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USGS2016

Interannual and long-term changes in the trophic state of a multibasin lake: Effects of morphology, climate, winter aeration, and beaver activity

Little St. Germain Lake (LSG), a relatively pristine multibasin lake in Wisconsin, USA, was examined to determine how morphologic (internal), climatic (external), anthropogenic (winter aeration), and natural (beaver activity) factors affect the trophic state (phosphorus, P; chlorophyll, CHL; and Secchi depth, SD) of each of its basins. Basins intercepting the main flow and external P sources had highest P and CHL and shallowest SD. Internal loading in shallow, polymictic basins caused P and CHL to increase and SD to decrease as summer progressed. Winter aeration used to eliminate winterkill increased summer internal P loading and decreased water quality, while reductions in upstream beaver impoundments had little effect on water quality. Variations in air temperature and precipitation affected each basin differently. Warmer air temperatures increased productivity throughout the lake and decreased clarity in less eutrophic basins. Increased precipitation increased P in the basins intercepting the main flow but had little effect on the isolated deep West Bay. These relations are used to project effects of future climatic changes on LSG and other temperate lakes.

Wisconsin↗

USGS2008

The A and m coefficients in the Bruun/Dean equilibrium profile equation seen from the Arctic

The Bruun/Dean relation between water depth and distance from the shore with a constant profile shape factor is widely used to describe shoreface profiles in temperate environments. However, it has been shown that the sediment scale parameter (A) and the profile shape factor (m) are interrelated variables. An analysis of 63 Arctic erosional shoreface profiles shows that both coefficients are highly variable. Relative frequency of the average m value is only 16% by the class width 0.1. No other m value frequency exceeds 21%. Therefore, there is insufficient reason to use average m to characterize Arctic shoreface profile shape. The shape of each profile has a definite combination of A and m values. Coefficients A and m show a distinct inverse relationship, as in temperate climate. A dependence of m values on coastal sediment grain size is seen, and m decreases with increasing grain size. With constant m = 0.67, parameter A obtains a dimension unit m1/3. But A equals the water depth in meters 1 m from the water edge. This fact and the variability of parameter m testify that the Bruun/Dean equation is essentially an empirical formula. There is no need to give any measurement unit to parameter A. But the International System of Units (SI) has to be used in applying the Bruun/Dean equation for shoreface profiles. A comparison of the shape of Arctic shoreface profiles with those of temperate environments shows surprising similarity. Therefore, the conclusions reached in this Arctic paper seem to apply also to temperate environments.

Journal of Coastal Research↗

USGS2013

The effect of coal bed dewatering and partial oxidation on biogenic methane potential

Coal formation dewatering at a site in the Powder River Basin was associated with enhanced potential for secondary biogenic methane determined by using a bioassay. We hypothesized that dewatering can stimulate microbial activity and increase the bioavailability of coal. We analyzed one dewatered and two water-saturated coals to examine possible ways in which dewatering influences coal bed natural gas biogenesis by looking at differences with respect to the native coal microbial community, coal-methane organic intermediates, and residual coal oxidation potential. Microbial biomass did not increase in response to dewatering. Small Subunit rRNA sequences retrieved from all coals sampled represented members from genera known to be aerobic, anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic. A Bray Curtis similarity analysis indicated that the microbial communities in water-saturated coals were more similar to each other than to the dewatered coal, suggesting an effect of dewatering. There was a higher incidence of long chain and volatile fatty acid intermediates in incubations of the dewatered coal compared to the water-saturated coals, and this could either be due to differences in microbial enzymatic activities or to chemical oxidation of the coal associated with O 2 exposure. Dilute H 2 O 2 treatment of two fractions of structural coal (kerogen and bitumen + kerogen) was used as a proxy for chemical oxidation by O 2 . The dewatered coal had a low residual oxidation potential compared to the water-saturated coals. Oxidation with 5% H 2 O 2 did increase the bioavailability of structural coal, and the increase in residual oxidation potential in the water saturated coals was approximately equivalent to the higher methanogenic potential measured in the dewatered coal. Evidence from this study supports the idea that coal bed dewatering could stimulate biogenic methanogenesis through partial oxidation of the structural organics in coal once anaerobic conditions are restored.

