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At least 1,549 records · Page 86Linked to original sources
USGS2025

Ambient field seismology in critical zone hydrological sciences

Passive ambient noise monitoring is an emerging tool in environmental seismology, leveraging the ambient seismic field to assess temporal variations in shallow subsurface properties. This review focuses on the potential and challenges of using scattered coda waves from noise correlation functions to monitor critical zone dynamics. The sensitivity of seismic velocities to various environmental factors, including precipitation, snowmelt, atmospheric pressure, and groundwater fluctuations, underscores the method’s versatility. While coda waves excel in detecting subtle changes due to their scattered nature, ballistic waves provide higher spatial resolution, albeit with challenges in source stability. Advances in seismic sensing, including distributed acoustic sensing and low-cost geophone networks, have enabled high-resolution monitoring of hydrological processes, subsurface deformation, and seismic hazards. Integrating seismic data with hydrological models provides insights into water storage, pore pressure changes, and soil moisture dynamics. However, limitations in spatial resolution, calibration with ground truth data, and coupled effects between environmental factors remain key challenges. This review emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in refining methodologies, enhancing sensor deployments, and addressing data gaps. Passive seismic monitoring offers opportunities to understand critical zone processes and their broader impacts on seismic hazards and environmental sustainability.

Comptes Rendus. Géoscience↗
USGS2026

Abundance and movement patterns of fish accessing a reconnected Lake Erie coastal wetland: Insights from high-resolution sonar data

Coastal wetlands of the Laurentian Great Lakes are complex ecosystems that provide essential biological services, including providing habitat for a suite of fish species. As restoration efforts for these coastal wetlands increase, there is a need to characterize how well restored areas support the life histories of wetland, riverine, and lake fishes. Most traditional survey methods (e.g. 24hr trap netting, visual surveys) are implemented over periods of time that make it difficult to describe short-term fluxes in fish activity, especially in waters with difficult access or high turbidity. To address this gap, we used acoustic sonar technology to evaluate fish movement in a recently reconnected coastal wetland on the southern shore of western Lake Erie. Data collected over four years (2011-2014) indicated that the 10 ha wetland was continuously utilized by millions of fish, with discernible fluctuations in usage patterns observed on both daily and annual scales. These insights add to our understanding of how fish assemblages respond to restored coastal wetland habitats and can inform management decisions that may impact fish access (e.g. conduct management activities that may be disruptive to fish populations during periods of reduced utilization). Additional study of short-term fish movements using high-resolution sonar and other technologies will reveal patterns that may enhance the effectiveness of restoration and management efforts in Great Lakes coastal wetlands.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2022

Hydrological and lock operation conditions associated with paddlefish and bigheaded carp dam passage on a large and small scale in the Upper Mississippi River (Pools 14–18)

Movement and dispersal of migratory fish species is an important life-history characteristics that can be impeded by navigation dams. Although habitat fragmentation may be detrimental to native fish species, it might act as an effective and economical barrier for controlling the spread of invasive species in riverine systems. Various technologies have been proposed as potential fish deterrents at locks and dams to reduce bigheaded carp (i.e., silver carp and bighead carp ( Hypophthalmichthys spp.)) range expansion in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR). Lock and Dam (LD) 15 is infrequently at open-river condition (spillway gates completely open; hydraulic head across the dam <0.4 m) and has been identified as a potential location for fish deterrent implementation. We used acoustic telemetry to evaluate paddlefish passage at UMR dams and to evaluate seasonal and diel movement of paddlefish and bigheaded carp relative to environmental conditions and lock operations at LD 15. We observed successful paddlefish passage at all dams, with the highest number of passages occurring at LDs 17 and 16. Paddlefish residency events in the downstream lock approach of LD 15 occurred more frequently and for longer durations than residency events of bigheaded carp. We documented upstream passages completed by two individual paddlefish through the lock chamber at LD 15, and a single bighead carp completed upstream passage through the lock chamber during two separate years of this study. We identified four bigheaded carp and 19 paddlefish that made upstream passages through the spillway gates at LD 15 during this study. The majority of the upstream passages through the spillway gates for both species occurred during open river conditions. When hydraulic head was approximately 1-m or greater, we observed these taxa opt for upstream passage through the lock chamber more often than the dam gates. In years with infrequent open-river condition, a deterrent placed in the downstream lock approach may assist in meeting the management goal of reducing upstream passage of bigheaded carps but could also potentially affect paddlefish residency and passage. Continued study to understand the effects of deterrents on native fish could be beneficial for implementing an integrated bigheaded carp control strategy. Understanding fish behavior at UMR dams is a critical information need for river managers as they evaluate potential tools or technologies to control upstream expansion of bigheaded carp in the UMR.

