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At least 1,153 records · Page 64Linked to original sources

USGS1981

Mathematical model of gamma-ray spectrometry borehole logging for quantitative analysis

A technique for analyzing gamma-ray spectral-logging data has been developed, in which a digital computer is used to calculate the effects of gamma-ray attentuation in a borehole environment. The computer model allows for the calculation of the effects of lithology, porosity, density, and the thickness of a horizontal layer of uniformly distributed radioactive material surrounding a centralized probe in a cylindrical borehole. The computer program also contains parameters for the calculation of the effects of well casing, drilling fluid, probe housing, and losses through the sodium-iodide crystal. Errors associated with the commonly used mathematical assumption of a point detector are eliminated in this model. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

USGS1981

Ground-water-level monitoring network, Hollister and San Juan Valleys, San Benito County, California

The addition of 17 wells to the existing 86-well network is proposed to improve the ground-water monitoring in the Hollister and San Juan Valleys in California. The new wells were selected on the basis of well-construction data, availability, location, accessibility, use, and condition, either to replace wells that are no longer accessible or to furnish needed additional data for planning artificial recharge, preparing water-level-contour maps, and digital ground-water modeling.

California↗

USGS2006

Numerical Simulation of the Hydrologic Effects of Redistributed and Additional Ground-Water Withdrawal, Island of Molokai, Hawaii

Because of increased demand for water associated with a growing population, projected increases in demand over the next few decades, and rising salinity of the water pumped from some existing wells, the County of Maui Department of Water Supply (DWS) is currently (2006) considering drilling additional wells to replace or supplement existing wells on the Island of Molokai, Hawaii. Redistributed and additional ground-water withdrawals will affect ground-water levels, discharge of ground water to the nearshore environment, and, possibly, salinity of the water pumped from existing wells. For this study, an existing numerical ground-water-flow model was used to estimate water-level and coastal-discharge changes, relative to 2005 base-case conditions, caused by withdrawals in the area between Kualapuu and Ualapue on Molokai. For most of the scenarios tested, total withdrawals were either equal to or 0.28 million gallons per day greater than those in the 2005 base case. Model results indicate that a redistribution of withdrawals causes a corresponding redistribution of water levels and coastal discharge. Water levels rise and coastal discharge increases near sites of reduced withdrawal, whereas water levels decline and coastal discharge decreases near sites of increased withdrawal. The magnitude and areal extent of hydrologic changes caused by a redistribution of withdrawals increase with larger changes in withdrawal rates. Simulated water-level changes are greatest at withdrawal sites and decrease outward with distance elsewhere. Simulated water-level declines at proposed withdrawal sites generally were less than 0.5 feet. The low-permeability dike complex of East Molokai Volcano impedes the spread of water-level changes to perennial streams in the northeastern part of the island, and discharge to these streams in the dike complex therefore is unaffected by the proposed withdrawals. Simulated coastal-discharge changes generally are greatest immediately downgradient from sites of withdrawal change. Simulated coastal-discharge reductions generally are less than 30,000 gallons per day (and everywhere less than 75,000 gallons per day) within model elements for scenarios that exclude the Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands reservation (2.905 million gallons per day). (Model elements cover discrete 1,640-feet by 1,640-feet square areas.) Simulated coastal-discharge reductions generally represent less than 5 percent change relative to 2005 base-case conditions. Simulated discharge to some fishponds and springs increased in response to decreased withdrawal at upgradient sites, and simulated discharge to other fishponds and springs decreased in response to increased withdrawal. Simulated water-level declines associated with the Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands reservation were as much as 4 feet at three arbitrarily selected withdrawal sites, and simulated reductions in coastal discharge between Umipaa and Kamiloloa along the south coast exceeded 200,000 gallons per day from several model elements.

Scientific Investigations Report↗

USGS2001

Estimation of hydraulic characteristics in the Santa Fe Group aquifer system using computer simulations of river and drain pulses in the Rio Bravo study area, near Albuquerque, New Mexico

