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USGS2015

Coastal Change Processes Project data report for observations near Fire Island, New York, January to April 2012

An oceanographic field study during January through April 2012 investigated processes that control the sediment-transport dynamics near Fire Island, New York. This report describes the project background, field program, instrumentation configuration, and locations of the sensors deploymed. The data collected and supporting meteorological observations are presented as time series plots for data visualization. Additionally, individual, links to the database containing digital data files are available as part of this report.

New York↗
USGS2014

Model documentation for relations between continuous real-time and discrete water-quality constituents in Indian Creek, Johnson County, Kansas, June 2004 through May 2013

Johnson County is the fastest growing county in Kansas, with a population of about 560,000 people in 2012. Urban growth and development can have substantial effects on water quality, and streams in Johnson County are affected by nonpoint-source pollutants from stormwater runoff and point-source discharges such as municipal wastewater effluent. Understanding of current (2014) water-quality conditions and the effects of urbanization is critical for the protection and remediation of aquatic resources in Johnson County, Kansas and downstream reaches located elsewhere. The Indian Creek Basin is 194 square kilometers and includes parts of Johnson County, Kansas and Jackson County, Missouri. Approximately 86 percent of the Indian Creek Basin is located in Johnson County, Kansas. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Johnson County Wastewater, operated a series of six continuous real-time water-quality monitoring stations in the Indian Creek Basin during June 2011 through May 2013; one of these sites has been operating since February 2004. Five monitoring sites were located on Indian Creek and one site was located on Tomahawk Creek. The purpose of this report is to document regression models that establish relations between continuously measured water-quality properties and discretely collected water-quality constituents. Continuously measured water-quality properties include streamflow, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and nitrate. Discrete water-quality samples were collected during June 2011 through May 2013 at five new sites and June 2004 through May 2013 at a long-term site and analyzed for sediment, nutrients, bacteria, and other water-quality constituents. Regression models were developed to establish relations between discretely sampled constituent concentrations and continuously measured physical properties to estimate concentrations of those constituents of interest that are not easily measured in real time because of limitations in sensor technology and fiscal constraints. Regression models for 28 water-quality constituents were developed and documented. The water-quality information in this report is important to Johnson County Wastewater because it allows the concentrations of many potential pollutants of interest, including nutrients and sediment, to be estimated in real time and characterized during conditions and time scales that would not be possible otherwise.

Kansas↗
USGS2015

Coastal Change Processes Project data report for oceanographic observations near Fire Island, New York, February through May 2014

An oceanographic field study during February through May 2014 investigated processes that control the sediment-transport dynamics along the western part of Fire Island, New York. This report describes the project background, field program, instrumentation configuration, and locations of the sensors deployed. The data collected, including meteorological observations, are presented as time-series plots for data visualization. Additionally, individual links to the database containing digital data files are available as part of this report.

New York↗
USGS2015

Results from laboratory and field testing of nitrate measuring spectrophotometers

Five ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometer nitrate analyzers were evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF) during a two-phase evaluation. In Phase I, the TriOS ProPs (10-millimeter (mm) path length), Hach NITRATAX plus sc (5-mm path length), Satlantic Submersible UV Nitrate Analyzer (SUNA, 10-mm path length), and S::CAN Spectro::lyser (5-mm path length) were evaluated in the HIF Water-Quality Servicing Laboratory to determine the validity of the manufacturer's technical specifications for accuracy, limit of linearity (LOL), drift, and range of operating temperature. Accuracy specifications were met in the TriOS, Hach, and SUNA. The stock calibration of the S::CAN required two offset adjustments before the analyzer met the manufacturer's accuracy specification. Instrument drift was observed only in the S::CAN and was the result of leaching from the optical path insert seals. All tested models, except for the Hach, met their specified LOL in the laboratory testing. The Hach's range was found to be approximately 18 milligrams nitrogen per liter (mg-N/L) and not the manufacturer-specified 25 mg-N/L. Measurements by all of the tested analyzers showed signs of hysteresis in the operating temperature tests. Only the SUNA measurements demonstrated excessive noise and instability in temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius (°C). The SUNA analyzer was returned to the manufacturer at the completion of the Phase II field deployment evaluation for repair and recalibration, and the performance of the sensor improved significantly. In Phase II, the analyzers were deployed in field conditions at three diferent USGS sites. The measured nitrate concentrations were compared to discrete (reference) samples analyzed by the Direct UV method on a Shimadzu UV1800 bench top spectrophotometer, and by the National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI) method I-2548-11 at the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory. The first deployment at USGS site 0249620 on the East Pearl River in Hancock County, Mississippi, tested the ability of the TriOs ProPs (10-mm path length), Hach NITRATAX (5 mm), Satlantic SUNA (10 mm), and the S::CAN Spectro::lyser (5 mm) to accurately measure low-level (less than 2 mg-N/L) nitrate concentrations while observing the effect turbidity and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) would have on the analyzers' measurements. The second deployment at USGS site 01389005 Passaic River below Pompton River at Two Bridges, New Jersey, tested the analyzer's accuracy in mid-level (2-8 mg-N/L) nitrate concentrations. This site provided the means to test the analyzers' performance in two distinct matrices—the Passaic and the Pompton Rivers. In this deployment, three instruments tested in Phase I (TriOS, Hach, and SUNA) were deployed with the S::CAN Spectro::lyser (35 mm) already placed by the New Jersey Water Science Center (WSC). The third deployment at USGS site 05579610 Kickapoo Creek at 2100E Road near Bloomington, Illinois, tested the ability of the analyzers to measure high nitrate concentrations (greater than 8 mg-N/L) in turbid waters. For Kickapoo Creek, the HIF provided the TriOS (10 mm) and S::CAN (5 mm) from Phase I, and a SUNA V2 (5 mm) to be deployed adjacent to the Illinois WSC-owned Hach (2 mm). A total of 40 discrete samples were collected from the three deployment sites and analyzed. The nitrate concentration of the samples ranged from 0.3–22.2 mg-N/L. The average absolute difference between the TriOS measurements and discrete samples was 0.46 mg-N/L. For the combined data from the Hach 5-mm and 2-mm analyzers, the average absolute difference between the Hach samples and the discrete samples was 0.13 mg-N/L. For the SUNA and SUNA V2 combined data, the average absolute difference between the SUNA samples and the discrete samples was 0.66 mg-N/L. The average absolute difference between the S::CAN samples and the discrete samples was 0.63 mg-N/L.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2015

