SEARCH · Search USGS

Results for “Soil Conservation”

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 19 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2007

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

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

Environmental & Engineering Geoscience↗

USGS1982

Soil conservation and the reduction of erosion and sedimentation in the Coon Creek basin, Wisconsin

The Coon Creek basin, in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, has been strikingly transformed by soil conservation measures since the 1930's. Comparison of sheet and rill erosion by use of the Universal Soil Loss Equation, shows 1975 erosion rates on upland fields to be about one-fourth those of 1934. Average annual sedimentation accumulation in small reservoirs declined from about 5,000 megagrams per square kilometer in 1936-45 to about 50 megagrams per square kilometer in 1962-75. Analysis of deposition in tributary valleys suggests that annual rates declined from about 3,700 megagrams per square kilometer in the 1930 's to about 35-70 megagrams per square kilometer in recent years. These reductions in erosion and sedimentation are due principally to improvements in land management and, to a lesser degree, to changes in land use. (USGS)

Professional Paper↗

USGS1936

Stream flow, suspended, and dissolved matter in streams on and near soil conservation project, La Crosse, WI

Measurements of stream flow and movement of suspended natter have been obtained at stations on the La Crosse project as indicated below: Little La Crosse River near Leon, Wis. Drainage area 77.1 square miles. The station is in sec. 3, T. 16 N., R. 4 W., 2 miles northwest of Leon, Monroe County; established March 14, 1934; suspended matter determined from April 1, 1934. Coon Creek at Coon Valley, Wis. Drainage area 77.2 square miles. The station is in sec. 7, T. 14 N., R. 5 W., in the village of Coon Valley, Vernon County; established March 16, 1934; suspended matter determined from April 6, 1934. Coon Creek near Stoddard, Wis. Drainage area 115 square miles. The station is in sec. 25, T. 14 N., R. 7 W., 3 1/4 miles east of Stoddard, Vernon County; established March 28, 1934; suspended matter determined from April 6, 1934.

Wisconsin↗

USGS2021

Winter flooding to conserve agricultural peat soils in a temperate climate: Effect on greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential

This study investigated the CO 2 and CH 4 emission rates from agricultural operations on peat soils in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, comparing two common soil management treatments: leaving the field fallow in the winter and flooding the field in winter. Winter flooding is intended to reduce the oxidative loss of soil organic matter to CO 2 , as well as other putative benefits. The goal of the study was to assess if winter flooding lowers overall net carbon loss from the field and if it increases the net CH 4 emissions to a degree that results in a net increase in Global Warming Potential (GWP). The two treatments had similar annual carbon emissions (1.7–1.8 g C/m 2 /d) with the measured annual CO 2 flux rates for both among the highest previously reported, indicating that the flooding treatment did not effectively mitigate subsidence and loss of soil carbon. The flooded treatment had among the highest annual CH 4 emissions previously reported (64.1 mg C/m 2 /d), an order of magnitude greater than that measured on the fallow treatment (5.9 mg C/m 2 /d). Despite the much larger flux of CH 4 from the flooded treatment, when the net carbon export associated with grain harvest and hydrologic transport is included, the differences in the carbon balance and GWP (equivalent to CO 2 emissions of ~775 g C/m 2 /yr) between treatments is insignificant. Total greenhouse gas emissions and GWP of both sites are among the largest previously documented from cultivated peat systems, putting their climatic effect on par with freshwater wetlands, but without the concomitant soil conservation and carbon sequestration benefits of continuous flooding.

Book chapter↗

USGS1994

Permeability of soils in Mississippi

The permeability of soils in Mississippi was determined and mapped using a geographic information system (GIS). Soil permeabilities in Mississippi were determined to range in value from nearly 0.0 to values exceeding 5.0 inches per hour. The U.S. Soil Conservation Service's State Soil Geographic Data Base (STATSGO) was used as the primary source of data for the determination of area-weighted soil permeability. STATSGO provides soil layer properties that are spatially referenced to mapped areas. These mapped areas are referred to as polygons in the GIS. The polygons arc boundaries of soils mapped as a group and are given unique Map Unit Identifiers (MUIDs). The data describing the physical characteristics of the soils within each polygon are stored in a tabular data base format and are referred to as attributes. The U.S. Soil Conservation Service developed STATSGO to be primarily used as a guide for regional resource planning, management, and monitoring. STATSGO was designed so that soil information could be extracted from properties tables at the layer level, combined by component, and statistically expanded to cover the entire map unit. The results of this study provide a mapped value for permeability which is representative of the vertical permeability of soils in that area. The resultant permeability map provides a representative vertical soil permeability for a given area sufficient for county, multi- county, and area planning, and will be used as the soil permeability data component in the evaluation of the susceptibility of major aquifers to contami- nation in Mississippi.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2003

