Results for “Water Information Series Report” — Page 27

USGS2020

Understanding and documenting the scientific basis of selenium ecological protection in support of site-specific guidelines development for Lake Koocanusa, Montana, U.S.A., and British Columbia, Canada

Modeling of ecosystems is a part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s protocol for developing site-specific selenium guidelines for protection of aquatic life. Selenium as an environmental contaminant is known to bioaccumulate and cause reproductive effects in fish and wildlife. Here we apply a modeling methodology—ecosystem-scale selenium modeling—to understand and document the scientific basis for predicting and validating ecological protection for Lake Koocanusa, a transboundary reservoir between Montana and British Columbia. A comprehensive set of site-specific data compiled from public databases (Federal, State, and Provincial) and reports by Teck Coal Ltd., is available in a companion U.S. Geological Survey data release. The tissue guideline used within modeling here to assess protection is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s national selenium guideline for whole-body fish (dry weight); however, other numeric values for a whole-body guideline or other tissue types may be assumed if applicable tissue-to-tissue conversion factors are available. We consider the report assembled here as a working document that presents a model that can effectively address and structure the needs of (1) scientific understanding in representing the lake’s ecosystem and selenium biodynamics and (2) policy and management development during a decision-making process, but it is open to modification and updating as more ecologically detailed data become available. The approach brings together the main concerns involved in selenium toxicity: likelihood of high exposure, inherent species sensitivity, and close connectivity of ecosystem characteristics and behavioral ecology of predators. Detailed site-specific modeling equations are provided to document the linked factors that determine the responses of ecosystems to selenium. A series of scenarios quantifies the implications of choices of site-specific variables including food-web species, bioavailability of particulate material, and partitioning between the dissolved and particulate phases at the base of food webs. A gradient mapping tool applied to Lake Koocanusa provides a precedent for ecosystem-scale modeling of lakes by recognizing the importance of lake strata and hydrodynamics as components of modeling. Data requirements for ecosystem modeling, including ecological and hydrological process information fundamental to the dietary biodynamics of selenium in site-specific food webs, were assessed as a precursor to model validation for Lake Koocanusa. Understanding these relationships is necessary to connect modeling outcomes to reproductive effects and establish boundaries, in the case of Lake Koocanusa, for the influences of dam operation, fish-community viability, and its Clean Water Act impaired 303(d)-listing status on ecosystem function. We find that an assemblage of conditions affects the representation of Lake Koocanusa’s ecosystem within modeling scenarios but that the constructed gradient maps, mechanistic model, and associated bioaccumulation potentials portray and quantify the variables that are determinative to protection of predator species. Ecological and hydrological sorting of compiled individual data points on a site- and species-specific basis helps identify and address model uncertainties. Sources of uncertainty include (1) the scarcity of data for some environmental media compartments across time and locations, (2) the complexity of hydrodynamic conditions that can lead to seasonal ecological disconnects such as in selenium partitioning from water into particulates, and (3) the functional status of Lake Koocanusa’s ecosystem because of cumulative effects of various environmental stresses (for example, fish-community changes, flow regime changes, parasites, gonadal dysfunction, and increasing mining input-selenium concentrations since 1984). To this last point, it is important to determine where Lake Koocanusa is in an impairment-restoration cycle so as not to base protection on survivor bias, the maintenance of a currently degraded ecosystem, or normalized toxicity. In a broader context, one of the overall consequences of revised selenium regulations is that their derivation is now dependent on being able to define and understand the status of the ecosystem on which protection is based.

Montana, British Columbia↗

USGS2008

Thermal Profiles for Selected River Reaches in the Yakima River Basin, Washington

Thermal profiles (data sets of longitudinal near-streambed temperature) that provide information on areas of potential ground-water discharge and salmonid habitat for 11 river reaches in the Yakima River basin, Washington, are available as Microsoft Excel? files that can be downloaded from the Internet. Two reaches were profiled twice resulting in 13 profiles. Data were collected for all but one thermal profile during 2001. Data consist of date and time (Pacific Daylight), near-streambed water temperature, and latitude and longitude collected concurrently using a temperature probe and a Global Positioning System. The data were collected from a watercraft towing the probe with an internal datalogger while moving downstream in a Lagrangian framework.

