SEARCH · Search USGS

Results for “River Basin Bulletin”

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

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

USGS2023

Coevolution with host fishes shapes parasitic life histories in a group of freshwater mussels (Unionidae: Quadrulini)

Ecological interactions among species often lead to parasitic lineages coevolving with host resources, which is often suggested as the primary driver of parasite diversification. Freshwater mussels are bivalves that possess a parasitic life cycle requiring larval encystment on freshwater vertebrates to complete metamorphosis. The North American freshwater mussel tribe Quadrulini has a suite of life history adaptations including highly specialized patterns of host use, infection strategies, and variable larval morphologies. However, the evolution of life histories has yet to be explored using phylogenetic comparative methods. In this study, we use a holistic approach incorporating biogeographical, ecological, molecular, and morphological datasets to reconstruct the evolution of Quadrulini. Comparative phylogenetic analyses suggested the diversification of Quadrulini has been driven, at least in part, by codiversification with their primary host fishes in Ictaluridae. Major diversification events in both ictalurids and quadrulines were estimated to have occurred in the Mississippi River basin throughout the Miocene. Life history characteristics associated with parasitism were supported to have coevolved with host repertories, supporting the hypothesis that ecological interactions with host fishes have shaped the evolution of highly specialized traits in this group. Our findings demonstrate the importance of ecological interactions with host resources in shaping the evolutionary history of freshwater mussels.

Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists↗

USGS2019

Pleistocene lakes and paleohydrologic environments of the Tecopa basin, California: Constraints on the drainage integration of the Amargosa River

The Tecopa basin in eastern California was a terminal basin that episodically held lakes during most of the Quaternary until the basin and its modern stream, the Amargosa River, became tributary to Death Valley. Although long studied for its sedimentology, diagenesis, and paleomagnetism, the basin’s lacustrine and paleoclimate history has not been well understood, and conflicting interpretations exist concerning the relations of Tecopa basin to the Amargosa River and to pluvial Lake Manly in Death Valley. Previous studies also did not recognize basinwide tectonic effects on lake-level history. In this study, we focused on: (1) establishing a chronology of shoreline deposits, as the primary indicator of lake-level history, utilizing well-known ash beds and new uranium-series and luminescence dating; (2) using ostracodes as indicators of water chemistry and water source(s); and (3) correlating lake transgressions to well-preserved fluvial-deltaic sequences. During the early Pleistocene, the Tecopa basin hosted small shallow lakes primarily fed by low-alkalinity water sourced mainly from runoff and (or) a groundwater source chemically unlike the modern springs. The first lake that filled the basin occurred just prior and up to the eruption of the 765 ka Bishop ash during marine isotope stage (MIS) 19; this lake heralded the arrival of the Amargosa River, delivering high-alkalinity water. Two subsequent lake cycles, coeval with MIS 16 (leading up to eruption of 631 ka Lava Creek B ash) and MIS 14 and (or) MIS 12, are marked by prominent accumulations of nearshore and beach deposits. The timing of the youngest of these three lakes, the High lake, is constrained by a uranium-series age of ca. 580 ± 120 ka on tufa-cemented beach gravel and by estimates from sedimentation rates. Highstand deposits of the Lava Creek and High lakes at the north end of the basin are stratigraphically tied to distinct sequences of fluvial-deltaic deposits fed by alkaline waters of the Amargosa River. The High lake reached the highest level achieved in the Tecopa basin, and it may have briefly discharged southward but did not significantly erode its threshold. The High lake was followed by a long hiatus of as much as 300 k.y., during which there is evidence for alluvial, eolian, and groundwater-discharge deposition, but no lakes. We attribute this hiatus, as have others, to blockage of the Amargosa River by an alluvial fan upstream near Eagle Mountain. A final lake, the Terminal lake, formed when the river once again flowed south into Tecopa basin, but it was likely short-lived due to rapid incision of the former threshold south of Tecopa. Deposits of the Terminal lake are inset below, and are locally unconformable on, deposits of the High lake and the nonlacustrine deposits of the hiatus. The Terminal lake reached its highstand at ca. 185 ± 21 ka, as dated by infrared-stimulated luminescence on feldspar in beach sand, a time coincident with perennial lake mud and alkaline-tolerant ostracodes in the Badwater core of Lake Manly during MIS 6. A period of stillstand occurred as the Terminal lake drained when the incising river encountered resistant Stirling Quartzite near the head of present-day Amargosa Canyon. Our studies significantly revise the lacustrine and drainage history of the Tecopa basin, show that the MIS 6 highstand was not the largest lake in the basin as previously published (with implications for potential nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain, Nevada), and provide evidence from shoreline elevations for ∼20 m of tectonic uplift in the northern part of the basin across an ENE-trending monoclinal flexure.

