USGS Science⌕ Search

SEARCH · USGS Science

Results for “Water Resources Management”

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 1,045 records · Page 58Linked to original sources
USGS1978

Water-resources investigations of the U.S. Geological Survey in Montana, October 1977 through September 1978

The U.S. Geological Survey was established as an agency in the Department of the Interior on March 3, 1879, 30 years to the day after establishment of the Department itself. The initial purpose of the Survey was to prepare a plan that would secure the best possible results at the least possible cost for surveying and mapping the Territories of the United States. One mission of the Geological Survey is to provide the hydrologic information and understanding needed for the optimum utilization and management of the Nation's water resources for the overall benefit of the people of the United States.

Montana↗
USGS2014

Status of groundwater levels and storage volume in the Equus Beds aquifer near Wichita, Kansas, 2012 to 2014

Development of the Wichita well field in the Equus Beds aquifer in southwest Harvey County and northwest Sedgwick County began in the 1940s to supply water to the city of Wichita. The decline of water levels in the Equus Beds aquifer was noted soon after the development of the Wichita well field began. Development of irrigation wells began in the 1960s. City and agricultural withdrawals led to substantial water-level declines. Water-level declines likely enhanced movement of brines from past oil and gas activities near Burrton, Kansas, as well as natural saline water from the Arkansas River into the Wichita well field area. Large chloride concentrations may limit use, or require the treatment of water from the well field for irrigation or public supply. In 1993, the city of Wichita adopted the Integrated Local Water Supply Program to ensure an adequate water supply for the city through 2050 and manage effectively the part of the Equus Beds aquifer Wichita uses. The Integrated Local Water Supply Program uses several strategies to do this, including the Equus Beds Aquifer Storage and Recovery project. The purpose of the Aquifer Storage and Recovery project is to store water in the aquifer for later recovery, and help protect the aquifer from encroachment of a known oil-field-brine plume near Burrton and saline water from the Arkansas River. Since 1940, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the city of Wichita, has monitored changes in the Equus Beds aquifer as part of Wichita’s effort to manage this resource effectively. Average water-level changes since predevelopment (before substantial pumpage began in the area) for winter 2012, summer 2012, winter 2013, and winter 2014 generally indicate greater declines in the central part of the study area than in either the basin storage or entire study area. In contrast, average water-level rises since 1993 for winter 2012, summer 2012, winter 2013, and winter 2014 were greater for the central part of the study area than for either the basin storage area or entire study area. This indicates the central part of the study area had more post-1993 water-level recovery than did the rest of the study area. In the central part of the study area, city water use decreased by about 40 percent, and irrigation water use increased by about 3 percent compared to pre-1993 peaks in 1992 and 1991, respectively, whereas irrigation water use outside the central part of the study area increased by about 24 percent from the pre-1993 peak in 1991. Part of the larger increase in irrigation pumpage probably was a result of drought-term and multiyear flex account permits, which were estimated to account for about 8 and 4 percent of irrigation pumpage in the study area in 2011 and 2012. There was a larger percentage storage-volume increase since 1993 in the central part of the study area than in either the basin storage area or the entire study area. Storage-volume in the central part of the study area during winter 2012, summer 2013, winter 2013, and winter 2014 recovered about 46,300 acre-feet or more compared to the storage volume in 1993. In summer 2012 and winter 2013, the storage-volume increase since 1993 was larger in the central part of the study area than in the entire study area, indicating the storage-volume increases in the central part of the study area offset decreases in storage volume in the rest of the study area. The larger increase in storage volume in the central part of the study area than in the rest of the study area probably was because of the Integrated Local Water Supply Program strategy that reduced city pumpage from the Equus Beds aquifer by about 40 percent. The current (winter 2014) storage volumes in the entire study area and the central part of the study area are about 94 and 96 percent of their respective predevelopment storage volumes or about 3,067,000 and 962,000 acre-feet, respectively.

