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At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources
USGS2007

Quantification of instream flow needs of a wild and scenic river for water rights litigation

The lower 4 miles of the Red River, a tributary of the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico, was designated as one of the “instant” components of the National Wild and Scenic River System in 1968. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), as the managing agency of the wild and scenic river, was a participant in a general water rights adjudication of the Red River stream system. The BLM sought a federal reserved water right and asserted a claim to the instream flows necessary to protect and maintain the values of the river. Instream flows are not recognized under New Mexico water law. Instream flow requirements were determined by several methods to quantify the claims made by the United States for a federal reserved water right under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The scenic (aesthetic), recreational, and fish and wildlife values are the purposes for which instream flow requirements were claimed. Since water quality is related to these values, instream flows for waste transport and protection of water quality were also included in the claim. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Instream Flow Incremental Methodology was used to quantify the relationship between various flow regimes and fish habitat. Experience in this litigation indicates the importance of using state-of-the-art methodologies in quantifying instream flow claims. The incremental methodology held up well under technical and legal scrutiny and is an example of the latest methodology that was applied successfully in an adjudication. On February 23, 1984, the parties involved in the adjudication entered a precedential stipulation recognizing a federal reserved right to instream flows for the Red River component of the National Wild and Scenic River System.

New Mexico↗
USGS2017

Unconventional oil and gas spills: Materials, volumes, and risks to surface waters in four states of the U.S.

Extraction of oil and gas from unconventional sources, such as shale, has dramatically increased over the past ten years, raising the potential for spills or releases of chemicals, waste materials, and oil and gas. We analyzed spill data associated with unconventional wells from Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota and Pennsylvania from 2005 to 2014, where we defined unconventional wells as horizontally drilled into an unconventional formation. We identified materials spilled by state and for each material we summarized frequency, volumes and spill rates. We evaluated the environmental risk of spills by calculating distance to the nearest stream and compared these distances to existing setback regulations. Finally, we summarized relative importance to drinking water in watersheds where spills occurred. Across all four states, we identified 21,300 unconventional wells and 6622 reported spills. The number of horizontal well bores increased sharply beginning in the late 2000s; spill rates also increased for all states except PA where the rate initially increased, reached a maximum in 2009 and then decreased. Wastewater, crude oil, drilling waste, and hydraulic fracturing fluid were the materials most often spilled; spilled volumes of these materials largely ranged from 100 to 10,000 L. Across all states, the average distance of spills to a stream was highest in New Mexico (1379 m), followed by Colorado (747 m), North Dakota (598 m) and then Pennsylvania (268 m), and 7.0, 13.3, and 20.4% of spills occurred within existing surface water setback regulations of 30.5, 61.0, and 91.4 m, respectively. Pennsylvania spills occurred in watersheds with a higher relative importance to drinking water than the other three states. Results from this study can inform risk assessments by providing improved input parameters on volume and rates of materials spilled, and guide regulations and the management policy of spills.

Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania↗
USGS2025

Fomites could determine severity of SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in low-density white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations

The establishment of a reservoir species for zoonotic diseases is concerning for both animal and human health. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has been detected in white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) in the United States. Since its initial detection, various studies have documented circulation and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in deer, with human cases suspected of spill-back from infectious deer. A priority for mitigating SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in deer populations is determining the contribution of direct (via aerosols and physical contact) and indirect (via contaminated objects and media) transmission pathways. We expanded existing epidemiological models founded on direct transmission pathways to include three indirect transmission pathways of infection for simulated deer populations, including contaminated water, food waste, and feed piles. Despite lower infection probabilities and transmission hazards (measured by force-of-infection (FOI)) posed solely by these indirect pathways compared to direct transmission pathways, the addition of indirect transmission pathways increased FOI, which had ramifications for the severity of SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in simulated deer populations, particularly in populations with low degrees of spread between deer (measured by basic reproductive number; R 0 ). We used contact rate models to estimate SARS-CoV-2 spread across deer range in the United States and identified widespread potential for indirect transmission to increase the severity of outbreaks in low-density deer populations. These results indicate that indirect transmission pathways need to be considered in the management of white-tailed deer as a reservoir species for SARS-CoV-2.

