Provides geologic, geophysical, and geochemical framework studies that will aid in a reassessment of energy commodities (coal, gas, and oil) in the Gulf Coast Region.
USGS water resources home page for Texas with links to historic and real-time data on streamflow, ground and surface water, floods, droughts, coastal storm surge, lakes and reservoirs, and water quality plus district and publications information.
Method of tracking pintail ducks by capturing with rocket nets or swim-in traps and attaching telemetry devices that allow satellite tracking. Includes video of rocket nets.
Brief summaries of USGS projects in Texas including water quality monitoring, digital mapping, energy resources, U.S.-Mexico border mapping, fish and wildlife health, Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, and conditions affecting water quality.
List of federal, state, regional, city and county agencies that cooperate with the USGS in water resources studies in Texas. Most have links to the agency's own website.
Experimental use of artificial burrows in south Texas to help in conservation of the migratory burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) that breed in dry grasslands using animal burrows.
Guide to the cooperative mapping programs in the state of Texas administered by the USGS Texas Mapping Partnership Office. Provides description of ongoing projects with links to USGS and cooperator datasets for the state of Texas.
We estimated the volume of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in three closely related geologic units in this area using a geology based assessment methodology.
Our 2008-11 data rescue and recovery efforts resulted in an efficient workflow process, database, and Web user interface for scientists and citizens to access archived environmental information not previously available to the public.
The Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting an analysis of historical shoreline changes along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii.
Information is provided about coastal impacts of Katrina, Rita, and Wilma and Satellite Imagery and other Geospatial Data, News Releases, Streamflow Conditions, publications and other resources.
Discusses the possible relationship between extraction of hydrocarbons and land subsidence and fault activation in the vicinity of large, mature oil and gas fields in the Gulf Coast Basin.
Examples of the use of Satellite Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar to measure and map changes on the Earth's surface as an aid to understanding how ground-water pumping, hydrocarbon production, or other human activities cause land subsidence.
Consistent, historic, and up-to-date ground-water data, such as water levels collected at wells and springs, are available from the USGS National Water Information System as graphs, tables, or files to download.
Consistent, historic, and up-to-date surface-water data, such as gage height (stage) and streamflow (discharge), collected at major rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, downloadable from the USGS National Water Information System as graphs, tables, or files.
Consistent, historic, and up-to-date water-quality data, such as temperature, specific conductance, pH, nutrients, pesticides, and volatile organic compounds downloadable from the USGS National Water Information System as graphs, tables, or files.
Consistent, real-time water data from streams, lakes, reservoirs, ground-water, and meteorological sites, are available from the USGS National Water Information System as graphs, tables, or files to download.
Describes and provides several detiled examples of impacts of human-induced land subsidence resulting from the extraction of subsurface water, including aquifer-system compaction, drainage of organic soils, dissolution and collapse of susceptible rocks.
Locations for nine species of large constrictors, from published sources, along with monthly precipitation and average monthly temperature for those locations. Shapefiles for each snake species studied.
We estimated means of 147.4 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas, 2.4 billion barrels of undiscovered oil, and 2.96 billion barrels of undiscovered natural gas liquids in this area using a geology-based assessment methodology.
We estimated a mean of 4.06 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered, technically recoverable natural gas in these coal beds of the onshore lands and State waters of the Gulf Coast.
We estimated mean undiscovered resources of 113.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, a mean of 690 million barrels of oil, and a mean of 3.7 billion barrels of natural gas liquids in onshore lands and state waters in this area.
Describes a national reconnaissance study of reproductive health in two species of fish across the US. More than 2,200 common carp and 650 largemouth bass were collected at 119 rivers and streams.
We estimated a mean of 41 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered natural gas and a mean of 1.3 billion barrels of undiscovered oil in this area using a geology-based assessment methodology.
