Annotated orthophoto map, 1970, Washington urban area, D.C., Md. and Va.
No abstract available.
Maryland, Virginia↗
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Results for “Washington Geology”
Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.
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Census tracts, 1970, Washington urban area, D.C., MD., and VA.
No abstract available.
Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC↗
Land cover map from Landsat, 1973, with place names, Washington urban area, D.C., MD, and VA
No abstract available.
District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia↗
Land cover map from Landsat, 1973, with census tracts, Washington urban area, D.C., MD, and VA
No abstract available.
District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia↗
Hydrologic data for computation of sediment discharge: Toutle and North Fork Toutle Rivers near Mount St. Helens, Washington, water years 1980-84
Immediately after the devastating May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens, a program was initiated by the U.S. Geological Survey to study the streamflow and sediment characteristics of streams impacted by the eruption. Some of the data gathered in that program are presented in this report. Data are presented for two key sites in the Toutle River basin: North Fork Toutle River near Kid Valley, and Toutle River at Tower Road, near Silver Lake. The types of data presented are appropriate for use with sediment transport formulas; however, the data are also intended for use in a wide variety of additional applications. The data presented in this report are unique because they delineate flow conditions possessing great potential fo sediment transport. The data define unusually high suspended-sediment concentration. Data defining hydraulic, peak discharge, suspended-sediment, and bed-material characteristics are presented. (USGS)
Washington↗
Surface water supply of the United States, 1961-65, Part 12. Pacific slope basins in Washington, Volume 2. Upper Columbia River basin
No abstract available.
Montana, Idaho, Washington↗
Determination of upstream boundary points on southeastern Washington streams and rivers under the requirements of the Shoreline Management Act of 1971
Regulation of the shorelines of the State of Washington, as mandated by the Shoreline Management Act of 1971, requires knowledge of the locations on streams and river reaches where specific regulatory criteria are satisfied. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study in 1971 to determine the upstream boundary points of these reaches for many of the State's streams and rivers. Updated upstream boundary points were determined in the current study for all the streams and rivers in southeastern Washington that fall under the jurisdiction of the Shoreline Management Act of 1971. Upstream boundary point locations where the mean annual discharge equals 20 cubic feet per second were determined for 149 streams. In addition, upstream boundary point locations where the mean annual discharge equals 200 cubic feet per second or the drainage area equals 300 square miles were determined for 22 rivers. Boundary point locations were determined by application of multiple-linear-regression equations that relate mean annual discharge to drainage area and mean annual precipitation. Southeastern Washington was divided into five hydrologically distinct regions, and a separate regression equation was developed for each region. The regression equations are based on data for gaging stations with at least 10 years of record. The number of stations in the regression analysis for each of the five regions ranged from 5 to 33. The coefficient of determination, R2, of the regression equations ranged from 0.953 to 0.997. The equation for the Upper Yakima region had the lowest standard error, ranging from -7 to +9 percent for a regression estimate of 20 cubic feet per second. The equation for the Columbia Basin to Palouse region had the highest standard error, ranging from -36 to +55 percent for a regression estimate of 20 cubic feet per second. The approximate error in the location of an upstream boundary point can be calculated using the variables mean annual precipitation of the basin upstream from a boundary point and average basin width in the vicinity of the boundary point. The calculation gives only a rough estimate of the error of the boundary point location, because of the uncertainty in estimating average basin width.
Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
Earthquake-induced burial of archaeological sites along the southern Washington coast about A.D. 1700
Although inhabited by thousands of people when first reached by Europeans, the Pacific coast of southern Washington has little recognized evidence of prehistoric human occupation. This apparent contradiction may be explained partly by geologic evidence for coastal submergence during prehistoric earthquakes on the Cascadia subduction zone. Recently discovered archaeological sites, exposed in the banks of two tidal streams, show evidence for earthquake-induced submergence and consequent burial by intertidal mud about A.D. 1700. We surmise that, because of prehistoric earthquakes, other archaeological sites may now lie hidden beneath the surfaces of modern tidelands. Such burial of archaeological sites raises questions about the estimation of prehistoric human population densities along coasts subject to earthquake-induced submergence.
