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At least 1,459 records · Page 81Linked to original sources
USGS2013

Distribution of late Pleistocene ice-rich syngenetic permafrost of the Yedoma Suite in east and central Siberia, Russia

This digital database is the product of collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey, the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks; the Los Altos Hills Foothill College GeoSpatial Technology Certificate Program; the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany; and the Institute of Physical Chemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The primary goal for creating this digital database is to enhance current estimates of soil organic carbon stored in deep permafrost, in particular the late Pleistocene syngenetic ice-rich permafrost deposits of the Yedoma Suite. Previous studies estimated that Yedoma deposits cover about 1 million square kilometers of a large region in central and eastern Siberia, but these estimates generally are based on maps with scales smaller than 1:10,000,000. Taking into account this large area, it was estimated that Yedoma may store as much as 500 petagrams of soil organic carbon, a large part of which is vulnerable to thaw and mobilization from thermokarst and erosion. To refine assessments of the spatial distribution of Yedoma deposits, we digitized 11 Russian Quaternary geologic maps. Our study focused on extracting geologic units interpreted by us as late Pleistocene ice-rich syngenetic Yedoma deposits based on lithology, ground ice conditions, stratigraphy, and geomorphological and spatial association. These Yedoma units then were merged into a single data layer across map tiles. The spatial database provides a useful update of the spatial distribution of this deposit for an approximately 2.32 million square kilometers land area in Siberia that will (1) serve as a core database for future refinements of Yedoma distribution in additional regions, and (2) provide a starting point to revise the size of deep but thaw-vulnerable permafrost carbon pools in the Arctic based on surface geology and the distribution of cryolithofacies types at high spatial resolution. However, we recognize that the extent of Yedoma deposits presented in this database is not complete for a global assessment, because Yedoma deposits also occur in the Taymyr lowlands and Chukotka, and in parts of Alaska and northwestern Canada.

Siberia↗
USGS2003

Trends in chemical concentration in sediment cores from three lakes in New Jersey and one lake on Long Island, New York

Sediment cores were extracted from three lakes in northeastern New Jersey and one lake on western Long Island, New York, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Sediment layers were dated by use of cesium-137 (137Cs), copper, lead, or dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) profiles. Sediment layers were analyzed for seven selected trace elements, including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc, and five hydrophobic organochlorine compounds, including chlordane, dieldrin, total DDT, total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). All seven trace elements were detected throughout the cores from all four lakes. Concentrations of all elements, except arsenic, were elevated in the three cores from lakes within urbanized watersheds (Packanack Lake, Orange Reservoir, and Newbridge Pond) relative to the concentrations in the lake core collected below the largely forested, reference watershed (Clyde Potts Reservoir). Results of trend analyses indicate that concentrations of all trace elements, with the exception of arsenic and lead, were relatively constant throughout the core from the minimally urbanized Clyde Potts Reservoir. In urban lakes, significant upward trends in concentrations from deeper to shallower sediments were observed either to peak concentrations or throughout the core for all elements, with the exception of chromium at all lakes and arsenic and nickel at Orange Reservoir. This finding indicates that changes in population and land use in the urbanized watersheds over the period of sedimentary record have contributed to upward trends in trace-element concentrations. Although downward trends in concentrations were observed for some trace elements in the years after their concentrations peaked, concentrations of all trace elements in urban lake cores were higher in the most recently deposited sediments than at the base of each respective core. Lead concentrations over time were highly correlated with the population in the vicinity of the lake until the concentration peak in sediment deposited in the mid-1970’s. Concentrations of lead in lake sediment appear to be closely related to the use of leaded gasoline because lead concentrations generally decreased after the use of leaded gasoline was phased-out in the mid-1970’s. Zinc concentrations were highly correlated with population over the entire length of the core. In general, zinc concentrations increased in the three urbanized watersheds, probably in response to increasing population and vehicular use. This trend was not evident at Clyde Potts Reservoir, however, where vehicular traffic in the watershed is minimal. Detectable concentrations of chlordane, total DDT, and total PCBs were present in cores from all lakes; however, dieldrin was detected only in the Newbridge Pond and Packanack Lake cores. Concentrations generally were higher in cores from the urbanized Newbridge Pond and Orange Reservoir watersheds than in those from the minimally urbanized Clyde Potts Reservoir watershed. With the exception of chlordane in the Clyde Potts and Orange Reservoir cores, concentrations of the four organochlorine compounds had significant downward trends from peak concentrations to recently deposited sediment or non-significant trends throughout the core. On the basis of these findings and as a result of regulatory actions prohibiting the production and use of these compounds, downward trends in sedimentary concentrations are expected to continue; however, the persistence of these compounds indicates that a substantial amount of time may be required to purge them from the watersheds. Concentrations of PAHs in sediment generally increased with population growth and urbanization, probably as a result of increased fossil-fuel combustion (gasoline and home-heating fuels and other uses (roads and parking lots paved with asphalt) associated with increased urban development and vehicular traffic. This finding is supported by low concentrations of PAHs in Packanack Lake sediments in the 1930’s, before the watershed was urbanized and when automobiles were comparatively rare. As vehicular use and urbanization increase in these watersheds, the general increase of PAH concentrations in lake sediments can be expected to continue. Data from this study indicate that changes in population, land use, and chemical use in the urbanized watersheds over the period of sedimentary record have contributed to upward trends in concentrations of trace elements and hydrophobic organic compounds. Although downward trends were observed for some constituents in the years after their concentrations peaked, concentrations of most constituents in urban lake cores were higher in the most recently deposited sediments than at the base of each respective core and in the reference lake cores. Similar trends in concentrations of these constituents have been observed in sediment cores from other urban lakes across the United States.

