 2002 peak stages and peak discharges given in this preliminary report may be revised as site surveys are completed and additional field data are reviewed in the upcoming months. The peak discharges are used to determine the probability, often expressed in recurrence intervals, that a given discharge will be exceeded in the future. For example, a flood that has a 1-percent chance of exceedance in any given year would, on the long-term average, be expected to occur only about once a century; therefore, the flood would be termed a "100-year flood." However, the chance of such a flood occurring in any given year is 1 percent. Thus, a 100-year flood can occur in successive years at the same location. In some instances, recurrence interval estimates can be based on periods of regulated flow or made with historic adjustments when historic data are available.

Minnesota, North Dakota↗
USGS2013

A compilation of U.S. Geological Survey pesticide concentration data for water and sediment in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta region: 1990–2010

Beginning around 2000, abundance indices of four pelagic fishes (delta smelt, striped bass, longfin smelt, and threadfin shad) within the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta began to decline sharply (Sommer and others, 2007). These declines collectively became known as the pelagic organism decline (POD). No single cause has been linked to this decline, and current theories suggest that combinations of multiple stressors are likely to blame. Contaminants (including current-use pesticides) are one potential stressor being investigated for its role in the POD (Anderson, 2007). Pesticide concentration data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at multiple sites in the delta region over the past two decades are critical to understanding the potential effects of current-use pesticides on species of concern as well as the overall health of the delta ecosystem. In April 2010, a compilation of contaminant data for the delta region was published by the State Water Resources Control Board (Johnson and others, 2010). Pesticide occurrence was the major focus of this report, which concluded that “there was insufficient high quality data available to make conclusions about the potential role of specific contaminants in the POD.” The report cited multiple sources; however, data collected by the USGS were not included in the publication even though these data met all criteria listed for inclusion in the report. What follows is a summary of publicly available USGS data for pesticide concentrations in surface water and sediments within the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta region from the years 1990 through 2010. Data were retrieved though the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database, a publicly available online-data repository (U.S. Geological Survey, 1998), and from published USGS reports (also available online at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/). The majority of the data were collected in support of two long term USGS monitoring programs—National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA; http://water.usgs.gov/ nawqa/) and National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN; http://water.usgs.gov/nasqan/)—and through projects associated with the USGS Toxics Substances Hydrology Program (http://toxics.usgs.gov/). In addition, data were collected during multiple research projects that were supported by various federal, state, and local agencies. Although these data have been previously published in some form, it is hoped that by focusing on samples collected within the delta region and presenting these data in a concise format, they will be a valuable resource for scientists, resource managers, and members of the public working to understand the role of pesticides in the POD and their potential effects on the overall health of the delta ecosystem.

California↗
USGS1974

Water in the Great Basin region; Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming

The Great Basin Region is defined to include the drainage of the Great Basin physiographic section (Fennman, 1931) in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. In October 1966, the President’s Water Resources Council requested that a comprehensive framework study be made in the Great Basin Region under the leadership of the Pacific Southwest Interagency Committee. The study, which included evaluation of the water resources of the region and guidelines for future study and development, was completed June 30, 1971. Results of the study received limited distribution. The purpose of this atlas is to make available to the public the hydrologic data (including a general appraisal) that were compiled for the comprehensive framework study. Most of the work was done by a water-resources work group consisting of members from several Federal and State agencies under the chairmanship of Thomas E. Eakin of the U.S. Geological Survey. This atlas contains some data not included in the framework study. The data presented herein are reconnaissance in nature and should be used with discretion. The maps are highly generalized and are intended only to illustrate the regional distribution of the supply and general chemical quality of the water. Sources of more detailed information on the hydrology of specific parts of the Great Basin region are listed in the selected references.

Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming↗
USGS2014

Map of assessed tight-gas resources in the United States

This report presents a digital map of tight-gas resource assessments in the United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Assessment of Oil and Gas Project. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS quantitatively estimated potential volumes of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas resources within tight-gas assessment units (AUs). This is the second digital map product in a series of USGS unconventional oil and gas resource maps. The map plate included in this report can be printed in hard-copy form or downloaded in a Geographic Information System (GIS) data package, including an ArcGIS ArcMap document (.mxd), geodatabase (.gdb), and published map file (.pmf). In addition, the publication access table contains hyperlinks to current USGS tight-gas assessment publications and web pages.