Montana;Wyoming↗

USGS2018

Using mercury injection pressure analyses to estimate sealing capacity of the Tuscaloosa marine shale in Mississippi, USA: Implications for carbon dioxide sequestration

This work used mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) analyses of the Tuscaloosa Group in Mississippi, including the Tuscaloosa marine shale (TMS), to assess their efficacy and sealing capacity for geologic carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) sequestration. Tuscaloosa Group porosity and permeability from MICP were evaluated to calculate CO 2 column height retention. TMS and Lower Tuscaloosa shale samples have, respectively, Swanson permeability values less than 0.003 md and 0.00245 md; porosity from 3.86% to 9.86% and 1.34% to 7.96%; median pore throat sizes from 0.00342 to 0.0111 μm and 0.00311 to 0.017 μm; and pore radii from 0.0130 to 0.152 μm and 0.0132 to 0.149 μm. Mercury entry pressures for the TMS and Lower Tuscaloosa range from 4.9 to 57.1 MPa and 5.0 to 56.3 MPa, respectively. Calculated CO 2 column heights that the TMS sample set can retain in the reservoir range from 23 to 255 m when the TMS is near 100% water saturation. Potential top seal leakage is more likely to be influenced by the numerous well penetrations through the confining system of the TMS rather than capillary failure. Results of this study demonstrate desirable sealing capacity of the TMS for geologic CO 2 sequestration in reservoir sandstones of the Lower Tuscaloosa and could provide an analogue to other potential CO 2 sequestration top seals.

Louisiana, Mississippi↗

USGS2022

Bathymetry retrieval from CubeSat image sequences with short time lags

The rapid expansion of CubeSat constellations could revolutionize the way inland and nearshore coastal waters are monitored from space. This potential stems from the ability of CubeSats to provide daily imagery with global coverage at meter-scale spatial resolution. In this study, we explore the unique opportunity to improve the retrieval of bathymetry offered by CubeSats, specifically those of the PlanetScope constellation. The orbital design of the PlanetScope constellation enables the acquisition of image sequences with short time lags (from seconds to hours). This characteristic allows multiple images to be captured during a short period of steady bathymetric conditions, especially in dynamic environments like rivers. We hypothesize that taking the ensemble mean of a CubeSat image sequence can enhance bathymetry retrieval compared to standard single-image analysis. Along with the existing optimal band ratio analysis (OBRA) algorithm, we also use a new neural network-based depth retrieval (NNDR) technique to infer bathymetry from both individual and time-averaged images. The two methodologies are evaluated using field data from five different river reaches with depths up to 15 m and both top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance and bottom-of-atmosphere (BOA) surface reflectance PlanetScope data products. Despite low spectral resolution and concerns about the radiometric quality of CubeSat imagery, accuracy assessment based on in-situ comparisons indicates the potential (0.52 < R 2 < 0.7 for the NNDR method) of PlanetScope imagery to retrieve depths up to ∼ 10 m in clear water conditions. The proposed image averaging consistently improves bathymetry retrieval over single image analysis. The NNDR technique was found to outperform OBRA, illustrating the importance of leveraging all spectral bands through machine learning approaches. TOA data provided more robust bathymetry results than BOA data for the OBRA technique, but the NNDR technique was minimally impacted by the type of data product.

