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Research about Georgia

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Georgia.

At least 541 records · Page 30Linked to original sources
USGS1979

Seismicity map of the State of Georgia

The earthquake data shown on this map and listed in table 1 are a list of earthquakes that were originally used in preparing the Seismic Risk Studies in the United States (Algermissen, 1969) which have been recompiled and updated through 1977. The data have been reexamined and intensities assigned where none had been assigned before, on the basis of available data. Other intensity values were updated from new and additional data sources that were not available at the time of original compilation. Some epicenters were relocated on the basis of new information. The data shown in table 1 are estimates of the most accurate hypocenter, magnitude, and intensity of each earthquake, on the basis of historical and current information. Known or suspected explosions are listed in table 1 but are not plotted on the seismicity map. The data in table 1 were used to compile the seismicity map. The latitude and longitude were rounded to the nearest tenth of a degree and sorted so that all identical locations were grouped together and counted. A triangle represents the epicenter plotted to a tenth of a degree. The number of earthquakes at each location is shown on the map by the number to the right of the triangle. A Roman numeral to the left of a triangle is the maximum Modified Mercalli intensity (Wood and Neumann, 1931) of all earthquakes located at that geographic position. The absence of an intensity value indicates that no intensities have been assigned to earthquakes at that location. A year shown below a triangle is the latest year for which the maximum intensity was recorded.

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Ground-water levels and quality data for Georgia, 1978

Mean water levels in wells across Georgia were from 0.25 foot higher to 11.4 feet lower in 1978 than in 1977, and in some areas were the lowest on record. Water levels in the principal artesian aquifer underwent a long-term decline during the period 1969-78. In some areas water levels dropped more than 10 feet. Wells tapping the Clayton Limestone in the Albany area showed a long-term decline during the period 1969-78, and in some wells water levels dropped more than 20 feet. Water levels in the Cretaceous aquifer system showed little fluctuation during 1978; however, in a well located in Chattahoochee County, water levels declined 4.4 feet during 1969-78. In the Piedmont area mean water levels remained the same to 2.2 feet lower in 1978 than in 1977, and showed no long-term trend. Chloride concentrations in the principal artesian aquifer in the Savannah area remained stable and in the Brunswick area continued to rise during 1978. Daily mean water-level fluctuations and trends for 1978 and fluctuations of the monthly mean water level for the previous 10 years are shown in hydrographs of 33 selected observation wells in Georgia. Chloride concentrations in 11 wells in the Savannah and Brunswick areas are shown in graphs of monthly values over the previous 10 years. A short narrative explains fluctuations and trends in each of the hydrographs and chloride concentration graphs shown. (Woodard-USGS)

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Modeling highly transient flow, mass, and heat transport in the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, Georgia

A coupled flow-temperature model has been developed and verified for a 27.9-km reach of the Chattahoochee River between Buford Dam and Norcross, Ga. Flow in this reach of the Chattahoochee is continuous but highly regulated by Buford Dam, a flood-control and hydroelectric facility located near Buford, Ga. Calibration and verification utilized two sets of data collected under highly unsteady discharge conditions. Existing solution techniques, with certain minor improvements, were applied to verify the existing technology of flow and transport modeling. A linear, implicit finite-difference flow model was coupled with implicit, finite-difference transport and temperature models. Both the conservative and nonconservative forms of the transport equation were solved, and the difference in the predicted concentrations of dye were found to be insignificant. The temperature model, therefore, was based on the simpler nonconservative form of the transport equation. (Woodard-USGS)

Georgia↗
USGS1979

An economic analysis of selected strategies for dissolved oxygen management: Chattahoochee River, Georgia

Using the Chattahoochee River as an example, a method for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies for dissolved oxygen (DO) management is demonstrated. The conceptual framework for the analysis is suggested by the economic theory of production. The minimum flow of the River and the percentage of the total waste inflow receiving nitrification are considered to be two variable inputs to be used in the production of a given minimum concentration of DO in the River. Each of the inputs has a cost: the loss of dependable peak hydroelectric generating capacity at Buford Dam associated with flow augmentation and the cost associated with nitrification of wastes. The least-cost combination of minimum flow and waste treatment to achieve a prescribed minimum DO concentration is identified. Results indicate that, in some instances, the waste assimilative capacity of the Chattahoochee River can be substituted for increased waste treatment with the associated savings in waste treatment costs more than offsetting the benefits foregone due to the loss of peak generating capacity at Buford Dam. The sensitivity of the results to the estimates of the cost of replacing peak generating capacity is examined. It is also demonstrated that a flexible approach to the management of DO in the Chattahoochee River may be much more cost-effective than a more rigid, institutional approach wherein constraints are placed on the flow of the River and/or waste treatment practices.

