USGS Science⌕ Search

SEARCH · USGS Science

Results for “Environmental Health”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 775 records · Page 43Linked to original sources
USGS2013

Wetlands serve as natural sources for improvement of stream ecosystem health in regions affected by acid deposition

For over 40 years, acid deposition has been recognized as a serious international environmental problem, but efforts to restore acidified streams and biota have had limited success. The need to better understand the effects of different sources of acidity on streams has become more pressing with the recent increases in surface water organic acids, or 'brownification' associated with climate change and decreased inorganic acid deposition. Here, we carried out a large scale multi-seasonal investigation in the Adirondacks, one of the most acid-impacted regions in the United States, to assess how acid stream producers respond to local and watershed influences and whether these influences can be used in acidification remediation. We explored the pathways of wetland control on aluminum chemistry and diatom taxonomic and functional composition. We demonstrate that streams with larger watershed wetlands have higher organic content, lower concentrations of acidic anions, and lower ratios of inorganic to organic monomeric aluminum, all beneficial for diatom biodiversity and guilds producing high biomass. Although brownification has been viewed as a form of pollution, our results indicate that it may be a stimulating force for biofilm producers with potentially positive consequences for higher trophic levels. Our research also reveals that the mechanism of watershed control of local stream diatom biodiversity through wetland export of organic matter is universal in running waters, operating not only in hard streams, as previously reported, but also in acid streams. Our findings that the negative impacts of acid deposition on Adirondack stream chemistry and biota can be mitigated by wetlands have important implications for biodiversity conservation and stream ecosystem management. Future acidification research should focus on the potential for wetlands to improve stream ecosystem health in acid-impacted regions and their direct use in stream restoration, for example, through stream rechanneling or wetland construction in appropriate hydrologic settings.

Global Change Biology↗
USGS2025

Groundwater hydrology, groundwater and surface-water interactions, water quality, and groundwater-flow simulations for the Wet Mountain Valley alluvial aquifer, Custer and Fremont Counties, Colorado, 2017–19