Lichens promote flowering Opuntia fragilis in west-central Wisconsin

Clumps of the cactus Opuntia fragilis growing in association with mats of the lichens Cladina mitis , Cladina rangiferina and a spikemoss, Selaginella rupestris , were discovered in an agricultural field in Pepin County, Wisconsin, that had been abandoned for over 50 y. The association appeared to be beneficial to the cactus, which flowered almost exclusively in the presence of lichens. Of 294 cactus clumps examined in 2001, 127 grew in the presence of lichen mats and, of these, 24 flowered, producing 91 flowers, while none of the cacti growing in the absence of lichens flowered. In 2002, 19 out of 265 cactus clumps flowered, all but one in the presence of lichens. All sizes of cacti in the presence of lichens flowered and the probability of flowering increased with cactus size. In addition, the cacti that flowered had cladodes that were on average 19% heavier than those of cacti that did not flower. The presence of lichens lowered summer soil temperatures 2–4 C compared to soil temperatures in the absence of lichens. Cooler soil temperatures conserve soil moisture better, which may enhance flowering in these cacti.

Wisconsin↗

USGS1972

Compilation of hydrologic data, Little Elm Creek, Trinity River basin, Texas, 1968

The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood and soil erosion reducing measures in Texas under the authority of "The Flood Control Act ot 1936 and 1944" and ''Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. In June 1968, the Soil Conservation Service estimated approximately 3,500 structures to be physically and economically feasible for installation in Texas. As of September 30, 1968, 1,271 of these structures had been built. This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on the surface- and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on water yield and the mode of occurrence of runoff. Hydrologic investigations of these small watersheds were begun by the Geological Survey in 1951 and are now being made in 11 areas (fig. 1). These studies are being made in cooperation with t he Texas Water Development Board, the Soil Conservation Service, the San Antonio River Authority, the city of Dallas, and the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1. The 11 study areas were choson to sample watersheds having different rainfall, topography, geology, and soils. In four of the study areas (Mukewater, North, Little Elm, and Pin Oak Creeks), streamflow and rainfall records were collected prior to construction of the floodwater-retarding structures, thus affording the opportunity for analyses to the conditions before and after" development. Structures have now been built in three of these study areas. A summary of the development of the floodwater-retarding structures on each study area as of September 30, 1968, is shown in table 1.

Texas↗

USGS1971

Annual compilation and analysis of hydrologic data for Pin Oak Creek, Trinity River basin, Texas, 1969

The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood and soil erosion reducing measures in Texas under the authority of "The Flood Control Act of 1936 and 1944" and "Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. The Soil Conservation Service has found a total of approximately 3,500 floodwater-retarding structures to be physically and economically feasible in Texas. As of September 30, 1969, 1,355 of these structures had been built. This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on the natural surface- and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data under natural and developed conditions are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on the yield and mode of occurrence of runoff. Hydrologic investigations of these small watersheds were begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1951 and are now being made in 12 areas (fig. 1). These studies are being made in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, the Soil Conservation Service, the San Antonio River Authority, the city of Dallas, and the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1. The 12 study areas were chosen to sample watersheds having different rainfall, topography, geology, and soils. In five of the study areas (North, Little Elm, Mukewater, North Elm-Little Pond, and Pin Oak Creeks), streamflow and rainfall records were collected prior to construction of the floodwater-retarding structures, thus affording the opportunity for analyses of the conditions "before and after" development. Structures have now been built in three of these study areas. A summary of the development of the floodwater-retarding structures on each study area as of September 30, 1969, is shown in table 1.