Data Series↗

USGS2014

Subsidence (2004-2009) in and near lakebeds of the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins, southwest Mojave Desert, California

Subsidence, in the vicinity of dry lakebeds, within the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins of the southwest Mojave Desert has been measured by Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). The investigation has focused on determining the location, extent, and magnitude of changes in land-surface elevation. In addition, the relation of changes in land-surface elevation to changes in groundwater levels and lithology was explored. This report is the third in a series of reports investigating land-surface elevation changes in the Mojave and Morongo Groundwater Basins, California. The first report, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4015 by Sneed and others (2003), describes historical subsidence and groundwater-level changes in the southwest Mojave Desert from 1969 to 1999. The second report, U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 07-5097, an online interactive report and map, by Sneed and Brandt (2007), describes subsidence and groundwater-level changes in the southwest Mojave Desert from 1999 to 2004. The purpose of this report is to document an updated assessment of subsidence in these lakebeds and selected neighboring areas from 2004 to 2009 as measured by InSAR methods. In addition, continuous Global Positioning System (GPS)(2005-10), groundwater level (1951-2010), and lithologic data, if available, were used to characterize compaction mechanisms in these areas. The USGS California Water Science Center’s interactive website for the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins was created to centralize information pertaining to land subsidence and water levels and to allow readers to access available data and related reports online. An interactive map of land subsidence and water levels in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins displays InSAR interferograms, subsidence areas, subsidence contours, hydrographs, well information, and water-level contours. Background information, including a basic description of the mechanics of land subsidence and InSAR, as well as a description of the study area, is presented within the Mojave Water Resources Interactive Map and report.

California↗

USGS2002

Water resources data, Iowa, water year 2001, Volume 2. surface water--Missouri River basin, and ground water

The Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with State, county, municipal, and other Federal agencies, obtains a large amount of data pertaining to the water resources of Iowa each water year. These data, accumulated during many water years, constitute a valuable data base for developing an improved understanding of the water resources of the State. To make this data readily available to interested parties outside of the Geological Survey, the data is published annually in this report series entitled “Water Resources Data - Iowa” as part of the National Water Data System. Water resources data for water year 2001 for Iowa consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality of ground water. This report, in two volumes, contains stage or discharge records for 132 gaging stations; stage records for 9 lakes and reservoirs; water-quality records for 4 gaging stations; sediment records for 13 gaging stations; and water levels for 163 ground-water observation wells. Also included are peak-flow data for 92 crest-stage partial-record stations, water-quality data from 86 municipal wells, and precipitation data collected at 6 gaging stations and 2 precipitation sites. Additional water data were collected at various sites not included in the systematic data-collection program, and are published here as miscellaneous measurements and analyses. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating local, State, and Federal agencies in Iowa. Records of discharge or stage of streams, and contents or stage of lakes and reservoirs were first published in a series of U.S. Geological Survey water-supply papers entitled “Surface Water Supply of the United States.” Through September 30, 1960, these water-supply papers were published in an annual series; during 1961-65 and 1966-70, they were published in 5- year series. Records of chemical quality, water temperatures, and suspended sediment were published from 1941 to 1970 in an annual series of water-supply papers entitled “Quality of Surface Waters of the United States.” Records of ground-water levels were published from 1935 to 1974 in a series of water-supply papers entitled “Ground-Water Levels in the United States.” Water-supply papers may be consulted in the libraries of the principal cities in the United States, or they may be purchased from Books and Open-File Reports Section, Federal Center, Box 25425, Denver, Colorado 80225. For water years 1961 through 1970, streamflow data were released by the Geological Survey in annual reports on a State-boundary basis. Water-quality records for water years 1964 through 1970 were similarly released either in separate reports or in conjunction with streamflow records. Beginning with the 1971 water year, water data for streamflow, water quality, and ground water is published in official U.S. Geological Survey reports on a State-boundary basis. These official reports carry an identification number consisting of the two-letter State postal abbreviation, the last two digits of the water year, and the volume number. For example, this report is identified as “U.S. Geological Survey Water-Data Report IA-01-1.” These water-data reports are for sale by the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, Virginia 22161.

