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At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources

The petroleum fields of the Pacific coast of Alaska, with an account of the Bering River coal deposits

This report contains the result of a hasty examination of the structural and economic geology of the localities where indications of petroleum have been found. Though only a few wells have been drilled and it is too soon to predict an important future for the region as a petroleum producer, studies have shown that there is ample justification for further prospecting and that the region may yet be an important source of illuminating oil. In this connection it is of interest to note that the Bering River coal is the best that has yet been found on the Pacific coast of North America. These coal and petroleum fields have been deemed of sufficient importance to justify the further investigation already begun, and it is hoped that this, together with the commercial development, will soon permit of more definite statements regarding the economic importance of this field.

Alaska↗

Restoring resilience to the Gulf of Mexico coast

Hurricane Katrina and its destructive aftermath in 2005 were unprecedented. Hurricanes Dennis, Rita, and Wilma were also powerful hurricanes affecting the Gulf of Mexico that year. These storms highlighted the need to integrate science that supports restoration of natural landscapes with intelligent coastal planning. The following essay describes both the value and vulnerability of the Gulf of Mexico's northern coast before the storms and the current need to connect science to the human dimension of restoring the coastal landscape. Readers are invited to ponder these concepts as they read the rest of the articles in this report that describe the scientific activities that the U.S. Geological Survey performed in late 2005 and early 2006.

Louisiana↗

A tale of two storms: Surges and sediment deposition from Hurricanes Andrew and Wilma in Florida’s southwest coast mangrove forests

Hurricanes can be very different from each other. Here we examine the impacts that two hurricanes, Andrew and Wilma, had in terms of storm surge and sediment deposition on the southwest coast of Florida. Although Wilma was the weaker storm, it had the greater impact. Wilma had the higher storm surge over a larger area and deposited more sediment than did Andrew. This effect was most likely due to the size of Wilma's eye, which was four times larger than that of Andrew.

Florida↗

Current and Future Science Plans for Restoring a Resilient Coast

The overarching goal of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gulf Coast science in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane season will be to provide the scientific information, knowledge, and tools required to ensure that decisions about coastal land resource use, management practices, and future development in the coastal zone and adjacent watersheds promote restoration, increase coastal resilience, and mitigate risks associated with both human-created and natural hazards.

Circular↗

U.S. Geological Survey national shoreline change— Summary statistics for updated vector shorelines (1800s–2010s) and associated shoreline change data for the Georgia and Florida coasts

Rates of shoreline change have been updated for the open-ocean sandy coastlines of Georgia and Florida as part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Coastal Change Hazards programmatic focus. This work was formerly within the National Assessment of Shoreline Change project. Shorelines were compiled from the original report published in 2005, recent update reports, and additional light detection and ranging (lidar) shorelines which were extracted from lidar data collected prior to and following Hurricane Irma, which made landfall in September 2017. These shorelines were used to compute long- and short-term rates that incorporate the proxy-datum bias on a transect-by-transect basis. The proxy-datum bias accounts for the unidirectional onshore bias of proxy-based high water line shorelines relative to datum-based mean high water shorelines. In this study, the coast of Georgia exhibited the highest average rates of erosion and accretion in both the long term (approximately 150 years) and the short term (approximately 30 years). Shoreline positions from the mid-1800s through 2018 were used to update the shoreline change rates for Florida and Georgia using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) software.

Florida, Georgia↗

National shoreline change—Summary statistics of shoreline change from the 1800s to the 2010s for the coast of California

Rates of shoreline change have been updated for the open-ocean sandy coastline of California as part of studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey. Shorelines from the original assessment (1800s through 1998 or 2002), as well as additional shoreline position data from 2009 to 2011, 2015, and 2016 extracted from light detection and ranging (lidar) data, were used to compute long-term rates (approximately 150 years) that incorporate the proxy-datum bias on a transect-by-transect basis. The proxy-datum bias accounts for the unidirectional onshore bias of proxy-based high water line shorelines relative to datum-based mean high water shorelines. In areas where the methods for delineating shorelines did not make it possible to compute a bias correction, the rates are reported without that correction. In this study, the coasts of northern and central California exhibited the highest average rates of erosion, whereas southern California exhibited the highest average rate of accretion. The maximum erosion rate was in San Mateo County in central California. The maximum rate of accretion was in Humboldt County in northern California. Rates were calculated at 19,063 transect locations. Shoreline positions from the mid-1800s through 2016 were used to update shoreline change rates in California using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) software.

