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At least 1,333 records · Page 74Linked to original sources
USGS1998

The discharge of nitrate-contaminated groundwater from developed shoreline to marsh-fringed estuary

As residential development, on-site wastewater disposal, and groundwater contamination increase in the coastal zone, assessment of nutrient removal by soil and sedimentary processes becomes increasingly important. Nitrogen removal efficiency depends largely on the specific flow paths taken by groundwater as it discharges into nitrogen-limited estuarine waters. Shoreline salinity surveys, hydraulic studies, and thermal infrared imagery indicated that groundwater discharge into the Nauset Marsh estuary (Eastham, Massachusetts) occurred in high-velocity seeps immediately seaward of the upland-fringing salt marsh. Discharge was highly variable spatially and occurred through permeable, sandy sediments during low tide. Seepage chamber monitoring showed that dissolved inorganic nitrogen (principally nitrate) traversed nearly conservatively from the aquifer through shallow estuarine sediments to coastal waters at flux rates of 1–3 mmol m −2 h −1 . A significant relationship between pore water NO 3 -N concentrations and NO 3 -N flux rates may provide a rapid method of estimating nitrogen loading from groundwater to the water column.

Massachusets↗
USGS1998

Reply to comment by E. Holzbecher on "Constant-concentration boundary condition: Lessons from the HYDROCOIN variable-density groundwater benchmark problem"

We appreciate the opportunity to continue a dialogue on solute-transport modeling issues and perhaps to clarify some of our original concerns. It appears to us that Holzbecher [this issue] fails to consider the physical implications of groundwater flow and solute transport along no-flow boundaries. A no-flow boundary coincides with a streamline along which the fluid velocity is generally nonzero. Because the velocity is nonzero, both advective and dispersive transport processes can be operative along a no-flow boundary.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS1998

Evaluating the source and residence times of groundwater seepage to streams, New Jersey Coastal Plain

A conceptual model of the patterns and residence times of groundwater seepage to gaining streams indicates that groundwater seepage originates from sources that are both near and far from the stream. Consequently, the age of groundwater seepage across a stream-channel transect increases from its banks to its center and becomes progressively older with distance downstream. A groundwater flow model and particle-tracking analysis of the Cohansey River Basin in the New Jersey Coastal Plain supports this conceptual model and demonstrates that the orientation of the stream channels with respect to the regional groundwater flow direction, and the heterogeneities of the aquifer and stream-channel patterns, can shift source area locations and distributions of groundwater residence time from those expected. Groundwater samples collected from stream transects were analyzed for nitrogen, representative of widespread agricultural land use in the basin in recent decades, and for chlorofluorocarbons, used to estimate groundwater ages. The patterns of nitrogen concentration and the age of groundwater entering the stream channel corroborate model inferences. The conceptual model of groundwater seepage to streams presented herein is relevant to unconfined aquifer systems with gaining streams and demonstrates how nonpoint-source contaminants are transported to streams by groundwater. Results are useful for the design of programs needed to monitor stream-water quality.

New Jersey↗
USGS1998

A note on conservative transport in anisotropic, heterogeneous porous media in the presence of small-amplitude transients

The late-time macrodispersion coefficients are obtained for the case of flow in the presence of a small-scale deterministic transient in a three-dimensional anisotropic, heterogeneous medium. The transient is assumed to affect only the velocity component transverse to the mean flow direction and to take the form of a periodic function. For the case of a highly stratified medium, these late-time macrodispersion coefficients behave largely as the standard coefficients used in the transport equation. Only in the event that the medium is isotropic is it probable that significant deviations from the standard coefficients would occur.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS1999

Practical Scheffe‐type credibility intervals for variables of a groundwater model

Simultaneous Scheffé‐type credibility intervals (the Bayesian version of confidence intervals) for variables of a groundwater flow model calibrated using a Bayesian maximum a posteriori procedure were derived by Cooley [1993b]. It was assumed that variances reflecting the expected differences between observed and model‐computed quantities used to calibrate the model are known, whereas they would often be unknown for an actual model. In this study the variances are regarded as unknown, and variance variability from observation to observation is approximated by grouping the data so that each group is characterized by a uniform variance. The credibility intervals are calculated from the posterior distribution, which was developed by considering each group variance to be a random variable about which nothing is known a priori, then eliminating it by integration. Numerical experiments using two test problems illustrate some characteristics of the credibility intervals. Nonlinearity of the statistical model greatly affected some of the credibility intervals, indicating that credibility intervals computed using the standard linear model approximation may often be inadequate to characterize uncertainty for actual field problems. The parameter characterizing the probability level for the credibility intervals was, however, accurately computed using a linear model approximation, as compared with values calculated using second‐order and fully nonlinear formulations. This allows the credibility intervals to be computed very efficiently.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2014

Appendix A—Report of the subcommittee on permeability

The Subcommittee on Permeability of the Permanent Research Committee on Ground Water of the Section of Hydrology, was organized in 1943 to provide for the open discussion of the terminology relating to permeability with a view toward the elimination of conflicting usages and the clarification and standardization of acceptable terms. Confusion had arisen not only in the units of measurement but also in the notation and nomenclature of permeability. It seemed desirable to have general agreement particularly in regard to the names of the different physical parameters in common use and their symbols.