Iowa↗

USGS2015

Archive of bathymetry data collected at Cape Canaveral, Florida, 2014

Remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of the sea floor, acquired by boat- and aircraft-based survey systems, were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, Florida, for the area at Cape Canaveral. The work was conducted as part of a study to describe an updated bathymetric dataset collected in 2014 and compare it to previous data sets. The updated data focus on the bathymetric features and sediment transport pathways that connect the offshore regions to the shoreline and, therefore, are related to the protection of other portions of the coastal environment, such as dunes, that support infrastructure and ecosystems. Cape Canaveral Coastal System (CCCS) is a prominent feature along the Southeast U.S. coastline and is the only large cape south of Cape Fear, North Carolina. Most of the CCCS lies within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and included within its boundaries are the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), and a large portion of Canaveral National Seashore. The actual promontory of the modern cape falls within the jurisdictional boundaries of the CCAFS. Hydrographic survey data were collected August 18-20, 2014 ( USGS Field Activity Number 2014-324-FA ). The study covered a 20 kilometer (km) section of shoreline extending from Port Canaveral, Fla., to the northern end of the KSC property, and from the shoreline to about 2.5 km offshore. Data were acquired using both sound navigation and ranging (sonar) and light detection and ranging (lidar) systems. Two jet skis and a 17-foot (ft) outboard motor boat equipped with the USGS SANDS (System for Accurate Nearshore Depth Surveying) hydrographic system collected precision sonar data. The USGS airborne EAARL-B mapping system flown in a twin engine airplane was used to collect lidar data. The missions were synchronized so that there was temporal and spatial overlap between the sonar and lidar operations. Additional data were collected to evaluate water clarity to verify the ability of lidar to receive bathymetric returns. Both systems used differential Global Positioning System GPS and utilized the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Geodetic Survey (NOAA/NGS) Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) station located at CCAFS was used as the reference station. This data series serves as an archive of processed single-beam sonar and lidar bathymetry data. Graphical Information System (GIS) data products include XYZ point bathymetry data files, a color coded bathymetry map, and interpolated bathymetry grid surface. Additional information includes an error analysis and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata. For more information about similar projects, please visit the Barrier Island Evolution Web site.

Florida↗

USGS2007

Submarine ground water discharge and fate along the coast of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawaii Part I: Time-series measurements of currents, waves, salinity and temperature: November 2005 – July 2006

The impending development for the west Hawai‘i coastline adjacent to Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park (KAHO) may potentially alter coastal hydrology and water quality in the marine waters of the park. Water resources are perhaps the most significant natural and cultural resource component in the park, and are critical to the health and well being of six federally listed species. KAHO contains ecosystems of brackish anchialine pools, two 11-acre fishponds, and 596 acres of coral reef habitats, all fed by groundwater originating upslope. The steep gradients on high islands, combined with typically porous substrates and high rainfall levels at upper elevations, make these settings especially vulnerable to shifts in submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and its entrained nutrients and pollutants. Little is known about the magnitude, rate, frequency, and variability of SGD and its influence on contaminant loading to Hawaiian coastal environments. Recent studies show that groundwater flux through the park is vital to many ecosystem components including anchialine ponds and wetland biota. The function of these ecosystems may be vulnerable to changes in groundwater flow stemming from natural changes (climate and sea level) and land use (groundwater pumping and contamination). Oki and others (1999) showed that increased groundwater withdrawals for urban development since 1978 likely decreased groundwater flux to the coast by 50%. During this same time, the quality of groundwater has been vulnerable to increases in contaminant and nutrient/fertilizer additions associated with industrial, commercial and residential use upslope from KAHO (Oki and others, 1999). High-resolution measurements of waves, currents, water levels, temperature and salinity were collected in the marine portion of the park from November, 2005, through July, 2006, to establish baseline information on the magnitude, rate, frequency, and variability of SGD. These data are intended to help researchers and resource managers better understand the hydrodynamics of the oceanographic environment in the park’s coastal waters as it pertains to the pathway of SGD and associated nutrient and contaminant input to the park’s coral reef ecosystem. Measurements were made of the oceanographic environment (waves, tides, currents, salinity and temperature) using hydrodynamic techniques to characterize and quantify the distribution, input and throughput of freshwater and associated nutrient/contaminant within the near shore environment of KAHO through the emplacement of a series of bottom-mounted instruments deployed in water depths less than 15 m. This study was conducted in support of the National Park Service (NPS) by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program’s Coral Reef Project. These measurements support the ongoing studies of the Coral Reef Project to better understand the transport mechanisms of sediment, larvae, nutrients, pollutants and other particles on Pacific coral reefs. Subsequent reports will address the spatial and temporal variability in groundwater input and the associated nutrient flux in the park’s waters.