California↗

Soil moisture datasets at five sites in the central Sierra Nevada and northern Coast Ranges, California

In situ soil moisture datasets are important inputs used to calibrate and validate watershed, regional, or statewide modeled and satellite-based soil moisture estimates. The soil moisture dataset presented in this report includes hourly time series of the following: soil temperature, volumetric water content, water potential, and total soil water content. Data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at five locations in California: three sites in the central Sierra Nevada and two sites in the northern Coast Ranges. This report provides a description of each of the study areas, procedures and equipment used, processing steps, and time series data from each site in the form of comma-separated values (.csv) tables.

California↗

Groundwater-quality data in the South Coast Interior Basins study unit, 2008: Results from the California GAMA Program

Groundwater quality in the approximately 653-square-mile South Coast Interior Basins (SCI) study unit was investigated from August to December 2008, as part of the Priority Basins Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basins Project was developed in response to Legislative mandates (Supplemental Report of the 1999 Budget Act 1999-00 Fiscal Year; and, the Groundwater-Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 [Sections 10780-10782.3 of the California Water Code, Assembly Bill 599]) to assess and monitor the quality of groundwater used as public supply for municipalities in California, and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). SCI was the 27th study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA Priority Basins Project. This study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of untreated groundwater used for public water supplies within SCI, and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of groundwater quality throughout California. Samples were collected from 54 wells within the three study areas [Livermore, Gilroy, and Cuyama] of SCI in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern Counties. Thirty-five of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells), and 19 were selected to aid in evaluation of specific water-quality issues (understanding wells). The groundwater samples were analyzed for organic constituents [volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides and pesticide degradates, polar pesticides and metabolites, and pharmaceutical compounds], constituents of special interest [perchlorate and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)], naturally occurring inorganic constituents [trace elements, nutrients, major and minor ions, silica, total dissolved solids (TDS), and alkalinity], and radioactive constituents [gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity and radon-222]. Naturally occurring isotopes [stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, and activities of tritium and carbon-14] and dissolved noble gases also were measured to help identify the sources and ages of the sampled groundwater. In total, 288 constituents and water-quality indicators (field parameters) were investigated. Three types of quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, and matrix spikes) each were collected at approximately 4–11 percent of the wells, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the groundwater samples. Field blanks rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, suggesting that contamination was not a significant source of bias in the data obtained from the groundwater samples. Differences between replicate samples generally were less than 10 percent relative standard deviation, indicating acceptable analytical reproducibility. Matrix spike recoveries were within the acceptable range (70 to 130 percent) for most compounds. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers; after withdrawal from the ground, untreated groundwater typically is treated, disinfected, and/or blended with other waters to maintain water quality. Regulatory thresholds apply to water that is served to the consumer, not to untreated groundwater. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the untreated groundwater were compared with regulatory and nonregulatory health-based thresholds established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and to nonregulatory thresholds established for aesthetic and technical concerns by CDPH. Comparisons between data collected for this study and thresholds for drinking water are for illustrative purposes only, and are not indicative of compliance or noncompliance with those thresholds. Most inorganic constituents that were detected in groundwater samples from the 35 grid wells in the SCI study unit were found at concentrations below drinking-water thresholds; additionally, all detections of organic constituents in SCI grid well samples were below health-based thresholds.

California↗

Groundwater-quality data in the South Coast Range-Coastal study unit, 2008: Results from the California GAMA Program

