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At least 1,513 records · Page 84Linked to original sources
USGS2015

Baseline Coastal Oblique Aerial Photographs Collected from Navarre Beach, Florida, to Breton Island, Louisiana, September 1, 2014

Summary The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as part of the National Assessment for Coastal Change Hazards Project, conducts baseline and storm response photography missions to document and understand the changes in vulnerability of the Nation's coasts to extreme storms (Morgan, 2009). On September 1, 2014, the USGS conducted an oblique aerial photographic survey from Navarre Beach, Florida, to Breton Island, Louisiana (Figure 1), aboard a Maule MT57 aircraft at an altitude of 500 feet (ft) and approximately 1,200 ft offshore (Figure 2). This mission was flown to collect baseline data for assessing incremental changes since the last survey, flown July 2013, and the data can be used in the assessment of future coastal change. The photographs provided here are Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) images. ExifTool was used to add the following to the header of each photo: time of collection, Global Positioning System (GPS) latitude, GPS longitude, keywords, credit, artist (photographer), caption, copyright, and contact information. The photograph locations are an estimate of the position of the aircraft and do not indicate the location of any feature in the images (see the Navigation Data page). These photographs document the configuration of the barrier islands and other coastal features at the time of the survey. Pages containing thumbnail images of the photographs, referred to as contact sheets, were created in 5-minute segments of flight time. These segments can be found on the Photos and Maps page. Photographs can be opened directly with any JPEG-compatible image viewer by clicking on a thumbnail on the contact sheet. Table 1 provides detailed information about the GPS location, image name, and date of each of the 1,111 photographs taken along with links to each photograph. In addition to the photographs, a Google Earth Keyhole Markup Language (KML) file is provided and can be used to view the images by clicking on the marker and then clicking on either the thumbnail or the link above the thumbnail. The KML files were created using the photographic navigation files.

Alabama, Florida, Lousianna, Mississippi↗
USGS2015

Baseline coastal oblique aerial photographs collected from Key Largo, Florida, to the Florida/Georgia border, September 5-6, 2014

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts baseline and storm response photography missions to document and understand the changes in vulnerability of the Nation's coasts to extreme storms (Morgan, 2009). On September 5-6, 2014, the USGS conducted an oblique aerial photographic survey from Key Largo, Florida, to the Florida/Georgia border (Figure 1), aboard a Cessna 182 at an altitude of 500 feet (ft) and approximately 1,200 ft offshore ( Figure 2 ). This mission was flown to collect baseline data for assessing incremental changes since the last survey, flown October 1998, and the data can be used in the assessment of future coastal change. The photographs provided here are Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) images. ExifTool was used to add the following to the header of each photo: time of collection, Global Positioning System (GPS) latitude, GPS longitude, keywords, credit, artist (photographer), caption, copyright, and contact information. The photograph locations are an estimate of the position of the aircraft and do not indicate the location of any feature in the images (see the Navigation Data page). These photographs document the state of the barrier islands and other coastal features at the time of the survey. Pages containing thumbnail images of the photographs, referred to as contact sheets, were created in 5-minute segments of flight time. These segments can be found on the Photos and Maps page. Photographs can be opened directly with any JPEG-compatible image viewer by clicking on a thumbnail on the contact sheet. Table 1 provides detailed information about the GPS location, image name, date, and time of each of the 3,892 photographs taken along with links to each photograph. In addition to the photographs, a Google Earth Keyhole Markup Language (KML) file is provided and can be used to view the images by clicking on the marker and then clicking on either the thumbnail or the link above the thumbnail. The KML files were created using the photographic navigation files. These KML files can be found in the kml folder.

Florida↗
USGS2015

Installation of a groundwater monitoring-well network on the east side of the Uncompahgre River in the Lower Gunnison River Basin, Colorado, 2014

The east side of the Uncompahgre River Basin has been a known contributor of dissolved selenium to recipient streams. Discharge of groundwater containing dissolved selenium contributes to surface-water selenium concentrations and loads; however, the groundwater system on the east side of the Uncompahgre River Basin is not well characterized. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Bureau of Reclamation, has established a groundwater-monitoring network on the east side of the Uncompahgre River Basin. Thirty wells total were installed for this project: 10 in 2012 (DS 923, http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ds923 ), and 20 monitoring wells were installed during April and June 2014 which are presented in this report. This report presents location data, lithologic logs, well-construction diagrams, and well-development information. Understanding the groundwater system can provide managers with an additional metric for evaluating the effectiveness of salinity and selenium control projects.