New Jersey, New York↗
USGS2000

Applications of imaging spectroscopy data: A case study at Summitville, Colorado

From 1985 through 1992, the Summitville open-pit mine produced gold from lowgrade ore using cyanide heap-leach techniques, a method to extract gold whereby the ore pile is sprayed with water containing cyanide, which dissolves the minute gold grains. Environmental problems due to mining activity at Summitville include significant increases in acidic and metal-rich drainage from the site, leakage of cyanide-bearing solutions from the heap-leach pad into an underdrain system, and several surface leaks of cyanide-bearing solutions into the Wightman Fork of the Alamosa River. In general, drainage from the Summitville mine moves downslope into the Wightman Fork, a small tributary of the Alamosa River, which in turn flows east into the Terrace Reservoir before entering the agricultural lands of the San Luis Valley. The increase in the trace-metal burden of the Alamosa River watershed due to the mining activities at Summitville is of concern to farmers and fisherman, as well as Federal and State of Colorado agencies having responsibility for land stewardship. The environment of the Summitville area is a result of 1) its geologic evolution, that culminated in the formation of precious-metal mineral deposits; and 2) previous metal mining activity. Mining accentuates, accelerates, and pertubates natural geochemical processes. The development of underground workings, open pits, mill tailings, and spoil heaps and the extractive processing of ore enhances the likelihood of releasing chemicals and elements to the surrounding areas and at increased rates relative to unmined areas. Both mined and unmined mineralized areas can produce acid drainage from the formation and movement of highly acidic water rich in heavy metals. This acidic water forms principally through the chemical reaction of oxygenated surface water and shallow subsurface water with rocks that contain sulfide minerals, producing sulphuric acid. Heavy metals can be leached by the acid solution that comes in contact with mineralized rocks, a process that may be enhanced by bacterial action. The resulting fluids may be highly toxic and, when mixed with groundwater, surface water, and soil, may have harmful effects on humans, animals, and plants. Thus, understanding the geologic and hydrologic history of this area is a critical piece of the environmental puzzle in the Summitville area. The Summitville mine operators had ceased active mining and begun environmental remediation, including treatment of the heap-leach pile and installation of a water-treatment facility, when it declared bankruptcy in December 1992 and abandoned the mine site. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) immediately took over the Summitville site under EPA Superfund Emergency Response authority. Summitville has focused public attention on the environmental effects of modern mineral-resource development. Soon after the mine was abandoned, Federal, State, and local agencies, along with Alamosa River water users and private companies, began extensive studies at the mine site and surrounding areas. These studies included analysis of water, soil, livestock and vegetation. The role of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was to provide geologic, hydrologic and agricultural information about the mine and surrounding area and to describe and evaluate the environmental condition of the Summitville mine and the downstream effects of the mine on the San Luis Valley (King 1995).

Colorado↗
USGS1899

Geology and mining industry of the Tintic district, Utah: Section in Nineteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey to the Secretary of the Interior 1897 - 1898: Part III - Economic Geology

The field work upon which this report is based was begun in July, 1897, and continued without interruption until December of the same year. The area studied is approximately 15 miles square and contains 234 square miles. The topographic maps, which are two in number, were prepared under the direction of Mr. R. U. Goode, Mr. S. S. Gannett doing the triangulation and Messrs. Marshall and Griswold the topography in the fall of 1896 and summer of 1897. The mapping is done on two scales; the larger area, approximately 15 miles square, is mapped on a scale of 1: 62,500. This map is designed to form a part of the Geologic Atlas of the United States. The other map represents the portion of the larger area in which the majority of the mines are located. It is on a scale of 1: 9,600, and covers an area of 12 square miles. The work has been greatly facilitated through the assistance rendered by the mining men of the district, among whom special thanks are due to Messrs. G. H. Robinson, W. J. Craig, W. M. Nesbit, and C. H. Blanchard. The chemical work on the ores and country rocks from the district has been done in the laboratory of the Survey by Messrs. H. N. Stokes and George Steiger, and the determination of the fossils collected is to be credited to Mr. G. H. Girty, also of the Geological Survey. In the field work the authors have cooperated constantly on every phase of the varied problems. The same is true for the office work, except that the stratigraphic and economic problems have been the especial studies of Mr. Tower, while the petrologic and remaining problems have been the special studies of Mr. Smith. In pursuance of this system of work the introduction has been written conjointly, Chapter II of Part I and all of Part II have been written by Mr. Tower, and Chapters I and III to VII of Part I by Mr. Smith.

