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USGS2026

Ground-motion simulations for the 2024 Mw 4.8 Tewksbury, New Jersey, earthquake

Ground-motion simulations of notable earthquakes in the central and eastern United States are limited and typically assume one-dimensional (1D) Earth structure. In this study, we use a three-dimensional (3D) seismic velocity model to better constrain the depth and focal mechanism of the April 5th, 2024, moment magnitude 4.8 Tewksbury earthquake and investigate the spatial variability of earthquake ground motions and the effects of nearby sedimentary basins. We perform earthquake ground-motion simulations up to 0.5 Hz using the 3D spectral-element wave-propagation solver SPECFEM3D over a region 280-km wide by 260-km long by 77-km deep. Topography and subsurface geophysical structure are assigned using the U.S. Geological Survey National Crustal Model with a minimum shear-wave velocity of 200 m/s. We use earthquake time series from 13 broadband seismic stations in the region that have a uniform azimuthal distribution and epicentral distances ranging from 76 to 131 km to compare with synthetics and explore the effects of 1D versus 3D seismic structure on focal mechanism and depth solutions. Ground-motion intensity metrics are also presented relative to the NGA-East ground-motion models (GMMs) currently used in seismic hazard assessments for the region. We find that the 3D model, which reveals a wide spatial variability of period-dependent ground motions, yields better predictions of earthquake ground motions relative to the 1D model and the NGA-East ergodic ground-motion model, with 76 percent reduction of residual variance in observed ground motions averaged over 3-, 5-, 7-, and 10-second periods. Use of the 3D model to solve for a focal mechanism yields a shallower focal depth at 4 km and a shallower east-dipping focal plane relative to the U.S. Geological Survey regional moment tensor and Global Centroid Moment Tensor. Our study demonstrates that use of 3D seismic velocity models can improve estimates of earthquake focal mechanisms, ground motions, and seismic hazard.

New Jersey↗
USGS2024

Hydrologic investigations and a preliminary conceptual model of the groundwater system at North Penn Area 1 Superfund Site, Souderton, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted hydrogeologic investigations, reviewed existing data, and developed a preliminary conceptual model of the groundwater system as part of technical support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the North Penn Area 1 Superfund Site (hereafter, the NP1 Site) located within the Borough of Souderton in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Field work and monitoring took place during 2012–18. The area is underlain by sedimentary formations that form a fractured-rock aquifer used for drinking water and industrial supply. The EPA placed the Site on the National Priorities List in 1989, identifying tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) as contaminants of concern. During 2012–18, the USGS conducted field activities that included drilling an 82-foot (ft)-deep monitoring well (MG 2220) in 2016, reconstructing a 208-ft-deep former industrial production well (MG 668 [Granite Knitting Mill]), and collecting borehole geophysical and video logs and water levels from those and five additional wells, which ranged in depth from about 50 to 200 ft below land surface. Continuous water levels were collected during 2014–17, and a synoptic set of water levels were measured in April 2018 in the seven wells. The borehole geophysical logs (caliper, acoustic televiewer, natural gamma, single-point resistance, vertical flow, and fluid temperature and resistivity) and borehole video logs in the seven wells were evaluated to assess potential for lithologic correlation and to identify and describe water-bearing features, which included both low- and high-angle fractures and other openings oriented along dipping bedding planes, joints, or possible faults. Borehole geophysical logs collected by USGS in 1992 in a 300-ft-deep former production well near the Site were also evaluated. Few to no distinctive features were identified on geophysical logs (natural gamma and single-point resistance) that could be used for correlation, thus limiting this approach to determining local geologic structure. Extensive fracturing in the upper 62 ft of monitoring well MG 2220 indicates that the well was likely drilled through a zone of faulting, and other evidence of faulting is present in the area near the Site. Assessment of continuous water levels showed hydraulic connections among some wells as indicated by rising or falling water levels in response to changes in pumping rates at nearby wells. A map of water levels measured in April 2018 indicates potential for groundwater flow generally toward the stream to the south and southwest of the Site, but the limited water-level data are insufficient to describe vertical groundwater gradients or lateral gradients in any detail. Review of 1999–2022 volatile organic compound (VOC) monitoring data collected by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for five monitoring wells indicates that the highest groundwater concentrations of PCE and TCE were found in samples from extraction well MG 2201 (S-1) downgradient from, and nearest to, the previously identified Site contaminant source area, and these concentrations fluctuated through time. PCE concentrations were higher than TCE concentrations in samples from all five monitoring wells and were much higher than TCE concentrations in samples from extraction well MG 2201 (S-1). Temporally variable recharge is a possible factor affecting observed fluctuations in PCE concentrations in groundwater samples from well extraction MG 2201 (S-1), as indicated by a general inverse relation between PCE concentrations and water levels in a nearby long-term observation well. The PCE concentration of 1,830 micrograms per liter (μg/L) in a May 2018 water sample from monitoring well MG 2220 was more than four times the PCE concentration of 444 μg/L in a December 2017 sample from the nearby extraction well MG 2201 (S-1), which is open to fewer fractures. Low concentrations of VOCs were measured in surface water at two stream sites downgradient from wells with the highest groundwater VOC concentrations at the Site, indicating that discharge of contaminated groundwater to the stream is likely. Development of a conceptual model of the groundwater system was constrained by limited data. In areas with no pumping, groundwater-flow directions generally are thought to be controlled by topography and geologic structure (bedding orientation) and likely to the south and southwest of the Site, with local flow directions affected by orientations of fractures, joints, and local faults. Additional investigations that could help improve the conceptual model of the groundwater system and help delineate the extent of groundwater contamination and its transport are discussed.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS2025