Groundwater quality in the approximately 766-square-mile South Coast Range–Coastal (SCRC) study unit was investigated from May to December 2008, as part of the Priority Basins Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basins Project was developed in response to legislative mandates (Supplemental Report of the 1999 Budget Act 1999-00 Fiscal Year; and, the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 [Sections 10780-10782.3 of the California Water Code, Assembly Bill 599]) to assess and monitor the quality of groundwater in California, and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The SCRC study unit was the 25th study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA Priority Basins Project. The SCRC study unit was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of untreated groundwater quality in the primary aquifer systems and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of untreated groundwater quality throughout California. The primary aquifer systems (hereinafter referred to as primary aquifers) were defined as that part of the aquifer corresponding to the perforation interval of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database for the SCRC study unit. The quality of groundwater in shallow or deep water-bearing zones may differ from the quality of groundwater in the primary aquifers; shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to surficial contamination. In the SCRC study unit, groundwater samples were collected from 70 wells in two study areas (Basins and Uplands) in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Fifty-five of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells), and 15 wells were selected to aid in evaluation of specific water-quality issues (understanding wells). In addition to the 70 wells sampled, 3 surface-water samples were collected in streams near 2 of the sampled wells in order to better comprehend the interaction between groundwater and surface water in the area. The groundwater samples were analyzed for organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOC], pesticides and pesticide degradates, polar pesticides and metabolites, and pharmaceutical compounds), constituents of special interest (perchlorate, N-nitrosodimethylamine [NDMA], and 1,2,3-TCP), naturally occurring inorganic constituents (trace elements, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon [DOC], major and minor ions, silica, total dissolved solids [TDS], and alkalinity), and radioactive constituents (gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity). Naturally occurring isotopes (stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water, stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in dissolved nitrate, stable isotopes of sulfur in dissolved sulfate, stable isotopes of carbon in dissolved inorganic carbon, activities of tritium, and carbon-14 abundance), and dissolved gases (including noble gases) also were measured to help identify the sources and ages of the sampled groundwater. In total, 298 constituents and field water-quality indicators were investigated. Three types of quality-control samples (blanks, replicates, and matrix-spikes) were collected at approximately 3 to 12 percent of the wells in the SCRC study unit, and the results for these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the groundwater samples. Field blanks rarely contained detectable concentrations of any constituent, suggesting that contamination from sample collection procedures was not a significant source of bias in the data for the groundwater samples. Differences between replicate samples generally were less than 10 percent relative and/or standard deviation, indicating acceptable analytical reproducibility. Matrix-spike recoveries were within the acceptable range (70 to 130 percent) for approximately 84 percent of the compounds. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of drinking water delivered to consumers; after withdrawal from the ground, untreated groundwater typically is treated, disinfected, and/or blended with other waters to maintain water quality. Regulatory thresholds apply to water that is served to the consumer, not to untreated groundwater. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the untreated groundwater were compared with regulatory and non-regulatory health-based thresholds established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and CDPH, and to non-regulatory thresholds established for aesthetic concerns by CDPH. Comparisons between data collected for this study and thresholds for drinking water are for illustrative purposes only and are not indicative of compliance or noncompliance with those thresholds. Most organic and inorganic constituents that were detected in groundwater samples from the 55 grid wells in the SCRC study unit were detected at concentrations less than drinking-water thresholds. In addition, all detections of organic constituents in SCRC grid well samples were less than health-based thresholds. In total, VOCs were detected in 33 percent of the 55 grid wells sampled and pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected in 27 percent of grid wells sampled in the SCRC study unit. In the Basins study area, VOCs and pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected in approximately 33 percent of the 39 grid wells. In the Uplands study area, VOCs were detected in approximately 31 percent and pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected in approximately 13 percent of the 16 grid wells. Trace elements and minor ions were sampled for at 32 grid wells and nutrients at 33 grid wells in the SCRC study unit, and most detections were less than health-based thresholds. Exceptions in the Basins study area include one detection of arsenic greater than the USEPA maximum contaminant level (MCL-US) of 10 µg/L and three detections of nitrite plus nitrate, as nitrogen (NO2-+NO3-) greater than the MCL-US of 10 mg/L. Exceptions in the Uplands study area include two detections of arsenic greater than the MCL-US and eight detections of molybdenum greater than the USEPA lifetime health advisory level (HAL-US) of 40 µg/L. All detections of major and minor ions and gross alpha and gross beta radioactivity from the SCRC grid wells were less than health-based thresholds. Results for trace elements, major ions, and TDS with non-enforceable thresholds set for aesthetic concerns from 16 Basins study area grid wells showed that iron concentrations greater than the CDPH secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL-CA) of 300 µg/L were detected in grid wells. Manganese concentrations greater than the SMCL-CA of 50 µg/L were detected in six grid wells. Chloride concentrations greater than the recommended SMCL-CA threshold of 250 mg/L were detected in one grid well. Sulfate concentrations greater than the recommended SMCL-CA threshold of 250 mg/L were measured in 12 grid wells and 3 of these wells also were greater than the upper SMCL-CA threshold of 500 mg/L. TDS concentrations greater than the SMCL-CA recommended threshold of 500 mg/L were measured in 14 of the 16 Basins study area grid wells and concentrations in 5 of these wells also were greater than the SMCL-CA upper threshold of 1,000 mg/L. In the Uplands study area, iron concentrations greater than the SMCL-CA were detected in 2 of 16 grid wells and manganese concentrations greater than the SMCL-CA were detected in 3 grid wells. TDS and sulfate concentrations greater than the recommended SMCL-CA thresholds were detected in 11 and 2 grid wells, respectively, but none of these concentrations were greater than the SMCL-CA upper thresholds.