In 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District, began a study to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Wet Mountain Valley alluvial aquifer, Custer and Fremont Counties, Colorado. The study included collection of data pertaining to groundwater hydrology, groundwater and surface-water interactions, and water quality in the alluvial aquifer. In addition to providing foundational information on the hydrology of the alluvial aquifer, a numerical groundwater-flow model was developed to estimate the potential effects of additional storage of groundwater in the alluvial aquifer. Groundwater-level elevation data from 30 wells were used to estimate groundwater-flow directions in the alluvial aquifer, which were generally from the southwest to northeast, away from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and towards perennial streams in the center of the valley. Although some seasonal variation was apparent in groundwater-level elevation records, no statistically significant seasonal trends were indicated. Statistically significant long-term trends were indicated in groundwater-level elevation records for 8 of the 30 wells, and of these wells with statistically significant trends, all but 1 indicated a negative trend of groundwater-level elevations. Spatial evaluation of wells with statistically significant negative groundwater-level elevation trends showed many are in areas of denser well drilling for domestic or other uses, indicating increasing groundwater use could potentially be causing groundwater-level elevation declines. There were instances of wells with no statistically significant groundwater-level elevation trends also located in areas of greater density of well completions. Additional investigations may be necessary to more fully characterize the processes responsible for negative groundwater-level elevation trends. Streamflow gain or loss calculations were completed for low flow in 2017–19 and for high flow in 2018 in nine reaches of streams within the study area. Stream reaches of the upper Texas Creek, upper Grape Creek, upper-middle Grape Creek, and Taylor Creek displayed consistent streamflow loss in each period from 2017 to 2019. These stream reaches represent long-term sources of recharge to the alluvial aquifer. Streamflow gain or loss varies through time in other stream reaches (lower Texas Creek, lower-middle Grape Creek, lower Grape Creek below Westcliffe, and lower Grape Creek above DeWeese Reservoir). The temporally variable behavior indicates these stream reaches may be sources of groundwater recharge or areas of groundwater discharge, likely depending on temporal dynamics between the elevation of the water table and the stream. Water-quality samples were collected from 10 groundwater wells and 10 stream sites during September through November 2019. All groundwater and stream samples were analyzed for major and trace elements and stable isotopes of water. A subset of groundwater samples was also analyzed for the environmental tracers sulfur hexafluoride, tritium, and noble gases. Comparison of water-quality results to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water-quality standards indicated no constituents exceeded primary standards for human health. Spatial evaluation of water quality indicated the concentrations of various constituents are likely controlled by groundwater and surface-water interactions and by spatial variability in bedrock geology underlying the alluvial aquifer. Specifically, streams shown to gain from groundwater had water chemistry constituent compositions similar to groundwater, whereas streams exiting the Sangre de Cristo Mountains tended to have compositions consistent with snowmelt. Groundwater geochemistry appeared to be partially controlled by oxidation-reduction processes and by proximity to igneous rocks in the Wet Mountains. Environmental tracers used to estimate groundwater age indicated all sampled groundwater contained tracers representing modern recharge (approximately less than 65 years old) but mixing of premodern recharge (approximately more than 65 years old) also occurs. Spatial evaluation of environmental tracers indicated large faults may be conduits for upwelling of older groundwater. No trends were observed in groundwater age with well depth, indicating all sampled wells are located within the zone of active groundwater flow. The presence of modern groundwater in wells with statistically significant negative groundwater-level elevation trends indicates groundwater storage depletions may be partially offset by capture of modern recharge. Repeated sampling of groundwater age would be necessary, however, to determine if any trends in groundwater age exist, which may indicate changing groundwater recharge, storage, or discharge. Additional investigations could also consider quantifying groundwater age in deeper wells to more fully define the depth of active groundwater flow. A numerical groundwater-flow model was developed to estimate components of the water budget, simulate groundwater and surface-water interactions, and evaluate the potential effects of aquifer storage and recovery. Simulated groundwater-level elevations from the calibrated groundwater-flow model are similar to the observed pattern of groundwater-level elevations with higher elevations in the western part of the study area along the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Simulated water-budget components indicate most of the recharge to the alluvial aquifer is derived from streamflow losses, which is consistent with observations of losing streams along the mountain front. The largest groundwater discharge component of the alluvial aquifer was to streams in the center of the valley, where observations of stream gain or loss indicated the predominance of gaining conditions. Comparison of groundwater and surface-water interactions between the calibrated groundwater-flow model for 2000-19 (the base-case model) and a simulation including additional recharge, representing potential aquifer storage and recovery operations, indicated the additional recharge distributed throughout the area had minimal effects on streamflow in the nearby Grape Creek. An analysis of subregional groundwater budgets showed approximately 54 percent of the additional recharge flowed back to nearby Grape Creek, and the other 46 percent was distributed laterally into adjacent cells in the alluvial aquifer. The comparison of simulations and subregional water budget show the additional recharge did not substantially alter groundwater-level elevations or basin wide groundwater storage. Although the analysis of additional recharge provided in the numerical groundwater-flow model considers only one of many possible recharge scenarios, the model provides a useful tool that could be modified for various scenarios to understand potential effects of managed aquifer recharge.

Colorado↗
USGS2025

An approach to urban waterway assessment using holistic values and reciprocity

Current aquatic ecosystem assessment methods and tools often focus on physical, chemical, and biological indicators of ecosystem health. This approach to ecosystem assessment is not always straightforward to execute in urban environments and ignores potential connectivity between social and environmental outcomes. During a workshop at the Symposium on Urbanization and Stream Ecology in Brisbane, Australia in 2023 (SUSE6), we developed an approach to urban aquatic ecosystem assessment that incorporates a holistic perspective. Specifically, our approach considers both environmental (biological, chemical, and physical integrity) and social (community connection, human safety, resource use) values of urban waterways. This approach is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives, such as the concept of reciprocity, whereby consideration of both the environment and society leads to a healthy ecosystem. To highlight how this holistic assessment approach could be used, we present real-world examples that included assessing both environmental and societal values informed by reciprocity or balanced perspectives. This approach can be broadly applied and adapted to specific aquatic ecosystem conditions and projects, providing an inclusive, community-centered approach for assessing the health of waterways in urban environments.