International Journal of Applied Earth Observation↗

USGS2014

Unique characteristics of the trachea of the juvenile leatherback turtle facilitate feeding, diving and endothermy

The adult leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea overlaps in body size (300–500 kg) with many marine mammals, yet develops from a 50 g hatchling. Adults can dive deeper than 1200 m and have core body temperatures of 25 °C; hatchlings are near-surface dwellers. Juvenile leatherbacks have rarely been studied; here we present anatomical information for the upper respiratory tract of 3 turtles (66.7–83.0 cm straight carapace length; 33.2–53.4 kg body mass) incidentally captured by long-line fisheries. Combined with existing information from adults and hatchlings, our data show that there is an ontogenic shift in tracheal structure, with cartilaginous rings becoming broader and eventually fusing anteriorly. This ontogenic shift during independent existence is unique among extant deep-diving air breathing vertebrates. Tract wall thickness is graded, becoming progressively thinner from larynx to bronchi. In addition, cross-sectional shape becomes increasingly dorsoventrally flattened (more elliptical) from anterior to posterior. These characteristics ensure that the tract will collapse from posterior to anterior during dives. This study contains the first report of a double (= internally bifurcated) posterior section of the trachea; it is suggested that this allows continuous food movement along the esophagus without tracheal collapse. The whole upper respiratory tract (from larynx to lungs) has a vascular lining (thicker anteriorly than posteriorly) that appears to be a simple analog of the complex turbinates of birds and mammals. Our study confirmed that the leatherback tracheal structure represents a distinctive way of dealing with the challenges of diving in deep, cold sea water.

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology↗

USGS2006

Effects of land cover on water table, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and groundwater recharge: A Field observation and analysis

The effects of land cover on water table, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and groundwater recharge were studied with water level measurements collected from two monitoring wells over a period of 122 days. The two wells were installed under similar conditions except that one was drilled on the east side of a creek which was covered with grass, and the other on the west side of the creek which was burned into a bare ground. Substantial differences in water level fluctuations were observed at these two wells. The water level in the east grass (EG) well was generally lower and had much less response to rainfall events than the west no-grass (WNG) well. Grass cover lowered the water table, reduced soil moisture through ET losses, and thus reduced groundwater recharge. The amount of ET by the grass estimated with a water table recession model decreased exponentially from 7.6 mm/day to zero as the water table declined from near the ground surface to 1.42 m below the ground surface in 33 days. More groundwater recharge was received on the WNG side than on the EG side following large rainfall events and by significant slow internal downward drainage which may last many days after rainfall. Because of the decreased ET and increased R, significantly more baseflow and chemical loads may be generated from a bare ground watershed compared to a vegetated watershed. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

Journal of Hydrology↗

USGS2011

Response of spectral vegetation indices to soil moisture in grasslands and shrublands

The relationships between satellite-derived vegetation indices (VIs) and soil moisture are complicated because of the time lag of the vegetation response to soil moisture. In this study, we used a distributed lag regression model to evaluate the lag responses of VIs to soil moisture for grasslands and shrublands at Soil Climate Analysis Network sites in the central and western United States. We examined the relationships between Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived VIs and soil moisture measurements. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) showed significant lag responses to soil moisture. The lag length varies from 8 to 56 days for NDVI and from 16 to 56 days for NDWI. However, the lag response of NDVI and NDWI to soil moisture varied among the sites. Our study suggests that the lag effect needs to be taken into consideration when the VIs are used to estimate soil moisture.

International Journal of Remote Sensing↗

USGS2006

Pigs on the plains: Institutional analysis of a Colorado water quality initiative

We used the Legal-Institutional Analysis Model (LIAM) and Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) to analyze the campaign over passage of the Colorado Hogs Rule, an initiative passed by the voters in 1998 to require regulation of swine production facilities in Colorado. Used in tandem, LIAM and ACF provided an opportunity to develop a robust understanding of the obstacles and opportunities that face water quality managers in a state-centered multi-organizational decision process. We found that combining the LIAM with the ACF enhanced the understanding that could be achieved by using either model in isolation. The predictive capacity of the LIAM would have been reduced without information from the ACF, and the ACF by itself would have missed the importance of a single-case study.

International Journal of Public Administration↗

USGS2014

Suspended particulate layers and internal waves over the southern Monterey Bay continental shelf: an important control on shelf mud belts?