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases↗
USGS1986

Water resources activities in Kentucky, 1986

The U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, conducts three major types of activities in Kentucky in order to provide hydrologic information and understanding needed for the best management of Kentucky 's and the Nation 's water resources. These activities are: (1) Data collection and dissemination; (2) Water-resources appraisals (interpretive studies); and (3) Research. Activities described in some detail following: (1) collection of surface - and groundwater data; (2) operation of stations to collect data on water quality, atmospheric deposition, and sedimentation; (3) flood investigations; (4) water use; (5) small area flood hydrology; (6) feasibility of disposal of radioactive disposal in deep crystalline rocks; (7) development of a groundwater model for the Louisville area; (8) travel times for streams in the Kentucky River Basin; (9) the impact of sinkholes and streams on groundwater flow in a carbonate aquifer system; (10) sedimentation and erosion rates at the Maxey Flats Radioactive Waste Burial site; and (11) evaluation of techniques for evaluating the cumulative impacts of mining as applied to coal fields in Kentucky. (Lantz-PTT)

Open-File Report↗
USGS2011

Assessment of Hyporheic Zone, Flood-Plain, Soil-Gas, Soil, and Surface-Water Contamination at the McCoys Creek Chemical Training Area, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 2009-2010

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon, Georgia, assessed the hyporheic zone, flood plain, soil gas, soil, and surface water for contaminants at the McCoys Creek Chemical Training Area (MCTA) at Fort Gordon, from October 2009 to September 2010. The assessment included the detection of organic contaminants in the hyporheic zone, flood plain, soil gas, and surface water. In addition, the organic contaminant assessment included the analysis of organic compounds classified as explosives and chemical agents in selected areas. Inorganic contaminants were assessed in soil and surface-water samples. The assessment was conducted to provide environmental contamination data to the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon pursuant to requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Hazardous Waste Permit process. Ten passive samplers were deployed in the hyporheic zone and flood plain, and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and octane were detected above the method detection level in every sampler. Other organic compounds detected above the method detection level in the hyporheic zone and flood-plain samplers were trichloroethylene, and cis- and trans- 1, 2-dichloroethylene. One trip blank detected TPH below the method detection level but above the nondetection level. The concentrations of TPH in the samplers were many times greater than the concentrations detected in the blank; therefore, all other TPH concentrations detected are considered to represent environmental conditions. Seventy-one soil-gas samplers were deployed in a grid pattern across the MCTA. Three trip blanks and three method blanks were used and not deployed, and TPH was detected above the method detection level in two trip blanks and one method blank. Detection of TPH was observed at all 71 samplers, but because TPH was detected in the trip and method blanks, TPH was censored and, therefore, only 7 of the 71 samplers were reported as detecting TPH. In addition, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylene were detected above the method detection level in 22 samplers. Other compounds detected above the method detection level included naphthalene, octane, undecane, tridecane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, chloroform, and 1,4-dichlorobenzene. Subsequent to the soil-gas survey, five locations with elevated contaminant mass were selected and a passive sampler was deployed at those locations to detect the presence of organic compounds classified as explosives or chemical agents. No explosives or chemical agents were detected above the method detection level, but some compounds were detected below the method detection level but above the nondetection level. Dimethyl disulfide, benzothiazole, chloroacetophenones, and para-chlorophenyl methyl sulfide were all detected below the method detection level but above the nondetection level. The compounds 2,4-dinitrotoluene, and para-chlorophenyl methyl sulfone were detected in samplers but also were detected in trip blanks and are not considered as present in the MCTA. The same five locations that were selected for sampling of explosives and chemical agents were selected for soil sampling. Metal concentrations in composite soil samples collected at five locations from land surface to a depth of 6 inches did not exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Screening Levels for Industrial Soil. Concentrations in some compounds were higher than the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control background levels for nearby South Carolina, including aluminum, arsenic, barium, beryllium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and potassium. A surface-water sample was collected from McCoys Creek and analyzed for volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, and inorganic compounds (metals). No volatile organic compounds and (or) semivolatile organic compounds were detected at levels above the maximum contaminant level of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Primary Drinking Water Standard, and no inorganic compounds exceeded the maximum contaminant level of the USEPA National Primary Drinking Water Standard or the Georgia In-Stream Water-Quality Standard. Iron was the only inorganic compound detected in the surface-water sample (578 micrograms per liter) that exceeded the USEPA National Secondary Drinking Water Standard of 300 micrograms per liter.