Freshwater Science↗
USGS2014

Arsenic speciation and sorption in natural environments

Aqueous arsenic speciation, or the chemical forms in which arsenic exists in water, is a challenging, interesting, and complicated aspect of environmental arsenic geochemistry. Arsenic has the ability to form a wide range of chemical bonds with carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfur, resulting in a large variety of compounds that exhibit a host of chemical and biochemical properties. Besides the intriguing chemical diversity, arsenic also has the rare capacity to capture our imaginations in a way that few elements can duplicate: it invokes images of foul play that range from sinister to comedic (e.g., “inheritance powder” and arsenic-spiked elderberry wine). However, the emergence of serious large-scale human health problems from chronic arsenic exposure in drinking water has placed a high priority on understanding environmental arsenic mobility, toxicity, and bioavailability, and chemical speciation is key to these important questions. Ultimately, the purpose of arsenic speciation research is to predict future occurrences, mitigate contamination, and provide successful management of water resources.

Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry↗
USGS2006

Chemical and ecological health of white sucker (Catostomus Commersoni) in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C., 2003?04

Several classes of chemicals that are known or suspected contaminants were found in bed sediment in Rock Creek, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalate esters, organochlorine pesticides, dioxins and furans, trace metals and metalloids (mercury, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel, silver, and zinc), and polychlorinated biphenyls (total PCBs and selected aroclors). Concentrations of many of these chemicals consistently exceeded thresholdor chronic-effects guidelines for the protection of aquatic life and often exceeded probable effects levels (PELs). Exceedance of PELs was dependent on the amount of total organic carbon in the sediments. Concurrent with the collection of sediment-quality data, white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) were evaluated for gross-external and internal-organ anomalies, whole-body burdens of chemical contaminants, and gut contents to determine prey. The histopathology of internal tissues of white sucker was compared to contaminant levels in fish tissue and bed sediment. Gut contents were examined to determine preferential prey and thus potential pathways for the bioaccumulation of chemicals from bed sediments. Male and female fish were tested separately. Lesions and other necroses were observed in all fish collected during both years of sample collection, indicating that fish in Rock Creek have experienced some form of environmental stress. No direct cause and effect was determined for chemical exposure and compromised fish health, but a substantial weight of evidence indicates that white sucker, which are bottom-feeding fish and low-order consumers in Rock Creek, are experiencing some reduction in vitality, possibly due to immunosuppression. Abnormalities observed in gonads of both sexes of white sucker and observations of abnormal behavior during spawning indicated some interruption in reproductive success.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2006

Chemical and Ecological Health of White Sucker (Catostomus Commersoni) in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C., 2003-04

Several classes of chemicals that are known or suspected contaminants were found in bed sediment in Rock Creek, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalate esters, organochlorine pesticides, dioxins and furans, trace metals and metalloids (mercury, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel, silver, and zinc), and polychlorinated biphenyls (total PCBs and selected aroclors). Concentrations of many of these chemicals consistently exceeded threshold or chronic-effects guidelines for the protection of aquatic life and often exceeded probable effects levels (PELs). Exceedance of PELs was dependent on the amount of total organic carbon in the sediments. Concurrent with the collection of sediment-quality data, white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) were evaluated for gross-external and internal-organ anomalies, whole-body burdens of chemical contaminants, and gut contents to determine prey. The histopathology of internal tissues of white sucker was compared to contaminant levels in fish tissue and bed sediment. Gut contents were examined to determine preferential prey and thus potential pathways for the bioaccumulation of chemicals from bed sediments. Male and female fish were tested separately. Lesions and other necroses were observed in all fish collected during both years of sample collection, indicating that fish in Rock Creek have experienced some form of environmental stress. No direct cause and effect was determined for chemical exposure and compromised fish health, but a substantial weight of evidence indicates that white sucker, which are bottom-feeding fish and low-order consumers in Rock Creek, are experiencing some reduction in vitality, possibly due to immunosuppression. Abnormalities observed in gonads of both sexes of white sucker and observations of abnormal behavior during spawning indicated some interruption in reproductive success.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2010

Effects of lead on Na+, K+-ATPase and hemolymph ion concentrations in the freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata

Freshwater mussels are an imperiled fauna exposed to a variety of environmental toxicants such as lead (Pb) and studies are urgently needed to assess their health and condition to guide conservation efforts. A 28-day laboratory toxicity test with Pb and adult Eastern elliptio mussels (Elliptio complanata) was conducted to determine uptake kinetics and to assess the toxicological effects of Pb exposure. Test mussels were collected from a relatively uncontaminated reference site and exposed to a water-only control and five concentrations of Pb (as lead nitrate) ranging from 1 to 245 mu g/L in a static renewal test with a water hardness of 42 mg/L. Endpoints included tissue Pb concentrations, hemolymph Pb and ion (Na+, K+, Cl-, Ca2+) concentrations, and Na+, K+-ATPase enzyme activity in gill tissue. Mussels accumulated Pb rapidly, with tissue concentrations increasing at an exposure-dependent rate for the first 2 weeks, but with no significant increase from 2 to 4 weeks. Mussel tissue Pb concentrations ranged from 0.34 to 898 mu g/g dry weight, were strongly related to Pb in test water at every time interval (7, 14, 21, and 28 days), and did not significantly increase after day 14. Hemolymph Pb concentration was variable, dependent on exposure concentration, and showed no appreciable change with time beyond day 7, except for mussels in the greatest exposure concentration (245 mu g/L), which showed a significant reduction in Pb by 28 days, suggesting a threshold for Pb binding or elimination in hemolymph at concentrations near 1000 mu g/g. The Na+, K+-ATPase activity in the gill tissue of mussels was significantly reduced by Pb on day 28 and was highly correlated with tissue Pb concentration (R2 = 0.92; P = 0.013). The Na+, K+-ATPase activity was correlated with reduced hemolymph Na+ concentration at the greatest Pb exposure when enzyme activity was at 30% of controls. Hemolymph Ca2+ concentration increased significantly in mussels from the greatest Pb exposure and may be due to remobilization from the shell in an attempt to buffer the hemolymph against Pb uptake and toxicity. We conclude that Na+, K+-ATPase activity in mussels was adversely affected by Pb exposure, however, because the effects on activity were variable at the lower test concentrations, additional research is warranted over this range of exposures. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2012.

North Carolina↗
USGS2023

Cryptic tolerant fish species and their potential effect on index of biotic integrity (IBI) scores

Indices such as the Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) are often used by management agencies to estimate the abstract property of stream health. These indices are usually predicated on the belief that certain fish species are tolerant to environmental perturbation while others are sensitive. Species are usually designated as either tolerant or sensitive in these analyses based on inherent ecological or taxonomic characteristics. However, previous literature has shown that certain species from ecological or taxonomic “sensitive” groups experience increased abundance in degraded streams. We term such species “cryptic tolerants”. Using a stream fish assemblage dataset of 433 unique sample locations across the state of Alabama and the National Landcover Dataset, our objectives were to 1) identify the most common cryptic tolerant species, 2) investigate how cryptic tolerant species might inflate indices of stream health, and 3) compare an alternative measure of stream health in which species are statistically defined rather than defined using the traditional trait-based approach. We identified cryptic tolerants using Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling in six ecoregions. A series of regressions revealed that the proportion of cryptic tolerant species decreased in response to an increasing proportion of forested land in catchments while the proportion of true sensitives increased in all ecoregions except for the Cumberland Plateau. An index that simply used the percentage of statistically defined, non-tolerant species generally had lower p-values and higher r 2 values than IBI scores when both were regressed against percentage of forest in catchment. However, both indices had low degrees of correlation with expected disturbance, indicating a univariate index may be inadequate to characterize stream health. Our results highlight a potential issue with applying the IBI to diverse southeastern systems in the United States, which may be alleviated by designating species sensitivity based on empirical response to disturbance rather than taxonomic or ecological characteristics.

Alabama↗
USGS2024

Bioconcentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and precursors in fathead minnow tissues environmentally exposed to aqueous film-forming foam-contaminated waters

Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been associated with toxicity in wildlife and negative health effects in humans. Decades of fire training activity at Joint Base Cape Cod (MA, USA) incorporated the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), which resulted in long-term PFAS contamination of sediments, groundwater, and hydrologically connected surface waters. To explore the bioconcentration potential of PFAS in complex environmental mixtures, a mobile laboratory was established to evaluate the bioconcentration of PFAS from AFFF-impacted groundwater by flow-through design. Fathead minnows ( n = 24) were exposed to PFAS in groundwater over a 21-day period and tissue-specific PFAS burdens in liver, kidney, and gonad were derived at three different time points. The ∑PFAS concentrations in groundwater increased from approximately 10,000 ng/L at day 1 to 36,000 ng/L at day 21. The relative abundance of PFAS in liver, kidney, and gonad shifted temporally from majority perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides (FASAs) to perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs). By day 21, mean ∑PFAS concentrations in tissues displayed a predominance in the order of liver > kidney > gonad. Generally, bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for FASAs, perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs), and fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTS) increased with degree of fluorinated carbon chain length, but this was not evident for PFSAs. Perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) displayed the highest mean BCF (8700 L/kg) in day 21 kidney. Suspect screening results revealed the presence of several perfluoroalkyl sulfinate and FASA compounds present in groundwater and in liver for which pseudo-bioconcentration factors are also reported. The bioconcentration observed for precursor compounds and PFSA derivatives detected suggests alternative pathways for terminal PFAS exposure in aquatic wildlife and humans.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗
USGS2022