Washington↗
Great expectations for earthquake early warnings on the United States West Coast
In October 2019, California became the first state in the United States to fully activate a public earthquake early warning system—ShakeAlert®—managed by the U.S. Geological Survey. The system was subsequently rolled out in March 2021 in Oregon and May 2021 in Washington. Earthquake early warning (EEW) systems can provide seconds of notice to people and technological systems that shaking is imminent, but their effectiveness depends on recipients’ expectations and actions as well as technical performance. To better understand these dependencies, we surveyed representative samples of adults in California (N = 1219), Oregon (N = 1020), and Washington (N = 1037) in February 2021. Most respondents had experienced earthquakes, but few had lived through violent shaking; most had not followed protective action guidance to Drop, Cover, and Hold On (DCHO) in earthquakes; and most reported no personal or social harm from prior earthquakes. Nevertheless, expectations and perceived usefulness of EEW were high, and higher still for those who expected alerts to be accurate and easy to use, expressed tolerance of missed and erroneous warnings, and expected to be affected by a damaging earthquake in their lifetime. Results suggest opportunities to better align public preferences and expectations with ShakeAlert operations. For example, some respondents preferred lower alerting thresholds than those proposed by government and scientists. Moreover, reported tolerance of warning errors was widespread, but respondents wanted explanations quickly, suggesting a need to further develop post-alert messaging. Findings from this study should be informative for future research on the co-evolution of experiences and expectations with EEW systems.
California, Oregon, Washington↗
National workshop on gas hydrates
The range of present knowledge on the subject of gas hydrates and related federal research programs was the topic of discussion at the National Workshop on Gas Hydrates, April 23–24. The intention of the meeting was to provide the impetus for an expanded and broader‐based national research program in both academia and government. Held at the U.S. Geological Survey National Center, Reston, Va., the workshop was organized by Michael D. Max, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.; William P. Dillon, USGS, Woods Hole, Mass.; and Rodney D. Malone, U.S. Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy Technology Center, Morgantown, W.Va. The 33 attendees represented academia (33%), federal agencies (58%), and industry (9%).
Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
The value of geophysical methods in ground‐water studies
Two meanings are unfortunately given to the term geophysics. In the broad sense, based on the etymology of the term, geophysics means the physics of the Earth. This is its significance in the names “Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington,” “International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics,” and “American Geophysical Union.” In this sense the sciences of geology and hydrology are largely geophysics, although in part they are geochemistry or biology. Geologists and hydraulic engineers who are elected to membership in the American Geophysical Union are, however, often surprised to find that they are regarded as “geophysicists.” I hope that when the Union establisnes a journal, its name will include the expression “Earth physics” or “Physics of the Earth,” in order that there will be no misunderstanding as to its scope.
Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
Sedimentary basins reconnaissance using the magnetic Tilt-Depth method
We compute the depth to the top of magnetic basement using the Tilt-Depth method from the best available magnetic anomaly grids covering the continental USA and Australia. For the USA, the Tilt-Depth estimates were compared with sediment thicknesses based on drilling data and show a correlation of 0.86 between the datasets. If random data were used then the correlation value goes to virtually zero. There is little to no lateral offset of the depth of basinal features although there is a tendency for the Tilt-Depth results to be slightly shallower than the drill depths. We also applied the Tilt-Depth method to a local-scale, relatively high-resolution aeromagnetic survey over the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The Tilt-Depth method successfully identified a variety of important tectonic elements known from geological mapping. Of particular interest, the Tilt-Depth method illuminated deep (3km) contacts within the non-magnetic sedimentary core of the Olympic Mountains, where magnetic anomalies are subdued and low in amplitude. For Australia, the Tilt-Depth estimates also give a good correlation with known areas of shallow basement and sedimentary basins. Our estimates of basement depth are not restricted to regional analysis but work equally well at the micro scale (basin scale) with depth estimates agreeing well with drill hole and seismic data. We focus on the eastern Officer Basin as an example of basin scale studies and find a good level of agreement between previously-derived basin models. However, our study potentially reveals depocentres not previously mapped due to the sparse distribution of well data. This example thus shows the potential additional advantage of the method in geological interpretation. The success of this study suggests that the Tilt-Depth method is useful in estimating the depth to crystalline basement when appropriate quality aeromagnetic anomaly data are used (i.e. line spacing on the order of or less than the expected depth to basement). The method is especially valuable as a reconnaissance tool in regions where drillhole or seismic information are either scarce, lacking, or ambiguous.
