USGS Science⌕ Search

SEARCH · USGS Science

Results for “Water Hydrological Data”

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

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,423 records · Page 79Linked to original sources
USGS2008

Compilation of Stratigraphic Thicknesses for Caldera-Related Tertiary Volcanic Rocks, East-Central Nevada and West-Central Utah

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Desert Research Institute (DRI), and a designee from the State of Utah are currently conducting a water-resources study of aquifers in White Pine County, Nevada, and adjacent areas in Nevada and Utah, in response to concerns about water availability and limited geohydrologic information relevant to ground-water flow in the region. Production of ground water in this region could impact water accumulations in three general types of aquifer materials: consolidated Paleozoic carbonate bedrock, and basin-filling Cenozoic volcanic rocks and unconsolidated Quaternary sediments. At present, the full impact of extracting ground water from any or all of these potential valley-graben reservoirs is not fully understood. A thorough understanding of intermontane basin stratigraphy, mostly concealed by the youngest unconsolidated deposits that blanket the surface in these valleys, is critical to an understanding of the regional hydrology in this area. This report presents a literature-based compilation of geologic data, especially thicknesses and lithologic characteristics, for Tertiary volcanic rocks that are presumably present in the subsurface of the intermontane valleys, which are prominent features of this area. Two methods are used to estimate volcanic-rock thickness beneath valleys: (1) published geologic maps and accompanying descriptions of map units were used to compile the aggregate thicknesses of Tertiary stratigraphic units present in each mountain range within the study areas, and then interpolated to infer volcanic-rock thickness in the intervening valley, and (2) published isopach maps for individual out-flow ash-flow tuff were converted to digital spatial data and thickness was added together to produce a regional thickness map that aggregates thickness of the individual units. The two methods yield generally similar results and are similar to volcanic-rock thickness observed in a limited number of oil and gas exploration drill holes in the region, although local geologic complexity and the inherent assumptions in both methods allow only general comparison. These methods serve the needs of regional ground-water studies that require a three-dimensional depiction of the extent and thickness of subsurface geologic units. The compilation of geologic data from published maps and reports provides a general understanding of the distribution and thickness of tuffs that are presumably present in the subsurface of the intermontane valleys and are critical to understanding the ground-water hydrology of this area.

Data Series↗
USGS1970

Ground-water conditions in southern Utah Valley and Goshen Valley, Utah

The investigation of ground-water conditions in southern Utah Valley and Goshen Valley, Utah, was made by the U. S. Geological Survey as part of a cooperative program with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, to investigate the water resources of the State. The purposes of the investigation were to (1) determine the occurrence, recharge, discharge, movement, storage, chemical quality, and availability of ground water; (2) appraise the effects of increased withdrawal of water from wells; and (3) evaluate the effect of the Central Utah Project on the ground-water reservoir and the water supply of Utah Lake. This report presents a description of the aquifer system in the two valleys, a detailed description of the ground-water resources, and conclusions about potential development and its effect on the hydrologic conditions in the valleys. Two supplementary reports are products of the investigation. A basic-data release (Cordova, 1969) contains most of the basic data collected for the investigation, including well characteristics, drillers' logs, water levels, pumpage from wells, chemical analyses of ground and surface waters, and discharge of selected springs, drains, and streams. An interpretive report (Cordova and Mower, 1967) contains the results of a large-scale aquifer test in southern Utah Valley.