Modeling functional flows in California rivers

Environmental flows are critical to the recovery and conservation of freshwater ecosystems worldwide. However, estimating desired ranges of environmental flows across large, diverse landscapes is challenging. To advance protections of environmental flows for streams in California, USA, we developed a statewide modeling approach focused on functional components of the natural flow regime. Functional flow components in California streams—fall pulse flows, wet season peak flows and base flows, the spring flow recession, and dry season baseflows—support essential physical and ecological processes in riverine ecosystems. These functional flow components can be represented by functional flow metrics (FFMs) and quantified by their magnitude, timing, frequency, duration, and rate-of-change from daily streamflow records. After quantifying FFMs at reference-quality streamflow gages in California, we used machine-learning methods to estimate their natural range of values for all stream reaches in the state based on physical watershed characteristics and climatic factors. We found that the models performed well in predicting FFMs in streams across a diversity of landscape and climate contexts, according to several model performance criteria. Using the predicted FFM values, we established initial estimates of ecological flows that are expected to support critical functions and are broadly protective of ecosystem health. Modeling functional flows statewide offers a pathway for increasing the pace and scale of environmental flow protections in California and beyond.

California↗
USGS2024

An introduction to Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Exposure Datasets (CREED) for use in environmental assessments

Risks posed by environmental exposure to chemicals are routinely assessed to inform activities ranging from environmental status reporting to authorization and registration of chemicals for commercial uses. Environmental risk assessment generally relies on two key values generated from exposure data and ecotoxicity data. Data sets of measured concentrations of chemicals in environmental matrices, referred to here as exposure data, are widely used to support environmental risk management, decision-making, and reporting, such as for chemical screening, ecological or human health risk assessments, and establishment of guidelines. Practitioners have developed schemes to determine the suitability of ecotoxicity data for specific purposes, focused on evaluating reliability and relevance, but analogous schemes are not available for exposure data. Moreover, regulatory guidance arguably provides less resolution on reporting and evaluating exposure data sets compared to ecotoxicity data. The evaluation of exposure data sets is subject to limitations from variable or unreported data quality objectives and/or from differences in expert judgments, potentially introducing bias and leading to decisions based on flawed and/or inconsistent information. Exposure data sets should be evaluated for reliability and relevance prior to use in environmental assessments. This paper is the first of a four-paper series detailing the outcomes of a Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry technical workshop that has developed Criteria for Reporting and Evaluating Exposure Datasets (CREED). The workshop participants developed practical, systematic criteria for consistent and transparent evaluation of the reliability (quality) and relevance (fitness for purpose) of exposure data. This guidance should apply to many different (unspecified) purposes of assessment. CREED can be used to evaluate existing data sets, but can also inform data generators interested in improving their data collection and reporting to maximize data utility to other users. This first paper details existing frameworks for the evaluation of exposure data sets and demonstrates the need for CREED, drawing from different regulatory assessments, and describes the technical workshop.

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management↗
USGS2004

Landsat yesterday and today: An American vision and an old challenge

Since the late 1960s, the United States government has invested more than $1 billion in designing, launching, and operating the Landsat (land satellite) series of Earth-observing satellites. Global change researchers, geologists, and environmental scientists have used images gathered by the satellites for purposes ranging from human health research, energy exploration, and pollution detection to agricultural assessments, urban growth monitoring, and earthquake lineament studies. The earliest data were captured on a digital medium called wide-band video tape (WBVT). However, two decades of unsound media storage conditions and a poorly maintained processing system have left the physically deteriorating WBVTs with no mechanism for interpretation. A national treasure was in jeopardy. With seed money from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a project to rescue the data. More than 21,000 tapes from the 1970s have been transcribed to stable, archival media, preserving the data for future studies in Earth System Science.

