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At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources
USGS2020

Development of regional skew coefficients for selected flood durations in the Columbia River Basin, northwestern United States and British Columbia, Canada

Flood-frequency (hereinafter frequency) estimates provide information used to design, operate, and maintain hydraulic structures such as bridges and dams. Failures of these structures could cause catastrophic loss of property, life, or both. In addition to frequency estimates that use annual peak streamflow, frequency estimates of flood durations are required to safely and effectively operate the numerous dams in the Columbia River Basin of the northwestern United States, and British Columbia, Canada. Frequency studies rely on U.S. Geological Survey Guidelines for Determining Flood Flow Frequency (Bulletin 17C, published in 2018). A major consideration in estimating frequencies is the use of skew coefficients, which measure the asymmetry of flood flow distributions. Large uncertainties are associated with estimating the at-site skew coefficients directly from streamflow records, which are limited in length. Skew also is sensitive to extreme events for limited record lengths. Bulletin 17C recommends using regional skew coefficients to weight with the at-site skew estimate for more reliable frequency estimates. In this study, streamflow records from 313 unregulated U.S. Geological Survey streamgage sites and 97 regulated sites with naturalized streamflow records provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were used to develop regional skew models for the Columbia River Basin. The naturalized streamflow records were synthesized by removing regulatory components such as withdrawals and reservoir storage. Skew models were developed for 1-, 3-, 7-, 10-, 15-, 30-, and 60-day flood durations and used to estimate regional skew coefficients for the Columbia River Basin. This report used Bayesian statistical regression methods to develop and analyze regional skew models based on hydrologically important basin characteristics. After examining a suite of available basin characteristics, mean annual precipitation had the strongest correlation to skew across the flood durations. Regional skew regression models were fit using mean annual precipitation for selected subbasins in the Columbia River Basin.

Columbia River Basin↗
USGS1916

Contributions to economic geology (short papers and preliminary reports), 1915: Part I. - metals and nonmetals except fuels

This volume is the thirteenth of a series that includes Bulletins 213, 225, 260, 285, 315, 340, 380, 430, 470, 530, 540, and 580, "Contributions to economic geology" for 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906 (Pt. I), 1907 (Pt. I), 1908 (Pt. I), 1909 (Pt. I), 1910 (P t. I), 1911 (Pt. I) , 1912 (Pt. I), and 1913 (Pt. I), respectively . These bulletins are prepared primarily to insure prompt publication of the economic results of investigations made by the United States Geological Survey. Beginning with the present volume the year included in the title will be the year of publication 1 instead of the year in which the field work reported was done. This volume is therefore dated 1915, and there will be no volume entitled "Contributions to economic geology, 1914." As the subtitle indicates, the papers included are of two classes -(1) short papers giving comparatively detailed description of occurrences that have economic interest but are not of sufficient importance to warrant a more extended description; (2) preliminary reports on economic investigations the results of which are to be published later in more detailed form. These papers are such only as have a direct economic bearing, all topic of purely scientific interest being excluded. Each paper has been issued as an advance chapter as soon as it was ready. Brief abstracts of the publications of the year are given in the annual report of the Director. The complete list of Survey publications affords, by means of finding list of subjects and of authors, further aid in ascertaining the extent of the Survey's work in economic geology. Since 1905 the annual economic bulletin has been printed in two parts, the second part comprising paper on mineral fuels. These volumes for 1906, 1907, 190 , 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, and 1913 are Bulletins 316, 341, 381, 431, 471, 531, 541, and 581. Bulletin 621 forms Part II of the "Contributions" for 1915. The reports on work in Alaska have been printed in a separate series since 1904, the volume so far issued being Bulletins 259, 284, 314, 345, 379, 442, 480, 520, 542, 592, and 622.

Bulletin↗
USGS2024

Peak streamflow trends and their relation to changes in climate in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

Flood-frequency analysis, also called peak-flow frequency or flood-flow frequency analysis, is essential to water resources management applications including critical structure design and floodplain mapping. Federal guidelines for doing flood-frequency analyses are presented in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods report known as Bulletin 17C. A basic assumption within Bulletin 17C is that for drainage basins without major hydrologic alterations, statistical properties of the distribution of annual peak streamflows (peak flows) are stationary; that is, the mean, variance, and skew are constant. The stationarity assumption has been widely accepted within the flood-frequency community; however, a better understanding of long-term climatic persistence and concerns about potential climate change and land-use change has caused a reexamination of the stationarity assumption. This work is part of that reexamination. The stationarity assumption is a concern because flood-frequency analyses that do not incorporate observed trends and abrupt changes may result in a poor representation of the true flood risk. Bulletin 17C does not offer guidance for incorporating nonstationarities when estimating floods, and it describes a need for studies that incorporate changing climate or basin characteristics. In response to this need and a history of concern regarding nonstationarity peak flows in the region, this study was done to assess potential nonstationarity in peak flows in the north-central United States. This report summarizes the methods used to detect hydroclimatic changes in peak-flow data in the study region. Four periods were selected for analysis of peak flow, daily streamflow, and climate data. The periods are (1) a 100-year period, 1921–2020; (2) a 75-year period, 1946–2020; (3) a 50-year period, 1971–2020; and (4) a 30-year period, 1991–2020. The starting point for these analyses was the initial data analysis of peak flow described in Bulletin 17C, which includes plotting the peak flow and checking for autocorrelation, monotonic trends, and changes points. Analyses were added to examine additional features in the data. Results are provided in a U.S. Geological Survey data release. The study limitations are documented for users of the results.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2024