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Geology and industrial mineral resources of the Macon-Gordon kaolin district, Georgia

The Macon-Gordon kaolin district is about 80 miles (130 km) southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. It extends across the boundary between, and includes parts of, the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain physiographic provinces. The rocks in the Piedmont are mainly intensely folded sericite schist and granite gneiss containing irregular masses of amphibolite and feldspathic biotite gneiss and scattered igneous intrusive rocks. Most of the crystalline rocks are thought to be of Paleozoic age, but some of the intrusive rocks may be younger. The crystalline rocks are cut by a major unconformity and are overlain by sedimentary formations ranging in age from Cretaceous to Miocene. The valuable kaolin deposits occur in the Cretaceous beds, undivided, and in the Huber Formation which is of Paleocene to middle Eocene age. The resources of kaolin in the district are estimated in millions of metric tons as follows: reserves, 100; subeconomic resources, 700 to 900; undiscovered resources, probably 700 to 1,000. In addition to kaolin, the leading mineral commodity mined in the district, crushed stone and sand are now being produced, and fuller's earth and a minor amount of limestone were formerly produced. The crushed stone is quarried from igneous rocks in the Piedmont province. The sand is washed from the Cretaceous beds, undivided. The fuller's earth was mined from the Twiggs Clay Member of the Barnwell Formation, and limestone was dug from the Tivola Limestone.

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Impact of flow regulation and powerplant effluents on the flow and temperature regimes of the Chattahoochee River— Atlanta to Whitesburg, Georgia

A calibrated and verified transient flow-temperature model was used to evaluate the effects of flow regulation and powerplant loadings on the natural temperature regime of the Chattahoochee River in northeast Georgia. Estimates were made of both instantaneous and average natural temperatures in the river during an 8-day period in August 1976. Differences between the computed average natural temperature and an independent estimate of natural temperature based on observed equilibrium temperatures were less than 0.5°C. Downstream of the powerplants, the combined thermal effects of flow regulation and powerplant effluents resulted in mean daily river temperatures about equal to or less than computed mean natural temperatures. Thus the thermal impact of heated effluents was offset by the cooling effects of structural regulation. An independent analysis of historical river- and air-temperature data, although considerably less accurate than model computations, provided substantially the same result. The range and rates of change of computed natural diurnal temperature fluctuations were considerably less than those in the river at the time of this study in 1976. The models also were used to simulate summer river temperatures using estimated year 2000 flow conditions and meteorologic data collected during 1976. Except during periods of peak water-supply demand, differences between computed year 2000 river temperatures and observed 1976 temperatures were less than 2°C.

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Modeling highly transient flow, mass, and heat transport in the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, Georgia

A coupled flow-temperature model has been developed and verified for a 27.9-km reach of the Chattahoochee River between Buford Dam and Norcross, Ga. Flow in this reach of the Chattahoochee is continuous but highly regulated by Buford Dam, a flood-control and hydroelectric facility located near Buford, Ga. Calibration and verification utilized two sets of data collected under highly unsteady discharge conditions. Existing solution techniques, with certain minor improvements, were applied to verify the existing technology of flow and transport modeling. The linear, implicit finite-difference flow model was calibrated by use of a depth profile obtained at steady low flow and unsteady flow data obtained in March 1976. During the calibration period, the model was generally able to reproduce observed stages to within 0.15 m and discharges at less than 100 m 3 /s, to within 5 percent. Peak discharges of about 200 m 3 /s were under-estimated by about 20 percent. During the verification period, October 1975, the flow model reproduced observed stage changes to within about 0.15 m, and its timing and over-all performance was considered to be very good. Dye was added to the upstream end of the river reach at a constant rate while the river flow was highly unsteady. The numerical solution of either the conservative or nonconservative form of the mass-transport equation did an excellent job of simulating the observed concentrations of dye in the river. The temperature model was capable of predicting temperature changes through this reach of as large as 5.8?C with a RMS (root-mean-square) error of 0.32?C in October 1975 and 0.20?C in March 1976. Hydropulsation has a significant effect on the water temperature below Buford Dam. These effects are very complicated because they are quite dependent on the timing of the release with respect to both the time of day and past releases.

