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
The design of sampling transects for characterizing water quality in estuaries The design of sampling transects for characterizing water quality in estuaries
The high spatial variability of estuaries poses a challenge for characterizing estuarine water quality. This problem was examined by conducting monthly high-resolution transects for several water quality variables (chlorophyll a, suspended particulate matter and salinity) in San Francisco Bay (California, U.S.A.). Using these data, six different ways of choosing station locations along a...
Authors
A.D. Jassby, B.E. Cole, J. E. Cloern
Geodetic measurements of horizontal strain near the White Wolf fault, Kern County, California, 1926-1993 Geodetic measurements of horizontal strain near the White Wolf fault, Kern County, California, 1926-1993
The White Wolf fault, located north of the Big Bend segment of the San Andreas fault, is the NE‐SW trending, left lateral‐oblique reverse fault responsible for the Ms=7.8 1952 Kern County earthquake. We combined Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements with historical triangulation and trilateration data to determine changes in the strain rate over 7 decades (1926–1993). We...
Authors
Gerald W. Bawden, Andrea Donnellan, Louise Kellogg, John B. Rundle
A new method for automated dynamic calibration of tipping-bucket rain gauges A new method for automated dynamic calibration of tipping-bucket rain gauges
Existing methods for dynamic calibration of tipping-bucket rain gauges (TBRs) can be time consuming and labor intensive. A new automated dynamic calibration system has been developed to calibrate TBRs with minimal effort. The system consists of a programmable pump, datalogger, digital balance, and computer. Calibration is performed in two steps: 1) pump calibration and 2) rain gauge...
Authors
M.D. Humphrey, J.D. Istok, J.Y. Lee, J.A. Hevesi, A. L. Flint
Classification and Mapping of Agricultural Land for National Water-Quality Assessment Classification and Mapping of Agricultural Land for National Water-Quality Assessment
Agricultural land use is one of the most important influences on water quality at national and regional scales. Although there is great diversity in the character of agricultural land, variations follow regional patterns that are influenced by environmental setting and economics. These regional patterns can be characterized by the distribution of crops. A new approach to classifying and...
Authors
Robert J. Gilliom, Gail P. Thelin
Subsidence of agricultural lands in the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta, California: Role of aqueous and gaseous carbon fluxes Subsidence of agricultural lands in the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta, California: Role of aqueous and gaseous carbon fluxes
To examine the causes of land subsidence on marshes drained for agriculture, carbon fluxes and changes in land‐surface elevation were determined on three islands in the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta, California. Over the time period of March 1990 to May 1992, gaseous CO2 fluxes were determined approximately monthly using closed chambers, and dissolved carbon fluxes were determined from...
Authors
Steven J. Deverel, Stuart Rojstaczer
Evaluating the reliability of the stream tracer approach to characterize stream-subsurface water exchange Evaluating the reliability of the stream tracer approach to characterize stream-subsurface water exchange
Stream water was locally recharged into shallow groundwater flow paths that returned to the stream (hyporheic exchange) in St. Kevin Gulch, a Rocky Mountain stream in Colorado contaminated by acid mine drainage. Two approaches were used to characterize hyporheic exchange: sub-reach-scale measurement of hydraulic heads and hydraulic conductivity to compute streambed fluxes (hydrometric...
Authors
Judson W. Harvey, Brian J. Wagner, Kenneth E. Bencala
Pumping strategies for management of a shallow water table: The value of the simulation-optimization approach Pumping strategies for management of a shallow water table: The value of the simulation-optimization approach
The simulation-optimization approach is used to identify ground-water pumping strategies for control of the shallow water table in the western San Joaquin Valley, California, where shallow ground water threatens continued agricultural productivity. The approach combines the use of ground-water flow simulation with optimization techniques to build on and refine pumping strategies...
Authors
P. M. Barlow, B.J. Wagner, K. Belitz
Stratification dynamics and gravitational circulation in northern San Francisco Bay Stratification dynamics and gravitational circulation in northern San Francisco Bay
No abstract available.
Authors
Stephen G. Monismith, Jon R. Burau, Mark T. Stacey
Combined use of flowmeter and time-drawdown data to estimate hydraulic conductivities in layered aquifer systems Combined use of flowmeter and time-drawdown data to estimate hydraulic conductivities in layered aquifer systems
The vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity in layered aquifer systems commonly is needed for model simulations of ground-water flow and transport. In previous studies, time-drawdown data or flowmeter data were used individually, but not in combination, to estimate hydraulic conductivity. In this study, flowmeter data and time-drawdown data collected from a long-screened...
Authors
R. T. Hanson, Tracy Nishikawa
Hydrogeology and geochemistry of acid mine drainage in ground water in the vicinity of Penn Mine and Camanche Reservoir, Calaveras County, California: Second-year summary, 1992-93 Hydrogeology and geochemistry of acid mine drainage in ground water in the vicinity of Penn Mine and Camanche Reservoir, Calaveras County, California: Second-year summary, 1992-93
No abstract available.
Authors
Scott N. Hamlin, Charles N. Alpers
Pesticides and pesticide degradation products in stormwater runoff: Sacramento River Basin, California Pesticides and pesticide degradation products in stormwater runoff: Sacramento River Basin, California
Pesticides in stormwater runoff, within the Sacramento River Basin, California, were assessed during a storm that occurred in January 1994. Two organophosphate insecticides (diazinon and methidathion), two carbamate pesticides (molinate and carbofuran), and one triazine herbicide (simazine) were detected. Organophosphate pesticide concentrations increased with the rising stage of the...
Authors
Joseph L. Domagalski