Hawai'i↗

USGS2010

A Compilation of Spatial Datasets to Support a Preliminary Assessment of Pesticides and Pesticide Use on Tribal Lands in Oklahoma

This CD-ROM contains spatial datasets that describe natural and anthropogenic features and county-level estimates of agricultural pesticide use and pesticide data for surface-water, groundwater, and biological specimens in the state of Oklahoma. County-level estimates of pesticide use were compiled from the Pesticide National Synthesis Project of the U.S. Geological Survey, National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Pesticide data for surface water, groundwater, and biological specimens were compiled from U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System database. These spatial datasets that describe natural and manmade features were compiled from several agencies and contain information collected by the U.S. Geological Survey. The U.S. Geological Survey datasets were not collected specifically for this compilation, but were previously collected for projects with various objectives. The spatial datasets were created by different agencies from sources with varied quality. As a result, features common to multiple layers may not overlay exactly. Users should check the metadata to determine proper use of these spatial datasets. These data were not checked for accuracy or completeness. If a question of accuracy or completeness arise, the user should contact the originator cited in the metadata.

Data Series↗

USGS2012

National assessment of shoreline change: Historical shoreline change in the Hawaiian Islands

Sandy beaches of the United States are some of the most popular tourist and recreational destinations. Coastal property constitutes some of the most valuable real estate in the country. Beaches are an ephemeral environment between water and land with unique and fragile natural ecosystems that have evolved in equilibrium with the ever-changing winds, waves, and water levels. Beachfront lands are the site of intense residential and commercial development even though they are highly vulnerable to several natural hazards, including marine inundation, flooding and drainage problems, effects of storms, sea-level rise, and coastal erosion. Because the U.S. population continues to shift toward the coast where valuable coastal property is vulnerable to erosion, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a national assessment of coastal change. One aspect of this effort, the National Assessment of Shoreline Change, uses shoreline position as a proxy for coastal change because shoreline position is one of the most commonly monitored indicators of environmental change (for example, Fletcher, 1992; Dolan and others, 1991; Douglas and others, 1998; Galgano and others, 1998). Additionally, the National Research Council (1990) recommended the use of historical shoreline analysis in the absence of a widely accepted model of shoreline change. A principal purpose of the USGS shoreline change research is to develop a common methodology so that shoreline change analyses for the continental U.S., portions of Hawaii, and Alaska can be updated periodically in a consistent and systematic manner. The primary objectives of this study were to (1) develop and implement improved methods of assessing and monitoring shoreline movement, and (2) improve current understanding of the processes controlling shoreline movement. Achieving these ongoing long-term objectives requires research that (1) examines the original sources of shoreline data (for example, maps, air photos, global positioning system (GPS), Light Detection and Ranging (lidar)); (2) evaluates the utility of different shoreline proxies (for example, geomorphic feature, water mark, tidal datum, elevation), including the errors associated with each; (3) investigates bias and potential errors associated with integrating different shoreline proxies from different sources; (4) develops standard, uniform methods of shoreline change analysis; (5) examines the effects of human activities on shoreline movement and rates of change; and (6) investigates alternative mathematical methods for calculating historical rates of change and uncertainties associated with them. This report summarizes historical shoreline changes on the three most densely populated islands of the eight main Hawaiian Islands: Kauai, Oahu, and Maui. The report emphasizes the hazard from “chronic” (decades to centuries) erosion at regional scales and strives to relate this hazard to the body of knowledge regarding coastal geology of Hawaii because of its potential impact on natural resources, the economy, and society. Results are organized by coastal regions (island side) and sub-regions (common littoral characteristics). This report of Hawaii coasts is part of a series of reports that include text summarizing methods, results, and implications of the results. In addition, geographic information system (GIS) data used in the analyses are made available for download (Romine and others, 2012). The rates of shoreline change and products presented in this report are not intended for site-specific analysis of shoreline movement, nor are they intended to replace any official source of shoreline change information identified by local or State government agencies, or other Federal entities that are used for regulatory purposes. Rates of shoreline change presented herein may differ from other published rates, and differences do not necessarily indicate that the other rates are inaccurate. Some discrepancies are to be expected, considering the many possible ways of determining shoreline positions and rates of change, and the inherent uncertainty in calculating these rates. Rates of shoreline change presented in this report represent shoreline movement under past conditions and are not intended for use in predicting future shoreline positions or future rates of shoreline change.