Utah↗
USGS2022

Hydrology and water quality in 15 watersheds in DeKalb County, Georgia, 2012–16

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management, established a long-term water-quantity and water-quality monitoring program in 2012 to monitor and analyze the hydrologic and water-quality conditions of 15 watersheds in DeKalb County, Georgia—an urban and suburban area located in north-central Georgia that includes the easternmost part of the City of Atlanta. This report synthesizes the watershed characteristics and monitoring data collected for the first 5 years of the program, 2012 through 2016. The study area was predominantly medium-density residential (43.9 percent), commercial/industrial/institutional (21.4 percent), forest/park/agriculture (13.6 percent), and high-density residential (11.5 percent) land uses. Land-surface slope averaged 8.7 percent, imperviousness averaged 25.3 percent, and population density averaged 2,936 people per square mile. Watershed imperviousness ranged from 8.7 to 36.6 percent. In the study area for 2014 to 2016 (when streamflow data were available for all watersheds), runoff represented 40.9 percent of precipitation. Hydrograph separations indicated that 43 percent of runoff occurred as base flow, whereas the remainder occurred as stormflow. Higher watershed imperviousness was significantly related to higher amounts of runoff (Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient [ r ] = 0.517), higher runoff ratios ( r = 0.646), and lower amounts ( r = −0.637) and proportions ( r = −0.898) of base-flow runoff. Stormwater best management practices have been implemented in the study watersheds; however, these practices do not appear to fully mitigate the effects of urban development and land use on stream hydrology. Total copper, lead, and zinc concentrations in base-flow and stormflow samples exceeded the national recommended aquatic life criteria for chronic and acute conditions, respectively, to varying degrees. Escherichia coli density predictive regression models indicated that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Beach Action Value was exceeded at individual watersheds between 44.6 and 100 percent of the time. Exceedance of the Beach Action Value indicates possible unsafe conditions for primary contact recreation and could be used for timely notification of the potential health risks. Annual loads and yields were estimated for 15 constituents. Loads were typically higher for years with higher runoff while variations among watershed yields appear associated with watershed and land use characteristics. The lowest yields for almost all constituents occurred in the Stone Mountain Creek watershed—likely the result of the retention of sediment and reduction of nutrients in Stone Mountain Lake and two smaller downstream reservoirs within the watershed. The Little Stone Mountain Creek watershed also had some of the lowest yields for most constituents, likely due to the lack of many pollutant sources associated with its predominantly medium-density residential land use (95.5 percent), but had the highest total nitrate plus nitrite yields. The Intrenchment Creek watershed consistently had some of the highest yields across all constituents except for total nitrate plus nitrite. The high yields may be related to its high percentage of impervious area (36.0 percent) and high amount of heavily developed land use (high-density residential, 29.9 percent and commercial/industrial/institutional, 26.0 percent). Mean watershed constituent yields in this study were significantly higher than those from a similar analysis of 13 suburban to urban watersheds in adjacent Gwinnett County for 6 of the 10 constituents compared. This study provides a thorough assessment of watershed characteristics, hydrology, and water-quality conditions of the 15 study watersheds and can be used to identify possible factors that affect runoff and water quality. Watershed managers can use these data and analyses to inform management decisions regarding the designated uses of streams, minimization of flooding, protection of aquatic habitats, and optimization of the effectiveness of best management practices.

Georgia↗
USGS2020

Time scales of arsenic variability and the role of high-frequency monitoring at three water-supply wells in New Hampshire, USA

Groundwater geochemistry, redox process classification, high-frequency physicochemical and hydrologic measurements, and climate data were analyzed to identify controls on arsenic (As) concentration changes. Groundwater was monitored in two public-supply wells (one glacial aquifer and one bedrock aquifer), and one bedrock-aquifer domestic well in New Hampshire, USA, from 2014 to 2018 to identify time scales of and controls on As concentration changes. Concentrations of As and other geochemical constituents were measured bimonthly. Specific conductance (SC), pH, dissolved oxygen, and pumping rate/water level were measured at high frequency (every 5 to 15 min). Median (and 95% confidence interval) As concentrations at the three wells were 4.1 (3.7–4.6), 18.9 (17.2–23.6), and 37.5 (30.4–42.9) μg/L. Arsenic variability in each of the three wells, in relative standard deviation, ranged from 9 to 12%. Median quarterly As concentrations were highest in all wells in the spring. The bedrock-aquifer public-supply well As concentration increased over the period of study while pumping rate decreased. In the public-supply wells, As variability was correlated with SC and pH, and As species were related to SC, pH, pumping, precipitation, and changes in redox process. Specific conductance also had a seasonal pattern in the two public-supply wells and was correlated with Na and Cl. Excess Na in water samples suggests possible ion exchange with dissolved Ca, creating more capacity to dissolve CaCO 3 from calcareous rocks, which can increase pH and in turn, As concentrations in wells. High-frequency monitoring data are cost effective to collect, which could be advantageous in other parts of the United States and in the many parts of the world where glacial aquifers are in direct contact with other water supply aquifers or where water from different aquifers have potential to mix.