Colorado↗
USGS2015

Chemical and ancillary data associated with bed sediment, young of year Bluefish ( Pomatomus saltatrix ) tissue, and mussel ( Mytilus edulis and Geukensia demissa ) tissue collected after Hurricane Sandy in bays and estuaries of New Jersey and New York, 2013–14

This report describes the methods and data associated with a reconnaissance study of young of year bluefish and mussel tissue samples as well as bed sediment collected as bluefish habitat indicators during August 2013–April 2014 in New Jersey and New York following Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. This study was funded by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (PL 113-2) and was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Young of year Pomatomus saltatrix (bluefish) were collected from nine sites in New Jersey (N.J.) and New York (N.Y.) including Barnegat Bay, N.J., Sandy Hook Bay, N.J., Jamaica Bay, N.Y., and Great South Bay, N.Y., and analyzed for indicators of health and chemical contamination. At each bluefish sampling location, bed sediment was also collected and analyzed for a suite of contaminants. Resident mussels, Mytilus edulis (blue mussels) and (or) Geukensia demissa (ribbed mussels), were collected from 11 historic NOAA Mussel Watch Program sites along the N.J. and N.Y. coastlines in the winter/spring of 2014 and analyzed for contaminants. Individual age of a subset of the mussels sampled was also determined at each site. Bed sediment samples were analyzed for a suite of organic contaminants including 34 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, 28 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners, 24 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 53 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs, 33 aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHs), and 10 petroleum biomarkers (steranes and hopanes). Bed sediment collected from the Navesink River (Sandy Hook, N.J.), Metedeconk River (Barnegat Bay, N.J.), and Toms River (Barnegat Bay, N.J.) had the highest concentrations of contaminants compared to the other sites. Bluefish and mussel tissue collected throughout the study area was analyzed for 34 PCB congeners, 28 PBDE congeners, and 24 OCPs. Thirty-three PCB congeners, 22 PBDE congeners, and 24 OCPs were detected in the bluefish analyzed. The highest median concentrations of total PCBs were present in tissue from Jamaica Bay, N.Y., whereas the highest median concentrations of total PBDEs and total OCPs were present in tissue from Sandy Hook Bay. Of the OCPs detected, p,p’ -DDE was found in 99 percent (%) of the tissue samples and at the highest median concentrations compared to the other OCPs. Fish health assessments were conducted on 20 fish from the 4 bays. Results indicate that the sex ratio and the mean total length varied by site. Physical fish damage, such as lesions and parasites, was observed in fish from all four bays. The most common parasite observed visually was the presence of Livoneca redmanii , an ectoparasitic gill isopod, which can cause localized gill erosion. The prevalence of the gill isopod infestation ranged from 20% at Great South Bay, N.Y., to 35% at Jamaica Bay, N.Y. Twenty three PCB congeners, 9 PBDE congeners, and 20 OCPs were detected in composite mussel samples collected throughout the study area. The co-eluting PCB congeners 153 and 132, PBDE 47, 99, and 100, and p,p’ -DDE were detected in samples from each site. The highest median concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs were present in mussels from Raritan Bay, N.Y., whereas the highest median concentrations of OCPs were present in mussels from Fire Island Inlet, N.Y., and Shark River, N.J. Mytilus edulis (blue mussels) and Geukensia demissa (ribbed mussels) were thin-sectioned and aged. The blue mussels collected ranged in age from 4 to 13 years, and the ribbed mussels ranged in age from 3 to 12 years.