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Water resources data for Georgia, water year 1978

Water resources data for the 1978 water year for Georgia consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, and stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This report contains discharge records for 101 gaging stations; stage for 10 gaging stations; stage and contents for 16 lakes and reservoirs; water quality for 18 continuous stations and 114 periodic stations; and peak stage and discharge only for 96 crest-stage partial-record stations and 15 miscellaneous sites. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State and Federal agencies in Georgia.

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Geohydrology of Brooks, Lowndes, and western Echols Counties, Georgia

The principal artesian aquifer, a limestone of Eocene to Miocene age, is the main source of water supply for Brooks, Lowndes, and western Echols Counties in south Georgia. Pumpage of about 22 million gallons perday from this prolific aquifer has not posed any problems regarding declining water levels or depletion of the reservoir. However, water-quality problems do occur in the Valdosta area. Seepage-run measurements indicate that the Withlacoochee River north of Valdosta contributes an average of 112 cubic feet per second of water to caverns and sinkholes that recharge the aquifer. Wells near the recharge area withdraw relatively unfiltered water with iron concentration and color intensity exceeding standards for drinking water. South of Valdosta, water from the aquifer contains as much as 3.0 milligrams per liter of hydrogen sulfide, rendering the water unfit for drinking. Water high in sulfate concentration occurs below 550 feet in the lower part of the aquifer in Valdosta, and is assumed to be present at that depth throughout the study area. Generally, sufficient quantities of freshwater can be obtained without drilling to this depth.

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Floods in Georgia, magnitude and frequency: Techniques for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods in Georgia with compilation of flood data through 1974

Regional relations are defined for estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods having recurrence intervals of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 years on streams with natural flow in Georgia. Multiple-regression analyses were used to define the relationship between the flood-discharge frequency of annual peak discharges for streams draining 0.1 to 1,000 square miles and 10 climatological and physical basin characteristics. The analyses indicate that the drainage area of the basin is the most significant characteristic. Five regions having distinct flood-discharge frequency characteristics are delineated. Individual relations of flood magnitude and frequency to drainage area are given for parts of the main stems of the major rivers without significant regulation draining more than 1,000 square miles. (Kosco-USGS)

Georgia↗
USGS1979

The effect of nitrification in the oxygen balance of the Upper Chattahoochee River, Georgia

Oxygen consumption as a result of nitrification, and carbonaceous bacterial oxidation were compared in a 108 kilometer reach of the Chattahoochee River, Georgia. Nitrogenous and carbonaceous oxygen consumption were separated by using an inhibitor of nitrification 1-allyl-2-thiourea. The comparison was conducted in the laboratory using samples collected from the water column. Nitrification accounted for 38 to 52 percent of the total oxygen consumption. Nitrifying bacteria were enumerated from the same reach of the river. The population of Nitrosomonas ranged from 10 to 1,000 per milliliter in the water column and 100 to 100,000 per gram of benthic sediment. The nitrobacter population ranged from 10 to 100 per milliliter in the water column and 100 to 1,000 per gram in the benthic sediment. The concentration of ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate as N was determined from water samples collected throughout the study reach. The average rate of ammonium disappearance and of nitrate appearance was 0.02 milligram per liter per hour of flow time. (Woodard-USGS)

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Magnitudes, nature, and effects of point and nonpoint discharges in the Chattahoochee River Basin, Atlanta to West Point Dam, Georgia

