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Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

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At least 1,387 records · Page 77Linked to original sources
USGS2024

A toolbox for improving reclamation success: Joint USGS-BLM report establishes best management practices for oil and gas operations, monitoring methods, and standards

The U. S. Geological Survey, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, recently published an oil and gas reclamation techniques and methods report that provides land managers and oil and gas operators specific guidance and best management practices for development impacts, successfully reclaiming disturbed lands during and after oil and gas activities. Resource inventory, monitoring, and protection of oil and gas sites are mandated by federal statutes and regulations, yet this is the first publication defining standards and guidelines for how to successfully monitor soil and vegetation outcomes disturbed oil and gas sites and evaluate those monitoring data against standards available at a national level. The report emphasizes the importance of best management practices, clear standards, effective monitoring and minimizing surface disturbance for successful land reclamation.

Reclamation Matters↗
USGS1996

Water resources of the Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming

Existing data were used in conjunction with onsite measurements to evaluate the water resources on the Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming. The reservation is located mainly in the Wind River drainage basin. Ground water is used for public- supply, domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes, and potentially for irrigation. Deposits of Quaternary age provide water for domestic and public-supply uses. Median well yields from different types of Quaternary deposits ranged from 6 to 20 gallons per minute. The Wind River Formation of Tertiary age is a major source of water for domestic and public-supply uses; well yields ranged from 0.1 to 350 gallons per minute. For the Tensleep Sandstone and Madison Limestone of Paleozoic age, wells might yield as much as 1,000 gallons per minute. The dissolved-solids concentration of water from the Little Wind River and Popo Agie River flood-plain alluvium near mountains was generally less than 400 mg/L (milligrams per liter), but with increasing distance from mountains, the range was about 600 to about 750 mg/L. Dissolved-solids concentrations of water in the Wind River Formation ranged from 211 to 5,110 mg/L. Streams provide most water used for irrigation. Discharge records from streamflow-gaging stations indicate flow characteristics of streams on the reservation are extremely variable. Average annual runoff was 122 to 1,150 acre-feet per square mile on perennial streams with gaging stations. Near the mountains, most perennial streams had dissolved-solids concentrations less than 200 mg/L, and with increasing distance from the mountains, concentrations were about 400 to 600 mg/L.

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2023

Sharing FAIR monitoring program data improves discoverability and reuse

Data resulting from environmental monitoring programs are valuable assets for natural resource managers, decision-makers, and researchers. These data are often collected to inform specific reporting needs or decisions with a specific timeframe. While program-oriented data and related publications are effective for meeting program goals, sharing well-documented data and metadata allows users to research aspects outside initial program intentions. As part of an effort to integrate data from four long-term large-scale US aquatic monitoring programs, we evaluated the original datasets against the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles and offer recommendations and lessons learned. Differences in data governance across these programs resulted in considerable effort to access and reuse the original datasets. Requirements, guidance, and resources available to support data publishing and documentation are inconsistent across agencies and monitoring programs, resulting in various data formats and storage locations that are not easily found, accessed, or reused. Making monitoring data FAIR will reduce barriers to data discovery and reuse. Programs are continuously striving to improve data management, data products, and metadata; however, provision of related tools, consistent guidelines and standards, and more resources to do this work is needed. Given the value of these data and the significant effort required to access and reuse them, actions and steps intended on improving data documentation and accessibility are described.

Enviornmental Monitoring and Assessment↗
USGS1994

Wildlife habitat management on the northern prairie landscape

The northern prairie landscape has changed dramatically within the past century as a result of settlement by Europeans. Natural ecosystems have been disrupted and wildlife populations greatly altered. Natural resource agencies control only limited areas within the landscape, which they cannot manage independently of privately owned lands. Wildlife managers need first to set quantifiable objectives, based on the survival, reproduction, and distribution of wildlife. Second, they need to build public support and partnerships for meeting those objectives. Finally, they need to evaluate progress not only with respect to attitudes of the public and partners but, more importantly, of the wildlife response. This paper describes some useful tools for managing information at all phases of this process. We follow by discussing management options at a landscape level. Examples are given that involve agency lands as well as private lands, managed for biological resources and diversity as well as economic sustainability.