Exploration Geophysics↗
Volcanic hazards at Mount Rainier, Washington
Mount Rainier is a large stratovolcano of andesitic rock in the Cascade Range of western Washington. Although the volcano as it now stands was almost completely formed before the last major glaciation, geologic formations record a variety of events that have occurred at the volcano in postglacial time. Repetition of some of these events today without warning would result in property damage and loss of life on a catastrophic scale. It is appropriate, therefore, to examine the extent, frequency, and apparent origin of these phenomena and to attempt to predict the effects on man of similar events in the future. The present report was prompted by a contrast that we noted during a study of surficial geologic deposits in Mount Rainier National Park, between the present tranquil landscape adjacent to the volcano and the violent events that shaped parts of that same landscape in the recent past. Natural catastrophes that have geologic causes - such as eruptions, landslides, earthquakes, and floods - all too often are disastrous primarily because man has not understood and made allowance for the geologic environment he occupies. Assessment of the potential hazards of a volcanic environment is especially difficult, for prediction of the time and kind of volcanic activity is still an imperfect art, even at active volcanoes whose behavior has been closely observed for many years. Qualified predictions, however, can be used to plan ways in which hazards to life and property can be minimized. The prediction of eruptions is handicapped because volcanism results from conditions far beneath the surface of the earth, where the causative factors cannot be seen and, for the most part, cannot be measured. Consequently, long-range predictions at Mount Rainier can be based only on the past behavior of the volcano, as revealed by study of the deposits that resulted from previous eruptions. Predictions of this sort, of course, cannot be specific as to time and locale of future events, and clearly are valid only if the past behavior is, as we believe, a reliable guide. The purpose of this report is to infer the events recorded by certain postglacial deposits at Mount Rainier and to suggest what bearing similar events in the future might have on land use within and near the park. In addition, table 2 (page 22) gives possible warning signs of an impending eruption. We want to increase man's understanding of a possibly hazardous geologic environment around Mount Rainier volcano, yet we do not wish to imply for certain that the hazards described are either immediate or inevitable. However, we do believe that hazards exist, that some caution is warranted, and that some major hazards can be avoided by judicious planning. Most of the events with which we are concerned are sporadic phenomena that have resulted directly or indirectly from volcanic eruptions. Although no eruptions (other than steam emission) of the volcano in historic time are unequivocally known (Hopson and others, 1962), pyroclastic (air-laid) deposits of pumice and rock debris attest to repeated, widely spaced eruptions during the 10,000 years or so of postglacial time. In addition, the constituents of some debris flows indicate an origin during eruptions of molten rock; other debris flows, because of their large size and constituents, are believed to have been caused by steam explosions. Some debris flows, however, are not related to volcanism at all.
Washington↗
Science partnership between U.S. Geological Survey and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe—Understanding the Elwha River Dam Removal Project
After nearly a century of producing power, two large hydroelectric dams on the Elwha River in Washington State were removed during 2011 to 2014 to restore the river ecosystem and recover imperiled salmon populations. Roughly two-thirds of the 21 million cubic meters of sediment—enough to fill nearly 2 million dump trucks—contained behind the dams was released downstream, which restored natural processes and initiated important changes to the river, estuarine, and marine ecosystems. A multidisciplinary team of scientists from the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, academia, non-governmental organizations, Federal and state agencies, and the U.S. Geological Survey collected key data before, during, and after dam removal to understand the outcomes of this historic project on the Elwha River ecosystem.
