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USGS1983

Hydrogeologic and water-quality characteristics of the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer, Southeast Minnesota

Quality of water in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer is generally good, except for some localized contamination, Coal-tar derivatives that contaminate the aquifer in St. Louis Park, a western suburb in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, pose the most serious threat to water quality. High hardness and iron concentration limit suitability for municipal and industrial use in parts of extreme southeast Minnesota. Confining beds of bedrock and drift, however, protect most of the aquifer from surface pollutants. The Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer is part of a sequence of sedimentary bedrock units in southeast Minnesota. The Jordan Sandstone is a white to yellow, fine- to coarse-grained sandstone. The Prairie du Chien Group comprises two dolomitic formations that are vuggy and fractured and interbedded with thin layers of shale. The aquifer formations were deposited in Paleozoic seas that occupied the Hollandale embayment. The aquifer dips toward the interior of the embayment where it is as deep as 750 feet below land surface and as thick as 500 feet. Permeability is secondary in the Prairie du Chien Group because of solution cavities and fractures, and intergranular in the Jordan Sandstone. Water in the aquifer is confined except in the eastern part. Water generally flows to the north and east into the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. A ground-water divide separates part of the flow southward into Iowa. This aquifer supplies more water than any other bedrock one in the State. Calcium magnesium bicarbonate type water is most common in the aquifer. Calcium and sulfate and, to a lesser degree sodium and magnesium, increase in concentration toward the southwestern part of the study area. Bicarbonate concentration, on the other hand, decreases toward the southwestern corner of the study area. Leakage from overlying Cretaceous deposits is the source of much of the sulfate and other minerals in the southwest. This report is one of a series on the hydrogeology and water quality of the 14 principal aquifers in Minnesota prepared by the U. S. Geological Survey. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency requested these studies because of the need for information to develop its Underground Injection Control Program.

Minnesota↗

USGS1986

Analysis of fixed-station water-quality data in the Umpqua River basin, Oregon

An appraisal of surface water quality in the Umpqua River basin was made using existing monthly data collected by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Douglas County Water Resources Survey. This appraisal was limited to interpretation of instantaneous monthly water quality data collected in the Umpqua River basin from water years 1974 to 1983. These data were used to compare water quality conditions throughout the basin and to determine if data collected from the NASQAN (National Stream Quality Accounting network) station are representative of upstream basin conditions. In general, data collected at the NASQAN station represent a composite of water quality from the North and South Umpqua Rivers. These river basins account for 82 % of the NASQAN station drainage. Water quality concentrations, loads, yields, and trends were statistically described and related to point source effluent loads and basin characteristics including geohydrology, hydrology, population, land use, and water use. Available point-and nonpoint-source data provided minimal information for determining cause-effect relations and for explaining observed trends in water quality; however, the data did indicate that the largest effluent discharges are located in the South Umpqua River basin in the Roseburg-Winston area. Instantaneous and annual flow weighted levels of specific conductance, phosphorus, organic plus ammonia nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, and fecal coliform bacteria are generally highest in the South Umpqua River near Roseburg. These high levels generally occur during the summer months when river flow is extremely low relative to flow in the North Umpqua River. The North Umpqua River has among the lowest constituent concentrations observed in the basin. (Lantz-PTT)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1994

Analysis of data on nutrients and organic compounds in ground water in the upper Snake River basin, Idaho and western Wyoming, 1980-91

