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At least 1,063 records · Page 59Linked to original sources

USGS2024

Canopy cover and microtopography control precipitation-enhanced thaw of ecosystem-protected permafrost

Northern high-latitudes are projected to get warmer and wetter, which will affect rates of permafrost thaw and mechanisms by which thaw occurs. To better understand the impact of rain, as well as other factors such as snow depth, canopy cover, and microtopography, we instrumented a degrading permafrost plateau in south-central Alaska with high-resolution soil temperature sensors. The site contains ecosystem-protected permafrost, which persists in unfavorable climates due to favorable ecologic conditions. Our study (2020–2022) captured three of the snowiest years and three of the four wettest years since the site was first studied in 2015. Average thaw rates along an across-site transect increased nine-fold from 6 ± 5 cm yr −1 (2015–2020) to 56 ± 12 cm yr −1 (2020–2022). This thaw was not uniform. Hummock locations, residing on topographic high points with relatively dense canopy, experienced only 8 ± 9 cm yr −1 of thaw, on average. Hollows, topographic low points with low canopy cover, and transition locations, which had canopy cover and elevation between hummocks and hollows, thawed 44 ± 6 cm yr −1 and 39 ± 13 cm yr −1 , respectively. Mechanisms of thaw differed between these locations. Hollows had high warm-season soil moisture, which increased thermal conductivity, and deep cold-season snow coverage, which insulated soil. Transition locations thawed primarily due to thermal energy transported through subsurface taliks during individual rain events. Most increases in depth to permafrost occurred below the ∼45 cm thickness seasonally frozen layer, and therefore, expanded existing site taliks. Results highlight the importance of canopy cover and microtopography in controlling soil thermal inputs, the ability of subsurface runoff from individual rain events to trigger warming and thaw, and the acceleration of thaw caused by consecutive wet and snowy years. As northern high-latitudes become warmer and wetter, and weather events become more extreme, the importance of these controls on soil warming and thaw is likely to increase.

Alaska↗

USGS2000

Plant-herbivore-hydroperiod interactions: effects of native mammals on floodplain tree recruitment

Floodplain plant–herbivore–hydroperiod interactions have received little attention despite their potential as determinants of floodplain structure and functioning. We used five types of exclosures to differentially exclude small-, medium-, and large-sized mammals from accessing Fremont cottonwood ( Populus deltoides Marshall subsp. wizlizenii (Watson) Eckenwalder) seedlings and saplings growing naturally on four landform types at an alluvial reach on each of two rivers, the Green and Yampa, in Colorado and Utah. The two study reaches differed primarily as a result of flow regulation on the Green River, which began in 1962. Landforms were a rarely flooded portion of the alluvial plain, geomorphically active slow- and fast-water channel margin sites on the Yampa reach, and an aggrading side channel on the Green. Small-mammal live-trapping and observational data indicated that, with minor exceptions, the kinds of mammals eating cottonwood within each reach were identical. We monitored condition and fates of individual cottonwood plants from October 1993 through the 1997 growing season. Differences in survival and growth were noted both within and between reaches, and both due to, and independent of, mammalian herbivory. Comparisons of cottonwood growth and survivorship among exclosures and between exclosures and controls indicated that a small mammal, Microtus montanus, reduced seedling and sapling survivorship at the Green River reach, but to a lesser extent (seedlings) or not at all (saplings) on the Yampa reach. In contrast, reductions in sapling height increment attributable to medium- and large-sized herbivores were detected only at the Yampa site. We suggest that these differences are a result of (1) flow regulation allowing Microtus populations to escape the mortality normally accompanying the large, snowmelt-driven spring flood, as well as regulation promoting a herbaceous understory favorable to voles, and (2) greater browsing pressure from overwintering deer and elk at the Yampa reach, unrelated to flow regulation. Within areas used by foraging beaver, the probability of a sapling being cut by beaver was similar on the two reaches. This study suggests that changes in riparian plant–herbivore relationships due to shifts in river hydrology may be a common and important consequence of river regulation.