Hawai'i↗

USGS2001

Ground-water contribution classes to characterize watersheds in North Carolina

This web site contains the Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata (documentation) for digital data produced for the North Carolina, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Public Water Supply Section, Source Water Assessment Program. The metadata are for 11 individual Geographic Information System data sets. An overlay and indexing method was used with the data to derive a rating for unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes for susceptibility to contamination. For ground-water supplies, the digital data sets used in the assessment included unsaturated zone rating, vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, and land cover. For assessment of public surface-water intakes, the data sets included watershed characteristics rating, average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, and ground-water contribution. Documentation for the land-use data set applies to both the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings. Documentation for the estimated depth-to-water map used in the calculation of the vertical series hydraulic conductance also is included.

North Carolina↗

USGS2001

Unsaturated zone characteristics rating for North Carolina

This web site contains the Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata (documentation) for digital data produced for the North Carolina, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Public Water Supply Section, Source Water Assessment Program. The metadata are for 11 individual Geographic Information System data sets. An overlay and indexing method was used with the data to derive a rating for unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes for susceptibility to contamination. For ground-water supplies, the digital data sets used in the assessment included unsaturated zone rating, vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, and land cover. For assessment of public surface-water intakes, the data sets included watershed characteristics rating, average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, and ground-water contribution. Documentation for the land-use data set applies to both the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings. Documentation for the estimated depth-to-water map used in the calculation of the vertical series hydraulic conductance also is included.

North Carolina↗

USGS2001

Land-cover classes to characterize the unsaturated zone in North Carolina

This web site contains the Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata (documentation) for digital data produced for the North Carolina, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Public Water Supply Section, Source Water Assessment Program. The metadata are for 11 individual Geographic Information System data sets. An overlay and indexing method was used with the data to derive a rating for unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes for susceptibility to contamination. For ground-water supplies, the digital data sets used in the assessment included unsaturated zone rating, vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, and land cover. For assessment of public surface-water intakes, the data sets included watershed characteristics rating, average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, and ground-water contribution. Documentation for the land-use data set applies to both the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings. Documentation for the estimated depth-to-water map used in the calculation of the vertical series hydraulic conductance also is included.

North Carolina↗

USGS2001

Land-Cover Classes to Characterize watersheds in North Carolina

This web site contains the Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata (documentation) for digital data produced for the North Carolina, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Public Water Supply Section, Source Water Assessment Program. The metadata are for 11 individual Geographic Information System data sets. An overlay and indexing method was used with the data to derive a rating for unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes for susceptibility to contamination. For ground-water supplies, the digital data sets used in the assessment included unsaturated zone rating, vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, and land cover. For assessment of public surface-water intakes, the data sets included watershed characteristics rating, average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, and ground-water contribution. Documentation for the land-use data set applies to both the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings. Documentation for the estimated depth-to-water map used in the calculation of the vertical series hydraulic conductance also is included.