Nutrient and organic compound data from the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STORET data bases provided information for development of a preliminary conceptual model of spatial and temporal ground-water quality in the upper Snake River Basin. Nitrite plus nitrate (as nitrogen; hereafter referred to as nitrate) concentrations exceeded the Federal drinking-water regulation of 10 milligrams per liter in three areas in Idaho" the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, the area north of Pocatello (Fort Hall area), and the area surrounding Burley. Water from many wells in the Twin Falls area also contained elevated (greater than two milligrams per liter) nitrate concentrations. Water from domestic wells contained the highest median nitrate concentrations; water from industrial and public supply wells contained the lowest. Nitrate concentrations decreased with increasing well depth, increasing depth to water (unsaturated thickness), and increasing depth below water table (saturated thickness). Kjeldahl nitrogen concentrations decreased with increasing well depth and depth below water table. The relation between kjeldahl nitrogen concentrations and depth to water was poor. Nitrate and total phosphorus concentrations in water from wells were correlated among three hydrogeomorphic regions in the upper Snake River Basin, Concentrations of nitrate were statistically higher in the eastern Snake River Plain and local aquifers than in the tributary valleys. There was no statistical difference in total phosphorus concentrations among the three hydrogeomorphic regions. Nitrate and total phosphorus concentrations were correlated with land-use classifications developed using the Geographic Information Retrieval and Analysis System. Concentrations of nitrate were statistically higher in area of agricultural land than in areas of rangeland. There was no statistical difference in concentrations between rangeland and urban land and between urban land and agricultural land. There was no statistical difference in total phosphorus concentrations among any of the land-use classifications. Nitrate and total phosphorus concentrations also were correlated with land-use classifications developed by the Idaho Department of Water Resources for the Idaho part of the upper Snake River Basin. Nitrate concentrations were statistically higher in areas of irrigated agriculture than in areas of dryland agriculture and rangeland. There was no statistical difference in total phosphorus concentrations among any of the Idaho Department of Water Resources land-use classifications. Data were sufficient to assess long-term trends of nitrate concentrations in water from only eight wells: four wells north of Burley and four wells northwest of Pocatello. The trend in nitrate concentrations in water from all wells in upward. The following organic compounds were detected in ground water in the upper Snake River Basin: cyanazine, 2,4-D DDT, dacthal, diazinon, dichloropropane, dieldrin, malathion, and metribuzin. Of 211 wells sampled for organic compounds, water from 17 contained detectable concentrations.

Idaho;Montana;Nevada;Utah;Wyoming↗

USGS1967

Chemical quality of surface water in the Allegheny River basin, Pennsylvania and New York

The Allegheny River is the principal source of water to many industries and to communities in the upper Ohio River Valley. The river and its many tributaries pass through 19 counties in northwestern and western Pennsylvania. The population in these counties exceeds 3 million. A major user of the Allegheny River is the city of Pittsburgh, which has a population greater than The Allegheny River is as basic to the economy of the upper Ohio River Valley in western Pennsylvania as are the rich deposits of bituminous coal, gas, and oil that underlie the drainage basin. During the past 5 years many streams that flow into the Allegheny have been low flowing because of droughts affecting much of the eastern United States. Consequently, the concentration of solutes in some streams has been unusually high because of wastes from coal mines and oil wells. These and other water-quality problems in the Allegheny River drainage basin are affecting the economic future of some areas in western Pennsylvania. Because of environmental factors such as climate, geology, and land and water uses, surface-water quality varies considerably throughout the river basin. The natural quality of headwater streams, for example, is affected by saltwater wastes from petroleum production. One of the streams most affected is Kinzua Creek, which had 2,900 parts per million chloride in a sample taken at Westline on September 2, 1959. However, after such streams as the Conewango, Brokenstraw, Tionesta, Oil, and French Creeks merge with the Allegheny River, the dissolved-solids and chloride concentrations are reduced by dilution. Central segments of the main river receive water from the Clarion River, Redbank, Mahoning, and Crooked Creeks after they have crossed the coal fields of west-central Pennsylvania. At times, therefore, these streams carry coal-mine wastes that are acidic. The Kiskiminetas River, which crosses these coal fields, discharged sulfuric acid into the Allegheny at a rate of 299 tons a day during the 1962 water year (October 1, 1961, to September 30, 1962). Mine water affects the quality of the Allegheny River most noticeably in its lower part where large withdrawals are made by the Pittsburgh Water Company at Aspinwall and the Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority at Nadine. At these places raw river water is chemically .treated in modern treatment plants to control such objectionable characteristics as acidity and excessive concentrations of iron and manganese. Dissolved-solids content in the river varies along its entire length. In its upper reaches the water of the Allegheny River is a sodium chloride type, and at low flow, the sodium chloride is more than half the dissolved solids. In its lower reaches the water is a calcium sulfate .type, and at low flow the calcium sulfate is more than half the dissolved solids. In middle segments of the river from Franklin to Kittanning, water is more dilute and of a mixed type. Many small and several larger streams in the upper basin--such as the Conewango, Brokenstraw, Kinzua, Tionesta, and French Creeks--support large populations of game-fish. Even in segments of the Clarion River, Mahoning, and Redbank Creeks, which are at times affected by coal-mine wastes, fish are present. Although different species withstand varying amounts of contaminants in water, the continued presence of the fish indicates that the water is relatively pure and suitable for recreation and many other uses.