Kansas↗
USGS2009

Geomorphic segmentation, hydraulic geometry, and hydraulic microhabitats of the Niobrara River, Nebraska — Methods and initial results

The Niobrara River of Nebraska is a geologically, ecologically, and economically significant resource. The State of Nebraska has recognized the need to better manage the surface- and ground-water resources of the Niobrara River so they are sustainable in the long term. In cooperation with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the U.S. Geological Survey is investigating the hydrogeomorphic settings and hydraulic geometry of the Niobrara River to assist in characterizing the types of broad-scale physical habitat attributes that may be of importance to the ecological resources of the river system. This report includes an inventory of surface-water and ground-water hydrology data, surface water-quality data, a longitudinal geomorphic segmentation and characterization of the main channel and its valley, and hydraulic geometry relations for the 330-mile section of the Niobrara River from Dunlap Diversion Dam in western Nebraska to the Missouri River confluence. Hydraulic microhabitats also were analyzed using available data from discharge measurements to demonstrate the potential application of these data and analysis methods. The main channel of the Niobrara was partitioned into three distinct fluvial geomorphic provinces: an upper province characterized by open valleys and a sinuous, equiwidth channel; a central province characterized by mixed valley and channel settings, including several entrenched canyon reaches; and a lower province where the valley is wide, yet restricted, but the river also is wide and persistently braided. Within the three fluvial geomorphic provinces, 36 geomorphic segments were identified using a customized, process-orientated classification scheme, which described the basic physical characteristics of the Niobrara River and its valley. Analysis of the longitudinal slope characteristics indicated that the Niobrara River longitudinal profile may be largely bedrock-controlled, with slope inflections co-located at changes in bedrock type at river level. Hydraulic geometry relations indicated that local (at-a-station) channel adjustments of the Niobrara River to changing discharge are accommodated mainly by changes in velocity, and streamwise adjustments are accommodated through changes in channel width. Downstream hydraulic geometry relations are in general agreement with values previously published for rivers of the Great Plains, but coefficients are likely skewed low because the locations of the streamflow-gaging stations used in this analysis are located at natural or engineered constrictions and may not be accurately representing downstream adjustment processes of the Niobrara River. A demonstration analysis of hydraulic microhabitat attributes at a single station indicated that changes in velocity-related habitat types is the primary microhabitat adjustment over a range of discharges, but the magnitude of that adjustment for any particular discharge is temporally variable.

Nebraska↗
USGS2013

Northern Great Plains Network water quality monitoring design for tributaries to the Missouri National Recreational River

The National Park Service (NPS) organized more than 270 parks with important natural resources into 32 ecoregional networks to conduct Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) activities for assessment of natural resources within park units. The Missouri National Recreational River (NRR) is among the 13 parks in the NPS Northern Great Plain Network (NGPN). Park managers and NGPN staff identified surface water resources as a high priority vital sign to monitor in park units. The objectives for the Missouri NRR water quality sampling design are to (1) assess the current status and long-term trends of select water quality parameters; and (2) document trends in streamflow at high-priority stream systems. Due to the large size of the Missouri River main stem, the NGPN water quality design for the Missouri NRR focuses on wadeable tributaries within the park unit. To correlate with the NGPN water quality protocols, monitoring of the Missouri NRR consists of measurement of field core parameters including dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, and temperature; and streamflow. The purpose of this document is to discuss factors examined for selection of water quality monitoring on segments of the Missouri River tributaries within the Missouri NRR. Awareness of the complex history of the Missouri NRR aids in the current understanding and direction for designing a monitoring plan. Historical and current monitoring data from agencies and entities were examined to assess potential NGPN monitoring sites. In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 303(d) list was examined for the impaired segments on tributaries to the Missouri River main stem. Because major tributaries integrate water quality effects from complex combinations of land use and environmental settings within contributing areas, a 20-mile buffer of the Missouri NRR was used to establish environmental settings that may impact the water quality of tributaries that feed the Missouri River main stem. For selection of monitoring sites, anthropogenic and natural influences to water quality were assessed for Missouri NRR tributaries. Factors that were examined include the size and contributions of tributaries within watersheds to the main stem; population density; and land use such as urban development and agricultural practices including concentrated animal feeding operations. Based on examination of these data in addition to the park’s legislation and management considerations, two sites were selected for monitoring water quality on Missouri NRR tributaries for the ice-free season (mid-May to mid-October) on a rotational basis every third year. Bow Creek at St. James was selected for water quality monitoring based on lack of long-term water quality monitoring, current recreational use, and proximity of the tributary to intense agricultural practices. In addition, land within the Bow Creek watershed is owned by the NPS. The Niobrara River at Verdel was selected for monitoring due to high use for public recreational activities, adjacent agricultural land use, and documented impairments for designated beneficial uses. Both sites will have access to real-time streamgages that will aid in a greater understanding of water quality.