Introduction and methods of analysis for peak streamflow trends and their relation to changes in climate in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

Flood-frequency analysis, also called peak-flow frequency or flood-flow frequency analysis, is essential to water resources management applications including critical structure design and floodplain mapping. Federal guidelines for doing flood-frequency analyses are presented in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods Report known as Bulletin 17C. A basic assumption within Bulletin 17C is that for drainage basins without major hydrologic alterations, statistical properties of the distribution of annual peak streamflows (peak flows) are stationary; that is, the mean, variance, and skew are constant. The stationarity assumption has been widely accepted within the flood-frequency community; however, a better understanding of long-term climatic persistence and concerns about potential climate change and land-use change has caused a reexamination of the stationarity assumption. Flood-frequency analyses that do not incorporate observed trends and abrupt changes may result in a poor representation of the true flood risk. Bulletin 17C does not offer guidance for incorporating nonstationarities when estimating floods, and it describes a need for studies that incorporate changing climate or basin characteristics. In response to this need and a history of concern regarding nonstationarity peak flows in the region, this study was done by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Departments of Transportation of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wisconsin; the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; and the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, to assess potential nonstationarity in peak flows in the north-central United States. This chapter summarizes the methods used to detect hydroclimatic changes in peak-flow data in the study region. A wide range of analyses and statistical approaches are applied to document the primary mechanisms controlling floods and characterize temporal changes in hydroclimatic variables and peak flow. Four periods were selected for analysis of peak flow, daily streamflow, and climate data. The periods are (1) a 100-year period, 1921–2020; (2) a 75-year period, 1946–2020; (3) a 50-year period, 1971–2020; and (4) a 30-year period, 1991–2020. The climate data consist of monthly time series estimates of temperature, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration, snowfall, soil moisture storage, snow water equivalent, and runoff on a 3.1-mile by 3.1-mile grid for the conterminous United States. Statistical and graphical analyses were used to investigate potential changes in hydrology and climate. The starting point for these analyses was the initial data analysis of peak flow described in Bulletin 17C, which includes plotting the peak flow and checking for autocorrelation, monotonic trends, and changes points. Analyses were added to examine additional features in the data. To examine potential causal drivers of changes, the climate data were analyzed graphically and statistically. Results are provided in a U.S. Geological Survey data release. The study limitations are documented for users of the results.

Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Mon↗
USGS1974

Geological Survey published reports on Alaska, 1940-1959, indexed by quadrangle

Geological Survey reports published as Professional Papers, Bulletins, Water Supply Papers, and Circulars are listed by the quadrangles (scale 1:250,000) into which Alaska has been divided for topographic mapping (p. 2). This index does not include reports that deal only with administrative matters or that were placed in open files but not formally published. Reports that deal with Alaska as a whole, with areas that cannot be identified with any specific quadrangle, or with offshore areas that are not within quadrangle boundaries, or that consist mainly of statistical data on the quality or quantity of water are listed under ALASKA - GENERAL, as are bibliographies, indexes, and similar publications. The ALASKA - GENERAL list appears before the alphabetically arranged quadrangle listings.

Alaska↗
USGS1974

Geological Survey published reports on Alaska, 1915-1939, indexed by quadrangle

Geological Survey reports published as Professional Papers, Bulletins, Water Supply Papers, and Circulars are listed by the quadrangles (scale 1:250,000) into which Alaska has been divided for topographic mapping (p. 3). This index does not include reports that deal only with administrative matters or that were placed in open files but not formally published. Reports that deal with Alaska as a whole, with areas that can not be identified with any specific quadrangle, or with offshore areas that are not within quadrangle boundaries, or that consist mainly of statistical data on the quality or quantity of water are listed under ALASKAGENERAL, as are bibliographies, indexes, and similar publications. The ALASKA - GENERAL list appears before the alphabetically arranged quadrangle listings.

Alaska↗
USGS1989

California’s potential volcanic hazards

Although volcanic eruptions have occurred infrequently in California during the last few thousand years, the potential danger to life and property from volcanoes in the state is great enough to be of concern, according to a recent U.S Geological Survey (USGS) publication. the 17-page bulletin, "Potential Hazards from Future Volcanic Eruptions in California," gives a brief history of volcanic activity in California during the past 100,000 years, descriptions of the types of volcanoes in the state, the types of potentially hazardous volcanic events that could occur, and hazard-zonation maps and tables depicting six areas of the state where volcanic eruptions might occur. Although no quantitative probabilities are attached to any of the potential volcanic hazards, the USGS bulletin warns that "sooner or later a volcano in California will erupt again and the ever-expanding use of area near volcnoes increases the potential impact of an eruption on the state's economy and on the health and safety of its citizens.

California↗