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At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

The effect of residential development on ground-water quality near Detroit, Michigan

Two water-quality studies were done on the outskirts of the Detroit metropolitan area to determine how recent residential development has affected ground-water quality. Pairs of monitor and domestic wells were sampled in areas where residential land use overlies glacial outwash deposits. Young, shallow waters had significantly higher median concentrations of nitrate, chloride, and dissolved solids than older, deeper waters. Analysis of chloride/bromide ratios indicates that elevated salinities are due to human activities rather than natural factors, such as upward migration of brine. Trace concentrations of volatile organic compounds were detected in samples from 97 percent of the monitor wells. Pesticides were detected infrequently even though they are routinely applied to lawns and roadways in the study area. The greatest influence on ground-water quality appears to be from septic-system effluent (domestic sewage, household solvents, water-softener backwash) and infiltration of stormwater runoff from paved surfaces (road salt, fuel residue). No health-related drinking-water standards were exceeded in samples from domestic wells. However, the effects of human activities are apparent in 76 percent of young waters, and at depths far below 25 feet, which is the current minimum well-depth requirement.Two water-quality studies were done on the outskirts of the Detroit metropolitan area to determine how recent residential development has affected ground-water quality. Pairs of monitor and domestic wells were sampled in areas where residential land use overlies glacial outwash deposits. Young, shallow waters had significantly higher median concentrations of nitrate, chloride, and dissolved solids than older, deeper waters. Analysis of chloride/bromide ratios indicates that elevated salinities are due to human activities rather than natural factors, such as upward migration of brine. Trace concentrations of volatile organic compounds were detected in samples from 97 percent of the monitor wells. Pesticides were detected infrequently even though they are routinely applied to lawns and roadways in the study area. The greatest influence on ground-water quality appears to be from septic-system effluent (domestic sewage, household solvents, water-softener backwash) and infiltration of stormwater runoff from paved surfaces (road salt, fuel residue). No health-related drinking-water standards were exceeded in samples from domestic wells. However, the effects of human activities are apparent in 76 percent of young waters, and at depths far below 25 feet, which is the current minimum well-depth requirement.

Michigan

Chemistry and origin of minor and trace elements in vitrinite concentrates from a rank series from the eastern United States, England, and Australia

A rank series consisting of twelve vitrinite concentrates and companion whole-coal samples from mined coal beds in the eastern United States, England, and Australia were analyzed for C, H, N, O, ash, and 47 trace and minor elements by standard elemental, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), and direct-current-arc spectrographic (DCAS) techniques. The reflectance of vitrinite, atomic H:C and O:C, and ash-free carbon data were used to determine ranks that range from high-volatile C bituminous coal to meta-anthracite. A van Krevelen (atomic H:C vs. O:C) diagram of the vitrinite concentrates shows a smooth curve having its lowest point at H:C = 0.18 and O:C = 0.01. This improves the van Krevelen diagram by the addition of our vitrinite concentrate from meta-anthracite from the Narragansett basin of New England. Boron content (400–450 ppm) in two Illinois basin vitrinite concentrates was about an order of magnitude higher than B contents in other concentrates analyzed. We attribute this to marine origin or hydrothermal activity. The alkaline-earth elements Ca, Mg and Ba (DCAS) have higher concentrations in our vitrinite concentrates from bituminous coals of the Appalachian basin, than they do in vitrinite concentrates from the marine-roofed bituminous coals of the Illinois basin; therefore, a nonmarine origin for these alkaline-earth elements is postulated for the Appalachian basin coals. An ion-exchange mechanism due to high concentrations of these elements as ions in diagenetic water, but probably not recent ground water, may be responsible for the relatively high values of these elements in Appalachian concentrates. Higher concentrations of Ni and Cr in one of the English vitrinite concentrates and of Zr in the Australian concentrate probably indicate organic association and detrital influence, respectively.