Ecological Applications↗

USGS2023

First investigations on lamprey responses to elevated total dissolved gas exposure and risk of gas bubble trauma

A flexible spill program in the federal Columbia River power system increased the total dissolved gas (TDG) water quality standards (i.e., the gas cap) from 120% to 125%. Spill is used to pass juvenile salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) over dams, but it can generate elevated TDG, and exposed fish can develop gas bubble trauma (GBT) or experience mortality. Juvenile salmon are monitored for GBT through the Fish Passage Center’s (FPC), and under the flexible spill program, native non-salmonid fishes are also monitored. Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) are exposed to elevated TDG, but nothing is known about their risk for GBT. This project is the first to evaluate GBT in lamprey, beginning with larval and juvenile lamprey in a controlled laboratory setting. These early life stages were chosen for this initial work because they have been shown to be more sensitive to GBT in other fish species. We modified the FPC protocol for GBT exams to be specific to lamprey and ranked bubbles in the mouth, eyes (juveniles only), gill pores, first and second dorsal fins, caudal fin, anal fin, vent, and body. We followed the FPC ranking criteria and assigned rank based on the proportion of the area occluded with bubbles, as 0=no bubbles, 1=1-5%, 2=6-25%, 3=26-50%, and 4=>50%. Four experiments were completed with larval lamprey from January to September 2022 using small (70 mm total length or less) and large (86 mm total length or greater) larvae in approximately equal proportions. Experiments included: (1) 130% TDG for 31 d, (2) 125% TDG for 91 d, (3) 130% TDG for 20 d with assessments of burrowing performance, and (4) 128-138% TDG for 3-4 d with assessments of predator avoidance ability and the corresponding untreated control groups. The first and second experiments had similar study designs and findings. First, we tested an acute exposure at 130% TDG and then we tested a chronic exposure at 125%, to represent a full spill season. None of the controls (exposed to normally saturated water) experienced mortality or showed GBT signs. Few lamprey in the treatment groups (5% in Experiment 1; 0% in Experiment 2) showed GBT signs, and there were no mortalities (n=200 fish experiment 1; n=100 fish Experiment 2). Lamprey with GBT signs had bubbles on the body, with low severity ranks. During external exams for Experiment 2, we observed bubbles in the gut of several lamprey. The light coloration and transparency of the body made these observations possible, and we confirmed the finding with internal exams. From day 9 to day 91, 70.8% of the lamprey examined had bubbles in the gut. We observed five lamprey that were positively buoyant in the test tanks, and we likely underestimated the prevalence of floating as our procedures were not initially designed to document this sign. In our third experiment, burrowing performance was not significantly different between lamprey exposed to 130% TDG and controls. Mortality was 4.2% in the treatment group, but no GBT signs were observed. The proportion of lamprey with positive buoyancy increased through time, with 87.5% of fish floating on day 20 (end of the test). Bubbles in the gut were observed for some lamprey on each of five sampling dates (day 2 to 20), with prevalence ranging from 50-100%. Median burrow times ranged from 28 to 154 sec for treatment fish and from 40 to 100 sec for controls. We noted some atypical behaviors during burrow performance tests, including lamprey that were positively buoyant and unable to descend through 0.5 m of water to reach the sediment as well as lamprey that were unable to complete burrowing (within 10 min test period). These lamprey were so buoyant that they repeatedly floated to the surface of the water when they stopped or slowed their burrowing movements. Predator avoidance ability was assessed in our fourth experiment by exposing lamprey with GBT signs (floating) and controls to sculpin (Cottus spp.) until about 50% of the fish had been consumed or 2 h had passed. We completed five predation trials, testing the hypothesis that an equal proportion of treatment and control lamprey would be consumed. Treatment groups were generated by exposing 15 lamprey to 128-138% TDG for 3-4 d, until at least 10 lamprey were floating. Overall, 41 treatment and 46 control fish were eaten and there was no evidence that sculpin preferentially preyed upon lamprey with GBT signs. Additional tests with another predator are recommended. Two experiments were completed with juvenile lamprey from March to November 2022: Experiment 5 exposed fish to 125% TDG for 10 d and Experiment 6 exposed fish to 125% for 16 d. Mortality rates for the treatment groups were 21.7% and 20.0% for these experiments, respectively, and few lamprey (4 per experiment) showed GBT signs. With the results from experiments pooled, bubbles were observed in all body areas with low severity ranks (means 0-1). We observed some exophthalmia and bubbles behind the gill pores, in addition to bubbles in the gut and fish floating. The presence of bubbles in or near the gill pores was the likely cause of death as exam findings included enlarged gill pore areas and restricted openings. This project provided the first insights into lamprey responses to elevated TDG, but substantial learning opportunities remain. Our findings highlight that lamprey are vulnerable to GBT, but the effects are generally sublethal and would not be detected using FPC exam procedures. For example, we observed larval and juvenile lamprey that had bubbles in the gut and/or were floating, although these conditions were not consistently linked. More data are needed, but we surmise that it takes some time for bubbles to form in sufficient quantity to create the floatation required to overcome the mass of the lamprey. Positive buoyancy in natural settings could have substantial impacts to the risk of mortality for lamprey. Future studies could test GBT risk for larval lamprey in burrows, investigate the influence of lamprey size, measure performance (e.g., burrowing, swimming, predator avoidance ability) after elevated TDG exposure, and describe the rate that GBT signs dissipate when lamprey are returned to normally saturated water.