North Carolina↗

USGS2001

Land-use classes to characterize watersheds and unsaturated zones in North Carolina

This web site contains the Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata (documentation) for digital data produced for the North Carolina, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Public Water Supply Section, Source Water Assessment Program. The metadata are for 11 individual Geographic Information System data sets. An overlay and indexing method was used with the data to derive a rating for unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes for susceptibility to contamination. For ground-water supplies, the digital data sets used in the assessment included unsaturated zone rating, vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, and land cover. For assessment of public surface-water intakes, the data sets included watershed characteristics rating, average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, and ground-water contribution. Documentation for the land-use data set applies to both the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings. Documentation for the estimated depth-to-water map used in the calculation of the vertical series hydraulic conductance also is included.

North Carolina↗

USGS2001

Percent-slope classes to characterize the unsaturated zone in North Carolina

This web site contains the Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata (documentation) for digital data produced for the North Carolina, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Public Water Supply Section, Source Water Assessment Program. The metadata are for 11 individual Geographic Information System data sets. An overlay and indexing method was used with the data to derive a rating for unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes for susceptibility to contamination. For ground-water supplies, the digital data sets used in the assessment included unsaturated zone rating, vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, and land cover. For assessment of public surface-water intakes, the data sets included watershed characteristics rating, average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, and ground-water contribution. Documentation for the land-use data set applies to both the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings. Documentation for the estimated depth-to-water map used in the calculation of the vertical series hydraulic conductance also is included.

North Carolina↗

USGS2001

Percent-slope classes to characterize watersheds in North Carolina

This web site contains the Federal Geographic Data Committee-compliant metadata (documentation) for digital data produced for the North Carolina, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Public Water Supply Section, Source Water Assessment Program. The metadata are for 11 individual Geographic Information System data sets. An overlay and indexing method was used with the data to derive a rating for unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics for use by the State of North Carolina in assessing more than 11,000 public water-supply wells and approximately 245 public surface-water intakes for susceptibility to contamination. For ground-water supplies, the digital data sets used in the assessment included unsaturated zone rating, vertical series hydraulic conductance, land-surface slope, and land cover. For assessment of public surface-water intakes, the data sets included watershed characteristics rating, average annual precipitation, land-surface slope, land cover, and ground-water contribution. Documentation for the land-use data set applies to both the unsaturated zone and watershed characteristics ratings. Documentation for the estimated depth-to-water map used in the calculation of the vertical series hydraulic conductance also is included.

North Carolina↗

USGS2026

Evaluation of turbidity corrections for EXO fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM) sensors

Executive Summary The use of field-deployable fluorescence sensors to better understand dissolved organic matter concentrations and composition has grown immensely in recent years. Applications of these sensors to critical monitoring efforts have also grown, encompassing post-fire monitoring, wastewater tracking, and use as a proxy for various contaminants. Despite the growth, it is well known that these sensors require corrections for temperature (Watras and others, 2011) and are subject to many light-field interferences caused by both scattering and absorbance due to dissolved and particulate substances (Downing and others, 2012; Lee and others, 2015; Booth and others, 2023). The most common fluorescence sensors used by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) include those targeting fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM) and chlorophylls. Because fDOM sensors primarily measure fluorescence in the dissolved to colloidal phases, corrections to the interferences caused by particulates can be made relatively easily. By the end of 2024, the USGS had 69 fDOM sensors deployed within official water quality monitoring networks included on the USGS National Water Dashboard ( https://dashboard.waterdata.usgs.gov/app/nwd/en/ ) and numerous others used in surveys and research applications across the Nation. Although temperature corrections are widely applicable across sensor models, interference corrections can be model specific due to differences in design specifications across manufacturers and models (Booth and others, 2023). The corrections are also potentially subject to changes in manufacturing within a specific sensor model. Recently, USGS staff obtained information regarding possible changes in the manufacturing of its most widely-used fDOM sensor model, raising concerns about data consistency and quality in the USGS fDOM sensor networks. Furthermore, changes in turbidity sensors since the corrections guidance was performed may also affect the performance of the corrections. The turbidity sensor used in the original experiments (Downing and others, 2012) was determined to have a signal output approximately 1.3 times higher than the output of the turbidity sensor currently used in an extensive field comparison study (Messner and others, 2023). With these changes, it is imperative that the corrections be reevaluated to maintain data consistency and continuity across the USGS. In this study, we evaluated turbidity corrections for fDOM sensors over a range of serial numbers covering manufacturing dates 2015 through 2022 and turbidity serial numbers covering the range 2013 through 2022. The goal was to determine whether reported changes in the manufacturing process of the fDOM and turbidity sensors affected the correction approach developed by Downing and others (2012) such that additional guidance would be required to address this manufacturing change. To evaluate, we repeated a laboratory-based test similar to that performed by Downing and others (2012) in which a series of tank experiments with multiple sensors were deployed in a suspension of Elliot Silt Loam (ESL). High turbidities of the ESL suspension were maintained throughout the tank by turbulent recirculation using submersible pumps. Particulates were removed using a recirculated line equipped with a capsule filter (0.45 micron). Measurements were collected throughout the filtration until turbidities reached approximately 5 formazin nephelometric units (FNU; data available in Baxter and others, 2023). Each experimental run included a mixture of unique sensor combinations to account for variability imposed by the turbidity and temperature sensors. The fDOM correction factor was calculated for each combination of fDOM and turbidity sensors included in the test. We observed no systematic change in fDOM correction coefficients across serial numbers representing manufacturing years 2015 through 2022. However, the results highlighted questions raised about the corrections for high-turbidity samples, as noted in USGS Techniques and Methods (Booth and others, 2023). Applying the inverse of the commonly-used fDOM ratio with a quadratic fit performed better than the exponential fits when correcting fDOM data for turbidity in the ESL laboratory filtration test and generated a simple scale factor correction equation. This approach also served as a better indicator of data quality than the exponential fit approach. Similar to fDOM, more rigorous quality assurance measures may be necessary to evaluate turbidity sensor calibrations and performance. Sensors exceeding a certain age may need to be replaced despite passing quality assurance checks during calibration. Further testing of the turbidity corrections for different sediment and water types is warranted to better understand the variations in the fits and correctable ranges of turbidity in different systems.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2013