California↗

USGS1970

Geology and ground water resources of Wells County, North Dakota

Wells County is in east-central North Dakota on the eastern flank of the Williston Basin. It is underlain by 4000 to 6000 feet of Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks that dip gently to the west. The uppermost Cretaceous rocks, the Hell Creek, Fox Hills and Pierre Formations, lie directly beneath the glacial drift; isolated exposures of the Fox Hills and Pierre rocks occur in the Sheyenne River valley. Glacial drift covers the entire area averaging about 100 feet thick. In certain buried valleys it is more than 400 feet thick.

North Dakota↗

USGS2022

Geochemistry of the Cretaceous Mowry Shale in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming

The siliceous nature of the Mowry Shale distinguishes it from many of the well-studied organic-rich mudstones of the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway. Available models of organic enrichment in mudstones rarely incorporate detailed biomarker, bulk organic, inorganic, and mineralogy data. Here, we used these data to evaluate how variations in organic matter source, productivity, dilution, and preservation modulated organic matter accumulation during the deposition of the Mowry Shale, while also demonstrating the benefits of this integrated approach. An organic stable carbon isotope vertical profile for the Mowry Shale is presented to test whether the Mowry Shale was deposited during oceanic anoxic event 1d (OAE 1d), thereby contributing to organic enrichment in the Mowry Shale.

Wyoming↗

USGS2008

Peak-flow frequency estimates based on data through water year 2001 for selected streamflow-gaging stations in South Dakota

Numerous users, including the South Dakota Department of Transportation, have continuing needs for peak-flow information for the design of highway infrastructure and many other purposes. This report documents results from a cooperative study between the South Dakota Department of Transportation and the U.S. Geological Survey to provide an update of peak-flow frequency estimates for South Dakota. Estimates of peak-flow magnitudes for 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, 200-, and 500-year recurrence intervals are reported for 272 streamflow-gaging stations, which include most gaging stations in South Dakota with 10 or more years of systematic peak-flow records through water year 2001. Recommended procedures described in Bulletin 17B were used as primary guidelines for developing peak-flow frequency estimates. The computer program PEAKFQ developed by the U.S. Geological Survey was used to run the frequency analyses. Flood frequencies for all stations were initially analyzed by using standard Bulletin 17B default procedures for fitting the log-Pearson III distribution. The resulting preliminary frequency curves were then plotted on a log-probability scale, and fits of the curves with systematic data were evaluated. In many cases, results of the default Bulletin 17B analyses were determined to be satisfactory. In other cases, however, the results could be improved by using various alternative procedures for frequency analysis. Alternative procedures for some stations included adjustments to skew coefficients or use of user-defined low-outlier criteria. Peak-flow records for many gaging stations are strongly influenced by low- or zero-flow values. This situation often results in a frequency curve that plots substantially above the systematic record data points at the upper end of the frequency curve. Adjustments to low-outlier criteria reduced the influence of very small peak flows and generally focused the analyses on the upper parts of the frequency curves (10- to 500-year recurrence intervals). The most common alternative procedures involved several different methods to extend systematic records, which was done primarily to address biases resulting from nonrepresentative climatic conditions during several specific periods of record and to reduce inconsistencies among multiple gaging stations along common stream channels with different periods of record. In some cases, records for proximal stations could be combined directly. In other cases, the two-station comparison procedure recommended in Bulletin 17B was used to adjust the mean and standard deviation of the logs of the systematic data for a target station on the basis of correlation with concurrent records from a nearby long-term index station. In some other cases, a 'mixed-station procedure' was used to adjust the log-distributional parameters for a target station, on the basis of correlation with one or more index stations, for the purpose of fitting the log-Pearson III distribution. Historical adjustment procedures were applied to peak-flow frequency analyses for 17 South Dakota gaging stations. A historical adjustment period extending back to 1881 (121 years) was used for 12 gaging stations in the James and Big Sioux River Basins, and various other adjustment periods were used for additional stations. Large peak flows that occurred in 1969 and 1997 accounted for 13 of the 17 historical adjustments. Other years for which historical peak flows were used include 1957, 1962, 1992, and 2001. A regional mixed-population analysis was developed to address complications associated with many high outliers for the Black Hills region. This analysis included definition of two populations of flood events. The population of flood events that composes the main body of peak flows for a given station is considered the 'ordinary-peaks population,' and the population of unusually large peak flows that plot substantially above the main body of peak flows on log-probability scale is co