During the period April 1975 to June 1978, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a river-quality assessment of the Upper Chattahoochee River basin in Georgia. One objective of the study was to assess the magnitudes, nature, and effects of point and non-point discharges in the Chattahoochee River basin from Atlanta to the West Point Dam. On an average annual basis and during the storm period of March 1215, 1976, non-point-source loads for most constituents analyzed were larger than point-source loads at the Whitesburg station, located on the Chattahoochee River about 40 river miles downstream of Atlanta. Most of the non-point-source constituent loads in the Atlanta-to-Whitesburg reach were from urban areas. Average annual point-source discharges accounted for about 50 percent of the dissolved nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus loads, and about 70 percent of the dissolved phosphorus loads at Whitesburg. During weekends, power generation at the upstream Buford Dam hydroelectric facility is minimal. Streamflow at the Atlanta station during dry-weather weekends is estimated to be about 1,200 ft3/s (cubic feet per second). Average daily dissolved-oxygen concentrations of less than 5.0 mg/L (milligrams per liter) occurred often in the river, about 20 river miles downstream from Atlanta during these periods from May to November. During a low-flow period, June 1-2, 1977, five municipal point sources contributed 63 percent of the ultimate biochemical oxygen demand, 97 percent of the ammonium nitrogen, 78 percent of the total nitrogen, and 90 percent of the total phosphorus loads at the Franklin station, at the upstream end of West Point Lake. Average daily concentrations of 13 mg/L of ultimate biochemical oxygen demand and 1.8 mg/L of ammonium nitrogen were observed about 2 river miles downstream from two of the municipal point sources. Carbonaceous and nitrogenous oxygen demands caused dissolved-oxygen concentrations between 4.1 and 5.0 mg/L to occur in a 22-mile reach of the river downstream from Atlanta. Nitrogenous oxygen demands were greater than carbonaceous oxygen demands in the reach from river mile 303 to 271, and carbonaceous demands were greater from river mile 271 to 235. The heat load from the Atkinson-McDonough thermoelectric power-plants caused a decrease in the dissolved-oxygen concentrations of about 0.2 mg/L. During a critical low-flow period, a streamflow at Atlanta of about 1,800 ft3/s, with present (1977) point-source flows of 185 ft3/s containing concentrations of 45 mg/L of ultimate biochemical oxygen demand and 15 mg/L of ammonium nitrogen, results in a computed minimum dissolved-oxygen concentration of 4.7 mg/L in the river downstream from Atlanta. In the year 2000, a streamflow at Atlanta of about 1,800 ft3/s with point-source flows of 373 ft3/s containing concentrations of 45 mg/L of ultimate biochemical oxygen demand and 5.0 mg/L of ammonium nitrogen, will result in a computed minimum dissolved-oxygen concentration of 5.0 mg/L. A streamflow of about 1,050 ft3/s at Atlanta in the year 2000 will result in a dissolved-oxygen concentration of 5.0 mg/L if point-source flows contain concentrations of 15 mg/L of ultimate biochemical oxygen demand and 5.0 mg/L of ammonium nitrogen. Phytoplankton concentrations in West Point Lake, about 70 river miles downstream from Atlanta, could exceed 3 million cells per milliliter during extended low-flow periods in the summer with present point- and non-point-source nitrogen and phosphorus loads. In the year 2000, phytoplankton concentrations in West Point Lake are not likely to exceed 700,000 cells per milliliter during extended low-flow periods in the summer, if phosphorus concentrations do not exceed 1.0 mg/L in point-source discharges.

Georgia↗
USGS1979

Satellites monitor Atlanta regional development

Since the adoption of a Regional Development Plan in 1975, the Atlanta Regional Commission has investigated methods for monitoring regional development patterns in a periodic, efficient manner. A promising approach appears to be the use of Landsat satellite data. In cooperation with the Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center, the commission used machine processing of digital temporal overlays of Landsat data collected in 1972, 1974 and 1976 to detect land use and land cover changes in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Results of the analysis revealed the conversion of forested and open space areas to residential, commercial and industrial land use in the urban-rural fringe zone from 1972 to 1974 and from 1974 to 1976. The study indicated that a land use and land cover change-detection program may be used to revise small-area forecasts of land use, population and employment made by planning models.

Atlanta, Georgia↗