Utah↗
USGS1955

Development of the hydrosphere and atmosphere, with special reference to probable composition of the early atmosphere

A satisfactory hypothesis of the development of the hydrosphere and atmosphere depends upon evidence from many sciences and the solution of many other fundamental problems of earth history. But because it is so closely related to many other problems, any progress toward unravelling the history of the hydrosphere and atmosphere limits the range of permissible speculation about such distantly related questions as the origin of the solar system, continents, mountains, and living organisms. Several hypotheses of the source of the earth’s air and waters are examined for their consistency with established principles and observed geologic evidence, and special attention is given to the probable composition of the early atmosphere. Hypotheses of the origin of the atmosphere and hydrosphere fall into two chief categories: (1) that all air and water of the earth are residual from a dense primitive atmosphere that once enveloped a molten globe; or (2) that they have accumulated at the earth’s surface by leakage from the interior. The quantities of water, carbon dioxide, organic carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, etc., that have been or are now part of the earth’s atmosphere and hydrosphere may be estimated within reasonable limits of uncertainty and these “excess” volatiles afford a basis for testing chemical consequences of the alternative hypotheses. Several writers have suggested that the primitive atmosphere may have been composed largely of CH 4 and NH 3 . However, the equilibrium constants for reactions of these and other gases, combined with the evidence of the “excess” volatiles, indicate that CO 2 and N 2 are much more likely. The stabilities of methane and ammonia depend upon the presence of free hydrogen; and the escape rate of hydrogen from the earth is such that methane probably could have persisted in significant amounts in the early atmosphere no more than 10 6 to 10 8 years. For all but a relatively brief period at the very beginning of earth history, the atmosphere probably contained CO 2 and N 2 rather than CH 4 and NH 3 . When the consequences of a dense atmosphere of CO 2 and N 2 (but with almost no free O 2 or H 2 ) are examined, it is found that several chemical effects (such as the quantity of rocks that would have to be weathered, of sodium dissolved in sea water, and of CaCO 3 deposited on the sea floor very early in early history) are not borne out by the observed geologic record. From this and other lines of evidence it seems extremely improbable that the present atmosphere and hydrosphere are residual from any such dense primitive atmosphere. Instead, it seems likely that the atmosphere and hydrosphere have accumulated gradually during geologic time by the escape of water vapor, CO 2 , CO, N 2 , and other volatiles from intrusive and extrusive rocks that have risen more or less continuously from the deep interior of the earth. The amount of free oxygen in the early atmosphere is a separate problem that cannot be solved until the evidence of the earliest rocks has been appraised more fully. Current hypotheses of the origin of life appear to require a reducing atmosphere, yet it seems likely that oxygen has been accumulating from the photodissociation of water vapor ever since the earth was formed. The oxidation of ferrous iron and sulfides in the earliest sediments may have kept the oxygen content very low, and life may have begun in local reducing environments.

GSA Special Papers↗
USGS2017

Graphite

Graphite is a form of pure carbon that normally occurs as black crystal flakes and masses. It has important properties, such as chemical inertness, thermal stability, high electrical conductivity, and lubricity (slipperiness) that make it suitable for many industrial applications, including electronics, lubricants, metallurgy, and steelmaking. For some of these uses, no suitable substitutes are available. Steelmaking and refractory applications in metallurgy use the largest amount of produced graphite; however, emerging technology uses in large-scale fuel cell, battery, and lightweight high-strength composite applications could substantially increase world demand for graphite. Graphite ores are classified as “amorphous” (microcrystalline), and “crystalline” (“flake” or “lump or chip”) based on the ore’s crystallinity, grain-size, and morphology. All graphite deposits mined today formed from metamorphism of carbonaceous sedimentary rocks, and the ore type is determined by the geologic setting. Thermally metamorphosed coal is the usual source of amorphous graphite. Disseminated crystalline flake graphite is mined from carbonaceous metamorphic rocks, and lump or chip graphite is mined from veins in high-grade metamorphic regions. Because graphite is chemically inert and nontoxic, the main environmental concerns associated with graphite mining are inhalation of fine-grained dusts, including silicate and sulfide mineral particles, and hydrocarbon vapors produced during the mining and processing of ore. Synthetic graphite is manufactured from hydrocarbon sources using high-temperature heat treatment, and it is more expensive to produce than natural graphite. Production of natural graphite is dominated by China, India, and Brazil, which export graphite worldwide. China provides approximately 67 percent of worldwide output of natural graphite, and, as the dominant exporter, has the ability to set world prices. China has significant graphite reserves, and China’s graphite production is expected to increase, although rising labor costs and some mine production problems are developing. China is expected to continue to be the dominant exporter for the near future. Mexico and Canada export graphite mainly to the United States, which has not had domestic production of natural graphite since the 1950s. Most graphite deposits in the United States are too small, low-grade, or remote to be of commercial value in the near future, and the likelihood of discovering larger, higher-grade, or favorably located domestic deposits is unlikely. The United States is a major producer of synthetic graphite.