New Hampshire↗
USGS1970

Methods and applications of electrical simulation in ground-water studies in the lower Arkansas and Verdigris River Valleys, Arkansas and Oklahoma

The Arkansas River Multiple-Purpose Plan will provide year-round navigation on the Arkansas River from near its mouth to Muskogee, Okla., and on the Verdigris River from Muskogee to Catoosa, Okla. The altered regimen in the Arkansas and Verdigris Rivers will affect ground-water conditions in the adjacent alluvial aquifers. In 1957 the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers entered into a cooperative agreement for a comprehensive ground-water study of the lower Arkansas and Verdigris River valleys. At the request of the Corps of Engineers, the Geological Survey agreed to provide (1) basic ground-water data before, during, and after construction of the Multiple-Purpose Plan and (2) interpretation and projections of postconstruction ground-water conditions. The data collected were used by the Corps of Engineers in preliminary foundation and excavation estimates and by the Geological Survey as the basis for defining the hydrologic properties of, and the ground-water conditions in, the aquifer. The projections of postconstruction ground-water conditions were used by the Corps of Engineers in the planning, design, construction, and operation of the Multiple-Purpose Plan. Analysis and projections of ground-water conditions were made by use of electrical analog models. These models use the analogy between the flow of electricity in a resistance-capacitance circuit and the flow of a liquid in a porous and permeable medium. Verification provides a test of the validity of the analog to perform as the aquifer would, within the range of historic forces. The verification process consists of simulating the action of historic forces which have acted upon the aquifer and of duplicating the aquifer response with the analog. The areal distribution of accretion can be treated as an unknown and can be determined by analog simulation of the piezometric surface in an aquifer. Comparison of accretion with depth to piezometric surface below land surface shows that accretion decreases with decreasing depth to water level. The decrease in accretion is attributed mostly to the increase in evapotranspiration from the aquifer, and where water levels are very near the land surface, to the rejection of recharge. The maximum accretion and the decrease in accretion with the decrease in depth to water are dependent upon the climate and the thickness and lithology of the fine-grained material overlying the aquifer. Dams on the Arkansas and Verdigris Rivers will impose a direct change in water levels in the aquifers adjacent to the rivers. This change will be attenuated by the resultant change in accretion to the aquifer. The analogs of aquifers in the valleys were used to determine the change in ground-water level from preconstruction to postconstruction conditions.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1998

Precipitation, streamflow, and water-quality data from selected sites in the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 1995-97

Precipitation data were collected at 46 precipitation sites and 3 atmospheric deposition sites, and hydrologic data were collected at 9 stream sites in the vicinity of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, from July 1995 through June 1997. Data were collected to identify the type, concentration, and amount of nonpoint-source stormwater runoff within the area. The data collected include measurements of precipitation; streamflow; physical characteristics, such as water temperature, pH, specific conductance, biochemical oxygen demand, oil and grease, and suspended sediment concentrations; and concentrations of nutrients, metals and minor constituents, and organic compounds. These data should provide valuable information needed for (1) planned watershed simulation models, (2) estimates of nonpoint-source constituent loadings to the Catawba River, and (3) characterization of water quality in relation to basin conditions. Streamflow and rainfall data have been used to provide early warning of possible flooding.

North Carolina↗
USGS2009

Examining Submarine Ground-Water Discharge into Florida Bay by using 222Rn and Continuous Resistivity Profiling