International Journal of Coal Geology

Pesticide residues in ground water of the San Joaquin Valley, California

A regional assessment of non-point-source contamination of pesticide residues in ground water was made of the San Joaquin Valley, an intensively farmed and irrigated structural trough in central California. About 10% of the total pesticide use in the USA is in the San Joaquin Valley. Pesticides detected include atrazine, bromacil, 2.4-DP, diazinon, dibromochloropropane, 1,2-dibromoethane, dicamba, 1,2-dichloropropane, diuron, prometon, prometryn, propazine and simazine. All are soil applied except diazinon. Pesticide leaching is dependent on use patterns, soil texture, total organic carbon in soil, pesticide half-life and depth to water table. Leaching is enhanced by flood-irrigation methods except where the pesticide is foliar applied such as diazinon. Soils in the western San Joaquin Valley are fine grained and are derived primarily from marine shales of the Coast Ranges. Although shallow ground water is present, the fewest number of pesticides were detected in this region. The fine-grained soil inhibits pesticide leaching because of either low vertical permeability or high surface area; both enhance adsorption on to solid phases. Soils of the valley floor tend to be fine grained and have low vertical permeability. Soils in the eastern part of the valley are coarse grained with low total organic carbon and are derived from Sierra Nevada granites. Most pesticide leaching is in these alluvial soils, particularly in areas where depth to ground water is less than 30m. The areas currently most susceptible to pesticide leaching are eastern Fresno and Tulare Counties. Tritium in water molecules is an indicator of aquifer recharge with water of recent origin. Pesticide residues transported as dissolved species were not detected in non-tritiated water. Although pesticides were not detected in all samples containing high tritium, these samples are indicative of the presence of recharge water that interacted with agricultural soils.

Journal of Hydrology

Natural groundwater recharge in an upland area of central North Dakota, U.S.A.

The magnitude of groundwater recharge to coal aquifers in a 150-km 2 area in west-central North Dakota was determined using three separate approaches: (1) the net water level rise in water-table wells; (2) calculations of the fluid flux between nested piezometers, using the Darcy equation and measured values of hydraulic conductivity and vertical gradients; and (3) evaluation of the inputs to and outputs from the coal aquifer, using a steady-state control volume approach in which the aquifer was divided into semi-rectangular cells bounded by equipotential lines and flow lines. Measurements of potential gradients and hydraulic conductivity permitted indirect determination of all components of flow into and out of the cell except the recharge input, which was determined by difference. All methods yielded consistent results on the order of 0.04-0.01 m yr. −1 These values, which represent 2–9% of the annual precipitation, are consistent with results of other studies on recharge throughout the prairies of North America. Evaluation of site hydrology and stable-isotope data indicates that recharge is restricted in both time and place. Most recharge occurs in late spring and in the fall following heavy rainfall events. During these seasons the ground is not frozen and vegetation is not transpiring large amounts of water. Some recharge may occur during very heavy localized summer storms, but it is not considered volumetrically significant. Major permanent depressions on the site are a source of significant recharge. In addition, the extensive area of ephemeral standing water bodies that result from snowmelt can produce significant amounts of infiltration over the entire site.

central North Dakota

Overwinter distribution of northern pintail populations in North America

Northern pintails ( Anas acuta ) exist as a single circumpolar breeding population but display weak fidelity to given breeding sites. If fidelity to wintering areas is strong, management on wintering grounds may allow local winter populations to increase. Thus, I delineated reference areas for wintering areas based on recovery data for pintails banded during the winter (Dec-Feb) in the United States. Fidelity to these reference areas varied with the strongest fidelity observed for pintails banded in areas along coastal areas or near large bodies of water such as western Washington-northwestern Oregon, central California, northwestern Utah, the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast, and the Greater Chesapeake Bay Region. My analysis suggests that pintails occurred in distinct wintering populations and that wintering ground affiliations to certain areas appear to be more stable population units than breeding ground affiliations. Consequently, winter banding programs may be useful in monitoring survival of specific wintering populations of concern.