Summary of oceanographic and water-quality measurements in Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Wells, Maine, in 2013

Suspended-sediment transport is a critical element controlling the geomorphology of tidal wetland complexes. Wetlands rely on organic material and inorganic sediment deposition to maintain their elevation relative to sea level. The U.S. Geological Survey performed observational deployments to measure suspended-sediment concentration and water flow rates in the tidal channels of the wetlands in the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in Wells, Maine. The objective was to characterize the sediment-transport mechanisms that contribute to the net sediment budget of the wetland complex. We deployed a meteorological tower, optical turbidity sensors, and acoustic velocity meters at sites on Stephens Brook and the Ogunquit River between March 27 and December 9, 2013. This report presents the time-series oceanographic and atmospheric data collected during those field studies. The oceanographic parameters include water velocity, depth, turbidity, salinity, temperature, and pH. The atmospheric parameters include wind direction, speed, and gust; air temperature; air pressure; relative humidity; short wave radiation; and photosynthetically active radiation.

Maine↗
USGS2015

Record-high specific conductance and temperature in San Francisco Bay during water year 2014

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has operated a water-quality monitoring network in San Francisco Bay since the late 1980s (Buchanan and others, 2015). This network includes 19 stations in the bay; currently, 8 stations are in operation (fig. 1). All eight stations are equipped with specific conductance (which can be related to salinity) and water-temperature sensors that record measurements at 15-minute intervals. Water quality in the bay constantly changes with the ocean tides and with seasonal and interannual differences in river inflows. Our network was designed to observe and characterize some of these changes in the bay across space and over time. Our data demonstrated a high degree of variability both in specific conductance and temperature at time scales from tidal to annual and also revealed longer term changes that are likely to influence overall environmental health in the bay (San Francisco Estuary Institute, 2014). Figure 1. Locations of fixed water-quality monitoring stations in San Francisco Bay, California, for the 2014 water year (October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014). In water year (WY) 2014 (October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014), our network measured record-high values of specific conductance and water temperature at several stations during a period of very little freshwater inflow from the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and other tributaries because of severe drought conditions in California. This report summarizes our observations for WY2014 and compares them to previous years that had different levels of freshwater inflow.

California↗
USGS2016

Evaluation of the Storm 3 data logger manufactured by WaterLOG/Xylem Incorporated—Results of bench, temperature, and field deployment testing

The Storm 3 is a browser-based data logger manufactured by WaterLOG/Xylem Incorporated that operates over a temperature range of −40 to 60 degrees Celsius (°C). A Storm logger with no built-in telemetry (Storm3-00) and a logger with built-in cellular modem (Storm3-03) were evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF) for conformance to the manufacturer’s specifications with bench tests, for recording data over the device’s operating temperature range with temperature chamber tests, and for field performance with an outdoor deployment test. The procedures followed and the results obtained from the testing are described in this publication. The device met most of the manufacturer’s stated specifications. An exception was power consumption, which was about 10 percent above the manufacturer’s specifications. It was also observed that enabling WiFi doubles the Storm 3’s power consumption. In addition, several logging errors were made by two units during deployment testing, but it could not be determined whether these errors were the fault of the Storm or of an attached sensor.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2016