Igneous differentiation in arcs

This chapter assesses crystallization-differentiation of convergent-margin magmas both from the standpoints of natural rock suites and from laboratory phase-equilibrium experiments. Crystallization-differentiation of dry subalkaline and alkaline basalts are summarized at the beginning for reference and context. Experiments crystallizing arc basalts through andesites at middle to upper crustal pressures (100–400 MPa), saturated either with H 2 O or mixed H 2 O-CO 2 , produce liquid lines of descent similar to arc igneous suites, with higher f O 2 s giving results closer to calc-alkaline magma series. Early enrichment of melts in SiO 2 with little or no enrichment in FeO* (total Fe as FeO) comes about by the combined effects of H 2 O suppressing crystallization of plagioclase relative to olivine, shifting plagioclase to more calcic – therefore lower SiO 2 – compositions, and suppressing silicate minerals to greater extents than Fe-rich spinel. Also contributing to SiO 2 enrichment is crystallization near the liquidus of higher proportions of olivine relative to calcic clinopyroxene, compared with MORB, but it is unclear if this is brought about by H 2 O or elevated pressure. Exhumed arc terranes, however, generally fail to expose evidence for primitive liquids having reached and differentiated at middle to upper crustal depths, at least in any abundance. Instead, most differentiation in arcs appears to take place in the lower crust or near the crust-mantle transition, and although hydrous experiments at such pressures produce liquids broadly similar to arc suites in their SiO 2 enrichment, the experimental liquids differ in becoming peraluminous at early stages of differentiation while melts have basaltic, basaltic andesitic, or andesitic SiO 2 concentrations. Crystallization of abundant calcic clinopyroxene close to the liquidus causes the high-pressure experimental liquids to become peraluminous with only small increases in SiO 2 concentration. In contrast, natural arc volcanic and plutonic suites become gradually less metaluminous with increasing SiO 2 , crossing to peraluminous at dacitic to rhyolitic SiO 2 concentrations. Hybridism, encompassing magma-mixing, assimilation of old crust, and incorporation of near-solidus melts from only shortly older deep, antecedent arc intrusions may accompany natural crystallization-differentiation, preventing melts from attaining peraluminous compositions at low-SiO 2 concentrations. If so, then nearly all arc suites are to substantial extents composites, rather than preserving simple, progressive liquid lines of descent. Some comments and assessments are also made on the participation of garnet in arc differentiation and on the production of arc batholiths.

Book chapter↗
USGS2026

Groundwater-level elevations in the bedrock aquifers of the Denver Basin aquifer system, Elbert County, Colorado, 2015–23