North America

Establishing a baseline of estuarine submerged aquatic vegetation resources across salinity zones within coastal areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Coastal ecosystems are dynamic and productive areas that are vulnerable to effects of global climate change. Despite their potentially limited spatial extent, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) beds function in coastal ecosystems as foundation species, and perform important ecological services. However, limited understanding of the factors controlling SAV distribution and abundance across multiple salinity zones (fresh, intermediate, brackish, and saline) in the northern Gulf of Mexico restricts the ability of models to accurately predict resource availability. We sampled 384 potential coastal SAV sites across the northern Gulf of Mexico in 2013 and 2014, and examined community and species-specific SAV distribution and biomass in relation to year, salinity, turbidity, and water depth. After two years of sampling, 14 species of SAV were documented, with three species (coontail [Ceratophyllum demersum], Eurasian watermilfoil [Myriophyllum spicatum], and widgeon grass [Ruppia maritima]) accounting for 54% of above-ground biomass collected. Salinity and water depth were dominant drivers of species assemblages but had little effect on SAV biomass. Predicted changes in salinity and water depths along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast will likely alter SAV production and species assemblages, shifting to more saline and depth-tolerant assemblages, which in turn may affect habitat and food resources for associated faunal species.

Gulf of Mexico

Post-fire interactions between soil water repellency, soil fertility and plant growth in soil collected from a burned piñon-juniper woodland

Woody plant encroachment can increase nutrient resources in the plant-mound zone. After a fire, this zone is often found to be water repellent. This study aimed to understand the effects of post-fire water repellency on soil water and inorganic nitrogen and their effects on plant growth of the introduced annual Bromus tectorum and native bunchgrass Pseudoroegneria spicata. Plots centered on burned Juniperus osteosperma trees were either left untreated or treated with surfactant to ameliorate water repellency. After two years, we excavated soil from the untreated and treated plots and placed it in zerotension lysimeter pots. In the greenhouse, half of the pots received an additional surfactant treatment. Pots were seeded separately with B. tectorum or P. spicata. Untreated soils had high runoff, decreased soilwater content, and elevated NO3eN in comparison to surfactant treated soils. The two plant species typically responded similar to the treatments. Above-ground biomass and microbial activity (estimated through soil CO2 gas emissions) was 16.8-fold and 9.5-fold higher in the surfactant-treated soils than repellent soils, respectably. This study demonstrates that water repellency can influence site recovery by decreasing soil water content, promoting inorganic N retention, and impairing plant growth and microbial activity.

Utah

Publications of the Western Earth Surface Processes Team, 1999

The Western Earth Surfaces Processes Team (WESPT) of the U.S. Geological Survey, Geologic Division (USGS, GD), conducts geologic mapping and related topical earth- science studies in the western United States. This work is focused on areas where modern geologic maps and associated earth-science data are needed to address key societal and environmental issues such as ground-water quality, potential geologic hazards, and land-use decisions. Areas of primary emphasis currently include southern California, the San Francisco Bay region, and the Pacific Northwest. The team has its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, and maintains field offices at several other locations in the western United States. The results of research conducted by the WESPT are released to the public as a variety of databases, maps, text reports, and abstracts, both through the internal publication system of the USGS and in diverse external publications such as scientific journals and books. This report lists publications of the WESPT released in 1999 as well as additional 1997 and 1998 publications that were not included in the previous list (USGS Open-file Report 99-302). Most of the publications listed were authored or coauthored by WESPT staff. The list also includes some publications authored by non-USGS cooperators with the WESPT, as well as some authored by USGS staff outside the WESPT in cooperation with WESPT projects.

Open-File Report

Trinity River Basin, Texas

In 1991 the Trinity River Basin National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) will include assessments of surface-water and ground-water quality. Initial efforts have focused on identifying water-quality issues in the basin and on the environmental factors underlying those issues. Physical characteristics described include climate, geology, soils, vegetation, physiography, and hydrology. Cultural characteristics discussed include population distribution, land use and land cover, agricultural practices, water use, an reservoir operations. Major water-quality categories are identified and some of the implications of the environmental factors for water quality are presented.