Washington↗
Total dissolved gas and water temperature in the lower Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2008: Quality-assurance data and comparison to water-quality standards
Significant Findings When water is released through the spillways of dams, air is entrained in the water, increasing the downstream concentration of dissolved gases. Excess dissolved-gas concentrations can have adverse effects on freshwater aquatic life. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, collected dissolved-gas and water-temperature data at eight monitoring stations on the lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington in 2008. Significant findings from the data include: During the spill season of April through August 2008, hourly values of total-dissolved-gas (TDG) concentration were occasionally larger than 115-percent saturation for the forebay stations (John Day navigation lock, The Dalles forebay, Bonneville forebay, and Camas). Hourly values of TDG concentration were occasionally larger than 120-percent saturation for tailwater stations (John Day tailwater, The Dalles tailwater, and Cascade Island). From late July to September 2008, water temperatures were greater than 20°C (degrees Celsius) at seven stations on the lower Columbia River. According to the State of Oregon temperature standard, the 7-day average maximum temperature of the lower Columbia River should not exceed 20°C; Washington regulations state that the 1-day maximum should not exceed 20°C as a result of human activities. Each of the in situ field checks of TDG sensors with a secondary standard was within ±(plus or minus) 1-percent saturation after 3 to 4 weeks of deployment in the river. All field checks of barometric pressure were within ±2.0 millimeters of mercury of a secondary standard, and water-temperature field checks were all within ±0.2°C. For the eight monitoring stations in water year 2008, an average of 99.6 percent of the TDG data were received in real time by the USGS satellite downlink and were within 1-percent saturation of the expected value on the basis of calibration data, replicate quality-control measurements in the river, and comparison to ambient river conditions at adjacent stations. Data received from the individual stations ranged from 98.8 to 100.0 percent complete.
Oregon, Washington↗
Sediment transport in the lower Snake and Clearwater River Basins, Idaho and Washington, 2008–11
Sedimentation is an ongoing maintenance problem for reservoirs, limiting reservoir storage capacity and navigation. Because Lower Granite Reservoir in Washington is the most upstream of the four U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoirs on the lower Snake River, it receives and retains the largest amount of sediment. In 2008, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Geological Survey began a study to quantify sediment transport to Lower Granite Reservoir. Samples of suspended sediment and bedload were collected from streamgaging stations on the Snake River near Anatone, Washington, and the Clearwater River at Spalding, Idaho. Both streamgages were equipped with an acoustic Doppler velocity meter to evaluate the efficacy of acoustic backscatter for estimating suspended-sediment concentrations and transport. In 2009, sediment sampling was extended to 10 additional locations in tributary watersheds to help identify the dominant source areas for sediment delivery to Lower Granite Reservoir. Suspended-sediment samples were collected 9–15 times per year at each location to encompass a range of streamflow conditions and to capture significant hydrologic events such as peak snowmelt runoff and rain-on-snow. Bedload samples were collected at a subset of stations where the stream conditions were conducive for sampling, and when streamflow was sufficiently high for bedload transport. At most sampling locations, the concentration of suspended sediment varied by 3–5 orders of magnitude with concentrations directly correlated to streamflow. The largest median concentrations of suspended sediment (100 and 94 mg/L) were in samples collected from stations on the Palouse River at Hooper, Washington, and the Salmon River at White Bird, Idaho, respectively. The smallest median concentrations were in samples collected from the Selway River