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union↗
USGS2010

Solute erosion and chloride balance in selected river basins of the western conterminous United States

The estimated average rates of annual solute erosion in 11 important western river basins range from 180 tons per square mile (Willamette basin) to 4.2 tons per square mile (Gila basin). An average rate of 58 tons per square mile is indicated for the entire 545,000‐square‐mile area drained by the 11 rivers. The wide range in tonnage is the result of a complex of causes, among which differences in geology, gross climatic environments, and activities of man are the most important. Rates of solute erosion are highest in areas of abundant precipitation and runoff, in contrast to rates of suspended‐sediment removal, which are characteristically highest in basins subjected to only 10–15 inches of effective annual precipitation. Tonnages of chloride brought into the 11 river basins by rain and snow make up an equivalent of about 1.6 to about 17% of the chloride removed in runoff during an average year. The range of percentages reflects differences in the relative importance of oceanic and continental solute contributions. This paper is not subject to U.S. copyright. Published in 1965 by the American Geophysical Union.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2010

Determination of Columbia River flow times from Pasco, Washington using radioactive tracers introduced by the Hanford reactors

Radioactive tracers introduced into the Columbia River in cooling water from the Hanford reactors were used to measure flow times downstream from Pasco, Washington, as far as Astoria, Oregon. The use of two tracer methods was investigated. One method used the decay of a steady release of Na 24 (15-hour half-life) to determine flow times to various downstream locations, and flow times were also determined from the time required for peak concentration of instantaneous releases of I 131 (8-day half-life) to reach these locations. Flow times determined from the simultaneous use of the two methods agreed closely. The measured flow times for the 224 miles from Pasco to Vancouver, Washington, ranged from 14.6 to 3.6 days, respectively, for discharges of 108,000 and 630,000 ft 3 /sec at Vancouver, Washington. A graphic relation for estimating flow times at discharges other than those measured and for several locations between Pasco and Vancouver was prepared from the data of tests made at four river discharges. Some limited data are also presented on the characteristics of dispersion of I 131 in the Columbia River.

Oregon, Washington↗
USGS2010

Glacier mass budget measurements by hydrologic means

Ice storage changes for the South Cascade Glacier drainage basin were determined for the 1957–1964 period using basin runoff and precipitation measurements. Measurements indicate that evaporation and condensation are negligible compared with the large runoff and precipitation values. Runoff, measured by a stream discharge station, averaged 4.04 m/yr; precipitation, determined by snow accumulation measurements at a central point on the glacier and by storage gages, averaged 3.82 m/yr, resulting in a basin net loss of about 0.22 m/yr. During the same period, South Cascade Glacier net budgets were determined by ablation stakes, snow density-depth profiles, and maps. The average glacier net budget for the period was −0.61sol;yr of water. This amount is equivalent to −0.26 m of water when averaged over the drainage basin (43% glacier-covered), which is in fair agreement with the net storage change measured by hydrologic methods. Agreement between the two methods for individual years is slightly less perfect.

Washington↗
USGS2010

Geohydrologic use of lithofacies maps in glaciated areas

Subsurface conditions may differ considerably from conditions indicated by surficial geologic maps, particularly in glaciated areas. Therefore, it is advantageous to use a series of lithofacies maps as a sequence of overlays plotted on transparent paper. Such maps permit direct visual determination of the lithology and areal extent of aquifers and indicate areas of possible stream losses or gains. They indicate areas and boundaries of confining layers and, in some places, they may be used to delineate areas of water-table and artesian conditions. They are especially useful in determining buried channels in glaciated areas. The porosity of rock units making up an aquifer may be plotted on a lithofacies map, and the product of the volume of each lithologic type and the porosity provides an estimate of the total water in storage. In addition, if the water-bearing properties are known, the quantity of water moving through an aquifer and the amount available to wells may be determined. Lithofacies maps also aid in the explanation of complex changes in water quality.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2010

Applications of factor analysis in study of chemistry of groundwater quality, Mojave River Valley, California

Factor analysis is applied to results of chemical analyses of 103 water samples from wells in the Upper and Middle Mojave River valley, San Bernardino County, California. Chemical analyses showed that there are three principal chemical types of water, calcium bicarbonate, sodium sulfate, and sodium chloride, as well as many mixtures of the three. Data were studied by factor analysis to learn the relative importance of each principal ion in determining the variations among the samples, and to examine the possibility of chemical equilibrium between aqueous and solid phases in the aquifers. Most of the covariance in the system may be accounted for by variances of Ca +2 , Mg +2 , Na +1 , SO 4 −2 , and Cl −1 . There is almost identical loading on the constituents Na +1 and Cl −1 . The variance in chemical composition of the hydrochemical system is governed largely by sources of sodium chloride. None of the components is controlled by equilibrium between ions in the water and minerals in the aquifers. Concentrations of NO 3 −1 and F −1 vary independently of other constituents. Geographic distribution of statistical loadings of the principal constituents at individual wells does not reveal sources of the constituents, which must be deduced from geologic and hydrologic evidence. Factor analysis, however, furnished the critical information on chemical relationships basic to the deduction.

