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Publications

The following list of California Water Science Center publications includes both official USGS publications and journal articles authored by our scientists.

Filter Total Items: 1825

Aquifer-system compaction and land subsidence: Measurements, analyses, and simulations – The Holly Site, Edwards Air Force Base, Antelope Valley, California Aquifer-system compaction and land subsidence: Measurements, analyses, and simulations – The Holly Site, Edwards Air Force Base, Antelope Valley, California

Land subsidence resulting from ground-water-level declines has long been recognized as a problem in Antelope Valley, California. At Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), ground-water extractions have caused more than 150 feet of water-level decline, resulting in nearly 4 feet of subsidence. Differential land subsidence has caused sinklike depressions and earth fissures and has accelerated...
Authors
Michelle Sneed, Devin L. Galloway

Distributions of uronic acids and O-methyl sugars in sinking and sedimentary particles in two coastal marine environments Distributions of uronic acids and O-methyl sugars in sinking and sedimentary particles in two coastal marine environments

Although recent research has indicated that bacteria may contribute an important fraction of biochemical residues in terrestrial and marine environments, it is difficult for geochemists to identify contributions from these ubiquitous and biochemically diverse organisms. Previous studies have suggested uronic acids and O-methyl sugars may be useful indicators of microbial abundance and...
Authors
Brian A. Bergamaschi, Jeffrey S. Walters, J. I. Hedges

Transport of sediment-bound organochlorine pesticides to the San Joaquin River, California Transport of sediment-bound organochlorine pesticides to the San Joaquin River, California

ABSTRACT: Suspended sediment samples were collected in west-side tributaries and the main stem of the San Joaquin River, California, in June 1994 during the irrigation season and in January 1995 during a winter storm. These samples were analyzed for 15 organochiorine pesticides to determine their occurrence and their concentrations on suspended sediment and to compare transport during...
Authors
C.R. Kratzer

Processes governing phytoplankton blooms in estuaries. I: The local production-loss balance Processes governing phytoplankton blooms in estuaries. I: The local production-loss balance

The formation and spatial distribution of phytoplankton blooms in estuaries are controlled by (1) local mechanisms, which determine the production-loss balance for a water column at a particular spatial location (i.e. control if a bloom is possible), and (2) transport-related mechanisms, which govern biomass distribution (i.e. control if and where a bloom actually occurs). In this study...
Authors
L.V. Lucas, Jeffrey R. Koseff, J. E. Cloern, Stephen G. Monismith, J.K. Thompson

Numerical model of a tracer test on the Santa Clara River, Ventura County, California Numerical model of a tracer test on the Santa Clara River, Ventura County, California

To better understand the flow processes, solute-transport processes, and ground-water/surface-water interactions on the Santa Clara River in Ventura County, California, a 24-hour fluorescent-dye tracer study was performed under steady-state flow conditions on a 45-km reach of the river. The study reach includes perennial (uppermost and lowermost) subreaches and ephemeral subreaches of...
Authors
Tracy Nishikawa, Katherine S. Paybins, John A. Izbicki, Eric G. Reichard

Occurrence and transport of total mercury and methyl mercury in the Sacramento River Basin, California Occurrence and transport of total mercury and methyl mercury in the Sacramento River Basin, California

Mercury poses a water-quality problem for California's Sacramento River, a large river with a mean annual discharge of over 650 m3/s. This river discharges into the San Francisco Bay, and numerous fish species of the bay and river contain mercury levels high enough to affect human health if consumed. Two possible sources of mercury are the mercury mines in the Coast Ranges and the gold...
Authors
Joseph L. Domagalski

Accumulation of butyltins in sediments and lipid tissues of the Asian clam, Potamocorbula amurensis, near Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco Bay Accumulation of butyltins in sediments and lipid tissues of the Asian clam, Potamocorbula amurensis, near Mare Island Naval Shipyard, San Francisco Bay

Studies of butyltin compounds in soil, benthic sediments and the Asian clam Potamocorbula amurensis were conducted at the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard, and nearby Mare Island and Carquinez Straits in San Francisco Bay, California. Soils from a sandblast abrasives dump site at the shipyard contained low concentrations of mono-, di- and tributyltin (0.3-52 ng/g, total butyltin)...
Authors
W. E. Pereira, T.L. Wade, F. D. Hostettler, F. Parchaso

Carbon isotopic constraints on the contribution of plant material to the natural precursors of trihalomethanes Carbon isotopic constraints on the contribution of plant material to the natural precursors of trihalomethanes

The δ13C values of individual trihalomethanes (THM) formed on reaction of chlorine with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leached from maize (corn; Zea maize L.) and Scirpus acutus(an aquatic bulrush), and with DOC extracted from agricultural drainage waters were determined using purge and trap introduction into a gas chromatograph-combustion-isotope ratio monitoring mass spectrometer. We...
Authors
B.A. Bergamaschi, M.S. Fram, C. Kendall, S. R. Silva, G. R. Aiken, R. Fujii

Death valley regional ground-water flow model calibration using optimal parameter estimation methods and geoscientific information systems Death valley regional ground-water flow model calibration using optimal parameter estimation methods and geoscientific information systems

A regional-scale, steady-state, saturated-zone ground-water flow model was constructed to evaluate potential regional ground-water flow in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The model was limited to three layers in an effort to evaluate the characteristics governing large-scale subsurface flow. Geoscientific information systems (GSIS) were used to characterize the complex surface...
Authors
F. A. D’Agnese, C.C. Faunt, M. C. Hill, A. K. Turner
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