Report↗

USGS2024

Evaluating conservation units using network analysis: A sea duck case study

Conserving migratory wildlife requires understanding how groups of individuals interact across seasons and landscapes. Telemetry reveals individual movements at large spatiotemporal scales; however, using movement data to define conservation units requires scaling up from individual movements to species- and community-level patterns. We developed a framework to define flyways and identify important sites from telemetry data and applied it to long-term, range-wide tracking data from three species (640 individuals) of sea ducks: namely, North American scoters ( Melanitta spp). Our network of 88 nodes included both multispecies hotspots and areas uniquely important to individual species. We found limited spatial overlap between scoters wintering on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, with differing connectivity patterns between coasts. Finally, we identified four multispecies conservation units that did not correspond to traditional management flyways. From this approach, we show how individual movements can be used to quantify range-wide connectivity of migratory species and reveal gaps in conservation strategies.

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment↗

USGS2013

A long-term comparison of carbon sequestration rates in impounded and naturally tidal freshwater marshes along the lower Waccamaw River, South Carolina

Carbon storage was compared between impounded and naturally tidal freshwater marshes along the Lower Waccamaw River in South Carolina, USA. Soil cores were collected in (1) naturally tidal, (2) moist soil (impounded, seasonally drained since ~1970), and (3) deeply flooded “treatments” (impounded, flooded to ~90 cm since ~2002). Cores were analyzed for % organic carbon, % total carbon, bulk density, and 210 Pb and 137 Cs for dating purposes. Carbon sequestration rates ranged from 25 to 200 g C m −2 yr −1 (moist soil), 80–435 g C m −2 yr −1 (naturally tidal), and 100–250 g C m −2 yr −1 (deeply flooded). The moist soil and naturally tidal treatments were compared over a period of 40 years. The naturally tidal treatment had significantly higher carbon storage (mean = 219 g C m −2 yr −1 vs. mean = 91 g C m −2 yr −1 ) and four times the vertical accretion rate (mean = 0.84 cm yr −1 vs. mean = 0.21 cm yr −1 ) of the moist soil treatment. The results strongly suggest that the long drainage period in moist soil management limits carbon storage over time. Managers across the National Wildlife Refuge system have an opportunity to increase carbon storage by minimizing drainage in impoundments as much as practicable.

South Carolina↗

USGS2019

Timescales of water-quality change in a karst aquifer, south-central Texas

Understanding the drivers and timescales over which groundwater quality changes informs groundwater management, use, and protection. To better understand timescales of water-quality change over short (daily to monthly) and long (seasonal to decadal) timescales, the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Enhanced Trends Network (ETN) program instrumented and sampled three wells in the Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas. The wells were instrumented to provide high-frequency continuous (subhourly) water-quality data (temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen), which were augmented by the collection of discrete samples (about 6 per year) for a range of geochemical constituents (including selected isotopes and age tracers). ETN data (2013–2017) are considered with data from additional sites for the same time period, and also historical records (over more than 80 years) of climatic and hydrologic conditions. During the four-year study, hydrologic conditions transitioned from very dry to very wet. Sites in the updip/unconfined part of the aquifer showed notable changes in water level and geochemistry (1) in response to rainfall/recharge events, and (2) over the multiyear dry/wet cycle. Sites in the downdip/confined part of the aquifer showed changes in water level/spring discharge over similar timescales, although the response is more muted. Geochemistry at the downdip/confined sites, however, varied slowly and minimally, indicating that the geochemical response of the deeper aquifer is decoupled from recent hydrologic responses. Changes at the updip/unconfined sites reflect mixing with recent recharge, whereas the downdip/confined sites were dominated by mineral-solution reactions resulting from longer (decadal) residence times. Mean groundwater ages interpreted from measured age tracers and lumped parameter models range from 7 to >700 years (where mixed with premodern downdip water) but were mostly modern. The aquifer is characterized by updip-to-downdip trends in geochemistry with respect to water-rock interaction and groundwater age. Fourier spectral analysis of historical records indicate hydrologic variability has occurred at dominant periods of 30 and 15 years; in conjunction with age tracers, these results provide insight into timescales at which the aquifer’s public supply is vulnerable to changes in the water quality of recharge.