Professional Paper↗
USGS1984

Banded iron-formations of late Proterozoic age in the central eastern desert, Egypt: Geology and tectonic setting

In the central Eastern Desert of Egypt, deposits of iron-formation of the Algoma type occur as sharply defined stratigraphic units within layered volcanogenic rocks of late Proterozoic age. The volcanic sequence is characterized by interfingering and repetition of rocks of dominantly andesite-basalt composition and by tectonically juxtaposed ophiolitelike assemblages; it is intruded by voluminous syntectonic granodiorite-tonalite and post-tectonic potassic granite. The iron deposits were formed as chemical precipitates during lulls in dominantly subaqueous, calc-alkaline volcanism, apparently in an intraoceanic island-arc environment. During subsequent complex telescoping of the sequence, the rocks were transported along thrust faults and are now allochthonous.

Economic Geology↗
USGS1969

Micromineralogy of silver-bearing sphalerite from Flat River, Missouri

Detailed mineralogical and chemical study of sphalerite-rich lead ores from Flat River, Mo., confirms the presence of anomalous amounts of silver in the sphalerite. Although silver is closely associated with chlorine and no silver sulfide minerals were identified, geochemical considerations indicate the silver may be in the form of discrete submicron-size grains of sulfide rather than chloride. However, the close correlation between abundance variations in silver, chlorine, cadmium, iron, and minor lead suggests the possible existence of submicron-size grains of a complex chloride or oxychloride. Results from detailed chemical study of sphalerite show: (1) chlorine is present in areas containing silver and changes in abundance of both elements are similar; (2) the mole ratio of chlorine to silver varies from approximately 3:1 to 6:1 with an approximate average of 5:1 and the total content of each element varies widely between grains and within the same grain; (3) taking total silver in any analysis and calculating the amount of chlorine required for silver chloride leaves an excess of chlorine; (4) in chlorine-deficient areas the amounts of iron and cadmium substituting for zinc in the sphalerite structure vary widely; and (5) in areas containing chlorine, changes in abundance of iron and cadmium vary directly with that of chlorine. The fine-grained dusty opaque inclusions characterize sphalerite from this area; they were identified as mainly galena with lesser amounts of pyrite and cassiterite. Galena is silver-free (<0.02 weight percent Ag) and is essentially pure lead sulfide. Other sulfides identified include pyrite, a cobalt-nickel-iron sulfide of composition Co (sub 0.55) Ni (sub 0.25) Fe (sub 0.20) S (sub 2.00), and an iron-cobalt-nickel sulfide containing 22-28 weight percent Fe, 10-15 weight percent Co, and 3-5 weight percent Ni. Anomalous amounts of tin present as cassiterite are associated with the gangue minerals quartz, potash feldspar, a kaolinite-type clay, and trace amounts of cuprite. Carbonate gangue minerals include calcite, dolomite, ankerite, magnesite, and minor amounts of cerussite. Chemical analyses were made of many minerals and physical and textural relationships examined.

Missouri↗
USGS1986

Platinum-group element geochemistry of zoned ultramafic intrusive suites, Klamath Mountains, California and Oregon

Three postorogenic Alaskan-type ultramafic to mafic intrusive suites in the Klamath Mountains, ranging in age from 142 to 163 m.y. and intruding metavolcanic, metasedimentary, or ophiolitic cumulate ultramafie to gabbroic rocks, were examined for their platinum-group element content. The Lower Coon Mountain pluton consists of layered clinopyroxene-rich lithologies occurring in chronological sequence whereas the intrusive suite at Tincup Peak consists of a cogenetic sequence of wehrlite, clinopyroxenite, magnetite clinopyroxenite, feldspathic hornblende-magnetite clinopyroxenite, dunite-olivine clinopyroxenite, and hornblende gabbro. The ultramarie-mafic intrusive suite at Chanchelulla Peak, part of the Wildwood pluton, consists predominantly of clinopyroxenite, minor interlayered dunite, and wehrlite with minor hypabyssal gabbroic rocks. Clinopyroxene compositions in the three intrusive suites are calcium rich and range from Wo (sub 54.7) -En (sub 45.1) -Fs 19 to Wo (sub 44.9) -En (sub 43.8) -Fs (sub 11.3) and resemble clinopyroxene with alkalic affinities. Olivine ranges from Fo 72 to Fo 83 and plagioclase from An 68 to An 96 . Cyclic units of layered cumulus magnetite + spinel (+ or -ilmenite) and coarse interstitial magnetite occur at Tincup Peak and Lower Coon Mountain. All three intrusive suites contain disseminated pyrrhotite + chalcopyrite + or - pentlandite, but the Chanchelulla Peak intrusive body also contains lenticular zones of disseminated to interstitial sulfides near its contact with sulfide-bearing horn-felsic rocks. Characteristics of rocks from these three Klamath Mountains Alaskan-type intrusive suites are (1) Rh contents of near or less than 1 ppb, (2) Ir and Ru contents less than 100 and 20 ppb, (3) variable Pd contents between rock units within intrusive suites and among suites, and (4) relatively similar Pt contents within intrusive suites and among suites. Concentrations of Pd average 6.3 ppb at Lower Coon Mountain, 13.7 ppb at Chanchelulla Peak, and 36.4 ppb at Tincup Peak. Cohen-corrected abundance data for individual rock units within each intrusive suite yield a Pt/(Pt + Pd) ratio that is greater in olivine-rich rocks than in clinopy-roxenite than in gabbro suggesting chemical fractionation of Pd within intrusive suites.

