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At least 847 records · Page 47Linked to original sources
USGS2001

Geology, hydrology, and water quality in the vicinity of a Brownfield redevelopment site in East Moline, Illinois

An investigation of the geology, hydrology, and water quality in the vicinity of a Brownfield redevelopment site in East Moline, Illinois, was designed to determine if metals and organic compounds detected in the fill deposits in this area posed a threat to the water resources. The hydrologic features of concern at the site are surface water at a pond and surrounding wetland, the Mississippi River, and an unnamed stream and ground water in the shallow aquifer. The shallow aquifer is composed of saturated fill, sand and gravel, and weathered bedrock. The overall direction of surface- and ground-water flow in the study area is toward the Mississippi River. In the eastern part of the pond and wetland, ground water discharges to surface water. In the western part of the pond and wetland, surface water recharges to ground water. Everyday during the period for which water-level data were available, between 4.7 ' 10-4 and 1.4 ' 10-1 cubic feet of water flowed across a 1 square foot area of aquifer. Variations in values for oxidation-reduction potential and specific conductance may be affected by heterogeneity in the chemical composition of the fill and unconsolidated deposits and the bedrock units. Chemical and biological processes are altering the chemistry of the water in the pond relative to its ground-water source. Concentrations of iron and manganese in water samples appear to be affected by the local geochemical environment in the aquifer. The data do not indicate that contaminants in the fill material are having a substantial adverse affect on surface- or ground-water quality in the study area.

Illinois↗
USGS2000

Hydrologic, Water-Quality, Sediment Transport, and Bulk Atmospheric-Deposition Data, Guanella Pass Area, Colorado, October 1, 1994, through September 30, 1997

The hydrology and water quality of streams and lakes in the Guanella Pass area could be affected by the proposed reconstruction of the existing road over Guanella Pass between Georgetown and Grant, Colo. Data were collected during water years 1995 through 1997 (October 1, 1994, through September 30, 1997) that describe the preconstruction hydrology, water quality, sediment transport, and bulk atmospheric deposition in the Guanella Pass study area with most data being collected primarily during water years 1996-97. Data were collected at 17 stream sites, 7 road-runoff sites, 10 ground-water sites, 3 lake sites, 1 reservoir site, 2 snow-precipitation sites, and 4 bulk atmospheric-deposition sites. Data include onsite measurements of streamflow, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, turbidity, barometric pressure, and dissolved oxygen; concentrations of major ions, nutrients, and trace elements; organic carbon and trace organic compounds; suspended-sediment concentration and particle-size analyses; field measurement and depth profiles, and chlorophyll concentrations in lakes and reservoirs; trace element, nutrient, and trace organic (semi-volatiles, PCBs, and insecticides) analyses of lake and reservoir bottom sediment; and bulk atmospheric deposition rates of solids. Daily values for streamflow, maximum and minimum water temperature, specific conductance, and suspended sediment were computed at seven streamflow-monitoring stations located along South Clear Creek, Leavenworth Creek, Duck Creek, Geneva Creek, and Deer Creek.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2001

Selected hydrologic and water-quality data for Kamas Valley and vicinity, Summit County, Utah, 1997-2000

This report contains hydrologic and water-quality data collected in the Kamas Valley vicinity during a study from 1997 to 2000. The study area is in Summit County in north-central Utah and is part of the Middle Rocky Mountains Physiographic Province described by Fenneman (1931). Data were collected in Kamas Valley between the Uinta Mountains on the east and the West Hills on the west, the upper Weber River area, the Samak area along Beaver Creek, the Woodland area, and the Indian Hollow area. These areas, where population growth and water demand are concentrated, encompass about 70 square miles and include the Weber River, Beaver Creek, and Provo River drainages. Surface water is the dominant hydrologic resource. The combined average flow from these three drainages is about 345,000 acre-feet per year. Ground water is present in the unconsolidated deposits in Kamas Valley, in stream alluvium along Beaver Creek and the upper Weber River, and in the consolidated rocks surrounding Kamas Valley.