Texas↗

USGS1982

Hydrology of potential mining areas in the Warrior coal field, Alabama

Hydrologic data for four small basins and for numerous other sites in the Warrior coal field are used to define the potential impact of surface mining on water resources. Bear and Blue Creek basins are underlain predominantly by relatively impermeable consolidated rocks in the Pottsville Formation. Turkey and Yellow Creek basins are underlain predominantly by permeable unconsolidated rocks in the Coker Formation. Well yields from the Pottsville Formation generally range from 0 to 5 gallons per minute and those from the Coker Formation generally range from 5 to 100 gallons per minute. With the exception of locally objectional concentrations of dissolved iron and manganese, ground water in the basins is suitable for most uses. Streamflow distribution reflects seasonal precipitation. Storm runoff is characterized by concentrated peakflows of short duration that rapidly recede to low flow. Streams draining basins underlain mainly by the Pottsville Formation frequently go dry, whereas those draining basins underlain chiefly by the Coker Formation have well-sustained low flows. Surface water is generally acidic and low in dissolved solids. Water in streams draining basins underlain chiefly by the Pottsville Formation is slightly more mineralized and less acidic than water in streams draining areas underlain chiefly by the Coker Formation. Climatic, physiographic, hydrologic, and land-use data are analyzed by regressions to derive relations for estimating water quality in streams draining mined and unmined areas. The impacts of mining on the hydrologic systems are identified as increased erosion and sedimentation, baseflow augmentation, decline in groundwater levels, and degradation of water quality. A digital model was calibrated to simulate streamflow for Bear, Blue, and Yellow Creeks under unmined conditions. The model, when calibrated and verified under mined and unmined conditions, can be coupled with developed water-quality relationships. This will permit a general examination of .surface-water characteristics (quantity and quality), and estimation of hydrologic impacts that will result from surface mining.

Open-File Report↗

USGS2002

Resident fish assemblages in shallow shorelines of a Columbia River impoundment

During May-September 1995, we replicated an earlier (1984-85) study of fishes in shoreline habitats of the John Day Reservoir, Columbia River, to investigate fish assemblage structure at several spatial and temporal scales. A total of 37,400 resident fishes representing 24 taxa was collected in 359 beach seine hauls. Fish catch composition during 1984 and 1985 was very similar, but was greatly different from catch in 1995. During 1984-1985, four native taxa (chiselmouth, northern pikeminnow, suckers, and sand rollers) constituted more than 90% of the combined main-channel catch, with introduced taxa comprising only 1.3% of the main-channel catch. In contrast, during 1995 only 37.7% of the main-channel catch comprised chiselmouth, northern pikeminnow, suckers, and sand rollers, while 33.9% were introduced taxa, primarily sunfishes and yellow perch. This shift in catch composition was greatest in the lower reservoir where the 1995 catch was 61% introduced taxa. Although changes in species composition of near-shore reservoir fish assemblages over the 10-yr period appeared to be substantial, we are unsure of annual variability since we have only one season of sampling for comparison with the earlier study. The differences we observed could be a long-term response to reservoir aging, a short-term reaction to annual differences in hydrologic and thermal regimes, or simply the naturally varying reproductive success of some species.

Northwest Science↗

USGS2024

Estimating ungulate migration corridors from sparse movement data

Many ungulates migrate between distinct summer and winter ranges, and identifying, mapping, and conserving these migration corridors have become a focus of local, regional, and global conservation efforts. Brownian bridge movement models (BBMMs) are commonly used to empirically identify these seasonal migration corridors; however, they require location data sampled at relatively frequent intervals to obtain a robust estimate of an animal’s movement path. Fitting BBMMs to sparse location data violates the assumption of conditional random movement between successive locations, overestimating the area (and width) of a migration corridor when creating individual and population-level occurrence distributions, and precluding the use of low-frequency, or sparse, data in mapping migration corridors. In an effort to expand the utility of BBMMs to include sparse global positioning system (GPS) data, we propose an alternative approach to model migration corridors from sparse GPS data. We demonstrate this method using GPS data collected every 2 hours from four mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and four elk (Cervus canadensis) herds within Wyoming and Idaho. First, we used BBMMs to estimate a baseline corridor for the 2-hour data. We then subsampled the 2-hour data to one location every 12 hours (a proxy for sparse data) and fitted BBMMs to the 12-hour data using a fixed motion variance (FMV) value, instead of estimating the Brownian motion variance empirically. A range of FMV values was tested to identify the value that best approximated the baseline migration corridor. FMV values within a species-specific range (mule deer: 400–1,200 m2; elk: 600–1,600 m2) successfully delineated migration corridors similar to the 2-hour baseline corridors; overall, lower values delineated narrower corridors and higher values delineated wider corridors. Optimal FMV values of 800 m2 (mule deer) and 1,000 m2 (elk) decreased the inflation of the 12-hour corridors relative to the 2-hour corridors from traditional BBMMs. This FMV approach thus enables using sparse movement data to approximate realistic migration corridor dimensions, providing an important alternative when movement data are collected infrequently. This approach greatly expands the number of datasets that can be used for migration corridor mapping—a useful tool for management and conservation across the globe.