California↗

Groundwater quality of the Gulf Coast aquifer system, Houston, Texas, 2007-08

In the summers of 2007 and 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the City of Houston, Texas, completed an initial reconnaissance-level survey of naturally occurring contaminants (arsenic, other selected trace elements, and radionuclides) in water from municipal supply wells in the Houston area. The purpose of this reconnaissance-level survey was to characterize source-water quality prior to drinking water treatment. Water-quality samples were collected from 28 municipal supply wells in the Houston area completed in the Evangeline aquifer, Chicot aquifer, or both. This initial survey is part of ongoing research to determine concentrations, spatial extent, and associated geochemical conditions that might be conducive for mobility and transport of these constituents in the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the Houston area. Samples were analyzed for major ions (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bromide, chloride, fluoride, silica, and sulfate), selected chemically related properties (residue on evaporation [dissolved solids] and chemical oxygen demand), dissolved organic carbon, arsenic species (arsenate [As(V)], arsenite [As(III)], dimethylarsinate [DMA], and monomethylarsonate [MMA]), other trace elements (aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silver, strontium, thallium, vanadium, and zinc), and selected radionuclides (gross alpha- and beta-particle activity [at 72 hours and 30 days], carbon-14, radium isotopes [radium-226 and radium-228], radon-222, tritium, and uranium). Field measurements were made of selected physicochemical (relating to both physical and chemical) properties (oxidation-reduction potential, turbidity, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, specific conductance, water temperature, and alkalinity) and unfiltered sulfides. Dissolved organic carbon and chemical oxygen demand are presented but not discussed in the report. Physicochemical properties, major ions, and trace elements varied considerably. The pH ranged from 7.2 to 8.1 (median 7.6); specific conductance ranged from 314 to 856 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius, with a median of 517 microsiemens per centimeter; and alkalinity ranged from 126 to 324 milligrams per liter as calcium carbonate (median 167 milligrams per liter). The range in oxidation-reduction potential was large, from -212 to 244 millivolts, with a median of -84.6 millivolts. The largest ranges in concentration for filtered major ion constituents were obtained for cations sodium and calcium and for anions chloride and bicarbonate (bicarbonate was calculated from the measured alkalinity). Filtered arsenic was detected in all 28 samples, ranging from 0.58 to 15.3 micrograms per liter (median 2.5 micrograms per liter), and exceeded the maximum contaminant level established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of 10 micrograms per liter in 2 of the 28 samples. As(III) was the most frequently detected arsenic specie. As(III) concentrations ranged from less than 0.6 to 14.9 micrograms arsenic per liter. The range in concentrations for the arsenic species As(V) was from less than 0.8 to 3.3 micrograms arsenic per liter. Barium, boron, lithium, and strontium were detected in quantifiable (equal to or greater than the laboratory reporting level) concentrations in all samples and molybdenum in all but one sample. Filtered iron, manganese, nickel, and vanadium were each detected in at least 18 of the 28 samples. All other selected trace elements were each detected in 16 or fewer samples. Radionuclides were detected in most samples. The gross alpha-particle activities at 30 days and 72 hours ranged from R-0.94 to 15.5 and R-1.1 to 17.2 picocuries per liter, respectively ('R' indicates nondetected result less than the sample-specific critical level). The combined radium (radium-226 plus radium-228) concentrations ranged from an estimat

Texas↗

Archive of Digital Boomer Sub-bottom Data Collected During USGS Field Activities 97LCA01, 97LCA02, and 97LCA03, West-Central and East Coast Florida, February through July 1997

From February through July of 1997, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted geophysical surveys of several Florida water bodies as part of the USGS Lakes and Coastal Aquifers (LCA) study. These areas include Lakes Dosson, Halfmoon and Round in west-central Florida and Sebastian Inlet and Indian River Lagoon on the east coast of the State. Field activity 97LCA01 was conducted in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), and field activities 97LCA02 and 97LCA03 were conducted in cooperation with the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD). This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital boomer sub-bottom data, trackline maps, navigation files, Geographic Information System (GIS) files, observer's logbook, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata. Filtered and gained (showing a relative increase in signal amplitude) digital images of the seismic profiles are also provided. Refer to the Acronyms page for expansions of acronyms and abbreviations used in this report.