Water users in Elbert County, Colorado, rely on groundwater from bedrock aquifers in the Denver Basin aquifer system (upper Dawson, lower Dawson, Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie-Fox Hills aquifers) for approximately half of their water uses. Withdrawals from the bedrocks aquifers have increased to meet the water use needs of expanding regional population growth and development. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Elbert County Board of County Commissioners, began a study in 2015 to monitor groundwater levels within Elbert County. The primary purpose of this report is to present a summary of groundwater levels measured during the study period (2015–23) and present results from statistical analyses of changes in groundwater-level elevations through time. Discrete groundwater levels were measured at 36 wells within Elbert County. Seven of those wells contained equipment to make and record continuous groundwater-level measurements at hourly intervals. All aquifers, except the lower Dawson aquifer, had only declining groundwater-level elevations in discrete measurements for wells with statistically significant trends. Of the eight statistically significant trends in the lower Dawson aquifer, two wells indicated increasing groundwater-level elevation from discrete measurements. The groundwater-level elevation trend medians in the upper Dawson, lower Dawson, Denver, Arapahoe, and Laramie-Fox Hills aquifers were −0.23, −0.66, −0.64, −0.39, and −0.63 feet per year, respectively, for discrete groundwater-level elevation measurements. Trends in continuous groundwater-level elevations were in agreement with statistically significant trends in discrete groundwater-level elevations for all wells. The groundwater-level elevation trend medians in this study, compared to the overall trends in a 2015−2018 study, both indicated declining groundwater-level elevations except in the upper Dawson aquifer, where the trend direction was opposite, a positive trend from 2015 to 2018 and a negative trend (declining groundwater elevations) from 2015 to 2023. The change in trends within the upper Dawson aquifer may be affected by differences in the study period and the trend analysis applied. Trends during the 2015–23 study period were compared to departures from the median 2015 groundwater-level elevation for each site in each aquifer. In general, the departures from the 2015 median supported trends observed at each site and correlated spatially with greater departures near the western border of Elbert County. Additionally, 30-year precipitation data showing wet and dry periods were overlaid with the departure from the 2015 median to assess groundwater-level patterns in wells in the five aquifers. Departures from the 2015 median groundwater-level elevations appeared greatest during the dry period between 2020 and 2023. Potentiometric-surface maps of the upper and lower Dawson aquifers created from static April 2023 groundwater elevations indicated groundwater-flow direction is generally from the south to the north. Results of this study could be used to guide additional groundwater monitoring in Elbert County and could aid in long-term planning of water resources.

Colorado↗
USGS2024

Updating the crustal fault model for the 2023 National Seismic Hazard Model for Alaska

We present the crustal fault model for Alaska, based on geologic observations, as a primary input for the 2023 revision of the U.S. Geological Survey National Seismic Hazard Model. We update the 2013 Alaska Quaternary fault and fold database to produce a simplified model of 105 fault sections and four fault zone polygons with basic geologic parameters including slip sense and rate. Significant updates include the following: (1) a slip rate of ∼53 mm/year on the Queen Charlotte Fault indicating it accommodates all of the plate boundary motion; (2) quantified slip rates on megathrust splay faults in the southern Prince William Sound region and near Kodiak Island; (3) improved details of structures in the Chugach-St. Elias orogen; (4) revision of the Castle Mountain Fault from right-lateral slip to a predominantly reverse fault; (5) improved Interior Alaska tectonic models that clarify relationships between the Denali, Totschunda, and thrust faults on both sides of the Alaska Range; (6) identified large earthquake sources in the eastern Brooks Range; and (7) omission of the Chatham Strait section of the Denali Fault. The fault model underscores that the collision of the Yakutat microplate is the dominant driver of active crustal faulting in most of Alaska.

Alaska, Yukon↗
USGS2025

Prospectivity mapping for geologic hydrogen

Geologic, or naturally occurring, hydrogen has the potential to become a new, low-carbon, primary energy resource. Often referred to as “white” or “gold” hydrogen, this gas occurs naturally in the Earth’s subsurface, similar to petroleum resources. However, unlike petroleum, which releases carbon dioxide when burned, burning hydrogen only produces water as a byproduct. Exploration for geologic hydrogen remains in an early stage and discoveries of high concentrations of subsurface hydrogen are still relatively rare. To facilitate research and exploration for this potential resource, this report presents the first publicly available prospectivity map of geologic hydrogen accumulations in the conterminous United States. Prospective regions are those regions in which all major components necessary for a hydrogen accumulation likely are present—a source of sufficient hydrogen generation, porous reservoirs for storage, and seals to prevent leakage. The midcontinent region of the United States and the central California coast are revealed as having high prospectivity. This analysis also identifies previously unrecognized prospective regions that may be favorable due to long distance lateral migration of subsurface hydrogen, such as the offshore eastern seaboard of the United States, and can provide a linkage between surface observations of hydrogen degassing and far-field source regions. The methodology developed to create this map is expandable and flexible and may be adapted to incorporate new concepts in the hydrogen system and for application to other regions of the world.

conterminous United States↗
USGS2025

Methodology and technical input for the 2025 U.S. List of Critical Minerals—Assessing the potential effects of mineral commodity supply chain disruptions on the U.S. economy

