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USGS2017

U.S. Geological Survey—Energy and wildlife research annual report for 2017

Introduction Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems provide valuable services to humans and are a source of clean water, energy, raw materials, and productive soils. The Nation’s food supply is more secure because of wildlife. For example, native pollinators enhance agricultural crops, and insect-eating bats provide pest control services worth billions of dollars to farmers annually. Fish and wildlife are also vital to a vibrant outdoor recreation and tourism industry. Recreational activities, such as hunting, shooting, boating, and angling, generated \$1.1 billion in excise taxes paid to State wildlife agencies in 2017. National parks, wildlife refuges, and monuments accounted for $35 billion in economic output and 318,000 jobs nationwide in 2016. Additional economic benefits are generated from the use and enjoyment of wildlife in State-owned lands and waters. Although the United States is rich in natural resources, human activity continues to place new pressures on fish and wildlife and the habitats they rely on. The United States became the world’s top producer of petroleum and natural gas products in 2012, surpassing Russia’s natural gas production levels in 2009 and Saudi Arabia’s petroleum production in 2013. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that the demand for liquid fuel, natural gas, and renewable energy will show strong growth in the next 20 years. Wind energy has demonstrated consistent growth since 2007 with now more than 53,000 wind turbines contributing to power grids in 41 States, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Solar energy has seen rapid growth since 2013 and made up nearly one-third of the total electricity generation additions in 2016. Yet as our Nation works to advance energy security and sustain wildlife, some conflicts have surfaced. Impacts of an expanding energy infrastructure include fragmentation and loss of habitat as well as mortality of birds, bats, fish, and other animals from interactions with energy generation facilities. Because energy development can often occur in wildlife habitats, ecological science can help guide project siting and operational decisions to areas that present the lowest risk to wildlife and energy developers. To address these challenges and make the most of new opportunities, the U.S. Geological Survey is producing innovative science to develop workable solutions that can help sustain wildlife and the habitat they rely upon, while allowing informed development.

Circular↗
USGS2006

Understanding barriers to implementation of an adaptive land management program

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission manages over 650,000 ha, including 26 wildlife management and environmental areas. To improve management, they developed an objective-based vegetation management (OBVM) process that focuses on desired conditions of plant communities through an adaptive management framework. Our goals were to understand potential barriers to implementing OBVM and to recommend strategies to overcome barriers. A literature review identified 47 potential barriers in six categories to implementation of adaptive and ecosystem management: logistical, communication, attitudinal, institutional, conceptual, and educational. We explored these barriers through a bureau-wide survey of 90 staff involved in OBVM and personal interviews with area managers, scientists, and administrators. The survey incorporated an organizational culture assessment instrument to gauge how institutional factors might influence OBVM implementation. The survey response rate was 69%. Logistics and communications were the greatest barriers to implementing OBVM. Respondents perceived that the agency had inadequate resources for implementing OBVM and provided inadequate information. About one-third of the respondents believed OBVM would decrease their job flexibility and perceived greater institutional barriers to the approach. The 43% of respondents who believed they would have more responsibility under OBVM also had greater attitudinal barriers. A similar percentage of respondents reported OBVM would not give enough priority to wildlife. Staff believed that current agency culture was hierarchical but preferred a culture that would provide more flexibility for adaptive management and would foster learning from land management activities. In light of the barriers to OBVM, we recommend the following: (1) mitigation of logistical barriers by addressing real and perceived constraints of staff, funds, and other resources in a participatory manner; (2) mitigation of communication barriers through interpersonal and electronic communication channels; (3) development of an OBVM external advisory committee; and (4) adoption of characteristics of an organizational culture that promotes flexibility and learning. ??2006 Society for Conservation Biology.