Natural Resource Technical Report↗
USGS2013

Water resources of Assumption Parish, Louisiana

Information concerning the availability, use, and quality of water in Assumption Parish, Louisiana, is critical for proper water-supply management. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present information that can be used by water managers, parish residents, and others for management of this vital resource. Information on the availability, past and current use, use trends, and water quality from groundwater and surface-water sources in the parish is presented. Previously published reports and data stored in the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Information System (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis) are the primary sources of the information presented here. In 2010, about 21.4 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of water were withdrawn in Assumption Parish, including about 12.4 Mgal/d from surface-water sources and 9.03 Mgal/d from groundwater sources. Withdrawals for industrial use accounted for about 16.4 Mgal/d or 76 percent of the total water withdrawn. Other categories of use included public supply, rural domestic, livestock, general irrigation, and aquaculture.Water-use data collected at 5-year intervals from 1960 to 2010 indicated that water withdrawals peaked in 2000 at about 29.7 Mgal/d.

Louisiana↗
USGS1996

The Beaver Creek story

Beaver Creek watershed in West Tennessee includes about 95,000 acres of the Nation's most productive farmland and most highly erodible soils. In 1989 the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, began a study to evaluate the effect of agricultural activities on water quality in the watershed and for best management practices designed to reduce agricultural nonpoint-source pollution. Agrichemical monitoring included testing the soils, ground water, and streams at four farm sites ranging from 27 to 420 acres. Monitoring stations were operated downstream to gain a better understanding of the water chemistry as runoff moved from small ditches into larger streams to the outlet of the Beaver Creek watershed. Prior to the implementation of best management practices at one of the farm study sites, some storms produced an average suspended-sediment concentration of 70,000 milligrams per liter. After the implementation of BMP's, however, the average value never exceeded 7,000 milligrams per liter. No-till crop production was the most effective best management practice for conserving soil on the farm fields tested. A natural bottomland hardwood wetland and a constructed wetland were evaluated as instream resource-management systems. The wetlands improved water quality downstream by acting as a filter and removing a significant amount of nonpoint-source pollution from the agricultural runoff. The constructed wetland reduced the sediment, pesticide, and nutrient load by approximately 50 percent over a 4-month period. The results of the Beaver Creek watershed study have increased the understanding of the effects of agriculture on water resources. Study results also demonstrated that BMP's do protect and improve water quality.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2021

Economic assessment of surface water in the Harney Basin, Oregon

Executive Summary The Harney Basin is a closed river basin in southeastern Oregon. Surface water in the basin is used for a variety of social, economic, and ecological benefits. While some surface water uses compete with one another, others are complementary or jointly produce multiple beneficial outcomes. The objective of this study is to conduct an economic assessment of surface water in the basin as it relates to wet meadow pasture production and outdoor recreation. Given the complex interactions between surface water management on public and private land and the various goods and services that are derived from adequate water resources, an economic assessment of surface water management can be used to assist future decision making in the basin.

Oregon↗
USGS1986

U.S. Geological Survey water resources activities in Florida, 1985-86

This report contains summary statements of water resources activities in Florida conducted by the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Federal, State , and local agencies during 1985-86. These activities are part of the Federal program of appraising the Nation 's water resources. Water resources appraisals in Florida are highly diversified, ranging from hydrologic records networks to interpretive appraisals of water resources and applied research to develop investigative techniques. Thus, water resource investigations range from basic descriptive water-availability studies for areas of low-intensity water development and management to sophisticated cause and effect studies in areas of high-intensity water development and management. The interpretive reports and records that are products of the investigations are a principal hydrologic foundation upon which the plans for development, management, and protection of Florida 's water resources may be based. (Lantz-PTT)

Open-File Report↗
USGS2014

Water resources of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana

Information concerning the availability, use, and quality of water in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, is critical for proper water-supply management. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present information that can be used by water managers, parish residents, and others for management of this vital resource. Information on the availability, past and current use, use trends, and water quality from groundwater and surface-water sources in the parish is presented. Previously published reports and data stored in the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Information System ( http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis ) are the primary sources of the information presented here.