Utah↗
USGS2002

Hydrologic, sediment, and biological data associated with irrigation drainage in the middle Green River basin, Utah and Colorado, water years 1991-2000

Hydrologic, sediment, and biological data were collected in the middle Green River basin in eastern Utah from 1991 to 2000 in an effort to monitor the effects of irrigation drainage on wetland areas and streams, aid in the development of remediation plans, and evaluate the effectiveness of selenium remediation efforts at Stewart Lake Waterfowl Management Area (WMA). Data consist primarily of selenium concentrations in surface water, ground water, bottom sediment, and biological samples. Supporting hydrologic data include field measurements of temperature, pH, specific conductance, water levels in wells, and discharge at surface-water sites. Selected water samples also were analyzed for major ions, trace elements, nutrients, and gross alpha and beta radiation. The concentration of selected selenium species is reported for several bottom-sediment samples from Stewart Lake WMA and the concentration of total selenium in suspended-sediment samples from the area are included. Well logs for six wells installed at Stewart Lake WMA are presented along with trace-element data for several biological samples collected at selected sites throughout the middle Green River basin.

Colorado, Utah, Wyoming↗
USGS2007

Aquatic Community, Hydrologic, and Water-Quality Data for Apopka, Bugg, Rock, and Wekiva Springs, Central Florida, 1931-2006

This report summarizes aquatic community, hydrologic, and water-quality data collected or compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for Apopka, Bugg, Rock, and Wekiva springs from October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006. Aquatic community data are summarized for quarterly collections of benthic macroinvertebrates, and fishes collected during one sampling event per spring. Hydrologic data for each spring were compiled from the USGS, St. Johns River Water Management District, and a private landowner. Water-quality data collected by the USGS consisted of quarterly psysicochemical, chlorophyll-a, and pheophytin-a measurements; water-quality data were collected on the same days that the benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2010

Summary of hydrologic testing of the Floridan aquifer system at Hunter Army Airfield, Chatham County, Georgia

A 1,168-foot deep test well was completed at Hunter Army Airfield in the summer of 2009 to investigate the potential of using the Lower Floridan aquifer as a source of water supply to satisfy increased needs as a result of base expansion and increased troop levels. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted hydrologic testing at the test site including flowmeter surveys, packer-slug tests, and aquifer tests of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers. Flowmeter surveys were completed at different stages of well construction to determine the depth and yield of water-bearing zones and to identify confining beds that separate the main producing aquifers. During a survey when the borehole was open to both the upper and lower aquifers, five water-bearing zones in the Upper Floridan aquifer supplied 83.5 percent of the total pumpage, and five water-bearing zones in the Lower Floridan aquifer supplied the remaining 16.5 percent. An upward gradient was indicated from the ambient flowmeter survey: 7.6 gallons per minute of groundwater was detected entering the borehole between 750 and 1,069 feet below land surface, then moved upward, and exited the borehole into lower-head zones between 333 and 527 feet below land surface. During a survey of the completed Lower Floridan well, six distinct water-producing zones were identified; one 17-foot-thick zone at 768-785 feet below land surface yielded 47.9 percent of the total pumpage while the remaining five zones yielded between 2 and 15 percent each. The thickness and hydrologic properties of the confining unit separating the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers were determined from packer tests and flowmeter surveys. This confining unit, which is composed of rocks of Middle Eocene age, is approximately 160 feet thick with horizontal hydraulic conductivities determined from four slug tests to range from 0.2 to 3 feet per day. Results of two separate slug tests within the middle confining unit were both 2 feet per day. Aquifer testing indicated the Upper Floridan aquifer had a transmissivity of 40,000 feet squared per day, and the Lower Floridan aquifer had a transmissivity of 10,000 feet squared per day. An aquifer test conducted on the combined aquifer system, when the test well was open from 333 to 1,112 feet, gave a transmissivity of 50,000 feet squared per day. Additionally, during the 72-hour test of the Lower Floridan aquifer, a drawdown response was observed in the Upper Floridan aquifer wells.