Illinois, Iowa↗
USGS2024

Bayesian multistate models for measuring invasive carp movement and evaluating telemetry array performance

Understanding the movement patterns of an invasive species can be a powerful tool in designing effective management and control strategies. Here, we used a Bayesian multistate model to investigate the movement of two invasive carp species, silver carp ( Hypophthalmichthys molitrix ) and bighead carp ( H. nobilis ), using acoustic telemetry. The invaded portions of the Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers, USA, are a high priority management zone in the broader efforts to combat the spread of invasive carps from reaching the Laurentian Great Lakes. Our main objective was to characterize the rates of upstream and downstream movements by carps between river pools that are maintained by navigation lock and dam structures. However, we also aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the available telemetry infrastructure to monitor carp movements through this system. We found that, on a monthly basis, most individuals of both species remained within their current river pools: averaging 76.2% of silver carp and 75.5% of bighead carp. Conversely, a smaller proportion of silver carp, averaging 14.2%, and bighead carp, averaging 13.9%, moved to downstream river pools. Movements towards upstream pools were the least likely for both species, with silver carp at an average of 6.7% and bighead carp at 7.9%. The highest probabilities for upstream movements were for fish originating from the three most downstream river pools, where most of the population recruitment occurs. However, our evaluation of the telemetry array’s effectiveness indicated low probability to detect fish in this portion of the river. We provide insights to enhance the placement and use of these monitoring tools, aiming to deepen our comprehension of these species’ movement patterns in the system.

Illinois↗
USGS2022

Analytical assessments in support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 3-bat species status assessment

Beginning in February of 2020, researchers and staff of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Bat Conservation International (BCI), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Montana State University associated with the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) collaborated with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to provide technical assistance in support of the USFWS Three Bat Species Status Assessments (SSA) including the little brown bat (MYLU, Myotis lucifugus), northern long-eared bat (MYSE, Myotis septentrionalis), and tricolored bat (PESU, Perimyotis subflavus). Analytical support for the SSA was not intended to provide interpretive results, which should therefore be considered beyond the scope of this report. Technical assistance for the SSA included facilitating the USFWS data call by educating and working directly with data contributors to manage, submit, and archive a variety of bat monitoring data in the online NABat database1 using standardized data submission templates accessible through the upload features on the NABat website. Most data collected through the USFWS data call for the SSA were submitted and stored in the NABat database. These represent the efforts of hundreds of partnering organizations across more than 200 individual NABat Partner Portal Projects. A few organizations contributed data for use in these analyses that were not submitted to the NABat database. Records submitted in response to the USFWS data call included bat capture, stationary and mobile acoustic, and internal roost count data (winter and summer). Data collated in the NABat database and used for the analyses described herein are documented (NABat 2020a, NABat 2020b, NABat 2021) and available through the NABat third party request feature.

Report↗
USGS1998

Evidence for buoyancy regulation as a speciation mechanism in Great Lakes ciscoes

We present evidence for a hypothesis that the deepwater ciscoes ( Coregonus spp.) of the Laurentian Great Lakes were selected for buoyancy-regulation traits that facilitated planktivory on Mysis relict , a crustacean that undertakes extensive diel vertical migration (DVM). We assessed the vertical distribution and behavior of bloaters ( C. hoyi ) in Lake Michigan with bottom and mid-water trawls in late summer 1987 and with acoustics in August 1995. Biomass of bloaters on the lake bottom was reduced by 84% at night. Mean size of bloaters increased with depth as did the reduction in night biomass. Juvenile bloaters (<160 mm total length) occurred in both warm surface waters and in the hypolimnion where adults were aggregated. Hypolimnetic bloaters were 10 to 50 m above the bottom at night, but DVM was confined to the hypolimnion. The greater historical species diversity of deepwater ciscoes in Lakes Michigan and Huron compared with Lake Superior may be a function of reduced availability of mysids in Lake Superior.