Water Supply Paper↗

USGS2013

Statewide summary for Louisiana: Chapter E in Emergent wetlands status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1950-2010

Throughout the past century, emergent wetlands have been declining across the Gulf of Mexico. Emergent wetland ecosystems provide a variety of resources, including plant and wildlife habitat, commercial and recreational economic activity, and natural barriers against storms. As emergent wetland losses increase, so does the need for information on the causes and effects of this loss, emergent wetland mapping, monitoring and restoration efforts, and education. The U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico Program are committed to restoring, enhancing, and protecting these important ecosystems. The purpose of this report is to provide scientists, managers, and citizens with valuable baseline information on the status and trends of emergent wetlands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. This study examines the emergent wetlands of eight individual estuarine areas within the northern Gulf of Mexico region, as well as presenting statewide summaries for Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Each estuarine area is detailed in vignettes that address current status and historical trends of estuarine and palustrine emergent wetlands, emergent wetlands mapping and monitoring, causes of status change, restoration and enhancement activities, background information for the study area, and the methodology employed to analyze and document the historical trends and current status of emergent wetlands. This chapter examines the estuaries of Louisiana.

Louisiana↗

USGS2015

Automated lidar-derived canopy height estimates for the Upper Mississippi River System

Land cover/land use (LCU) classifications serve as important decision support products for researchers and land managers. The LCU classifications produced by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) include canopy height estimates that are assigned through manual aerial photography interpretation techniques. In an effort to improve upon these techniques, this project investigated the use of high-density lidar data for the Upper Mississippi River System to determine canopy height. An ArcGIS tool was developed to automatically derive height modifier information based on the extent of land cover features for forest classes. The measurement of canopy height included a calculation of the average height from lidar point cloud data as well as the inclusion of a local maximum filter to identify individual tree canopies. Results were compared to original manually interpreted height modifiers and to field survey data from U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis plots. This project demonstrated the effectiveness of utilizing lidar data to more efficiently assign height modifier attributes to LCU classifications produced by the UMESC.

Minnesota, Wisconsin↗

USGS2016

Accuracy assessment/validation methodology and results of 2010–11 land-cover/land-use data for Pools 13, 26, La Grange, and Open River South, Upper Mississippi River System

Introduction/Background The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)-Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) was responsible for development of several land cover/land use (LCU) systemic datasets of the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). These efforts (1989 and 2000) were funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program (UMRR) Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM) element. Development of systemic datasets includes the acquisition, processing, and serving of high-resolution aerial photography and land cover/land use spatial datasets ( http://www.umesc.usgs.gov/data_library/land_cover_use/land_cover_use_data.html ). In 2008, the UMRR reached a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Region 3 to collect high-resolution digital imagery of the entire UMRS floodplain during 2010–11 for LTRM. The UMESC helped acquire, process, and serve this imagery, as well as produce and serve the 2010–11 LCU systemic dataset of the UMRS floodplain. Digital imagery for Pools 13, 26, La Grange, and Open River South was collected using an Applanix DSS 439 digital sensor system with a 40 millimeter lens and Color Infrared (CIR) filter. The imagery was collected at a resolution of 20 centimeters/pixel (8 inches/pixel) for Pool 13 and 40 centimeters/pixel (16 inches/pixel) for Pools 26, Open River South, and La Grange. All imagery was projected to Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Zone 15, North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). The General Wetland Vegetation Classification (GWVC) system used for mapping is hierarchical, and its 31 classes can be collapsed into broader categories using either a 15- or 7-class level. While the 1989 and 2000 LCU systemic datasets have not gone through a traditional thematic accuracy assessment (AA) in the past, nor have they undergone a validation analysis, the end products are of high quality. For each systemic dataset produced (1989, 2000, 2010–11), extensive field reconnaissance is performed before photointerpretation. The intent of this field reconnaissance is to learn, test, and verify image signatures as they relate to vegetation types. Questionable areas on the imagery are visited, and the plants or land features observed in the area are recorded for reference. This procedure verifies vegetation signatures on the imagery with those on the ground. In addition, once the photointerpretation is complete, the final LCU dataset undergoes extensive quality assurance/quality control to ensure the imagery is mapped correctly. Since the 2000 LCU systemic dataset was developed, there has been a growing interest in completing thematic AAs for the LTRM LCU spatial datasets. The objective of an AA is to measure the probability that a particular location has been assigned its correct vegetation class. An AA estimates thematic (map class) errors in the data, giving users information needed to determine data suitability for a particular application. At the same time, data producers are able to learn more about the nature of errors in the data. Thus, the two attributes of an AA are “producers’ accuracy,” which is the probability that an AA point has been mapped correctly (also referred to as an error of omission); and “users’ accuracy,” which is the probability that the map actually represents what was found on the ground (also referred to as error of commission). Producers’ and users’ accuracies can be obtained from the same set of data by using different analyses. Accuracy assessment is an extensive effort that requires seasonal field personnel and equipment, data entry, analyses, and post processing—tasks that are costly and time consuming. The geospatial team at the UMESC has suggested a validation process for understanding the accuracy of the spatial datasets, which will be tested on at least some areas of the UMRS. Validation is not a true verification of map-class type in the field; however, it can provide the user of the map with useful information that is similar to a field AA. Similar to an AA, validation involves generating random points based on the total area for each map class. However, instead of collecting field data, two or three individuals not involved with the photo-interpretative mapping separately review each of the points onscreen and record a best-fit vegetation type(s) for each site. Once the individual analyses are complete, results are joined together and a comparative analysis is performed. The objective of this initial analysis is to identify areas where the validation results were in agreement (matches) and areas where validation results were in disagreement (mismatches). The two or three individuals then perform an analysis, looking at each mismatched site, and agree upon a final validation class. (If two vegetation types at a specific site appear to be equally prevalent, the validation team is permitted to assign the site two best-fit vegetation types.) Following the validation team’s comparative analysis of vegetation assignments, the data are entered into a database and compared to the mappers’ vegetation assignments. Agreements and disagreements between the map and validation classes are identified, and a contingency table is produced. This document presents the AA processes/results for Pools 13 and La Grange, as well as the validation process/results for Pools 13 and 26 and Open River South.

Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin↗

USGS2009

Facilitating adaptive management in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed through the use of online decision support tools

The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) is attempting to more strategically implement management actions to improve the health of the Nation’s largest estuary. In 2007 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) CBP office began a joint effort to develop a suite of Internetaccessible decision-support tools and to help meet the needs of CBP partners to improve water quality and habitat conditions in the Chesapeake Bay and its watersheds. An adaptive management framework is being used to provide a structured decision process for information and individual tools needed to implement and assess practices to improve the condition of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. The Chesapeake Online Adaptive Support Toolkit (COAST) is a collection of web-based analytical tools and information, organized in an adaptive management framework, intended to aid decisionmakers in protecting and restoring the integrity of the Bay ecosystem. The initial version of COAST is focused on water quality issues. During early and mid- 2008, initial ideas for COAST were shared and discussed with various CBP partners and other potential user groups. At these meetings, test cases were selected to help improve understanding of the types of information and analytical functionality that would be most useful for specific partners’ needs. These discussions added considerable knowledge about the nature of decisionmaking for Federal, State, local and nongovernmental partners. Version 1.0 of COAST, released in early winter of 2008, will be further reviewed to determine improvements needed to address implementation and assessment of water quality practices. Future versions of COAST may address other aspects of ecosystem restoration, including restoration of habitat and living resources and maintaining watershed health.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2007

Proceedings for a workshop on deposit modeling, mineral resource assessment, and their role in sustainable development

The world's use of nonfuel mineral resources continues to increase to support a growing population and increasing standards of living. The ability to meet this increasing demand is affected especially by concerns about possible environmental degradation associated with minerals production and by competing land uses. What information does the world need to support global minerals development in a sustainable way? Informed planning and decisions concerning sustainability and future mineral resource supply require a long–term perspective and an integrated approach to resource, land use, economic, and environmental management worldwide. Such perspective and approach require unbiased information on the global distribution of identified and especially undiscovered resources, the economic and political factors influencing their development, and the potential environmental consequences of their exploitation. The U.S. Geological Survey and the former Deposit Modeling Program of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) sponsored a workshop on "Deposit Modeling, Mineral Resource Assessment, and Their Role in Sustainable Development" at the 31st International Geological Congress (IGC) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 18–19, 2000. The purpose of the workshop was to review the state-of-the-art in mineral deposit modeling and resource assessment and to examine the role of global assessments of nonfuel mineral resources in sustainable development. The workshop addressed questions such as the following: Which of the available mineral deposit models and assessment methods are best suited for predicting the locations, deposit types, and amounts of undiscovered nonfuel mineral resources remaining in the world? What is the availability of global geologic, mineral deposit, and mineral exploration information? How can mineral resource assessments be used to address economic and environmental issues? Presentations included overviews of assessment methods applied in previous national and other small-scale assessments of large regions and of the resulting assessment products and their uses. Twenty-seven people from Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Japan, Peru, Slovenia, South Africa, United States, and Venezuela participated in the 2-day post-Congress workshop. The attendees represented academia, government, environmental organizations, and the mining industry.