Georgia↗
USGS2012

Data visualization, time-series analysis, and mass-balance modeling of hydrologic and water-quality data for the McTier Creek watershed, South Carolina, 2007-2009

The McTier Creek watershed is located in the headwaters of the Edisto River Basin, which is in the Coastal Plain region of South Carolina. The Edisto ecosystem has some of the highest recorded fish-tissue mercury concentrations in the United States. In an effort to advance the understanding of the fate and transport of mercury in stream ecosystems, the U.S. Geological Survey, as part of its National Water-Quality Assessment Program, initiated a field investigation of mercury in the McTier Creek watershed in 2006. The initial efforts of the investigation included the collection of extensive hydrologic and water-quality field data, along with the development of several hydrologic and water-quality models. This series of measured and modeled data forms the primary source of information for this investigation to assess the fate and transport of mercury within the McTier Creek watershed.

South Carolina↗
USGS2013

Land change in the Central Corn Belt Plains Ecoregion and hydrologic consequences in developed areas: 1939-2000

This report emphasizes the importance of a multi-disciplinary understanding of how land use and land cover can affect regional hydrology by collaboratively investigating how increases in developed land area may affect stream discharge by evaluating land-cover change from 1939 to 2000, urban housing density data from 1940 to 2010, and changes in annual peak streamflow from water years 1945 to 2009. The results and methods crosscut two mission areas of the U.S. Geological Survey (Climate and Land Use, Water) and can be used to better assess developed land change and hydrologic consequences, which can be used to better assess future management and mitigation strategies.

Illinois;Indiana;Wisconsin↗
USGS2015

smwrBase—An R package for managing hydrologic data, version 1.1.1

This report describes an R package called smwrBase, which consists of a collection of functions to import, transform, manipulate, and manage hydrologic data within the R statistical environment. Functions in the package allow users to import surface-water and groundwater data from the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Information System database and other sources. Additional functions are provided to transform, manipulate, and manage hydrologic data in ways necessary for analyzing the data.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2016

Hydrologic conditions in the South Coast aquifer, Puerto Rico, 2010–15

In 1958, the U.S. Geological Survey began documenting hydrologic conditions, including groundwater levels, groundwater withdrawals for agricultural irrigation and public water supply, and water quality, in the South Coast aquifer, Puerto Rico. This information has improved the understanding of the water resources of the region. The hydrologic data indicate that (1) groundwater levels declined as much as 40 feet in the Salinas area and 11 feet in the Guayama area during 2012–14; (2) groundwater withdrawals for agricultural irrigation increased from 6.0 to 10.5 million gallons per day, or 75 percent, from 2010 to 2012; and (3) total groundwater withdrawals decreased from 29.3 to 23.8 million gallons per day from 2010 to 2014. The quantity and quality of water in the aquifer is primarily affected by variations in aquifer recharge as a result of changing rainfall or modes of irrigation; however, the spatial patterns and magnitude of water withdrawals for all uses have a secondary impact on the quantity and quality of water in the aquifer. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data from climatological stations indicate that the 30-year normal precipitation for the period 1991–2010 in the South Coastal and Southern Slopes climatological regions was about 37.74 and 61.61 inches, respectively; the 30-year moving average precipitation for the period 1985–2014 was 37.94 and 61.80 inches, respectively, for these regions. The mean annual precipitation during 2012–14 was 13 percent below the 30-year moving average for the South Coastal climatological region and 7.7 percent below for the Southern Slopes climatological region. When rainfall is below the 30-year moving average, recharge is diminished and groundwater levels decline. Annual precipitation in the South Coast aquifer, which includes a large part of the South Coastal and Southern Slopes climatological regions, was 39.42, 37.25, and 34.89 inches per year for 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. Water level declines reduce the thickness of freshwater in the unconfined parts of the South Coast aquifer. Additionally, the pumping-induced migration of poor-quality water from deep or seaward areas of the aquifer can contribute to reductions in the thickness of freshwater in the aquifer. The reduction in the freshwater saturated thickness of the aquifer in areas near Ponce, Juana Díaz, Salinas, and Guayama is of particular concern because the total saturated thickness of the aquifer is thinner in these areas. Total dissolved solids concentration in groundwater samples indicates a small positive trend in Ponce, Santa Isabel, Salinas, and Guayama. Diminished aquifer recharge during 2012 to 2015 and, to a lesser extent, increased groundwater withdrawals have resulted in a reduction in the freshwater saturated thickness of the aquifer. The reduction in freshwater saturated thickness of the aquifer may affect freshwater resources available for agriculture and public water supply. A prolonged time period with reduced aquifer recharge may have substantial implications for groundwater levels and fresh groundwater availability.

