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

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At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
USGS1977

Access routes to the United States Geological Survey's National Center, Reston, Virginia

The National Center: The U.S. Geological Survey, established in 1879 as a bureau in the Department of the Interior, is one of the Federal Government's major earth science research and fact-finding agencies. By 1960, the continued growth of the Survey's natural resources and environmental programs and activities led to the agency's headquarters personnel being housed in more than 30 different buildings scattered throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In 1962, Congress approved the construction of a National Center to consolidate the overall Survey's headquarters effort. A site in Reston's industrial/educational complex was selected and on July 15, 1971, ground was broken for the John Wesley Powell Federal Building.

Report↗
USGS2013

International summit on integrated environmental modeling

This report describes the International Summit on Integrated Environmental Modeling (IEM), held in Reston, VA, on 7th-9th December 2010. The meeting brought together 57 scientists and managers from leading US and European government and non-governmental organizations, universities and companies together with international organizations convened over a number of years, including: the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) workshop on Collaborative Approaches to Integrated Modeling: Better Integration for Better Decisionmaking (December, 2008); the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco (December 2009); and the International Congress on Environmental Modeling and Software (July 2010). From these meetings there is now recognition that many separate communities are involved in developing IEM. The aim of the Summit was to bring together two key groupings, the US and Europe, with the intention of creating a community open to all.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1875

Annual report upon explorations and surveys in the Department of the Platte: Being Appendix QQ of the Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1875

There are at nearly all the headquarters of the tour military divisions and the nine military departments, officers of engineers, whose chief duty it is to collect geographical and other information; and these officers do, by means of their own explorations and surveys, and by collecting the notes, sketches, and maps made by the officers and soldiers belonging to the western posts, in their scouts and campaigns, add much, year by year, to the knowledge of the interior of the country, which is not only essential to the generals in command of these departments and divisions, but useful to the country generally. Capt. W.S. Stanton, on duty with the commanding general of the Department of the Platte, was engaged in the surveys and establishment of the monuments and boundary-lines of the military reservation of Fort Sanders, embracing an area of thirty square miles, pursuant to an act of Congress approved June 9, 1874, the survey of the military reservation of Fort Hartsuff, embracing two townships, and the selection, survey, and examination of the site for a bridge to be built by the United States over the North Platte at Fort Laramie. During the year every post in the department has been supplied with a set of reconnoitering instruments, embracing odometer, prismatic compass, and set of drawing-instruments. Maps and topographical note-books have been issued with instructions, designed to take advantage of every movement of troops to secure geographical and topographical information sufficiently accurate for use in revising and extending the maps of the department. In the Office attention has been given to the collection of information from all sources available. Maps have been made of the reservations surveyed, drawings of the sub-structure for the new bridge over the Platte, and various tracings and numerous sketches have been made. Fifty-four note-books and one hundred and fifty skeleton maps, each containing three degrees of longitude, have been issued for use in connection with movements of troops. Two hundred and thirty maps have been mounted, and two hundred maps have been issued for the use of officers. Four hundred copies of the map of Wyoming Territory, which was constructed by Captain Stanton's predecessor, Capt. W. A. Jones, Corps of Engineers, have been lithographed.

Nebraska, Wyoming↗
USGS1986

Regional Aquifer-System Analysis Program of the U.S. Geological Survey: Summary of projects, 1978-84

The Regional Aquifer-System Analysis Program of the U.S. Geological Survey was initiated in 1978 as a result of specifications of the appropriations bill of the 95th Congress, prompted by the 1977 drought. The purpose of this program is to define the regional hydrology and geology and to establish a framework of background information of geology, hydrology, and geochemistry of the Nation's important aquifer systems. This information is critically needed to develop an understanding of ground-water flow systems, and to support better ground-water resources management. As of 1984, investigations of seven regional aquifer systems were completed, nine regional aquifer systems were still being studied, and three new studies were started. This report summarizes the status of each investigation of the regional aquifer systems under the program from 1978 through 1984. The nature of the summaries differs somewhat from study to study. For those studies which either have been completed or are near completion, summaries of results are presented. For projects that are not near completion or have just been started, discussions may be brief and focus on problem issues or hydrogeologic conditions All reports resulting from the study as of 1984 are listed at the end of each summary. A list of project chiefs and their offices is also included in the report for those who are interested in obtaining additional information.