Landscape and Urban Planning↗
USGS2019

Citing aquatic monitoring data sets: Best practice recommendations for authoritative data citation

The use of data generated from long term monitoring efforts necessitates accurate authoritative source citations of those data to ensure credit for data collected, and accountability for the data quality to enable repeated retrieval of a given data set. Data sets used in published reports and articles are increasingly being considered objects that are required to be published and cited. Aggregating data into open access databases is becoming common and is the focus of the Coordinated Assessment for Salmon and Steelhead project (CA; https://www.pnamp.org/project/coordinated-assessments-for-salmon-and-steelhead; http://www.streamnet.org/data/coordinated-assessments/ ) and National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Salmon Population Summary (SPS; https://www.webapps.nwfsc.noaa.gov/apex/f?p=261:home:0 ) among others. Guidelines are needed for citing these long-term dynamic data sets that have many contributors. We explore best practices and provide recommendations for including robust metadata attributes within data sets to enable data publication and citation using the CA and SPS data repositories as case studies. F rom reviewing the current citations possible from the CA and the SPS we recommend at minimum that natural resource monitoring databases contain: metadata to identify organizations that generated the data; contact persons for each organization that contributes data to an aggregated data set; and that metadata be incorporated into databases to enable auto-generated citations that recognize all contributing organizations with time-stamped versions of the data delivered. Beyond those minimums, additional best practice recommendations include this suite of metadata elements that identify a given data set upon citation or publication: author(s); publication date; description of data; file format(s) of data - e.g. tiles, shapefile sets, images, text files; dates data were collected; locations where data were collected; producers/contributors to the data set version cited; date data set was downloaded; original data repository from which the data were obtained; version identifier to note significant change to a data set; and a persistent identifier that can be used to locate that version of the data.

Report↗
USGS1980

Earthquake alarm; operating the seismograph station at the University of California, Berkeley.

An alarm bell rings at the seismographic station and at the office of the campus police. It is 3:00 on a foggy San Francisco morning. Somewhere in the world an earthquake has occurred. The police telephone the duty seismologist at home telling him that the alarm has triggered. He makes his way into the seismograph station, bathrobe and all, to locate the earthquake and determine its magnitude. In this way, many seismology graduate students have been initiated into the responsibilities of running a seismographic station. At the University of California seismographic stations, the task of locating and determining magnitudes for both local and distant earthquakes is a continuous one. Teleseisms must be located rapidly so that events that occur in the Pacific can be identified and the Pacific Tsunami Warning System alerted. For great earthquakes anywhere, there is a responsibility to notify public agencies such as the California Office of Emergency Services, the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, the California Seismic Safety Commission, and the American Red Cross. In the case of damaging local earthquakes, it is necessary to alert also the California Department of Water Resources, California Division of Mines and Geology, U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bay Area Rapid Transit. These days, any earthquakes that are felt in northern California cause immediate inquiries from the news media and an interested public. The series of earthquakes that jolted the Livermore area from January 24 to 26 1980, is a good case in point.

Earthquake Information Bulletin (USGS)↗
USGS1998

Major occurrences and reservoir concepts of marine clathrate hydrates: Implications of field evidence

This paper is part of the special publication Gas hydrates: relevance to world margin stability and climatic change (eds J.P. Henriet and J. Mienert). Questions concerning clathrate hydrate as an energy resource, as a factor in modifying global climate and as a triggering mechanism for mass movements invite consideration of what factors promote hydrate concentration, and what the quintessential hydrate-rich sediment may be. Gas hydrate field data, although limited, provide a starting point for identifying the environments and processes that lead to more massive concentrations. Gas hydrate zones are up to 30 m thick and the vertical range of occurrence at a site may exceed 200 m. Zones typically occur more than 100m above the phase boundary. Thicker zones are overwhelmingly associated with structural features and tectonism, and often contain sand. It is unclear whether an apparent association between zone thickness and porosity represents a cause-and-effect relationship. The primary control on the thickness of a potential gas hydrate reservoir is the geological setting. Deep water and low geothermal gradients foster thick gas hydrate stability zones (GHSZs). The presence of faults, fractures, etc. can favour migration of gas-rich fluids. Geological processes, such as eustacy or subsidence, may alter the thickness of the GHSZ or affect hydrate concentratiion. Tectonic forces may promote injection of gas into the GHSZ. More porous and permeable sediment, as host sediment properties, increase storage capacity and fluid conductivity, and thus also enhance reservoir potential.