Conservation Biology↗
USGS2017

Archive of bathymetry data collected in South Florida from 1995 to 2015

Description Land development and alterations of the ecosystem in south Florida over the past 100 years have decreased freshwater and increased nutrient flows into many of Florida's estuaries, bays, and coastal regions. As a result, there has been a decrease in the water quality in many of these critical habitats, often prompting seagrass die-offs and reduced fish and aquatic life populations. Restoration of water quality in many of these habitats will depend partly upon using numerical-circulation and sediment-transport models to establish water-quality targets and to assess progress toward reaching restoration targets. Application of these models is often complicated because of complex sea floor topography and tidal flow regimes. Consequently, accurate and modern sea-floor or bathymetry maps are critical for numerical modeling research. Modern bathymetry data sets will also permit a comparison to historical data in order to help assess sea-floor changes within these critical habitats. New and detailed data sets also support marine biology studies to help understand migratory and feeding habitats of marine life. This data series is a compilation of 13 mapping projects conducted in south Florida between 1995 and 2015 and archives more than 45 million bathymetric soundings. Data were collected primarily with a single beam sound navigation and ranging (sonar) system called SANDS developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 1993. Bathymetry data for the Estero Bay project were supplemented with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) system. Data from eight rivers in southwest Florida were collected with an interferometric swath bathymetry system. The projects represented in this data series were funded by the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP), the USGS South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Project- formally named Placed Based Studies, and other non-Federal agencies. The purpose of the data collection for all these projects was to support one or more of the following scientific aspects: numerical model applications, sea floor change analysis, or marine habitat investigations. This report serves as an archive of processed bathymetry sounding data, digital bathymetric contours, digital bathymetric maps, sea floor surface grids, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata. Refer to the Abbreviations page for explanations of acronyms and abbreviations used in this report. Since 2006, the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) assigns a unique identifier or Field Activity Number (FAN) for each field data collection. Projects described in this report conducted prior to 2006 do not have a FAN. Data from the 13 projects presented in this report provided critical hydrographic information to support multiple science projects in south Florida. The projects and the types of sounding data collected are: Florida Bay (1995-1999) - single-beam Lake Okeechobee (2001) - single-beam Tampa Bay (2001-2004) - single-beam Caloosahatchee River (2002)- single-beam Estero Bay to Matlacha Pass and offshore to Wiggins Pass (2003) - single-beam and airborne lidar North and Northwest Forks of the Loxahatchee and Lower St. Lucie Rivers (2003) - single-beam South Charlotte Harbor and offshore Sanibel Island (2003-2004) - single-beam Shark River and Trout Creek (2004) - single-beam and interferometric swath Southwest Florida Rivers (2004) - interferometric swath Offshore from Wiggins Pass to Cape Romano (2005) - single-beam Ten Thousand Islands (2009) - single-beam Lemon Bay (2011) - single-beam Southwest Florida Rivers (2015) - interferometric swath

Florida↗
USGS2012

Estimating basin lagtime and hydrograph-timing indexes used to characterize stormflows for runoff-quality analysis

A nationwide study to better define triangular-hydrograph statistics for use with runoff-quality and flood-flow studies was done by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration. Although the triangular hydrograph is a simple linear approximation, the cumulative distribution of stormflow with a triangular hydrograph is a curvilinear S-curve that closely approximates the cumulative distribution of stormflows from measured data. The temporal distribution of flow within a runoff event can be estimated using the basin lagtime, (which is the time from the centroid of rainfall excess to the centroid of the corresponding runoff hydrograph) and the hydrograph recession ratio (which is the ratio of the duration of the falling limb to the rising limb of the hydrograph). This report documents results of the study, methods used to estimate the variables, and electronic files that facilitate calculation of variables. Ten viable multiple-linear regression equations were developed to estimate basin lagtimes from readily determined drainage basin properties using data published in 37 stormflow studies. Regression equations using the basin lag factor (BLF, which is a variable calculated as the main-channel length, in miles, divided by the square root of the main-channel slope in feet per mile) and two variables describing development in the drainage basin were selected as the best candidates, because each equation explains about 70 percent of the variability in the data. The variables describing development are the USGS basin development factor (BDF, which is a function of the amount of channel modifications, storm sewers, and curb-and-gutter streets in a basin) and the total impervious area variable (IMPERV) in the basin. Two datasets were used to develop regression equations. The primary dataset included data from 493 sites that have values for the BLF, BDF, and IMPERV variables. This dataset was used to develop the best-fit regression equation using the BLF and BDF variables. The secondary dataset included data from 896 sites that have values for the BLF and IMPERV variables. This dataset was used to develop the best-fit regression equation using the BLF and IMPERV variables. Analysis of hydrograph recession ratios and basin characteristics for 41 sites indicated that recession ratios are random variables. Thus, recession ratios cannot be estimated quantitatively using multiple linear regression equations developed using the data available for these sites. The minimums of recession ratios for different streamgages are well characterized by a value of one. The most probable values and maximum values of recession ratios for different streamgages are, however, more variable than the minimums. The most probable values of recession ratios for the 41 streamgages analyzed ranged from 1.0 to 3.52 and had a median of 1.85. The maximum values ranged from 2.66 to 11.3 and had a median of 4.36.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2020

Groundwater levels in the Denver Basin bedrock aquifers of Douglas County, Colorado, 2011–19

