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Research about Missouri

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Missouri.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
USGS2002

Base (100-year) flood elevations for selected sites in Livingston County, Missouri

The primary criteria for community participation in the National Flood Insurance Program is the adoption and enforcement of floodplain management requirements that minimize the potential for flood damages to existing and proposed development in flood-hazard areas. This report provides base flood elevations (BFE) for a 100-year recurrence-interval flood for use in the management and regulation of 18 flood-hazard areas designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as approximate Zone A areas in Livingston County, Missouri. The one-dimensional surface-water flow models HEC-RAS and Water-Surface PROfile (WSPRO) were used to compute base (100-year) flood elevations for 18 Zone A sites. The HEC-RAS model was used at BFE sites 1 to 6, 9, 10, and 15 to 18. The WSPRO model was used at BFE sites 7, 8, and 11 to 14. The 18 sites are all located in Livingston County, Missouri, at U.S., State, or County road crossings, and the base flood elevation was determined at the upstream side of each crossing. The base (100-year) flood elevations for BFE 1, 2, and 3 on Shoal Creek at Dawn and Shoal Creek Drainage Ditch near Dawn are 701.0, 701.0, and 696.5 feet, respectively. The base (100-year) flood elevations for BFE 4 and 5 on Indian Branch near Sampsel and a tributary to Indian Branch near Sampsel are 711.7 and 755.4 feet, respectively. Site BFE 6 is located on Honey Creek near Farmersville and the base (100-year) flood elevation for this site is 730.8 feet. One site (BFE 7) is located on No Creek near Farmersville. The base (100-year) flood elevation for this site is 731.3 feet. Site BFE 8 is located on Crooked Creek near Chillicothe and the base (100-year) elevation is 716.4 feet. One site (BFE 9) is located on a tributary to Coon Creek at Chillicothe. The base (100-year) flood elevation for this site is 734.9 feet. Two sites (BFE 10 and 11) are located on Blackwell Branch at Chillicothe. The base (100-year) flood elevation for BFE 10 is 738.9 feet and for BFE 11 is 701.7 feet. The base (100-year) flood elevation for BFE 12 on Medicine Creek near Chula is 721.7 feet. Sites BFE 13 and 15 are on Muddy Creek and for BFE 14 is on Little Muddy Creek near Chula. The base (100-year) flood elevations for BFE 13 and 15 are 733.0 and 717.9 feet, respectively and for BFE 14 is 734.6 feet. Downstream from BFE 12 is site BFE 16 on Medicine Creek near Wheeling. The base (100-year) flood elevation for site BFE 16 is 686.1 feet. One site (BFE 17) is located on Campbell Creek near Bedford. The base (100-year) flood elevation at this site is 691.8 feet. Site BFE 18 is located on Towstring Creek near Hale. The base (100-year) flood elevation for site BFE 18 is 667.4 feet.

Missouri↗
USGS2002

Spent shot availability and ingestion on areas managed for mourning doves

Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) hunting is becoming increasingly popular, especially in managed shooting fields. Given the possible increase in the availability of lead (Pb) shot on these areas, our objective was to estimate availability and ingestion of spent shot at the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area (EBCA, hunted with nontoxic shot) and the James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area (JARWA, hunted with Pb shot) in Missouri. During 1998, we collected soil samples one or 2 weeks prior to the hunting season (prehunt) and after 4 days of dove hunting (posthunt). We also collected information on number of doves harvested, number of shots fired, shotgun gauge, and shotshell size used. Dove carcasses were collected on both areas during 1998-99. At EBCA, 60 hunters deposited an estimated 64,775 pellets/ha of nontoxic shot on or around the managed field. At JARWA, approximately 1,086,275 pellets/ha of Pb shot were deposited by 728 hunters. Our posthunt estimates of spent-shot availability from soil sampling were 0 pellets/ha for EBCA and 6,342 pellets/ha for JARWA. Our findings suggest that existing soil sampling protocols may not provide accurate estimates of spent-shot availability in managed dove shooting fields. During 1998-99, 15 of 310 (4.8%) mourning doves collected from EBCA had ingested nontoxic shot. Of those doves, 6 (40.0%) contained a?Y7 shot pellets. In comparison, only 2 of 574 (0.3%) doves collected from JARWA had ingested Pb shot. Because a greater proportion of doves ingested multiple steel pellets compared to Pb pellets, we suggest that doves feeding in fields hunted with Pb shot may succumb to acute Pb toxicosis and thus become unavailable to harvest, resulting in an underestimate of ingestion rates. Although further research is needed to test this hypothesis, our findings may partially explain why previous studies have shown few doves with ingested Pb shot despite their feeding on areas with high Pb shot availability.