Journal of Map & Geography Libraries↗
USGS2024

Remote sensing for monitoring mine lands and recovery efforts

Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Ecosystem Restoration Program, the U.S. Department of the Interior has invested in assessing and recovering degraded ecosystems to promote healthy human communities and wildlife habitats. One priority established by the program is the need to address degraded ecosystems associated with mine lands, including active, inactive, and abandoned mines. Mine lands occur in every State of the United States and present a range of environmental hazards and safety risks to human communities and wildlife habitats. However, limited information compiled across the United States exists on the whereabouts of mining activities and their potential environmental effects on landscapes. Remote sensing is the process of acquiring information about the landscape from ground platforms, aircraft, or satellites to assess surface characteristics such as topography, vegetation, and soil properties and can therefore provide important cost-effective methods for identifying mining sites and assessing their environmental effects. Based on a literature review of remote sensing applications that assessed land health conditions and monitoring of mine lands, this report highlights important approaches, capabilities, considerations, and case studies using a breadth of techniques. The report identifies considerations for setting appropriate vegetation recovery targets and demonstrates how remote sensing can inform the prioritization, recovery design, and long-term assessments of recovery to help support decision makers and land managers. Applications of remote sensing to mine recovery will be most effective when recovery targets are clearly defined and quantifiable from data collected before mining activity, per the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and similar laws. Additionally, the collected data would need to be accessible and maintained in databases for baseline references used to establish these recovery targets.

continental United States↗
USGS2002

Reconnaissance-level assessment of water quality near Flandreau, South Dakota

This report presents water-quality data that have been compiled and collected for a reconnaissance-level assessment of water quality near Flandreau, South Dakota. The investigation was initiated as a cooperative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. Members of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe have expressed concern that Tribal members residing in the city of Flandreau experience more health problems than the general population in the surrounding area. Prior to December 2000, water for the city of Flandreau was supplied by wells completed in the Big Sioux aquifer within the city of Flandreau. After December 2000, water for the city of Flandreau was supplied by the Big Sioux Community Water System from wells completed in the Big Sioux aquifer along the Big Sioux River near Egan, about 8 river miles downstream of Flandreau. There is some concern that the public and private water supplies provided by wells completed in the Big Sioux aquifer near the Big Sioux River may contain chemicals that contribute to the health problems. Data compiled from other investigations provide information about the water quality of the Big Sioux River and the Big Sioux aquifer in the Flandreau area from 1978 through 2001. The median, minimum, and maximum values are presented for fecal bacteria, nitrate, arsenic, and atrazine. Nitrate concentrations of water from Flandreau public-supply wells occasionally exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level of 10 milligrams per liter for public drinking water. For this study, untreated-water samples were collected from the Big Sioux River in Flandreau and from five wells completed in the Big Sioux aquifer in and near Flandreau. Treated-water samples from the Big Sioux Community Water System were collected at a site about midway between the treatment facility near Egan and the city of Flandreau. The first round of sampling occurred during July 9-12, 2001, and the second round of sampling occurred during August 20-27, 2001. Samples were analyzed for a broad range of compounds, including major ions, nutrients, trace elements, pesticides, antibiotics, and organic wastewater compounds, some of which might cause adverse health effects after long-term exposure. Samples collected on August 27, 2001, from the Big Sioux River also were analyzed for human pharmaceutical compounds. The quality of the water in the Big Sioux River and the Big Sioux aquifer in the Flandreau area cannot be thoroughly characterized with the limited number of samples collected within a 2-month period, and for many analytes, neither drinking-water standards nor associations with adverse health effects have been established. Concentrations of some selected analytes were less than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards at the time of the sampling, and concentrations of most organic compounds were less than the respective method reporting levels for most of the samples.

