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At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
USGS2005

Assessment of characteristics and remedial alternatives for abandoned mine drainage : case study at Staple Bend Tunnel unit of Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, 2004

This report describes field, laboratory, and computational methods that could be used to assess remedial strategies for abandoned mine drainage (AMD). During April-June, 2004, the assessment process was applied to AMD from bituminous coal deposits at a test site in the Staple Bend Tunnel Unit of Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (ALPO-SBTU) in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this study was (1) to characterize the AMD quantity and quality within the ALPO-SBTU test site; (2) to evaluate the efficacy of limestone or steel slag for neutralization of the AMD on the basis of reaction-rate measurements; and (3) to identify possible alternatives for passive or active treatment of the AMD. The data from this case study ultimately will be used by the National Park Service (NPS) to develop a site remediation plan. The approach used in this study could be applicable at other sites subject to drainage from abandoned coal or metal mines. During April 2004, AMD from 9 sources (sites1, 1Fe, Fe, 2, 3, 3B, 5, 6, and 7) at the ALPO-SBTU test site had a combined flow rate of 1,420 gallons per minute (gal/min) and flow-weighted averages for pH of 3.3, net acidity of 55 milligrams per liter (mg/L) as CaCO3, and concentrations of dissolved sulfate, aluminum, iron, and manganese of 694 mg/L, 4.4 mg/L, 0.74 mg/L, and 1.2 mg/L, respectively. These pH, net acidity, sulfate, and aluminum values exceed effluent criteria for active mines in Pennsylvania. During April-June 2004, limestone and steel slag that were locally available were tested in the laboratory for their composition, approximate surface area, and potential to neutralize samples of the AMD. Although the substrates had a similar particle-size distribution and identical calcium content (43 percent as calcium oxide), the limestone was composed of crystalline carbonates and the slag was composed of silicate glass and minerals. After a minimum of 8 hours contact between the AMD and limestone or steel slag in closed containers (cubitainers), near-neutral effluent was produced. With prolonged contact between the AMD and limestone or steel slag, the concentrations of iron, aluminum, and most dissolved trace elements in effluent from the cubitainers declined while pH was maintained greater than 6.0 and less than 9.0. The cubitainer testing demonstrated (1) lower alkalinity production but higher pH of AMD treated with steel slag compared to limestone, and (2) predictable relations between the effluent quality, detention time, and corresponding flow rate and bulk volume for a bed of crushed limestone or steel slag in an AMD passive-treatment system. The process for evaluating AMD remedial strategies at the ALPO-SBTU test site involved the computation and ranking of the metal loadings during April 2004 for each of the AMD sources and a comparison of the data on AMD flow and chemistry (alkalinity, acidity, dissolved oxygen, ferric iron, aluminum) with published criteria for selection of passive-treatment technology. Although neutralization of the AMD by reaction with limestone was demonstrated with cubitainer tests, an anoxic limestone drain (ALD) was indicated as inappropriate for any AMD source at the test site because all had excessive concentrations of dissolved oxygen and (or) aluminum. One passive-treatment scenario that was identified for the individual or combined AMD sources involved an open limestone channel (OLC) to collect the AMD source(s), a vertical flow compost wetland (VFCW) to add alkalinity, and an aerobic wetland to facilitate iron and manganese oxidation and retention of precipitated solids. Innovative passive-system designs that direct flow upward through submerged layers of limestone and/or steel slag and that incorporate siphons for automatic flushing of solids to a pond also may warrant consideration. Alternatively, an active-treatment system with a hydraulic-powered lime doser could be employed instead of the VFCW or upflow system. Now, given these data on AMD flow and chemistry and identified remedial technologies, a resource manager can use a publicly available computer program such as "AMDTreat" to evaluate the potential sizes and costs of various remedial alternatives.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2015

A case study of assigning conservation value to dispersed habitat units for conservation planning