Data Series↗
USGS2021

Cimarron River alluvial aquifer hydrogeologic framework, water budget, and implications for future water availability in the Pawnee Nation Tribal jurisdictional area, Payne County, Oklahoma, 2016–18

The Cimarron River is a free-flowing river and is a major source of water as it flows across Oklahoma. Increased demand for water resources within the Cimarron River alluvial aquifer in north-central Oklahoma (primarily in Payne County) has led to increases in groundwater withdrawals for agriculture, public, irrigation, industrial, and domestic supply purposes. The Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma (Pawnee Nation) is particularly concerned about the sustainability of the Cimarron River alluvial aquifer and whether the aquifer will continue to be a viable water resource for future generations of Tribal members and residents. To better understand current (2021) water resources and possible future water availability in the Pawnee Nation Tribal jurisdictional area, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, compiled available hydrogeologic data and developed conceptual and numerical groundwater-flow models for the Cimarron River alluvial aquifer in Payne County, north-central Oklahoma, including a focus area in the Pawnee Nation Tribal jurisdictional area for the 2016–18 study period. A conceptual water budget was created to establish estimates of groundwater fluxes into and out of the aquifer through hydrologic boundaries and groundwater withdrawals for use in the numerical groundwater-flow model. The conceptual water budget focuses on the alluvial aquifer, meaning that inflows include sources of water to the aquifer and that outflows include sources of water out of the aquifer, such as base-flow contributions to the Cimarron River. The conceptual water budget was constructed by using data from 2017 (the most complete year of record for each data type included in the model) for the Pawnee Nation subdomain of the Cimarron River alluvial aquifer model extent (Pawnee Nation subdomain). Groundwater withdrawals were estimated from groundwater-withdrawal rate information for permanent and temporary permitted wells that was obtained from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. One-half of each annual permitted groundwater-withdrawal rate allotted was used as the estimated annual groundwater-withdrawal amount. Halving the permitted groundwater-withdrawal rate was done because permitted withdrawal rates are the maximum permitted rate and actual groundwater withdrawals are generally appreciably lower than the maximum permitted rate. Total groundwater withdrawals were estimated as 1,300 acre-feet per year for the Pawnee Nation subdomain. Various hydrogeologic data were measured to assist with model development, including depth to bedrock and water-table altitude data. In support of the model development, analyses pertaining to groundwater flow, groundwater/surface-water interactions, base flows in the Cimarron River, and lithological interpretations in the Pawnee Nation Tribal jurisdictional area were used to compute a conceptual water budget applicable to the 2016–18 study period. A numerical groundwater-flow model was developed using the hydrogeologic framework of the Cimarron River alluvial aquifer and the conceptual water budget. The numerical model consists of a single layer representing alluvium and terrace deposits within the alluvial aquifer model area. Hydraulic conductivities were estimated and modeled for the alluvium and terrace deposits in the alluvial aquifer. Base-flow values were estimated using the base-flow index from streamflow data collected at U.S. Geological Survey streamgages. Stream seepage values were derived from the mean 2017 base-flow index between certain streamgages. Hydraulic conductivities were specified an initial (before calibration) value of 120 feet per day for the alluvium deposits and 16 feet per day for the terrace deposits. The simulated inflows in the numerical groundwater-flow model of the Pawnee Nation subdomain were higher than the inflows of conceptual water budget, and the simulated outflows were lower than the outflows of the conceptual water budget. Overall, simulated base flows matched closely to observed base flows for the 2016 and 2017 stress periods. Simulated streamflow tended to match better with the observed streamflow for 2017, which was the period with the most data for the Cimarron River alluvial aquifer model. Streamflow capture analysis was applied to the steady-state simulation to identify areas of the aquifer where base flows in the Cimarron River were most sensitive to groundwater withdrawals. The initial base-flow value was assigned the value obtained from streamflow-routing software used to simulate stream outflow for the calibrated steady-state base model. Subsequent simulations were run in each active cell in the Pawnee Nation subdomain for a specified groundwater-withdrawal rate of 180,000 cubic feet per day. The study area that includes the Pawnee Nation subdomain is in the upper Arkansas River Basin. A groundwater-withdrawal rate of 180,000 cubic feet per second per day represents a 34 percent increase compared to the highest permitted groundwater-withdrawal rate for the study area, which corresponds to the estimated 34 percent increase in groundwater withdrawals predicted by 2060 for the upper Arkansas River Basin. Simulated streamflow capture was highest in the alluvium deposits adjacent to the Cimarron River; that is, base flow in the Cimarron River decreased the most for simulated groundwater withdrawals in the alluvium deposits adjacent to the Cimarron River. Streamflow capture increased as the distance of a well from the Cimarron River decreased in the simulation. The northeastern part of the Pawnee Nation subdomain showed greater streamflow capture in a broader area; streamflow in that part of the Pawnee Nation subdomain is likely more sensitive to groundwater withdrawals compared to other parts of the Pawnee Nation subdomain.