Missouri↗
USGS2001

Growth and development of larval green frogs (Rana clamitans) exposed to multiple doses of an insecticide

Our objective was to determine how green frogs ( Rana clamitans ) are affected by multiple exposures to a sublethal level of the carbamate insecticide, carbaryl, in outdoor ponds. Tadpoles were added to 1,000-l ponds at a low or high density which were exposed to carbaryl 0, 1, 2, or 3 times. Length of the larval period, mass, developmental stage, tadpole survival, and proportion metamorphosed were used to determine treatment effects. The frequency of dosing affected the proportion of green frogs that reached metamorphosis and the developmental stage of tadpoles. Generally, exposure to carbaryl increased rates of metamorphosis and development. The effect of the frequency of carbaryl exposure on development varied with the density treatment; the majority of metamorphs and the most developed tadpoles came from high-density ponds exposed to carbaryl 3 times. This interaction suggests that exposure to carbaryl later in the larval period stimulated metamorphosis, directly or indirectly, under high-density conditions. Our study indicates that exposure to a contaminant can lead to early initiation of metamorphosis and that natural biotic factors can mediate the effects of a contaminant in the environment.

Missouri↗
USGS2001

Fuel model selection for BEHAVE in midwestern oak savannas

BEHAVE, a fire behavior prediction system, can be a useful tool for managing areas with prescribed fire. However, the proper choice of fuel models can be critical in developing management scenarios. BEHAVE predictions were evaluated using four standardized fuel models that partially described oak savanna fuel conditions: Fuel Model 1 (Short Grass), 2 (Timber and Grass), 3 (Tall Grass), and 9 (Hardwood Litter). Although all four models yielded regressions with R 2 in excess of 0.8, Fuel Model 2 produced the most reliable fire behavior predictions.

Missouri↗
USGS2001

A standardized sampling protocol for channel catfish in prairie streams

Three alternative gears—an AC electrofishing raft, bankpoles, and a 15-hoop-net set—were used in a standardized manner to sample channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus in three prairie streams of varying size in three seasons. We compared these gears as to time required per sample, size selectivity, mean catch per unit effort (CPUE) among months, mean CPUE within months, effect of fluctuating stream stage, and sensitivity to population size. According to these comparisons, the 15-hoop-net set used during stable water levels in October had the most desirable characteristics. Using our catch data, we estimated the precision of CPUE and size structure by varying sample sizes for the 15-hoop-net set. We recommend that 11–15 repetitions of the 15-hoop-net set be used for most management activities. This standardized basic unit of effort will increase the precision of estimates and allow better comparisons among samples as well as increased confidence in management decisions.

Missouri↗
USGS2001

Genetic variation in insecticide tolerance in a population of southern leopard frogs (Rana sphenocephala): Implications for amphibian conservation

Currently, conservation efforts are devoted to determining the extent and the causes of the decline of many amphibian species worldwide. Human impacts frequently degrade amphibian habitat and have been implicated in many declines. Because genetic variance is critical in determining the persistence of a species in a changing environment, we examined the amount of genetic variability present in a single population for tolerance to an environmental stressor. We examined the amount of genetic variability among full- and half-sib families in a single population of southern leopard frogs ( Rana sphenocephala ) with respect to their tolerance to lethal concentrations of the agricultural chemical, carbaryl. Analysis of time-to-death data indicated significant differences among full-sib families and suggests a large amount of variability present in the responses to this environmental stressor. Significant differences in responses among half-sib families indicated that there is additive genetic variance. These data suggest that this population may have the ability to adapt to environmental stressors. It is possible that declines of amphibian populations in the western United States may be attributed to low genetic variability resulting from limited migration among populations and small population sizes.