Economic Geology↗
USGS1951

Progress report, chemical quality of the surface waters in the Loup River basin, Nebraska

The Loup River and its tributaries transport moderate amounts of siliceous minerals from the sand hills region of north-central Nebraska to the Platte River near Columbus, Nebr. Predominant chemical characteristics of these waters are a high percentage of silica, moderate hardness, and a low percentage of sodium. The composition of the Loup River water is influenced by the geologic formations through which ground water, a major contributor to the flows of the Loup River branches, has percolated. Investigation of water quality at or near proposed dam sites in the Loup River basin indicates that if soil and drainage conditions are favorable, the impounded water would be satisfactory for irrigation use.

Circular↗
USGS2002

Water quality monitoring of Sweetwater and Loveland reservoirs--Phase one results 1998-1999

In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey began a study to assess the overall health of the watershed feeding the Sweetwater Reservoir in southern San Diego County, California. The study focussed on monitoring for organic chemical contamination and the effects of construction and operation of State Route 125 on water quality. Three environmental compartments (air, water, and bed sediments) are being sampled regularly for chemical contaminants, including volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, and major and trace elements. The study is divided into two phases. Phase I sampling is designed to establish baseline conditions for target compounds in terms of detection frequency and concentration in air, water, and bed sediments. Phase II sampling will continue at the established monitoring sites during and after construction of State Route 125 to assess chemical impact on water quality in the reservoir resulting from land-use changes and development in the watershed. This report describes the study design, the sampling and analytical methods, and presents the data results for the first year of the study, September 1998 to September 1999.

California↗
USGS2006

Annual dissolved nitrite plus nitrate and total phosphorous loads for the Susquehanna, St. Lawrence, Mississippi-Atchafalaya, and Columbia River basins, 1968-2004

Annual stream-water loads were calculated near the outlet of four of the larger river basins (Susquehanna, St. Lawrence, Mississippi-Atchafalaya, and Columbia) in the United States for dissolved nitrite plus nitrate (NO2 + NO3) and total phosphorus using LOADEST load estimation software. Loads were estimated for the period 1968-2004; although loads estimated for individual river basins and chemical constituent combinations typically were for shorter time periods due to limitations in data availability. Stream discharge and water-quality data for load estimates were obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) with additional stream discharge data for the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The loads were estimated to support national assessments of changes in stream nutrient loads that are periodically conducted by Federal agencies (for example, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and other water- and land-resource organizations. Data, methods, and results of load estimates are summarized herein; including World Wide Web links to electronic ASCII text files containing the raw data. The load estimates are compared to dissolved NO2 + NO3 loads for three of the large river basins from 1971 to 1998 that the USGS provided during 2001 to The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment (The Heinz Center) for a report The Heinz Center published during 2002. Differences in the load estimates are the result of using the most up-to-date monitoring data since the 2001 analysis, differences in how concentrations less than the reporting limit were handled by the load estimation models, and some errors and exclusions in the 2001 analysis datasets (which resulted in some inaccurate load estimates).

Open-File Report↗
USGS1979

Bedrock aquifers in the lower Dirty Devil River Basin area, Utah, with special emphasis on the Navajo sandstone

The lower Dirty Devil River basin area in southeastern Utah has an area of about 4,300 square miles (11,1140 square kilometers) and ranges in altitude from about 3,700 to more than 11,000 feet (1,130 to 3,350 meters) above mean sea level. Precipitation, the main source of water in the area, ranges from slightly less than 6 inches (152 millimeters) per year in the lowlands to more than 30 inches per year (762 millimeters) in the Henry Mountains and along the western boundary. Rocks that crop out in or underlie the area range from the Precambrian to the Holocene in age. The thickness of the composite section of sedimentary rocks ranges from about 7,300 feet (2,200 meters) to about 23,000 feet (7,000 meters). The Entrada, Navajo, Wingate, and Coconino Sandstones and rocks of Mississippian age are considered major aquifers because of their large areal extent or thickness or their known locally large yields to wells. The chemical quality of the water in these aquifers ranges from fresh to briny. The permeability of the aquifers in the area is affected by folding, faulting, and igneous intrusion. These geologic processes have locally enhanced ground-water circulation by fracturing or impeded circulation by offsetting permeable beds or sealing some zones with rocks of lower permeability. The total hydrologic system in the lower Dirty Devil River basin has estimated long-term average annual inflow and outflow of about 1.6 million acre-feet (1,970 cubic hectometers), of which about 1.55 million acre-feet (1,910 cubic hectometers) is derived from precipitation. An estimated 96 percent of the water available to the area is consumed by evapotranspiration. The estimated gross annual average ground-water recharge is 34,000 acre-feet (42 cubic hectometers), of which 5,000 acre-feet (6.2 cubic hectometers) recharges the Navajo Sandstone. Recoverable fresh to moderately saline water stored in the Navajo, Wingate, and Coconino Sandstones is estimated to be 210 million acre-feet (259,000 cubic hectometers), of which 89 million acre-feet (110,000 cubic hectometers) is stored in the Navajo alone. Long-term large withdrawals from the Navajo Sandstone are feasible. Withdrawal of 12,000 gallons per minute (757 liters per second) over a period of about 36 years probably would diminish the amount of water in storage by less than 1 percent. The withdrawals, would eventually diminish the average annual discharge of the Dirty Devil River by possibly as much as 13 cubic feet per second (0.37 cubic meter per second). A change of this magnitude on the flow of the Colorado River would be too small to measure.