In 1997, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a hydrologic investigation of the surface-water/ground-water interaction of the Rio Grande and the surrounding alluvium and the Santa Fe Group aquifer system in an area near the Rio Bravo Bridge, south of Albu- querque, New Mexico. A set of existing wells and new wells were instrumented to monitor water levels in a section perpendicular to the Rio Grande on the east side of the river. Equipment to measure stream stage was installed at two sites--on the Albuquerque Riverside Drain and on the Rio Grande. A short-duration river pulse and a long-duration river pulse were used to stress the ground-water system while the changes in water levels were monitored. A ground- water flow-model simulation using the principle of superposition was used to estimate the hydraulic characteristics of the local ground-water system. Simulated horizontal hydraulic conductivities varied from 0.03 to 100 feet per day, and vertical hydraulic conductivities varied from 1.5 x 10-6 to 0.01 foot per day. The specific yield of layer 1 was estimated to be 0.3. Specific storage for layers 2 through 11 was 1.0 x 10-6. Water entering the model from the river along a 300-foot-wide cross section during simulation of the short-duration pulse averaged 7.46 x 10-3 cubic foot per second and during the long-duration pulse was 1.66 x 10-3 cubic foot per second. The average flux from the model to the drain during the short-duration pulse was 3.18 x 10-3 cubic foot per second. The average flux for the long-duration pulse was 7.14 x 10-3 cubic foot per second from the drain to the model.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1995

Hydrogeology and results of tracer tests at the old Tampa well field in Hillsborough County, with implications for wellhead-protection strategies in west-central Florida

Wellhead-protection strategies were evaluated for the Upper Floridan aquifer of west-central Florida using the old Tampa well field in northeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, as a test site. The upper 400 feet of the Upper Floridan aquifer responded to pumping as an equivalent, porous medium for a range of discharge rates from 450 to 1,000 gallons per minute. Transmissivity and storage coefficient values determined for the Upper Floridan aquifer were 23,000 feet squared per day and 0.0001, respectively. Rock cores from the Upper Floridan aquifer have effective porosity values from 21 to 46 percent. Tracer tests were conducted using a fluorescent dye. A bimodal distribution of tracer arrival times indicates ground-water flow through a dual porosity system. Analysis of tracer test results an effective porosity of 25 percent and a longitudinal dispersivity of 1.3 feet for the aquifer matrix. A numerical aquifer-simulation equivalent porous media model of the Upper Floridan aquifer was calibrated using results of aquifer tests. A particle-tracking program was used to simulate the matrix flow groundwater travel time measured with the fluorescent dye tracer test. An evaluation of wellhead-protection strategies was conducted using the particle-tracking program to simulate areas of contribution from the aquifer matrix. The results of this study demonstrate the heterogeneity of the Upper Floridan aquifer. Because of this heterogeneity, the use of uniform porosity models to delineate time-related areas of wellhead protection in the karst Upper Floridan aquifer is inappropriate; however, ground-water movement in the aquifer matrix can be simulated with uniform porosity models.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

USGS1984

Habitat Suitability Index Models: Larval and juvenile red drum

A review and synthesis of existing information were used to develop a habitat model for larval and juvenile red drum. The model is scaled to produce an index of habitat suitability between 0 (unsuitable habitat) and 1 (optimally suitable habitat) for estuarine areas along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts. Habitat suitability indices are designed for use with habitat evaluation procedures developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Guidelines for model application and techniques for estimating model variables are provided.

FWS/OBS↗

USGS1985

Habitat Suitability Index Models: Lesser scaup (wintering)

A review and synthesis of existing information were used to develop a model for evaluating wintering habitat quality for the lesser scaup (Aythya affinis). The model is scaled to produce an index of habitat suitability between 0.0 (unsuitable habitat) to 1.0 (optimal habitat) for Southern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas of the continental United States. Habitat suitability indices are designed for use with the Habitat Evaluation Procedures previously developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Guidelines for model application and techniques for measuring model variables are provided.

FWS/OBS↗

USGS2019

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center—2018 annual report

The 2018 annual report of the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center summarizes the work of the center, as well as the work of each of its science groups, highlights accomplishments of 2018, and includes a list of publications published in 2018. This product allows readers to gain a general understanding of the focus areas of the center’s scientific research and learn more about specific projects and progress made throughout 2018, all while enjoying applicable photos taken in the field and of various models, maps, and web pages.

Massachusetts↗

USGS2017

Documentation for the MODFLOW 6 framework

MODFLOW is a popular open-source groundwater flow model distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Growing interest in surface and groundwater interactions, local refinement with nested and unstructured grids, karst groundwater flow, solute transport, and saltwater intrusion, has led to the development of numerous MODFLOW versions. Often times, there are incompatibilities between these different MODFLOW versions. The report describes a new MODFLOW framework called MODFLOW 6 that is designed to support multiple models and multiple types of models. The framework is written in Fortran using a modular object-oriented design. The primary framework components include the simulation (or main program), Timing Module, Solutions, Models, Exchanges, and Utilities. The first version of the framework focuses on numerical solutions, numerical models, and numerical exchanges. This focus on numerical models allows multiple numerical models to be tightly coupled at the matrix level.