Jaguar surveying and monitoring in the United States

Because of the jaguar’s ( Panthera onca ) endangered status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 throughout its range (from Arizona in the north to Argentina in the south), jaguar individuals and populations are monitored to varying degrees throughout their range. Knowledge gained from monitoring jaguars is helpful for wildlife managers who are responsible for conserving this species. The University of Arizona (UA) has conducted a multiyear surveying and monitoring effort for jaguars and ocelots in southern Arizona and New Mexico. The purpose of this work was to establish an effective surveying and monitoring system for jaguars along the United States-Mexico border. Surveying and monitoring in this study focused on the United States side of the border, but the methods could also be used in Mexico. The intent was to develop and implement a surveying and monitoring system that would provide the greatest probability of recording jaguar presence in, and passage through, the border area. This project established and implemented a noninvasive system for detecting and monitoring jaguars. The study area incorporates most of the mountainous areas north of the United States-Mexico international border and south of Interstate 10, from the Baboquivari Mountains in Arizona to the Animas Mountains in New Mexico. We used two primary methods to detect exact jaguar locations: paired motion-sensor trail cameras, and genetic testing of large carnivore scat collected in the field. We emphasize that this project used entirely noninvasive methods and no jaguars were captured, radiocollared, baited, or harassed in any way. Scat sample collection occurred during the entire field part of the study, but was intensified with the use of a trained scat detection dog following the first jaguar photo detection event (photo detection event was October 2012, scat detection dog began working January 2013). We also collected weather, vegetation, and geographic information system (GIS) data to analyze in conjunction with photo and video data. The results of this study are intended to aid and inform future management and conservation practices for jaguars and ocelots in this region.

Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas↗
USGS2016

Behavior and movements of adult spring Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) in the Chehalis River Basin, southwestern Washington, 2015

Recent interest in flood control and restoration strategies in the Chehalis River Basin has increased the need to understand the current status and ecology of spring Chinook salmon. Based on the extended period between freshwater entry and spawn timing, spring Chinook salmon have the longest exposure of all adult Chinook salmon life histories to the low-flow and high water temperature conditions that typically occur during summer. About 100 adult spring Chinook salmon were found dead in the Chehalis River in July and August 2009. Adult Chinook salmon are known to hold in cool-water refugia during warm summer months, but the extent to which spring Chinook salmon might use thermal refugia in the Chehalis River is unknown. The movements and temperature exposures of adult spring Chinook salmon following their return to the Chehalis River were investigated using radiotelemetry and transmitters equipped with temperature sensors, combined with water temperature monitoring throughout the basin. A total of 23 spring Chinook salmon were radio-tagged between April and early July 2015; 11 were captured and released in the main-stem Chehalis River, and 12 were captured and released in the South Fork Newaukum River. Tagged fish were monitored with a combination of fixed-site monitoring locations and regular mobile tracking, from freshwater entry through the spawning period. Water temperature and flow conditions in the main-stem Chehalis River during 2015 were atypical compared to historical averages. Mean monthly water temperatures between March and July 2015 were higher than any decade since 1960 and mean daily flows were 30–70 percent of the flows in previous years. Overall, 96 percent of the tagged fish were detected, with a mean of 62 d in the detection history of tagged fish. Of the 11 fish released in the main-stem Chehalis River, six fish (55 percent) moved upstream, either shortly after release (2–7 d, 50 percent), or following a short delay (12–18 d, 50 percent). One fish released in the main-stem Chehalis River remained near the release location for 64 d before moving upstream. The final fates for the seven fish that moved upstream in the main-stem Chehalis River included two fish with unknown fates, two fish with a fate of pre-spawn mortality, and three fish that were assigned a fate of spawner. Four (36 percent) of the radio-tagged Chinook salmon released in the main-stem Chehalis River showed limited movement from their release sites, and were assigned fates of unknown (one fish), pre-spawn mortality (one fish), and spit/mortality (2 fish). The 12 spring Chinook salmon released in the South Fork Newaukum River remained in the South Fork Newaukum River throughout the study period. Five (42 percent) of these fish were actively moving through the spawning period and were assigned a fate of spawner. Seven (58 percent) of these fish were detected for a period following release, but their detection histories ended prior to the spawning period. The fates assigned to these seven fish included two fish with spit/mortality fates and five fish with fates of pre-spawn mortality. Tagged fish in both the Chehalis River and the South Fork Newaukum River showed limited movements during the peak water temperatures in July and August, and were not frequently detected at sites where water temperatures were greater than 21 °C. Pre-spawn mortality due to predation or harvest may be an important factor in the Chehalis River Basin as it was the assigned fate for 27 percent of the fish released in the main-stem Chehalis River and 42 percent of the fish released in the South Fork Newaukum River. This study represents a substantial contribution to the understanding of spring Chinook salmon in the Chehalis River Basin. The water temperatures and flow conditions during the 2015 study period were not typical of the historical conditions in the basin and the numbers of tagged fish monitored was relatively low, so results should be interpreted with those cautions in mind.