Geological Society Special Publication↗
USGS2009

Water Resources of Rapides Parish

Rapides Parish, located in central Louisiana, contains fresh groundwater and surface-water resources. In 2005, about 443 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) were withdrawn from water sources in Rapides Parish. About 92 percent (409 Mgal/d) was withdrawn from surface water, and 8 percent (34 Mgal/d) was withdrawn from groundwater. Withdrawals for power generation accounted for 91 percent (403 Mgal/d) of the total water withdrawn. Withdrawals for other uses included public supply (27 Mgal/d), irrigation (9 Mgal/d), and aquaculture (3 Mgal/d). Water withdrawals in the parish generally increased from 1960 to 1995 and decreased from 1995 to 2005. This fact sheet summarizes basic information on the water resources of Rapides Parish, La. Information on groundwater and surface-water availability, quality, development, use, and trends is based on previously published reports listed in the references section.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS1977

Availability of ground water in the lower Merrimack River basin southern New Hampshire

This map, scale 1:125,000, is a preliminary assessment of the availability of ground water in the lower Merrimack River basin in southern New Hampshire. It is a generalization of several hydrogeologic factors and provides a guideline for ground-water exploration, which is useful in water- and land-use planning. It does not describe the absolute quantity or quality of ground water available. The best aquifers in the basin are deposits of stratified sand or sand and gravel of Pleistocene age. Large aquifers of this type occur in places in the Merrimack River valley and in valleys of tributaries to the Merrimack River. Ground water is generally of good chemical quality. Iron and manganese in concentrations greater than the recommended limits for drinking water suggested by the U.S. Public Health Service, however, are not uncommon. (Woodard-USGS)

New Hampshire↗
USGS1977

Availability of ground water in the Piscataqua and other coastal river basins southeastern New Hampshire

This map (scale 1:125,000) is a preliminary assessment of the availability of ground water in the Piscataqua and coastal river basins in New Hampshire. It is a generalization of several hydrogeologic factors and provides a guide for ground-water exploration, which is useful in water- and land-use planning. The best aquifers in the basin are deposits of stratified sand or sand and gravel of Pleistocene age. Large aquifers of this type occur in places in the major river valleys and in interstream areas within the coastal plain. Ground water is generally of good chemical quality. Iron and manganese in concentrations greater than the recommended limits for drinking water suggested by the U.S. Public Health Service, however, are not uncommon. (Woodard-USGS)

New Hampshire↗
USGS1971

Geology and water resources of the Spanish Valley area, Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah

This water-resources investigation was initiated in order to provide an estimate of the average annual water yield of the Mill Creek-Pack Creek drainage basin, the parts of that total yield available as surface water and ground water, the amount of ground water that might be recovered for beneficial use, and the effect of this use on the usable ground-water storage within the valley fill in Spanish and Moab Valleys. Detailed information has been sought which is basic to the establishment of sound policies for the development and management of water resources. The investigation was carried out as part of water-resources investigations in Utah with the Utah Division of Water Rights, Department of Natural Resources. Fieldwork was done during the period July 1967-November 1969.

Utah↗
USGS2006

Chapter A6. Section 6.2. Dissolved oxygen

Accurate data for the concentration of dissolved oxygen in surface and ground waters are essential for documenting changes in environmental water resources that result from natural phenomena and human activities. Dissolved oxygen is necessary in aquatic systems for the survival and growth of many aquatic organisms and is used as an indicator of the health of surface-water bodies. This section of the National Field Manual (NFM) includes U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) guidance and protocols for four methods to determine dissolved-oxygen concentrations: the amperometric, luminescent-sensor, spectrophotometric, and iodometric (Winkler) methods. Each chapter of the National Field Manual is published separately and revised periodically. Newly published and revised chapters will be announced on the USGS Home Page on the World Wide Web under 'New Publications of the U.S. Geological Survey.'

Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations↗
USGS2014

Science for the stewardship of the groundwater resources of Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Groundwater is the sole source of drinking water and a major source of freshwater for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Groundwater discharged from aquifers also supports freshwater pond and stream ecosystems and coastal wetlands. Six hydraulically distinct groundwater-flow systems (lenses) have been delineated on Cape Cod. Of the approximately 450 million gallons per day of water that enters these lenses as recharge from precipitation, about 69 percent discharges directly to the coast, about 24 percent discharges to streams, and almost 7 percent is withdrawn by public-supply wells. In most areas, groundwater in the sand and gravel aquifers is shallow and susceptible to contamination from anthropogenic sources and saltwater intrusion. Continued land development and population growth on Cape Cod have created concerns that potable water will become less available and that the quantity and quality of water flowing to natural discharge areas such as ponds, streams, and coastal waters will continue to decline. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been investigating groundwater and surface-water resources on Cape Cod for more than 50 years. Recent studies highlighted in this fact sheet have focused on the sources of water to public-supply wells, ponds, streams, and coastal areas; the transport and discharge of nitrogen derived from domestic and municipal disposal of wastewater; and the effects of climate change on groundwater and surface-water resources. Other USGS activities include long-term monitoring of groundwater and pond levels and field research on groundwater contamination at the USGS Cape Cod Toxic Substances Hydrology Research Site ( http://ma.water.usgs.gov/MMRCape/ ) near the Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC), formerly the Massachusetts Military Reservation.