New Jersey, New York↗
USGS2015

Baseline coastal oblique aerial photographs collected from the Virginia/North Carolina border to Montauk Point, New York, October 5-6, 2014

Summary The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts baseline and storm response photography missions to document and understand the changes in vulnerability of the Nation's coasts to extreme storms (Morgan, 2009). On October 5-6, 2014, the USGS conducted an oblique aerial photographic survey from the Virginia/North Carolina border to Montauk Point, New York, aboard a Cessna 182 at an altitude of 500 feet (ft) and approximately 1,200 ft offshore. This mission was flown to collect baseline data to assess incremental changes since the last survey, flown in November 2012, and the data can be used in the assessment of future coastal change. The images provided in this report are Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) images. ExifTool was used to add the following to the header of each photo: time of collection, Global Positioning System (GPS) latitude, GPS longitude, keywords, credit, artist (photographer), caption, copyright, and contact information. The photograph locations are an estimate of the position of the aircraft and do not indicate the location of any feature in the images (see the Navigation Data page). These photographs document the state of the barrier islands and other coastal features at the time of the survey. Pages containing thumbnail images of the photographs, referred to as contact sheets, were created in five-minute segments of flight time. These segments can be found on the Photos and Maps page. Photographs can be opened directly with any JPEG-compatible image viewer by clicking on a thumbnail on the contact sheet. In addition to the photographs, a Google Earth Keyhole Markup Language (KML) file is provided and can be used to view the images by clicking on the marker and then clicking on either the thumbnail or the link above the thumbnail. The KML files were created using the photographic navigation files.

New York, North Carolina, Virginia↗
USGS2015

Biological data for water in Lake Powell and from Glen Canyon Dam releases, Utah and Arizona, 1990–2009

Biological samples from various locations on Lake Powell and in the Colorado River in the tail water downstream of Glen Canyon Dam were collected by the Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey from December 1990 through December 2009 as part of a long-term water-quality monitoring program that began in 1964. These samples consisted of discrete (1-m deep) chlorophyll samples, discrete (1-m deep) wholewater phytoplankton samples, and 30-m vertically composited zooplankton samples filtered through an 80-µm plankton net. Chlorophyll concentration was determined by acetone extraction followed by trichromatic spectroscopy on 2,051 samples. Phytoplankton analysis consisted of identification to the genus or species level, enumeration, and estimation of biovolume on 1,397 samples. Phytoplankton analysis identified 646 different phytoplankton taxa. Zooplankton analysis consisted of identification to the genus or species level, enumeration, and estimation of biomass from 1,898 samples. Zooplankton analysis identified 114 different zooplankton taxa. The results of these analyses are presented in this report. From this record, further interpretation may be made concerning primary and secondary production in Lake Powell. These data provide a linkage between physical and chemical water-quality data and fisheries investigations in Lake Powell. They also provide information regarding the export of biological material from Glen Canyon Dam.

Utah, Arizona↗
USGS2016

Database compilation for the geologic map of the San Francisco volcanic field, north-central Arizona

The main component of this publication is a geologic map database prepared using geographic information system (GIS) applications. The geodatabase of geologic points, lines, and polygons was produced as a compilation from five adjoining map sections originally published as printed maps in 1987 (see references in metadata). Four of the sections (U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Maps MF–1957, MF–1958, MF–1959, MF–1960) were created by scanning and geo-referencing stable base map material consisting of mylar positives. The final section (MF–1956) was compiled by hand tracing an enlargement of the available printed paper base map onto mylar using a #00 rapidograph pen, the mylar positive was then digitally scanned and geo-referenced. This method was chosen because the original basemap materials (mylar positives) for the MF–1956 section were unavailable at the time of this publication. Due to the condition of the available MF–1956 map section used as the base (which had previously been folded) the accuracy within the boundary of the MF–1956 section is presumed to be degraded in certain areas. The locations of the degraded areas and the degree of degradation within these areas is unclear. Final compilation of the database was completed using the ArcScan toolset, and the Editor toolset in ESRI ArcMap 10.1. Polygon topology was created from the lines and labels were added to the resultant geological polygons, lines, and points. Joseph A. Bard and David W. Ramsey updated and corrected the geodatabase, created the metadata and web presence, and provided the GIS-expertise to bring the geodatabase and metadata to completion. Included are links to files to view or print the original map sheets and the accompanying pamphlets. The orignial geologic maps were prepared under the Geothermal Research Program of the U.S. Geological Survey as a basis for interpreting the history of magmatic activity in the volcanic field. The San Francisco field, which is largely Pleistocene in age, is in northern Arizona, just north of the broad transition zone between the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range province. It is one of several dominantly basaltic volcanic fields of the late Cenozoic age situated near the margin of the Colorado Plateau. The volcanic field contains rocks ranging in composition from basalt to rhyolite—the products of eruption through Precambrian basement rocks and approximately a kilometer of overlying, nearly horizontal, Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. About 500 km 3 of erupted rocks cover about 5,000 km 2 of predominantly Permian and locally preserved Triassic sedimentary rocks that form the erosionally stripped surface of the Colorado Plateau in Northern Arizona.