Texas

High precision relocation of earthquakes at Iliamna Volcano, Alaska

In August 1996, a period of elevated seismicity commenced beneath Iliamna Volcano, Alaska. This activity lasted until early 1997, consisted of over 3000 earthquakes, and was accompanied by elevated emissions of volcanic gases. No eruption occurred and seismicity returned to background levels where it has remained since. We use waveform alignment with bispectrum-verified cross-correlation and double-difference methods to relocate over 2000 earthquakes from 1996 to 2005 with high precision (~ 100 m). The results of this analysis greatly clarify the distribution of seismic activity, revealing distinct features previously hidden by location scatter. A set of linear earthquake clusters diverges upward and southward from the main group of earthquakes. The events in these linear clusters show a clear southward migration with time. We suggest that these earthquakes represent either a response to degassing of the magma body, circulation of fluids due to exsolution from magma or heating of ground water, or possibly the intrusion of new dikes beneath Iliamna's southern flank. In addition, we speculate that the deeper, somewhat diffuse cluster of seismicity near and south of Iliamna's summit indicates the presence of an underlying magma body between about 2 and 4 km depth below sea level, based on similar features found previously at several other Alaskan volcanoes.

Alaska

Comparative study of transport processes of nitrogen, phosphorus, and herbicides to streams in five agricultural basins, USA

Agricultural chemical transport to surface water and the linkage to other hydrological compartments, principally ground water, was investigated at five watersheds in semiarid to humid climatic settings. Chemical transport was affected by storm water runoff, soil drainage, irrigation, and how streams were linked to shallow ground water systems. Irrigation practices and timing of chemical use greatly affected nutrient and pesticide transport in the semiarid basins. Irrigation with imported water tended to increase ground water and chemical transport, whereas the use of locally pumped irrigation water may eliminate connections between streams and ground water, resulting in lower annual loads. Drainage pathways in humid environments are important because the loads may be transported in tile drains, or through varying combinations of ground water discharge, and overland flow. In most cases, overland flow contributed the greatest loads, but a significant portion of the annual load of nitrate and some pesticide degradates can be transported under base-flow conditions. The highest basin yields for nitrate were measured in a semiarid irrigated system that used imported water and in a stream dominated by tile drainage in a humid environment. Pesticide loads, as a percent of actual use (LAPU), showed the effects of climate and geohydrologic conditions. The LAPU values in the semiarid study basin in Washington were generally low because most of the load was transported in ground water discharge to the stream. When herbicides are applied during the rainy season in a semiarid setting, such as simazine in the California basin, LAPU values are similar to those in the Midwest basins. Copyright ?? 2008 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

Journal of Environmental Quality

Movements of walleyes tagged in eastern Lake Erie

In May, October and November of 1968, 2,456 walleyes of various ages were captured, tagged and released in eastern Lake Erie to determine seasonal movement of walleyes in that basin and the degree to which they intermingled with fish of the central and western basins. From 1968 to 1971, 275 of the tagged fish were recovered. Walleyes tagged in the spring on spawning grounds near Barcelona (N.Y.) moved northeasterly along the shore soon after spawning and spent the summer near the Buffalo-Niagara River Inlet area. Later returns indicated that they then reversed their direction of travel in late summer and fall and followed the shoreline back toward the spawning grounds off Barcelona. Young fish, tagged in the fall, also showed this pattern the following year. Westward movement into the central basin was insignificant, and no recoveries were reported from Canadian waters. Therefore, it is concluded that walleye populations in the United States waters of eastern Lake Erie are geographically separate from those in the western basin and that their management should be based on this inference.

New York Fish and Game Journal

Numerical model of a tracer test on the Santa Clara River, Ventura County, California

To better understand the flow processes, solute-transport processes, and ground-water/surface-water interactions on the Santa Clara River in Ventura County, California, a 24-hour fluorescent-dye tracer study was performed under steady-state flow conditions on a 45-km reach of the river. The study reach includes perennial (uppermost and lowermost) subreaches and ephemeral subreaches of the lower Piru Creek and the middle Santa Clara River. The tracer-test data were used to calibrate a one-dimensional flow model (DAFLOW) and a solute-transport model (BLTM). The dye-arrival times at each sample location were simulated by calibrating the velocity parameters in DAFLOW. The simulations of dye transport indicated that (1) ground-water recharge explains the loss of mass in the ephemeral middle subreaches, and (2) groundwater recharge does not explain the loss of mass in the perennial uppermost and lowermost subreaches. The observed tracer curves in the perennial subreaches were indicative of sorptive dye losses, transient storage, and (or) photodecay - these phenomena were simulated using a linear decay term. However, analysis of the linear decay terms indicated that photodecay was not a dominant source of dye loss.To better understand the flow processes, solute-transport processes, and ground-water/surface-water interactions on the Santa Clara River in Ventura County, California, a 24-hour fluorescent-dye tracer study was performed under steady-state flow conditions on a 45-km reach of the river. The study reach includes perennial (uppermost and lowermost) subreaches and ephemeral subreaches of the lower Piru Creek and the middle Santa Clara River. The tracer-test data were used to calibrate a one-dimension-al flow model (DAFLOW) and a solute-transport model (BLTM). The dye-arrival times at each sample location were simulated by calibrating the velocity parameters in DAFLOW. The simulations of dye transport indicated that (1) ground-water recharge explains the loss of mass in the ephemeral middle subreaches, and (2) ground-water recharge does not explain the loss of mass in the perennial uppermost and lowermost subreaches. The observed tracer curves in the perennial subreaches were indicative of sorptive dye losses, transient storage, and (or) photodecay - these phenomena were simulated using a linear decay term. However, analysis of the linear decay terms indicated that photodecay was not a dominant source of dye loss.

