Geology topics

Phillip R. Bowman

Publications and source records attributed to Phillip R. Bowman.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2002

Effects of wildfire on the hydrology of Frijoles and Capulin canyons in and near Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

In June 1977, the La Mesa wildfire burned 15,270 acres in and near Frijoles Canyon in Bandelier National Monument (BNM) and the adjacent Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. In April 1996, the Dome wildfire in BNM burned 16,516 acres in and near Capulin Canyon and the surrounding Dome Wilderness area. Both Frijoles and Capulin Canyon watersheds are characterized by archeological artifacts that could be affected by increased runoff and accelerated rates of erosion, which typically occur after a fire. In response to this concern, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Park Service, conducted a study to monitor and document the wildfire effects on streamflow after the 1996 Dome fire.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS2000

Ground-water flow and water quality of the Indian Island well field near Grand Island, Nebraska, 1994-95

Ground water is the principal source of water for public and self-supplied domestic use in Nebraska. Ground water supplied about 235 Mgal/d (million gallons per day) in 1990, or about 78 percent of the estimated public-water supply in Nebraska. In addition, ground water supplied about 1,017 Mgal/d, or about 83 percent of the irrigation water in the Platte River Valley (Nebraska Natural Resources Commission, 1994). Withdrawing ground water in the valley induces recharge from the river and has the potential to change ground-water quality near the river where many public-supply wells are located. The Platte River alluvial aquifer, which underlies the Platte River Valley (fig. 1), is the single most important source of water for public supply in central and eastern Nebraska. The aquifer, which is part of the High Plains aquifer, consists of stream-laid deposits of sand and gravel with discontinuous layers of clay and silt, and is connected hydraulically to the Platte River. The aquifer provides about 117 Mgal/d, or nearly 50 percent of the total daily ground-water production for Nebraska (Nebraska Natural Resources Commission, 1994). The aquifer also supplies water to Nebraska's largest cities including Kearney, Grand Island, Lincoln, and Omaha.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS1991

Hydrologic data for a study of pre-Illinoian glacial till in Linn County, Iowa, water year 1990

Hydrologic data for a study of pre-lllinoian glacial till were collected during the 1990 water year at a site in Linn County, Iowa. A hydrologic-data-collection network, consisting of 22 observation wells and a meteorological station, was installed at the site to describe the hydraulic properties of the till. Recorders were installed on 12 of the wells to continuously monitor water levels. Rainfall at the study site from April to October 1990, totaled 35.49 inches. The greatest monthly rainfall (13.15 inches) occurred in June. The greatest daily rainfall (6.00 inches) occurred on June 16. For the 16 wells less than 50 feet in depth, the highest water levels were recorded during the 4 months of greatest rainfall (May-August 1990). Water levels in the four deepest wens, completed in unconsolidated material, rose throughout the data-collection period. One well had water levels greater than the top of the well casing for most of the period from mid-May to mid-September 1990. A water-quality minimonitor was installed on one observation well near the top of the water table to monitor temporal changes in groundwater quality. For April through September 1990, the daily mean specific conductance ranged from 705 to 864 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius, the daily mean water temperature ranged from 5.2 to 15.6 degrees Celsius, and the daily median pH remained nearly constant at 7.0 to 7.2 standard units. Ten unvented, vibrating-wire, pressure transducers with internal thermistors were buried in two boreholes at upgradient and downgradient locations to record hydraulic pressure arid water temperature at selected depths.

Iowa↗