Washington↗
USGS2017

Preliminary evaluation of the behavior and movements of adult spring Chinook salmon in the Chehalis River, southwestern Washington, 2014

Recent interest in flood control and restoration strategies in the Chehalis River Basin has increased the need to understand the current status and ecology of spring Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ). Spring Chinook salmon have the longest exposure of all adult Chinook salmon life histories to the low-flow and high water temperature conditions that typically occur during summer. About 100 adult spring Chinook salmon were found dead in the Chehalis River in July and August 2009. Adult Chinook salmon are known to hold in cool-water refugia during warm summer months, but the extent to which spring Chinook salmon might use thermal refugia in the Chehalis River is unknown. A preliminary evaluation of the movements and temperature exposures of adult spring Chinook salmon following their return to the Chehalis River was conducted using radiotelemetry and transmitters equipped with temperature sensors. A total of 12 spring Chinook salmon were captured, radio-tagged, and released in the main-stem Chehalis River between May and late June 2014. Tagged fish were monitored from freshwater entry through the spawning period using a combination of fixedsite monitoring locations and mobile tracking. Water temperature and flow conditions in the main-stem Chehalis River during 2014 were atypical compared to historical averages. Mean monthly water temperatures between March and August 2014 were higher than any decade since 1960 and mean monthly discharge was 90–206 percent of the discharge in previous years. Overall, 92 percent of the tagged fish were detected, with a mean of 102 d in the detection history of tagged fish. Seven tagged fish (58 percent) moved upstream, either shortly after release (5–8 d, 57 percent), or within about a month (34–35 d, 29 percent). One fish (14 percent) remained near the release location for 98 d before moving upstream. The final fates for the seven fish that moved upstream following release included six fish that were assigned a fate of spawner and one fish with an unknown fate. Tagged fish showed limited movements during the peak water temperatures in July and August, and were not frequently detected at sites where water temperatures exceeded 21 °C . The mouths of the Skookumchuck and Newaukum Rivers were commonly used by tagged fish for extended periods during peak water temperatures and study fish with a fate of spawner were last detected in these tributaries. This pilot study represents a substantial contribution to the understanding of spring Chinook salmon in the Chehalis River Basin, and provides information for the design and execution of future evaluations. The water temperatures and flow conditions during the 2014 study period were not typical of the historical conditions in the basin and the numbers of tagged fish monitored was relatively low, so results should be interpreted with those cautions in mind.

Washington↗
USGS2017

Record-high specific conductance and water temperature in San Francisco Bay during water year 2015

The San Francisco estuary is commonly defined to include San Francisco Bay (bay) and the adjacent Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta (delta). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has operated a high-frequency (15-minute sampling interval) water-quality monitoring network in San Francisco Bay since the late 1980s (Buchanan and others, 2014). This network includes 19 stations at which sustained measurements have been made in the bay; currently, 8 stations are in operation (fig. 1). All eight stations are equipped with specific conductance (which can be related to salinity) and water-temperature sensors. Water quality in the bay constantly changes as ocean tides force seawater in and out of the bay, and river inflows—the most significant coming from the delta—vary on time scales ranging from those associated with storms to multiyear droughts. This monitoring network was designed to observe and characterize some of these changes in the bay across space and over time. The data demonstrate a high degree of variability in both specific conductance and temperature at time scales from tidal to annual and also reveal longer-term changes that are likely to influence overall environmental health in the bay. In water year (WY) 2015 (October 1, 2014, through September 30, 2015), as in the preceding water year (Downing-Kunz and others, 2015), the high-frequency measurements revealed record-high values of specific conductance and water temperature at several stations during a period of reduced freshwater inflow from the delta and other tributaries because of persistent, severe drought conditions in California. This report briefly summarizes observations for WY 2015 and compares them to previous years that had different levels of freshwater inflow.