Estimates of submarine ground-water discharge (SGD) into Florida Bay remain one of the least understood components of a regional water balance. To quantify the magnitude and seasonality of SGD into upper Florida Bay, research activities included the use of the natural geochemical tracer, 222Rn, to examine potential SGD hotspots (222Rn surveys) and to quantify the total (saline + fresh water component) SGD rates at select sites (222Rn time-series). To obtain a synoptic map of the 222Rn distribution within our study site in Florida Bay, we set up a flow-through system on a small boat that consisted of a Differential Global Positioning System, a calibrated YSI, Inc CTD sensor with a sampling rate of 0.5 min, and a submersible pump (z = 0.5 m) that continuously fed water into an air/water exchanger that was plumbed simultaneously into four RAD7 222Rn air monitors. To obtain local advective ground-water flux estimates, 222Rn time-series experiments were deployed at strategic positions across hydrologic and geologic gradients within our study site. These time-series stations consisted of a submersible pump, a Solinist DIVER (to record continuous CTD parameters) and two RAD7 222Rn air monitors plumbed into an air/water exchanger. Repeat time-series 222Rn measurements were conducted for 3-4 days across several tidal excursions. Radon was also measured in the air during each sampling campaign by a dedicated RAD7. We obtained ground-water discharge information by calculating a 222Rn mass balance that accounted for lateral and horizontal exchange, as well as an appropriate ground-water 222Rn end member activity. Another research component utilized marine continuous resistivity profiling (CRP) surveys to examine the subsurface salinity structure within Florida Bay sediments. This system consisted of an AGI SuperSting 8 channel receiver attached to a streamer cable that had two current (A,B) electrodes and nine potential electrodes that were spaced 10 m apart. A separate DGPS continuously sent position information to the SuperSting. Results indicate that the 222Rn maps provide a useful gauge of relative ground-water discharge into upper Florida Bay. The 222Rn time-series measurements provide a reasonable estimate of site- specific total (saline and fresh) ground-water discharge (mean = 12.5+-11.8 cm d-1), while the saline nature of the shallow ground-water at our study site, as evidenced by CPR results, indicates that most of this discharge must be recycled sea water. The CRP data show some interesting trends that appear to be consistent with subsurface geologic and hydrologic characterization. For example, some of the highest resistivity (electrical conductivity-1) values were recorded where one would expect a slight subsurface freshening (for example bayside Key Largo, or below the C111 canal).

Open-File Report↗
USGS2017

Challenges for creating a site-specific groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central USA) from 1900 to 2010

Hydrologic budgets to determine groundwater availability are important tools for water-resource managers. One challenging component for developing hydrologic budgets is quantifying water use through time because historical and site-specific water-use data can be sparse or poorly documented. This research developed a groundwater-use record for the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system (central USA) from 1900 to 2010 that related county-level aggregated water-use data to site-specific well locations and aquifer units. A simple population-based linear model, constrained to 0 million liters per day in 1900, provided the best means to extrapolate groundwater-withdrawal rates pre-1950s when there was a paucity of water-use data. To disaggregate county-level data to individual wells across a regional aquifer system, a programmatic hierarchical process was developed, based on the level of confidence that a well pumped groundwater for a specific use during a specific year. Statistical models tested on a subset of the best-available site-specific water-use data provided a mechanism to bracket historic groundwater use, such that groundwater-withdrawal rates ranged, on average, plus or minus 38% from modeled values. Groundwater withdrawn for public supply and domestic use accounted for between 48 and 74% of total groundwater use since 1901, highlighting that groundwater provides an important drinking-water resource. The compilation, analysis, and spatial and temporal extrapolation of water-use data remain a challenging task for water scientists, but is of paramount importance to better quantify groundwater use and availability.

Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma↗
USGS2013

Evaluating effects of Everglades restoration on American crocodile populations in south Florida using a spatially-explicit, stage-based population model

The distribution and abundance of the American crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus ) in the Florida Everglades is dependent on the timing, amount, and location of freshwater flow. One of the goals of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is to restore historic freshwater flows to American crocodile habitat throughout the Everglades. To predict the impacts on the crocodile population from planned restoration activities, we created a stage-based spatially explicit crocodile population model that incorporated regional hydrology models and American crocodile research and monitoring data. Growth and survival were influenced by salinity, water depth, and density-dependent interactions. A stage-structured spatial model was used with discrete spatial convolution to direct crocodiles toward attractive sources where conditions were favorable. The model predicted that CERP would have both positive and negative impacts on American crocodile growth, survival, and distribution. Overall, crocodile populations across south Florida were predicted to decrease approximately 3 % with the implementation of CERP compared to future conditions without restoration, but local increases up to 30 % occurred in the Joe Bay area near Taylor Slough, and local decreases up to 30 % occurred in the vicinity of Buttonwood Canal due to changes in salinity and freshwater flows.

