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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: 1854

Methods for using groundwater model predictions to guide hydrogeologic data collection, with application to the Death Valley regional groundwater flow system Methods for using groundwater model predictions to guide hydrogeologic data collection, with application to the Death Valley regional groundwater flow system

Calibrated models of groundwater systems can provide substantial information for guiding data collection. This work considers using such models to guide hydrogeologic data collection for improving model predictions by identifying model parameters that are most important to the predictions. Identification of these important parameters can help guide collection of field data about...
Authors
C. R. Tiedeman, M. C. Hill, F. A. D’Agnese, C.C. Faunt

Isotope variations in white-tailed kites from various habitats in California: Possible limitations in assessing prey utilization and population dynamics Isotope variations in white-tailed kites from various habitats in California: Possible limitations in assessing prey utilization and population dynamics

White-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus) populations in the 1930s were close to extirpation in the United States. But by the 1940s, an upward trend towards recovery was apparent and continued to their current stable population levels. These dramatic fluctuations in kite numbers may have been related to changes in rodent prey populations due to the conversion of native habitats to agriculture...
Authors
W.M. Iko, C.L. Kester, C.R. Bern, Rey C. Stendell, R. O. Rye

Changes in the chemistry of lakes and precipitation in high-elevation national parks in the western United States, 1985–1999 Changes in the chemistry of lakes and precipitation in high-elevation national parks in the western United States, 1985–1999

High-elevation lakes in the western United States are sensitive to atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen due to fast hydrologic flushing rates, short growing seasons, an abundance of exposed bedrock, and a lack of well-developed soils. This sensitivity is reflected in the dilute chemistry of the lakes, which was documented in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Western...
Authors
David W. Clow, James O. Sickman, Robert G. Striegl, David P. Krabbenhoft, John G. Elliott, Mark M. Dornblaser, David A. Roth, Donald H. Campbell

Geomorphic and hydrologic assessment of erosion hazards at the Norman municipal landfill, Canadian River floodplain, central Oklahoma Geomorphic and hydrologic assessment of erosion hazards at the Norman municipal landfill, Canadian River floodplain, central Oklahoma

The Norman, Oklahoma, municipal landfill closed in 1985 after 63 years of operation, because it was identified as a point source of hazardous leachate composed of organic and inorganic compounds. The landfill is located on the floodplain of the Canadian River, a sand-bed river characterized by erodible channel boundaries and by large variation in mean monthly discharges. In 1986...
Authors
Jennifer A. Curtis, John W. Whitney

Helium isotope studies in the Mojave Desert, California: Implications for groundwater chronology and regional seismicity Helium isotope studies in the Mojave Desert, California: Implications for groundwater chronology and regional seismicity

We report helium isotope and concentration results for groundwaters from the western Mojave River Basin (MRB), 130 km east of Los Angeles, CA. The basin lies adjacent to the NW-SE trending San Andreas Fault (SAF) system. Samples were collected along two groundwater flowpaths that originate in the San Gabriel Mountains and discharge to the Mojave River located ???32 km to the northeast...
Authors
J.T. Kulongoski, David R. Hilton, J. A. Izbicki

Earthquakes-Rattling the Earth's Plumbing System Earthquakes-Rattling the Earth's Plumbing System

Hydrogeologic responses to earthquakes have been known for decades, and have occurred both close to, and thousands of miles from earthquake epicenters. Water wells have become turbid, dry or begun flowing, discharge of springs and ground water to streams has increased and new springs have formed, and well and surface-water quality have become degraded as a result of earthquakes...
Authors
Michelle Sneed, Devin L. Galloway, William L. Cunningham

Pulsey, patchy water quality in the delta: Implications for meaningful monitoring Pulsey, patchy water quality in the delta: Implications for meaningful monitoring

Valuable water quality and biological datasets have been gathered in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for decades, most notably by the Interagency Ecological Program’s Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP). These extensive data have provided a means of analyzing and detecting long-term trends in water quality and ecosystem function (Jassby and others 2002; Kimmerer and Orsi 1996; Orsi...
Authors
Lisa V. Lucas, Tara Schraga, Cary B. Lopez, Jon R. Burau, Alan D. Jassby

Interactions between onshore bedrock-channel incision and nearshore wave-base erosion forced by eustasy and tectonics Interactions between onshore bedrock-channel incision and nearshore wave-base erosion forced by eustasy and tectonics

We explore the response of bedrock streams to eustatic and tectonically induced fluctuations in base level. A numerical model coupling onshore fluvial erosion with offshore wave‐base erosion is developed. The results of a series of simulations for simple transgressions with constant rate of sea‐level change (SLR) show that response depends on the relative rates of rock uplift (U) and...
Authors
N.P. Snyder, K.X. Whipple, G.E. Tucker, D.J. Merritts

Persistence of tidally-oriented vertical migration by zooplankton in a temperate estuary Persistence of tidally-oriented vertical migration by zooplankton in a temperate estuary

Tidal vertical migration by zooplankton is a common phenomenon in estuaries, usually associated with landward movement of meroplankton or position maintenance of holoplankton. Little is known about the persistence of this behavior, its spatial variability, or its response to changing environmental conditions. We extended a previous study of tidal movements of zooplankton in the low...
Authors
W.J. Kimmerer, Jon R. Burau, W.A. Bennett

Effects of flow on the fish communities of a regulated California river: Implications for managing native fishes Effects of flow on the fish communities of a regulated California river: Implications for managing native fishes

We assessed the importance of flow regime to the success of native and non‐native fish species by analysing winter/spring seining data collected from 1987 to 1997 on the resident fish communities of the lower Tuolumne River, California. The data were analysed using regression models to predict the percentage of non‐native fish at a site. The regression models included various...
Authors
Larry R. Brown, Tim Ford

Chemical evolution of the Salton Sea, California: Nutrient and selenium dynamics Chemical evolution of the Salton Sea, California: Nutrient and selenium dynamics

The Salton Sea is a 1000-km2 terminal lake located in the desert area of southeastern California. This saline (∼44 000 mg l−1 dissolved solids) lake started as fresh water in 1905–07 by accidental flooding of the Colorado River, and it is maintained by agricultural runoff of irrigation water diverted from the Colorado River. The Salton Sea and surrounding wetlands have recently acquired
Authors
Roy A. Schroeder, William H. Orem, Yousif K. Kharaka
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