near Lowell, Idaho (11 mg/L), the Lochsa River near Lowell, Idaho (11 mg/L), the Clearwater River at Orofino, Idaho (13 mg/L), and the Middle Fork Clearwater River at Kooskia, Idaho (15 mg/L). The largest measured concentrations of suspended sediment (3,300 and 1,400 mg/L) during a rain-on-snow event in January 2011 were from samples collected at the Potlatch River near Spalding, Idaho, and the Palouse River at Hooper, Washington, respectively. Generally, samples collected from agricultural watersheds had a high percentage of silt and clay-sized suspended sediment, whereas samples collected from forested watersheds had a high percentage of sand. During water years 2009–11, Lower Granite Reservoir received about 10 million tons of suspended sediment from the combined loads of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers. The Snake River accounted for about 2.97 million tons per year (about 89 percent) of the total suspended sediment, 1.48 million tons per year (about 90 percent) of the suspended sand, and about 1.52 million tons per year (87 percent) of the suspended silt and clay. Of the suspended sediment transported to Lower Granite Reservoir, the Salmon River accounted for about 51 percent of the total suspended sediment, about 56 percent of the suspended sand, and about 44 percent of the suspended silt and clay. About 6.2 million tons (62 percent) of the sediment contributed to Lower Granite Reservoir during 2009–11 entered during water year 2011, which was characterized by an above average winter snowpack and sustained spring runoff. A comparison of historical data collected from the Snake River near Anatone with data collected during this study indicates that concentrations of total suspended sediment and suspended sand in the Snake River were significantly smaller during water years 1972–79 than during 2008–11. Most of the increased sediment content in the Snake River is attributable to an increase of sand-size material. During 1972–79, sand accounted for an average of 28 percent of the suspended-sediment load; during 2008–11, sand accounted for an average of 48 percent. Historical data from the Clearwater River at Spalding indicates that the concentrations of total suspended sediment collected during 1972–79 were not significantly different from the concentrations measured during this study. However, the suspended-sand concentrations in the Clearwater River were significantly smaller during 1972–79 than during 2008–11. The increase in suspended-sand concentrations in the Snake and Clearwater Rivers are probably attributable to numerous severe forest fires that burned large areas of central Idaho from 1980–2010. Acoustic backscatter from an acoustic Doppler velocity meter proved to be an effective method of estimating suspended-sediment concentration and load for most streamflow conditions in the Snake and Clearwater Rivers. Models based on acoustic backscatter were able to simulate most of the variability in suspended-sediment concentrations in the Clearwater River at Spalding (coefficient of determination [R 2 ]=0.93) and the Snake River near Anatone (R 2 =0.92). Acoustic backscatter seems to be especially effective for estimating suspended-sediment concentration and load over short (monthly and single storm event) and long (annual) time scales when sediment load is highly variable. However, during high streamflow events acoustic surrogate tools may be unable to capture the contribution of suspended sand moving near the bottom of the water column and thus, underestimate the total load of suspended sediment. At the stations where bedload was collected, the particle-size distribution at low streamflows typically was unimodal with sand comprising the dominant particle size. At higher streamflows and during peak bedload discharge, the particle size typically was bimodal and was comprised primarily of sand and coarse gravel. About 55,000 tons of bedload was discharged from the Snake River to Lower Granite Reservoir during water years 2009–11, about 0.62 percent of the total sediment load delivered by the Snake River. About 9,500 tons of bedload was discharged from the Clearwater River to Lower Granite Reservoir during 2009–11, about 0.83 percent of the total sediment load discharged by the Clearwater River during 2009–11.