Puerto Rico↗
USGS2016

Hydrologic conditions, recharge, and baseline water quality of the surficial aquifer system at Jekyll Island, Georgia, 2012-13

An increase of groundwater withdrawals from the surficial aquifer system on Jekyll Island, Georgia, prompted an investigation of hydrologic conditions and water quality by the U.S. Geological Survey during October 2012 through December 2013. The study demonstrated the importance of rainfall as the island’s main source of recharge to maintain freshwater resources by replenishing the water table from the effects of hydrologic stresses, primarily evapotranspiration and pumping. Groundwater-flow directions, recharge, and water quality of the water-table zone on the island were investigated by installing 26 shallow wells and three pond staff gages to monitor groundwater levels and water quality in the water-table zone. Climatic data from Brunswick, Georgia, were used to calculate potential maximum recharge to the water-table zone on Jekyll Island. A weather station located on the island provided only precipitation data. Additional meteorological data from the island would enhance potential evapotranspiration estimates for recharge calculations. Groundwater levels and specific-conductance measurements showed the dependence of freshwater resources on rainfall to recharge the water-table zone of the surficial aquifer system and to influence groundwater flow on Jekyll Island. The unseasonably dry conditions during November 2012 to April 2013 induced saline water infiltration to the water-table zone from the marshland separating the Jekyll River from the island. A strong correlation (R 2 = 0.97) of specific conductance to chloride concentration in water samples from wells installed in the water-table zone provided support for the determination of seasonal directions of groundwater flow by confirming salinity changes in the water-table zone. Unseasonably wet conditions during the late spring to August caused groundwater-flow reversals in some areas. The high dependence of the water-table zone in the surficial aquifer system on precipitation to replenish the aquifer with freshwater underscored the importance of monitoring groundwater levels, water quality, and water use to identify aquifer-discharge conditions that have the potential to promote seawater encroachment and degrade freshwater resources on Jekyll Island.

Georgia↗
USGS2016

Hydropower assessment of Bolivia—A multisource satellite data and hydrologic modeling approach