South Dakota↗

USGS2018

A revised Triassic stratigraphic framework for the Arctic Alaska Basin

The Triassic Shublik Formation and the Triassic–Jurassic Otuk Formation are partially age-equivalent lithostratigraphic units that were deposited in the Arctic Alaska Basin (AAB). The Shublik Formation represents proximal deposition within the basin, with episodic siliciclastic input, whereas the Otuk Formation was deposited in the distal part of the basin, with significant intervals of mudstone and chert. Both the Shublik and Otuk Formations have significant intervals of organic-rich mudstone, and the Shublik is a major source rock for northern Alaska hydrocarbon accumulations such as Prudhoe Bay. The revised stratigraphic framework presented herein, based on the integration of lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy, correlates intervals within these two formations, as well as the Ivishak Formation and the Karen Creek and Sag River Sandstones (which underlie and overlie the Shublik). This stratigraphic framework provides a basis for comparison of proximal and distal parts of the AAB through the Triassic, thus allowing for a more robust understanding of the spatial and temporal variability of lithology and organic richness within this basin. Five transgressive–regressive sequences are defined in the Shublik, based on lithostratigraphy and better age constraints provided by the revised stratigraphic framework. These sequences are age-correlative and recognized in other Arctic basins, implying that they have regional, and perhaps global, significance.

Alaska↗

USGS1900

Volcanics of Neponset valley, Massachusetts

While the igneous rocks of the Boston basin have been the subject of considerable investigation and discussion, the volcanics of the limited portion of the basin drained by the Neponset river have received little attention. No petrographic study has been made of these volcanics. Recently Professor W. O. Crosby afforded the writer an opportunity to visit this district and to collect specimens, and further encouraged a more detailed study of the material collected. The general geology of the region has been investigated by Professor Crosby and is quite aside from the purpose of this paper. A brief sketch of the results of the investigation, * so far as they have appeared, may not, however, be out of place.

Massachusetts↗

USGS1995

Geology of the Waterford quadrangle, Virginia and Maryland, and the Virginia part of the Point of Rocks quadrangle

The bedrock geology of the Waterford quadrangle and of the Virginia part of the Point of Rocks quadrangle consists of a portion of the Middle Proterozoic basement core and its cover sequence on the eastern limb of the Blue Ridge anticlinorium and the adjacent early Mesozoic Culpeper basin. The three major rock associations in this area are: 1) Middle Proterozoic gneisses intruded by late Proterozoic metadiabase dikes, 2) unconformably overlying late Proterozoic and early Paleozoic metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks, and 3) Upper Triassic sedimentary strata intruded by early Jurassic diabase. The Triassic and Jurassic rocks are separated from the older rocks by a major normal fault, the Bull Run fault. Late Cenozoic surficial deposits of three major types unconformably overlie the bedrock: colluvium derived from Catoctin Mountain, terrace deposits of the Potomac River, and flood plain alluvium of the Potomac River and its tributaries. -from Authors

Maryland, Virginia↗

USGS1999

Late Pleistocene environments of the western Noatak basin, northwestern Alaska

Glacial Lake Noatak formed repeatedly during middle and late Pleistocene time as expanding glaciers from the DeLong Mountains blocked the Noatak River valley. Downcutting by the Noatak River has exposed thick sediment successions in bluffs up to 86 m high. Two river bluffs, Nk-26 and Nk-29A, contain correlative organic-rich flood-plain deposits that were formed during and after deposition of the Old Crow tephra at about the transition between oxygen isotope stage 6 and oxygen isotope stage 5, at the beginning of the last interglaciation. Both bluffs also contain older interglacial or interstadial flood-plain deposits of uncertain age.