Circular↗

USGS2015

Delineation of areas having elevated electrical conductivity, orientation and characterization of bedrock fractures, and occurrence of groundwater discharge to surface water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Barite Hill/Nevada Goldfields Superfund site near McCormick, South Carolina

During October 2012 through March 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4, Superfund Section, conducted borehole geophysical logging, surface geophysical surveys, and water-quality profiling in selected wells and areas to characterize or delineate the extent of elevated subsurface electrical conductivity at the EPA Barite Hill/Nevada Goldfields Superfund site near McCormick, South Carolina. Elevated electrical conductivity measured at the site may be related to native rock materials, waste rock disposal areas used in past operations, and (or) groundwater having elevated dissolved solids (primarily metals and major ions) related to waste migration. Five shallow screened wells and four open-borehole bedrock wells were logged by using a suite of borehole tools, and downhole water-quality profiles were recorded in two additional wells. Well depths ranged from about 26 to 300 feet below land surface. Surface geophysical surveys based on frequency-domain electromagnetic and distributed temperature sensing (DTS) techniques were used to identify areas of elevated electrical conductivity (Earth materials and groundwater) and potential high dissolved solids in groundwater and surface water on land and in areas along the northern unnamed tributary at the site. Results from the electromagnetic-induction logging of four selected wells near the Main Pit and one well located about 800 feet southeast of the Main Pit lake indicate that elevated electrical conductivity extends to a depth of about 110 feet below land surface. Groundwater-quality properties recorded in eight selected wells were highly variable, suggesting a broad spectrum of geochemical conditions and contaminant concentrations within the groundwater system. Ranges of field water-quality properties recorded from water-profiling of groundwater in all wells logged were as follows: pH, 3.1 to 9.2; specific conductance, 48 to 5,300 microsiemens per centimeter; dissolved oxygen, 0.2 to 4.4 milligrams per liter; and water temperature, 17.0 to 18.0 degrees Celsius. The highest specific conductance and lowest pH measurements were made in boreholes located between the Main Pit lake and the northern unnamed tributary. Conceptually, these wells may intercept elevated dissolved solids in groundwater leaking from the Main Pit lake along a flow path that discharges into the unnamed tributary to the north. Results from surface geophysical electromagnetic and fiber-optics surveys confirm areas of focused discharge of groundwater near the Main Pit lake along the northern unnamed tributary. The frequency-domain surface electromagnetic surveys also identified an area with higher levels of elevated electrical conductivity located northwest of the former Rainsford Pit area. Bedrock properties were characterized from borehole geophysical logs collected from three open-borehole bedrock wells. The mean strike azimuth of the borehole foliation data measured in bedrock well IR-1 was 221° (N. 41° E.), and the mean dip angle was 78° to the northwest. Dominant strike azimuth orientations of primary fractures measured in three boreholes were from 210° to 250° (N. 30° E. to N. 70° E.) with a mean dip of 68° northwest. Transmissivity estimates interpreted from the heat-pulse flowmeter data from bedrock well IR-1 were about 69 feet squared per day, and the radius of influence was estimated at about 640 feet.

South Carolina↗

USGS2002

Hydrogeology and water quality of the Upper Three Runs aquifer in the vicinity of the Gibson Road Landfill, Fort Gordon, Georgia, June-November 1999