The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, is tasked by section 7002 (“Mineral Security”) of title VII (“Critical Minerals”) of the Energy Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–260, December 27, 2020, 116th Congress) with reviewing and revising the methodology used to evaluate mineral commodity supply risk and the U.S. List of Critical Minerals (LCM) no less than every 3 years. Following two previous LCM assessments, this analysis represents the latest technical input for evaluating each mineral commodity’s supply risk and determining their recommended status on the LCM. We evaluated mineral commodity supply risk using two criteria: (1) an economic effects assessment that quantified the potential effects of various trade disruption scenarios on the U.S. economy, and (2) an examination of whether the mineral commodity’s U.S. supply chain relied on a sole domestic producer that represented a single point of failure. For the first criterion, postdisruption equilibrium quantities and prices for each mineral commodity were calculated based on their price elasticities of supply and demand and the availability of excess production capacity for each yearlong foreign trade disruption scenario. Subsequently, a nonlinear optimization routine was used with detailed economic input-output tables to estimate the potential economic effects on the U.S. economy of over 1,200 scenarios for 84 mineral commodities. After accounting for the probability of each scenario’s occurrence, the overall results are presented in terms of changes in U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by individual industry and the economy overall. The results, which ranged from a net decrease in U.S. GDP of nearly $4.5 billion to a net increase of $33 million, largely reflect U.S. import dependency and world production concentration. Using the Jenks natural breaks optimization method, a statistical classification technique, we categorized the mineral commodities into several classes based on this overall risk quantification. Mineral commodities with annualized probability-weighted net decreases in U.S. GDP greater than $2 million were recommended for inclusion on the LCM. If a mineral commodity did not meet the threshold for inclusion on the LCM under the first criterion, its domestic supply chain was examined under the second criterion, which recommended a mineral commodity for inclusion on the LCM if there was only a single domestic producer. Ultimately, the two criteria resulted in the recommendation of the addition of six mineral commodities (in descending risk order, potash, silicon, copper, silver, rhenium, and lead) to and the removal of two mineral commodities (arsenic and tellurium) from the LCM. By using an economic effects assessment, the results of this analysis provide a prioritization that can also be compared directly against other risk analyses and the cost of various risk mitigation strategies.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2025

Reaction kinetics and accelerant effects of sulfides in early mature hydrocarbon generation using hydrous pyrolysis

Hydrocarbon generation in organic-rich sediments is influenced by the molecular organic composition and relative abundance of associated minerals. Certain mineral-derived elements act as catalysts and reaction intermediaries, facilitating early-stage hydrocarbon formation in potential source rocks. This study investigated the role of sulfur contributed from pyrite as an accelerant in thermal reaction, focusing on its effects on early maturation and consequent hydrocarbon generation from gilsonite (low-sulfur solid petroleum). Hydrous pyrolysis (HP) experiments were conducted on mixtures of gilsonite and pyrite in varying ratios (1:0.1, 1:0.5, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:10 w/w gilsonite:pyrite) at 320, 350, and 370 °C for 72 h. Untreated and thermally altered residues were analyzed using solid bitumen reflectance (BR o , %), total organic carbon (TOC) content, programmed temperature pyrolysis, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to evaluate the potential accelerant role of pyritic sulfur in hydrocarbon formation. The results show HP residues at 320 and 350 °C with greater pyrite concentrations had higher BR o , while reflectance values were similar in the 370 °C residues, regardless of pyrite concentration, suggesting enhanced reaction at lower thermal conditions. Increasing pyrite content systematically decreased hydrogen index (HI) values while increasing the transformation ratio (TR) and production index (PI), indicating enhanced conversion of organic matter to hydrocarbons with increasing pyrite concentrations. Gas yields increased with pyrite addition, particularly at 350 °C, confirming secondary cracking effects. However, gas production stabilized or declined at higher pyrite loadings (1:10), suggesting alternative reaction pathways such as coke formation. Our data indicate the presence of pyrite lowers the activation energy for thermal cracking, shifting peak experimental hydrocarbon generation temperatures downward by 20–30 °C, with the most pronounced accelerant effects observed at moderate pyrite concentrations (1:0.5 and 1:1). The thermodynamic framework reveals that pyrite stability is influenced by experimental conditions, with pyrrhotite formation favored in the presence of gilsonite due to reduced oxygen fugacity. Pyrite transformation to pyrrhotite, as observed through XRD, SEM-EDS, and predicted by thermodynamic data, further supports the accelerant role of S, as pyrrhotite exhibits a higher hydrogen transfer potential, promoting early oil generation. These findings highlight the importance of pyrite in modulating hydrocarbon generation pathways in organic-rich systems.

Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis↗
USGS1977

Summary of results from electromagnetic and galvanic soundings on Kilauea Iki lava lake, Hawaii

The purpose of this report is to summarize various electrical sounding studies made on the Kilauea Iki lava lake and to present some of the preliminary interpretations that resulted from the measurements. The following discussion is not intended as a complete interpretation, but is intended to summarize the major points made in an invited oral presentation at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting held in San Francisco, Calif. on December 6, 1976. This paper was part of a group of papers dealing with various geophysical studies recently made on the Kilauea Iki lava lake. A general plan map of Kilauea Iki lava lake is shown in figure 1. Electromagnetic (EM) loop-loop soundings, D.C. resistivity soundings, and VLF apparent resistivity measurements were made on the lave lake surface. All of these surveys were made to determine the geoelectric structure of the lava lake and to determine parameters of the molten basaltic lens that exist in the partially solidified lava lake.

Hawaii↗
USGS2024

Exploring landscape and geologic controls on spatial patterning of streambank groundwater discharge in a mixed land use watershed

Preferential groundwater discharge features along stream corridors are ecologically important at local and stream network scales, yet we lack quantification of the multiscale controls on the spatial patterning of groundwater discharge. Here we identify physical attributes that best explain variation in the presence and lateral extent of preferential groundwater discharges along two 5th order streams, the Housatonic and Farmington Rivers, and 32 1st to 4th order reaches across the Farmington River network. We mapped locations of preferential groundwater discharge exposed along streambanks using handheld thermal infrared cameras paired with high-resolution topographic and land use land cover datasets, surficial soil characteristic maps, and depth-to-bedrock geophysical measurements. The unconfined Housatonic River, MA, USA (12 km) had fewer discharge locations and less lateral extent (41 discharge locations with 38 m of active discharge/km of river) compared to the partially confined Farmington River, CT, USA (26 km; 169 discharge locations with 129 m of active discharge/km of river). Using a moving window analysis, we found along both rivers that discharge was more likely to occur where bank slopes were steeper, floodplain extent was narrower, and degree of confinement was higher. Along the Farmington River, groundwater discharge was more likely to occur where saturated hydraulic conductivity was higher and depth-to-bedrock was shallower. Among the 32 stream reaches surveyed (33.2 km of total stream length) within the Farmington River watershed, preferential discharge was observed in all but two stream reaches, varied from 0 to 25% of lateral extent along stream banks (mean = 6%), and was more likely to occur where stream reach slopes were steep, saturated hydraulic conductivity was high, and watershed urbanization was low. Our results show that, though both surface (e.g., topographic, land use land cover) and subsurface (e.g., soil characteristics, bedrock depth) factors control the prevalence of streambank preferential groundwater discharge, the dominant controls vary across valley settings and stream sizes.

Connecticut, Massachusetts↗
USGS2025

Bedrock geologic map of the Bellows Falls 7.5- x 15-minute quadrangle, Windham and Windsor Counties, Vermont, and Sullivan and Cheshire Counties, New Hampshire

Introduction The bedrock geology of the Bellows Falls 7.5- x 15-minute quadrangle, Vermont and New Hampshire, consists of polydeformed Ordovician to Devonian metasedimentary, metavolcanic, and metaplutonic rocks of the Connecticut Valley trough, Bronson Hill anticlinorium (or Bronson Hill terrane), and the Central Maine terrane. Previous work in this area includes a 1:62,500-scale published map and text (1946), State geologic maps of New Hampshire (1997) and Vermont (2011), and various maps and reports presented largely as parts of field trip guidebooks. A provisional open-file map of the geology of the Vermont part of the Bellows Falls 7.5- x 15-minute quadrangle, completed in 1997, is incorporated and revised on this map based on additional fieldwork. This study recognizes three major structural levels from west to east and from lowest to highest: (1) autochthonous rocks of the Connecticut Valley trough; (2) allochthonous rocks of the New Hampshire sequence and Bronson Hill arc in the Monroe thrust sheet (or nappe), including the Skitchewaug nappe; and (3) allochthonous rocks of the Fall Mountain thrust sheet or nappe.

New Hampshire, Vermont↗
USGS2026

Precipitation-based flood-inundation maps for the East Fork Little Blue River and tributaries at Lee’s Summit, Missouri, 2024