Louisiana↗
USGS2020

Quantifying drought’s influence on moist soil seed vegetation in California’s Central Valley through remote sensing

Across the Central Valley of California, millions of wintering waterfowl rely on moist soil seed (MSS) plants that grow in managed seasonal wetlands as a critical source of food. Estimates of MSS plant production are used to set waterfowl habitat targets yet this information is not well known. We created the first Central Valley-wide time series maps of MSS plant distributions and productivity. We found that MSS plant seed yield declined in critical drought years, which corresponded with reduced water delivery to managed wetlands. Our results provide improved food resource estimates and information to help managers prioritize actions as water supply becomes more uncertain with climate change.

California↗
USGS2007

Development of the Hydroecological Integrity Assessment Process for Determining Environmental Flows for New Jersey Streams

The natural flow regime paradigm and parallel stream ecological concepts and theories have established the benefits of maintaining or restoring the full range of natural hydrologic variation for physiochemical processes, biodiversity, and the evolutionary potential of aquatic and riparian communities. A synthesis of recent advances in hydroecological research coupled with stream classification has resulted in a new process to determine environmental flows and assess hydrologic alteration. This process has national and international applicability. It allows classification of streams into hydrologic stream classes and identification of a set of non-redundant and ecologically relevant hydrologic indices for 10 critical sub-components of flow. Three computer programs have been developed for implementing the Hydroecological Integrity Assessment Process (HIP): (1) the Hydrologic Indices Tool (HIT), which calculates 171 ecologically relevant hydrologic indices on the basis of daily-flow and peak-flow stream-gage data; (2) the New Jersey Hydrologic Assessment Tool (NJHAT), which can be used to establish a hydrologic baseline period, provide options for setting baseline environmental-flow standards, and compare past and proposed streamflow alterations; and (3) the New Jersey Stream Classification Tool (NJSCT), designed for placing unclassified streams into pre-defined stream classes. Biological and multivariate response models including principal-component, cluster, and discriminant-function analyses aided in the development of software and implementation of the HIP for New Jersey. A pilot effort is currently underway by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in which the HIP is being used to evaluate the effects of past and proposed surface-water use, ground-water extraction, and land-use changes on stream ecosystems while determining the most effective way to integrate the process into ongoing regulatory programs. Ultimately, this scientifically defensible process will help to quantify the effects of anthropogenic changes and development on hydrologic variability and help planners and resource managers balance current and future water requirements with ecological needs.

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2010

Hydrogeology and groundwater quality of Highlands County, Florida

Groundwater is the main source of water supply in Highlands County, Florida. As the demand for water in the county increases, additional information about local groundwater resources is needed to manage and develop the water supply effectively. To address the need for additional data, a study was conducted to evaluate the hydrogeology and groundwater quality of Highlands County. Total groundwater use in Highlands County has increased steadily since 1965. Total groundwater withdrawals increased from about 37 million gallons per day in 1965 to about 107 million gallons per day in 2005. Much of this increase in water use is related to agricultural activities, especially citrus cultivation, which increased more than 300 percent from 1965 to 2005. Highlands County is underlain by three principal hydrogeologic units. The uppermost water-bearing unit is the surficial aquifer, which is underlain by the intermediate aquifer system/intermediate confining unit. The lowermost hydrogeologic unit is the Floridan aquifer system, which consists of the Upper Floridan aquifer, as many as three middle confining units, and the Lower Floridan aquifer. The surficial aquifer consists primarily of fine-to-medium grained quartz sand with varying amounts of clay and silt. The aquifer system is unconfined and underlies the entire county. The thickness of the surficial aquifer is highly variable, ranging from less than 50 to more than 300 feet. Groundwater in the surficial aquifer is recharged primarily by precipitation, but also by septic tanks, irrigation from wells, seepage from lakes and streams, and the lateral groundwater inflow from adjacent areas. The intermediate aquifer system/intermediate confining unit acts as a confining layer (except where breached by sinkholes) that restricts the vertical movement of water between the surficial aquifer and the underlying Upper Floridan aquifer. The sediments have varying degrees of permeability and consist of permeable limestone, dolostone, or sand, or relatively impermeable layers of clay, clayey sand, or clayey carbonates. The thickness of the intermediate aquifer system/ intermediate confining unit ranges from about 200 feet in northwestern Highlands County to more than 600 feet in the southwestern part. Although the intermediate aquifer system is present in the county, it is unclear where the aquifer system grades into a confining unit in the eastern part of the county. Up to two water-bearing units are present in the intermediate aquifer system within the county. The lateral continuity and water-bearing potential of the various aquifers within the intermediate aquifer system are highly variable. The Floridan aquifer system is composed of a thick sequence of limestone and dolostone of Upper Paleocene to Oligocene age. The top of the aquifer system ranges from less than 200 feet below NGVD 29 in extreme northwestern Highlands County to more than 600 feet below NGVD 29 in the southwestern part. The principal source of groundwater supply in the county is the Upper Floridan aquifer. As of 2005, about 89 percent of the groundwater withdrawn from the county was obtained from this aquifer, mostly for agricultural irrigation and public supply. Over most of Highlands County, the Upper Floridan aquifer generally contains freshwater, and the Lower Floridan aquifer contains more mineralized water. The potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer is constantly fluctuating, mainly in response to seasonal variations in rainfall and groundwater withdrawals. The potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in May 2007, which represents the hydrologic conditions near the end of the dry season when water levels generally are near their lowest, ranged from about 79 feet above NGVD 29 in northwestern Highlands County to about 40 feet above NGVD 29 in the southeastern part of the county. The potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer in September 2007 was about 3 to 10 feet high