Georgia↗
USGS2024

Using surficial geologic maps, vegetation, and monitoring to address erosion impacts from grazing in Channel Islands National Park, California

Employing a map-unit classification scheme based on geomorphic process and age, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mapped Quaternary surficial deposits of the five islands comprising Channel Islands National Park (CHIS), California, as no such maps previously existed. Mapping was motivated through an agreement with the National Park Service (NPS) to aid natural resource assessments, including post-grazing disturbance recovery and identification of mass wasting and tectonic hazards. The resulting detailed (1:12,000 scale) maps portray areas of upland erosional transport processes and alluvial, fluvial, eolian, beach, marine terrace, mass wasting, and mixed depositional processes at a scale commensurate with the process signal on the landscape. Detailed, GPS-located observations of sedimentology, pedogenic development, landscape position, and geomorphology constrain map unit identification. In addition, map-unit boundary delineation was determined in a GIS using a variety of high-resolution (sub-meter) aerial imagery and lidar-based DEMs complemented by derivative raster products. The GIS geodatabase schema used is GeMS compliant. Resolvable map-unit widths are as small as 10-15 meter. Locational accuracy of unit boundaries is estimated to be as low as 10 m or better. Detailed mapping is at a scale allowing determination of geomorphic transport processes operating on the landscape and conveys geologic information to land managers at a resolution commensurate with park resources. Map unit ages are constrained by relative soil chronostratigraphy, vertebrate and invertebrate fossils, and materials collected for dating control using radiogenic, luminescence, and cosmogenic radionuclide techniques. Associated topical studies examined connections between geology, surface water, and vegetation distribution and restoration.

California↗
USGS2022

Characterization of and temporal changes in groundwater quality of the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Basin, El Paso County, Colorado, 2018–20

In 2018–20, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Upper Black Squirrel Creek Ground Water Management District, sampled 48 wells for Phase III of a multiphase plan investigating groundwater quality in the alluvial aquifer of the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Basin (UBSB), El Paso County, Colorado. Results for samples collected from October to December each year were used to assess spatial and temporal changes in groundwater quality and to differentiate sources of nitrate. Groundwater was predominantly classified as mixed-cation and mixed-anion water type in the aquifer, with variable chemistry along the periphery. Concentrations of constituents in groundwater were generally less than regulatory standards, except for nitrate in four wells. Isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrate identified four different potential sources or processes affecting nitrate in the alluvial aquifer: naturally occurring nitrate from soils, nitrate from animal and (or) human waste, and an unknown source, along with evidence of denitrification. Pharmaceutical compounds and personal-care products were detected in seven wells, with three wells having multiple detections. Stable isotopes of water indicated variability in seasonality of recharge throughout the UBSB alluvial aquifer. Nitrate concentrations from the 1984 study and the 1996 study were compared to the more recent concentrations in the 2013 study and the 2018–20 study. The northern one-third of the UBSB alluvial aquifer had a statistically significant increase in nitrate concentration from the 2013 study to the 2018–20 study, but no change was shown from the 1984 study to the 1996 study. The opposite was found true for the southern two-thirds of the UBSB alluvial aquifer with no statistically significant difference in nitrate concentration from the 2013 study to the 2018–20 study. Analysis of temporal changes indicated an increase in median and maximum nitrate concentrations from the 2013 study to the 2018–20 study throughout the UBSB alluvial aquifer. Continued sampling of wells in the UBSB would be beneficial to better determine temporal changes in groundwater quality, characterize human effects on water quality, and understand characteristics of the alluvial aquifer pertaining to sustainability of the resource.

Colorado↗
USGS2022

Examination of the interaction between age-specific predation and chronic disease in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Predators may create healthier prey populations by selectively removing diseased individuals. Predators typically prefer some ages of prey over others, which may, or may not, align with those prey ages that are most likely to be diseased. The interaction of age-specific infection and predation has not been previously explored and likely has sizable effects on disease dynamics. We hypothesize that predator cleansing effects will be greater when the disease and predation occur in the same prey age groups. We examine the predator cleansing effect using a model where both vulnerability to predators and pathogen prevalence vary with age. We tailor this model to chronic wasting disease (CWD) in mule deer and elk populations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, with empirical data from Yellowstone grey wolves and cougars. Model results suggest that under moderate, yet realistic, predation pressure from cougars and wolves independently, predators may decrease CWD outbreak size substantially and delay the accumulation of symptomatic deer and elk. The magnitude of this effect is driven by the ability of predators to selectively remove late-stage CWD infections that are likely the most responsible for transmission, but this may not be the age class they typically select. Thus, predators that select for infected young adults over uninfected juveniles have a stronger cleansing effect, and these effects are strengthened when transmission rates increase with increasing prey morbidity. There are also trade-offs from a management perspective—that is, increasing predator kill rates can result in opposing forces on prey abundance and CWD prevalence. Our modelling exploration shows that predators have the potential to reduce prevalence in prey populations when prey age and disease severity are considered, yet the strength of this effect is influenced by predators' selection for demography or body condition. Current CWD management focuses on increasing cervid hunting as the primary management tool, and our results suggest predators may also be a useful tool under certain conditions, but not necessarily without additional impacts on host abundance and demography. Protected areas with predator populations will play a large role in informing the debate over predator impacts on disease.