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, assessed flooding of the East Fork Little Blue River and tributaries for varying precipitation magnitudes and durations, varying antecedent runoff conditions, and projected climate-change conditions. The precipitation scenarios were used to develop a library of flood-inundation maps for a 2.95-mile reach of the East Fork Little Blue River and tributaries within the city. A two-dimensional U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hydrologic Engineering Center–River Analysis System (HEC–RAS; ver. 6.5) rain-on-grid model was calibrated to selected runoff events representing a range of antecedent runoff conditions and hydrologic responses. Lowest adjacent grades for structures within the nearby study area were incorporated into the terrain, and depth grids and water-surface elevation grids were developed for the study area. Simulated velocities at selected bridge locations were also developed from the model. The model was calibrated using water-surface elevation data collected from water-level loggers (pressure transducers) and streamflow measurements and water-surface elevation measurements made at a reference point during runoff events. The calibrated HEC–RAS model was used to simulate streamflows from design rainfall events of 15-minute to 24-hour durations and ranging from a 100- to 0.1-percent annual exceedance probability (1-year to 1,000-year recurrence intervals). Flood-inundation maps were produced for depths at a reference location of 3 to 16 feet, or a depth exceeding the 0.1-percent annual exceedance probability interval precipitation. The results of each precipitation duration-frequency value were represented by a 1-foot-increment inundation map based on the generated peak streamflow from that rainfall event and the corresponding water-surface elevation at the East Fork Little Blue River reference location. Within the HEC–RAS model, 240 scenarios were developed from the design rainfall events with each of 3 antecedent conditions. Additional scenarios were created to simulate the effects of projected precipitation scenarios on the 100-year recurrence interval, 24-hour storm and the 100-year recurrence interval, 6-hour storm. All simulation results were assigned to a flood-inundation map condition based on the generated peak flow and corresponding water-surface elevation at the East Fork Little Blue River reference location. The flood-inundation maps are shown on a web mapping application made available to the public through the City of Lee’s Summit (hyperlink will be added when available). The flood-inundation maps are tied to real-time precipitation data obtained from the Automated Surface Observing System weather station at the Lee’s Summit Municipal Airport, accessible at https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/request/download.phtml?network=MO_ASOS . The availability of these maps, along with information regarding observed rainfall, could help provide emergency management personnel and residents with information that is critical for flood-response activities, such as evacuations and road closures, and for postflood recovery efforts.

Missouri↗
USGS2024

Generalized potentiometric maps of the Fort Union, Hell Creek, and Fox Hills aquifers within the Standing Rock Reservation

Generalized potentiometric surfaces of the Fort Union, Hell Creek, and Fox Hills aquifers were constructed to assess the groundwater resources of the Standing Rock Reservation. Additionally, this information can provide water managers with tools and data to effectively manage water resources in the future. Previous studies that mapped the geology and hydrogeology of the area at differing scales were used to confirm in which aquifer the study wells were completed. Water-level data from wells are provided by the U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater System Inventory database, the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the North Dakota Department of Water Resources. Hydrographs were constructed for five selected observation wells to evaluate historical water-level fluctuations and trends. Hydrographs for the Hell Creek aquifer showed a flat trend with a rise in 2020. Hydrographs for the deeper Fox Hills aquifer showed that water levels fluctuated in response to climatic conditions and demonstrated an increasing trend in water-level elevations starting in 2010. Hydrographs were not constructed for any wells completed in the Fort Union Formation because none of the wells had continuous long-term measurements. Generalized potentiometric surfaces, constructed from interpolating water-level elevations, gave insight into groundwater flow directions. Groundwater in the Fort Union aquifer likely flows radially outward from the northwest part of the study area to the northeast and south-southeast parts. Groundwater in the Hell Creek aquifer generally flows from higher elevations in the northwest towards lower areas, where surface-water tributaries have incised into the aquifer. Groundwater in the Fox Hills aquifer likely flows from higher elevations in the west, southwest, and central parts of the study area towards the valleys of the Grand River and Missouri River. Most wells used for constructing potentiometric maps had only one recorded water-level measurement from drillers at the time of well construction. These measurements are often subject to error because the well is still recovering and because of spatial limitations of data availability. Also, because single water-level measurements were recorded at different points in time, additional uncertainty is introduced by fluctuating climatic conditions effect on water levels. Potentiometric map interpretation limitations are a result of areas with sparse data. Limitations also arise from potentiometric surfaces generalizing a complex and dynamic hydrogeologic system; however, the generalized potentiometric surface maps can be used to assist water managers and can help prioritize locations for future monitoring in areas with high uncertainty from sparse existing data.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2025

Updating and recalibrating the integrated Santa Rosa Plain Hydrologic Model to assess stream depletion and to simulate future climate and management scenarios in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