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS2010

Design of Cycle 3 of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, 2013-2022: Part 1: Framework of Water-Quality Issues and Potential Approaches

In 1991, the U.S. Congress established the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to develop long-term, nationally consistent information on the quality of the Nation's streams and groundwater. Congress recognized the critical need for this information to support scientifically sound management, regulatory, and policy decisions concerning the increasingly stressed water resources of the Nation. The long-term goals of NAWQA are to: (1) assess the status of water-quality conditions in the United States, (2) evaluate long-term trends in water-quality conditions, and (3) link status and trends with an understanding of the natural and human factors that affect water quality. These goals are national in scale, include both surface water and groundwater, and include consideration of water quality in relation to both human uses and aquatic ecosystems. Since 1991, NAWQA assessments and findings have fostered and supported major improvements in the availability and use of unbiased scientific information for decisionmaking, resource management, and planning at all levels of government. These improvements have enabled agencies and stakeholders to cost-effectively address a wide range of water-quality issues related to natural and human influences on the quality of water and potential effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/xrel.pdf). NAWQA, like all USGS programs, provides policy relevant information that serves as a scientific basis for decisionmaking related to resource management, protection, and restoration. The information is freely available to all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, industry, academia, and the public, and is readily accessible on the NAWQA Web site and other diverse formats to serve the needs of the water-resource community at different technical levels. Water-quality conditions in streams and groundwater are described in more than 1,700 publications (available online at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/bib/), and are documented by more than 14 million data records representing about 7,600 stream sites, 8,100 wells, and 2,000 water-quality and ecological constituents that are available from the NAWQA data warehouse (http://infotrek.er.usgs.gov/traverse/f?p=NAWQA:HOME:0). The Program promotes collaboration and liaison with government officials, resource managers, industry representatives, and other stakeholders to increase the utility and relevance of NAWQA science to decisionmakers. As part of this effort, NAWQA supports integration of data from other organizations into NAWQA assessments, where appropriate and cost-effective, so that more comprehensive findings are available across geographic and temporal scales.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1999