Resource managers are increasingly tasked with developing habitat conservation plans in the face of numerous, sometimes competing, objectives. These plans must often be implemented across dispersed habitat conservation units that may contribute unequally to overall conservation objectives. Using U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service waterfowl production areas (WPA) in western Minnesota as our conservation landscape, we develop a landscape-scale approach for evaluating the conservation value of dispersed habitat conservation units with multiple conservation priorities. We evaluated conservation value based on a suite of variables directly applicable to conservation management practices, thus providing a direct link between conservation actions and outcomes. We developed spatial models specific to each of these conservation objectives and also developed two freely available prioritization tools to implement these analyses. We found that some WPAs provided high conservation value across a range of conservation objectives, suggesting that managing these specific areas would achieve multiple conservation goals. Conversely, other WPAs provided low conservation value for some objectives, suggesting they would be most effectively managed for a distinct set of specific conservation goals. Approaches such as ours provide a direct means of assessing the conservation value of dispersed habitat conservation units and could be useful in the development of habitat management plans, particularly when faced with multiple conservation objectives.

Journal of Conservation Planning↗
USGS2025

Not just corticosterone: Further characterization of the endocrine response of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) reveals elevated plasma aldosterone concentrations during field capture events

To develop safe and effective management policies, it is important to understand the physiologic effects of fishing interactions and scientific research methods on endangered marine species. In the present study, validated assays for plasma corticosterone, free thyroxine (fT4), and aldosterone were used to assess the endocrine status of 61 presumed healthy, wild Kemp's ridley sea turtles ( Lepidochelys kempii ) that were captured for separate ecological studies using two capture methods (trawl net n = 40; manual capture n = 21). Plasma hormone concentrations were also assessed in relation to eight clinical plasma biochemical analytes. Corticosterone and aldosterone concentrations were moderately high after capture, with significantly higher concentrations in turtles captured by trawl net vs. manual capture. Free thyroxine concentrations were within previously published ranges for healthy individuals of this species. Clinical biochemical data revealed moderately elevated potassium and lactate concentrations in many individuals, with significantly greater lactate concentrations in trawl-captured turtles. Aldosterone concentrations were positively correlated with corticosterone. The results of the present study indicate that Kemp's ridley sea turtles have robust adrenocortical activity immediately after capture, resulting in high plasma concentrations of corticosterone and aldosterone. Researchers who use such methods to access sea turtles can consider these results in planning careful and efficient field studies.

Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi↗
USGS2020

Forecasting water demand across a rapidly urbanizing region

Urban growth and climate change together complicate planning efforts meant to adapt to increasingly scarce water supplies. Several studies have independently examined the impacts of urban planning and climate change on water demand, but little attention has been given to their combined impact. Here we forecast urban water demand using a Geographically Weighted Regression model informed by socio-economic, environmental and landscape pattern metrics. The purpose of our study is to evaluate how future scenarios of population densities and climate warming will jointly affect water demand across two rapidly growing U.S. states (North Carolina and South Carolina). Our forecasts indicate that regional water demand by 2065 will increase by 37%–383% relative to the baseline in 2010, across all scenarios of change. Our results show future water demand will increase under rising temperatures, but could be ameliorated by policies that promote higher density development and urban infill. These water-efficient land use policies show a 5% regional reduction in water demand and up to 25% reduction locally for counties with the highest expected population growth by 2065. For rural counties experiencing depopulation, the land use policies we considered are insufficient to significantly reduce water demand. For expanding communities seeking to increase their adaptive capacity to changing socio-environmental conditions, our framework can assist in developing sustainable solutions.

North Carolina, South Carolina↗
USGS2006

Estimation of nonpoint-source loads of total nitrogen, total phosphorous, and total suspended solids in the Black, Belle, and Pine River basins, Michigan, by use of the PLOAD model