Fort Gordon military installation, a U.S. Department of the Army facility, is located in east-central Georgia southwest of Augusta. The military base operates a three-phase unlined landfill—Gibson Road Landfill— to store a variety of wastes. Phases I and II stored only household wastes, and these phases were discontinued during the mid–1990s. Fort Gordon currently (1999) operates Phase III of the landfill that stores only construction and demolition debris. Water-quality monitoring detected selected trace elements and organic compounds exceeding the maximum contaminant levels of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Primary Drinking Water Standards. The selected trace elements and organic compounds detected showed that contamination of ground water had occurred in the vicinity of the landfill. In 1999, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon, Georgia, began an assessment of the hydrogeology and water quality in shallow ground water in the vicinity of the Gibson Road Landfill to delineate the extent of a ground-water contamination plume in the vicinity of the landfill. Hydrogeologic units in the Augusta area include the Upper Three Runs aquifer, the Gordon aquifer, the Millers Pond aquifer, and the Dublin aquifer. Only the shallowest aquifer, Upper Three Runs, was penetrated during this study. The Upper Three Runs aquifer is composed of sediments of the Barnwell Group. Mostly, these sediments are highly permeable fine to medium, well-sorted sand with lenses of clay. Ground-water flow is from northwest to southeast and generally was unaffected by seasonal variation during the period of study (June–November 1999). Water-table altitudes in the landfill area for the study period ranged from 394 feet (ft) to 445 ft above sea level. Ground-water samples analyzed for organic compounds and selected trace elements by a U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) approved statistical test revealed that increases in contaminant concentrations above the detection limits had occurred during March and September 1999 in five wells—one of which is located upgradient. These organic compounds, respective increases in concentration, and the wells in which they were detected are: methylene chloride—wells 28AA29 (24 parts per billion [ppb] and 46 ppb), 28AA30 (86 ppb and 130 ppb), and 28AA31 (240 ppb and 140 ppb); 1,1-dichloroethene—well 28AA31 (10 ppb and 5.7 ppb); 1,1-dichloroethane— wells 28AA30 (81 ppb and 140 ppb) and 28AA31 (200 ppb and 130 ppb); and 1,1,1-trichloroethane—well 28AA31 (61 ppb and 37 ppb). Although in some wells the concentration decreased from March to September, the median concentrations were still higher in certain groups. Trace element compounds, their respective increases in concentration, and the wells in which they were detected are: chromium—well 28AA30 (1,190 ppb), vanadium—well 28AA30 (104 ppb); barium—wells 28AA27 (42.2 ppb) and 28AA32 (140 ppb), and beryllium—well 28AA30 (6.3 ppb). These increases occurred in September, with the exception of chromium in well 28AA30, which occurred in March. Although a statistical test indicated increases in contaminant concentrations had occurred, water from wells 28AA27, 28AA30, 28AA31, and 28AA32 had a decrease in contaminant concentrations from February 1998 to September 1999. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Maximum Contaminant Levels (PMCLs), formerly (MCLs) were exceeded in water from four wells for organic compounds and in five wells by selected trace elements during the February 1998, March 1999, and September 1999 sampling periods. The concentrations for the following organic compounds and the associated wells are: methylene chloride (PMCL is 5 ppb)—wells 28AA27 (February, 37 ppb; March, 24 ppb; and September, 9.6 ppb), 28AA29 (February, 20 ppb; March, 24 ppb; and September, 46 ppb), 28AA30 (February, 50 ppb; March, 86 ppb; and September, 130 ppb), and 28AA31 (February, 330 ppb; March 240 ppb; and September, 140 ppb); vinyl chloride (PMCL is 2 ppb)—well 28AA29 (March, 3.6 ppb; and September, 4.4 ppb); 1,1-dichloroethene (PMCL is 7 ppb)—wells 28AA30 (March 10 ppb; and September, 17 ppb) and 28AA31 (February, 13 ppb; and March, 10 ppb); and 1,1,2-trichloroethane (PMCL is 5 ppb)—well 28AA30 (March, 33 ppb). Contaminant concentrations decreased in well 28AA31 from March to September 1999; however, concentrations still exceeded the PMCL. The concentrations for the following selected trace elements exceeding PMCL and the associated wells during the sampling periods February 1998, March 1999, and September 1999 are: mercury (PMCL is 2 ppb)—well 28AA24 (September, 2.82 ppb), well 28AA25 (February, 3.1 ppb; March, 2.11 ppb; and September, 2.28 ppb), and well 28AA30 (September, 2.82 ppb); arsenic (PMCL is 50 ppb)—well 28AA30 (February, 90 ppb; and September, 114 ppb); thallium (PMCL is 2 ppb)—wells 28AA27 (March, 2.08 ppb) and 28AA29 (February, 2.56); barium (PMCL is 2,000 ppb)—well 28AA30 (March, 4,490 ppb); chromium (PMCL is 30 ppb)—well 28AA30 (February, 630 ppb; and March, 1,190 ppb); and beryllium (PMCL is 4 ppb)—well 28AA30 (September, 6.3 ppb). Water from seven wells, three of which are upgradient of the landfill, contained organic compounds and/or selected trace elements exceeding PMCLs during the period February 1998 to September 1999 according to private consultants. Contaminants present in upgradient wells most likely were caused by chemical dispersion, leachate migration, incorrectly defined landfill area, or natural ground-water flow beneath the landfill.