South Dakota↗
USGS2015

Evaluation of mercury in rainbow trout collected from Duck Valley Indian Reservation reservoirs, southwestern Idaho and northern Nevada, 2007, 2009, and 2013

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, analyzed mercury (Hg) concentration in rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) collected from three reservoirs on the reservation (Mountain View, Lake Billy Shaw, and Sheep Creek) during sampling events in 2007, 2009, and 2013, to determine the risk of Hg exposure to Tribal members and the general public. Mercury concentration in predatory fish tends to increase with fish length, and this tendency was true for rainbow trout in the reservoirs on the reservation (r 2 = 0.44–0.70). Mean (average) and median Hg concentrations in fish tissue were determined for each reservoir for each sample year. All Hg concentrations were less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s water-quality criterion of 0.30 milligram per kilogram (mg/kg wet weight [ww]) and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality’s reasonable potential to exceed threshold of 0.24 mg/kg. Idaho Department of Health and Welfare toxicologists determined that the Hg concentrations in rainbow trout in this study would not warrant a fish-consumption advisory for this species. Throughout this report, statistical findings with a p -value of less than 0.05 are referred to as “significant.” Mean Hg concentrations in fish-tissue samples collected from Mountain View Reservoir were higher in 2007 (0.12 mg/kg ww) than in 2009 and 2013 (0.07 and 0.06 mg/kg ww, respectively), indicating a significant mean decrease. Mean Hg concentrations in fish-tissue samples collected from Lake Billy Shaw showed no significant differences among sample years (2007, 0.12 mg/kg ww; 2009, 0.07 mg/kg ww; 2013, 0.09 mg/kg ww). Mean Hg concentrations in fish-tissue samples collected from Sheep Creek Reservoir significantly increased in 2013 (0.10 mg/kg ww) from concentrations in 2007 and 2009 (0.06 and 0.05 mg/kg ww, respectively). These temporal and spatial variations are not unexpected, as each body of water may differ in the factors and conditions affecting the rate of methylation and demethylation. Coupled with the dynamic put-and-take fishery, the outcomes reflect the system complexities among reservoirs despite their fairly close proximity to one another. The influence of these other factors is evident when the analysis of atmospheric Hg deposition at Mercury Deposition Network site NV02 in northern Nevada showed no significant linear trend in wet Hg deposition rates for 2003–2013 (average 3.02 micrograms per square meter).

Idaho, Nevada↗
USGS2019

Contemporary environmental assessment using a viability analysis in a large river system to inform restoration and adaptive management decisions

As large-scale restoration plans for degraded aquatic habitats evolve, it is essential that multiorganizational collaborations have a common vision to achieve consensus on restoration goals. Development of restoration targets and postrestoration monitoring strategies can be focused using a viability analysis framework that supports an adaptive management process. Viability analysis is a robust and accommodating framework, adaptable to any restoration monitoring program and, through the determination of common desired endpoints, can aid consensus building and collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries. In the St. Clair-Detroit River System, which is the Great Lakes connecting channel between southern Lake Huron and western Lake Erie, a viability analysis framework was used to evaluate environmental parameters associated with fisheries and aquatic restoration efforts and to gauge the overall health of the aquatic environment. Steps to derive the viability analysis were as follows: (1) establishing meaningful baseline metrics, (2) identifying information deficiencies, and (3) placing the context of current conditions into a usable format for managers and practitioners. Most geographic segments were designated in overall fair condition, and the conservation targets were designated in either good or fair condition, based on available assessed indicators. Many indicators were unable to be assessed or assigned condition status, which identified research and monitoring data gaps. Metrics associated with native migratory fishes, Lake St. Clair, and islands are generally in better condition than metrics associated with the coastal terrestrial systems, aerial migrants, and coastal wetlands. These results were not unexpected given the highly urbanized landscape of the St. Clair-Detroit River System. Resource managers in the corridor can use these results to identify knowledge gaps, research and restoration priorities, and to assess progress towards meeting restoration goals.