Geohydrology of Pipe Spring National Monument area, northern Arizona

Pipe Spring National Monument is on the Arizona Strip, an area between the Utah border to the north and the north rim of the Grand Canyon to the south. Four springs at the base of Winsor Point on Winsor Mountain (known collectively as Pipe Spring) are a part of the historical significance of the monument. The relation between declining discharges from springs in the monument and ground-water development north of the monument was studied to provide information that could be used for management of the monument resources. Ground-water elevations from wells indicate that ground-water movement is from north to south along the west side of a branch of Sevier Fault. Faulting in the areas has downthrown permeable water-bearing sediments relative to impermeable sediments and is evinced by cliffs along the western and northern edges and flat-lying areas to the east. The Navajo Sandstone and Kayenta Formation are the primary water-bearing units on the west side of the fault. The semipermeable sediments of the Chinle and Moenkopi Formations on the east side of the fault inhibit ground-water movement from the west to the east side of the fault. Ground water south of Moccasin Canyon is higher in total dissolved solids than ground water north of Moccasin Canyon. Wells north of Moccasin Canyon are open primarily in the Navajo Sandstone, and wells south of Moccasin Canyon are open primarily in the upper sandstone facies of the Kayenta Formation. A water-budget estimate for the study area indicates a storage deficit of 780 acre-feet per year. This deficit suggests that some recharge may be occurring outside the study area. Oxygen and hydrogen stable- isotopic data suggest no isotopic variation in recharging waters in the study area and surrounding region. Radiocarbon and tritium activities indicate apparent ground-water ages at wells and springs are between 45 and 9,000 years.

Arizona↗
USGS1988

Water-resources activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in Texas– Fiscal year 1987

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was established by an act of Congress on March 3, 1879, to provide a permanent Federal agency to conduct the systematic and scientific classification of the public lands and to examine the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of national domain. An integral part of that original mission includes publishing and disseminating the earth science information needed to understand, to plan the use of, and to manage the Nation's energy, land, mineral, and water resources. Since 1879, the research and fact-finding role of the USGS has grown and been modified to meet the changing needs of the Nation it serves. As part of that evolution, the USGS has become the Federal Government's largest earthscience research agency, the Nation's largest civilian mapmaking agency, the primary source of data on the Nation's surface- and ground-water resources, and the employer of the largest number of professional earth scientists. Today's programs serve a diversity of needs and users. Programs include: Conducting detailed assessments of the energy and mineral potential of the Nation's land and offshore areas. Investigating and issuing warnings of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and other geologic and hydrologic hazards. Conducting research on the geologic structure of the Nation. Studying the geologic features, structure, processes, and history of the other planets of our solar system. Conducting topographic surveys of the Nation and preparing topographic and thematic maps and related cartographic products. Developing and producing digital cartographic data bases and products. Collecting data on a routine basis to determine the quantity, quality, and use of surface and ground water. Conducting water-resources appraisals in order to describe the consequences of alternative plans for developing land and water resources. Conducting research in hydraulics and hydrology and coordinating all Federal water-data acquisition. Using remotely sensed data to develop new cartographic, geologic, and hydrologic research techniques for natural resources planning and management. Providing earth-science information through an extensive publications program and a network of public access points. Along with its continuing commitment to meet the growing and changing earthscience information needs of the Nation, the USGS remains dedicated to its original mission to collect, analyze, interpret, publish, and disseminate information about the natural resources of the Nation providing "earth science in the public service."

Texas↗
USGS1998

Ground-water recharge to and storage in the regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system, Guilford County, North Carolina