The Santa Rosa Plain Hydrologic Model (SRPHM) was developed and published in 2014 through a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Sonoma Water to analyze the hydrologic system in the Santa Rosa Plain watershed, help meet the increasing demand for fresh water, and prepare for future uncertainties in water resources. The original model simulated hydrological conditions and water use from water years 1975 to 2010. Recently (2023), the USGS, in cooperation with Sonoma Water and the California State Water Resources Control Board, updated the SRPHM model to extend its simulation period to the end of the 2018 calendar year, incorporate new estimates of rural and agricultural water use, and use efficient input format for climate variables. The updated model was recalibrated, and evaluation of the new model calibration is included in this report. This report presents the results of comparing the hydraulic heads, streamflow, and groundwater budget simulated by the updated model with those generated by the original model and observed data. The main difference in the simulated budget between the original and updated SRPHM is the estimates of agricultural pumping, rural domestic pumping, and return flow generated from rural water use that was not simulated in the original model. The revised agricultural pumping is simulated using the agricultural package, which constrains pumping to available groundwater. The use of the agricultural package leads to a more realistic estimation of agricultural water use, with revised agricultural pumping being one-third less than that in the original model. The revised rural pumping is about half of the pumping in the original model because of using detailed parcel data to estimate population density in rural areas instead of coarse census tracts. Overall, average total inflows for water years 2006–10 simulated by the updated model were about 2 percent less than the original model, and the average total updated outflows were nearly 5 percent less than the original model. The updated model was then used to generate stream depletion maps, simulate climate change scenarios during 2019–99, and simulate water rights allocation using the Model for Decision Support in Integrated River Basin Management (MODSIM). The results from simulating eight future climate scenarios indicated either an increase in groundwater storage or no significant change in the next 80 years, along with an increase in recharge, an increase in actual evapotranspiration in six out of eight climate projections, and an increase in surface runoff. The increases in the simulated future groundwater storage, recharge, evapotranspiration, and runoff in most climate projections are mainly driven by the projected increase in precipitation in most of the future climate scenarios. The updated model also was used to test a pilot case study demonstrating water-resource allocation among different users with different water rights using the integrated MODSIM-Groundwater and Surface-Water Flow Model (GSFLOW) platform. The updated SRPHM serves as a valuable tool for analyzing historical and future hydrologic conditions in the Santa Rosa Plain watershed and preparing for future uncertainties.

California↗
USGS2025

A spatial analysis of the groundwater emergence flood hazard in Long Island, New York and near coastal areas surrounding Long Island Sound in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island

Long Island, New York and near coastal areas surrounding Long Island Sound are densely populated and, like other coastal areas, are susceptible to flooding from several potential sources, including stormwater from precipitation events, tidal flooding and storm surge, and groundwater inundation or groundwater emergence flooding. The latter refers to the intersection of a rising water table with land surface or critical infrastructure. Many studies of flood drivers either neglect or only briefly discuss how shallow groundwater conditions may contribute to or exacerbate flood conditions. As part of a comprehensive study of compound flood hazards in the near coastal areas surrounding Long Island and Long Island Sound, a spatial analysis was completed, in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Long Island Sound Study, using available regional datasets to characterize the potential hazard for groundwater emergence flooding. The approximately 3,100 square mile study area was subdivided into 11,407 900-meter by 900-meter (approximately 3,000-feet by 3,000-feet) grid cells, for the purposes of integrating the spatial datasets to calculate and map the groundwater emergence flood hazard. The depth to the water table, hydrologic soil groups, and National Land Cover Database were harmonized to the common grid. A groundwater emergence flood hazard rank was calculated for each grid cell for current average conditions following a set of rules accounting for the depth to the water table and the percent of area within each cell with slow infiltrating soils. A higher sea level position scenario was also calculated for the Long Island part of the study area. The calculated groundwater emergence flood hazard rank was reviewed in concert with the National Land Cover Data Base to identify developed areas and associated infrastructure that may be at risk to groundwater emergence flooding. Study results indicate that the groundwater emergence flood hazard is highest in coastal areas and near surface water where the water table is close to ground surface. Inland areas away from surface water bodies are not likely to be exposed to groundwater emergence flooding. For Long Island, under a scenario with higher sea level position, a greater groundwater emergence flood hazard is calculated in some locations closer to the coast and where land is submerged. Away from the coast and surface-water drainage, the groundwater emergence flood hazard is similar between the current average sea level condition and a higher sea level position scenario.