California↗
USGS2010

On the quantitative inventory of the riverscape

In the vicinity of Berkeley, California, 24 minor valleys were described in terms of factors chosen to represent aspects of the river landscape. A total of 28 factors were evaluated at each site. Some were directly measurable, others were estimated, but each observation was assigned to one of five categories for that factor. Each factor for each site was then expressed as a uniqueness ratio, which depended on the number of sites being in the same category. The uniqueness ratio is believed to represent one way the scarcity of a given riverscape can be ranked quantitatively without bias based on notions of good or bad, and without assigning monetary value.

California↗
USGS2010

Ground-water flow related to streamflow and water quality

A ground-water flow system in southwestern Minnesota illustrates water movement between geologic units and between the land surface and the subsurface. The flow patterns indicate numerous zones of ground-water recharge and discharge controlled by topography, varying thicknesses of geologic units, variation in permeabilities, and the configuration of the basement rock surface. Variations in streamflow along a reach of the Yellow Medicine River agree with the subsurface flow system. Increases and decreases in runoff per square mile correspond, apparently, to ground-water discharge and recharge zones. Ground-water quality variations between calcium sulfate waters typical of the Quaternary drift and sodium chloride waters typical of the Cretaceous rocks are caused by mixing of the two water types. The zones of mixing are in agreement with ground-water flow patterns along the hydrologic section.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2010

Relation of water loss to moisture content of hydrophytes in a natural pond

Hydrophytes growing in natural ponds on the Coteau du Missouri in North Dakota have been studied. Previous studies in the same region showed how transpiration by hydrophytes could be separated from the total water loss from a natural pond, during the period that vegetation was growing in height, on the basis of a correlation between the height of vegetation and a mass‐transfer coefficient. It is shown that a similar separation can be made during the period of declining activity of the vegetation. A significant correlation was found between the ratio of moisture content of vegetation to its oven‐dry weight and the mass‐transfer coefficient. Weekly photographs on Ektachrome Infrared Aero film helped to confirm some of the phenomena observed.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2010

The linear decision rule in reservoir management and design: 1, Development of the stochastic model

With the aid of a linear decision rule, reservoir management and design problems often can be formulated as easily solved linear programing problems. The linear decision rule specifies the release during any period of reservoir operation as the difference between the storage at the beginning of the period and a decision parameter for the period. The decision parameters for the entire study horizon are determined by solving the linear programing problem. Problems may be formulated in either the deterministic or the stochastic environment.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2010

Effect of rainfall variability on streamflow simulation

Three recording rain gages in a 9.7‐square‐mile basin in southern California were used with a deterministic rainfall‐runoff model to simulate flood hydrographs and peaks and to assess the effects of data errors on simulation results. Bias in the estimation of effective basin rainfall seemed to result in curve fitting parameter adjustments which compensated for the bias. The combined effects for a storm of both difference in the time distribution of rainfall at different points and spatial variability of rainfall volume over the basin limit the possible accuracy of simulation results. The use of a single rain gage on a basin with this hydrology can at best be expected to predict peak discharge with a standard error of estimate on the order of 20%.

California↗
USGS2010

Accumulation of radionuclides in bed sediments of the Columbia River between Hanford reactors and McNary Dam

Amounts of radionuclides from the Hanford reactors contained in bed sediments of the Columbia River were estimated by two methods: (1) from data on radionuclide concentration for the bed sediments between the reactors and McNary Dam, and (2) from data on radionuclide discharge for river stations at Pasco, Washington, and Umatilla, Oregon. Umatilla is 3.2 kilometers below McNary Dam. Accumulations of radionuclides in the Pasco to Umatilla reach estimated by the two methods agree within about 8%. In October 1965 approximately 16,000 curies of gamma emitting radionuclides were resident in bed sediments of the river between the Hanford reactors and McNary Dam. Concentrations and accumulations of chromium-51, zinc-65, cobalt-60, manganese-54, and scandium-46 generally are much higher near McNary Dam than they are in the vicinity of the reactors. These changes are caused by an increase downstream from the reactors in the proportion of the bed sediment that is fine grained and the proportions of the transported zinc, cobalt, manganese, and scandium radionuclides associated with sediment particles.

Oregon, Washington↗
USGS2010

A graphic presentation of stream gain or loss as an aid in understanding streamflow characteristics

A graphic presentation of cumulative monthly stream gain or loss on a given stream reach is used as a tool to show whether the stream gain or loss is apparent or real, and to determine the magnitude, time, and cause of the gain or loss. The graphic method could also be used to determine how much of the base flow is ground-water discharge. Interpretations of the cumulative gain or loss graph are described for three reaches on the James River in northeastern South Dakota and southeastern North Dakota.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