California↗
USGS2018

Leveraging geodetic data to reduce losses from earthquakes

Seismic hazard assessments that are based on a variety of data and the best available science, coupled with rapid synthesis of real-time information from continuous monitoring networks to guide post-earthquake response, form a solid foundation for effective earthquake loss reduction. With this in mind, the Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Natural Hazards Mission Area (NHMA) engages in a variety of undertakings, both established and emergent, in order to provide high quality products that enable stakeholders to take action in advance of and in response to earthquakes. Examples include the National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM), development of tools for improved situational awareness such as earthquake early warning (EEW) and operational earthquake forecasting (OEF), research about induced seismicity, and new efforts to advance comprehensive subduction zone science and monitoring. Geodetic observations provide unique and complementary information directly relevant to advancing many aspects of these efforts (fig. 1). EHP scientists have long leveraged geodetic data for a range of influential studies, and they continue to develop innovative observation and analysis methods that push the boundaries of the field of geodesy as applied to natural hazards research. Given the ongoing, rapid improvement in availability, variety, and precision of geodetic measurements, considering ways to fully utilize this observational resource for earthquake loss reduction is timely and essential. This report presents strategies, and the underlying scientific rationale, by which the EHP could achieve the following outcomes: The EHP is an authoritative source for the interpretation of geodetic data and its use for earthquake loss reduction throughout the United States and its territories. The USGS consistently provides timely, high quality geodetic data to stakeholders. Significant earthquakes are better characterized by incorporating geodetic data into USGS event response products and by expanded use of geodetic imaging data to assess fault rupture and source parameters. Uncertainties in the NSHM, and in regional earthquake models, are reduced by fully incorporating geodetic data into earthquake probability calculations. Geodetic networks and data are integrated into the operations and earthquake information products of the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS). Earthquake early warnings are improved by more rapidly assessing ground displacement and the dynamic faulting process for the largest earthquakes using real-time geodetic data. Methodology for probabilistic earthquake forecasting is refined by including geodetic data when calculating evolving moment release during aftershock sequences and by better understanding the implications of transient deformation for earthquake likelihood. A geodesy program that encompasses a balanced mix of activities to sustain missioncritical capabilities, grows new competencies through the continuum of fundamental to applied research, and ensures sufficient resources for these endeavors provides a foundation by which the EHP can be a leader in the application of geodesy to earthquake science. With this in mind the following objectives provide a framework to guide EHP efforts: Fully utilize geodetic information to improve key products, such as the NSHM and EEW, and to address new ventures like the USGS Subduction Zone Science Plan. Expand the variety, accuracy, and timeliness of post-earthquake information products, such as PAGER (Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response), through incorporation of geodetic observations. Determine if geodetic measurements of transient deformation can significantly improve estimates of earthquake probability. Maintain an observational strategy aligned with the target outcomes of this document that includes continuous monitoring, recording of ephemeral observations, focused data collection for use in research, and application-driven data processing and analysis systems. Collaborate on research, development, and operation of affordable, high-precision seafloor geodetic methods that improve earthquake forecasting and event response. Advance computational techniques and instrumentation to enable use of strategies like repeat-pass imagery and low-cost geodetic sensors for earthquake response, monitoring, and research. Engage stakeholders and collaborate with partner institutions to foster operational and research objectives and to safeguard the continued health of geodetic infrastructure upon which we mutually depend. Maintaining a vibrant internal research program provides the foundation by which the EHP can remain an effective and trusted source for earthquake science. Exploiting abundant new data sources, evaluating and assimilating the latest science, and pursuing novel avenues of investigation are means to fulfilling the EHP’s core responsibilities and realizing the important scientific advances envisioned by its scientists. Central to the success of such a research program is engaging personnel with a breadth of competencies and a willingness and ability to adapt these to the program’s evolving priorities, enabling current staff to expand their skills and responsibilities, and planning holistically to meet shared workforce needs. In parallel, collaboration with external partners to support scientific investigations that complement ongoing internal research enables the EHP to strengthen earthquake information products by incorporating alternative perspectives and approaches and to study topics and geographic regions that cannot be adequately covered internally. With commensurate support from technical staff who possess diverse skills, including engineering, information technology, and proficiency in quantitative analysis combined with basic geophysical knowledge, the EHP can achieve the geodetic outcomes identified in this document.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2018

A comparison of synthetic flowpaths derived from light detection and ranging topobathymetric data and National Hydrography Dataset High Resolution Flowlines