Idaho, Wyoming↗

USGS2003

Differential mortality of male spectacled eiders ( Somateria fischeri ) and king eiders ( Somateria spectabilis ) subsequent to anesthesia with propofol, bupivacaine, and ketoprofen

Twenty free-ranging spectacled eiders ( Somateria fischeri ; 10 male, 10 female), 11 free-ranging king eiders ( Somateria spectabilis ; 6 male, 5 female), and 20 female common eiders ( Somateria mollissima ) were anesthetized with propofol, bupivacaine, and ketoprofen for the surgical implantation of satellite transmitters. Propofol was given to induce and maintain anesthesia (mean total dose, 26.2-45.6 mg/kg IV), bupivacaine (2-10 mg/kg SC) was infused into the incision site for local analgesia, and ketoprofen (2-5 mg/kg IM) was given at the time of surgery for postoperative analgesia. Four of 10 male spectacled eiders and 5 of 6 male king eiders died within 1-4 days after surgery. None of the female spectacled or common eiders and only 1 of the 5 female king eiders died during the same postoperative period. Histopathologic findings in 2 dead male king eiders were severe renal tubular necrosis, acute rhabdomyolysis, and mild visceral gout. Necropsy findings in 3 other dead male king eiders were consistent with visceral gout. We suspect that the perioperative use of ketoprofen caused lethal renal damage in the male eiders. Male eiders may be more susceptible to renal damage than females because of behavioral differences during their short stay on land in mating season. The combination of propofol, bupivacaine, and ketoprofen should not be used to anesthetize free-ranging male eiders, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should not be used perioperatively in any bird that may be predisposed to renal insufficiency.

Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery↗

USGS1984

Preliminary evaluation of ground-water contamination by coal-tar derivatives, St. Louis Park area, Minnesota

Operation of a coal-tar distillation and wood-preserving plant from 1918 to 1972 in St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minn., resulted in ground-water contamination. This preliminary evaluation presents an overview of the problem based on the results of the first year (1979) of an ongoing study. By 1932, water in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer, the region's major source of ground water, was contaminated 3,500 feet from the plant. It seems that this early contamination of the aquifer resulted in part from the introduction of coal tar directly into a multiaquifer well on the plant site. The Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer underlies the area at depths of 250 to 500 feet and is overlain by two bedrock aquifers (Platteville and St. Peter), two confining beds (Glenwood and the basal part of St. Peter), and 70 to 100 feet of drift. The upper part of the aquifer (the Prairie du Chien Group) is carbonate rock having fracture and solution-channel permeability and low effective porosity. Contaminants in the Prairie du Chien Group can move more rapidly than those in drift and sandstone aquifers having intergranular permeability. The aquifer characteristics, the long contamination history, and seasonal potentiometric-surface fluctuations owing to heavy municipal and industrial withdrawals combine to create a complex distribution of coal-tar derivatives in the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer. In addition, at least 25 ungrouted or partly cased wells in the area may permit contaminated water from near-surface aquifers to flow downward into deeper bedrock aquifers along or through the well bores. Where possible, such wells have been geophysically logged and inspected by downhole television. Flow rates of 20 to 150 gallons per minute from the Platteville and St. Peter aquifers to the Prairie du Chien-Jordan aquifer were observed in five of nine wells. The water was contaminated in four of the five wells. Drift materials on and south of the site have been contaminated by surface spills and by infiltration of contaminated process water. Near the contamination source, a hydrocarbon fluid phase is moving vertically downward relative to movement of the aqueous phase. Fluid pumped from an observation well in this area contained 6,000 milligrams per liter total organic carbon. Dissolved coal-tar constituents in the drift and the uppermost bedrock unit over most of the area, the Platteville aquifer, have moved at least 4,000 feet downgradient to a drift-filled bedrock valley. At the valley, it seems that the Platteville aquifer and the Glenwood confining bed have been removed by erosion and that contaminants with a concentration of approximately 2 milligrams per liter dissolved organic carbon are entering the underlying St. Peter aquifer. Chemical analyses of fluid pumped from observation wells suggest that soluble, low-molecular-weight compounds are moving preferentially through the drift and the Platteville aquifer.