This study produced a geospatial database for use in a decision support system by the Bolivian authorities to investigate further development and investment potentials in sustainable hydropower in Bolivia. The study assessed theoretical hydropower of all 1-kilometer (km) stream segments in the country using multisource satellite data and a hydrologic modeling approach. With the assessment covering the 2 million square kilometer (km 2 ) region influencing Bolivia’s drainage network, the potential hydropower figures are based on theoretical yield assuming that the systems generating the power are 100 percent efficient. There are several factors to consider when determining the real-world or technical power potential of a hydropower system, and these factors can vary depending on local conditions. Since this assessment covers a large area, it was necessary to reduce these variables to the two that can be modeled consistently throughout the region, streamflow or discharge, and elevation drop or head. First, the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission high-resolution 30-meter (m) digital elevation model was used to identify stream segments with greater than 10 km 2 of upstream drainage. We applied several preconditioning processes to the 30-m digital elevation model to reduce errors and improve the accuracy of stream delineation and head height estimation. A total of 316,500 1-km stream segments were identified and used in this study to assess the total theoretical hydropower potential of Bolivia. Precipitation observations from a total of 463 stations obtained from the Bolivian Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología (Bolivian National Meteorology and Hydrology Service) and the Brazilian Agência Nacional de Águas (Brazilian National Water Agency) were used to validate six different gridded precipitation estimates for Bolivia obtained from various sources. Validation results indicated that gridded precipitation estimates from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) reanalysis product (3B43) had the highest accuracies. The coarse-resolution (25-km) TRMM data were disaggregated to 5-km pixels using climatology information obtained from the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations dataset. About a 17-percent bias was observed in the disaggregated TRMM estimates, which was corrected using the station observations. The bias-corrected, disaggregated TRMM precipitation estimate was used to compute stream discharge using a regionalization approach. In regionalization approach, required homogeneous regions for Bolivia were derived from precipitation patterns and topographic characteristics using a k -means clustering approach. Using the discharge and head height estimates for each 1-km stream segment, we computed hydropower potential for 316,490 stream segments within Bolivia and that share borders with Bolivia. The total theoretical hydropower potential (TTHP) of these stream segments was found to be 212 gigawatts (GW). Out of this total, 77.4 GW was within protected areas where hydropower projects cannot be developed; hence, the remaining total theoretical hydropower in Bolivia (outside the protected areas) was estimated as 135 GW. Nearly 1,000 1-km stream segments, however, were within the boundaries of existing hydropower projects. The TTHP of these stream segments was nearly 1.4 GW, so the residual TTHP of the streams in Bolivia was estimated as 133 GW. Care should be exercised to understand and interpret the TTHP identified in this study because all the stream segments identified and assessed in this study cannot be harnessed to their full capacity; furthermore, factors such as required environmental flows, efficiency, economics, and feasibility need to be considered to better identify a more real-world hydropower potential. If environmental flow requirements of 20–40 percent are considered, the total theoretical power available reduces by 60–80 percent. In addition, a 0.72 efficiency factor further reduces the estimation by another 28 percent. This study provides the base theoretical hydropower potential for Bolivia, the next step is to identify optimal hydropower plant locations and factor in the principles to appraise a real-world power potential in Bolivia.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2017

smwrGraphs—An R package for graphing hydrologic data, version 1.1.2

This report describes an R package called smwrGraphs , which consists of a collection of graphing functions for hydrologic data within R, a programming language and software environment for statistical computing. The functions in the package have been developed by the U.S. Geological Survey to create high-quality graphs for publication or presentation of hydrologic data that meet U.S. Geological Survey graphics guidelines.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2017

Results of hydrologic monitoring on landslide-prone coastal bluffs near Mukilteo, Washington

A hydrologic monitoring network was installed to investigate landslide hazards affecting the railway corridor along the eastern shore of Puget Sound between Seattle and Everett, near Mukilteo, Washington. During the summer of 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey installed monitoring equipment at four sites equipped with instrumentation to measure rainfall and air temperature every 15 minutes. Two of the four sites are installed on contrasting coastal bluffs, one landslide scarred and one vegetated. At these two sites, in addition to rainfall and air temperature, volumetric water content, pore pressure, soil suction, soil temperature, and barometric pressure were measured every 15 minutes. The instrumentation was designed to supplement landslide-rainfall thresholds developed by the U.S. Geological Survey with a long-term goal of advancing the understanding of the relationship between landslide potential and hydrologic forcing along the coastal bluffs. Additionally, the system was designed to function as a prototype monitoring system to evaluate criteria for site selection, instrument selection, and placement of instruments. The purpose of this report is to describe the monitoring system, present the data collected since installation, and describe significant events represented within the dataset, which is published as a separate data release. The findings provide insight for building and configuring larger, modular monitoring networks.