The Lake St. Clair Regional Monitoring Project partners planned a 3-year assessment study of the surface water in the Lake St. Clair drainage basins in Michigan. This study included water-quality monitoring and analysis, collection of discrete (grab) and automatic water-quality samples, monitoring of bacteria, and the creation of a database to store all relevant data collected from past and future field-data-collection programs. In cooperation with the Lake St. Clair Monitoring Project, the U.S. Geological Survey assessed nonpoint-source loads of nutrients and total suspended solids in the Black, Belle, and Pine River basins. The principal tool for the assessment study was the USEPA’s PLOAD model, a simplified GIS-based numerical program that generates gross estimates of pollutant loads. In this study, annual loads were computed for each watershed using the USEPA’s Simple Method, which is based on scientific studies showing a correlation between different land-use types and loading rates. The two land-use data sets used in the study (representing 1992 and 2001) show a maximum of 0.02-percent change in any of the 15 land use categories between the two timeframes. This small change in land use is reflected in the PLOAD results of the study area between the two time periods. PLOAD model results for the 2001 land-use data include total-nitrogen loads from the Black, Belle, and Pine River basins of approximately 495,599 lb/yr, 156,561 lb/yr, and 121,212 lb/yr, respectively; total-phosphorus loads of 80,777 lb/yr, 25,493 lb/yr, and 19,655 lb/yr, respectively; and total-suspended-solids loads of 5,613,282 lb/yr, 1,831,045 lb/yr, and 1,480,352 lb/yr, respectively. The subbasins in the Black, Belle, and Pine River basin with comparatively high loads are characterized by comparatively high percentages of industrial, commercial, transportation, or residential land use. The results from the PLOAD model provide useful information about the approximate average annual loading rates from the three study basins. In particular, the results identify subbasins with comparatively high loading rates per square mile. This could aid water-resources managers and planners in evaluation of the effectiveness of public expenditures for water-quality improvements, assessment of progress towards achieving established water-quality goals, and planning of preventive actions.

Michigan↗
USGS2011

Tracking change over time

Landsat satellites capture images of Earth from space-and have since 1972! These images provide a long-term record of natural and human-induced changes on the global landscape. Comparing images from multiple years reveals slow and subtle changes as well as rapid and devastating ones. Landsat images are available over the Internet at no charge. Using the free software MultiSpec, students can track changes to the landscape over time-just like remote sensing scientists do! The objective of the Tracking Change Over Time lesson plan is to get students excited about studying the changing Earth. Intended for students in grades 5-8, the lesson plan is flexible and may be used as a student self-guided tutorial or as a teacher-led class lesson. Enhance students' learning of geography, map reading, earth science, and problem solving by seeing landscape changes from space.

General Information Product↗
USGS2023

The patchwork governance of ecologically available water: A case study in the Upper Missouri Headwaters, Montana, United States

Institutional authority and responsibility for allocating water to ecosystems (“ecologically available water” [EAW]) is spread across local, state, and federal agencies, which operate under a range of statutes, mandates, and planning processes. We use a case study of the Upper Missouri Headwaters Basin in southwestern Montana, United States, to illustrate this fragmented institutional landscape. Our goals are to (a) describe the patchwork of agencies and institutional actors whose intersecting authorities and actions influence the EAW in the study basin; (b) describe the range of governance mechanisms these agencies use, including laws, policies, administrative programs, and planning processes; and (c) assess the extent to which the collective governance regime creates gaps in responsibility. We find the water governance regime includes a range of nested mechanisms that in various ways facilitate or hinder the governance of EAW. We conclude the current multilevel governance regime leaves certain aspects of EAW unaddressed and does not adequately account for the interconnections between water in different parts of the ecosystem, creating integrative gaps. We suggest that more intentional and robust coordination could provide a means to address these gaps.

Montana↗
USGS2025

Assessing policy effectiveness trends in nonindigenous aquatic species introduction in the Ohio River basin

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) create costly, detrimental effects when established. Recognition of this in the United States reached a threshold in 1990 with the federal passage of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act. This act created six regional panels, the national Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, and incentivized state-level AIS planning. The management of the Ohio River basin fell under the Mississippi River Basin Panel and the state-led Mississippi Interstate Cooperative Resource Association, which developed a joint action plan in 2010 to prevent, contain, and manage AIS. All Ohio River basin states besides West Virginia created aquatic nuisance species plans between 1999 and 2021. This study aims to utilize the best available data, the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database, to examine how legislative and planning milestones have influenced the rate of new AIS arrivals and the spread of existing and new AIS. Arrival and spread of AIS were assessed at the HUC-8 scale (8-digit hydrological unit code) along the Ohio, Wabash, Cumberland, Alleghany, Monongahela, and Tennessee rivers. A near-linear increase in new AIS across all rivers was determined. Most AIS species (35–55%) did not spread beyond the HUC they were first detected in, while less than 10% spread to all HUCs in a river. The findings indicate no clear correlation between legislative and planning milestones and changes in AIS spread. More work could help to fill data gaps in detecting and monitoring AIS through coordinated local and regional programs, as expanding the quality and quantity of data collection efforts can improve understanding of AIS dynamics, assessments of management effectiveness, and inform future policy. Future work could expand the analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of policy and planning programs in reducing AIS, considering the variability in on-the-ground approaches and spread prevention efforts across states.

Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mis↗
USGS1982

Map of erosion potential and sediment sources in the Navajo Mine area, San Juan County, New Mexico

This map shows estimated erosion and sediment yields of an area designated for extensive surface mining, in San Juan County, New Mexico. The results of this study are important for the planning of future mining operations and will aid in developing suitable reclamation procedures. In addition, these data will serve as a base line from which a long-term program for determining rates of erosion and deposition could be developed. Such measurements are essential to understanding the impact of surface mining on geomorphic processes affected by extraction of resources form arid lands. The area chosen for the study lies within for 7-1/2-minute quadrangles (The Hogback South, Kirtland SW, Newcomb NE, and The Pillar NW) in the northwest San Juan Basin (figs. 1,2). The area includes five drainage basins covering approximately 200 mi 2 (520 km 2 ) that flow west into the Chaco River (fig. 1). Approximately 41 mi 2 (106 km 2 ) of this area is scheduled for surface mining during the next several years as part of the southern extension of the Navajo Mine.

New Mexico↗
USGS2006

Reassessing a troublesome fact of mountain life: Avalanches in Glacier National Park

For the past decade, our U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research team has rummaged through Glacier National Park’s archives looking for records of snow avalanches. Our searches have paid off. We have found photographs that show snow avalanches blocking progress during the annual spring opening of the famed Going-to-the-Sun Road, ranger logs that describe cabins and telephone lines destroyed by avalanches, and superintendents’ reports that recount avalanche accidents that killed employees or visitors. Recently, we have combined these historical sources with field studies to investigate whether snow avalanches in the park may be more cyclical than random and as much an ecological process as a natural hazard. Our ongoing research in Montana has yielded relevant information for park managers elsewhere who deal with avalanche threats to park infrastructure and for ecologists seeking a better understanding of how mountain ecosystems function. Our research has focused on two transportation corridors: the Going-to-the-Sun Road that bisects the center of the park, and John F. Stevens Canyon, at the park’s southwest corner ( fig. 1 ). The Going-to-the-Sun Road is the park’s most visited attraction; deep snow and avalanches force the road’s closure each winter, and in spring, park crews dig it out using bulldozers and other heavy equipment ( fig. 2 ). Springtime avalanches can bury workers or push equipment off the road and over cliffs ( figs. 3a and 3b ), as happened in 1953, when two workers died. Our research started with a study of how interannual variations in snowfall and avalanches affect the road opening. The initial study helped park managers predict and plan for the road opening in spring and respond to the many topical questions from park visitors and locals. More recent studies have focused on determining the conditions that create springtime avalanches, which are a poorly understood aspect of the avalanche phenomenon.

Wyoming↗
USGS1996

Estimates of future water demand for selected water-service areas in the upper Duck River basin, central Tennessee

Estimates of future water demand were determined for selected water-service areas in the upper Duck River basin in central Tennessee through the year 2050. The Duck River is the principal source of publicly-supplied water in the study area providing a total of 15.6 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) in 1993 to the cities of Columbia, Lewisburg, Shelbyville, part of southern Williamson County, and several smaller communities. Municipal water use increased 19 percent from 1980 to 1993 (from 14.5 to 17.2 Mgal/d). Based on certain assumptions about socioeconomic conditions and future development in the basin, water demand should continue to increase through 2050. Projections of municipal water demand for the study area from 1993 to 2015 were made using econometric and single- coefficient (unit-use) requirement models of the per capita type. The models are part of the Institute for Water Resources-Municipal and Industrial Needs System, IWR-MAIN. Socioeconomic data for 1993 were utilized to calibrate the models. Projections of water demand in the study area from 2015 to 2050 were made using a single- coefficient requirement model. A gross per capita use value (unit-requirement) was estimated for each water-service area based on the results generated by IWR-MAIN for year 2015. The gross per capita estimate for 2015 was applied to population projections for year 2050 to calculate water demand. Population was projected using the log-linear form of the Box-Cox regression model. Water demand was simulated for two scenarios. The scenarios were suggested by various planning agencies associated with the study area. The first scenario reflects a steady growth pattern based on present demographic and socioeconomic conditions in the Bedford, Marshall, and Maury/southern Williamson water-service areas. The second scenario considers steady growth in the Bedford and Marshall water-service areas and additional industrial and residential development in the Maury/southern Williamson water-service area beginning in 2000. For the study area, water demand for scenario one shows an increase of 121 percent (from 17.2 to 38 Mgal/d) from 1993 to 2050. In scenario two, simulated water demand increases 150 percent (17.2 to 43 Mgal/d) from 1993 to 2050.