Minnesota↗

USGS2024

Climate driven trends in historical extreme low streamflows on four continents

Understanding temporal trends in low streamflows is important for water management and ecosystems. This work focuses on trends in the occurrence rate of extreme low-flow events (5- to 100-year return periods) for pooled groups of stations. We use data from 1,184 minimally altered catchments in Europe, North and South America, and Australia to discern historical climate-driven trends in extreme low flows (1976–2015 and 1946–2015). The understanding of low streamflows is complicated by different hydrological regimes in cold, transitional, and warm regions. We use a novel classification to define low-flow regimes using air temperature and monthly low-flow frequency. Trends in the annual occurrence rate of extreme low-flow events (proportion of pooled stations each year) were assessed for each regime. Most regimes on multiple continents did not have significant ( p < 0.05) trends in the occurrence rate of extreme low streamflows from 1976 to 2015; however, occurrence rates for the cold-season low-flow regime in North America were found to be significantly decreasing for low return-period events. In contrast, there were statistically significant increases for this period in warm regions of NA which were associated with the variation in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Significant decreases in extreme low-flow occurrence rates were dominant from 1946 to 2015 in Europe and NA for both cold- and warm-season low-flow regimes; there were also some non-significant trends. The difference in the results between the shorter (40-year) and longer (70-year) records and between low-flow regimes highlights the complexities of low-flow response to changing climatic conditions.

Water Resources Research↗

USGS1991

Water and tritium movement through the unsaturated zone at a low-level radioactive-waste disposal site near Sheffield, Illinois, 1981-85

The movement of water and tritium through the unsaturated zone was studied at a low-level radioactive-waste disposal site near Sheffield, Bureau County, Illinois, from 1981 to 1985. Water and tritium movement occurred in an annual, seasonally timed cycle; recharge to the saturated zone generally occurred in the spring and early summer. Mean annual precipitation (1982-85) was 871 millimeters; mean annual recharge to the disposal trenches (July 1982 through June 1984) was estimated to be 107 millimeters. Average annual tritium flux below the study trenches was estimated to be 3.4 millicuries per year. Site geology, climate, and waste-disposal practices influenced the spatial and temporal variability of water and tritium movement. Of the components of the water budget, evapotranspiration contributed most to the temporal variability of water and tritium movement. Disposal trenches are constructed in complexly layered glacial and postglacial deposits that average 17 meters in thickness and overlie a thick sequence of Pennsylvanian shale. The horizontal saturated hydraulic conductivity of the clayey-silt to sand-sized glacial and postglacial deposits ranges from 4.8x10^-1 to 3.4x10^4 millimeters per day. A 120-meter-long horizontal tunnel provided access for hydrologic measurements and collection of sediment and water samples from the unsaturated and saturated geologic deposits below four disposal trenches. Trench-cover and subtrench deposits were monitored with soil-moisture tensiometers, vacuum and gravity lysimeters, piezometers, and a nuclear soil-moisture gage. A cross-sectional, numerical ground-water-flow model was used to simulate water movement in the variably saturated geologic deposits in the tunnel area. Concurrent studies at the site provided water-budget data for estimating recharge to the disposal trenches. Vertical water movement directly above the trenches was impeded by a zone of compaction within the clayey-silt trench covers. Water entered the trenches primarily at the trench edges where the compacted zone was absent and the cover was relatively thin. Collapse holes in the trench covers that resulted from inadequate compaction of wastes within the trenches provided additional preferential pathways for surface-water drainage into the trenches; drainage into one collapse hole during a rainstorm was estimated to be 1,700 liters. Till deposits near trench bases induced lateral water and tritium movement. Limited temporal variation in water movement and small flow gradients (relative to the till deposits) were detected in the unsaturated subtrench sand deposit; maximum gradients during the spring recharge period averaged 1.62 millimeters per millimeter. Time-of-travel of water moving from the trench covers to below the trenches was estimated to be as rapid as 41 days (assuming individual water molecules move this distance in one recharge cycle). Tritium concentrations in water from the unsaturated zone ranged from 200 (background) to 10,000,000 pCi/L (picocuries per liter). Tritium concentrations generally were higher below trench bases (averaging 91,000 pCi/L) than below intertrench sediments (averaging 3,300 pCi/L), and in the subtrench Toulon Member of the Glasford Formation (sand) (averaging 110,000 pCi/L) than in the Hulick Till Member of the Glasford Formation (clayey silt) (averaging 59,000 pCi/L). Average subtrench tritium concentration increased from 28,000 to 100,000 pCi/L during the study period. Within the trench covers, there was a strong seasonal trend in tritium concentrations; the highest concentrations occurred in late summer when soil-moisture contents were at a minimum. Subtrench tritium movement occurred in association with the annual cycle of water movement, as well as independently of the cycle, in apparent response to continuous water movement through the subtrench sand deposits and to the deterioration of trench-waste containers. The increase in concentrations of tritium with increasing distance from the trench bases in the sand unit indicates that water movement through the unit may be more pronounced than indicated by the pressure-head data. Localized, preferential flow paths may have gone undetected by the monitoring instruments used in the study.