Arizona↗
USGS2015

Water-level data for the Albuquerque Basin and adjacent areas, central New Mexico, period of record through September 30, 2014

The Albuquerque Basin, located in central New Mexico, is about 100 miles long and 25–40 miles wide. The basin is hydrologically defined as the extent of consolidated and unconsolidated deposits of Tertiary and Quaternary age that encompasses the structural Rio Grande Rift. Drinking-water supplies throughout the basin were obtained solely from groundwater resources until December 2008, when treatment and distribution of surface water from the Rio Grande through the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project began. A 20-percent population increase in the basin from 1990 to 2000 and a 22-percent population increase from 2000 to 2010 resulted in an increased demand for water. An initial network of wells was established by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the City of Albuquerque from April 1982 through September 1983 to monitor changes in groundwater levels throughout the basin. This network consisted of 6 wells with analog-to-digital recorders and 27 wells where water levels were measured monthly in 1983. The network currently (2014) consists of 125 wells and piezometers. (A piezometer is a specialized well open to a specific depth in the aquifer, often of small diameter and nested with other piezometers open to different depths.) The USGS, in cooperation with the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority, currently (2014) measures and reports water levels from the 125 wells and piezometers in the network; this report presents water-level data collected by USGS personnel at those 125 sites through water year 2014 (October 1, 2013, to September 30, 2014).

New Mexico↗
USGS2015

Public-supply water use in Kansas, 2013

This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Water Resources, presents derivative statistics of water used by Kansas public-supply systems in 2013. The published statistics from the previous 4 years (2009–12) are also shown with the 2013 statistics and are used to calculate a 5-year average. An overall Kansas average and regional averages also are calculated and presented.

Kansas↗
USGS2015

Topographic and hydrographic survey data for the São Francisco River near Torrinha, Bahia, Brazil, 2014

Navigable inland waterways, including lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, are important transportation routes for people and goods in Brazil. Natural and anthropogenic effects coupled with recent severe droughts have led to decreased inland waterway navigation. The Company for Development of the São Francisco and Parnaíba River Valleys (CODEVASF) has recognized the decrease in waterway navigation and is investing resources to help restore selected reaches of the São Francisco River for navigation. In 2011, CODEVASF signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) seeking technical assistance and engineering expertise in waterway navigation and bank stabilization. The Torrinha-Itacoatiara study reach near Torrinha, Bahia was 1 of 12 conceptual waterway navigation improvement feasibility studies and was the focus of this study. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the USACE and CODEVASF, collected topographic and hydrographic data from May 22 to June 12, 2014, to provide baseline data for supporting computational streamflow models. This report presents the surveying techniques and data-processing methods used to collect, process, and disseminate topographic and hydrographic data. All standard and non‑standard data-collection methods, techniques, and data process methods were documented. Additional discussion describes the quality-assurance and quality-control elements used in this study, along with the limitations for the Torrinha-Itacoatiara study reach data. The topographic and hydrographic geospatial data are published along with associated metadata.