Missouri↗
USGS2001

Biomonitoring for deposited sediment using benthic invertebrates: A test on 4 Missouri streams

The response of stream benthic invertebrates to surficially deposited fine sediment was investigated in 4 Missouri streams. Twenty to 24 sampling sites in each stream were selected based on similarities of substrate particle-size distributions, depths, and current velocities but for differences in amounts of deposited sediment, which ranged from 0 to 100% surface cover. Deposited sediment was quantified 2 ways: a visual estimate of % surface cover, and a measurement of substrate embeddedness, which were highly correlated with each other and with the amount of sand. Invertebrates were collected using a kicknet for a specified time in a 1-m2 area. Five commonly used biomonitoring metrics (taxa richness, density, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera [EPT] richness, EPT density, and EPT/Chironomidae richness) were consistently significantly correlated across streams to deposited sediment. Shannon diversity index, Chironomidae richness, Chironomidae density, a biotic index, and % dominant taxon did not relate to increasing levels of deposited sediment. Tolerance values representing taxa responses to deposited sediment were developed for 30 taxa. Deposited-sediment tolerance values were not correlated with biotic index tolerance values, indicating a different response by taxa to deposited sediment than to organic enrichment. Deposited-sediment tolerance values were used to develop the Deposited Sediment Biotic Index (DSBI). The DSBI was calculated for all samples (n = 85) to characterize sediment impairment of the sampled streams. DSBI values for each site were highly correlated with measures of deposited sediment. Model validation by a resampling procedure confirmed that the DSBI is a potentially useful tool for assessing ecological effects of deposited sediment.

Missouri↗
USGS2001

Geologic maps and cross sections of mine levels at the Pea Ridge iron mine, Washington County, Missouri

This geologic mapping and interpretation of the Pea Ridge iron mine, Missouri, is part of a cooperative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Land Survey (DGLS), under the auspices of the USGS Midcontinent Strategic and Critical Minerals Project. The goal of the Pea Ridge study is to compare the Middle Proterozoic iron deposits of Missouri with the Middle Proterozoic Olympic Dam deposit and similar deposits of the Stuart Shelf, South Australia. This effort developed from work by Sims and others (1987), who recognized the many similarities between the St. Francois terrane in southeastern Missouri and the Stuart Shelf and also the potential for Olympic Dam-type deposits in the Middle Proterozoic granite-rhyolite terranes of the Midcontinent. Detailed descriptions of the map units are given in Nuelle and others (1992). Results of stable-isotope, fluid-inclusion, and traceelement studies that focus on the origin of the ore deposit are presented in Day and others (1991, 1992, and 1993), Sidder and others (1991, 1993a, b), and Cordell and others (1993).

Missouri↗
USGS2001

Numerical simulation of streamflow distribution, sediment transport, and sediment deposition along Long Beach Creek in Northeast Missouri