Illinois↗

USGS2011

Recovery of native treefrogs after removal of nonindigenous Cuban Treefrogs, Osteopilus septentrionalis

Florida is home to several introduced animal species, especially in the southern portion of the state. Most introduced species are restricted to the urban and suburban areas along the coasts, but some species, like the Cuban Treefrog ( Osteopilus septentrionalis ), are locally abundant in natural protected areas. Although Cuban Treefrogs are known predators of native treefrog species as both adults and larvae, no study has demonstrated a negative effect of Cuban Treefrogs on native treefrog survival, abundance, or occupancy rate. We monitored survival, capture probability, abundance, and proportion of sites occupied by Cuban Treefrogs and two native species, Green Treefrogs ( Hyla cinerea ) and Squirrel Treefrogs ( Hyla squirella ), at four sites in Everglades National Park in southern Florida with the use of capture–mark–recapture techniques. After at least 5 mo of monitoring all species at each site we began removing every Cuban Treefrog captured. We continued to estimate survival, abundance, and occupancy rates of native treefrogs for 1 yr after the commencement of Cuban Treefrog removal. Mark–recapture models that included the effect of Cuban Treefrog removal on native treefrog survival did not have considerable Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) weight, although capture rates of native species were generally very low prior to Cuban Treefrog removal. Estimated abundance of native treefrogs did increase after commencement of Cuban Treefrog removal, but also varied with the season of the year. The best models of native treefrog occupancy included a Cuban Treefrog removal effect at sites with high initial densities of Cuban Treefrogs. This study demonstrates that an introduced predator can have population-level effects on similar native species.

Florida↗

USGS2010

Modeled and measured glacier change and related glaciological, hydrological, and meteorological conditions at South Cascade Glacier, Washington, balance and water years 2006 and 2007

Winter snow accumulation and summer snow and ice ablation were measured at South Cascade Glacier, Washington, to estimate glacier mass balance quantities for balance years 2006 and 2007. Mass balances were computed with assistance from a new model that was based on the works of other glacier researchers. The model, which was developed for mass balance practitioners, coupled selected meteorological and glaciological data to systematically estimate daily mass balance at selected glacier sites. The North Cascade Range in the vicinity of South Cascade Glacier accumulated approximately average to above average winter snow packs during 2006 and 2007. Correspondingly, the balance years 2006 and 2007 maximum winter snow mass balances of South Cascade Glacier, 2.61 and 3.41 meters water equivalent, respectively, were approximately equal to or more positive (larger) than the average of such balances since 1959. The 2006 glacier summer balance, -4.20 meters water equivalent, was among the four most negative since 1959. The 2007 glacier summer balance, -3.63 meters water equivalent, was among the 14 most negative since 1959. The glacier continued to lose mass during 2006 and 2007, as it commonly has since 1953, but the loss was much smaller during 2007 than during 2006. The 2006 glacier net balance, -1.59 meters water equivalent, was 1.02 meters water equivalent more negative (smaller) than the average during 1953-2005. The 2007 glacier net balance, -0.22 meters water equivalent, was 0.37 meters water equivalent less negative (larger) than the average during 1953-2006. The 2006 accumulation area ratio was less than 0.10, owing to isolated patches of accumulated snow that endured the 2006 summer season. The 2006 equilibrium line altitude was higher than the glacier. The 2007 accumulation area ratio and equilibrium line altitude were 0.60 and 1,880 meters, respectively. Accompanying the glacier mass losses were retreat of the terminus and reduction of total glacier area. The terminus retreated at a rate of about 13 meters per year during balance year 2006 and at a rate of about 8 meters per year during balance year 2007. Glacier area near the end of balance years 2006 and 2007 was 1.74 and 1.73 square kilometers, respectively. Runoff from the basin containing the glacier and from an adjacent nonglacierized basin was gaged during all or parts of water years 2006 and 2007. Air temperature, wind speed, precipitation, and incoming solar radiation were measured at selected locations on and near the glacier. Air-temperature over the glacier at a height of 2 meters generally was less than at the same altitude in the air mass away from the glacier. Cooling of the air by the glacier increased systematically with increasing ambient air temperature. Empirically based equations were developed to estimate 2-meter-height air temperature over the glacier at five sites from site altitude and temperature at a non-glacier reference site.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2008

Investigating local variation in groundwater recharge along a topographic gradient, Walnut Creek, Iowa, USA