Oklahoma↗
USGS1975

Water and the South Florida environment

Ecological problems are a major concern to Florida as well as to the Nation. National attention was focused on these problems in September 1968, when the Port Authority of Dade County began to con- struct a jetport for supersonic aircraft on a 39-square-mile tract 6 miles north of Everglades National Park and on the east edge of the Big Cypress Swamp. Conservation groups and citizens raised questions as to the effects of a regional jetport and the attendant satellite growth on the water resources and biological communities of the National Park. The Department of the Interior began studies to investigate the situation. One study, Leopold (1969), reported on the unfavorable ecological effects of the attendant satellite growth. Then Secretary of the Interior, Walter J. Hickel, directed the U.S. Geological Survey to study the water resources of the Big Cypress to determine which parts of the Big Cypress contribute the major part of the water necessary to maintain adequate water supplies for Everglades National Park. This was done in a report by Klein and others (1970). At about the same time, the Departments of interior and Transportation, the State of Florida, and the Dade County Port Authority con-curred in assigning to the Secretary of the Interior certain responsibilities for planning, developing, and coordinating an ecological study of south Florida. A primary objective of the ecological study is to provide information that will assist in the formulation of land-use policy consistent with the protection of the environment of Everglades National Park, the adjacent estuaries, and the public water supplies. The part of the investigation describing the surface-water and ground-water resources of south Florida was assigned to the Geological Survey. The quantity and quality of surface water and ground water and their interrelation with estuarine and marine waters are here considered. Also considered are the problems, present or future, related to the hydrologic environment that involve human, animal, and plant life. Changes taking place, apparent trends, and projections for the future are also considered, as well as alternatives for water management. The Geological Survey effort began in January 1971, when aerial photography and selected qualitative hydrologic data were obtained. However, most of the information upon which this report Is based was obtained by the Geological Survey in cooperative programs with several local, State, and Federal agencies since about 1940. The long-term support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, U.S. Navy, Florida Department of Natural Resources, Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District, Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Collier Counties, Miami and Miami Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Naples and others in the collection of data is gratefully acknowledged. A prolonged drought throughout south Florida from September 1970 to May 1971 accentuated the importance and timeliness of the study. The drought brought about a readvance of sea-water intrusion in many coastal areas, which necessitated restrictions on water use. The effect of drought on the regional water supply, continued population growth and increased water demands, and deterioration of the water quality in many of the canals and waterways of the urban areas accentuated the need for improved water management and land-use planning. As a result of the water crisis, the Governor of Florida called a special conference in September 1971. The conference, attended by foremost scientific and government personnel, proposed creation of an agency that would develop and implement comprehensive land and water-use plans for south Florida that would minimize environmental degradation.

Florida↗
USGS1984

Water resources of Kosrae, Caroline Islands

Kosrae is a high volcanic island about 42 square miles in area and the easternmost of the Caroline Islands. Mount Finkol (Mt. Crozer), at 2,065 feet, is the highest point on the island. Mountainous ridges descend sharply to narrow coastal strips which support a population of 5,500 people. Many streams, some quite large relative to the size of the island, drain radially from the interior. The average annual discharge of surface water amounts to almost 7 million gallons per square mile per day. Annual rainfall for coastal areas on Kosrae averages about 200 inches, and is similar to the rainfall for coastal areas on the island of Ponape, about 340 statute miles to the northwest. Rainfall in the interior was estimated at 225 inches per year of which about two thirds runs off as streamflow. Surface-water quality is very good as shown by 42 chemical analyses of water from 12 streams. This report summarizes in one volume the hydrologic data collected and provides interpretations that can be used by planning and public works officials as a basis for making decisions on the development and management of their water resources. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2015

Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau study unit, 2010: California GAMA Priority Basin Project