Wyoming↗
USGS2002

Source water identification and chemical typing for nitrogen at the Kissimmee River, Pool C, Florida — Preliminary assessment

As part of the South Florida Water Management District's Ground Water-Surface Water Interactions Study, a project was undertaken to identify the ages and sources of water in the area of Pool C, Kissimmee River, Florida. Twenty-two water samples were collected along two transects: at a remnant river oxbows (Site D) and in the dredged part of the channel (Site C). The samples were analyzed for concentrations of fluoride and strontium, and for isotopes of oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. Selected samples were analyzed for one or more additional isotopes (carbon-14, the ratio of strontium-87 to strontium-86, tritium, and tritium-helium-3). Delta nitrogen-15 values for nitrate at Site C can be explained by soil nitrogen and fertilizer sources; at Site D soil nitrogen accounts for most values, although animal wastes may explain higher values. Some of the isotopic data seem to be contradictory: carbon-14 data apparently indicate that shallow ground water is younger at Site D than at Site C, whereas strontium-87/86 ratios lead to the opposite conclusion. More detailed analysis of major ions and nutrients for all sampling points, along with flow measurements, could allow more definitive interpretation of isotope data and provide additional insight into mixing of ground water and surface water at the sites.

Florida↗
USGS2009

Sources and transformations of nitrate from streams draining varying land uses: Evidence from dual isotope analysis

Knowledge of key sources and biogeochemical processes that affect the transport of nitrate (NO 3 - ) in streams can inform watershed management strategies for controlling downstream eutrophication. We applied dual isotope analysis of NO 3 - to determine the dominant sources and processes that affect NO 3 - concentrations in six stream/river watersheds of different land uses. Samples were collected monthly at a range of flow conditions for 15 mo during 2004-05 and analyzed for NO 3 - concentrations, ?? 15 N NO3 , and ?? 18 O NO3 . Samples from two forested watersheds indicated that NO 3 - derived from nitrification was dominant at baseflow. A watershed dominated by suburban land use had three ?? 18 O NO3 values greater than +25???, indicating a large direct contribution of atmospheric NO 3 - transported to the stream during some high flows. Two watersheds with large proportions of agricultural land use had many ?? 15 N NO3 values greater than +9???, suggesting an animal waste source consistent with regional dairy farming practices. These data showed a linear seasonal pattern with a ?? 18 O NO3 :?? 15 N NO3 of 1:2, consistent with seasonally varying denitrification that peaked in late summer to early fall with the warmest temperatures and lowest annual streamflow. The large range of ?? 15 N NO3 values (10???) indicates that NO 3 - supply was likely not limiting the rate of denitrification, consistent with ground water and/or in-stream denitrification. Mixing of two or more distinct sources may have affected the seasonal isotope patterns observed in these two agricultural streams. In a mixed land use watershed of large drainage area, none of the source and process patterns observed in the small streams were evident. These results emphasize that observations at watersheds of a few to a few hundred km 2 may be necessary to adequately quantify the relative roles of various NO 3 - transport and process patterns that contribute to streamflow in large basins. Copyright ?? 2009 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

Journal of Environmental Quality↗
USGS2006

Environmental contaminant exposure data and monitoring priorities for wild terrestrial vertebrates at national parks in coastal and estuarine habitat

The Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) Project of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assesses the exposure and effects of environmental contaminants on select species and habitats in the United States. One of the many BEST Project activities entails the development of decision-support tools to assist in the identification of chemical threats to species and lands under the stewardship of the Department of the Interior. Although there are many ecotoxicological monitoring programs that focus on aquatic species and habitats, there are currently no large-scale efforts that are focused on terrestrial vertebrates in the United States. Nonetheless, organochlorine contaminants, metals, and new pollutants continue to pose hazards to terrestrial vertebrates at many spatial scales (ranging from small hazardous-waste-site point sources to entire watersheds). To evaluate and prioritize pollutant hazards for terrestrial vertebrates, a ?Contaminant Exposure and EffectsTerrestrial Vertebrates? (CEE-TV) database (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/contaminants-online) was developed. The CEE-TV database has been used to conduct simple searches for exposure and biological effects information for a given species or location, identification of temporal contaminant exposure trends, information gap analyses for national wildlife refuge and national park units, and ranking of terrestrial vertebrate ecotoxicological information needs based on data density and water quality problems. Despite widespread concerns about environmental contamination, during the past decade only about one-half of the coastal National Park units appear to have terrestrial vertebrate ecotoxicological data. Based upon known environmental contaminant hazards, it is recommended that regionalized monitoring programs or efforts focused on lands managed by the Department of the Interior should be undertaken to prevent serious natural resource problems.