Physical and optical measurements taken over the mud belt on the southern continental shelf of Monterey Bay, California documented the frequent occurrence of suspended particulate matter features, the majority of which were detached from the seafloor, centered 9–33 m above the bed. In fall 2011, an automated profiling mooring and fixed instrumentation, including a thermistor chain and upward-looking acoustic Doppler current profiler, were deployed at 70 m depth for 5 weeks, and from 12 to 16 October a long-range autonomous underwater vehicle performed across-shelf transects. Individual SPM events were uncorrelated with local bed shear stress caused by surface waves and bottom currents. Nearly half of all observed SPM layers occurred during 1 week of the study, 9–16 October 2011, and were advected past the fixed profiling mooring by the onshore phase of semidiurnal internal tide bottom currents. At the start of the 9–16 October period, we observed intense near-bed vertical velocities capable of lifting particulates into the middle of the water column. This “updraft” event appears to have been associated with nonlinear adjustment of high-amplitude internal tides over the mid and outer shelf. These findings suggest that nonlinear internal tidal motions can erode material over the outer shelf and that, once suspended, this SPM can then be transported shoreward to the middle and shallow sections of the mud belt. This represents a fundamental broadening of our understanding of how shelf mud belts may be built up and sustained.

California↗

USGS2010

A spatial regression procedure for evaluating the relationship between AVHRR-NDVI and climate in the northern Great Plains

The relationship between vegetation and climate in the grassland and cropland of the northern US Great Plains was investigated with Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (1989–1993) images derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), and climate data from automated weather stations. The relationship was quantified using a spatial regression technique that adjusts for spatial autocorrelation inherent in these data. Conventional regression techniques used frequently in previous studies are not adequate, because they are based on the assumption of independent observations. Six climate variables during the growing season; precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, daily maximum and minimum air temperature, soil temperature, solar irradiation were regressed on NDVI derived from a 10-km weather station buffer. The regression model identified precipitation and potential evapotranspiration as the most significant climatic variables, indicating that the water balance is the most important factor controlling vegetation condition at an annual timescale. The model indicates that 46% and 24% of variation in NDVI is accounted for by climate in grassland and cropland, respectively, indicating that grassland vegetation has a more pronounced response to climate variation than cropland. Other factors contributing to NDVI variation include environmental factors (soil, groundwater and terrain), human manipulation of crops, and sensor variation.

International Journal of Remote Sensing↗

USGS2026

Sentinel-2 for chlorophyll-a water quality monitoring: A review of validation evidence and application potential

Water quality monitoring is integral to preserving the health of freshwater ecosystems, and satellite remote sensing has emerged as one monitoring method. Sentinel-2, in particular, has been valuable for water quality monitoring due to its 5-day global temporal revisit time and spatial resolution that ranges from 10 to 60 metres. Sentinel-2 can be used to measure and monitor chlorophyll-a, which historically has been used as an indicator of water quality, eutrophication and harmful algal blooms. Our goal was to review aquatic chlorophyll-a Sentinel-2 research to assess the types of validation evidence reported. Validation evidence is defined here as the set of information key to assessing algorithm performance, and include the spatial and temporal scales of satellite validation, reported in situ sampling method context information, demonstration of validation results through plots, and appropriate algorithm performance metrics. We highlight how the body of literature collectively contributes to advancing a national scale chlorophyll-a product that could support future resource management applications. Our review of 122 published studies indicated that much of the validation evidence corresponded to early stages, as defined by the NASA data maturity framework, due to a limited focus on individual lakes and limited detail on methodology for reproducibility. Prioritizing data accessibility for both in situ data and satellite workflows used in published studies; reporting methods with transparency and consistency; and using standard algorithm performance metrics could provide a consistent framework to support and enhance the utility of satellite inland water quality research. These three quality assurance mechanisms can promote effective evaluation of approaches for remote sensing of chlorophyll-a. Adopting these quality criteria could enable the integration of validation evidence from multiple studies, supporting more spatially and temporally representative products that would advance these approaches towards maturation for broader application.