Journal of the American Water Resources Associatio

Aquifer-scale controls on the distribution of nitrate and ammonium in ground water near La Pine, Oregon, USA

Geochemical and isotopic tools were applied at aquifer, transect, and subtransect scales to provide a framework for understanding sources, transport, and fate of dissolved inorganic N in a sandy aquifer near La Pine, Oregon. NO3 is a common contaminant in shallow ground water in this area, whereas high concentrations of NH4-N (up to 39 mg/L) are present in deep ground water. N concentrations, N/Cl ratios, tracer-based apparent ground-water ages, N isotope data, and hydraulic gradients indicate that septic tank effluent is the primary source of NO3. N isotope data, N/Cl and N/C relations, 3H data, and hydraulic considerations point to a natural, sedimentary organic matter source for the high concentrations of NH4, and are inconsistent with an origin as septic tank N. Low recharge rates and flow velocities have largely restricted anthropogenic NO3 to isolated plumes within several meters of the water table. A variety of geochemical and isotopic data indicate that denitrification also affects NO3 gradients in the aquifer. Ground water in the La Pine aquifer evolves from oxic to increasingly reduced conditions. Suboxic conditions are achieved after about 15-30 y of transport below the water table. NO3 is denitrified near the oxic/suboxic boundary. Denitrification in the La Pine aquifer is characterized well at the aquifer scale with a redox boundary approach that inherently captures spatial variability in the distribution of electron donors.

Oregon

From safe yield to sustainable development of water resources - The Kansas experience

This paper presents a synthesis of water sustainability issues from the hydrologic perspective. It shows that safe yield is a flawed concept and that sustainability is an idea that is broadly used but perhaps not well understood. In general, the sustainable yield of an aquifer must be considerably less than recharge if adequate amounts of water are to be available to sustain both the quantity and quality of streams, springs, wetlands, and ground-water-dependent ecosystems. To ensure sustainability, it is imperative that water limits be established based on hydrologic principles of mass balance. To establish water-use policies and planning horizons, the transition curves of aquifer systems from ground-water storage depletion to induced recharge of surface water need to be developed. Present-day numerical models are capable of generating such transition curves. Several idealized examples of aquifer systems show how this could be done. Because of the complexity of natural systems and the uncertainties in characterizing them, the current philosophy underlying sustainable management of water resources is based on the interconnected systems approach and on adaptive management. Examples of water-resources management from Kansas illustrate some of these concepts in a real-world setting. Some of the hallmarks of Kansas water management are the formation of local ground-water management districts, the adoption of minimum streamflow standards, the use of modified safe-yield policies in some districts, the implementation of integrated resource planning by the City of Wichita, and the subbasin water-resources management program in potential problem areas. These are all appropriate steps toward sustainable development. The Kansas examples show that local decision-making is the best way to fully account for local variability in water management. However, it is imperative that public education and involvement be encouraged, so that system complexities and constraints are better understood and overly simplistic solutions avoided. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.This paper presents a synthesis of water sustainability issues from the hydrologic perspective. It shows that safe yield is a flawed concept and that sustainability is an idea that is broadly used but perhaps not well understood. In general, the sustainable yield of an aquifer must be considerably less than recharge if adequate amounts of water are to be available to sustain both the quantity and quality of streams, springs, wetlands, and ground-water-dependent ecosystems. To ensure sustainability, it is imperative that water limits be established based on hydrologic principles of mass balance. To establish water-use policies and planning horizons, the transition curves of aquifer systems from ground-water storage depletion to induced recharge of surface water need to be developed. Present-day numerical models are capable of generating such transition curves. Several idealized examples of aquifer systems show how this could be done. Because of the complexity of natural systems and the uncertainties in characterizing them, the current philosophy underlying sustainable management of water resources is based on the interconnected systems approach and on adaptive management. Examples of water-resources management from Kansas illustrate some of these concepts in a real-world setting. Some of the hallmarks of Kansas water management are the formation of local ground-water management districts, the adoption of minimum streamflow standards, the use of modified safe-yield policies in some districts, the implementation of integrated resource planning by the City of Wichita, and the subbasin water-resources management program in potential problem areas. These are all appropriate steps toward sustainable development. The Kansas examples show that local decision-making is the best way to fully account for local variability in water management. However, it is imperative that public education and involv