Book chapter↗
USGS2004

Water quality, hydrology, and the effects of changes in phosphorus loading to Pike Lake, Washington County, Wisconsin, with special emphasis on inlet-to-outlet short-circuiting

Pike Lake is a 459-acre, mesotrophic to eutrophic dimictic lake in southeastern Wisconsin. Because of concern over degrading water quality in the lake associated with further development in its watershed, a study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey from 1998 to 2000 to describe the water quality and hydrology of the lake, quantify sources of phosphorus including the effects of short-circuiting of inflows, and determine how changes in phosphorus loading should affect the water quality of the lake. Measuring all significant water and phosphorus sources and estimating lesser sources was the method used to construct detailed water and phosphorus budgets. The Rubicon River, ungaged near-lake surface inflow, precipitation, and ground water provide 55, 20, 17, and 7 percent of the total inflow, respectively. Water leaves the lake through the Rubicon River outlet (87 percent) or by evaporation (13 percent). Total input of phosphorus to the lake was about 3,500 pounds in 1999 and 2,400 pounds in 2000. About 80 percent of the phosphorus was from the Rubicon River, about half of which came from the watershed and half from a waste-water treatment plant in Slinger, Wisconsin. Inlet-to-outlet short-circuiting of phosphorus is facilitated by a meandering segment of the Rubicon River channel through a marsh at the north end of the lake. It is estimated that 77 percent of phosphorus from the Rubicon River in monitoring year 1999 and 65 percent in monitoring year 2000 was short-circuited to the outlet without entering the main body of the lake. Simulations using water-quality models within the Wisconsin Lake Model Suite (WiLMS) indicated Pike Lake's response to 13 different phosphorus-loading scenarios. These scenarios included a base 'normal' year (2000) for which lake water quality and loading were known, six different percentage increases or decreases in phosphorus loading from controllable sources, and six different loading scenarios corresponding to specific management actions. Model simulations indicate that a 50-percent reduction in controllable loading sources would be needed to achieve a mesotrophic classification with respect to phosphorus, chlorophyll a, and Secchi depth (an index of water clarity). Model simulations indicated that short-circuiting of phosphorus from the inlet to the outlet was the main reason the water quality of the lake is good relative to the amount of loading from the Rubicon River and that changes in the percentage of inlet-to-outlet short-circuiting have a significant influence on the water quality of the lake.

Wisconsin↗
USGS1972

Clay deposits of the Connecticut River Valley, Connecticut: a special problem in land management