Circular↗
USGS1969

Compilation of hydrologic data, Green Creek, Brazos River basin, Texas, 1966

In 1950 the U. S. Soil Conservation Service began construction of floodwater-retarding structures in Texas under authorities granted by the Congress. These authorities provide, where economically feasible, that the program be applied to tributary watersheds of 240,000 acres or less. The usual practice has been to control flood runoff from approximately 50 percent of the watershed by a system of floodwater-retarding structures located on headwater subwatersheds of generally less than 10 square miles.

Texas↗
USGS2012

The National Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program maintains a database that monitors, records, and analyzes sightings of nonindigenous aquatic plant and animal species throughout the United States. The program is based at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Gainesville, Florida. The initiative to maintain scientific information on nationwide occurrences of nonindigenous aquatic species began with the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, created by Congress in 1990 to provide timely information to natural resource managers. Since then, the NAS database has been a clearinghouse of information for confirmed sightings of nonindigenous, also known as nonnative, aquatic species throughout the Nation. The database is used to produce email alerts, maps, summary graphs, publications, and other information products to support natural resource managers.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2010

Estimation of groundwater use for a groundwater-flow model of the Lake Michigan Basin and adjacent areas, 1864-2005

The U.S. Geological Survey, at the request of Congress, is assessing the availability and use of the Nation's water resources to help characterize how much water is available now, how water availability is changing, and how much water can be expected to be available in the future. The Great Lakes Basin Pilot project of the U.S. Geological Survey national assessment of water availability and use focused on the Great Lakes Basin and included detailed studies of the processes governing water availability in the Great Lakes Basin. One of these studies included the development of a groundwater-flow model of the Lake Michigan Basin. This report describes the compilation and estimation of the groundwater withdrawals in those areas in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois that were needed for the Lake Michigan Basin study groundwater-flow model. These data were aggregated for 12 model time intervals spanning 1864 to 2005 and were summarized by model area, model subregion, category of water use, aquifer system, aquifer type, and hydrogeologic unit model layer. The types and availability of information on groundwater withdrawals vary considerably among states because water-use programs often differ in the types of data collected and in the methods and frequency of data collection. As a consequence, the methods used to estimate and verify the data also vary. Additionally, because of the different sources of data and different terminologies applied for the purposes of this report, the water-use data published in this report may differ from water-use data presented in other reports. These data represent only a partial estimate of groundwater use in each state because estimates were compiled only for areas in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois within the Lake Michigan Basin model area. Groundwater-withdrawal data were compiled for both nearfield and farfield model areas in Wisconsin and Illinois, whereas these data were compiled primarily for the nearfield model area in Michigan and Indiana. Overall water use for the selected areas in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois was less during early time intervals than during more recent intervals, with large increases beginning around the 1960s. Total estimated groundwater withdrawals for model input range from 18.01 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) for interval 1 (1864-1900) to 1,280.25 Mgal/d for interval 12 (2001-5). Withdrawals for the public-supply category make up the majority of the withdrawals in each of the four states. In Wisconsin and Michigan, the second largest withdrawals are for the irrigation category; in Indiana and Illinois, industrial withdrawals account for the second largest withdrawal amounts. The smallest withdrawals are for miscellaneous uses in Wisconsin and irrigation uses in Indiana and Illinois. Estimated groundwater withdrawals in the Southern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Northeastern Illinois, and the farfield model area are generally larger than in the other model subregions. Withdrawals in Michigan and Indiana are predominantly from the Quaternary aquifer system, whereas withdrawals in Illinois are predominantly from the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer systems. Withdrawals in Wisconsin are about equal from the Quaternary and Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer systems. Estimated groundwater withdrawals in Michigan and Indiana are predominantly from the unconfined unconsolidated aquifer type. Withdrawals in Illinois are largely from the deep confined bedrock aquifer type, although they decreased considerably in more recent time intervals. Wisconsin withdrawals are about equal from unconfined unconsolidated and deep confined bedrock aquifer types. Groundwater-withdrawal estimates in Wisconsin were compiled for the 47 easternmost counties within the boundary of the Lake Michigan Basin model, of which 32 counties, though not entirely contained, are at least partly within the Lake Michigan Basin. Overall, 6,457 withdrawal locations were estima