Quantitative information concerning recharge rates to aquifers and ground water in storage is needed to manage the development of ground- water resources. The amount of ground water available from the regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system in Guilford County, North Carolina, is largely unknown. If historical patterns seen throughout the Piedmont continue into the future, the number of ground- water users in the county can be expected to increase. In order to determine the maximum population that can be supplied by ground water, planners and managers of suburban development must know the amount of ground water that can be withdrawn without exceeding recharge and(or) overdrafting water in long-term storage. Results of the study described in this report help provide this information. Estimates of seasonal and long-term recharge rates were estimated for 15 selected drainage basins and subbasins using streamflow data and an anlytical technique known as hydrograph separation. Methods for determining the quantity of ground water in storage also are described. Guilford County covers approximately 658 square miles in the central part of the Piedmont Province. The population of the county in 1990 was about 347,420; approximately 21 percent of the population depends on ground water as a source of potable supplies. Ground water is obtained from wells tapping the regolith-fractured crystalline rock aquifer system that underlies all of the county. Under natural conditions, recharge to the ground-water system in the county is derived from infiltration of precipitation. Ground-water recharge from precipitation cannot be measured directly; however, an estimate of the amount of precipitation that infiltrates into the ground and ultimately reaches the streams of the region can be determined by the technique of hydrograph separation. Data from 19 gaging stations that measure streamflow within or from Guilford County were analyzed to produce daily estimates of ground-water recharge in 15 drainage basins and subbasins in the county. The recharge estimates were further analyzed to determine seasonal and long-term recharge rates, as well as recharge duration statistics. Mean annual recharge in the 15 basins and subbasins ranges from 4.03 to 9.69 inches per year, with a mean value of 6.28 inches per year for all basins. In general, recharge rates are highest for basins in the northern and northwestern parts of the county and lowest in the southern and southeastern parts of the county. Median recharge rates in the 15 basins range from 2.47 inches per year (184 gallons per day per acre) to 9.15 inches per year (681 gallons per day per acre), with a median value of 4.65 inches per year (346 gallons per day per acre) for all basins. The distribution of recharge rates in the county suggests a correlation between recharge rates and hydrogeologic units (and derived regolith). The highest recharge estimates occur in the northwestern part of Guilford County in basins unlain by felsic igneous intrusive rocks and lesser areas of metasedimentary rocks. Recharge estimates in this area range from 6.37 to 9.33 inches per year. Basins in the southwestern, central, and northeastern parts of the county are underlain primarily by metaigneous rocks of felsic and intermediate compositions, and recharge estimates range from 5.32 to 5.51 inches per year. In the extreme southern and southeastern parts of the county, the lower Deep River subbasin and the lower Haw River subbasins have the lowest estimated recharges at 4.15 and 4.03 inches per year, respectively. Although the areas of these subbasins that lie within Guilford County are underlain primarily by metaigneous rocks of felsic and intermediate compositions, the larger part of these subbasins lies south and southeast of Guilford County in areas underlain by hydrogeologic units of metavolcanic origin. The distribution of recharge rates in the study area is almost the reverse of the distributio

North Carolina↗
USGS1985

Water-resources activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in Texas; fiscal years 1982-84

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was established by an act of Congress on March 3, 1879, to provide a permanent Federal agency to conduct the systematic and scientific classification of the public lands, and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of national domain. An integral part of that original mission includes publishing and disseminating the earth-science information needed to understand, to plan the use of, and to manage the Nation's energy, land, mineral, and water resources. Since 1879, the research and fact-finding role of the USGS has grown and been modified to meet the changing needs of the Nation it serves. As part of that evolution, the USGS has become the Federal Government's largest earth-science research agency, the Nation's largest civilian mapmaking agency, the primary source of data on the Nation's surface- and ground-water resources, and the employer of the largest number of professional earth scientists. Today's programs serve a diversity of needs and users. Programs include: Conducting detailed assessments of the energy and mineral potential of the Nation's land and offshore areas. Investigating and issuing warnings of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and other geologic and hydrologic hazards. Conducting research on the geologic structure of the Nation. Studying the geologic features, structure, processes, and history of the other planets of our solar system. Conducting topographic surveys of the Nation and preparing topographic and thematic maps and related cartographic products. Developing and producing digital cartographic data bases and products. Collecting data on a routine basis to determine the quantity, quality, and use of surface and ground water. Conducting water-resources appraisals in order to describe the consequences of alternative plans for developing land and water resources. Conducting research in hydraulics and hydrology and coordinating all Federal water-data acquisition. Using remotely sensed data to develop new cartographic, geologic, and hydrologic research techniques for natural resources planning and management. Providing earth-science information through an extensive publications program and a network of public access points. Along with its continuing commitment to meet the growing and changing earthscience information needs of the Nation, the USGS remains dedicated to its original mission to collect, analyze, interpret, publish, and disseminate information about the natural resources of the Nation providing "earth science in the public service."

Open-File Report↗
USGS1982

Water for western oil shale development: Potential local supplies

Commercial-scale development of western oil shale resources will require a supply of water for both extraction and reclamation purposes. This paper summarizes some of the information on the occurrence of potential local supplies of water in the Piceance Creek Basin-Uinta Basin areas of northwest Colorado and northeast Utah. The discussion is somewhat hypothetical in that it is restricted to the physical occurrence of water with emphasis on water resources in each basin. Of course, the many potential constraints on water use (including economics, water quality, legal and other institutional factors) are necessarily secondary to the ultimate constraint, its physical occurrence. Perhaps the most obvious constraint is that of water rights and water laws. For example, "mining" of some of the ground water is herein assumed to be necessary for technically sound management and utilization of the water resource, but the hydrologic effects of such "mining" would require accommodation under water laws and agreements.

Colorado, Utah↗