Massachusetts↗
USGS2022

Assessment of a habitat equivalency analysis for freshwater mussels in the upper Mississippi River

The upper Mississippi River (UMR) contains diverse, dense, and reproducing assemblages of native freshwater mussels. In the case of an injury to mussels and their habitats, such as a hazardous material spill, train derailment, or barge grounding, resource managers have few restoration strategies. Resource managers need a means to document, quantify, and mitigate adverse effects on mussels resulting from injury. Habitat equivalency analysis (HEA), developed for use with a wide variety of habitat types, is a restoration scaling technique that compares ecological services lost from injury to ecological services gained through restoration actions. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Iowa Department of Natural Resources modified the HEA for use with native mussels. The mussel HEA has been applied within the UMR to estimate the quantity of restoration needed to compensate the public for injuries to mussels due to contaminant spills and construction projects. Our objective was to describe the UMR HEA for a general audience and assess if the four biological input variables used in the mussel HEA were reasonable based on literature values. We also evaluated the performance of HEA under a range of input scenarios. Although the input estimates used in HEA were within ranges reported in the peer-reviewed literature or were supported by professional judgment in the absence of peer-reviewed literature, outcomes of the mussel HEA were highly variable and would benefit from additional research to reduce uncertainty in the biological inputs. The application of HEA to mussels provides resource managers with a tool to quantify mussel-related ecological services lost from injury and to guide restoration efforts in the UMR.

Freshwater Mollusk Biology and Conservation↗
USGS2020

Technical overview of the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)

The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in response to a Federal directive calling on various Federal agencies to address potential vulnerabilities in the Nation’s supply of critical mineral resources. The primary purpose of this initiative is to identify potentially mineralized areas containing critical minerals by gathering new basic geologic data about the United States and its territories and to make these data publicly available through the Earth MRI web portal ( https://usgs.gov/earthmri ). The gathering of data is accomplished through geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and the collection of topographical (light detection and ranging, or lidar) data. In addition to identifying areas permissive for hosting critical minerals, the new data collected are likely to be helpful in addressing other societal needs as well, such as by helping to locate groundwater resources, providing information needed to mitigate effects of natural hazards, and identifying locations of the mineral resources useful for restoring and rebuilding aging infrastructure in the United States.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS1980