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2006

History of the Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Fort Collins Science Center ("the Center") has been a nucleus of research, technology development, and associated scientific activities within the Department of the Interior for more than 30 years. The Center’s historical activities are deeply rooted in federal biological resources research and its supporting disciplines, particularly as they relate to the needs of the U.S. Department of the Interior and its resource management agencies. The organizational framework and activities of the Center have changed and adapted over the years in response to shifts in the scientific issues and challenges facing the U.S. Department of the Interior and with the development of new strategies to meet these challenges. Thus, the history of the Center has been dynamic. The Center has been nested within the U.S. Geological Survey since 1996. From 1993 to 1996 the Center was a major unit of the National Biological Service (named the National Biological Survey at its inception). This was a period of great organizational flux. During that time the Center comprised multiple field stations and science functions that prior to 1993 had been scattered among the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1993, certain biological research components of these agencies were assigned to join with the National Ecology Research Center, formerly one of the major research and development hubs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This was the year when biological resources research in the U.S. Department of the Interior was consolidated by the Secretary of the Interior, who in an April 1993 memo explaining his intentions wrote, "Our Department has, without doubt, the best biologists in the world." Soon after formation of the new agency, the Center was re-named the Midcontinent Ecological Science Center, reflecting its geographic location within the new Midcontinent administrative region of the National Biological Service (the other three original administrative regions were the eastern, western, and southern). The change in name to the Fort Collins Science Center took place in 2002, soon after the center moved to new facilities on the Colorado State University Natural Resources Research Campus. At various times during the period when it was part of the National Biological Service (1993–96), the Center served as the administrative and programmatic home base for a wide number of science activities in numerous Western states (table 1). This reflected the previous fragmentation of biological and related science efforts across resource management agencies in the U.S. Department of the Interior. The organization of the 2 Center within the National Biological Service was a manifestation of the desire of the Secretary of the Interior to consolidate its biological science activities in administratively independent entities that would ensure that the science retained its objectivity. Congress later recognized the need to maintain a hierarchical independence between biological science and resource management in the Department. However, Congress also saw that the U.S. Geological Survey, with its long history of objective science support to the nation in geology, water resources, geography, and remote sensing, was a suitable alternative home for these biological science functions. Thus, in 1996 Congress transferred the biological resources functions of the National Biological Service to the U.S. Geological Survey. Detailed overviews and opinions about the history and policy issues surrounding the formation and subsequent fate of the National Biological Service can be found elsewhere (for example Cohn, 1993, 2005; Kaufman, 1993; Kreeger, 1994; Pulliam, 1995, 1998a,b; Reichhardt, 1994; Wagner, 1999)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1958

Rate for flood insurance

Soon after the 1951 floods on the Kansas and lower Missouri Rivers, President Truman submitted to Congress (82d Cong., 1st sess., 1951) a proposal for a national flood insurance fund. Although the proposal was not acted upon by the 82d Congree, there was considerable discussion of it in the press and in the technical literature. Among the latter were papers by Langbein (1953), Foster (1954), and by the Insurance Executive Association (1952). The paper by Langbein discussed flood insurance as a means of promoting wise use of the flood plain. Foster's paper reviewed his work for the Insurance Executive Association without, however, reaching any independent decision as to the workability of hydrologic techniques in an insurance program. The report of the Insurance Executive Association presented mainly the industries viewpoint that flood insurance is not feasible. It is interesting to note, however, that in a recent report McGuinness (1957), of the Allstate Insurance Co., says "This position has been taken without recourse to actuarial or statistical methods which might be used to fit an insurance company's underwriting retentions to the exposures it would meet."