Bathymetric and topobathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) digital elevation models created for the Delaware River were provided to the National Geospatial Program and used to evaluate synthetic flowpath extraction from bathymetric/topobathymetric lidar survey data as a data source for improving the density, distribution, and connectivity of the National Hydrography Dataset High Resolution Flowline Network. As the surface-water component of The National Map, the National Hydrography Dataset maintains the Nation’s drainage network flow information and geometries for surface-water features used in hydrologic, hydraulic, and other science and engineering disciplines. The regional lidar survey for the Delaware River between Hancock, New York, and Trenton, New Jersey, was collected for the U.S. Geological Survey using the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar sensor system and processed by the Coastal National Elevation Database Applications Program. Using 1 percent of the maximum flow accumulation value for the surveyed Delaware River corridor as the flow accumulation threshold for grid cells at 1-, 5-, and 10-meter resolution created 223 to 283 kilometers of synthetic flowpaths potentially representing the river channel thalweg, which is the deepest point in a riverbed cross-section. There was potential for improving the High Resolution National Hydrography Dataset (HR NHD) Flowline network in places where the Delaware River channel, depicted as an Artificial Path in the HR NHD, is offset from the extracted synthetic river flowpath which sometimes appeared better positioned than the Artificial Path to represent the river thalweg. For the same area, using 0.05 percent of the maximum flow accumulation at the 1-, 5-, and 10-meter resolutions extracted 744 to 1,317 kilometers of synthetic flowpaths, with extracted synthetic flowpaths representing the main river channel and additional synthetic flowpaths representing tributaries or streams adjacent to the main channel. Overlaying these results with the HR NHDFlowline Network indicates that some of the additional synthetic flowpaths are connected to or extend HR NHD stream/river feature types. Some disconnected or isolated synthetic flowpaths not included in stream/river feature types were validated in orthoimagery and U.S. Topo Maps and provide examples of how extracted synthetic flowpaths could be used to delineate new stream/river features. Other additional extracted synthetic flowpaths depict linear features such as canals, tree lines, roads, or linear topographic depressions. For some river reaches where obstructions to flow or where low-relief topographic or bathymetric surfaces alter the flow direction, the software tool used to develop the flow direction grid did not calculate a primary flowpath for the river channel. Based on the results of this analysis, site conditions for the Delaware River corridor did not affect the quality of lidar bathymetric survey data. However, depending on the resolution of the lidar bathymetric digital elevation models (BDEMs), site conditions do have different effects on results for extracted synthetic flowpaths. We found that synthetic flowpaths extracted from 1-meter resolution lidar DEMs had more varied flow directions around in-channel landforms that obstructed flow than synthetic flowpaths extracted from 5- or 10-meter resolution lidar DEMs. As a result the 1-meter resolution DEM created some isolated or discontinuous synthetic flowpath segments where the 5- and 10-meter DEMs developed more continuous flowpaths. In this case the river bed upstream from the in-channel obstruction is shallower than the river bed downstream. Under these conditions the 1-meter resolution DEM provided synthetic flowpaths delineating a potential river thalweg. In this same area, the software solution modified (virtually raised) the river bed in the 5- and 10-meter resolution DEMs and flattened the bathymetric surface to create a continuous downstream flow direction, which caused trellis-patterned synthetic flowpaths to form. Under different site conditions and converse to the above development of synthetic flowpaths at different resolutions, at an abandoned river flood plain (terrace) with low relief that is adjacent to the river channel, the flow direction grid for the 1-meter resolution DEM developed continuous synthetic flowpath corresponding to a HR NHD Flowline network stream/river feature that connected to the main river channel but the larger resolution DEMs created isolated or disconnected synthetic flowpaths. A project to continue an evaluation of benefits of or issues caused by extracting synthetic flowpaths to enhance the HR NHD could include a study to assess the potential for merging surface-water flowpaths extracted from lidar topobathymetry and 3D Elevation Program digital elevation models. The merged DEM approach to synthetic flowpath extraction could extend the HR NHDFlowline network and enhance flow accumulations that might develop better flow direction grids in low-relief areas. Because of the confined lateral extent of the Delaware River, the lidar DEMs were not used to create catchments or watersheds; however, the merged DEM approach could also be tested as a resource for enhancing HR NHD catchments and watersheds. This lidar DEM synthetic flowpath extraction project supports the National Geospatial Program efforts to collect and produce high-quality lidar data to provide 3-dimensional representations of natural feature and aligns with the National Spatial Data Infrastructure to improve utilization of geospatial data. The results also can be useful for understanding strategies that can help maintain quality data in the HR NHD programs. KEYWORDS: bathymetric, digital elevation model, extracted synthetic flowpath, lidar, High Resolution National Hydrography Dataset, topobathymetric

New Jersey↗
USGS2018

U.S. Geological Survey continuous monitoring workshop—Workshop summary report

Executive Summary The collection of high-frequency (in other words, “continuous”) water data has been made easier over the years because of advances in technologies to measure, transmit, store, and query large, temporally dense datasets. Commercially available, in-situ sensors and data-collection platforms—together with new techniques for data analysis—provide an opportunity to monitor water quantity and quality at time scales during which meaningful changes occur. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Continuous Monitoring Workshop was held to build stronger collaboration within the Water Mission Area on the collection, interpretation, and application of continuous monitoring data; share technical approaches for the collection and management of continuous data that improves consistency and efficiency across the USGS; and explore techniques and tools for the interpretation of continuous monitoring data, which increases the value to cooperators and the public. The workshop was organized into three major themes: Collecting Continuous Data, Understanding and Using Continuous Data, and Observing and Delivering Continuous Data in the Future. Presentations each day covered a variety of related topics, with a special session at the end of each day designed to bring discussion and problem solving to the forefront. The workshop brought together more than 70 USGS scientists and managers from across the Water Mission Area and Water Science Centers. Tools to manage, assure, control quality, and explore large streams of continuous water data are being developed by the USGS and other organizations and will be critical to making full use of these high-frequency data for research and monitoring. Disseminating continuous monitoring data and findings relevant to critical cooperator and societal issues is central to advancing the USGS networks and mission. Several important outcomes emerged from the presentations and breakout sessions.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2019

Monitoring live vegetation in semiarid and arid rangeland environments with satellite remote sensing in northern Kenya