EarthArXiv↗
USGS2024

Status of water-level altitudes and long-term and short-term water-level changes in the Chicot and Evangeline (undifferentiated) and Jasper aquifers, greater Houston area, Texas, 2023

Since the early 1900s, groundwater withdrawn from the primary aquifers that compose the Gulf Coast aquifer system—the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers—has been an important source of water in the greater Houston area, Texas. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series of reports depicting the status of water-level altitudes and water-level changes in these aquifers in the greater Houston area. In this report, the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers are treated as a single aquifer for the purposes of providing annual assessments of regional-scale water-level altitudes and water-level changes over time. In 2023, shaded depictions of water-level altitudes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (undifferentiated) ranged from about 286 feet (ft) below the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) to about 169 ft above NAVD 88. The largest decline in water-level altitudes indicated by the 1977–2023 long-term water-level-change map was in south-central Montgomery County southeast of The Woodlands. In comparison, the 1990–2023 long-term water-level-change map depicts the largest declines in water-level altitudes in localized areas at or near certain wells in parts of northwestern Harris County and south-central Montgomery County. The largest rise in water-level altitudes for 1977–2023 is depicted in a relatively large area in southeastern Harris County, whereas the largest rise in water-level altitudes for 1990–2023 is depicted in a relatively large area in central Harris County. The 5-year short-term water-level-change map depicts the largest declines at three wells in northern Fort Bend County, one well in western Harris County, and three wells in south-central Montgomery County and the largest rise at one well in central Harris County. The 1-year short-term water-level-change map depicts the largest declines at one well in northern Fort Bend County and two wells in southwestern Harris County and the largest rises at one well in northern Brazoria County and one well in south-central Montgomery County. In 2023, shaded depictions of water-level altitudes for the Jasper aquifer ranged from about 242 ft below NAVD 88 to about 218 ft above NAVD 88. The 2000–23 long-term water-level-change map depicts water-level declines throughout the study area where water-level-measurement data from the aquifer were collected, with the largest declines in north-central Harris County and south-central Montgomery County south of The Woodlands. The 5-year short-term water-level-change map depicts the largest declines at two wells in central Montgomery County near Conroe and two wells in south-central Montgomery County southeast of The Woodlands and the largest rise at one well in western Montgomery County. The 1-year short-term water-level-change map depicts the largest declines at four wells in south-central Montgomery County southeast of The Woodlands and one well in central Montgomery County near Conroe and the largest rises at two wells in western Montgomery County.

Texas↗
USGS2024

Global geologic map of Europa

Discovered by Galileo Galilei more than 400 years ago and imaged in detail by the Voyager 2 Galileo spacecraft, Jupiter’s icy moon Europa has been a source of intrigue. A range of science investigations indicate that it contains the key ingredients for habitability, notably energy, chemistry, and liquid water. Europa’s surface is geologically complex and, based on the dearth of impact craters, interpreted to be as young as ~60 Ma. The array of geologic features that characterize the surface include extensive ridged plains, regions of broad disruption termed chaotic terrain, long, quasi-linear ridges that span thousands of kilometers, and bands as much as 60 kilometers wide and that extend 100s of kilometers. These features, along with other geophysical measurements, indicate the presence of a global briny liquid water ocean beneath the ice shell. It was not until the arrival of the Galileo spacecraft in 1995 that the true nature and level of complexity of the surface was revealed. Although image data returned by Galileo provided insight into the structure of a variety of regions, the entire satellite has yet to be observed at a regional scale (less than 250 meters per pixel) and the detailed geologic nature of much of its surface remains a mystery. Establishing the global context of the distribution and timing of Europan geologic units forms a basis to understand regional and local scale processes, serves as a tool for the planning of future missions, and most of all is essential to gaining insight into the potential habitability of this icy world.

Scientific Investigations Map↗
USGS2023

Paleomagnetism of the Harrat Rahat volcanic field, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—Geologic unit correlations and geomagnetic cryptochron identifications

Paleomagnetic rock samples were collected from 173 drill sites in the Quaternary alkali basaltic volcanic field of northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Laboratory measurements on these samples established that lava flows and vent complexes—identified and mapped from field characteristics, rock types, and compositions as products of single or temporally close eruptions—typically record single, or very similar, directions of remanent magnetization. Correlations defined through geologic mapping, spatial association, geochemistry, geochronology, and identical mean remanent directions indicate at least 16 brief episodes of temporally clustered eruptions. These episodes had durations of a few centuries or less. Anomalous remanent magnetic directions were found for at least 13 mapped lavas of northern Harrat Rahat, which demonstrate that they were acquired during brief geomagnetic cryptochrons during the Brunhes Normal Polarity Chron. These uncharacteristic directions enhance the opportunity to identify common eruptive episodes, and to better understand and evaluate assessments of eruption ages based on 40 Ar/ 39 Ar geochronology. Combining paleomagnetic and regional archaeomagnetic results for the youngest eruptions allows us to evaluate their historical age assignments and, in one case, refute a previously assigned provisional age.

Harrat Rahat volcanic field↗