Open-File Report↗
USGS2000

Health risks due to radon in drinking water

Following more than a decade of scientific debate about the setting of a standard for 222Rn in drinking water, Congress established a timetable for the promulgation of a standard in the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act. As a result of those Amendments, the EPA contracted with the National Academy of Sciences to undertake a risk assessment for exposure to radon in drinking water. In addition, the resulting committee was asked to address several other scientific issues including the national average ambient 222Rn concentration and the increment of 222Rn to the indoor- air concentration arising from the use of drinking water in a home. A new dosimetric analysis of the cancer risk to the stomach from ingestion was performed. The recently reported risk estimates developed by the BEIR VI Committee for inhalation of radon decay products were adopted. Because the 1996 Amendments permit states to develop programs in which mitigation of air- producing health-risk reductions equivalent to that which would be achieved by treating the drinking water, the scientific issues involved in such 'multimedia mitigation programs' were explored.

Environmental Science & Technology↗
USGS1993

Bedrock-surface altitude in the midwestern basins and arches region of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois

The Midwestern Basins and Arches Regional Aquifer-Systems Analysis (RASA) is one of 28 projects that were identified by Congress in 1978, after a period of severe drought, to be studied by the U.S. Geological Survey (Sun, 1984). The Midwestern Basins and Arches RASA study area in parts of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois is defined by either the limestone-shale contact of rocks of Devonian age or by the contact of the land with surface-water bodies (fig. 1).

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio↗
USGS2011

Changes in water levels and storage in the High Plains Aquifer, predevelopment to 2009

The High Plains aquifer underlies 111.8 million acres (175,000 square miles) in parts of eight States - Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. The area overlying the High Plains aquifer is one of the primary agricultural regions in the Nation. Water-level declines began in parts of the High Plains aquifer soon after the onset of substantial irrigation with groundwater from the aquifer (about 1950 and termed "predevelopment" in this fact sheet). By 1980, water levels in the High Plains aquifer in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and southwestern Kansas had declined more than 100 feet (ft) (Luckey and others, 1981). In 1987, in response to declining water levels, Congress directed the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with numerous Federal, State, and local water-resources entities, to assess and track water-level changes in the aquifer. This fact sheet summarizes changes in water levels and drainable water in storage in the High Plains aquifer from predevelopment to 2009. Drainable water in storage is the fraction of water in the aquifer that will drain by gravity and can be withdrawn by wells. The remaining water in the aquifer is held to the aquifer material by capillary forces and generally cannot be withdrawn by wells. Drainable water in storage is termed "water in storage" in this report. A companion USGS report presents more detailed and technical information about water-level and storage changes in the High Plains aquifer during this period (McGuire, 2011).

Colorado;Kansas;Nebraska;New Mexico;Oklahoma;South↗
USGS2011

Libraries program

The U.S. Congress authorized a library for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1879. The library was formally established in 1882 with the naming of the first librarian and began with a staff of three and a collection of 1,400 books. Today, the USGS Libraries Program is one of the world's largest Earth and natural science repositories and a resource of national significance used by researchers and the public worldwide.