This report presents the results of a study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation to describe the hydrology, sediment transport, and sediment deposition along a selected reach of Long Branch Creek in Macon County, Missouri. The study was designed to investigate spatial and temporal characteristics of sediment deposition in a remnant forested riparian area and compare these factors by magnitude of discharge events both within and outside the measured range of flood magnitudes. The two-dimensional finite-element numerical models RMA2-WES and SED2D-WES were used in conjunction with measured data to simulate streamflow and sediment transport/deposition characteristics during 2-, 5-, 10-, and 25-year recurrence interval floods. Spatial analysis of simulated sediment deposition results indicated that mean deposition in oxbows and secondary channels exceeded that of the remaining floodplain areas during the 2-, 5-, 10-, and 25-year recurrence interval floods. The simulated mass deposition per area for oxbows and secondary channels was 1.1 to 1.4 centimeters per square meter compared with 0.1 to 0.60 centimeters per square meter for the remaining floodplain. The temporal variability of total incremental floodplain deposition during a flood was found to be strongly tied to sediment inflow concentrations. Most floodplain deposition, therefore, occurred at the beginning of the streamflow events and corresponded to peaks in sediment discharge. Simulated total sediment deposition in oxbows and secondary channels increased in the 2-year through 10-year floods and decreased in the 25- year flood while remaining floodplain deposition was highest for the 25-year flood. Despite increases in sediment inflows from the 2-year through 25-year floods, the retention ratio of sediments (the ratio of floodplain deposition to inflow load) was greatest for the 5-year flood and least for the 25-year flood. The decrease in retention ratio at greater flows is likely the result of higher velocities on the floodplain, resulting in higher bed shear stress, greater suspension time of deposited material, and greater sediment transport through the system. Simulated sediment deposition was most sensitive to sediment inflow concentrations and modification of floodplain roughness—factors that can be controlled through management practices. The increase in floodplain sediment deposition resulting from a simulated increase in vegetation density (increase in floodplain roughness from a Manning's n of 0.11 to 0.12) was 142,000 kilograms, or 6.5 percent for a 10-year recurrence interval flood. This increase was comparable to total oxbow and secondary channel deposition mass in the simulations, but would result in a mean increase in floodplain deposition thickness of only 0.025 centimeter. The hydrodynamic model results show the importance of the secondary channels and meander cutoff channels in this system because these areas quickly bring floodwaters and sediment to areas not close to the main channel. The meander cutoff channels in the simulation also effectively decrease flow and velocities in some main channel sections thereby affecting sediment deposition in the vicinity of these features.

Missouri↗
USGS2001

Stratigraphy and vertical hydraulic conductivity of the St. Francois confining unit in townships 25-27 N. and ranges 01-02 W., southeastern Missouri