Techniques and Methods↗

USGS2020

Modeling Escherichia coli in the Missouri River near Omaha, Nebraska, 2012–16

The city of Omaha, Nebraska, has a combined sewer system in some areas of the city. In Omaha, Nebr., a moderate amount of rainfall will lead to the combination of stormwater and untreated sewage or wastewater being discharged directly into the Missouri River and Papillion Creek and is called a combined sewer overflow (CSO) event. In 2009, the city of Omaha began the implementation of their Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) to mitigate the effects of CSOs on the Missouri River and Papillion Creek. As part of the LTCP, the city partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in 2012 to begin monitoring in the Missouri River. Since 2012, monthly discrete water-quality samples for many constituents have been collected from the Missouri River at four sites. At 3 of the 4 sites, water quality has been monitored continuously for selected constituents and physical properties. These discrete water-quality samples and continuous water-quality monitoring data (from July 2012 to 2020) have been collected to better understand the water quality of the Missouri River, how it is changing with time, how it changes upstream from the city of Omaha to downstream, and how it varies during base-flow conditions and during periods of runoff. The purpose of this report is to document the development of Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) concentration models for these four Missouri River sites. Analysis was completed using the first 5 years of data (through 2016) to determine if the current approach is sufficient to meet future analysis goals and to understand if proposed models such as Load Estimator (LOADEST) models will be able to represent water-quality changes in the Missouri River. Multiple linear regression models were developed to estimate E. coli concentration using LOADEST as implemented in the rloadest package in the R statistical software program. A set of explanatory variables, including streamflow and streamflow anomalies, precipitation, information about CSOs, and continuous water quality, were evaluated for potential inclusion in regression models. The best model at Missouri River at NP Dodge Park at Omaha, Nebr. (USGS station 412126095565201; hereafter “NP Dodge”) included basin explanatory variables of upstream antecedent precipitation index measured at Tekamah, Nebr.; decimal time; season; and turbidity. The best model at Missouri River at Freedom Park Omaha, Nebr. (USGS station 411636095535401; hereafter “Freedom Park”) included the same explanatory variables as the NP Dodge model with the addition of turbidity anomalies and flow anomalies. The best models at the two downstream sites (Missouri River near Council Bluffs, Iowa, USGS station 06610505 and Missouri River near La Platte, Nebr., USGS station 410333095530101) included the same explanatory variables as the Freedom Park model with the addition of local antecedent precipitation index as measured at Eppley Airport in Omaha, Nebr., and additional turbidity and flow anomalies. The final selected models were the best models given our modeling design constraint in which explanatory variables included in the model for the upstream site were included in the downstream models. Explanatory variables currently (2020) being collected and included in the selected models through 2016 explained 64–75 percent of the variability of E. coli concentration in the Missouri River. Explaining 64–75 percent of the variability might be considered low when working with physical constituents (total nitrogen or sediment), but with the natural variability of biological constituents such as E. coli , the uncertainty of E. coli laboratory measurements, and the added complexity of modeling in a large drainage basin with multiple sources, these results are adequate and indicate that the explanatory variables being collected and models such as LOADEST can represent water-quality changes in the Missouri River for E. coli concentration from 2012 to 2016.

Nebraska↗

USGS2006

Magnetotelluric data collected near geophysically logged boreholes in the Española and Middle Rio Grande Basins, New Mexico

The Santa Fe region is growing rapidly. The Santa Fe Group aquifer in the Española Basin is the main source of municipal water for the region, and water shortfalls could have serious consequences. Future growth and land management in the region depend on accurate assessment and protection of the region's ground-water resources. An important issue in managing the ground-water resources is a better understanding of the hydrogeology of the Tertiary Santa Fe Group. The Santa Fe Group includes the sedimentary deposits that fill the Rio Grande rift and contain the principal ground-water aquifers. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a series of multidisciplinary studies of the Española Basin in northern New Mexico. Detailed geologic mapping, high-resolution airborne magnetic surveys, electromagnetic surveys, and hydrologic, lithologic, and hydro-geochemical data are being used to better understand the aquifer systems. Magnetotelluric (MT) surveys were completed as part of these studies. The primary purpose of the MT surveys was to map changes in electrical resistivity with depth that are related to differences in various rock types that help control the properties of aquifers in the region. Resistivity modeling of the MT data can be used to investigate buried structures related to the basic geologic framework of the study area. The purpose of this report is to release MT sounding data collected near geophysically logged boreholes in the study area, including the nearby Middle Rio Grande Basin. This MT data can be used in subsequent resistivity modeling. No interpretation of the data is included in this report.