Georgia↗

USGS2010

Surficial geology of the sea floor in Long Island Sound offshore of Plum Island, New York

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been working cooperatively to interpret surficial sea-floor geology along the coast of the Northeastern United States. NOAA survey H11445 in eastern Long Island Sound, offshore of Plum Island, New York, covers an area of about 12 square kilometers. Multibeam bathymetry and sidescan-sonar imagery from the survey, as well as sediment and photographic data from 13 stations occupied during a USGS verification cruise are used to delineate sea-floor features and characterize the environment. Bathymetry gradually deepens offshore to over 100 meters in a depression in the northwest part of the study area and reaches 60 meters in Plum Gut, a channel between Plum Island and Orient Point. Sand waves are present on a shoal north of Plum Island and in several smaller areas around the basin. Sand-wave asymmetry indicates that counter-clockwise net sediment transport maintains the shoal. Sand is prevalent where there is low backscatter in the sidescan-sonar imagery. Gravel and boulder areas are submerged lag deposits produced from the Harbor Hill-Orient Point-Fishers Island moraine segment and are found adjacent to the shorelines and just north of Plum Island, where high backscatter is present in the sidescan-sonar imagery.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2010

Sea-floor geology and character offshore of Rocky Point, New York

Open-File Report↗

USGS2016

Surficial geological tools in fluvial geomorphology: Chapter 2

Increasingly, environmental scientists are being asked to develop an understanding of how rivers and streams have been altered by environmental stresses, whether rivers are subject to physical or chemical hazards, how they can be restored, and how they will respond to future environmental change. These questions present substantive challenges to the discipline of fluvial geomorphology, especially since decades of geomorphologic research have demonstrated the general complexity of fluvial systems. It follows from the concept of complex response that synoptic and short-term historical views of rivers will often give misleading understanding of future behavior. Nevertheless, broadly trained geomorphologists can address questions involving complex natural systems by drawing from a tool box that commonly includes the principles and methods of geology, hydrology, hydraulics, engineering, and ecology.

Book chapter↗

USGS2013

National assessment of geologic carbon dioxide storage resources: Summary

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an evaluation of the technically accessible storage resource ( TA SR ) for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) for 36 sedimentary basins in the onshore areas and State waters of the United States. The TA SR is an estimate of the geologic storage resource that may be available for CO 2 injection and storage and is based on current geologic and hydrologic knowledge of the subsurface and current engineering practices. By using a geology-based probabilistic assessment methodology, the USGS assessment team members obtained a mean estimate of approximately 3,000 metric gigatons (Gt) of subsurface CO 2 storage capacity that is technically accessible below onshore areas and State waters; this amount is more than 500 times the 2011 annual U.S. energy-related CO 2 emissions of 5.5 Gt (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2012, http://www.eia.gov/environment/emissions/carbon/). In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act (Public Law 110–140) directed the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct a national assessment of geologic storage resources for CO 2 in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and State geological surveys. The USGS developed a methodology to estimate storage resource potential in geologic formations in the United States (Burruss and others, 2009, USGS Open-File Report (OFR) 2009–1035; Brennan and others, 2010, USGS OFR 2010–1127; Blondes, Brennan, and others, 2013, USGS OFR 2013–1055). In 2012, the USGS completed the assessment, and the results are summarized in this Fact Sheet and are provided in more detail in companion reports (U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources Assessment Team, 2013a,b; see related reports at right). The goal of this project was to conduct an initial assessment of storage capacity on a regional basis, and results are not intended for use in the evaluation of specific sites for potential CO 2 storage. The national assessment was a geology-based examination of all sedimentary basins in the onshore and State waters area of the United States that contain storage assessment units (SAUs) that could be defined according to geologic and hydrologic characteristics. Although geologic storage of CO 2 may be possible in some areas not assessed by the USGS, the SAUs identified in this assessment represent those areas within sedimentary basins that met the assessment criteria. A geologic description of each SAU was prepared; descriptions for SAUs in several basins are in Warwick and Corum (2012, USGS OFR 2012–1024).

