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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

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

Application of flowmeter and depth-dependent water quality data for improved production well construction Application of flowmeter and depth-dependent water quality data for improved production well construction

Ground water production wells commonly are designed to maximize well yield and, therefore, may be screened over several water-bearing zones. These water-bearing zones usually are identified, and their hydrogeologic characteristics and water quality are inferred, on the basis of indirect data such as geologic and geophysical logs. Production well designs based on these data may result in...
Authors
M.A. Gossell, Tracy Nishikawa, Randall T. Hanson, John A. Izbicki, M.A. Tabidian, K. Bertine

Processes governing phytoplankton blooms in estuaries. II: The role of horizontal transport Processes governing phytoplankton blooms in estuaries. II: The role of horizontal transport

The development and distribution of phytoplankton blooms in estuaries are functions of both local conditions (i.e. the production-loss balance for a water column at a particular spatial location) and large-scale horizontal transport. In this study, the second of a 2-paper series, we use a depth-averaged hydrodynamic-biological model to identify transport-related mechanisms impacting...
Authors
L.V. Lucas, Jeffrey R. Koseff, Stephen G. Monismith, J. E. Cloern, J.K. Thompson

Observations of turbulence in a partially stratified estuary Observations of turbulence in a partially stratified estuary

The authors present a field study of estuarine turbulence in which profiles of Reynolds stresses were directly measured using an ADCP throughout a 25-h tidal day. The dataset that is discussed quantifies turbulent mixing for a water column in northern San Francisco Bay that experiences a sequence of states that includes a weak ebb and flood that are stratified, followed by a strong, and...
Authors
M.T. Stagey, Stephen G. Monismith, J.R. Burau

Birth of a fault: Connecting the Kern County and Walker Pass, California, earthquakes Birth of a fault: Connecting the Kern County and Walker Pass, California, earthquakes

A band of seismicity transects the southern Sierra Nevada range between the northeastern end of the site of the 1952 MW (moment magnitude) 7.3 Kern County earthquake and the site of the 1946 MW 6.1 Walker Pass earthquake. Relocated earthquakes in this band, which lacks a surface expression, better delineate the northeast-trending seismic lineament and resolve complex structure near the...
Authors
Gerald W. Bawden, A.J. Michael, L.H. Kellogg

Negative pH, efflorescent mineralogy, and consequences for environmental restoration at the iron mountain superfund site, California Negative pH, efflorescent mineralogy, and consequences for environmental restoration at the iron mountain superfund site, California

The Richmond Mine of the Iron Mountain copper deposit contains some of the most acid mine waters ever reported. Values of pH have been measured as low as -3.6, combined metal concentrations as high as 200 g/liter, and sulfate concentrations as high as 760 g/liter. Copious quantities of soluble metal sulfate salts such as melanterite, chalcanthite, coquimbite, rhomboclase, voltaite...
Authors
D. Kirk Nordstrom, Charles N. Alpers

Cross-well slug testing in unconfined aquifers: A case study from the Sleepers River Watershed, Vermont Cross-well slug testing in unconfined aquifers: A case study from the Sleepers River Watershed, Vermont

Normally, slug test measurements are limited to the well in which the water level is perturbed. Consequently, it is often difficult to obtain reliable estimates of hydraulic properties, particularly if the aquifer is anisotropic or if there is a wellbore skin. In this investigation, we use partially penetrating stress and observation wells to evaluate specific storage, radial hydraulic
Authors
Kenneth Belitz, W. Dripps
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