Florida↗
USGS1961

Geology of the Moses Lake North quadrangle, Washington

The geology of the Moses Lake North quadrangle was mapped in 1954 and 1958 by the U.S. Geological Survey. Some of the basic hydrologic data has been collected by the Geological Survey during the early investigations of ground-water conditions in the Quincy Basin (Henshaw, written communication, 1917; Schwennesen and Meinzer, 1918). Most of the data, however, were obtained by the Geological Survey since 1941, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Washington State Department of Conservation under continuing programs in the area of the Columbia Basin Project of the Bureau of Reclamation. Some preliminary geologic field work in the Moses Lake North quadrangle was done by the Geological Survey in 1954 in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Conservation.

Washington↗
USGS2016

Evaluation of flood inundation in Crystal Springs Creek, Portland, Oregon

Efforts to improve fish passage have resulted in the replacement of six culverts in Crystal Springs Creek in Portland, Oregon. Two more culverts are scheduled to be replaced at Glenwood Street and Bybee Boulevard (Glenwood/Bybee project) in 2016. Recently acquired data have allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of the hydrology of the creek and the topography of the watershed. To evaluate the impact of the culvert replacements and recent hydrologic data, a Hydrologic Engineering Center-River Analysis System hydraulic model was developed to estimate water-surface elevations during high-flow events. Longitudinal surface-water profiles were modeled to evaluate current conditions and future conditions using the design plans for the culverts to be installed in 2016. Additional profiles were created to compare with the results from the most recent flood model approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Crystal Springs Creek and to evaluate model sensitivity. Model simulation results show that water-surface elevations during high-flow events will be lower than estimates from previous models, primarily due to lower estimates of streamflow associated with the 0.01 and 0.002 annual exceedance probability (AEP) events. Additionally, recent culvert replacements have resulted in less ponding behind crossings. Similarly, model simulation results show that the proposed replacement culverts at Glenwood Street and Bybee Boulevard will result in lower water-surface elevations during high-flow events upstream of the proposed project. Wider culverts will allow more water to pass through crossings, resulting in slightly higher water-surface elevations downstream of the project during high-flows than water-surface elevations that would occur under current conditions. For the 0.01 AEP event, the water-surface elevations downstream of the Glenwood/Bybee project will be an average of 0.05 ft and a maximum of 0.07 ft higher than current conditions. Similarly, for the 0.002 AEP event, the water-surface elevations will be an average of 0.04 ft and a maximum of 0.19 ft higher than current conditions.

Oregon↗
USGS1987

Water-resources report prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey, Texas District, 1973-1986

Since 1973, personnel of the Texas District, Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey have written and published approximately 300 reports concerning the water resources of Texas. These reports vary considerably in subject matter, complexity, format, desired audience, and publication outlet. Some of the reports have been published in different outlets of U.S. Geological Survey formal report series Professional Paper, Water-Supply Paper, and Hydrologic Investigations Atlas and informal report series Water-Resources Investigations, Open-File, and Water-Data Reports. Some have been published by cooperating agencies (hereinafter called "Cooperator-Published Reports") in their prescribed report series; occasionally, some reports are published both in a U.S. Geological Survey series and a cooperating agency series. This compilation lists reports prepared and published by the Texas District during 1973 through 1986 and is a continuation of a previous report, WRIR 20-75, which listed reports released and published during 1887-1974 (Friebele, 1975). Also included in this compilation are some reports published in 1973 and 1974 and a complete listing of Edwards Underground Water District bulletins and reports which were omitted from WRIR 20-75.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1989

Hydrologic data for Indian Creek basin, Fayette and Westmoreland counties, Pennsylvania, 1985-87

Hydrologic data were collected in the Indian Creek basin, Fayette and Westmoreland Counties, Pennsylvania. Since the early 1900's, coal in the basin has been extensively mined by both underground and surface-mining techniques. Data-collection sites were located in mined and unmined areas of the basin. The hydrologic data presented are from 5 continuous-record surfacewater data-collection sites, 1 ground-water well, 23 partial-record surfacewater sites, and 2 continuous-record precipitation gages. Data from the five continuous-record surface-water sites include discharge, specific conductance, temperature, pH, and suspended-sediment concentration. Results of laboratory analyses are reported. Benthic macroinvertebrates collected at 23 sites are listed.

Open-File Report↗