Velocity, water-quality, and bathymetric surveys of the Grays Landing and Maxwell Navigation Pools, and Selected Tributaries to the Monongahela River, Pennsylvania, 2010–11

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted velocity, water-quality, and bathymetric surveys from spring 2010 to summer 2011 in the Grays Landing and Maxwell navigation pools of the Monongahela River, Pennsylvania, and selected tributaries in response to elevated levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) recorded in early September 2009. Velocity data were collected using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler. Water-quality surveys included the in-situ collection of specific-conductance, water-temperature, and turbidity data using a water-quality sonde. Additionally, discrete water samples were collected and analyzed for TDS, chloride, and sulfate. Bathymetric data were collected using an echo sounder, and the shoreline was delineated using a laser range finder and electronic compass. The data were geo-referenced using a differential global positioning system and navigational software. Horizontal (x, y) coordinates were referenced to the North American Datum of 1983. Depth (z) elevations were referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988. The data are provided in electronic format (appendix 1) and may be downloaded and can be used in a geographic information system for cartographic display and data analysis.

Pennsylvania↗

USGS2013

Identifying stakeholder-relevant climate change impacts: a case study in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, USA

Designing climate-related research so that study results will be useful to natural resource managers is a unique challenge. While decision makers increasingly recognize the need to consider climate change in their resource management plans, and climate scientists recognize the importance of providing locally-relevant climate data and projections, there often remains a gap between management needs and the information that is available or is being collected. We used decision analysis concepts to bring decision-maker and stakeholder perspectives into the applied research planning process. In 2009 we initiated a series of studies on the impacts of climate change in the Yakima River Basin (YRB) with a four-day stakeholder workshop, bringing together managers, stakeholders, and scientists to develop an integrated conceptual model of climate change and climate change impacts in the YRB. The conceptual model development highlighted areas of uncertainty that limit the understanding of the potential impacts of climate change and decision alternatives by those who will be most directly affected by those changes, and pointed to areas where additional study and engagement of stakeholders would be beneficial. The workshop and resulting conceptual model highlighted the importance of numerous different outcomes to stakeholders in the basin, including social and economic outcomes that go beyond the physical and biological outcomes typically reported in climate impacts studies. Subsequent studies addressed several of those areas of uncertainty, including changes in water temperatures, habitat quality, and bioenergetics of salmonid populations.

Washington↗