Idaho;Washington↗
Monitoring of stream restoration habitat on the main stem of the Methow River, Washington, during the pre-treatment phase (October 2008-May 2012) with a progress report for activities from March 2011 to November 2011
Introduction The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) received a request from the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to provide monitoring and an evaluation of the effectiveness of habitat actions that Reclamation plans to implement in the Upper Columbia River basin, which includes the Methow River. This monitoring and evaluation program is to partially fulfill Reclamations part of the 2008 Biological Opinion for the Federal Columbia River Power System that includes a Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA) to protect listed salmon and steelhead across their life cycle. The target species in the Methow River for this monitoring and restoration effort include Upper Columbia River (UCR) spring Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ), UCR steelhead ( O. mykiss ), and bull trout ( Salvelinus confluentus ), which are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. This report covers UCR activities performed by USGS personnel from March 2011 to November 2011. It involves collecting and analyzing data collected during pre-implementation (2008–2012) there will be a follow-up after actions are completed (2012–2014). The goal of Reclamation is to maximize the potential of habitat and improve proposed limiting factors affecting the middle Methow River subwatershed (Reclamation, 2010). The Middle Methow (M2) reach (river kilometer mile [rkm] 843.065 to 843.080) of the Methow River was selected as the treatment reach for this study based on possible stream restoration plans by Reclamation (fig. 1). The upper Methow River (rkm 843.094 and 843.080), Chewuch River, and the Methow River downstream of the Twisp River (rkm 843.065) are being sampled as reference and control reaches in this study (fig. 2). This report covers the third year in the pre-evaluation of the M2 reach and its side channels. Restoration of the M2 reach is scheduled for 2012, which is planned to be followed by a multi-year intensive post-evaluation period. The intent of the summary of information provided in this report is to fulfill the objectives and tasks submitted in a statement of work to Reclamation in November 2010 (Connolly and Martens, 2011). The study design provides data by which to assess potential fish response to a Reclamation habitat restoration effort focused to improve juvenile salmonid rearing habitat in the M2, which runs between the towns of Winthrop and Twisp, Washington (fig. 1). The pre-treatment phase of the study is designed so that specific questions about the response of target fish species (spring Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout) to the restoration actions can be addressed. Effectiveness is being determined by measuring fish productivity and habitat connectivity of the restoration reach and adjoining reaches, and their tributaries. The study includes sampling efforts directed to understand the relationships between stream habitat and the abundance of various fish species and to assess the response of the fish community. To complement these measurements, we will use models to predict response to treatment, and we will update the model with empirically derived data as these data become available. This modeling effort is expected to inform us of data gaps, sensitivity of key variables, and ability to detect response based on variability of the data. The approach and actions taken or planned by Reclamation to modify off-channel habitat are largely untested as to their effectiveness to improve target fish species’ productivity and survival needs. Those documented strategies that identify both physical parameters and biological relationships and benefits have been identified (Reclamation, 2008). To assess biological performance, we plan to compare age structure, growth, and age at smolting between those fish that stay in natal areas versus those fish that move. To assess retention in, and movement from or into, the restoration reach, we have used a combination of within-reach and out-of-reach sampling. We are using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, a network of instream PIT tag interrogation systems, and smolt traps to assess differences in biological performance and the magnitude of retention in, and movement from and into, the restoration reach.
Washington↗
Physical exploration for uranium during 1951 in the Silver Reef district, Washington County, Utah
During 1951 a joint exploration program of the most promising uraniferous areas in the Silver Reef district was made by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. atomic Energy Commission. A U.S. Bureau of Mines drill crew, on contract to the Atomic Energy Commission, did 2,450 feet of diamond drilling under the geological supervision of the U.S. Geological Survey. The purpose of the drilling was to delineate broadly the favorable ground for commercial development of the uranium deposits. Ten drill holes were located around Pumpkin Point, which is the northeastern end of Buckeye Reef, to probe for extensions of small ore sheets mined on the Point in fine-grained sandstones of the Chinle formation. Three additional holes were located around Tecumseh Hill to probe for extensions of the small showings of uranium-bearing rocks of Buckeye Reef. Only one trace of uranium mineral was detected in the 13 drill holes by logging of drill cores, gamma-ray logging of the holes, and analysis of many core splits from favorable lithology. Extensive traversing with Geiger counters throughout the district and detailed geologic mapping of areas on Buckeye Reef and on East Reef indicate that the chances of discovering significant uranium deposits in the Silver Reef district are very poor, because of: highly variable lithology, closely faulted structure, and obliteration of the shallow uranium-bearing lenses by silver mining. Most of the available ore in the district was in the Pumpkin Point area and has been mined during 1950 to 1953. No ore reserves can be computed for the district before further development work. The most favorable remaining area in the district is now being explored by the operators with Atomic Energy Commission supervision.
Open-File Report↗