Tennessee↗
USGS2014

A mapping and monitoring assessment of the Philippines' mangrove forests from 1990 to 2010

Information on the present condition and spatiotemporal dynamics of mangrove forests is needed for land-change studies and integrated natural resources planning and management. Although several national mangrove estimates for the Philippines exist, information is unavailable at sufficient spatial and thematic detail for change analysis. Historical and contemporary mangrove distribution maps of the Philippines for 1990 and 2010 were prepared at nominal 30-m spatial resolution using Landsat satellite data. Image classification was performed using a supervised decision tree classification approach. Additionally, decadal land-cover change maps from 1990 to 2010 were prepared to depict changes in mangrove area. Total mangrove area decreased 10.5% from 1990 to 2010. Comparison of estimates produced from this study with selected historical mangrove area estimates revealed that total mangrove area decreased by approximately half (51.8%) from 1918 to 2010. This study provides the most current and reliable data regarding the Philippines mangrove area and spatial distribution and delineates where and when mangrove change has occurred in recent decades. The results from this study are useful for developing conservation strategies, biodiversity loss mitigation efforts, and future monitoring and analysis.

Journal of Coastal Research↗
USGS2006

Connectivity in an agricultural landscape as reflected by interpond movements of a freshwater turtle

Connectivity is a measure of how landscape features facilitate movement and thus is an important factor in species persistence in a fragmented landscape. The scarcity of empirical studies that directly quantify species movement and determine subsequent effects on population density have, however, limited the utility of connectivity measures in conservation planning. We undertook a 4-year study to calculate connectivity based on observed movement rates and movement probabilities for five age-sex classes of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) inhabiting a pond complex in an agricultural landscape in northern Virginia (U.S.A.). We determined which variables influenced connectivity and the relationship between connectivity and subpopulation density. Interpatch distance and quality of habitat patches influenced connectivity but characteristics of the intervening matrix did not. Adult female turtles were more influenced by the habitat quality of recipient ponds than other age-sex classes. The importance of connectivity on spatial population dynamics was most apparent during a drought. Population density and connectivity were low for one pond in a wet year but dramatically increased as other ponds dried. Connectivity is an important component of species persistence in a heterogeneous landscape and is strongly dependent on the movement behavior of the species. Connectivity may reflect active selection or avoidance of particular habitat patches. The influence of habitat quality on connectivity has often been ignored, but our findings highlight its importance. Conservation planners seeking to incorporate connectivity measures into reserve design should not ignore behavior in favor of purely structural estimates of connectivity.

Conservation Biology↗
USGS1976

Remote sensing as an aid in water-resource studies in Minnesota

Remote-sensing data were evaluated as to their usefulness in Minnesota water-resource studies. Data are available from several private as well as governmental agencies, the chief supplier being the EROS Data Center. Landsat-1 multispectral imagery was selected as the standard against which other types of imagery were compared. Landsat-1 imagery is available from July 1972, and Landsat-2 from January 1975. The kinds of remote-sensing data available for Minnesota are tabulated and the coverage of each is mapped. Direct-visual analyses and image-enhancement techniques were used on Landsat-1, SKYLAB, and aerial photographic transparencies. Examples of remote-sensing applications in both surface and ground-water studies are presented. Applications in surface-water studies are largely direct and are documented by examples: surface-water extent (flooded versus nonflooded), autographic theme extraction of surface-water features, open-water areas in winter, and remote-sensing data as indicators of water quality. Applications in ground-water studies are thus far only. indirect. Remote-sensing data are helpful in defining the geology, which controls the occurrence of ground water. Most successful was the use of late spring Landsat-1 imagery to map surficial outwash, a readily available source of large quantities of ground water. A single color-composite scene was used to map nearly 3,900 Square kilometres (1,500 square miles) of surficial outwash in less than 1 hour with an accuracy close to that achieved by methods usually used in regional studies. It was concluded that remote sensing would be valuable in the planning phase of nearly every water-resource study, so that maximum benefits might be obtained from its use. Essential ground truth would have to be collected in support of the remotely sensed data.