Municipal and domestic water users in Douglas County, Colorado, rely on groundwater from the bedrock aquifers in the Denver Basin aquifer system as part of their water supply. The four principal Denver Basin bedrock aquifers are, from shallowest to deepest, the Dawson aquifer (divided administratively into “upper” and “lower” Dawson aquifers in Douglas County), the Denver aquifer, the Arapahoe aquifer, and the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer. Increased groundwater pumping in response to rapid population growth and development has led to declining groundwater levels in Douglas County, where groundwater is a primary water source for densely populated and rural communities. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Rural Water Authority of Douglas County, began a study in 2011 to assess the groundwater resources of the Denver Basin bedrock aquifers within the county. The primary purpose of this report is to present a summary of groundwater levels measured during the study period (2011–19) and present results from statistical analyses of changes in groundwater-level elevations, reported above the land-surface datum, North American Vertical Datum of 1988, through time. During the study period, January 2011 through June 2019, discrete groundwater levels were routinely measured at 36 wells producing from Denver Basin bedrock aquifers within Douglas County. Of the 36 wells, 15 are instrumented with pressure transducers that record groundwater-level measurements at hourly intervals, and these data were temporally aggregated into time-series records. During 2011, wells were added to the monitoring network in phases, so that the start dates of the well records are noncontemporaneous. To keep temporal analysis among wells consistent, the periods of record used in statistical analyses were from February 2012 through February 2019 for the discrete data and from January 2012 through June 2019 for the time-series data. The upper Dawson, lower Dawson, Denver, and Arapahoe aquifers had some wells with rises in calculated groundwater-level elevations, but most wells showed declines on the basis of statistically significant trends and the relative differences in static groundwater-level elevations between the February 2012 and February 2019 measurements. Neither of the two wells in the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer showed significant trends in groundwater-level elevations, and these wells had few static discrete measurements, precluding a comparison between 2012 and 2019 static groundwater-level elevations. Of the 13 wells in the upper Dawson, lower Dawson, Denver, and Arapahoe aquifers with significant trends in discrete groundwater-level elevation measurements, the records of 12 wells demonstrated negative trends during the study period. The upper Dawson, lower Dawson, Denver, and Arapahoe aquifers had median significant trends of −0.23, −0.31, −0.92, and −2.26 feet per year, respectively. Although the Arapahoe aquifer had the greatest negative median trend, this median only represents one well with significant trends. Otherwise, the Denver aquifer had the next greatest negative trend, with a median trend of −0.92 foot per year. Significant trends in time-series groundwater-level elevations agreed with significant trends in discrete groundwater-level elevations; for all wells with statistically significant trends in discrete and in time-series groundwater-level elevation data, trend estimates from the two records were within 0.1 foot per year of each other. Potentiometric-surface maps of the upper Dawson, lower Dawson, and Denver aquifers, created using discrete static groundwater levels measured in February 2019, show that groundwater flow direction for the upper Dawson, lower Dawson, and Denver aquifers is generally from south to north. Results of this study could guide future groundwater monitoring in the county and aid in long-term planning of water resources.

Colorado↗
USGS2015

Wind River subbasin restoration: Annual report of U.S. Geological Survey activities January 2014 through December 2014

Executive Summary The Wind River subbasin in southwest Washington State provides habitat for a population of wild Lower Columbia River steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss , which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. No hatchery steelhead have been planted in the Wind River subbasin since 1994, and hatchery adults are estimated to be less than one percent of adults in any year (Thomas Buehrens, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, personal communication). Numerous restoration actions have been implemented in the subbasin, including the removal of Hemlock Dam on Trout Creek in 2009. We used Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagging and a series of instream PIT-tag interrogation systems (PTIS) to investigate life-histories, populations, and efficacy of habitat restoration actions for these steelhead. Data from our study, and companion work by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will contribute to Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) Research Monitoring and Evaluation (RM&E) Program Strategy of Fish Population Status Monitoring ( www.cbfish.org/ProgramStrategy.mvc/ViewProgramStrategySummary/1 ), specifically the sub-strategies of: 1) Assessing the Status and Trends of Diversity of Natural Origin Fish Populations and to Uncertainties Research regarding differing life histories of a wild steelhead population, 2) Assessing the Status and Trend of Adult Natural Origin Fish Populations, and 3) Monitoring and Evaluating the Effectiveness of Tributary Habitat Actions Relative to Environmental, Physical, or Biological Performance Objectives. During summer 2014, we PIT-tagged steelhead parr in headwater areas of the Wind River subbasin to investigate life-history diversity, specifically to compare fate of those juvenile steelhead that move downstream prior to smolting with those that remain in their natal areas until smolting. A series of instream PTISs monitored movement of these fish. We added a new multi-antenna PTIS on Trout Creek and made improvements to two of our smaller tributary PTISs during 2014. Detections at the instream PTISs showed trends of parr emigration during summer and fall, in addition to the expected movement of parr and smolts in spring. Long-term monitoring of PIT-tagged fish will provide information on contribution of various life-history strategies to smolt production and adult returns, as well as helping to identify factors influencing parr movement. Movements of PIT-tagged adult steelhead were tracked with our instream PTISs. These data will contribute to a better understanding of timing and distribution of spawning by this population of wild steelhead within the Wind River subbasin. Additionally, these data have provided information on timing of adult movements to various parts of the watershed, which is allowing us to assess adult use of tributary watersheds within the Wind River subbasin. These data are contributing to evaluating steelhead response to the removal of Hemlock Dam from Trout Creek. Hemlock Dam, which was located at rkm 2.0 of Trout Creek, was removed in summer 2009 and had contributed to hydrologic impairment of Trout Creek and potentially caused some deterrent to upstream adult steelhead migration. Evaluating restoration efforts is of interest to many managers and agencies so that funding and time are allocated for best results. The evaluation of various life-histories of Lower Columbia River steelhead within the Wind River subbasin provides information to better track populations, and more effectively direct habitat restoration and water allocation planning. Increasingly detailed Viable Salmonid Population information (Crawford and Rumsey 2009), such as that provided by PIT-tagging and instream PTISs networks like those we build and operate in the Wind River subbasin, provide data to better inform policy and management, as life-history strategies and production bottlenecks are identified and understood.