When man first settled the United States, two natural features favored settlement; flat land that was easy to build on and to farm, and a nearby river that could act as a source of water, transportation, and power. The Connecticut River Valley from Middletown, Ct. north past the Connecticut-Massachusetts state line satisfied these two needs, and was favored by many early Americans in New England. This area remains an area of rapid urbanization, partly because of the broad flat lowlands. The subdued topography of this area is due in large part to deposition of fine-grained materials into glacial Lake Hitchcock. This lake was formed during the Wisconsinan age when southward drainage in the Triassic valley of Connecticut was dammed by glacial drift in the area of Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Lake Hitchcock grew to and beyond St. Johnsbury, Vt. with much of the lake being filled with cyclical lake-bottom deposits during the 2,290 to 2,350 years of its life. Aside from the relative flatness inherent in the deposition of fine-grained lake-bottom deposits, these deposits present very few characteristics that are favorable for urbanization. Favorable characteristics are possible sources of clay for manufacturing and possible sources for waste storage sites. Unfavorable characteristics include low water yields resulting in poor urban water-supply sources, and very low flows in streams during dry periods; low percolation rates resulting In drainage and septic problems; and low or uneven bearing strength which create problems in construction. Fine-grained lake-bottom deposits have been mapped for six quadrangles in the Connecticut Valley lowlands; the quadrangles of Windsor Locks, Broad Brook, Hartford North, Manchester, Hartford South, and Glastonbury (all located in Connecticut). All the maps were prepared from existing information including well and test hole data on file at the Water Resources Division in Hartford, surficial geologic quadrangle maps, and bedrock contour maps. The maps also reflect geologic interpretations of the history of glacial Lake Hitchcock. The Hartford North maps were prepared as test maps to determine if the project was feasible. They were prepared using the previously described information plus additional subsurface data obtained from engineering firms and the State Highway Department. During preparation of the maps, an arcuate-shaped, ice-contact deposit composed of coarse sand and gravel was delineated in the Broad Brook and Windsor Locks quadrangles. This feature marks the location of a zone of stagnant ice In front of and marginal to active ice to the north. Two types of maps were prepared for the area in study; Thickness of the Principal Clay Deposit, and Thickness of Material Overlying the Principal Clay Deposit. The term "principal clay deposit" refers to the fine-grained lake-bottom deposits of Glacial Lake Hitchcock. These maps define the distribution of the deposit, and show the thickness of the deposit in 50 foot intervals and the thickness of the material overlying the deposit In 20 foot intervals. The maps indicate that much of the area is underlain with substantial thicknesses of finegrained lake-bottom deposits (50 feet thick or greater), and that much of the deposit is within 20 feet of the surface. The maps included in this report can be used for land-use planning. Uses include location of favorable sites for specific uses such as landfills, utility corridors, heavy construction, etc; location of problem areas for specific land uses; identification of possible problems for specific areas; design and construction cost estimates; and prospecting for exploitable clay deposits. It Is suggested that, for effective planning, these maps be used together or in conjunction with other maps such as maps showing surface materials, depth to bedrock, depth to water table, and flood prone areas.

Connecticut↗
USGS2012

Development and application of a soil organic matter-based soil quality index in mineralized terrane of the Western US

Soil quality indices provide a means of distilling large amounts of data into a single metric that evaluates the soil’s ability to carry out key ecosystem functions. Primarily developed in agroecosytems, then forested ecosystems, an index using the relation between soil organic matter and other key soil properties in more semi-arid systems of the Western US impacted by different geologic mineralization was developed. Three different sites in two different mineralization types, acid sulfate and Cu/Mo porphyry in California and Nevada, were studied. Soil samples were collected from undisturbed soils in both mineralized and nearby unmineralized terrane as well as waste rock and tailings. Eight different microbial parameters (carbon substrate utilization, microbial biomass-C, mineralized-C, mineralized-N and enzyme activities of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and fluorescein diacetate) along with a number of physicochemical parameters were measured. Multiple linear regression models between these parameters and both total organic carbon and total nitrogen were developed, using the ratio of predicted to measured values as the soil quality index. In most instances, pooling unmineralized and mineralized soil data within a given study site resulted in lower model correlations. Enzyme activity was a consistent explanatory variable in the models across the study sites. Though similar indicators were significant in models across different mineralization types, pooling data across sites inhibited model differentiation of undisturbed and disturbed sites. This procedure could be used to monitor recovery of disturbed systems in mineralized terrane and help link scientific and management disciplines.

Environmental Earth Sciences↗
USGS1994

Estimation of water withdrawal and distribution, water use, and wastewater collection and return flow in Cumberland, Rhode Island, 1988

Water-use data collected in Rhode Island by different State agencies or maintained by different public suppliers and wastewater- treatment facilities need to be integrated if these data are to be used in making water- resource management decisions. Water-use data for the town of Cumberland, a small area in northeastern Rhode Island, were compiled and integrated to provide an example of how the procedure could be applied. Integration and reliability assessment of water-use data could be facilitated if public suppliers, wastewater- treatment facilities, and State agencies used a number of standardized procedures for data collection and computer storage. The total surface water and ground water withdrawn in the town of Cumberland during 1988 is estimated to be 15.39 million gallons per day, of which 11.20 million gallons per day was exported to other towns. Water use in Cumberland included 2.51 million gallons per day for domestic use, 0.68 million gallons per day for industrial use, 0.27 million gallons per day for commercial use, and 0.73 million gallons per day for other use, most of which were unmetered use. Disposal of waste- water in Cumberland included 2.03 million gallons per day returned to the hydrologic system and 1.73 million gallons per day exported from Cumberland for wastewater treatment. Consumptive use during 1988 is estimated to be 0.43 million gallons per day.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2009

Methods for Estimating Water Withdrawals for Aquaculture in the United States, 2005