Utah↗
USGS1985

Selected climatological and hydrologic data, Raton basin, Huerfano and Las Animas Counties, Colorado, and Colfax County, New Mexico

The hydrology of the coal-bearing Raton Basin of Colorado and New Mexico was investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey. Data in the report were collected from 1977 to 1982, mainly in the watersheds of the Apishapa and Purgatoire Rivers; data from the Cucharas, Canadian, and Vermejo River watersheds are also included in the report. The report contains records of precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, evaporation, and wind movement at U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers meteorological stations; records of soil water collected by the U.S. Geological Survey; records of stream discharge and quality at U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations and miscellaneous sites; and a variety of ground-water data. The ground-water data includes records of 231 wells, springs, and mines, including 87 chemical analyses of the water, recorded water levels in 29 observation wells, results of 125 aquifer tests, and 87 logs of wells and test holes. (USGS)

Open-File Report↗
USGS2013

An update of hydrologic conditions and distribution of selected constituents in water, eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and perched groundwater zones, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, emphasis 2009–11

Since 1952, wastewater discharged to infiltration ponds (also called percolation ponds) and disposal wells at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has affected water quality in the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer and perched groundwater zones underlying the INL. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, maintains groundwater monitoring networks at the INL to determine hydrologic trends, and to delineate the movement of radiochemical and chemical wastes in the aquifer and in perched groundwater zones. This report presents an analysis of water-level and water-quality data collected from aquifer, multilevel monitoring system (MLMS), and perched groundwater wells in the USGS groundwater monitoring networks during 2009–11. Water in the ESRP aquifer primarily moves through fractures and interflow zones in basalt, generally flows southwestward, and eventually discharges at springs along the Snake River. The aquifer primarily is recharged from infiltration of irrigation water, infiltration of streamflow, groundwater inflow from adjoining mountain drainage basins, and infiltration of precipitation. From March–May 2009 to March–May 2011, water levels in wells generally declined in the northern part of the INL. Water levels generally rose in the central and eastern parts of the INL. Detectable concentrations of radiochemical constituents in water samples from aquifer wells or MLMS equipped wells in the ESRP aquifer at the INL generally decreased or remained constant during 2009–11. Decreases in concentrations were attributed to radioactive decay, changes in waste-disposal methods, and dilution from recharge and underflow. In 2011, concentrations of tritium in groundwater from 50 of 127 aquifer wells were greater than or equal to the reporting level and ranged from 200±60 to 7,000±260 picocuries per liter. Tritium concentrations from one or more discrete zones from four wells equipped with MLMS were greater than or equal to reporting levels in water samples collected at various depths. Tritium concentrations in water from wells completed in shallow perched groundwater at the Advanced Test Reactor Complex (ATR Complex) were less than the reporting levels. Tritium concentrations in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex equaled or exceeded the reporting level in 12 wells during at least one sampling event during 2009–11 at the ATR Complex. Concentrations of strontium-90 in water from 20 of 76 aquifer wells sampled during April or October 2011 exceeded the reporting level. Strontium-90 was not detected within the ESRP aquifer beneath the ATR Complex. During at least one sampling event during 2009–11, concentrations of strontium-90 in water from 10 wells completed in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex equaled or exceeded the reporting levels. During 2009–11, concentrations of plutonium-238, and plutonium-239, -240 (undivided), and americium-241 were less than the reporting level in water samples from all aquifer wells and in all wells equipped with MLMS. Concentrations of cesium-137 were equal to or slightly above the reporting level in 8 aquifer wells and from 2 wells equipped with MLMS. The concentration of chromium in water from one well south of the ATR Complex was 97 micrograms per liter (μg/L) in April 2011, just less than the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 100 μg/L. Concentrations of chromium in water samples from 69 other wells sampled ranged from 0.8 μg/L to 25 μg/L. During 2009–11, dissolved chromium was detected in water from 15 wells completed in perched groundwater at the ATR Complex. In 2011, concentrations of sodium in water from most wells in the southern part of the INL were greater than the background concentration of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L); the