Washington↗
USGS1950

Bibliography of publications relating to ground water in Connecticut

The United States Geological Survey is currently investigating the ground-water resources of Connecticut in cooperation with the State Water Commission. As part of this cooperative project, in order to summarize the knowledge already gained about ground water in the State, a bibliography of reports dealing with ground water in Connecticut has been prepared. A compilation entitled "Bibliography and index of publications relating to ground water prepared by the Geological Survey and cooperating agencies", by G. A. Waring and O. E. Neinzer, was issued as U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 992 in 1947. The following compilation lists all the papers in Water-Supply Paper 992 that refer to Connecticut plus other short reports not included in the letter. The first studies of ground water in Connecticut were begun in 1903 by Professor H. E. Gregory of Yale University under the auspices of the U.S. Geological Survey. The early studies were of the reconnaissance type, covering large sections of the State, and were concerned mainly with the relation of the bedrock geology to the water supply. The results were published in several Water-Supply Papers of the Geological Survey. In 1911 a cooperative agreement for the study of the ground-water resources of Connecticut in which each party shared equally in the expenses was made between the Federal Survey and the Connecticut State Geological and Natural History Survey. As a result more detailed studies in smaller areas were undertaken. Active field work covering more than half the State was continued through 1923 under this arrangement and the results published in eight U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Papers. After an eleven year period of inactivity and with the inauguration of the Federal Emergency Relief Commission, detailed studies of ground water in Connecticut were begun again in October 1934 as a project of the Emergency Relief Commission (later the Works Progress Administration). The project was sponsored by the Connecticut State Water Commission, the State Planning Board, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The technical direction of the work was undertaken by the Geological Survey. The project consisted of an inventory and mapping of wells and springs in the State by towns and the recording of weekly observations of water levels in selected wells. The data collected through October 1939 were published in six mimeographed bulletins and one typewritten bulletin by the Works Program Administration. In 1939, when it became necessary to curtail the work being carried on by the Works Progress Administration, cooperation was arranged between the Federal Ecological Survey and the State Water Commission to continue investigations relative to the over-development of ground-water supplies in the New Haven area. From time to time additional funds have been made available to meet growing demands by the State for data on its ground-water supplied and the present cooperative program between the U.S. Geological Survey and the State Water Commission is a continuation of the original arrangement. It is estimated that about 14 per cont of the State has been covered by recent ground-water surveys and in addition some data are available for another 20 per cent of he State.

Connecticut↗
USGS2024

Assessing community needs for terrestrial analog studies

Executive Summary The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed and released a survey to assess the terrestrial analog needs of the planetary science community. The goal was to assess the current state of terrestrial analog studies and determine community needs related to the use of field sites for training and research, data dissemination and archiving, and sample collections. The survey was designed to gather feedback from community members who have a self-described interest in the use of terrestrial analogs. The web-based questionnaire contained a total of 33 questions and was designed to take <10 minutes to complete. The questionnaire was divided into four sections: (1) “Respondent Details,” (2) “Field Analog Use,” (3) “Data Portal Use,” and (4) “Geologic Materials Collection Use.” Comment boxes were provided for 12 of the 33 questions, which allowed respondents to provide more detailed comments to individual questions. The questionnaire received a total of 248 responses. We identified 21 notable findings which are matched with one or more recommendations to be addressed by the planetary science community. In general, the findings highlight the importance of terrestrial analog studies to the planetary science community. The findings address how and why the community uses terrestrial analogs, areas in which further support can lead to a greater return on investment, and how the community can better manage data and samples from these studies. The results from this survey identify a need for additional training opportunities and analog-focused workshops. There is a gap in formal education related to field techniques for a significant part of researchers who conduct fieldwork. There is also a subset of the community who are interested in conducting field-based studies but are, however, unaware of relevant sites and methods. Workshops would provide an opportunity for scientists at all career stages to share their results and discuss common challenges such as logistics, field safety, funding, and data and sample archiving. Trainings, workshops, and better communication may also lead to increased field-analog work at locations in closer proximity to home institutions, reducing costs associated with large field expeditions and ultimately leading to more available funding for more localized field studies. The survey also shows that the ability to archive a diverse array of field data is a major challenge for terrestrial studies and finds that existing practices are not compliant with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) data management policies. The survey points to a strong need for a central data repository, allowing for easier access to existing analog data and the archiving of new field data. The community would benefit from additional physical sample archiving, consolidated into several key institutions to promote easier access, such as NASA and USGS centers. Though scientists would still need to acquire their own samples in the field for certain studies, many studies would benefit from an archive of existing samples and associated data for widely used analog sites, reducing redundant sampling practices. This report finds that a coordinated effort to improve and standardize training, data archiving, sample curation, and communication regarding terrestrial analog studies will best serve the planetary science community in our exploration goals.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2008