Texas↗

USGS1967

Compilation of hydrologic data Green Creek, Brazos River basin, Texas, 1967

The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood and soil erosion reducing measures in Texas under the authority of "The Flood Control Act of 1936 and 1944" and "Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. The Soil Conservation Service has found a total of 3,438 floodwater-retarding structures to be physically and economically feasible in Texas. As of September 30, 1967, 1,196 of these structures had been built. This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on the natural surface- and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data under natural and developed conditions are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on the yield and mode of occurrence of runoff. Hydrologic investigations of these small watersheds, both developed and undeveloped, were begun by the Geological Survey in 1951 and are now being made in 11 areas (fig. 1). These studies are being made in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, the Soil Conservation Service, the San Antonio River Authority, the city of Dallas and the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1. The 11 study areas were chosen to sample watersheds having different rainfall, topography, geology, and soils. In four of the study areas (North, Little Elm, Mukewater, and Pin Oak Creeks), streamflow and rainfall records were collected prior to construction of the floodwater-retarding structures, thus affording the opportunity for analyses of the conditions "before and after" development. Structures have now been built in three of these study areas. A summary of the development of the floodwater-retarding structures in each study area as of September 30, 1967, is shown in table 1.

Texas↗

USGS1972

Annual compilation and analysis of hydrologic data for Honey Creek, Trinity River Basin, Texas, 1970

The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood- and soil-erosion reducing measures in Texas under the authority of "The Flood Control Act of 1936 and 1944" and "Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. The Soil Conservation Service has found a total of approximately 3,500 floodwater-retarding structures to be physically and economically feasible in Texas. As of September 30, 1970, 1,439 of these structures had been built. This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on the natural surface- and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data under natural and developed conditions are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on the yield and mode of occurrence of runoff. Hydrologic investigations of these small watershed study areas were begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1951 and are now being made in 12 areas (fig. 1). These investigations are being made in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, the Soil Conservation Service, the San Antonio River Authority, the city of Dallas, and the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1. The 12 study areas were chosen to sample watersheds having different rainfall, topography, geology, and soils. In five of the study areas (North, Little Elm, Mukewater, Little Pond-North Elm, and Pin Oak Creeks), streamflow and rainfall records were collected prior to construction of the floodwater-retarding structures, thus affording the opportunity for analyses of the conditions 'before and after" development. Structures have now been built in four of these study areas. A summary of the development of the floodwater-retarding structures in each study area as of September 30, 1970, is shown in table 1.

Texas↗

USGS1978

Hydrologic data for North Creek, Trinity River basin, Texas, 1976

The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood- and soil-erosion reducing structures in Texas under the authority of "The Flood Control Act of 1936 and 1944" and Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. The Soil Conservation Service has found that approximately 3,500 floodwater-retarding structures would be physically and economically feasible in Texas. As of September 30, 1976, 1,673 (corrected figure) of these structures had been built. This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on surface- and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data under natural and developed conditions are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on the yield and mode of occurrence of runoff. During the period 1951-62, the U.S. Geological Survey began hydrologic investigations in 12 small watersheds (fig. 1). As of Sept. 30, 1976, data collection in ten of these study areas has been completed and is now in progress in the remaining two. These studies are being made in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, the Soil Conservation Service, the San Antonio River Authority, the city of Dallas, and the Tarrant County Control and Improvement District No. 1. The 12 study areas were chosen to sample watersheds having different rainfall, topography, geology, and soils. In five of the study areas (North, Little Elm, Mukewater, Little Pond-North Elm, and Pin Oak Creeks), streamflow and rainfall records were collected prior to construction of the floodwater-retarding structures, thus affording the opportunity for analyses of the conditions "before and after" development. A summary of the development of the floodwater-retarding structures in each study area as of Sept. 30, 1976, is shown in table 1.

Texas↗

USGS1995

Collection of short papers on Beaver Creek watershed studies in West Tennessee, 1989-94

In 1989, the U.S. Geological Survey began a scientific investigation to evaluate the effect of agricultural activities on water quality and the effectiveness of agricultural best management practices in the Beaver Creek watershed, West Tennessee. The project is being conducted jointly with other Federal, State, county agencies, the farming community, and academic institutions, in support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Hydrologic Unit Area program. The Beaver Creek project has evolved into a long-term watershed assessment and monitoring program. In 1991, a grant was received to develop and evaluate sampling strategies for higher order streams. During the summer of 1992, a reconnaissance of water-quality conditions for the shallow aquifers in Shelby, Tipton, Fayette, and Haywood Counties was conducted and included 89 domestic wells in the Beaver Creek watershed. Results from this effort lead to the development of a 1-year program to evaluate cause- and-effect relations that can explain the observed water-quality conditions for the shallow aquifers in the watershed. In 1992 the USGS, in cooperation with the Soil Conservation Service and the Shelby County Soil Conservation District, began an evaluation of in-stream processes and in-stream resource-management systems. In 1993, a biomonitoring program was established in the watershed. This collection of eight articles and abstracts was originally published in the American Water Resources Association National Symposium on Water Quality Proceedings for the national conference held in Chicago in 1994 and describes what has been learned in the study to date.