Groundwater quality in the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau study unit was investigated as part of the California State Water Resources Control Board’s Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program Priority Basin Project. The study was designed to provide a statistically unbiased assessment of untreated groundwater quality in the primary aquifer system. The depth of the primary aquifer system for the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau study unit was delineated by the depths of the screened or open intervals of wells in the State of California’s database of public-supply wells. Two types of assessments were made: a status assessment that described the current quality of the groundwater resource, and an understanding assessment that made evaluations of relations between groundwater quality and potential explanatory factors representing characteristics of the primary aquifer system. The assessments characterize the quality of untreated groundwater, not the quality of treated drinking water delivered to consumers by water distributors. The status assessment was based on water-quality data collected in 2010 by the U.S. Geological Survey from 90 wells and springs (USGS-grid wells) and on water-quality data compiled from the State of California’s regulatory compliance database for samples collected from 240 public-supply wells between September 2007 and September 2010. To provide context, the water-quality data discussed in this report were compared to California and Federal drinking-water regulatory and non-regulatory benchmarks for treated drinking water. Groundwater quality is defined in terms of relative concentrations (RCs), which are calculated by dividing the concentration of a constituent in groundwater by the concentration of the benchmark for that constituent. The RCs for inorganic constituents (major ions, trace elements, nutrients, and radioactive constituents) were classified as “high” (the RC is greater than 1.0, indicating that the concentration is above the benchmark), “moderate” (the RC is from 1.0 to greater than 0.5), or “low” (the RC is less than or equal to 0.5). For organic constituents (volatile organic compounds and pesticides) and special-interest constituents (perchlorate), the boundary between moderate and low RCs was set at 0.1. All benchmarks used for organic constituents were health-based. For inorganic constituents, health-based and aesthetic-based benchmarks were used. Constituents without benchmarks were not considered in the status assessment . The primary metric used for quantifying regional-scale groundwater quality was the aquifer-scale proportion—the areal percentages of the primary aquifer system with high, moderate, and low RCs for a given constituent or class of constituents. The study unit was divided into six study areas on the basis of geologic differences (Eastside Sacramento Valley, Honey Lake Valley groundwater basin, Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau Low Use Basins, Quaternary Volcanic Areas, Shasta Valley and Mount Shasta Volcanic Area, and Tertiary Volcanic Areas), and each study area was divided into equal-area grid cells. Aquifer-scale proportions were calculated for individual constituents and constituent classes for each of the six study areas and for the study unit as a whole by using grid-based (one well per cell) and spatially weighted (many wells per cell) statistical methods. The status assessment showed that inorganic constituents were present at high and moderate RCs in greater proportions of the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau study unit than were organic constituents. One or more inorganic constituents with health-based benchmarks were present at high RCs in 9.4 percent, and at moderate RCs in 14.7 percent of the primary aquifer system. Arsenic was present at high RCs in approximately 3 percent of the primary aquifer system; boron, molybdenum, uranium, and vanadium each were present at high RCs in approximately 2 percent of the primary aquifer system. One or more inorganic constituents with aesthetic-based benchmarks were present at high RCs in 15.1 percent of the primary aquifer system and at moderate RCs in 4.9 percent. Manganese, iron, and total dissolved solids were present at high RCs in approximately 12 percent, 5 percent, and 2 percent, respectively, of the primary aquifer system. Organic constituents were not detected at high or moderate RCs in the primary aquifer system, and one or more organic constituents were detected at low RCs in approximately 40 percent of the primary aquifer system. Two classes of organic constituents were detected in more than 10 percent of the primary aquifer system: trihalomethanes (chloroform only) and herbicides. The special interest constituent perchlorate was not detected at high RCs, but was detected at moderate RCs in approximately 2 percent of the primary aquifer system. The understanding assessment relied on statistical tests to evaluate relations between concentrations of constituents and values of potential explanatory factors representing geology, land use, well construction, hydrologic conditions, groundwater age, and geochemical conditions. The majority of the high and moderate RCs of arsenic, boron, molybdenum, uranium, and total dissolved solids were in samples from the Honey Lake Valley groundwater basin study area. Groundwater mixing with hydrothermal fluids present in the study area, evaporative concentration of groundwater in the Honey Lake playa, presence of uranium-bearing sediment derived from the adjacent Sierra Nevada, and release of arsenic and other trace elements from sediments under high pH and low dissolved oxygen conditions all appeared to contribute to these elevated concentrations. Thermal springs are in many parts of the Cascade Range and Modoc Plateau study unit and could account for locally elevated concentrations of arsenic, boron, molybdenum, and total dissolved solids in samples from the other study areas. Vanadium concentrations were greater in oxic samples than in anoxic samples, but were not correlated with pH, contrary to expectations from previous studies. Organic constituents were not detected at high or moderate RCs, and the occurrence of low organic constituents at low RCs ranged from 27 percent to 73 percent of the primary aquifers system in the six study areas. The Shasta Valley and Mount Shasta Volcanic study area had significantly greater occurrence of low RCs of herbicides compared to all of the other study areas, which could reflect the greater prevalence of modern groundwater in the Shasta Valley and Mount Shasta Volcanic study area and the presence of potential sources of herbicides, including applications to timberlands and roadside rights-of-way. The Eastside Sacramento Valley study area had the greatest occurrence of low concentrations of chloroform, and chloroform occurrence was most strongly associated with the combination of septic-tank density greater than two tanks per square kilometer and urban land use greater than 10 percent within a radius of 500 meters of the well. These conditions were most prevalent in the Eastside Sacramento Valley study area. The detection frequency of low concentrations of perchlorate was consistent with the probability of occurrence expected under natural conditions, except in the Eastside Sacramento Valley study area, where detection frequencies were much higher than expected and could not be explained by known anthropogenic sources of perchlorate.