Alaska↗

USGS1986

Water resources inventory of Connecticut Part 9: Farmington River basin

The Farmington River basin covers 435 square miles in north-central Connecticut upstream from Tariffville and downstream of the Massachusetts state line. Most water in the basin is derived from precipitation, which averages 48 inches (366 billion gallons) per year. An additional 67 billion gallons of water per year enters the basin from Massachusetts in the West Branch of the Farmington River, Hubbard River, Valley Brook and some smaller streams. Of the total 433 billion gallons, 174 billion gallons returns to the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration. 239 billion gallons flows out of the study area in the Farmington River at Tariffville, and 20 billion gallons is diverted for Hartford water supply. Variations in streamflow at 23 continuous-record gaging stations are summarized in standardized graphs and tables that can be used to estimate streamflow characteristics at other sites. For example, mean flow and low-flow characteristics such as the 7-day annual minimum flow for 2-year and 10-year recurrence intervals, have been determined for many partial-record stations from the data for the 23 continuous-record stations. Of the 31 principal lakes, ponds, and reservoirs in the basin, eight have usable storage capacities of more than 1 billion gallons. Two of the largest, Colebrook River Lake and Barkhamsted Reservoir, have more than 30 billion gallons usable storage. Floods have occurred in the area in every month of the year. The greatest known flood on the Farmington River was in August 1955, which had a peak flow of 140,000 cubic feet per second at Collinsville. Since then, three major floodcontrol reservoirs have been constructed to reduce the hazards of high streamflow. The major aquifers underlying the basin are composed of unconsolidated materials (stratified drift and till) and bedrock (sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic). Stratified drift overlies till and bedrock in valleys and lowlands; it averages about 90 feet in thickness, and is capable of large sustained yields of water to individual wells. Based on hydrologic characteristics and available recharge, sixteen stratified-drift areas are selected as the most favorable for large-scale development. Potential yields can be estimated by several methods. Small water supplies can be obtained from all aquifers. Wells in bedrock yield at least one to two gallons per minute at most sites. The probability of adequate yields for domestic supply is greater from sedimentary than from crystalline bedrock and is also greater from stratified-drift overburden than from till. The quality of water from all sources in the basin is good except where adversely affected by swamp drainage, aquifer composition or human activities. The water is generally low in dissolved-solids concentration and is soft to moderately hard. Surface water is less mineralized than ground water, especially during high-flow conditions when it is primarily direct runoff. Samples of water collected from 20 streams during high flow had 34 mg/L median dissolved-solids concentration and 16 mg/L median hardness. Samples collected from the same sites at low flow had 52 mg/L median dissolved solids and 28 mg/L median hardness. In contrast, water from wells had 112 mg/L median dissolved-solids concentration and 60 mg/L median hardness. Iron and manganese occur in objectionable concentrations ~n a few parts of the basin where streams drain swamps and aquifers are rich in iron- and manganese-bearing minerals. Five percent of streams at high flow, 21 percent at low flow, and 7 percent of ground-water samples contained iron in sufficient concentration to cause stains on plumbing fixtures and laundry. Human activities have modified the quality of water in parts of the basin. The high bacterial content of the Pequabuck River. and the high nitrate and chloride concentrations in some ground-water samples, are evidence of man’s influence. The quantity and quality of water in the basin’s streams and aquifers are satisfactory for a wide variety of uses. and, with suitable treatment, may be used for most purposes. The total amount of water used by 21 principal public supplies within the basin was 29 billion gallons in 1970. About 70 percent of this was used for domestic and commercial purposes, and nearly 30 percent was used by industry. Analyses of water from these systems show good quality.