Aquaculture water use is associated with raising organisms that live in water - such as finfish and shellfish - for food, restoration, conservation, or sport. Aquaculture production occurs under controlled feeding, sanitation, and harvesting procedures primarily in ponds, flow-through raceways, and, to a lesser extent, cages, net pens, and tanks. Aquaculture ponds, raceways, and tanks usually require the withdrawal or diversion of water from a ground or surface source. Most water withdrawn or diverted for aquaculture production is used to maintain pond levels and/or water quality. Water typically is added for maintenance of levels, oxygenation, temperature control, and flushing of wastes. This report documents methods used to estimate withdrawals of fresh ground water and surface water for aqua-culture in 2005 for each county and county-equivalent in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands by using aquaculture statistics and estimated water-use coefficients and water-replacement rates. County-level data for commercial and noncommercial operations compiled for the 2005 Census of Aquaculture were obtained from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Withdrawals of water used at commercial and noncommercial operations for aquaculture ponds, raceways, tanks, egg incubators, and pens and cages for alligators were estimated and totaled by ground-water or surface-water source for each county and county equivalent. Use of the methods described in this report, when measured or reported data are unavailable, could result in more consistent water-withdrawal estimates for aquaculture that can be used by water managers and planners to determine water needs and trends across the United States. The results of this study were distributed to U.S. Geological Survey water-use personnel in each State during 2007. Water-use personnel are required to submit estimated withdrawals for all categories of use in their State to the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Use Information Program for inclusion in a national report describing water use in the United States during 2005. Water-use personnel had the option of submitting the estimates determined by using the methods described in this report, a modified version of these estimates, their own set of estimates, or reported data for the aquaculture category. Estimated withdrawals resulting from the method described in this report are not presented herein to avoid potential inconsistencies with estimated withdrawals for aquaculture that will be presented in the national report, as different methods used by water-use personnel may result in different withdrawal estimates. Estimated withdrawals also are not presented to avoid potential disclosure of confidential information for individual aquaculture operations.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS1999

Sources and chronology of nitrate contamination in spring waters, Suwannee River basin, Florida