Bahia↗
USGS2015

Hydrologic data for the Walker River Basin, Nevada and California, water years 2010–14

Walker Lake is a threatened and federally protected desert terminal lake in western Nevada. To help protect the desert terminal lake and the surrounding watershed, the Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey have been studying the hydrology of the Walker River Basin in Nevada and California since 2004. Hydrologic data collected for this study during water years 2010 through 2014 included groundwater levels, surface-water discharge, water chemistry, and meteorological data. Groundwater levels were measured in wells, and surface-water discharge was measured in streams, canals, and ditches. Water samples for chemical analyses were collected from wells, streams, springs, and Walker Lake. Chemical analyses included determining physical properties; the concentrations of major ions, nutrients, trace metals, dissolved gases, and radionuclides; and ratios of the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. Walker Lake water properties and meteorological parameters were monitored from a floating platform on the lake. Data collection methods followed established U.S. Geological Survey guidelines, and all data are stored in the National Water Information System database. All of the data are presented in this report and accessible on the internet, except multiple-depth Walker Lake water-chemistry data, which are available only in this report.

California, Nevada↗
USGS2015

Land-cover types, shoreline positions, and sand extents derived From Landsat satellite imagery, Assateague Island to Metompkin Island, Maryland and Virginia, 1984 to 2014

The U.S. Geological Survey has a long history of responding to and documenting the impacts of storms along the Nation’s coasts and incorporating these data into storm impact and coastal change vulnerability assessments. These studies, however, have traditionally focused on sandy shorelines and sandy barrier-island systems, without consideration of impacts to coastal wetlands. The goal of the Barrier Island and Estuarine Wetland Physical Change Assessment project is to integrate a wetland-change assessment with existing coastal-change assessments for the adjacent sandy dunes and beaches, initially focusing on Assateague Island along the Maryland and Virginia coastline. Assateague Island was impacted by waves and storm surge associated with the passage of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, including erosion and overwash along the ocean-facing sandy shoreline as well as erosion and overwash deposition in the back-barrier and estuarine bay environments. This report serves as an archive of data that were derived from Landsat 5 and Landsat 8 imagery from 1984 to 2014, including wetland and terrestrial habitat extents; open-ocean, back-barrier, and estuarine mainland shoreline positions; and sand-line positions along the estuarine mainland and barrier shorelines from Assateague Island, Maryland to Metompkin Island, Virginia. The geographic information system data files with accompanying formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata can be downloaded from the Data Downloads page.

Maryland, Virginia↗
USGS2015

Incorporating future change into current conservation planning: Evaluating tidal saline wetland migration along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast under alternative sea-level rise and urbanization scenarios

In this study, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, quantified the potential for landward migration of tidal saline wetlands along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast under alternative future sea-level rise and urbanization scenarios. Our analyses focused exclusively on tidal saline wetlands (that is, mangrove forests, salt marshes, and salt flats), and we combined these diverse tidal saline wetland ecosystems into a single grouping, “tidal saline wetland.” Collectively, our approach and findings can provide useful information for scientists and environmental planners working to develop future-focused adaptation strategies for conserving coastal landscapes and the ecosystem goods and services provided by tidal saline wetlands. The primary product of this work is a public dataset that identifies locations where landward migration of tidal saline wetlands is expected to occur under alternative future sea-level rise and urbanization scenarios. In addition to identifying areas where landward migration of tidal saline wetlands is possible because of the absence of barriers, these data also identify locations where landward migration of these wetlands could be prevented by barriers associated with current urbanization, future urbanization, and levees.

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas↗
USGS2016

Archive of Digital Chirp Subbottom Profile Data Collected During USGS Cruise 14BIM05 Offshore of Breton Island, Louisiana, August 2014