Minnesota↗
USGS2014

Assessing the value of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) in Everglades restoration: an ecosystem service approach

This study identifies a full range of ecosystem services that could be affected by a restoration project in the central Everglades and monetizes the economic value of a subset of these services using existing data. Findings suggest that the project will potentially increase many ecosystem services that have considerable economic value to society. The ecosystem services monetized within the scope of this study are a subset of the difference between the future-with the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) and the future-without CEPP, and they totaled ~ $1.8 billion USD at a 2.5% discount rate. Findings suggest that the use of ecosystem services in project planning and communications may require acknowledgment of the difficulty of monetizing important services and the limitations associated with using only existing data and models. Results of this study highlight the need for additional valuation efforts in this region, focused on those services that are likely to be impacted by restoration activities but were notably challenging to value in this assessment due to shortages of data.

Florida↗
USGS2021

Characterization of historical and stochastically generated climate and streamflow conditions in the Souris River Basin, United States and Canada

The Souris River Basin is a 61,000-square-kilometer basin in the Provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Canada and the State of North Dakota in the United States. Greater than average snowpack during the winter of 2010–11, along with record-setting rains in May and June 2011, resulted in historically unprecedented flooding in the Souris River Basin. The severity of the 2011 flood led the United States and Canada to request a review of the operating plan for any improvements of reservoir operations and flood control measures in the basin, and the Souris River Basin Task Force was formed. The International Souris River Study Board was then formed in 2017 to carry out the recommendations of the Souris River Basin Task Force laid out in a plan of study. To support the International Souris River Study Board, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the North Dakota State Water Commission and the International Joint Commission, used the previously developed unregulated and regulated streamflow models and data for stochastic streamflow in the Souris River Basin to characterize climate and streamflow and support selection of streamflow traces based on their characterization. Components of the original stochastic hydrology models and their outputs were used in this phase of the study to (1) characterize historical and stochastic climate and streamflow for the Souris River Basin, (2) disaggregate monthly stochastic streamflow spatially and temporally to meet the needs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hydrologic Engineering Center, Reservoir System Simulation model for the Souris River Basin, and (3) discuss selection of disaggregated streamflow traces (simulations) using the characteristics of climate and streamflow. A trace is a time series of a stochastic variable such as streamflow, potential evapotranspiration, or precipitation. To characterize climate conditions, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration (PET), and moisture deficit for the Souris River Basin and individual points at Rafferty, Grant Devine, and Lake Darling Reservoirs were determined annually and seasonally. The annual basin (November 1–October 31) precipitation for the 50-percent nonexceedance probability is 452 millimeters (mm). Spring (March–May) is the wettest season, followed by summer (June–August), fall (September–November), and winter (December–February). Annual moisture deficit was largest at Lake Darling Reservoir, followed by Rafferty Reservoir, and then Grant Devine Reservoir. Annual maximum monthly mean streamflow was determined for the Souris River below Rafferty Reservoir, Saskatchewan (Canadian streamgage 05NB036); Long Creek near Noonan (above Boundary Reservoir), North Dakota (USGS streamgage 05113600); Moose Mountain Creek near Oxbow, Saskatchewan (Canadian streamgage 05ND004); the Souris River near Sherwood, N. Dak. (USGS streamgage 05114000); the Des Lacs River at Foxholm, N. Dak. (USGS streamgage 05116500); and the Souris River above Minot, N. Dak. (USGS streamgage 05117500). When the seasonal maximum monthly mean streamflows are evaluated in contrast to annual maximum monthly mean streamflows separated by their seasonal occurrence, summer months of annual maximum monthly mean streamflows have a higher 50-percent exceedance probability of streamflow compared to annual maximum monthly mean streamflows that occur in spring, seasonal maximum monthly mean streamflows that occur in spring, and seasonal maximum monthly mean streamflows that occur in summer. When annual maximum monthly mean streamflows in summer are compared to annual maximum monthly mean streamflows in spring, they are consistently higher in streamflow but occur in less than 4.2 percent of years. Evaluation of whether the annual maximum monthly mean streamflows that occur in summer can be described as a separate population from annual maximum monthly mean streamflows that occur in spring was outside the scope of this study, and the summer and spring annual maximum monthly mean streamflows were not tested for statistical differences in mean or variance. Further investigation of seasonal weather patterns that induce flooding could lead to a better understanding of the seasonal differences in flooding. Long-term hydrologic drought was characterized by evaluating multiyear mean streamflow. Shorter averaging periods have greater streamflow variability than longer periods and hence have a wider range of values. As the averaging period is extended to a longer period, the variability of mean streamflow decreases, and the more extreme streamflow volumes seen in shorter averaging periods cannot be sustained. Stochastic streamflow time series were disaggregated spatially and temporally for use in a HEC–ResSim model. The combination of monthly and daily stochastic streamflow data was used to select traces with qualities that could be used to test alternatives focused on water supply, summer flooding, and apportionment.