Connecticut↗

USGS1974

The availability of water in the Little Lost River Basin, Idaho

The Little Lost River basin, an elongated, northwest trending structurally formed intermontane valley, drains an area of about 900 square miles into a closed depression near the northwestern edge of the Snake River Plain. Runoff from snowmelt and rainfall on the Lost River Range on the west and the Lemhi Range on the east maintains the flow of the Little Lost River, and recharges the ground-water reservoir, Both mountain ranges are complexly faulted and are underlain by a variety of rocks, dominantly limestone, of Paleozoic age The principal aquifers are highly transmissive alluvial fill in the middle and upper valley and alluvial fill interfingered with basalt in the southernmost part of the valley.

Idaho↗

USGS2014

Effects of smallmouth buffalo, Ictiobus bubalus biomass on water transparency, nutrients, and productivity in shallow experimental ponds

The smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalus is a native benthivore to floodplain lakes in the Yazoo River Basin, USA. Based on evidence from other benthivorous fish studies we hypothesized high biomasses of I. bubalus contribute to poor water quality conditions. We tested this hypothesis in shallow (< 1.5 m) 0.05 ha earthen ponds at three stocking biomasses over a 10-week period during the summer of 2012. The most notable results from the permutational multivariate analysis of variance suggest I. bubalus at high and moderate biomasses significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced turbidity and suspended solid levels while decreasing Secchi depth. Our results suggest that effects of I. bubalus on water clarity may have considerable ecological implications in natural habitats such as shallow floodplain lakes.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxico↗

USGS1965

Ground water in the alluvium of Otter Creek Basin, Oklahoma

Otter Creek basin comprises 287 square miles in Kiowa, Comanche, and Tillman Counties. The basin is not typical of southwestern Oklahoma in that it includes massive mountains and scattered knobs and peaks of the Wichita Mountains. Alluvium covers much of the southern half of the basin but is restricted to the major tributary valleys in the northern half. The upper part of the alluvium is predominantly silt and clay; the lower part is predominantly very fine to medium sand and has a basal stratum of coarse sand and gravel. The average thickness of the flood-plain deposit is about 37 feet. The flood-plain deposits and terrace deposits in the southern part of the basin occur together in the subsurface as an integral unit. Principal recharge to the flood-plain deposits is through infiltration of precipitation and surface runoff, and through percolation from adjoining aquifers, principally the terrace deposits. Principal discharge from the flood-plain deposits is through seepage into Otter Creek by transpiration by vegetation, and by pumping from wells. The city of Snyder pumps about 200,000 gallons per day (gpd) from the alluvium of East Otter Creek during the winter and spring, and about 400,000 gpd during the summer and fall. Irrigation is concentrated principally on the flood plain common to both Otter Creek and North Fork Red River.

Oklahoma↗

USGS2007

Trends in lead concentrations in major U.S. rivers and their relation to historical changes in gasoline-lead consumption

Declines in concentrations of dissolved lead occurred at nearly two-thirds of 306 locations on major U.S. rivers from 1974 to 1985. Declines in dissolved lead concentrations are statistically significant (p < 0.10) at approximately one-third of the sampling locations. Statistically significant increases in dissolved lead concentrations occurred at only 6 percent of the sites, but are clustered in the Texas-Gulf and Lower Mississippi region. Possible explanations for the observed trends in lead concentrations are tested through comparisons with (1) records of lead discharges from major sources including leaded-gasoline consumption and municipal- and industrial-point source discharges, (2) trends in various water-quality constituents such as pH and total alkalinity, and (3) basin characteristics such as drainage area. Statistically significant declines in lead concentrations in streams and gasoline lead (i.e., the largest source of lead at these sites) are highly coincident for the 1979 to 1980 period at most sampling locations. The greatest amount of decline in gasoline lead occurred at sites showing statistically significant downtrends in stream concentrations of lead from 1974 to 1985. No more than 5 percent of the trends in stream lead are influenced by municipal- and industrial-point sources of lead. Factors that affect the transport of dissolved lead, including lead solubility, suspended sediment, and basin characteristics such as drainage basin size, are not significantly related to trends in dissolved lead. Trends in streamflow explain no more than 7 percent of the downtrends in concentrations of lead and may partly explain the frequent increases in lead concentrations in the Texas-Gulf and Lower Mississippi regions.Declines in concentrations of dissolved lead occurred at nearly two-thirds of 306 locations on major US rivers from 1974 to 1985. Declines in dissolved lead concentrations are statistically significant at approximately one-third of the sampling locations. Statistically significant increases in dissolved lead concentrations occurred at only 6 percent of the sites, but are clustered in the Texas-Gulf and Lower Mississippi regions. Possible explanations for the observed trends in lead concentrations are tested through comparisons with records of lead discharges from major sources including leaded-gasoline consumption and municipal- and industrial-point source discharges, trends in various water-quality constituents such as pH and total alkalinity, and basin characteristics such as drainage area. Study results are discussed.