New Mexico↗

USGS1996

Linear alkylbenzenes as tracers of sewage-sludge-derived inputs of organic matter, PCBs, and PAHs to sediments at the 106-mile deep water disposal site

Linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) are sensitive source-specific tracers of sewage inputs to the marine environment. Because they are highly particle reactive and nonspecifically sorbed to organic matter, LABs are potential tracers of the transport of both sludge-derived organic matter and other low solubility hydrophobic contaminants (e.g., PCBs and PAHs); sediment trap studies at the 106-Mile Site have shown LABs to be valuable in testing models of sludge deposition to the sea floor. In this study we report on the distributions of LABs, PCBs, PAHs, and Ag in surface sediments collected within a month of the complete cessation of dumping (July, 1992) in the vicinity of the dump site. Total LAB concentrations were lower than those measured by Takada and coworkers in samples from nearby sites collected in 1989. LABs from both studies appear to be significantly depleted (6 to 25-fold) in surface sediments relative to excess Ag (another sludge tracer) when compared to sewage sludge and sediment trap compositions. Comparison of LAB sediment inventories to model predictions of sludge particle fluxes supports the contention that LABs have been lost from the bed. The use of LABs to examine the short-or long-term fate of sludge derived materials in deep-sea sediments should be questioned. The causes of this LAB depletion are unclear at this point, and we discuss several hypotheses. The concentrations of total PCBs and PAHs are both correlated with sludge tracers, suggesting that there may be a measurable contribution of sludge-derived inputs on top of other nonpoint sources of these contaminant classes. This possibility is consistent with the composition of these contaminants determined in recent and historical analyses of sewage sludge.

Journal of Marine Environmental Engineering↗

USGS1981

The hydrothermal system in southern Grass Valley, Pershing County, Nevada

Southern Grass Valley is typical extensional basin in the Basin and Range province. Leach Hot Springs, in the southern part of the valley, represents the discharge end of an active hydrothermal flow system with an estimated deep aquifer temperature of 163-173C. This report discusses results of geologic, hydrologic, geophysical and geochemical investigations used in an attempt to construct an internally consistent model of the system. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

USGS2009

Predicting 21st-century polar bear habitat distribution from global climate models

Projections of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) sea ice habitat distribution in the polar basin during the 21st century were developed to understand the consequences of anticipated sea ice reductions on polar bear populations. We used location data from satellitecollared polar bears and environmental data (e.g., bathymetry, distance to coastlines, and sea ice) collected from 1985 to 1995 to build resource selection functions (RSFs). RSFs described habitats that polar bears preferred in summer, autumn, winter, and spring. When applied to independent data from 1996 to 2006, the RSFs consistently identified habitats most frequently used by polar bears. We applied the RSFs to monthly maps of 21st-century sea ice concentration projected by 10 general circulation models (GCMs) used in the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report, under the A1B greenhouse gas forcing scenario. Despite variation in their projections, all GCMs indicated habitat losses in the polar basin during the 21st century. Losses in the highest-valued RSF habitat (optimal habitat) were greatest in the southern seas of the polar basin, especially the Chukchi and Barents seas, and least along the Arctic Ocean shores of Banks Island to northern Greenland. Mean loss of optimal polar bear habitat was greatest during summer; from an observed 1.0 million km 2 in 1985-1995 (baseline) to a projected multi-model mean of 0.32 million km 2 in 2090-2099 (-68% change). Projected winter losses of polar bear habitat were less: from 1.7 million km 2 in 1985-1995 to 1.4 million km 2 in 2090-2099 (-17% change). Habitat losses based on GCM multi-model means may be conservative; simulated rates of habitat loss during 1985-2006 from many GCMs were less than the actual observed rates of loss. Although a reduction in the total amount of optimal habitat will likely reduce polar bear populations, exact relationships between habitat losses and population demographics remain unknown. Density and energetic effects may become important as polar bears make long-distance annual migrations from traditional winter ranges to remnant high-latitude summer sea ice. These impacts will likely affect specific sex and age groups differently and may ultimately preclude bears from seasonally returning to their traditional ranges.