From August 11 to 31, 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey ( USGS ), in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ( USFWS ), conducted a geophysical survey to investigate the geologic controls on barrier island framework and long-term sediment transport offshore of Breton Island, Louisiana as part of a broader USGS study on Barrier Island Mapping ( BIM ). Additional details related to this activity can be found by searching the USGS's Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System (CMGDS), for field activity 2014-317-FA (also known as 14BIM05). These surveys were funded through the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program ( CMGP ) and the Louisiana Outer Coast Early Restoration Project. This report serves as an archive of unprocessed digital chirp subbottom data, trackline maps, navigation files, Geographic Information System ( GIS ) files, Field Activity Collection System ( FACS ) logs, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee ( FGDC ) metadata. Gained digital images of the seismic profiles are also provided. Refer to the Abbreviations page for explanations of acronyms and abbreviations used in this report. All chirp systems use an acoustic signal of continuously varying frequency; the EdgeTech 512i system used during this survey produced high-resolution, shallow-penetration (typically less than 50 milliseconds [ ms] ) profile images of sub-seafloor stratigraphy. The towfish contains a transducer that transmits and receives acoustic energy and typically is towed 1–2 meters ( m ) below the sea surface. As transmitted acoustic energy intersects density boundaries, such as the seafloor or sub-surface sediment layers, some energy is reflected back toward the transducer, received, and recorded by a Personal Computer ( PC) -based seismic acquisition system. This process is repeated at regular intervals (for example, 0.125 seconds ( s) ) and returned energy is recorded for a specific duration (for example, 50 ms ). In this way, a two-dimensional ( 2-D ) vertical image of the shallow geologic structure beneath the ship's track is produced. Figure 2 displays the acquisition geometry. Refer to table 1 for a summary of acquisition parameters and table 2 for trackline statistics. The archived trace data are in standard SEG Y rev. 0 format (Barry and others, 1975); the first 3,200 bytes of the card image header are in American Standard Code for Information Interchange ( ASCII ) format instead of Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code ( EBCDIC ) format. The SEG Y files are available on the DVD version of this report or online, downloadable via the USGS Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System ( http://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov ). The data are also available for viewing using GeoMapApp ( http://www.geomapapp.org ) and Virtual Ocean ( http://www.virtualocean.org ) multi-platform open source software. The Web version of this archive does not contain the SEG Y trace files. To obtain the complete DVD archive, contact USGS Information Services at 1-888-ASK-USGS or infoservices@usgs.gov. The SEG Y files may be downloaded and processed with commercial or public domain software such as Seismic Unix ( SU ) (Cohen and Stockwell, 2010). See the How To Download SEG Y Data page for download instructions. The printable profiles are provided as Graphics Interchange Format ( GIF ) images processed and gained using SU software and can be viewed from the Profiles page or by using the links located on the trackline maps; refer to the Software page for links to example SU processing scripts.

Louisana↗
USGS2015

Chemical concentrations and instantaneous loads, Green River to the Lower Duwamish Waterway near Seattle, Washington, 2013–15

In November 2013, U.S. Geological Survey streamgaging equipment was installed at a historical water-quality station on the Duwamish River, Washington, within the tidal influence at river kilometer 16.7 (U.S. Geological Survey site 12113390; Duwamish River at Golf Course at Tukwila, WA). Publicly available, real-time continuous data includes river streamflow, stream velocity, and turbidity. Between November 2013 and March 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey collected representative samples of water, suspended sediment, or bed sediment from the streamgaging station during 28 periods of differing flow conditions. Samples were analyzed by Washington-State-accredited laboratories for a large suite of compounds, including metals, dioxins/furans, semivolatile compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, butytins, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) Aroclors and the 209 PCB congeners, volatile organic compounds, hexavalent chromium, and total and dissolved organic carbon. Metals, PCB congeners, and dioxins/furans were frequently detected in unfiltered-water samples, and concentrations typically increased with increasing suspended-sediment concentrations. Chemical concentrations in suspendedsediment samples were variable between sampling periods. The highest concentrations of many chemicals in suspended sediment were measured during summer and early autumn storm periods. Median chemical concentrations in suspended-sediment samples were greater than median chemical concentrations in fine bed sediment (less than 62.5 µm) samples, which were greater than median chemical concentrations in paired bulk bed sediment (less than 2 mm) samples. Suspended-sediment concentration, sediment particle-size distribution, and general water-quality parameters were measured concurrent with the chemistry sampling. From this discrete data, combined with the continuous streamflow record, estimates of instantaneous sediment and chemical loads from the Green River to the Lower Duwamish Waterway were calculated. For most compounds, loads were higher during storms than during baseline conditions because of high streamflow and high chemical concentrations. The highest loads occurred during dam releases (periods when stored runoff from a prior storm is released from the Howard Hanson Dam into the upper Green River) because of the high river streamflow and high suspended-sediment concentration, even when chemical concentrations were lower than concentrations measured during storm events.