International Journal of Remote Sensing↗

USGSDate not supplied

Characterizing the interface between wild ducks and poultry to evaluate the potential of transmission of avian pathogens

Background Characterizing the interface between wild and domestic animal populations is increasingly recognized as essential in the context of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) that are transmitted by wildlife. More specifically, the spatial and temporal distribution of contact rates between wild and domestic hosts is a key parameter for modeling EIDs transmission dynamics. We integrated satellite telemetry, remote sensing and ground-based surveys to evaluate the spatio-temporal dynamics of indirect contacts between wild and domestic birds to estimate the risk that avian pathogens such as avian influenza and Newcastle viruses will be transmitted between wildlife to poultry. We monitored comb ducks ( Sarkidiornis melanotos melanotos ) with satellite transmitters for seven months in an extensive Afro-tropical wetland (the Inner Niger Delta) in Mali and characterise the spatial distribution of backyard poultry in villages. We modelled the spatial distribution of wild ducks using 250-meter spatial resolution and 8-days temporal resolution remotely-sensed environmental indicators based on a Maxent niche modelling method. Results Our results show a strong seasonal variation in potential contact rate between wild ducks and poultry. We found that the exposure of poultry to wild birds was greatest at the end of the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season, when comb ducks disperse from natural water bodies to irrigated areas near villages. Conclusions Our study provides at a local scale a quantitative evidence of the seasonal variability of contact rate between wild and domestic bird populations. It illustrates a GIS-based methodology for estimating epidemiological contact rates at the wildlife and livestock interface integrating high-resolution satellite telemetry and remote sensing data.

Inner Niger Delta↗

USGS1973

Karst hydrology: A review

Karst regions of the world are characterized by limestones and other soluble rocks at or near land surface that have been modified by solutional erosion. Such surface features as sinks, long dry valleys, sparse streams, and bare rock and such subsurface features as caverns, arterial solution openings leading to large springs, and a deep water table are typical of karst terranes. These features result in an uneven distribution of permeability in karst systems and surface and subsurface hydrologic conditions that require special hydrogeologic studies. Local high permeability at shallow depth in mature karst regions leads to an ecology associated with a soilless and water-scarce surface environment. Many practical problems result from this high permeability, including: (1) scarcity and poor predictability of groundwater supplies; (2) scarcity of surface-water supplies; (3) instability of the ground; (4) leakage of surface reservoirs; and (5) an unreliable waste-disposal environment. Interest in karst hydrology has increased greatly in the past decade; this interest has resulted in the international exchange of numerous published reports on local areas and on special topical karst problems. Many of these reports have been used by the authors in preparing this paper, which synthesizes results of many workers and focuses attention on: (1) the development of karst features through hydrologic processes; and (2) hydrologic systems of karst terranes.

Journal of Hydrology↗

USGS2023

Contribution of arsenic and uranium in private wells and community water systems to urinary biomarkers in US adults: The Strong Heart Study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (As) and uranium (U) in the United States (US) occurs from unregulated private wells and federally regulated community water systems (CWSs). The contribution of water to total exposure is assumed to be low when water As and U concentrations are low. Objective We examined the contribution of water As and U to urinary biomarkers in the Strong Heart Family Study (SHFS), a prospective study of American Indian communities, and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a prospective study of racially/ethnically diverse urban U.S. communities. Methods We assigned residential zip code-level estimates in CWSs (µg/L) and private wells (90th percentile probability of As >10 µg/L) to up to 1485 and 6722 participants with dietary information and urinary biomarkers in the SHFS (2001–2003) and MESA (2000–2002; 2010–2011), respectively. Urine As was estimated as the sum of inorganic and methylated species, and urine U was total uranium. We used linear mixed-effects models to account for participant clustering and removed the effect of dietary sources via regression adjustment. Results The median (interquartile range) urine As was 5.32 (3.29, 8.53) and 6.32 (3.34, 12.48) µg/L for SHFS and MESA, respectively, and urine U was 0.037 (0.014, 0.071) and 0.007 (0.003, 0.018) µg/L. In a meta-analysis across both studies, urine As was 11% (95% CI: 3, 20%) higher and urine U was 35% (5, 73%) higher per twofold higher CWS As and U, respectively. In the SHFS, zip-code level factors such as private well and CWS As contributed 46% of variation in urine As, while in MESA, zip-code level factors, e.g., CWS As and U, contribute 30 and 49% of variation in urine As and U, respectively. Impact statement We found that water from unregulated private wells and regulated CWSs is a major contributor to urinary As and U (an estimated measure of internal dose) in both rural, American Indian populations and urban, racially/ethnically diverse populations nationwide, even at levels below the current regulatory standard. Our findings indicate that additional drinking water interventions, regulations, and policies can have a major impact on reducing total exposures to As and U, which are linked to adverse health effects even at low levels.

Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epid↗

USGS2011

Developing an operational rangeland water requirement satisfaction index

Developing an operational water requirement satisfaction index (WRSI) for rangeland monitoring is an important goal of the famine early warning systems network. An operational WRSI has been developed for crop monitoring, but until recently a comparable WRSI for rangeland was not successful because of the extremely poor performance of the index when based on published crop coefficients ( K c ) for rangelands. To improve the rangeland WRSI, we developed a simple calibration technique that adjusts the K c values for rangeland monitoring using long-term rainfall distribution and reference evapotranspiration data. The premise for adjusting the K c values is based on the assumption that a viable rangeland should exhibit above-average WRSI (values >80%) during a normal year. The normal year was represented by a median dekadal rainfall distribution (satellite rainfall estimate from 1996 to 2006). Similarly, a long-term average for potential evapotranspiration was used as input to the famine early warning systems network WRSI model in combination with soil-water-holding capacity data. A dekadal rangeland WRSI has been operational for east and west Africa since 2005. User feedback has been encouraging, especially with regard to the end-of-season WRSI anomaly products that compare the index's performance to ‘normal’ years. Currently, rangeland WRSI products are generated on a dekadal basis and posted for free distribution on the US Geological Survey early warning website at http://earlywarning.usgs.gov/adds/

International Journal of Remote Sensing↗

USGS1997

Borehole sampling of fracture populations - compensating for borehole sampling bias in crystalline bedrock aquifers, Mirror Lake, Grafton County, New Hampshire

The clustering of orientations of hydraulically conductive fractures in bedrock at the Mirror Lake, New Hampshire fractured rock study site was investigated by comparing the orientations of fracture populations in two subvertical borehole arrays with those mapped on four adjacent subvertical roadcuts. In the boreholes and the roadcuts, the orientation of fracture populations appears very similar after borehole data are compensated for undersampling of steeply dipping fractures. Compensated borehole and pavement fracture data indicate a northeast-striking population of fractures with varying dips concentrated near that of the local foliation in the adjacent rock. The data show no correlation between fracture density (fractures/linear meter) and distance from lithologic contacts in both the boreholes and the roadcuts. The population of water-producing borehole fractures is too small (28 out of 610 fractures) to yield meaningful orientation comparisons. However, the orientation of large aperture fractures (which contains all the producing fractures) contains two or three subsidiary clusters in orientation frequency that are not evident in stereographic projections of the entire population containing all aperture sizes. Further, these subsidiary orientation clusters do not coincide with the dominant (subhorizontal and subvertical) regional fracture orientations.

International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining↗

USGS2019

Determination of Antimycin-A in water by liquid chromatographic/mass spectrometry: single-laboratory validation

An LC/MS method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination and confirmation of antimycin-A (ANT-A) in water from lakes or streams. Three different water sample volumes (25, 50, and 250 mL) were evaluated. ANT-A was stabilized in the field by immediately extracting it from water into anhydrous acetone using SPE. The stabilized concentrated samples were then transported to a laboratory and analyzed by LC/MS using negative electrospray ionization. The method was determined to have adequate accuracy (78 to 113% recovery), precision (0.77 to 7.5% RSD with samples ≥500 ng/L and 4.8 to 17% RSD with samples ≤100 ng/L), linearity, and robustness over an LOQ range from 8 to 51 600 ng/L.

Journal of AOAC International↗