Michigan, Ontario↗
USGS1999

Strategies for ensuring global consistency/comparability of water-quality data

In the past 20 years the water quality of the United States has improved remarkably-the waters are safer for drinking, swimming, and fishing. However, despite many accomplishments, it is still difficult to answer such basic questions as: 'How clean is the water?' and 'How is it changing over time?' These same questions exist on a global scale as well. In order to focus water-data issues in the United States, a national Intergovernmental Task Force on Monitoring Water Quality (ITFM) was initiated for public and private organizations, whereby key elements involved in data collection, analysis, storage, and management could be made consistent and comparable. The ITFM recommended and its members are implementing a nationwide strategy to improve water-quality monitoring, assessment, and reporting activities. The intent of this paper is to suggest that a voluntary effort be initiated to ensure the comparability and utility of hydrological data on a global basis. Consistent, long-term data sets that are comparable are necessary in order to formulate ideas regarding regional and global trends in water quantity and quality. The author recommends that a voluntary effort similar to the ITFM effort be utilized. The strategy proposed would involve voluntary representation from countries and international organizations (e.g. World Health Organization) involved in drinking-water assessments and/or ambient water-quality monitoring. Voluntary partnerships such as this will improve curability to reduce health risks and achieve a better return on public and private investments in monitoring, environmental protection, and natural resource management, and result in a collaborative process that will save millions of dollars.In this work it is suggested that a voluntary effort be initiated to ensure the comparability and utility of hydrological data on a global basis. The strategy proposed would involve voluntary representation from countries and international organizations involved in drinking-water assessments and/or ambient water-quality monitoring.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2005

Coral disease and health workshop: Coral histopathology II, July 12-14, 2005

The health and continued existence of coral reef ecosystems are threatened by an increasing array of environmental and anthropogenic impacts. Coral disease is one of the prominent causes of increased mortality among reefs globally, particularly in the Caribbean. Although over 40 different coral diseases and syndromes have been reported worldwide, only a few etiological agents have been confirmed; most pathogens remain unknown and the dynamics of disease transmission, pathogenicity and mortality are not understood. Causal relationships have been documented for only a few of the coral diseases, while new syndromes continue to emerge. Extensive field observations by coral biologists have provided substantial documentation of a plethora of new pathologies, but our understanding, however, has been limited to descriptions of gross lesions with names reflecting these observations (e.g., black band, white band, dark spot). To determine etiology, we must equip coral diseases scientists with basic biomedical knowledge and specialized training in areas such as histology, cell biology and pathology. Only through combining descriptive science with mechanistic science and employing the synthesis epizootiology provides will we be able to gain insight into causation and become equipped to handle the pending crisis. One of the critical challenges faced by coral disease researchers is to establish a framework to systematically study coral pathologies drawing from the field of diagnostic medicine and pathology and using generally accepted nomenclature. This process began in April 2004, with a workshop titled Coral Disease and Health Workshop: Developing Diagnostic Criteria co-convened by the Coral Disease and Health Consortium (CDHC), a working group organized under the auspices of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, and the International Registry for Coral Pathology (IRCP). The workshop was hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) in Madison, Wisconsin and was focused on gross morphology and disease signs observed in the field. A resounding recommendation from the histopathologists participating in the workshop was the urgent need to develop diagnostic criteria that are suitable to move from gross observations to morphological diagnoses based on evaluation of microscopic anatomy. As a continuation of building the foundation and framework for coral disease diagnostics, the CDHC convened the Coral Disease and Health Workshop: Coral Histopathology II in Charleston, South Carolina, July 11-14, 2005. The workshop was hosted by the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC which provided expertise, facilities and equipment in support of the workshop. All of the histological slides and related photographs used in the discussions were prepared and supplied by the IRCP. This workshop brought together 15 experts in veterinary and medical pathology and coral biology from national and international research institutes and government laboratories. The mission was to devise a standardized approach to examining microscopic anatomy and pathology of corals and a standardized nomenclature to facilitate accurate descriptions of the microscopic morphology of corals and enhance communication among specialists investigating causes of coral death. 2 The participants of this workshop deliberated for 3 days to refine the nomenclature for gross and microscopic anatomy of corals and systematically described microscopic changes associated with selected coral diseases. The findings and recommendations from the deliberations will be submitted to the research community for peer review. The standardized nomenclature and descriptions produced at this workshop will ultimately be made available to the scientific community through a variety of media including the World Wide Web. An exciting highlight of this meeting was provided by Professor Robert Ogilvie (MUSC Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy) when he introduced participants to a new digital technology that is revolutionizing histology and histopathology in the medical field. The Virtual Slide technology creates digital images of histological tissue sections by computer scanning actual slides in high definition and storing the images for retrieval and viewing. Virtual slides now allow any investigator with access to a computer and the web to view, search, annotate and comment on the same tissue sections in real time. Medical and veterinary slide libraries across the country are being converted into virtual slides to enhance biomedical education, research and diagnosis. The coral health and disease researchers at this workshop deem virtual slides as a significant way to increase capabilities in coral histology and a means for pathology consultations on coral disease cases on a global scale.

NOAA Technical Memorandum↗