Data Series↗

A seamless, high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the north-central California coast

A seamless, 2-meter resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the north-central California coast has been created from the most recent high-resolution bathymetric and topographic datasets available. The DEM extends approximately 150 kilometers along the California coastline, from Half Moon Bay north to Bodega Head. Coverage extends inland to an elevation of +20 meters and offshore to at least the 3 nautical mile limit of state waters. This report describes the procedures of DEM construction, details the input data sources, and provides the DEM for download in both ESRI Arc ASCII and GeoTIFF file formats with accompanying metadata.

California↗

Chapter 1: Executive Summary - 2003 Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources in the Upper Cretaceous Navarro and Taylor Groups, Western Gulf Province, Gulf Coast Region, Texas

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Upper Cretaceous Navarro and Taylor Groups in the Western Gulf Province of the Gulf Coast region (fig. 1) as part of a national oil and gas assessment effort (USGS Navarro and Taylor Groups Assessment Team, 2004). The assessment of the petroleum potential of the Navarro and Taylor Groups was based on the general geologic elements used to define a total petroleum system (TPS), including hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined five assessment units (AU) in the Navarro and Taylor Groups as parts of a single TPS, the Smackover-Austin-Eagle Ford Composite TPS: Travis Volcanic Mounds Oil AU, Uvalde Volcanic Mounds Gas and Oil AU, Navarro-Taylor Updip Oil and Gas AU, Navarro-Taylor Downdip Gas and Oil AU, and Navarro-Taylor Slope-Basin Gas AU (table 1).

Data Series↗

Incorporating future change into current conservation planning: Evaluating tidal saline wetland migration along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast under alternative sea-level rise and urbanization scenarios

In this study, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, quantified the potential for landward migration of tidal saline wetlands along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast under alternative future sea-level rise and urbanization scenarios. Our analyses focused exclusively on tidal saline wetlands (that is, mangrove forests, salt marshes, and salt flats), and we combined these diverse tidal saline wetland ecosystems into a single grouping, “tidal saline wetland.” Collectively, our approach and findings can provide useful information for scientists and environmental planners working to develop future-focused adaptation strategies for conserving coastal landscapes and the ecosystem goods and services provided by tidal saline wetlands. The primary product of this work is a public dataset that identifies locations where landward migration of tidal saline wetlands is expected to occur under alternative future sea-level rise and urbanization scenarios. In addition to identifying areas where landward migration of tidal saline wetlands is possible because of the absence of barriers, these data also identify locations where landward migration of these wetlands could be prevented by barriers associated with current urbanization, future urbanization, and levees.

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas↗

Migratory bird pathways and the Gulf of Mexico: Importance of Louisiana's coast

Because of its geographic position, Louisiana plays an important role in the hemispheric-scale phenomenon known as the Nearctic-Neotropical bird migration system. Each year millions of landbirds migrate across or near to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Birds migrate in large, broad fronts that sometimes exceed 2 million individuals, and there is an advantage for them to take a direct north-south route (the shortest distance). During migration seasons, nearly all of the migratory landbird species of the eastern United States, as well as many western species, use the coastal plains of the western gulf. Spring migrants arrive with depleted energy reserves and depend on Louisiana's coastal habitats to provide food and cover after long gulf crossings. Fall migrants depend on Louisiana’s coastal habitats for food to store fat reserves just prior to gulf crossings in autumn. Mortality during the migratory period can be high. Recent research on the black-throated blue warbler ( Dendroica caerulescens ) indicates that more than 85% of the annual mortality for the species occurs during migration. Migrants en route tend to concentrate in habitats adjacent to ecological barriers; DOI land managers need to identify key coastal landscape features that are important to these birds. Because of the vastness of the North American continent, it is nearly impossible to delineate movement patterns and migration pathways by using traditional ground-based surveys.

Fact Sheet↗