Hydrologic droughts in Kansas— Are they becoming worse?

Multi-year droughts have been a recurrent feature of the climate and hydrology of Kansas since at least the 1930s. Streamflow records collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) indicate that water years 2000 to 2006 (October 1, 1999, through September 30, 2006) represent the sixth hydrologic drought during the past eight decades, and that corresponding streamflow levels in some parts of Kansas were lower than those during historic droughts of the 1930s and 1950s, even though the precipitation deficit was not as severe. Record-low streamflows in water year 2006 were recorded at USGS streamgages on the Republican, Smoky Hill, Solomon, Saline, upper Kansas, middle Arkansas, and Little Arkansas Rivers, as well as many tributary sites, and one tributary site of the Neosho River (fig. 1, table 1). Low streamflows during the hydrologic drought also resulted in record low levels at three Federal reservoirs in Kansas (fig. 1, table 2). An unprecedented number of administrative decisions were made by the Division of Water Resources, Kansas Department of Agriculture to curtail water diversions from rivers to maintain minimum desirable streamflows, and low flows on the lower Republican River in Kansas created concerns that Colorado and Nebraska were not complying with the terms of the 1943 Republican River Compact.

Kansas↗
USGS2023

Age-0 sablefish size and growth indices from seabird diets at Middleton Island, Gulf of Alaska

Sablefish ( Anoplopoma fimbria ) is a commercially valuable groundfish species in Alaska, with the population assessed annually by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Sablefish recruit into the commercially fished population at 2 years old and are poorly sampled by most surveys before that age. However, information on the abundance, distribution, and size of pre-recruitment age fish is valuable as an ecosystem indicator for older fish. Size and an index of growth rate of age-0 sablefish were quantified using samples from seabird diets at Middleton Island, Alaska, an island in the northern Gulf of Alaska. Age-0 sablefish information may serve as an indicator for potential recruitment into older age populations. This report (1) provides information on the data collection for age-0 sablefish from seabird diets at Middleton Island, Alaska from 1978 to 2022, (2) describes a method for quantifying age-0 sablefish size and growth rate, and (3) describes the size and growth rate of sablefish sampled over time. An annual release of age-0 sablefish size and growth data by U.S. Geological Survey based on continued collections on Middleton Island, Alaska, may be used to assess ecosystem status and as a recruitment indicator for sablefish.

Alaska↗
USGS1975

Satellite relay and processing of hydrologic data in south Florida

Management of water in south Florida requires current hydrologic data on water levels and rainfall. This need is being met by a data processing system which provides near-real-time data from remote areas. The flow of data is from data-collection platforms at field sites via LANDSAT-1 satellite to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) ground-receiving stations to the NASA Data Processing Facility at Goddard Space Flight Center to the Miami office of the U.S. Geological Survey to data users. The process requires only a few hours, and current data are provided to water-management agencies in several different forms. The system has proven to be dependable.

Florida↗
USGS1985

Effects of flow alterations on trout, angling, and recreation in the Chattahoochee River between Buford Dam and Peachtree Creek