The St. Francois confining unit (DerbyDoerun Dolomite and Davis Formation) lies beneath the Ozark aquifer (Jefferson City Dolomite to the Potosi Dolomite) and impedes the circulation of water between the overlying Ozark aquifer and the underlying St. Francois aquifer (Bonneterre Formation and Lamotte Sandstone). The Bonneterre Formation is the potential host formation for lead-zinc deposits in the area. There is concern that mine dewatering in the Bonneterre Formation could lower water levels in the Ozark aquifer. To address this concern, the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the St. Francois confining unit in six townships (T. 25-27 N. and R. 01- 02 W.) of Oregon, Carter, and Ripley Counties of southeastern Missouri was evaluated by describing the stratigraphy and measuring the vertical hydraulic conductivity of core samples. The Davis Formation is an intrashelf basin facies consisting of a series of shales interbedded with shaley limestones, shale-free limestones, and local dolostones, and ranges from 24 to 320ft (feet) thick, but typically the thickness is 100 to 200 ft. Shale-dominant sequences can be tens of feet thick, and contain as much as 90 percent shale. Carbonate-dominant zones may be 70 ft thick or greater. The top of the Davis Formation (based on 56 data points) ranges from 620 to 2,022 ft deep and ranges in altitude from 40ft below sea level in the northern part of the study area to 1, 182 ft below sea level in the southern part of the study area. The Derby-Doerun Dolomite represents a pair of superimposed carbonate ramp cycles. Where present, the basal shaley sequence represents a transition with the Davis Formation. The formation (based on 50 data points) ranges from 50 to 386ft thick, but typically is 120 to 180ft thick in the study area. The top of the DerbyDoerun Dolomite ranges from 495 to 2,020 ft deep (based on 53 data points), and ranges in altitude from 85 ft above sea level to 94 7 ft below sea level. The St. Francois confining unit is thickest in the central and southern parts of the study area. The thickness, as determined by 51 core logs that completely penetrate the unit, ranges from less than 200ft in the northwestern and east-central parts of the study area to 411 ft in the central part, but typically ranges from 270 to 340 ft. The net shale thickness of the confining unit (based on 29 data points) ranges from 1. 7 ft in the east -central part of the study area to 89 ft in the southwest part. These net shale thickness values include the cumulative shale thickness of rock from the top of the Derby-Doerun Dolomite to the base of the False Davis. Vertical hydraulic conductivities of 35 rock core samples from the St. Francois confining unit in the study area range from 7.6 x 10 -15 to 2.1 x 10 -10 ft/s (foot per second). The logarithmic transformed vertical hydraulic conductivities of the Derby-Doerun Dolomite and Davis Formation are similar (p-value = 0.073) using the statistical twosample t-test; however, this p-value approaches the level of significance value of 0.05. The vertical hydraulic conductivity of the Derby-Doerun Dolomite is larger and less variable than the Davis Formation. When grouped by rock type, the vertical hydraulic conductivity of samples that contain carbonate, shale, or both carbonate and shale, are similar. A comparison on the ranked data using the Mann-Whitney test shows the confining unit in the study area is statistically different (p-value = 0.020) from the confining unit in the prospecting area (west and adjacent to the study area). The median value of the vertical hydraulic conductivity data from the study area (6.7 x 10 -13 ft/s) is three times larger than the median vertical hydraulic conductivity value for the prospecting area (2.2 x 10 -13 ft/s ). The interquartile range shows that the variability of the study area data spans one order of magnitude (2.0 x 10 -13 to 2.2 x 10 -12 ft/s) and that the corresponding data from the prospecting area spans nearly two orders of magnitude (3.2 x 10 -14 to 1.1 x 10 -12 ft/s). The ranked vertical hydraulic conductivities of the Derby-Doerun Dolomite in the two areas are statistically similar (p-value = 0.514). The median vertical hydraulic conductivity of the study area data ( 1.2 X 10 -12 ft/s) is about three times greater than the median value of the prospecting area data (4.4 x 10 -13 ft/s). The variability of the data, as shown by the interquartile range, is less in the study area (5.5 x 10 -13 to 2.2 x 10 -12 ft/s; spanning less than one order of magnitude) as compared to the prospecting area (3.2 x 10 -14 to 6.3 x 10 -10 ft/s; spanning over four orders of magnitude). The ranked vertical hydraulic conductivities of the Davis Formation in the two areas show these data sets are statistically similar (p-value = 0.076). The median vertical hydraulic conductivity value of study area samples ( 4.5 x 10 -13 ft/s) is three times greater than the median value of the prospecting area data (1.6 x 10 -13 ft/s). The interquartile range of the study area data spans one order of magnitude (1.2 x 10 -13 to 1.4 x 10 -12 ft/s) and the corresponding data from the prospecting area spans nearly 1.5 orders of magnitude (3.2 x 10 -14 to 7.4 x 10 -13 ft/s). The Mann-Whitney test shows the ranked vertical hydraulic conductivities of each rock type from the study area are statistically similar to the same rock type in the prospecting area [carbonates (p-value = 0.225), shales (p-value = 0.668), and carbonates and shales (p-value = 0.227)]. However, in each of the three cases the study area samples have larger median values and less variability than the prospecting area samples. Because the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the various rock types of the confining unit in the study area are statistically similar, the entire carbonate-shale thickness is the primary factor determining the effectiveness of the confining unit. The range of effective vertical hydraulic conductivity of the St. Francois confining unit in the study area using appropriate minimum and maximum thickness, net shale thickness, and vertical hydraulic conductivities is 3 X 10 -13 to 2 X 10 -12 ft/s. The vertical hydraulic conductivity of the confining unit is small, and the confining unit effectively impedes the ground-water flow between the Ozark aquifer and the St. Francois aquifer, unless preferred- path secondary permeability has developed along faults and fractures that extend through the confining unit.

Missouri↗
USGS2000

Sediment loads and accumulation in a small riparian wetland system in northern Missouri

Sediment transport and deposition along a stream in an agricultural basin (65 km 2 ) in northern Missouri, USA were quantified as part of a long-term study to evaluate effects of silvicultural practices on the hydrology, sediment, vegetation, and wildlife characteristics of remaining forested riparian systems. Median cumulative sediment deposition, measured using feldspar clay pads, increased from August 1995 to August 1998 at a rate of about 1 cm/yr. Median deposition amounts from single floods ranged from 0.03 cm to 0.64 cm. Floodplain and riparian maintenance flows corresponded to monitored floods with calculated recurrence intervals as low as <2 years. Simple linear regression models, using flood event suspendedsediment load or streamflow characteristics, explained up to 82 percent of variability in median event sediment deposition on the floodplain clay pads. There was little apparent correlation between cumulative shortterm deposition and site elevation, distance from channel, longitudinal distance, or fluvial landform type. This may be due to upstream channelization, floodplain complexity, short duration of events, or sedimentload characteristics of low-recurrence interval floods (<2 to 5 years) sampled in this study. Dendrogeomorphic measurements indicated a substantial increase in the mean rate of deposition on the Long Branch Creek floodplain from about 1950 through 1980. Eighty-nine percent of the clay pad monitoring sites and all dendrogeomorphic monitoring sites experienced net positive deposition emphasizing the role of this riparian area as a net sediment storage site.