Fact Sheet↗

USGS1998

Surficial geology of Shaver Hollow, Shenandoah National Park

At the request of Shenandoah National Park and the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia, the US Geological Survey has completed an examination and map of the surficial deposits in Shaver Hollow. The work was carried out as part of the US Geological Survey - National Park Service cooperative agreement implemented in 1994. Shaver Hollow is a small, well defined drainage basin on the west slope of the Blue Ridge about 6.5 miles south of Thornton Gap and can be reached by trail from mile 37.9 on the Skyline Drive. The hollow is drained by the North Fork of Dry Run, and the watershed within the Shenandoah National park is only 2 square miles in area. The area has been the site of extensive investigations by faculty and students at the University of Virginia and by NPS scientists and investigators studying the interaction of atmosphere chemistry, water composition, and the biota of the hollow (Furman and others, written communication, 1997). Modeling of the chemistry of Dry Run surface water, based on atmospheric, biologic, and geologic data, has been attempted with limited success. Better understanding of the surficial deposits and the interaction of streams and springs with near surface materials is needed before more sophisticated models can be devised. Although the bedrock lithology was mapped at a small scale (1:62,000-scale; Gathright, 1976) no examination of the surficial deposits of the hollow was made. The description of deposits contained herein is based on field observations carried out in September - November, 1996. Also included with this report is a 1/12,000-scale map of the surficial geology of Shaver Hollow (figure 1).

Virginia↗

USGS1986

Example evaluation of a permit application for a proposed hazardous-waste landfill in eastern Adams County, Colorado

A project was undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency to demonstrate methods by which RCRA (Resources Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976) Part B permit applications might be evaluated. The purpose of the project was to prepare a report that would supplement a series of case studies to be made available to permit writers in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Four sites in the United States were chosen for their potential applicability to geologically similar sites. The Adams County, Colorado, site was chosen to be representative of sites in the Upper Cretaceous Pierre Shale. The intent of this report is to provide an example of how available earth-science information might be used in evaluating an application and not to evaluate the acceptability of the site. Because this study is an evaluation of a permit application, the data used are limited to the data supplied in the application and in published reports. Of the five criteria required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be addressed in the permit application considered in the case study, the application was evaluated to be inadequate in addressing three criteria: (1) Site characterization, (2) ability to monitor the location, and (3) flow paths and 100-foot time of travel. Details of the inadequacies and a description of the information needed to eliminate the inadequacies are included in the report. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS2008

Potentiometric Surface in the Sparta-Memphis Aquifer of the Mississippi Embayment, Spring 2007

The most widely used aquifer for industry and public supply in the Mississippi embayment in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee is the Sparta-Memphis aquifer. Decades of pumping from the Sparta-Memphis aquifer have affected ground-water levels throughout the Mississippi embayment. Regional assessments of water-level data from the aquifer are important to document regional water-level conditions and to develop a broad view of the effects of ground-water development and management on the sustainability and availability of the region's water supply. This information is useful to identify areas of water-level declines, identify cumulative areal declines that may cross State boundaries, evaluate the effectiveness of ground-water management strategies practiced in different States, and identify areas with substantial data gaps that may preclude effective management of ground-water resources. A ground-water flow model of the northern Mississippi embayment is being developed by the Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS) to aid in answering questions about ground-water availability and sustainability. The MERAS study area covers parts of eight states including Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee and covers approximately 70,000 square miles. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Office of Land and Water Resources measured water levels in wells completed in the Sparta-Memphis aquifer in the spring of 2007 to assist in the MERAS model calibration and to document regional water-level conditions. Measurements by the USGS and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Office of Land and Water Resources were done in cooperation with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission; the Arkansas Geological Survey; Memphis Light, Gas and Water; Shelby County, Tennessee; and the city of Germantown, Tennessee. In 2005, total water use from the Sparta-Memphis aquifer in the Mississippi embayment was about 540 million gallons per day (Mgal/d). Water use from the Sparta-Memphis aquifer was about 170 Mgal/d in Arkansas, about 68 Mgal/d in Louisiana, about 97 Mgal/d in Mississippi, and about 205 Mgal/d in Tennessee. The author acknowledges, with great appreciation, the efforts of the personnel in the U.S. Geological Survey Water Science Centers of Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Office of Land and Water Resources that participated in the planning, water-level measurement, data evaluation, and review of the potentiometric-surface map. Without the contribution of data and the technical assistance of their staffs, this report would not have been completed.

Scientific Investigations Map↗