Book chapter↗
USGS1982

Distribution of gas-charged sediment in Norton Sound and Chirikov Basin.

Numerous zone of anomalous acoustic resonses caused by gas in the subsurface sediment layers have been detected on seismic reflection records from Norton Sound and Chirikov Basin. The frequency and distribution of these zones suggest that as much as 7000km2 of the northeastern Bering Sea may be underlain by gas-charged sediment. Much of the gas is of shallow biogenic origin, having been generated in buried peat deposits. Seismic velocity beneath a large gas seep south of Nome decreases in the interval from 250 to 440m below the seafloor, where thermogenic gases of deeper origin are migrating upward along a system of basin margin faults.-from Authors

Geologie en Mijnbouw↗
USGS1985

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN HYDROLOGIC INSTRUMENTATION.

The availability of space-age materials and implementation of state-of-the-art electronics is making possible the recent developments of hydrologic instrumentation. Material developments include: Synthetic-fiber sounding and tag lines; fiberglass wading rod; polymer (plastic) sheaves, pulleys and sampler components; and polymer (plastic) bucket wheels for current meters. These materials are very cost effective and efficient. Electromechanical and electronic developments and applications include: adaptable data acquisition system; downhole sampler for hazardous substances; current-meter digitizer; hydraulic power/drive system for discharge measurements and water-quality sampling; non-contact water-level sensors; minimum data recorder; acoustic velocity meters, and automated current meter discharge-measurement system.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1986

STORM-SEWER FLOW MEASUREMENT AND RECORDING SYSTEM.

A comprehensive study and development of instruments and techniques for measuring all components of flow in a storm-sewer drainage system were undertaken by the U. S. Geological Survey under the sponsorship of FHWA. The study involved laboratory and field calibration and testing of measuring flumes, pipe insert meters, weirs, and electromagnetic velocity meters as well as the development and calibration of pneumatic bubbler and pressure transducer head-measuring systems. Tracer dilution and acoustic-flowmeter measurements were used in field verification tests. A single micrologger was used to record data from all the instruments and also to activate on command the electromagnetic velocity meter and tracer dilution systems.

Transportation Research Record↗
USGS1992

Tide- and wind-driven flushing of Boston Harbor, Massachusetts

The flushing of Boston Harbor, a shallow, tidally dominated embayment with little fresh water input, is investigated using a depth-averaged model. The modeled tidal currents exhibit strong spatial variability and ebb/flood asymmetry due to complex topography and coastline geometry and were verified by shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler measurements. At the inlets to the harbor, the asymmetry between flood and ebb gives rise to a net exchange of water, which acts over successive tidal cycles to flush the harbor. The flushing is examined by tracking water that starts out in Boston Harbor for 40 M2 tidal cycles. The tidal flushing is very efficient at mixing water in the vicinity of the inlets over several tidal cycles, but efficiency decreases with time as ``tidal mixing regions'' form on either side of the harbor inlets. When wind forcing is included, the wind-driven currents act to flush the tidal mixing regions, giving rise to more efficient flushing. The exception is when the wind is from the southwest, which confines the jet-like ebb flow from the harbor and therefore reduces the flushing efficiency. In general, flushing is shown to be a two-step process: (1) rapid exchange due to tides over a large region in the vicinity of the harbor inlets and (2) flushing of this region by wind-driven flow. The model also demonstrates that flushing is not uniform over the entire harbor but occurs rapidly in the deep tidal channels and slowly in the regions of weak tidal currents around the harbor periphery. Although the depth-averaged approach to flushing is appropriate over most of the harbor due to the harbor's shallow depth and broad depth distribution, the lack of bathymetric variability and the presence of locally important density driven currents in the Boston Inner Harbor indicates that flushing of this localized area must be approached with a three-dimensional model.