General Information Product↗
USGS1981

Maps Showing Ground-Water Conditions in the San Francisco Peaks Area, Coconino County, Arizona - 1979

INTRODUCTION The San Francisco Peaks area includes about 2,300 mi2, of which about 500 mi2 is in the Navajo Indian Reservation, in north-central Arizona. Ground-water development has been slight except for the public-supply wells for Flagstaff and domestic wells in Fort Valley, Pitman Valley, and the area west of Elden Mountain. The public water supply for Flagstaff is primarily from Upper Lake Mary but is supplemented by ground water from wells near Woody Mountain and Lower Lake Mary and from wells and springs in the Inner Basin. In 1978 about 2,000 acre-ft of ground water was withdrawn for public, industrial, domestic, and stock supplies in the San Francisco Peaks area. The hydrologic data on which these maps are based are available, for the most part, in computer-printout form and may be consulted at the Arizona Department of Water Resources, 99 East Virginia, Phoenix, and at U.S. Geological Survey offices in: Federal Building, 301 West Congress Street, Tucson; Valley Center, Suite 1880, Phoenix; and 2255 North Gemini Drive, Building 3, Flagstaff. Material from which copies can be made at private expense is available at the Tucson, Phoenix, and Flagstaff offices of the U.S. Geological Survey. Only the springs for which discharge data are available are shown on the maps, and only selected wells are shown in areas of high well density.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1987

Some aspects of U.S. Geological Survey activities related to the effects of contaminants on water resources

The U.S. Geological Survey 's water resources programs are supported by direct annual appropriations from Congress, the Federal-State Cooperative Program (50:50 matching of funds), and by funds provided by other Federal agencies. For fiscal year 1987, total obligations exceeded $250 million for activities in every State, Puerto Rico, and several territories in cooperation with nearly 1,000 local, State, regional, and other Federal agencies. The quality of the ground and surface waters has been of concern to the Geological Survey from the time it was established. During the past few years, water resources contamination has received highest priority consideration and a variety of investigations and research are ongoing to obtain an improved understanding of the Nation 's water quality and the factors affecting it. This report presents information on program priorities and discusses the coordinated activities focusing on the effects of contaminants on water resources. The report also describes a number of investigations and research activities in progress during fiscal years of 1986 and 1987, and provides guidance on how to obtain additional details. (Author 's abstract)

Open-File Report↗
USGS1957

Water quality: a factor in Arkansas River development

One of the first requisites for intelligent planning of the utilization and control of water and for the administration of laws relating to its use, is data on the quantity, quality, and mode of occurrence of water supplies. The collections, evaluation, interpretation, and publication of such data constitute the primary function of the Water Resources Division of the United States Geological Survey. Since 1895 the Congress has made appropriations to this agency for investigations of the water resources of the Nation. In 1929 the Congress adopted the policy of dollar-for-dollar cooperation with State and local governmental agencies for water-resources investigations. The Geological Survey's Federal-State cooperative program of quality-of-water investigations in Oklahoma was started in 1944 in cooperation with the Oklahoma Planning and Resources Board. Since July of this year the program has been carried on cooperatively with the newly created Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

Oklahoma↗
USGS2013

Restoring the Great Lakes: DOI stories of success and partnership in implementing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

The Great Lakes are a monumentally unique national treasure containing nearly ninety-five percent of the United States' fresh surface water. Formed by receding glaciers, the Great Lakes support a thriving, resilient ecosystem rich with fish, wildlife, and abundant natural resources. The Great Lakes also support an array of commercial uses, including shipping, and provide a source of recreation, drinking water, and other critical services that drive the economy of the region and the Nation. Regrettably, activities such as clear cutting of mature forests, over-harvesting of fish populations, industrial pollution, invasive species, and agricultural runoffs have degraded these treasured lakes over the decades creating long-term impacts to the surrounding watershed. Fortunately, the people who live, work, and recreate in the region recognize the critical importance of a healthy Great Lakes ecosystem, and have come together to support comprehensive restoration. To stimulate and promote the goal of a healthy Great Lakes region, President Obama and Congress created the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in 2009. This program provides the seed money to clean up legacy pollution, restore habitats, protect wildlife, combat invasive species, and address agricultural runoff in the Great Lakes watershed. At the same time GLRI promotes public outreach, education, accountability, and partnerships.

The Great Lakes↗