highest concentrations were at or near the Idaho Nuclear Engineering and Technology Center (INTEC). After the newpercolation ponds were put into service in 2002 southwest of the INTEC, concentrations of sodium in water samples from the Rifle Range well rose steadily until 2008, when the concentrations generally began decreasing. The increases and decreases were attributed to disposal variability in the new percolation ponds. Concentrations of sodium in most wells equipped with MLMS generally were consistent with depth. During 2011, dissolved sodium concentrations in water from 17 wells completed in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex ranged from 6 to 146 mg/L. In 2011, concentrations of chloride in most water samples from aquifer wells south of the INTEC and at the Central Facilities Area exceeded the background concentrations of 15 mg/L, but were less than the secondary MCL of 250 mg/L. Chloride concentrations in water from wells south of the INTEC have generally increased because of increased chloride disposal to the old percolation ponds since 1984 when discharge of wastewater to the INTEC disposal well was discontinued. After the new percolation ponds were put into service in 2002 southwest of the INTEC, concentrations of chloride in water samples from one well rose steadily until 2008 then began decreasing. Chloride concentrations in water from all but one well completed in the ESRP aquifer at or near the ATR Complex were less than background and ranged between 10 and 14 mg/L during 2011, similar to concentrations detected during the 2006–08 reporting period. During 2011, chloride concentrations in water from two aquifer wells at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) were slightly greater than concentrations detected during the 2006–08 reporting period. The vertical distribution of chloride concentrations in wells equipped with MLMS were generally consistent within zones during 2009–11 and ranged from about 8 to 20 mg/L. During April 2011, dissolved chloride concentrations in shallow perched groundwater at the ATR Complex ranged from 7 to 13 mg/L in water from three wells. Dissolved chloride concentrations in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex during 2011 ranged from 4 to 54 mg/L. In 2011, sulfate concentrations in water samples from 11 aquifer wells in the south-central part of the INL equaled or exceeded the background concentration of sulfate and ranged from 40 to 167 mg/L. The greater-than-background concentrations in water from these wells probably resulted from sulfate disposal at the ATR Complex infiltration ponds or the old INTEC percolation ponds. In 2011, sulfate concentrations in water samples from two wells near the RWMC were greater than background levels and could have resulted from well construction techniques and (or) waste disposal at the RWMC. The vertical distribution of sulfate concentrations in three wells near the southern boundary of the INL was generally consistent with depth, and ranged between 19 and 25 mg/L. The maximum dissolved sulfate concentration in shallow perched groundwater near the ATR Complex was 400 mg/L in well CWP 1 in April 2011. During 2009–11, the maximum concentration of dissolved sulfate in deep perched groundwater at the ATR Complex was 1,550 mg/L in a well located west of the chemical-waste pond. In 2011, concentrations of nitrate in water from most wells at and near the INTEC exceeded the regional background concentrations of 1 mg/L and ranged from 1.6 to 5.95 mg/L. Concentrations of nitrate in wells south of INTEC and farther away from the influence of disposal areas and the Big Lost River show a general decrease in nitrate concentrations through time. During 2009–11, water samples from 30 wells were collected and analyzed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Six VOCs were detected. At least one and up to five VOCs were detected in water samples from 10 wells. The primary VOCs detected include carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, tetrachloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and trichloroethylene. In 2011, concentrations for all VOCs were less than their respective MCL for drinking water, except carbon tetrachloride in water from two wells. During 2009–11, variability and bias were evaluated from 56 replicate and 16 blank quality-assurance samples. Results from replicate analyses were investigated to evaluate sample variability. Constituents with acceptable reproducibility were stable isotope ratios, major ions, nutrients, and VOCs. All radiochemical constituents and trace metals had acceptable reproducibility except for gross beta-particle radioactivity, aluminum, antimony, and cobalt. Bias from sample contamination was evaluated from equipment, field, container, and source-solution blanks. No detectable constituent concentrations were reported for equipment blanks of the thief samplers and sampling pipes or for the source-solution and field blanks. Equipment blanks of bailers had detectable concentrations of strontium-90, sodium, chloride, and sulfate, and the container blank had a detectable concentration of dichloromethane.

Idaho↗
USGS2023

Characterization of streamflow and nutrient occurrence in the upper White River Basin, Colorado, 1980–2020