Massachusetts↗
USGS1991

Ultrasonic velocity meter used in stream gaging

Many streams and canals in Florida are affected by tides or control structures and experience very low flow velocities at times. For example, the St. Johns River in northeastern Florida is affected by tides for about 140 miles upstream from its mouth and many canals in the Miami area of southeastern Florida are controlled by manmade structures and other elements that cause a variable backwater effect and very low flow velocities. For these conditions, it becomes necessary to obtain a continuous index of mean velocity as well as stage in order to compute discharge. Point-velocity sensing systems have been used to relate point velocity to mean velocity but their usefulness commonly is limited because of the lack of an exact relation. The ultrasonic velocity meter (UVM) provides an alternative approach to measuring a velocity index that can be related to mean velocity; one that provides an integrated velocity at a prescribed elevation across a stream. Six stations in the tidal-affected lower St. Johns River basin are presently equipped with UVM's. Measuring sections are as narrow as 100 feet and as wide as 900 feet. Multiple acoustic paths are used to measure wide sections in a straight reach of river; crossing paths are used to measure sections in a bend of the river. Because of low velocity and variable backwater conditions, flow also is measured with UVM's in 11 canals in the Miami area that drain into The Everglades. At some of the canal sites transducers have been permanently mounted and a 'portable' UVM module is used to obtain instantaneous velocity readings.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1991

Gravitational circulation in a tidal strait

Eight months of continuous measurements of tidal current profiles with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) were made in Carquinez Strait, California, during 1988 for the purpose of estimating long-term variations in vertical profiles of Eulerian residual currents. Salinity stratification near the ADCP deployment site also was analyzed. The strength of density-driven gravitational circulation and the amount of salinity stratification in the strait varied significantly over the spring-neap tidal cycle. Density currents and stratification were greater during neap tides when vertical mixing from the tide is at a minimum. Landward residual currents along the bottom were observed only during neap tides. Simulations made with a three-dimensional model to supplement the field measurements show a significant, tidally induced lateral variation in residual currents across the strait. The Stokes drift of 1-2 cm/s in the strait is small relative to the speed of gravitational currents.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1994

Design and operation of a system to monitor sediment deposition for protection of an endangered mussel

The USGS, in cooperation with the COE, has designed and installed a system to continuously monitor changes in elevation of the river bed over the mussel bed located downstream of the Olmsted Locks and Dam project. The installed system utilizes a multi-transducer acoustic ranging system to provide river bed elevation measurements accurate to plus or minus 1 cm. The system is currently collecting data to assess the baseline sediment deposition and erosion characteristics of the mussel bed.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1994

Real-time data collection of scour at bridges

The record flood on the Mississippi River during the summer of 1993 provided a rare opportunity to collect data on scour of the streambed at bridges and to test data collection equipment under extreme hydraulic conditions. Detailed bathymetric and hydraulic information were collected at two bridges crossing the Mississippi River during the rising limb, near the peak, and during the recession of the flood. Bathymetric data were collected using a digital echo sounder. Three-dimensional velocities were collected using Broadband Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (BB-ADCP) operating at 300 kilohertz (kHz), 600 kHz, and 1,200 kHz. Positioning of the data collected was measured using a range-azimuth tracking system and two global positioning systems (GPS). Although differential GPS was able to provide accurate positions and tracking information during approach- and exit-reach data collection, it was unable to maintain lock on a sufficient number of satellites when the survey vessel was under the bridge or near the piers. The range-azimuth tracking system was used to collect position and tracking information for detailed data collection near the bridge piers. These detailed data indicated local scour ranging from 3 to 8 meters and will permit a field-based evaluation of the ability of various numerical models to compute the hydraulics, depth, geometry, and time-dependent development of local scour.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1996

