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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: 1847

Seasonal and spatial patterns of metals at a restored copper mine site. I. Stream copper and zinc Seasonal and spatial patterns of metals at a restored copper mine site. I. Stream copper and zinc

Seasonal and spatial variations in metal concentrations and pH were found in a stream at a restored copper mine site located near a massive sulfide deposit in the Foothill copper-zinc belt of the Sierra Nevada, California. At the mouth of the stream, copper concentrations increased and pH decreased with increased streamflow after the onset of winter rain and, unexpectedly, reached...
Authors
D.G. Bambic, Charles N. Alpers, P.G. Green, E. Fanelli, W.K. Silk

Reconstructing depositional processes and history from reservoir stratigraphy: Englebright Lake, Yuba River, northern California Reconstructing depositional processes and history from reservoir stratigraphy: Englebright Lake, Yuba River, northern California

Reservoirs provide the opportunity to link watershed history with its stratigraphic record. We analyze sediment cores from a northern California reservoir in the context of hydrologic history, watershed management, and depositional processes. Observations of recent depositional patterns, sediment‐transport calculations, and 137Cs geochronology support a conceptual model in which the...
Authors
N.P. Snyder, S.A. Wright, Charles N. Alpers, L. E. Flint, C. W. Holmes, D. M. Rubin

Evaluation of the factors controlling the time-dependent inactivation rate coefficients of bacteriophage MS2 and PRD1 Evaluation of the factors controlling the time-dependent inactivation rate coefficients of bacteriophage MS2 and PRD1

Static and dynamic batch experiments were conducted to study the effects of temperature and the presence of sand on the inactivation of bacteriophage MS2 and PRD1. The experimental data suggested that the inactivation process can be satisfactorily represented by a pseudo-first-order expression with time-dependent rate coefficients. The time-dependent rate coefficients were used to...
Authors
R. Anders, C.V. Chrysikopoulos

Resolving structural influences on water-retention properties of alluvial deposits Resolving structural influences on water-retention properties of alluvial deposits

With the goal of improving property-transfer model (PTM) predictions of unsaturated hydraulic properties, we investigated the influence of sedimentary structure, defined as particle arrangement during deposition, on laboratory-measured water retention (water content vs. potential [θ(ψ)]) of 10 undisturbed core samples from alluvial deposits in the western Mojave Desert, California. The...
Authors
K.A. Winfield, J. R. Nimmo, J. A. Izbicki, P. M. Martin

Thermodynamic properties and crystal structure refinement of ferricopiapite, coquimbite, rhomboclase, and Fe2(SO4)3(H2O)5 Thermodynamic properties and crystal structure refinement of ferricopiapite, coquimbite, rhomboclase, and Fe2(SO4)3(H2O)5

Enthalpies of formation of ferricopiapite [nominally Fe4.67(SO4)6(OH)2 (H2O)20]. coquimbite [Fe2(SO4)3(H2O)9], rhomboclase [(H3O)Fe(SO4)2 (H2O)3], and Fe2(SO4)3(H2O)5 were measured by acid (5 N HCl) solution calorimetry. The samples were characterized by wet chemical analyses and synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The refinement of XRD patterns gave lattice parameters, atomic...
Authors
J. Majzlan, A. Navrotsky, R. Blaine McCleskey, Charles N. Alpers

Ecological values of shallow-water habitats: Implications for the restoration of disturbed ecosystems Ecological values of shallow-water habitats: Implications for the restoration of disturbed ecosystems

A presumed value of shallow-habitat enhanced pelagic productivity derives from the principle that in nutrient-rich aquatic systems phytoplankton growth rate is controlled by light availability, which varies inversely with habitat depth. We measured a set of biological indicators across the gradient of habitat depth within the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta (California) to test the...
Authors
C.B. Lopez, J. E. Cloern, T.S. Schraga, A.J. Little, L.V. Lucas, J.K. Thompson, J.R. Burau

Onset of snowmelt and streamflow in 2004 in the Western Unites States: How shading may affect spring streamflow timing in a warmer world Onset of snowmelt and streamflow in 2004 in the Western Unites States: How shading may affect spring streamflow timing in a warmer world

Historic streamflow records show that the onset of snowfed streamflow in the western United States has shifted earlier over the past 50 yr, and March 2004 was one of the earliest onsets on record. Record high temperatures occurred throughout the western United States during the second week of March, and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges throughout the area recorded early onsets...
Authors
J.D. Lundquist, A. L. Flint

Effects of contaminants on reproductive success of aquatic birds nesting at Edwards Air Force Base, California Effects of contaminants on reproductive success of aquatic birds nesting at Edwards Air Force Base, California

Contamination by organochlorine pesticides (OCs), polychlorinated biphenyls, metals, and trace elements at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), located in the Mojave Desert, could adversely affect nesting aquatic birds, especially at the sewage lagoons that comprise Piute Ponds. Estimates of avian reproduction, in conjunction with analyses of eggs and avian foods for contaminant residues, may...
Authors
R. L. Hothem, J.J. Crayon, M.A. Law

Relation of fish communities to environmental conditions in urban streams of the Wasatch Front, Utah Relation of fish communities to environmental conditions in urban streams of the Wasatch Front, Utah

Twenty-eight sites along the Wasatch Front, north central Utah, representing the range ot urban land use intensity for wadeable streams of the area, were sampled in September 2000. Fish communities were assessed by single-pass electrofishing, and physical habitat and water-quality characteristics were measured. On average, nonnative species comprised 54% of species richness and 53% of...
Authors
E.M. Giddings, L. R. Brown, T.M. Short, M. R. Meador

Intradaily variability of water quality in a shallow tidal lagoon: Mechanisms and implications Intradaily variability of water quality in a shallow tidal lagoon: Mechanisms and implications

Although surface water quality and its underlying processes vary over time scales ranging from seconds to decades, they have historically been studied at the lower (weekly to interannual) frequencies. The aim of this study was to investigate intradaily variability of three water quality parameters in a small freshwater tidal lagoon (Mildred Island, California). High frequency time series...
Authors
L.V. Lucas, D.M. Sereno, J.R. Burau, T.S. Schraga, C.B. Lopez, M.T. Stacey, K.V. Parchevsky, V.P. Parchevsky

Ground-water/surface-water responses to global climate simulations, Santa Clara-Calleguas basin, Ventura County, California, 1950-93 Ground-water/surface-water responses to global climate simulations, Santa Clara-Calleguas basin, Ventura County, California, 1950-93

Climate variations can play an important, if not always crucial, role in successful conjunctive management of ground water and surface water resources. This will require accurate accounting of the links between variations in climate, recharge, and withdrawal from the resource systems, accurate projection or predictions of the climate variations, and accurate simulation of the responses...
Authors
Randall T. Hanson, Michael D. Dettinger

Water resources data, California, water year 2004, volume 1: Southern Great Basin from Mexican border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River Water resources data, California, water year 2004, volume 1: Southern Great Basin from Mexican border to Mono Lake Basin, and Pacific Slope basins from Tijuana River to Santa Maria River

Water-resources data for the 2004 water year for California consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams, stage and contents in lakes and reservoirs, and water levels and water quality in wells. Volume 1 contains discharge records for 195 gaging stations and 10 crest-stage partial-record stations, stage and contents for 25 lakes and reservoirs, gage-height records...
Authors
J. Agajanian, L.A. Caldwell, G.L. Rockwell, G.L. Pope
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