One of the greatest challenges for conserving grassland, prairie scrub, and shrub-steppe ecosystems is maintaining prairie dog populations across the landscape. Of the four species of prairie dogs found in the United States, the Utah prairie dog (Cynomys
Summarizes graphically the areas where water levels have dropped, and by how much, in this extensive underground water reservoir that covers several states in the mid-continent.
Estimates of annual peak-streamflow frequency are needed for flood-plain management, assessment of flood risk, and design of structures, such as roads, bridges, culverts, dams, and levees.
Estimates of change in major types of land use and land cover from 1973 to 2000 should help model potential future change as climate, population, public policy, and technology change.
This updated subset of USGS streamgages for which the streamflow primarily reflects prevailing meteorological conditions for specified years, screened to exclude sites where human activity affects the natural flow of the watercourse.
The mean total volume of potential additional oil resources that might be added using improved oil-recovery technologies was estimated to be about 2.7 billion barrels of oil.
A broad survey of regional patterns in stream flow nationwide. Maps and graphs summarizing streamflow conditions for water-year 2010 (October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010) in the context of the 81-year period 1930-2010.
A broad survey of regional patterns in stream flow nationwide. Maps and graphs summarizing streamflow conditions for water-year 2009 (October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2000) in the context of the 80-year period 1930-2009.
A broad survey of regional patterns in stream flow nationwide. Maps and graphs summarizing streamflow conditions for water-year 0810 (October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2008) in the context of the 79-year period 1930-2008.
A broad survey of regional patterns in stream flow nationwide. Maps and graphs summarizing streamflow conditions for water-year 2007 (October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007) in the context of the 78-year period 1930-2007.
Explains how mathematical simulations of watershed properties can help us understand the likely behavior of the water systems, putting the choices available to people in better perspective.
Short descriptions of the research and monitoring activities we are carrying out to assist state, local, and Federal agencies dealing with water resource issues in the southern part of the state.
A broad survey of regional patterns in stream flow nationwide. Maps and graphs summarizing streamflow conditions for water-year 2011 (October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011) in the context of the 82-year period 1930-2011.
Methods to depict the connectedness of rock units across fault and fracture zones, allowing us to determine the distribution of geologic units, structural features, and other controlling factors, such as porosity and permeability.
We use moderate resolution satellite data to assess live fuel condition for estimating fire danger. Using 23 years of vegetation condition measurements, we are able to determine the relative greenness of wildland vegetation susceptible to burning.
We estimated mean technically-recoverable undiscovered continuous and conventional resources that total 495 million barrels of oil, 27.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 410 million barrels of natural gas liquids in this area.
Well vulnerability results from the young age of groundwater. Karst features permit contaminants to move into the aquifer easily, leading to a well mixed aquifer; geochemical processes do not degrade contaminants quickly.
Areas susceptible to inundation during landfall of Hurricane Rita are assessed by comparing lidar-derived dune elevations to simulated storm surge values. Results shown on pictorial maps.
Some results from a study of the variability of sediment and nutrient loads in the lower reaches of the Trinity River during a variety of hydrologic conditions.
We identified six compounds at concentrations less than human-health benchmarks, but within a factor of 10 of those limits. Those compounds might warrant further study to understand their transport and fate within the watershed.
Chloride concentrations in this river have historically been high due to natural saltwater springs and seeps from geologic formations. We monitor the water to help assess the progress of human efforts designed to mitigate this problematic salinity.
Coordinated studies of the effect of historical mining for mercury, origin and composition of metals in groundwaters and surface waters, history of volcanic and intrusive activity, and the complex geological history of this area.
The area contributing recharge to this aquifer is undergoing rapid growth, generating more wastewater. We found that nitrate, a major component of wastewater and a nutrient that can degrade water quality, has increased in the creeks in this area.
Comparison of water in two adjacent watersheds before and after implementing a brush management strategy in one of the watersheds helps us see what water resource characteristics are sensitive to brush management and how.
Water from this reservoir will be used more extensively by the city, so we are developing methods of assessing the water quality in real time by measuring characteristics of stream flow that correlate with important water quality data.