Missouri↗
USGS2000

Correspondence of stream benthic invertebrate assemblages to regional classification schemes in Missouri

Benthic invertebrates from 44 reference streams throughout the state of Missouri were examined for their concordance with established regionalization systems, both aquatic and terrestrial. Invertebrate assemblages coincided nicely with Pflieger's established aquatic faunal regions system, expanding its generality to more than fish assemblages. Our benthic invertebrate and Pflieger's fish assemblages coincided well with both Bailey's ecological sections and Omernik's ecoregions. Subregionalization using Pflieger's subregions and Bailey's subsections further reduced unexplained variation and is recommended for use wherever possible. The concordance of the aquatic fauna and terrestrial features implies the possibility of coordinated regional management among different natural resource disciplines.

Missouri↗
USGS2000

Microbiological and chemical quality of ground water used as a source of public supply in southern Missouri — Phase II, April–July, 1998

The protection of public health through quality public ground-water systems is the responsibility of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Missouri, through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Public Drinking Water Program. Approximately 95 percent of the public-water supplies in Missouri use ground water as their source of drinking water through more than 3,700 public wells. Karst terrain, intensive agricultural operations, extensive numbers of on-site sewage systems, and poor well construction can lead to chemical and microbiological contamination of the contributing aquifers. Sitespecific studies and routine regulatory monitoring have produced information on the overall quality and potability of the State's public-drinking-water supplies, but little is known about the presence of viruses. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, sampled 109 public-water supplies to characterize the physical, chemical, bacterial, and viral conditions in southern Missouri. During April to July 1998, these wells were sampled for nutrients, total organic carbon, optical brighteners, indicator bacteria, enteric viruses, and ribonucleic acid and somatic coli phages. These constituents indicate possible surface contamination of the sampled aquifer. Selection of the wells to be sampled depended on the age of the well (pre-1970), land use, geohydrology, and well construction. None of the physical or chemical constituents measured or analyzed exceeded Missouri's Drinking Water Standards set by the Public Drinking Water Program of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The majority of ammonia plus organic nitrogen, nitrite, and phosphorus concentrations were below the laboratory's minimum reporting levels. There were a greater number of detects above the minimum reporting level with respect to the nitrite plus nitrate, ammonia, orthophosphate, and total organic carbon concentrations. Analyses included comparing and contrasting the data by grouping according to well age and construction, karst type, geohydrology, soil type, and land use. There was little variation in well construction between selected wells. The results indicated several groupings of similar and dissimilar concentrations, most expected because of hydrological, physical, or land use differences. Dissolved oxygen values indicated distinct variation in the different groupings. There were significant differences in dissolved oxygen values between the secondary and non-karst areas, the Ozark confined and Ozark unconfined geohydrologic groups, and between agricultural and other land uses. In groupings by soil and geohydrology, the Missouri bootheel region differed with respect to ammonia, total organic carbon, and phosphorus when compared with the other groups. Less than 10 percent of the wells sampled tested positive for bacterial contamination. E. coli was the most frequently detected bacterium. The public wells at Monett and West Plains, Missouri, had plates with colonies too numerous to count for all three indicator bacteria. Further analyses by rRNA (ribosomal RiboNucleic Acid) hybridization techniques detennined that much of the bacteria present were from ruminant and human sources. No enteric viruses were detected in the 109 samples. Both ribonucleic acid and somatic coliphage were detected at two wells. One additional well had ribonucleic acid coliphage and another had somatic coliphage for a total of four wells with coliphage selects.

Missouri↗