As part of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) commitment to provide technical assistance to the Kenyan Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the DOI International Technical Assistance Program and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s regional mission in East Africa, created a high spatial and time-sensitive live vegetation monitoring system for NRT. The system built with advanced field and sensor technologies produced directly calibrated and highly accurate satellite mapping that is extendable both forward and backward in time. The maps are produced in a simple 0–100-percent representation of live vegetation status and change over time. The backbone of the mapping is the Sentinel satellite remote sensing systems with 5-day collection frequencies and ground spatial resolutions of 10 meters. The European Space Agency (ESA) offers free Sentinel satellite image data through conveniently accessed websites and free user-friendly image processing software downloadable directly onto a personal workstation. ESA provides free online software support. The mapping capability was extended from the forward mapping of Sentinel back in time with the Landsat satellite remote sensing system that has an available and free data archive back to 1983. Although Landsat has coarser spatial resolution, the Landsat to Sentinel live vegetation mapping comparison supports the use of Landsat to provide NRT the historical recreation of prominent live vegetation changes.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2019

Monitoring storm tide from Hurricane Michael along the northwest coast of Florida, October 2018

Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle, with maximum sustained winds over 160 miles per hour, on October 10, 2018. The maximum recorded storm tide was 15.55 feet above the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88). The elevation of the maximum high-water mark, found in Port St. Joe, Florida, exceeded 20 feet above NAVD 88. The storm tide and winds destroyed much of the tourist town of Mexico Beach and caused extensive damage to the surrounding communities, including Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City Beach, Port St. Joe, and Cape San Blas, Fla. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Federal Emergency Management Agency and Florida Division of Emergency Management, deployed a temporary monitoring network of water-level and barometric pressure sensors at 34 sites along the northwest coast of Florida to record the timing, areal extent, and magnitude of hurricane storm tide generated by Hurricane Michael. A total of 522 high-water marks were recovered and surveyed from 331 sites from Seaside, Fla. to Cedar Key, Fla. The USGS, in cooperation with Federal Emergency Management Agency and Florida Division of Emergency Management, displays real-time water-level data from long-term USGS streamflow stations, rapid deployment gages and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tide-gage stations, updated hourly (or, in some cases, more frequently), through satellite telemetry, on the USGS Flood Event Viewer (https://stn.wim.usgs.gov/FEV/#Michael2018).

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USGS2020

Fate and behavior tools related to inland spill response—Workshop on the U.S. Geological Survey’s role in Federal science support

Executive Summary There is a growing body of tools available for science support for determining the fate and behavior of industrial and agricultural chemicals that are rapidly injected (“spilled”) into aquatic environments. A 2-day roundtable-style workshop was held by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Middleton, Wisconsin, in December 2017 to describe and explore existing Federal science support for spill fate and behavior tools used for inland spills, ongoing and new fate and behavior studies, and science gaps in planning and response tools as part of the USGS Midcontinent Region’s efforts to include spill response as part of its strategic plans. A total of 28 attendees representing a variety of Federal, State, and regional entities presented on programs and tools used in various aspects of spill response. Most programs and tools discussed were for spills in riverine environments but tools and applications for spills in lakes, on land surfaces, in urban storm sewer networks, and groundwater also were discussed. A primary workshop focus was to facilitate communication and increase potential for future collaboration among agencies for inland spill science support. The role and need for more USGS science support within the inland spill community was discussed. Enhanced communication is needed within the USGS and the U.S. Department of the Interior science programs, as well as within and among other agencies that do emergency planning and response. A main conclusion of the workshop was that there are untapped resources of the USGS outlined in the agency’s science strategy that could strengthen science support for fate and behavior tools in inland areas, especially in the Upper Mississippi River, Ohio River, and Great Lakes Basins where large freshwater resources overlap with dense corridors of oil and hazardous substances, with transportation networks, and with large populations centers. Fate and behavior tools are being developed quickly for inland spill response by multiple Federal agencies in partnership with local and regional entities. Applicability of these tools ranges from planning and preparedness, to the early stages of spill response for protection of human life and property, and to the application of monitoring and models to assess the long-term consequences of spills. Key findings from the workshop, with an emphasis on potential further development of USGS science support, include the following: •The national and regional response to spills occurs within an established system that must be respected by all parties involved in spill response. The USGS’s role is to support spill responders who are physically working at a spill scene, deploying booms and using other efforts to contain and recover spilled materials. •The USGS has tools that have been used throughout spill response operations, from early response to recovery and restoration. Developing a more formal role for the USGS to participate in science support for inland spills on a consistent basis is a desired outcome. This will require the USGS to improve internal and external communication and would be best accomplished by assigning one or more coordinator positions within the agency to plan and oversee USGS spill-response efforts. More involvement of the USGS on National and Regional Response Teams, especially in the realm of the Science and Technology Subcommittees, will gofar in increasing external communication and integration of fate and behavior tools. •Rapid response to spills requires modeling and mapping of plumes and associated time-of-travel estimation for a range of stream sizes across the United States. Many existing models use USGS streamgage data and the USGS National Hydrography Dataset. Nearly all existing models would benefit from updated linkages to USGS StreamStats and its soon-to-be released time-of-travel estimates,real-time velocity, stream morphology, and slope data. Integrating USGS tools with those from other agencies could be done to better serve the larger spill response community. • A problem is that existing models to rapidly predict plume extent, as well as more followup/longer-term fate and transport models, can be unknown or unavailable to spill responders. Thus, creating and strengthening linkages among USGS scientists skilled at using these tools is needed to support spill response with the on-scene responders. • Research for inland spill fate and behavior done outside of an immediate spill response can assist with spill planning and preparedness by (1) revealing sites likely to experience spills in the future (high-risk sites) and (2) understanding how a spilled substance might behave under a range of environmental conditions. However, USGS research on this topic has been scarce and subject to funding availability. Examples include the 2010 Line 6B Spill release into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, where the USGS provided science support for a variety of fate and behavior tools for stream and impoundment environments. A long-term research site in Bemidji, Minnesota, provides important insights into transformations and longevity of spilled oil in groundwater and groundwater-surface water interactions. • Linking stream models to other components of this inland environment, including groundwater, overland flow, and karst, is needed. Stream network data can be linked to underground conduits such as storm sewers and karst groundwater systems. Stream models can also be linked with geospatial data such as that contained in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s interactive mapping tools. • The USGS is uniquely qualified to collect water-quality data during spills in the United States because of its many geographically dispersed water science centers, its knowledge and preparedness for flood measurement and documentation, and its cadre of skilled water-quality employees. Rapid-deployment gages, used for floods, could also be used for spills if they included spill-specific sensors. Coordinated expertise at USGS water and environmental science centers can be used for monitoring spill effects and for assessing risk to water quality and ecological communities. • Scientists at the USGS have proven capable of providing science coordination and technical assistance within the Incident Command Structure at the request of the lead on-scene coordinator. This external coordination, as well as internal communication within USGS Water, Hazards, and Ecosystems Mission Areas, could be improved by establishing and naming a USGS spills coordinator. Scott Morlock, Jo Ellen Hinck, and Faith Fitzpatrick are currently (2017) serving in informal coordination roles in addition to their traditional duties.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2020