A multi-tracer approach, which consisted of analyzing water samples for n aturally occurring chemical and isotopic indicators, was used to better understand sources and chronology of nitrate contamination in spring wate rs discharging to the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers in northern Florida. Dur ing 1997 and 1998, as part of a cooperative study between the Suwannee River Water Management District and the U.S. Geological Survey, water samples were collected and analyzed from 24 springs and two wells for major ions, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, and selected environmental isotopes [18O/16O, D/H, 13C/12C, 15N/14N]. To better understand when nitrate entered the ground-water system, water samples were analyzed for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs; CCl3F, CCl2F2, and C2Cl3F3) and tritium (3H); in this way, the apparent ages and residence times of spring waters and water from shallow zones in the Upper Floridan aquifer were determined. In addition to information obtained from the use of isotopic and other chemical tracers, information on changes in land-use activities in the basin during 1954-97 were used to estimate nitrogen inputs from nonpoint sources for five counties in the basin. Changes in nitrate concentrations in spring waters with time were compared with estimated nitrogen inputs for Lafayette and Suwannee Counties. Agricultural activities [cropland farming, animal farming operations (beef and dairy cows, poultry, and swine)] along with atmospheric deposition have contributed large quantities of nitrogen to ground water in the Suwannee River Basin in northern Florida. Changes in agricultural land use during the past 40 years in Alachua, Columbia, Gilchrist, Lafayette, and Suwannee Counties have contributed variable amounts of nitrogen to the ground-water system. During 1955-97, total estimated nitrogen from all nonpoint sources (fertilizers, animal wastes, atmospheric deposition, and septic tanks) increased continuously in Gilchrist and Lafayette Counties. In Suwannee, Alachua, and Columbia Counties, estimated nitrogen inputs from all nonpoint sources peaked in the late 1970's corresponding to the peak use in fertilizer during this time. Fertilizer use in Columbia, Gilchrist, Lafayette, and Suwannee Counties increased substantially during 1993-97. The heavy use of fertilizers in the basin is corroborated by nitrogen isotope data. Values of d15N of nitrate (d15N-NO3) in spring waters range from 2.7 per mil (SUW718971) to 10.6 per mil (Poe Spring) with a median of 5.4 per mil. The range of values indicates that nitrate in the sampled spring waters most likely originates from a mixture of inorganic (fertilizers) and organic (animal wastes) sources; however, higher d15N values for Poe and Lafayette Blue Springs indicate that an organic source of nitrogen probably is contributing nitrate to these spring waters. Water samples from two wells sampled in Lafayette County have high d15N-NO3 values of 11.0 and 12.1 per mil, indicating the predominance of an organic source of nitrate. These two wells are located near dairy and poultry farms, where leachate from animal wastes may contribute nitrate to ground water. Dissolved-gas data (nitrogen, argon, and oxygen) indicate that denitrification has not removed large amounts of nitrate from the ground-water system. Thus, variations in d15N-NO3 values of spring waters can be attributed to variations in d15N-NO3 values of ground-water recharge, and can be used to obtain information about source(s) of nitrate. Extending the use of age-dating techniques (CFCs and 3H) to spring waters in complex karst systems required the use of several different approaches for estimating age and residence time of ground water discharging to springs. These approaches included the use of a simple reservoir model, a piston-flow model, an exponential model, and a binary-mixing model. When age data (CFC-11, CFC-113, and 3H) are combined for all springs, models that incorporate exponential mixtures seem to provide reliable estimates of average residence times of ground water discharging to springs. Whereas, data for some individual springs fit a binary-mixing model with more than 50 percent young water (recharged within the past 5 years), data from other individual springs fit a piston-flow model with a water age of about 25 years. The young ages of several spring waters (such as SUW718971, SUW725971, and Ginnie Spring) indicate the high vulnerability of the springs to contamination. For most springs, CFCs suggest that a large fraction of the water is more than 20 years old. Springs with lower flows tend to have young ages (shallow ground-water flow systems), whereas springs with higher flows tend to have older ages (deep ground-water flow systems). The chemical composition of spring waters can be used as a qualitative indicator of age and ground-water residence time. Nitrate-nitrogen concentrations and dissolved oxygen in spring waters are inversely related to the apparent ages of spring waters and ground-water residence time in the basin. Silica concentrations increase as the age of spring waters increase. Long-term trends in nitrate concentrations in selected spring waters were compared with estimated inputs of nitrogen from various sources in Suwannee and Lafayette Counties. In both counties, trends in nitrate concentrations in spring waters closely followed the estimated contribution of nitrogen from fertilizers. Decreasing nitrate concentrations in spring waters from Suwannee County followed the decrease in estimated fertilizer use from the mid-1970's to the early 1990's. Increasing nitrate concentrations in sprin g waters from Lafayette County followed the steady increase in fertilizer use from the early 1960's to the mid-1990's The relation between the concentration of nitrate in ground water and the amount of nitrogen that is added to a ground-water contributing area for a spring is controlled by complex interactions among hydrogeologic, land-use, and climatic factors, as well as several other land-management factors. Spring waters represent mixtures of converging flow paths that contain ground water with a range of ages. Even if nitrogen inputs were reduced substantially, it may take decades for nitrate concentrations in the ground-water system to return to near background levels.

Florida↗
USGS2011

Changes in nutrient dynamics of midcontinent greater white-fronted geese during spring migration

Waterfowl and other migratory birds commonly store nutrients at traditional staging areas during spring for later use during migration and reproduction. We investigated nutrient‐storage dynamics in the midcontinent population of greater white‐fronted geese ( Anser albifrons ; hereafter white‐fronted geese) at spring staging sites in the Rainwater Basin of Nebraska during February–April and in southern Saskatchewan during April–May, 1998 and 1999. In Nebraska, lipid content of white‐fronted geese did not increase, and protein content changed little over time for most age and sex categories. In Saskatchewan, lipids increased 11.4 g/day (SE = 1.7) and protein content increased 1.6 g/day (SE = 0.6) in the sample of adult geese collected over a 3‐week period. A study conducted during 1979–1980 in the Rainwater Basin reported that white‐fronted geese gained 8.8–17.7 g of lipids per day during spring, differing greatly from our results 2 decades later. In addition, lipid levels were less in the 1990s compared to spring 1980 for adult geese nearing departure from staging sites in Saskatchewan. This shift in where geese acquired nutrient stores from Nebraska to more northern staging sites coincided with a decrease in availability of waste corn in Nebraska, their primary food source while staging at that stopover site, and an increase in cultivation of high‐energy pulse crops in Saskatchewan. White‐fronted geese exhibited flexibility in nutrient dynamics during spring migration, likely in response to landscape‐level variation in food availability caused by changes in agricultural trends and practices. Maintaining a wide distribution of wetlands in the Great Plains may allow spring‐staging waterfowl to disperse across the region and facilitate access to high‐energy foods over a larger cropland base.

Nebraska, Saskatchewan↗