In 2016, Colorado Parks and Wildlife identified filamentous algae collected from the main stem White River as Cladophora glomerata , a pervasive nuisance aquatic alga. Excessive levels of filamentous algae can compromise aesthetic quality, limit recreational activities, and have negative effects on aquatic life including strong fluctuations in dissolved oxygen levels and a reduction in overall biodiversity. To increase understanding of the biology of the upper White River Basin in Colorado, identify potential factors promoting or limiting nuisance algal abundance, and outline information to aid in the understanding and protection of water resources, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts and the White River Algae Technical Advisory Group, initiated a study to collect and analyze physical, chemical, and biological information for the upper White River Basin. The report describes long-term changes and spatial variations in streamflow and nutrient concentrations and loads in the upper White River Basin and identifies possible nutrient sources in the basin. Long-term streamflow and nutrient data indicate that conditions in the upper White River Basin have become more favorable to benthic algae over varying timescales. Upward trends in total phosphorus concentrations and loads were found at three sites across the basin from 2000 to 2020. Total phosphorus loads increased around 50 percent, ranging from 18 to 48 pounds per year. Annual estimated concentrations of total phosphorus from 2005 to 2020 were above algal-specific nutrient criteria at the North Fork White River at Buford, Colo., indicating that phosphorus concentrations at this site likely promote algal growth. Discrete concentrations of total phosphorus exceeded algal-specific nutrient criteria on the South Fork and main stem White River during the summer season, though less frequently than samples collected from the North Fork White River. Nitrogen to phosphorus molar ratios collected from July to September indicate movement from colimitation (10–22) to nitrogen limited (less than 13) conditions at the North Fork White River at Buford, Colo. and the South Fork White River at Buford, Colo. starting in 2012. The magnitude of trends in phosphorus loads were generally greater than trends in concentrations across all sites, indicating that the largest changes in concentrations occurred during greater streamflow periods. At White River above Coal Creek, near Meeker, Colo., significant downward trends in streamflow were found in August and September for mean streamflow (15 and 14 percent per decade, respectively) and 7-day minimum streamflows (23 and 22 percent per decade, respectively). Significant downward trends in annual 7-day minimum streamflows of 24 percent per decade, or 66 percent over the 40-year period of analysis, were also observed. Though not significant based on 90-percent confidence intervals, downward trends in 1-day maximum and mean streamflows in May and June and corresponding increases in April may indicate a shift toward earlier snowmelt runoff, as observed across western North America and the Colorado River Basin. Alteration of the annual hydrograph can influence factors that influence algae including nutrient input and dilution potential, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, light availability, and physical disturbance. Results from a synoptic-style sampling identified the lower North Fork White River subbasin as a large source of phosphorus to the downstream system. Large increases in phosphorus loads were observed below Marvine Creek. Synoptic samples and samples collected during spring and summer of 2019 and 2020 also show large increases in total nitrogen, orthophosphate, and total phosphorus occurring at the furthest three downstream sites on the White River. To further evaluate sources of nitrogen in the upper White River Basin, the dual isotopic composition of nitrate was compared across four sites. The isotopic compositions of nitrate were all within the expected range of typical soil-derived nitrate, though the same values can also be derived from a mixture of agricultural fertilizer and manure or septic sources.

Colorado↗
USGS1996

Summary of biological investigations relating to water quality in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, Wisconsin and Michigan

This report summarizes aquatic biological studies relevant to water-quality assessment that have been done in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages from 1891 to 1996. The objective of the summary was to compile sources of biological data for the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The studies are divided into four categories: (1) populations and community structure of aquatic biota, (2) health of aquatic biota, (3) chemical concentrations in tissues of aquatic biota, and (4) toxicity tests by use of aquatic biota. Studies are further categorized by subbasin, spatial scale (regional or local), types of biota, and, if applicable, effect or contaminant investigated. For the purposes of this report, the study area is divided into five subbasins. The subbasins, from north to south, are (1) the Ford/Escanaba Subbasin in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and in Wisconsin, (2) the Menominee/ Oconto/Peshtigo Subbasin, (3) the Fox/Wolf Subbasin, (4) the Sheboygan/Manitowoc/Twin Subbasin, and (5) the Milwaukee Subbasin. Most biological studies related to waterquality conditions in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages have focused on populations and community structure of aquatic biota. Chemical concentrations in tissues of aquatic biota have been the next most common area of research. Our review suggests a paucity of data related to the health of all types of aquatic biota, especially amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles; toxicity studies also were relatively uncommon. Overall, organisms primarily studied have been fish and invertebrates, although birds are most frequently examined in studies of organism health. The Fox/ Wolf Subbasin has been the focus of many more studies than the other subbasins, most likely because of the greater extent and severity of known water-quality problems in the Lower Fox River/Green Bay area over the past several decades and because it is the largest subbasin. Studies in the other subbasins are needed to adequately assess the water quality of these areas.

Michigan, Wisconsin↗
USGS1976

Prehnite in plutonic and metamorphic rocks of the northern Santa Lucia Range, Salinian block, California

Prehnite is abundant as monomineralic veins, as lenses in biotite, and as discrete patches and apparent primary crystals in both plutonic and metamorphic rocks along the west edge of the Salinian block in the northern Santa Lucia Range. The prehnite appears to be concentrated near the Sur fault zone but is very rare in Franciscan rocks west of the fault zone. The prehnite does not appear to have been derived by local alteration of minerals in the country rocks (either plutonic or metamorphic). I suggest that solutions, derived from a "substratum" (possibly Franciscan graywacke) beneath the tectonically thinned west margin of the Salinian block, migrated through the fractured rocks of the Salinian block near the Sur fault zone and that the chemical and physical nature of these rocks favored selective prehnite deposition.

California↗