Measured and calculated nitrate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations and loads at the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam, S-79, south Florida, 2014-17

The U.S. Geological Survey monitored dissolved nitrate plus nitrite as nitrogen (N) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and calculated loads of these constituents at the W.P. Franklin Lock and Dam (S-79) from April 2014 to December 2017. Flows from Lake Okeechobee controlled by S-77, S-78 and S-79 affect water quality in the downstream Caloosahatchee River Estuary, where increased nutrients and dissolved organic matter are of concern. Numerous algal blooms have occurred in the Caloosahatchee River and downstream estuaries in recent years (2005–18) and are often attributed to eutrophication. Dissolved nitrate plus nitrite as N (hereafter, referred to as nitrate) data were collected at 15-minute intervals using a submersible ultraviolet optical nitrate sensor. The instrument data were corrected for interferences, as determined by the relation between instrument measurements and 20 concurrent laboratory values. A surrogate model, based on 36 concurrent measurements of DOC, fluorescence of chromophoric dissolved organic matter, and specific conductance, was developed to calculate DOC at 15-minute intervals. Mean and median calculated nitrate concentrations for the study period (2014–17) were both 0.21 milligram per liter (mg/L). Monthly mean nitrate concentrations ranged from 0.04 mg/L in April 2017 to 0.48 mg/L in November 2015. Monthly mean nitrate concentrations and the proportion of water that was attributed to Lake Okeechobee discharge, released through S-79, were weakly correlated and indicate that the nitrate concentrations typically decreased as the percentage of water released from the lake increased. Annual nitrate loads were 278 metric tons in 2015, 782 metric tons in 2016, and 525 metric tons in 2017. Monthly mean nitrate loads ranged from 1.2 metric tons in April 2017 to 171.3 metric tons in February 2016. Nitrate loads increased linearly with an increase in flow and typically increased during the wet season, May to October. Monthly loads of nitrate were strongly correlated with flow at S-77 and S-79. Mean and median calculated DOC concentrations for the study period were 18.3 mg/L and 18.9 mg/L, respectively. Monthly mean DOC concentrations ranged from 12.6 mg/L in May 2017 to 21.5 mg/L in September 2015. Generally, DOC concentrations were lower during the dry season months (November to April) and higher during the wet season months. Monthly mean DOC concentrations were moderately correlated with monthly mean flow volumes at S-79. There was a strong correlation between monthly mean DOC concentrations and the proportion of water released at S-79 that can be attributed directly to Lake Okeechobee, indicating that contributions between Moore Haven Lock and Dam (S-77) and S-79 have a higher DOC concentration than water released from Lake Okeechobee. Monthly mean nitrate concentrations and monthly mean DOC concentrations were strongly correlated. Annual loads of DOC were 23,960 metric tons in 2015 and 65,610 metric tons in 2016 (2014 and 2017 data were incomplete). Monthly loads of DOC ranged from 284 metric tons in May 2017 to 15,122 metric tons in September 2017, the latter corresponding to the effects from Hurricane Irma. Monthly loads of DOC were strongly correlated with flow at S-77 and S-79.

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