Washington↗
USGS1971

Annual compilation and analysis of hydrologic data for Pin Oak Creek, Trinity River basin, Texas, 1969

The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood and soil erosion reducing measures in Texas under the authority of "The Flood Control Act of 1936 and 1944" and "Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. The Soil Conservation Service has found a total of approximately 3,500 floodwater-retarding structures to be physically and economically feasible in Texas. As of September 30, 1969, 1,355 of these structures had been built. This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on the natural surface- and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data under natural and developed conditions are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on the yield and mode of occurrence of runoff. Hydrologic investigations of these small watersheds were begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1951 and are now being made in 12 areas (fig. 1). These studies are being made in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, the Soil Conservation Service, the San Antonio River Authority, the city of Dallas, and the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1. The 12 study areas were chosen to sample watersheds having different rainfall, topography, geology, and soils. In five of the study areas (North, Little Elm, Mukewater, North Elm-Little Pond, and Pin Oak Creeks), streamflow and rainfall records were collected prior to construction of the floodwater-retarding structures, thus affording the opportunity for analyses of the conditions "before and after" development. Structures have now been built in three of these study areas. A summary of the development of the floodwater-retarding structures on each study area as of September 30, 1969, is shown in table 1.

Texas↗
USGS1972

Compilation of hydrologic data, Little Elm Creek, Trinity River basin, Texas, 1968

The U.S. Soil Conservation Service is actively engaged in the installation of flood and soil erosion reducing measures in Texas under the authority of "The Flood Control Act ot 1936 and 1944" and ''Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act" (Public Law 566), as amended. In June 1968, the Soil Conservation Service estimated approximately 3,500 structures to be physically and economically feasible for installation in Texas. As of September 30, 1968, 1,271 of these structures had been built. This watershed-development program will have varying but important effects on the surface- and ground-water resources of river basins, especially where a large number of the floodwater-retarding structures are built. Basic hydrologic data are needed to appraise the effects of the structures on water yield and the mode of occurrence of runoff. Hydrologic investigations of these small watersheds were begun by the Geological Survey in 1951 and are now being made in 11 areas (fig. 1). These studies are being made in cooperation with t he Texas Water Development Board, the Soil Conservation Service, the San Antonio River Authority, the city of Dallas, and the Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1. The 11 study areas were choson to sample watersheds having different rainfall, topography, geology, and soils. In four of the study areas (Mukewater, North, Little Elm, and Pin Oak Creeks), streamflow and rainfall records were collected prior to construction of the floodwater-retarding structures, thus affording the opportunity for analyses to the conditions before and after" development. Structures have now been built in three of these study areas. A summary of the development of the floodwater-retarding structures on each study area as of September 30, 1968, is shown in table 1.

Texas↗
USGS1974

Proposed hydrologic analyses of streamflow for Brazil

The objective of my assignment was to recommend what hydrologic analyses might be made using the records of stream discharge soon to be available at the gaging stations in Brazil. To attain this objective I (1) examined the streamflow records in part of the Rio Jacui basin in the state of Rio Grande do Sul for quality, length of record, and density of areal coverage; (2) locked at the available topographic maps; (3) spent one day in the field visiting gaging stations and observing general hydrologic conditions and (4) examined an isohyetal map of Brazil. The assignment was accomplished May 6-24, 1974.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1974

Summary of hydrologic conditions and effects of Walt Disney World development in the Reedy Creek Improvement District, 1966-73

The Reedy Creek Improvement District (hereinafter called the RCID) is an area of about 43 square miles (111. square kilometres) in southwest Orange and northwest Osceola Counties. Before development of Walt Disney World began (mid-1967), all of this tract of land was scrubby flatlands and swamp. Walt Disney World facilities now (1974) occupy slightly less than 10 percent of the area. Hydrologic data are available for most of the area for the 6-year period July 1967-June 1973, with some records starting before July 1967. The potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer near Bay Lake has declined 8 feet (2 metres) on the average. Seventy-five percent of the decline is attributed to water use in the RCID; the remaining decline is attributed to deficient rainfall since the records began in March 1966. The discharge of streams in the RCID has apparently increased. However, the hydrologic conditions were changing locally as the development of the area progressed. Because of this change, the magnitude and seasonal distribution of any eventual change in streamflow cannot be accurately appraised until additional data are obtained after the development has stabilized. Some changes in water quality have occurred, but none can be attributed to urbanization.

Florida↗