Near bottom velocity measurements in San Francisco Bay, California

The ability to accurately measure long-term time-series of tidal currents in bays and estuaries is critical in estuarine hydrodynamic studies. Accurate measurements of tidal currents near the air-water interface and in the bottom boundary layer remain difficult in spite of the significant advances in technology for measuring tidal currents which have been achieved in recent years. One of the objectives of this study is to demonstrate that turbulent mean velocity distribution within the bottom boundary layer can be determined accurately by using a broad-band acoustic Doppler current profiler (BB-ADCP). A suite of instruments, including two BB-ADCPs and four electromagnetic (EM) current meters was deployed in San Francisco Bay, California in an investigation of resuspension and transport of sediment during March 1995. The velocity measurements obtained in the bottom boundary layer by BB-ADCP were highly coherent (r2>0.94) with the velocity measurements obtained by EM current meters. During early March 1995, both BB-ADCPs and EM current meters recorded a very unusual flow event. Agreement among independent measurements by these instruments in describing such an atypical hydrodynamic occurrence further validates the velocity measurements obtained by BB-ADCP in the bottom boundary layer.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1997

Shifting sources and transport paths for the late Quaternary Escanaba Trough sediment fill (northeast Pacific)

Escanaba Trough, which forms the southernmost part of the axial valley of the actively spreading Gorda Ridge, is filled with several hundred meters of sediment of presumed late Quaternary age. Surficial sediment samples from gravity cores, deeper samples (as much as 390 m) from Site 35 of the Deep Sea Drilling Program (Leg 5), and the acoustic character of the sediment fill observed on seismic-reflection profiles indicate that much of the sediment fill is of turbidite origin. Gross composition and heavy- mineral analyses of sand samples show that two distinct petrofacies comprise the sediment fill. The lower part of the fill was derived primarily from the Klamath River source of northern California while the younger fill, including the surficial sand beds, are from the Columbia River drainage much farther north. The Escanaba Trough sediment provides an opportunity to evaluate concepts for paleogeographic and paleotectonic reconstructions that are based on facies analysis and compositional and textural data for the volcanic components because both intrabasinal and extrabasinal sources are present as well as coeval (neovolcanic) and non coeval (paleovolcanic) sourcre This study of a modern basin shows, that although the sediment sources could be identified, it was useful to have some knowledge of the sediment pathway(s), the effects of diagenesis, and the possible effects of sediment sorting as a result of long transport distances from the source area for some components. Application of these same techniques to ancient deposits without benefit of the additional parameters will face limitations.

Giornale di Geologia↗
USGS1997

Turbulent stresses in the surf-zone: Which way is up?

Velocity observations from a vertical stack of three-component Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADVs) within the energetic surf-zone are presented. Rapid temporal sampling and small sampling volume provide observations suitable for investigation of the role of turbulent fluctuations in surf-zone dynamics. While sensor performance was good, failure to recover reliable measures of tilt from the vertical compromise the data value. We will present some cursory observations supporting the ADV performance, and examine the sensitivity of stress estimates to uncertainty in the sensor orientation. It is well known that turbulent stress estimates are highly sensitive to orientation relative to vertical when wave motions are dominant. Analyses presented examine the potential to use observed flow-field characteristics to constrain sensor orientation. Results show that such an approach may provide a consistent orientation to a fraction of a degree, but the inherent sensitivity of stress estimates requires a still more restrictive constraint. Regardless, the observations indicate the degree to which stress estimates are dependent on orientation, and provide some indication of the temporal variability in time-averaged stress estimates.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1997

Near bottom velocity and suspended solids measurements in San Francisco Bay, California

Ability to accurately measure long-term time-series of turbulent mean velocity distribution within the bottom boundary layer (BBL) in addition to suspended solids concentration (SSC) is critical to understanding complex processes controlling transport, resuspension, and deposition of suspended sediments in bays and estuaries. A suite of instruments, including broad band acoustic Doppler current profilers (BB-ADCPs), capable of making very high resolution measurement of velocity profiles in the BBL, was deployed in the shipping channel of South San Francisco Bay (South Bay), California in an investigation of sediment dynamics during March and April 1995. Results of field measurements provide information to calculate suspended solids flux (SSF) at the site. Calculations show striking patterns; residual SSF varies through the spring-neap tidal cycle. Significant differences from one spring tide to another are caused by differences in tidal current diurnal inequalities. Winds from significant storms establish residual circulation patterns that may affect magnitude of residual SSF more than increased tidal energy at spring tides.

Conference Paper↗