Tennessee↗

USGS1970

Floods of December 1966 in southwestern Utah

Severe floods occurred in parts of southwestern Utah on December 5-6, 1966, as a result of precipitation of about 1 inch to more than 12 inches during December 3-6. The flood on the Virgin River was the greatest since the first settlers arrived in 1860. The peak discharge of the Virgin River at Virgin, Utah, was 22,830 cubic feet per second on December 6; this exceeded the previous maximum discharge of 13,500 cubic feet per second on March 3, 1938, and September 17, 1961, and probably has a recurrence interval of 100 years. At eight other gage sites in the flood area, the peak discharge in December 1966 was the highest of record; the recurrence intervals of some of the peak discharges may be 100 years. The flood peaks were generally of short duration and most streams receded to near base flow within 24 hours. The dissolved-solids content was significantly lower in the Virgin River at Virgin than at St. George, about 25 miles downstream; the water was of the calcium sulfate type at both sites. Data for the Santa Clara River above Winsor Dam and the Santa Clara River near Santa Clara show a significant increase in dissolved solids between the two sites. The water above Winsor Dam was of the calcium bicarbonate type, and the water near Santa Clara was of the calcium bicarbonate sulfate type. The suspended-sediment discharge, during the period December 5-8, 1966, at Santa Clara River above Winsor Dam, near Santa Clara was about foyer times greater than all the suspended-sediment discharge during the preceding 3 years ; the suspended-sediment discharge of the Virgin River at Virgin was greater during the 4-day period than during any one of the preceding 3 years. Nearly all the flood damage in the area occurred in the Virgin River basin. According to the Soil Conservation Service, total damage in the Dixie Soil Conservation District in Washington County was about $835,000; 60 percent of the damage was caused by floodwater and 40 percent by deposited sediment.

Utah↗

USGS1970

Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA)

This is a polygon coverage of the Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the conterminous United States. Land resource regions are geographic areas that are characterized by a particular pattern of soils, climate, water resources and land uses. (USDA, Soil Conservation Service, 1981). Major land resource areas are subregions of the land resource regions and comprise smaller homogeneous areas. The scale of this coverage is 1:2,000,000. Note: The Soil Conservation Service now (1995) is called the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Report↗

USGS2007

Natural restoration of degraded rangeland ecosystem in Heshan hilly land

This study examined the 20-yr trend of natural restoration of a degraded rangeland ecosystem after disturbance in Heshan hilly land. The results showed that herbs and shrubs were the dominant plants in the community and only a small number of the shade-intolerant tree species had invaded, showing the characteristics of assembly of pioneer communities. The organic matter content, soluble nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium had recovered to the level of the local climax community. Part of the ecological functions such as water and soil conservation had also recovered. While the functions of water and soil conservation recovered first, more time was needed for productivity and other functions to completely recover, suggesting the idiosyncratic nature of different ecosystem variables in response to time and microclimate change. Particularly, nutrient cycling recovered very slowly by natural restoration and artificial plantation may be necessary to accelerate the restoration process. ?? 2007 Ecological Society of China.

Acta Ecologica Sinica↗

USGS1969

Compilation of hydrologic data, Honey Creek, Trinity River Basin, Texas, 1967

Texas↗

USGS1971

Annual compilation and analysis of hydrologic data for Calaveras Creek, San Antonio River basin, Texas 1970

Texas↗

USGS1971

Annual compilation and analysis of hydrologic data for Honey Creek, Trinity River Basin, Texas, 1969

The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood and soil erosion reducing measures in Texas under the authority of ''The Flood Control Act of 1936 and 1944" and ''Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. The Soil Conservation Service has found a total of approximately 3,500 floodwater-retarding structures to be physically and economically feasible in Texas. As of September 30, 1969, 1,355 of these structures had been built. This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on the natural surface- and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data under natural and developed conditions are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on the yield and mode of occurrence of runoff .

Texas↗