Groundwater recharge is an important component to hydrologic studies but is known to vary considerably across the landscape. The purpose of this study was to examine 4 years of water-level behavior in a transect of four water-table wells installed at Walnut Creek, Iowa, USA to evaluate how groundwater recharge varied along a topographic gradient. The amount of daily water-table rise (WTR) in the wells was summed at monthly and annual scales and estimates of specific yield (Sy) were used to convert the WTR to recharge. At the floodplain site, Sy was estimated from the ratio of WTR to total rainfall and in the uplands was based on the ratio of baseflow to WTR. In the floodplain, where the water table is shallow, recharge occurred throughout the year whenever precipitation occurred. In upland areas where the water table was deeper, WTR occurred in a stepped fashion and varied by season. Results indicated that the greatest amount of water-table rise over the 4-year period was observed in the floodplain (379 mm), followed by the upland (211 mm) and sideslopes (122 mm). Incorporating spatial variability in recharge in a watershed will improve groundwater resource evaluation and flow and transport modeling. ?? Springer-Verlag 2008.

Hydrogeology Journal↗

USGS2004

Reach-scale cation exchange controls on major ion chemistry of an Antarctic glacial meltwater stream

McMurdo dry valleys of Antarctica represent the largest of the ice-free areas on the Antarctic continent, containing glaciers, meltwater streams, and closed basin lakes. Previous geochemical studies of dry valley streams and lakes have addressed chemical weathering reactions of hyporheic substrate and geochemical evolution of dry valley surface waters. We examine cation transport and exchange reactions during a stream tracer experiment in a dry valley glacial meltwater stream. The injection solution was composed of dissolved Li + , Na + , K + , and Cl - . Chloride behaved conservatively in this stream, but Li + , Na + , and K + were reactive to varying degrees. Mass balance analysis indicates that relative to Cl - , Li + and K + were taken up in downstream transport and Na + was released. Simulations of conservative and reactive (first-order uptake or generation) solute transport were made with the OTIS (one-dimensional solute transport with inflow and storage) model. Among the four experimental reaches of Green Creek, solute transport simulations reveal that Li + was removed from stream water in all four reaches, K + was released in two reaches, taken up in one reach, and Na + was released in all four reaches. Hyporheic sediments appear to be variable with uptake of Li + in two reaches, uptake of K + in one reach, release of K + in two reaches, and uptake of Na + in one reach. Mass balances of the conservative and reactive simulations show that from 1.05 to 2.19 moles of Li + was adsorbed per reach, but less than 0.3 moles of K + and less than 0.9 moles of Na + were released per reach. This suggests that either (1) exchange of another ion which was not analyzed in this experiment or (2) that both ion exchange and sorption control inorganic solute transport. The elevated cation concentrations introduced during the experiment are typical of initial flows in each flow season, which flush accumulated dry salts from the streambed. We propose that the bed sediments (which compose the hyporheic zone) modulate the flushing of these salts during initial flows each season, due to ion exchange and sorption reactions.

Aquatic Geochemistry↗

USGS2003

Hydrologic, water-quality, and biological data for three water bodies, Texas Gulf Coastal Plain, 2000-2002

During July 2000–September 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey collected and analyzed site-specific hydrologic, water-quality, and biological data in Dickinson Bayou, Armand Bayou, and the San Bernard River in the Gulf Coastal Plain of Texas. Segments of the three water bodies are on the State 303(d) list. Continuous monitoring showed that seasonal variations in water temperature, specific conductance, pH, and dissolved oxygen in all three water bodies were similar to those observed at U.S. Geological Survey stations along the Texas Gulf Coast. In particular, water temperature and dissolved oxygen are inversely related. Periods of smallest dissolved oxygen concentrations generally occurred in the summer months when water temperatures were highest. Water-quality monitors were deployed at three depths in Dickinson Bayou. For periodically collected nutrients, the median concentration of ammonia nitrogen was largest in Dickinson Bayou and smallest in the San Bernard River. Median concentrations of ammonia plus organic nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate nitrogen, and orthophosphorus were largest in Armand Bayou. The median concentration of each of the four nutrients was larger for high-flow samples than for low-flow samples. The largest individual nutrient concentrations occurred during spring and summer. Both median and individual concentrations of chlorophyll-a were largest for Armand Bayou; median concentrations of pheophyton were similar for all three water bodies, and individual concentrations were largest for Armand Bayou. Median densities of fecal coliform bacteria and E. coli bacteria were similar for all three water bodies. Flow conditions had minimal effect on concentrations of chlorophyll-a and pheophytin, but the largest bacteria densities were in samples collected during high flow. Yields of most nutrients tended to increase with distance downstream. Yields in the San Bernard River and tributaries were less than yields in Dickinson and Armand Bayous. For Dickinson and Armand Bayous, the most individuals and species of fish were collected at the most downstream main stem site; for the San Bernard River, the fewest individuals and species of fish were collected at the most downstream main stem site.

Texas↗