In 1974 county governments in the Atlanta vicinity realized that demands on the Chattahoochee River for water supply plus the streamflow required for water quality nearly equaled the minimum flow in the river. Increased demands for water supply in the following years could not be supplied under the then existing flow regime in the river. In response to the anticipated shortage of water, the Atlanta Regional Commission, a multicounty agency responsible for comprehensive regional planning in the Atlanta region, was contracted to prepare water demand projections to the year 2010 and identify alternatives for meeting projected water demands. The results of this study are published in an extensive final report, the Metropolitan Atlanta Area Water Resources Management Study (1981). Requests for copies should be directed to the District Engineer, Savannah District. Many of the identified alternatives to increase future water supply for the Atlanta area would result in modifications to the present flow regime within the Chattahoochee River between Buford Dam (river mile 348.3) and its confluence with Peachtree Creek (river mile 300.5). The present preferred alternative is construction of a reregulation dam at about river mile 342. The proposed reregulation dam would release a much more constant flow than the peaking flows presently released from Buford Dam (generally, a maximum release of approximately 9000 cfs or minimum release of about 550 cfs) by storing the generation releases from Buford Dam for gradual release during non-generation periods. The anticipated minimum release from the rereg dam would he approximately 1U5U cfs (based on contractual obligations to the Southeast Power Administration to supply a minimum of 11 hours of peaking power per week from Buford Dam). The average annual release from the proposed reregulation dam into the Chattahoochee River would be approximately 2000 cfs (based on USGS flow records) and the median release would he approximately 1500 cfs (value obtained from Savannah District). The proposed reregulation dam would have sufficient storage to provide some opportunity for flow management to optimize uses other than water supply and water quality. Flow modifications (and resultant water quality changes) within this reach of the Chattahoochee River to meet increased demands for water supply may have an effect on other beneficial uses of this important natural resource. In addition to supplying a significant proportion of the water supply for metropolitan Atlanta and providing for water quality, the Chattahoochee River also is used extensively for recreation and supports a valuable trout fishery. Altered flows in the channel to meet water supply needs may have an impact on river recreation and trout habitat.

Georgia↗
USGS2011

Geospatial characteristics of Florida's coastal and offshore environments: Distribution of important habitats for coastal and offshore biological resources and offshore sand resources

The Geospatial Characteristics GeoPDF of Florida's Coastal and Offshore Environments is a comprehensive collection of geospatial data describing the political boundaries and natural resources of Florida. This interactive map provides spatial information on bathymetry, sand resources, and locations of important habitats (for example, Essential Fish Habitats (EFH), nesting areas, strandings) for marine invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds, and marine mammals. The map should be useful to coastal resource managers and others interested in marine habitats and submerged obstructions of Florida's coastal region. In particular, as oil and gas explorations continue to expand, the map can be used to explore information regarding sensitive areas and resources in the State of Florida. Users of this geospatial database will have access to synthesized information in a variety of scientific disciplines concerning Florida's coastal zone. This powerful tool provides a one-stop assembly of data that can be tailored to fit the needs of many natural resource managers. The map was originally developed to assist the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) and coastal resources managers with planning beach restoration projects. The BOEMRE uses a systematic approach in planning the development of submerged lands of the Continental Shelf seaward of Florida's territorial waters. Such development could affect the environment. BOEMRE is required to ascertain the existing physical, biological, and socioeconomic conditions of the submerged lands and estimate the impact of developing these lands. Data sources included the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, BOEMRE, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Geographic Data Library, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, and the State of Florida, Bureau of Archeological Research. Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) compliant metadata are provided as attached xml files for all geographic information system (GIS) layers.

Florida↗
USGS2011

Geospatial characteristics of Florida's coastal and offshore environments: Coastal habitats, artificial reefs, wrecks, dumping grounds, harbor obstructions and offshore sand resources

The Geospatial Characteristics GeoPDF of Florida's Coastal and Offshore Environments is a comprehensive collection of geospatial data describing the political boundaries and natural resources of Florida. This interactive map provides spatial information on bathymetry, sand resources, coastal habitats, artificial reefs, shipwrecks, dumping grounds, and harbor obstructions. The map should be useful to coastal resource managers and others interested in marine habitats and submerged obstructions of Florida's coastal region. In particular, as oil and gas explorations continue to expand, the map may be used to explore information regarding sensitive areas and resources in the State of Florida. Users of this geospatial database will have access to synthesized information in a variety of scientific disciplines concerning Florida's coastal zone. This powerful tool provides a one-stop assembly of data that can be tailored to fit the needs of many natural resource managers. The map was originally developed to assist the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) and coastal resources managers with planning beach restoration projects. The BOEMRE uses a systematic approach in planning the development of submerged lands of the Continental Shelf seaward of Florida's territorial waters. Such development could affect the environment. BOEMRE is required to ascertain the existing physical, biological, and socioeconomic conditions of the submerged lands and estimate the impact of developing these lands. Data sources included the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, BOEMRE, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Geographic Data Library, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, and the State of Florida, Bureau of Archeological Research. Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) compliant metadata are provided as attached xml files for all geographic information system (GIS) layers.