Journal of Hydrology

Habitat use of anadromous and amphidromous sturgeons in North America: A systematic review

Sturgeons are among the most endangered fishes in the world. Identifying habitat use characteristics to inform restoration projects is crucial for recovery. However, small sample sizes, inadequate replication of studies, and limited spatial extents complicate our ability to effectively apply the findings of single studies to endangered species conservation across the larger riverscape. We synthesized information from amphidromous and anadromous sturgeons in North America to identify species-specific knowledge gaps and conduct a quantitative comparison of species–habitat relationships. We provided a qualitative summary of substrate use and synthesized estimates of depth and velocity during spawning and non-spawning activity. Generalized patterns among species were identified, such as spawning in fast water on hard substrate and then using slow water with soft substrate areas when not spawning. We noted species-specific variability during spawning that may be attributed to historical maximum length, egg characteristics, and watershed features. This study provides some of the first estimates of habitat use that can be adapted for many populations. Results can contribute to empirically grounded decision-support tools used to prioritize information needs for recovery.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Surface deformation in part of the San Jacinto Valley, southern California

Ground fissuring and subsidence occur in a deep alluvium-filled graben between the Casa Loma and San Jacinto faults, San Jacinto Valley, southern California. These processes are attributed chiefly to compaction due to withdrawal of ground water. Subsidence due to compaction is estimated to be a maximum of 3.5 centimetres per year; tectonic subsidence of the graben is estimated to be from 0.3 to 0.6 cm per year. Ground fissuring occurs primarily on the west side of a closed depression in the graben. The area of ground fissures has expanded from 1 square kilometre in 1953 to 12 km2 in 1974 and could grow even more. Individual fissures have attained lengths of 850 metres.

California

Publications of Western Earth Surface Processes Team 2001

The Western Earth Surface Processes Team (WESPT) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts geologic mapping and related topical earth-science studies in the Western United States. This work is focused on areas where modern geologic maps and associated earth-science data are needed to address key societal and environmental issues, such as ground-water quality, landslides and other potential geologic hazards, and land-use decisions. Areas of primary emphasis in 2001 included southern California, the San Francisco Bay region, the Pacific Northwest, and the Las Vegas urban corridor. The team has its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, and maintains smaller field offices at several other locations in the Western United States. The results of research conducted by the WESPT are released to the public as a variety of databases, maps, text reports, and abstracts, both through the internal publication system of the USGS and in diverse external publications such as scientific journals and books. This report lists publications of the WESPT released in 2001, as well as additional 1999 and 2000 publications that were not included in the previous list (USGS Open-File Report 00–215 and USGS Open-File Report 01–198). Most of the publications listed were authored or coauthored by WESPT staff. The list also includes some publications authored by non-USGS cooperators with the WESPT, as well as some authored by USGS staff outside the WESPT in cooperation with WESPT projects. Several of the publications listed are available on the World Wide Web; for these, URL addresses are provided. Many of these web publications are USGS Open-File Reports that contain large digital databases of geologic map and related information.

Open-File Report