California↗
USGS2025

Drought and deluge— Opportunities for climate-change adaptation in US national parks

In a changing climate, resource management depends on anticipating changes and considering uncertainties. To facilitate effective decision making on public lands, we regionally summarized the magnitude and uncertainty of projected change in management-relevant climate variables for 332 national park units across the contiguous US. Temperature, frequency of extreme precipitation events, and drought exposure are all projected to increase within seven regions delineated in the US National Climate Assessment. In particular, the anticipated collective impacts of droughts and flooding events will lead to unique management challenges, including combinations of management actions that may seem inconsistent. Furthermore, uncertainty in the magnitude of change varied by region and climate variable considered, pointing to specific opportunities for prioritization, transferability, and innovation of climate adaptation regionally and at the park-unit scale.

conterminous United States↗
USGS2015

Feather isotope analysis reveals differential patterns of habitat and resource use in populations of white-winged doves

The white-winged dove ( Zenaida asiatica ) serves an important ecological role as a diurnal pollinator of the saguaro cactus in the Sonoran desert and an economic role as a highly sought after game bird in North America. White-winged doves are intimately linked to anthropogenic changes on the landscape and because of this, have experienced dramatic population fluctuations over the last 75 years in response, both positively and negatively, to anthropogenic changes on the landscape. To understand the factors driving population growth and decline of migratory species like the white-winged dove, it is imperative we study resource use on both their breeding and wintering grounds. To understand how populations are distributed on the wintering grounds, we tested an alternative to band recovery approaches by using stable isotope analysis. Before we could use isotope analysis to link breeding and wintering locations for this species, we first needed to determine if hydrogen (δ 2 H) and carbon (δ 13 C) stable isotopes in feather tissue (δ 2 H f and δ 13 C f , respectively) could differentiate among populations of white-winged doves across their breeding range in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. δ 2 H f and δ 13 C f not only differentiated between populations of white-winged doves that breed in the United States, but δ 2 H f also provided further differentiation in white-winged doves that breed in native Sonoran Desert and agricultural habitats in the western portion of their range. Ecological processes associated with desert resources and anthropogenic influences, specifically saguaro cacti and irrigated crops, largely determined δ 2 H f in some white-winged doves in Arizona whereas δ 2 H of precipitation (δ 2 H p ) largely determined δ 2 H f of doves in New Mexico and Texas. This study highlights the usefulness of stable isotope analysis to differentiate populations of animals across the landscape and the insight isotopes can provide into habitat and resource use. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas↗
USGS2007

Development of a soil conservation standard and guidelines for OHV recreation management in California

In 2004, the California State Parks (CSP) agency contracted with the California Geological Survey (CGS) to update the 1991 Soil Conservation Guide-lines/Standards for Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Management. Per state legislation, the 1991 standards were updated to establish a generic and measurable standard at least sufficient to allow restoration of OHV areas and trails. Given the rapid increase in OHV use in California, the updated Soil Conservation Standard and Guidelines for OHV Recreation Management also allowed for sustainability of trail systems and recreation opportunities. A key part of the update was interaction with stakeholders, agencies, and other interest groups through public workshops and a Consulting Agency Review Committee composed of representatives from the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, California Department of Conservation, and CSP. CGS also assessed proposed revisions in three representative OHV areas to ensure that the updated Standard and Guidelines provided sufficient flexibility to allow their application to all sites state-wide, ecosystems with multiple geology and soils types, and a variety of vehicle uses. While geology was not the only basis for the guideline revisions, it was a major factor. CGS staff also had the breadth of knowledge and experience in engineering geology, hydrogeology, road and trail construction, erosion control, and OHV riding necessary to coordinate and develop the multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder effort.

Environmental & Engineering Geoscience↗