Florida↗
USGS2005

Water Quality, Fish Tissue, and Bed Sediment Monitoring in Waterbodies of Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center, Arkansas, 2002-2004

The Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center is a facility used to train as many as 50,000 Arkansas National Guardsmen each year. Due to the nature of ongoing training and also to a poor understanding of environmental procedures that were practiced in the World War II era, areas within Fort Chaffee have the potential to be sources of a large number of contaminants. Because some streams flow on to Fort Chaffee, there is also the potential for sources that are off post to affect environmental conditions on post. This study evaluates constituent concentrations in water, fish tissue, and bed sediment collected from waterbodies on Fort Chaffee between September 2002 and July 2004. Constituent concentrations detected in the three media and measured at nine stream sites and four lake sites were compared to national and regional criteria when available. Two of the larger streams, Big and Vache Grasse Creeks, were sampled at multiple sites. All three sampled media were analyzed for insecticides, PCBs, explosives, and trace elements. Additionally, water samples were analyzed for nutrients and herbicides. The different constituents detected in the three sample media (water, fish tissue, and bed sediment) indicate that land-use activities both on and off post are influencing environmental conditions. Contaminants such as explosives that were sometimes detected in water samples have an obvious relation to military training; however, the occurrence and locations of some nutrients, insecticides, and trace elements suggest that land use both on and off post also could be influencing environmental conditions to some degree. Constituent concentrations at sites on Vache Grasse Creek, and particularly the most upstream site, which was located immediately downstream from an off-post wastewater-treatment facility, indicate that environmental conditions were being influenced by an off-post source. The most upstream site on Vache Grasse Creek had both the highest number of detections and the highest concentrations detected of all sites sampled. Event-mean storm concentrations and storm loads calculated from storm-flow samples at two sites each for Big and Vache Grasse Creeks indicate that storm loads were highest at the two Vache Grasse Creek sites for 24 of the 25 constituents detected. Further evaluation by normalizing storm loads at Big Creek to storm loads at Vache Grasse Creek by stream flow indicate that event loads at Vache Grasse Creek were about two or more times higher than those on Big Creek for 15 of the 25 constituents measured. Low concentrations of arsenic and lead were detected in water samples, but all detections for the two trace elements occurred in samples collected at the upstream site on Vache Grasse Creek. The nickel concentration in fish livers collected from the upstream site on Vache Grasse Creek was 45 percent higher than the median of a national study of 145 sites. Mercury concentrations in edible fish tissue, which are a widespread concern in the United States, exceeded an USEPA criterion for methylmercury of 300 ?g/kg in four of nine samples; however, concentrations are typical of mercury concentrations in fish tissues for the State of Arkansas. Constituent concentrations at some sites indicate that environmental conditions are being influenced by on-post activities. Of the 55 (excluding total organic carbon) organic constituents analyzed in water samples, only 10 were detected above the minimum detection limit but four of those were explosives. Bed-sediment samples from one site located on Grayson Creek, and nearest the administrative and residential (cantonment) area, had detections for arsenic, copper, lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc that were above background concentrations, and concentrations for arsenic and nickel at this site exceeded lowest effect level criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The site on Grayson Creek also had the only detections of DDT metabolites in bed sedi

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2010

Seabed photographs, sediment texture analyses, and sun-illuminated sea floor topography in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region off Boston, Massachusetts

The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Sanctuary Program, conducted seabed mapping and related research in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region from 1993 to 2004. The mapped area is approximately 3,700 km (1,100 nmi) in size and was subdivided into 18 quadrangles. An extensive series of sea-floor maps of the region based on multibeam sonar surveys has been published as paper maps and online in digital format (PDF, EPS, PS). In addition, 2,628 seabed-sediment samples were collected and analyzed and are in the usSEABED: Atlantic Coast Offshore Surficial Sediment Data Release. This report presents for viewing and downloading the more than 10,600 still seabed photographs that were acquired during the project. The digital images are provided in thumbnail, medium (1536 x 1024 pixels), and high (3071 x 2048) resolution. The images can be viewed by quadrangle on the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center's photograph database. Photograph metadata are embedded in each image in Exchangeable Image File Format and also provided in spreadsheet format. Published digital topographic maps and descriptive text for seabed features are included here for downloading and serve as context for the photographs. An interactive topographic map for each quadrangle shows locations of photograph stations, and each location is linked to the photograph database. This map also shows stations where seabed sediment was collected for texture analysis; the results of grain-size analysis and associated metadata are presented in spreadsheet format.