Ecological Monographs↗

USGS2026

Spatio-temporal modeling for assessing geoenergy resources: A workflow applied to gas in place variation in coal beds

The ability to estimate spatio-temporal changes in hydrocarbon reservoir properties and energy resources within pore volumes is essential for optimizing production, reservoir management, geologic energy storage, and safety in underground mining operations. In coal seams, predicting remaining methane gas-in-place (GIP) is critical for quantifying producible gas and improving mine safety and productivity through effective ventilation planning. Although such changes are commonly evaluated using physics-based numerical simulation models, these approaches often require extensive data, calibration effort, and time. This study presents a spatio-temporal geostatistical modeling approach that bridges the gap between purely spatial models and full numerical simulations. The method is applied to a case study of coal seam degasification in the Mary Lee coal group, Black Warrior Basin, Alabama, USA, to estimate GIP evolution over time within a selected mining district. The analysis uses published data from prior natural gas production history-matching of degasification using vertical wells. Empirical spatial and temporal statistics were calculated for reservoir pressure and water saturation, and spatio-temporal variogram models were fitted to experimental variograms. These models provided the structural basis for spatio-temporal kriging, integrated with spatial estimates of time-invariant parameters (porosity, density, and thickness) to estimate GIP. This approach enabled estimation of GIP changes over time, including periods without data. Boxplots of GIP estimates indicated systematic depletion and decreasing spatial variability, reflecting the impacts of degasification. Comparison with cumulative gas production from empirical well records showed approximately 85% agreement based on a relative similarity metric. Spatio-temporal GIP estimates were also used to estimate methane emissions to longwall ventilation systems and compared with reported emissions from the U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, showing similar distributions (≈80%) given data limitations. Overall, this integrated modeling approach provides time-dependent GIP estimates with broader implications for resource assessment applications.

Alabama↗

USGS2006

Hydrology, description of computer models, and evaluation of selected water-management alternatives in the San Bernardino area, California

The San Bernardino area of southern California has complex water-management issues. As an aid to local water managers, this report provides an integrated analysis of the surface-water and ground-water systems, documents ground-water flow and constrained optimization models, and provides seven examples using the models to better understand and manage water resources of the area. As an aid to investigators and water managers in other areas, this report provides an expanded description of constrained optimization techniques and how to use them to better understand the local hydrogeology and to evaluate inter-related water-management problems. In this report, the hydrology of the San Bernardino area, defined as the Bunker Hill and Lytle Creek basins, is described and quantified for calendar years 1945-98. The major components of the surface-water system are identified, and a routing diagram of flow through these components is provided. Annual surface-water inflow and outflow for the area are tabulated using gaged measurements and estimated values derived from linear-regression equations. Average inflow for the 54-year period (1945-98) was 146,452 acre-feet per year; average outflow was 67,931 acre-feet per year. The probability of exceedance for annual surface-water inflow is calculated using a Log Pearson Type III analysis. Cumulative surface-water inflow and outflow and ground-water-level measurements indicate that the relation between the surface-water system and the ground-water system changed in about 1951, in about 1979, and again in about 1992. Higher ground-water levels prior to 1951 and between 1979 and 1992 induced ground-water discharge to Warm Creek. This discharge was quantified using streamflow measurements and can be estimated for other time periods using ground-water levels from a monitoring well (1S/4W-3Q1) and a logarithmic-regression equation. Annual wastewater discharge from the area is tabulated for the major sewage and power-plant facilities. More...

Open-File Report↗

USGS1987

Ground-water levels in water years 1984-86 and estimated ground-water pumpage in water years 1984-85, Carson Valley, Douglas County, Nevada

Tabulations of groundwater level measurements made during the water years 1984-86 and summaries of estimated pumpage for water years 1984 and 1985 in Carson valley, Douglas County, Nevada, are included in this report. The data are being collected to provide a record of long-term groundwater changes and pumpage estimates that can be incorporated in a groundwater model change at a later date. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗

USGS1999

Data report for seismic refraction surveys conducted from 1980 to 1982 in the Livermore Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains, California

We provide documentation for two seismic refraction profiles acquired by the U.S. Geological Survey in the San Francisco Bay area between 1980 and 1982 in Livermore Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains. We also include the waveforms and travel times from five aftershocks of the April 1980 Livermore earthquake that were recorded on temporary seismic stations and that have not been published. Although seismic refraction profiles from the 1980 Livermore study have been published, none of the other data for this experiment, including shot times and locations, receiver locations, data quality, and travel times, have been reported. Similarly, such data from the 1981 to 1982 seismic refraction survey in the Santa Cruz Mountains included here have not been published. The first-arrival travel times from these profiles are reported in the hope that they can be used for three-dimensional velocity models in the San Francisco Bay area, particularly for the Livermore Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains.

California↗