Water Resources Bulletin↗

USGS1981

Petroleum geology of Cook Inlet basin: An exploration model

Oil exploration commenced onshore adjacent to lower Cook Inlet on the Iniskin Peninsula in 1900, shifted with considerable success to upper Cook Inlet from 1957 through 1965, then returned to lower Cook Inlet in 1977 with the COST well and Federal OCS sale. Lower Cook Inlet COST No. 1 well, drilled to a total depth of 3,775.6 m, penetrated basinwide unconformities at the tops of Upper Cretaceous, Lower Cretaceous, and Upper Jurassic strata at 797.1, 1,540.8, and 2,112.3 m, respectively. Sandstone of potential reservoir quality is present in the Cretaceous and lower Tertiary rocks. All siltstones and shales analyzed are low (0 to 0.5 wt. %) in oil-prone organic matter, and only coals are high in humic organic matter. At total depth, vitrinite readings reached a maximum ave age reflectance of 0.65. Several indications of hydrocarbons were present. Oil analyses suggest that oils from the major fields of the Cook Inlet region, most of which produce from the Tertiary Hemlock Conglomerate, have a common source. More detailed work on stable carbon isotope ratios and the distribution of gasoline-range and heavy (C 12 + ) hydrocarbons confirms this genetic relation among the major fields. In addition, oils from Jurassic rocks under the Iniskin Peninsula and from the Hemlock Conglomerate at the southwestern tip of the Kenai lowland are members of the same or a very similar oil family. The Middle Jurassic strata of the Iniskin Peninsula are moderately rich in organic carbon (0.5 to 1.5 wt. %) and yield shows of oil and of gas in wells and in surface seeps. Extractable hydrocarbons from this strata are similar in chemi al and isotopic composition to the Cook Inlet oils. Organic matter in Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks is thermally immature in all wells analyzed. Oil reservoirs in the major producing fields are of Tertiary age and unconformably overlie Jurassic rocks; the pre-Tertiary unconformity may be significant in exploration for new oil reserves. The unconformable relation between reservoir rocks and likely Middle Jurassic source rocks also implies a delay in the generation and expulsion of oil from Jurassic until late Tertiary when localized basin subsidence and thick sedimentary fill brought older, deeper rocks to the temperature required for petroleum generation. Reservoir porosities, crude oil properties, the type of oil field traps, and the tectonic framework of the oil fields on the west flank of the basin provide evidence used to reconstruct an oil migration route. The route is inferred to commence deep in the truncated Middle Jur ssic rocks and pass through the porous West Foreland Formation in the McArthur River field area to a stratigraphic trap in the Oligocene Hemlock Conglomerate and the Oligocene part of the Tyonek Formation at the end of Miocene time. Pliocene deformation shut off this route and created localized structural traps, into which the oil moved by secondary migration to form the Middle Ground Shoal, McArthur River, and Trading Bay oil fields. Oil generation continued into the Pliocene, but this higher API gravity oil migrated along a different route to the Granite Point field.