Data Series↗
USGS2005

Regional economic effects of current and proposed management alternatives for Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge

The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 requires all units of the National Wildlife Refuge System to be managed under a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP). The CCP must describe the desired future conditions of a Refuge and provide long range guidance and management direction to achieve Refuge purposes. Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located 27 miles northeast of Aberdeen, South Dakota, is in the process of developing a range of management goals, objectives, and strategies for the CCP. The CCP for Sand Lake NWR must contain an analysis of expected effects associated with current and proposed Refuge management strategies. Special interest groups and local residents often criticize a change in Refuge management, especially if there is a perceived negative impact to the local economy. Having objective data on income and employment impacts may show that these economic fears are drastically overstated. Quite often, residents do not realize the extent of economic benefits a Refuge provides to a local community; yet at the same time overestimate the impact of negative changes. Spending associated with Refuge recreational activities such as wildlife viewing and hunting can generate considerable tourism activity for the regional economy. Refuge personnel typically spend considerable amounts of money purchasing supplies in the local lumber and hardware stores, repairing equipment and purchasing fuel at the local service stations, as well as reside and spend their salaries in the community. The purpose of this study was to provide the economic analysis needed for the Sand Lake NWR CCP by evaluating the regional economic impacts associated with the Sand Lake NWR Draft CCP management strategies. For Refuge CCP planning, an economic impact analysis describes how current (No Action Alternative) and proposed management activities (alternatives) affect the local economy. This type of analysis provides two critical pieces of information: (1) it illustrates a refuge&rsquo;s contribution to the local community; and (2) it can help in determining whether local economic effects are or are not a real concern in choosing among management alternatives. Sand Lake NWR is currently managed to improve and maintain habitat for nesting and resting waterfowl and other migratory birds, such as diving and puddle ducks, geese, grebes, herons, egrets, gulls, and terns. There are three alternatives evaluated in the draft CCP. Alternative 1, the No Action alternative, would continue Refuge management at current levels and would not involve extensive restoration of cropland, grassland, and wetland habitat or improvements to roads, interpretive, and administrative facilities. No new funding or staff levels would occur and programs would follow the same direction, emphasis, and intensity as they do at present. Alternative 2 would maximize the biological potential of the refuge for species of grassland-nesting birds. This would be accomplished through intense management of upland habitat for nesting migratory birds, minimal management for resident species, and minimization of public use that may interfere with migratory bird production. The third alternative takes an integrated approach, with management practices that would serve to maximize the biological potential of Sand Lake for migratory birds. This report first provides a description of the local community and economy near the Refuge. An analysis of current and proposed management strategies that could affect the local economy is then presented. The Refuge management activities of economic concern in this analysis are Refuge personnel staffing and Refuge spending within the local community, and spending in the local community by Refuge visitors.

Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge↗
USGS1991

User's guide to the wetland creation/restoration data base, version 2

Wetland creation or restoration projects are frequently proposed as mitigation for unavoidable wetland losses, as components of wetland enhancement programs, and as tools to accomplish specific objectives such as waterfowl production or flood control. There is considerable controversy concerning the effectiveness of such projects as well as the most appropriate and efficient techniques to employ. The importance of the resource and the long time scales involved in fully evaluating a creation or restoration effort make it imperative to consider existing information as fully as possible in the development and evaluation of wetland creation or restoration proposals. To aid in the evaluation of wetland/creation efforts, the U.s. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Ecology Research Center, has developed the Wetland Creation/Restoration (WCR) Data Base. The data base is a highly indexed or keyworded bibliography of wetland creation or restoration articles. ("Articles" refers to any type of publication that deals specifically with wetland creation/restoration projects or studies.) The scope of the articles is international, although most of them are concerned with projects conducted in the United States. Information coded for each article includes author; citation; type of wetland and its location in terms of state, ecoregion, and FWS region; type of study undertaken; objectives in creating or restoring the wetland; actions performed to realize those objectives; length of time encompassed by the study; evaluation of results and responses to the wetland creation/restoration actions; and a listing of plant species significant to the project. A brief annotation summarizes the article and includes any significant additional information that may not be adequately reflected in the above described fields. Many of these articles describe only one or two components of a total wetland restoration effort. Planning a project that is designed to restore a wetland system (including at least some of its functions) is similar to constructing a picture from a number of puzzle pieces--missing pieces represent data gaps or information that is not available. Articles range from specific case studies, to overviews of restoration methods and techniques, to planning restoration projects and assessing programmatic and administrative backgrounds and interactions. In this data base, the term "restoration" is applied loosely to include rehabilitation of wetlands. It may refer to a number of situations or actions including, but not limited to: 1. breaching dikes or plugging drains; 2. water pollution clean-up; 3. conversion of eutrophic conditions; 4. wastewater treatment; 5. recolonization of previously disturbed or denuded areas; 6. amelioration of adverse conditions (erosion, wave, or wind action); 7. soil treatment --mulching, fertilization; 8. rerouting streams --may include construction of meander patterns; 9. monitoring natural vegetation; or 0. excluding grazers (geese, cattle) and monitoring results. This report describes the format and content of Version 2 of the WCR data base. Version 2 differs from the previous version described in SchnellerMcDonald et al. (1988): several fields have been dropped and condensed and new records have been added. Version 2 includes all records distributed with the earlier version and its updates. We recommend you replace any previous version with Version 2.

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