Manitoba, North Dakota, Saskatchewan↗
USGS2008

A Regional Approach to Wildlife Monitoring Related to Energy Exploration and Development in Colorado

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently developing a National Monitoring Strategy that will guide efforts to create an efficient and effective process for monitoring land health by BLM. To inform the ongoing development of the national strategy, BLM selected two States (Colorado, Alaska) to serve as focal areas on which to base a flexible framework for developing monitoring programs that evaluate wildlife responses to energy development. We developed a three-phase monitoring plan to serve as a template and applied it to the design of a monitoring program for the Colorado focal area (White River and Glenwood Springs Field Offices of the BLM). Phase I is a synthesis and assessment of current conditions that capitalizes on existing but under used data sources. A key component is the use of existing habitat and landscape models to evaluate the cumulative effects of surface disturbance. Phase II is the data collection process that uses information provided in Phase I to refine management objectives and provide a linkage to management decisions. The linkage is established through targeted monitoring, adaptive management, and research. Phase III establishes priorities and strategies for regional and national monitoring, and facilitates coordination among other land management agencies and organizations. The three phases are designed to be flexible and complementary. The monitoring plan guides an iterative process that is performed incrementally, beginning with the highest-priority species and management issues, while building on lessons learned and coordination among administrative levels. The activities associated with each phase can be repeated or updated as new information, data, or tools become available. This allows the development of a monitoring program that expands gradually and allows for rapid implementation. A demonstration application of the three-phase monitoring plan was conducted for a study area encompassing five BLM field offices in Colorado: White River, Glenwood Springs, Kremmling, Grand Junction, and Little Snake. The overall study area was selected to encompass the primary distribution of sagebrush and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in Colorado and to provide a larger context for evaluating priority management issues of the White River and Glenwood Springs Field Offices. Within the study area, we selected an additional scale of analysis: the Roan Plateau, an area of increased energy development. We focused our demonstration project on the primary objectives identified by the BLM and other stakeholders: (1) How do we evaluate the cumulative effects of energy development and mitigation activities on species of management interest or concern? (2) How can cumulative effects, including direct and indirect effects, be quantified relative to natural variation? (3) How can we implement compliance and effectiveness monitoring to determine whether lease stipulations are met and restoration/mitigation goals are achieved? We targeted greater sage-grouse because this species was identified as a monitoring priority for the White River Field Office. We also evaluated landscape-level indices to address fragmentation resulting from surface disturbance. The primary purpose of this exercise was to highlight the types of analyses and approaches that could be used to evaluate energy development in an application of the three-phase framework. We provide examples of Phase I products that can be used to guide the refinement of management objectives, development of adaptive management and research frameworks, and planning activities in Phase II. Finally, we report on the BLM's National Sage-Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy as an example of Phase III activities. The development of an effective monitoring program is a daunting task, and will be difficult to implement by the BLM independently due to the current work load of staff. However, the scientific expertise and experience for developing cr

Open-File Report↗