Washington↗
USGS2016

Modeled streamflow metrics on small, ungaged stream reaches in the Upper Colorado River Basin

Modeling streamflow is an important approach for understanding landscape-scale drivers of flow and estimating flows where there are no streamgage records. In this study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Colorado State University, the objectives were to model streamflow metrics on small, ungaged streams in the Upper Colorado River Basin and identify streams that are potentially threatened with becoming intermittent under drier climate conditions. The Upper Colorado River Basin is a region that is critical for water resources and also projected to experience large future climate shifts toward a drying climate. A random forest modeling approach was used to model the relationship between streamflow metrics and environmental variables. Flow metrics were then projected to ungaged reaches in the Upper Colorado River Basin using environmental variables for each stream, represented as raster cells, in the basin. Last, the projected random forest models of minimum flow coefficient of variation and specific mean daily flow were used to highlight streams that had greater than 61.84 percent minimum flow coefficient of variation and less than 0.096 specific mean daily flow and suggested that these streams will be most threatened to shift to intermittent flow regimes under drier climate conditions. Map projection products can help scientists, land managers, and policymakers understand current hydrology in the Upper Colorado River Basin and make informed decisions regarding water resources. With knowledge of which streams are likely to undergo significant drying in the future, managers and scientists can plan for stream-dependent ecosystems and human water users.

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming↗
USGS2015

The U.S. Geological Survey coal quality (COALQUAL) database version 3.0

Since the mid-1970s, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has maintained a coal quality database of national scope named USCHEM, which currently contains data for over 13,000 samples. A subset of the USCHEM database called COALQUAL Version 1.3 was initially published in 1994 and was followed by Version 2.0 in 1997. Version 3.0 of the COALQUAL database represents a major editing effort to resolve some of the DOS software limitations used by earlier versions of the database. Because of database size limits during the development of COALQUAL Version 1.3, many analyses of individual bench samples were merged into whole coal bed averages. The methodology for making these composite intervals was not consistent. Size limits also restricted the amount of georeferencing information and forced removal of qualifier notations such as "less than detection limit" (<) information, which can cause problems when using the data. A review of the original data sheets revealed that COALQUAL Version 2.0 was missing information that was needed for a complete understanding of a coal section. Another important database issue to resolve was the USGS "remnant moisture" problem. Prior to 1998, tests for remnant moisture (as-determined moisture in the sample at the time of analysis) were not performed on any USGS major, minor, or trace element coal analyses. Without the remnant moisture, it is impossible to convert the analyses to a usable basis (as-received, dry, etc.). Based on remnant moisture analyses of hundreds of samples of different ranks (and known residual moisture) reported after 1998, it was possible to develop a method to provide reasonable estimates of remnant moisture for older data to make it more useful in COALQUAL Version 3.0. In addition, COALQUAL Version 3.0 is improved by (1) adding qualifiers, including statistical programming to deal with the qualifiers; (2) clarifying the sample compositing problems; and (3) adding associated samples. Version 3.0 of COALQUAL also represents the first attempt to incorporate data verification by mathematically crosschecking certain analytical parameters. Finally, a new database system was designed and implemented to replace the outdated DOS program used in earlier versions of the database.

Data Series↗
USGS2016

DOI/GTN-P Climate and active-layer data acquired in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 1998–2014

This report provides data collected by the climate monitoring array of the U.S. Department of the Interior on Federal lands in Arctic Alaska over the period August 1998 to July 2014; this array is part of the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (DOI/GTN-P). In addition to presenting data, this report also describes monitoring, data collection, and quality-control methods. The array of 16 monitoring stations spans lat 68.5&deg;N. to 70.5&deg;N. and long 142.5&deg;W. to 161&deg;W., an area of approximately 150,000 square kilometers. Climate summaries are presented along with quality-controlled data. Data collection is ongoing and includes the following climate- and permafrost-related variables: air temperature, wind speed and direction, ground temperature, soil moisture, snow depth, rainfall totals, up- and downwelling shortwave radiation, and atmospheric pressure. These data were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in close collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Alaska↗