Alaska↗

USGS2009

Late Devonian glacigenic and associated facies from the central Appalachian Basin, eastern United States

Late Devonian strata in the eastern United States are generally considered as having been deposited under warm tropical conditions. However, a stratigraphically restricted Late Devonian succession of diamictite- mudstonesandstone within the Spechty Kopf and Rockwell Formations that extends for more than 400 km along depositional strike within the central Appalachian Basin may indicate other wise. This lithologic association unconformably overlies the Catskill Formation, where a 3- to 5-m-thick interval of deformed strata occurs immediately below the diamictite strata. The diamictite facies consists of several subfacies that are interpreted to be subglacial, englacial, supraglacial meltout, and resedimented deposits. The mudstone facies that overlies the diamictite consists of subfacies of chaotically bedded, clast-poor mudstone, and laminated mudstone sub facies that represent subaqueous proximal debris flows and distal glaciolacustrine rhythmites or varvites, respectively. The pebbly sandstone facies is interpreted as proglacial braided outwash deposits that both preceded glacial advance and followed glacial retreat. Both the tectonic and depositional frameworks suggest that the facies were deposited in a terrestrial setting within the Appalachian foreland basin during a single glacial advance and retreat. Regionally, areas that were not covered by ice were subject to increased rainfall as indicated by wet-climate paleosols. River systems eroded deeper channels in response to sea-level drop during glacial advance. Marine facies to the west contain iceborne dropstone boulders preserved within contemporaneous units of the Cleveland Shale Member of the Ohio Shale.The stratigraphic interval correlative with sea-level drop, climate change, and glacigenic succession represents one of the Appalachian Basin's most prolific oil-and gas-producing intervals and is contemporaneous with a global episode of sea-level drop responsible for the deposition of the Hangenberg Shale/Sandstone of Europe. This interval records the Hangenberg biotic crisis near the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary. ?? 2009 Geological Society of America.

Geological Society of America Bulletin↗

USGS1974

Digital-model study of ground-water hydrology, Columbia Basin Irrigation Project Area, Washington

Since 1952 water diverted from the Columbia River at Grand Coulee Dam has been used to irrigate parts of the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project area in eastern Washington, and as a result ground-water levels generally have risen in the area. The rapid increases in ground-water inflow, outflow, and storage from irrigation have created a need for a better understanding of the ground-water system before and after the start of irrigation to establish guidelines necessary for management of the area's ground-water resource. Data and information from previous geologic and hydrologic studies were used as a basis for quantitative analyses of ground-water inflow and outflow by means of digital computer models representing three major areas--Quincy Basin, Pasco Basin, and Royal Slope.

Washington↗

USGS2021

Structure and Qp-Qs relations in the Seattle and Tualatin basins from converted seismic phases

We use converted body‐wave phases from local earthquakes to constrain depth to basement and average attenuation relations for the Seattle basin in Washington and the Tualatin basin in Oregon. P ‐, P‐to‐S ‐( Ps ), S‐to‐P‐ ( Sp ), and S ‐wave arrivals are present in three‐component recordings of magnitude 2.5–4.0 earthquakes at seismic stations located in these basins. Based on their relative travel times, these phases are attributed to body‐wave conversions at the basement‐to‐basin contact or to high‐impedance interfaces within the basins. Depth to basement values are calculated using the differential travel times between direct and converted phases, as well as average P ‐ and S ‐wave velocity values. We also identify a high‐impedance layer in the Tualatin basin that likely represents a laterally extensive deposit of volcanic materials embedded between the basement contact and the Columbia River Basalt Group. In addition, the average Q P – Q S "> Q P - Q S attenuation relation is calculated for each station by taking the spectral ratio of converted phases to their parent body‐wave arrivals. For the Seattle basin, our analysis yields an average Q P "> Q P value of 73 and an average Q S "> Q S value of 60 for seismic waves with frequencies between 2 and 25 Hz. In the Tualatin basin, a much reduced Q P – Q S "> Q P – Q S relation suggests that average body‐wave attenuation is likely higher than in the Seattle basin. The converted phase techniques presented here provide a reliable way to develop estimates of basin depth and attenuation structure for undercharacterized regions using simple passive source seismic records.

Oregon, Washington↗