Summary appraisals of the nation's ground-water resources – Caribbean region

The Caribbean Region consists of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (8,990 km 2 (square kilometers)) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (350 km 2 ). The mean annual precipitation varies locally from a high of 5,000 mm (millimeters) to a low of 730 mm. Maximum precipitation occurs within the peaks of Sierra de Luquillo, and minimum precipitation occurs along the windward parts of the smaller islands and in southwestern Puerto Rico, which lies in a rain shadow. The annual average precipitation is 1,800 mm in Puerto Rico and 1,061 mm in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Of this amount 1,130 mm in Puerto Rico and 990 mm in the U.S. Virgin Islands are lost to evapotranspiration. Aquifers constitute a valuable resource in the Caribbean Region. In Puerto Rico, ground-water withdrawals supply about 38 percent of the total water requirements, whereas in the U.S. Virgin Islands they supply 10 percent. Of the ground-water withdrawal of 350 hm 3 /yr (cubic hectometers per year) in Puerto Rico, 54 percent is used for irrigation, 29 percent is used by industry, and 17 percent is used for public water supply. Ground-water withdrawal in the U.S. Virgin Islands is about 1.9 hm 3 /yr and is almost equally distributed between public supply and privately owned wells. Based on past trends and future economic expectations in the region, estimates are that by 1985 ground-water pumpage in Puerto Rico will be about 426 hm 3 /yr with additional future development potential; U.S. Virgin Islands pumpage may amount to 4.5 hm 3 /yr, which is the estimated maximum sustained yield of all aquifers under natural recharge conditions. Most large ground-water developments in Puerto Rico have been in the North Coast and South Coast ground-water provinces. The North Coast province contains the island's most productive aquifer, which was virtually undeveloped until 1968, when an artesian system having a 150-meter head was tapped. Since then, the artesian aquifer has undergone rapid development for industrial water supply. The extent of the artesian system is unknown, but it has been tapped within the Montebello Limestone Member of the Cibao Formation and in the upper part of the Lares Limestone. The south-coast aquifer consists of deep alluvial deposits. This aquifer has been extensively developed for irrigation and industrial water supply and can sustain only minor future development under present water-management conditions. In the U.S. Virgin Islands the most extensive aquifer is fragmented igneous rock, but the most productive aquifers are the marl and alluvial deposits of central St. Croix. Although yields from wells in central St. Croix are low (less than 6.3 liters per second), the aquifer provides about 0.86 hm 3 /yr to public water-supply wells and 0.54 hm 3 /yr to private wells. Future development within this aquifer could probably produce an additional 1.0 hm 3 /yr under natural infiltration conditions. Ground-water resources will continue to be important within the region. In order to meet future needs, it is necessary that hydrologic principles be applied in managing the total water resource. Optimal use of the water resources can be accomplished through conjunctive use of surface and ground waters and through conservation practices. Optimal use may involve artificial recharge, ground-water salvage, saline-ground-water mining, use of seawater, desalination of saline ground water, waste-water reuse, and use of underground space for temporary storage of wastes, which could otherwise contaminate valuable water supplies.

Professional Paper↗
USGS2022

Navigating the space between policy and practice: Toward a typology of collaborators in a federal land management agency

Navigating the space between policy and on-the-ground natural resource management presents unique challenges. We interviewed 22 U.S. Bureau of Land Management Field Office Managers to understand their perceptions toward, and applications of, collaboration with public and private stakeholders. Interviews were transcribed and open-coded using qualitative data analysis software. Then, each interview was represented visually using the MaxQDA MaxMaps feature. We deductively coded each visual model and created a typology based on a mix of salient traits exhibited by each group. Differences emerged in each group’s approach to teaching and learning; communication style; attitude toward collaboration; attention to relational and substantive outcomes; and the ability to create space within the agency mission to achieve mutually beneficial goals. Findings can help agencies navigate the challenges associated with aligning agency directives with on-the-ground realities in different contexts when collaborators exhibit different traits.

Society and Natural Resources↗
USGS1999

Design approaches in quarrying and pit-mining reclamation

Reclaimed mine sites have been evaluated so that the public, industry, and land planners may recognize there are innovative designs available for consideration and use. People tend to see cropland, range, and road cuts as a necessary part of their everyday life, not as disturbed areas despite their high visibility. Mining also generates a disturbed landscape, unfortunately one that many consider waste until reclaimed by human beings. The development of mining provides an economic base and use of a natural resource to improve the quality of human life. Equally important is a sensitivity to the geologic origin and natural pattern of the land. Wisely shaping out environment requires a design plan and product that responds to a site's physiography, ecology, function, artistic form, and publication perception. An examination of selected sites for their landscape design suggested nine approaches for mining reclamation. The oldest design approach around is nature itself. Humans may sometimes do more damage going to an area in the attempt to repair it. Given enough geologic time, a small-site area, and stable adjacent ecosystems, disturbed areas recover without mankind's input. Visual screens and buffer zones conceal the facility in a camouflage approach. Typically, earth berms, fences, and plantings are used to disguise the mining facility. Restoration targets social or economic benefits by reusing the site for public amenities, most often in urban centers with large populations. A mitigation approach attempts to protect the environment and return mined areas to use with scientific input. The reuse of cement, building rubble, macadam meets only about 10% of the demand from aggregate. Recognizing the limited supply of mineral resources and encouraging recycling efforts are steps are steps in a renewable resource approach. An educative design approach effectively communicates mining information through outreach, land stewardship, and community service. Mine sites used for art show a celebration of beauty and experience -- abstract geology. The last design approach combines art and science in a human-nature ecosystem termed integration. With environmental concerns, an operating or reclaimed mine site can no longer be considered isolated from its surroundings. Site analysis of mine works needs to go beyond site-specific information and relate to the regional context of the greater landscape. Understanding design approach can turn undesirable features (mines and pits) into something perceived as desirable by the public.

Book↗