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
Populations using public-supply groundwater in the conterminous U.S. 2010; Identifying the wells, hydrogeologic regions, and hydrogeologic mapping units Populations using public-supply groundwater in the conterminous U.S. 2010; Identifying the wells, hydrogeologic regions, and hydrogeologic mapping units
Most Americans receive their drinking water from publicly supplied sources, a large portion of it from groundwater. Mapping these populations consistently and at a high resolution is important for understanding where the resource is used and needs to be protected. The results show that 269 million people are supplied by public supply, 107 million are supplied by groundwater and 162...
Authors
Tyler D. Johnson, Kenneth Belitz, Leon J. Kauffman, Elise Watson, John T. Wilson
Investigating the effect of enhanced oil recovery on the noble gas signature of casing gases and produced waters from selected California oil fields Investigating the effect of enhanced oil recovery on the noble gas signature of casing gases and produced waters from selected California oil fields
In regions where water resources are scarce and in high demand, it is important to safeguard against contamination of groundwater aquifers by oil-field fluids (water, gas, oil). In this context, the geochemical characterisation of these fluids is critical so that anthropogenic contaminants can be readily identified. The first step is characterising pre-development geochemical fluid...
Authors
R. L. Tyne, P. H. Barry, R. Karolytė, D. J. Bryne, Justin T. Kulongoski, D.J. Hillegonds, C. J. Ballentine
Stratigraphic and structural controls on groundwater salinity variations in the Poso Creek Oil Field, Kern County, California, USA Stratigraphic and structural controls on groundwater salinity variations in the Poso Creek Oil Field, Kern County, California, USA
Groundwater total dissolved solids (TDS) distribution was mapped with a three-dimensional (3D) model, and it was found that TDS variability is largely controlled by stratigraphy and geologic structure. General TDS patterns in the San Joaquin Valley of California (USA) are attributed to predominantly connate water composition and large-scale recharge from the adjacent Sierra Nevada...
Authors
Michael J. Stephens, David H. Shimabukuro, Will Chang, Janice M. Gillespie, Zack Levinson
Continuous water-quality and suspended-sediment transport monitoring in the San Francisco Bay, California, water years 2018–19 Continuous water-quality and suspended-sediment transport monitoring in the San Francisco Bay, California, water years 2018–19
Authors
Darin C. Einhell, Selina M. Davila Olivera, Danielle L. Palm
Storage capacity and sedimentation characteristics of Loch Lomond Reservoir, California, 2019 Storage capacity and sedimentation characteristics of Loch Lomond Reservoir, California, 2019
In May of 2019, Loch Lomond Reservoir was surveyed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the city of Santa Cruz to assess the current storage capacity and sedimentation rates in the reservoir. Survey methods combined sonar soundings to measure bathymetry and lidar scans with GPS data to measure near-shore topography and sediment bed samples to understand reservoir bed...
Authors
Daniel R. Whealdon-Haught, Scott Wright, Mathieu D. Marineau
Assessment of multiple ecosystem metabolism methods in an estuary Assessment of multiple ecosystem metabolism methods in an estuary
Ecosystem metabolism is a key ecological attribute and easy to describe, but quantifying metabolism in estuaries is challenging. Properly scaling measurements through time and space requires consideration of hydrodynamics and mixing water from heterogeneous sources, making any estimation uncertain. Here, we compared three methods for modeling ecosystem metabolism in a portion of the...
Authors
Luke C. Loken, Erwin E Van Nieuwenhuyse, Randy A Dahlgren, Leah Kammel, Paul Stumpner, Jon R. Burau, Steven Sadro
The potential of satellite remote sensing time series to uncover wetland phenology under unique challenges of tidal setting The potential of satellite remote sensing time series to uncover wetland phenology under unique challenges of tidal setting
While growth history of vegetation within upland systems is well studied, plant phenology within coastal tidal systems is less understood. Landscape-scale, satellite-derived indicators of plant greenness may not adequately represent seasonality of vegetation biomass and productivity within tidal wetlands due to limitations of cloud cover, satellite temporal frequency and attenu-ation of...
Authors
Gwendolyn Joelle Miller, Iryna Dronova, Patricia Oikawa, Sara Helen Knox, Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Julie Shahan, Ellen Stuart-Haëntjens
Machine learning predictions of mean ages of shallow well samples in the Great Lakes Basin, USA Machine learning predictions of mean ages of shallow well samples in the Great Lakes Basin, USA
The travel time or “age” of groundwater affects catchment responses to hydrologic changes, geochemical reactions, and time lags between management actions and responses at down-gradient streams and wells. Use of atmospheric tracers has facilitated the characterization of groundwater ages, but most wells lack such measurements. This study applied machine learning to predict ages in wells...
Authors
Christopher Green, Katherine Marie Ransom, Bernard T. Nolan, Lixia Liao, Thomas Harter
Precipitation-runoff processes in the Merced River Basin, Central California, with prospects for streamflow predictability, water years 1952–2013 Precipitation-runoff processes in the Merced River Basin, Central California, with prospects for streamflow predictability, water years 1952–2013
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), has constructed a new spatially detailed Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) model for the Merced River Basin, California, which is a tributary of the San Joaquin River in California. Operated through an Object User Interface (OUI) with Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP) and...
Authors
Kathryn M. Koczot, John C. Risley, JoAnn M. Gronberg, John M. Donovan, Kelly R. McPherson
Critical aquifer overdraft accelerates degradation of groundwater quality in California’s Central Valley during drought Critical aquifer overdraft accelerates degradation of groundwater quality in California’s Central Valley during drought
Drought-induced pumpage has precipitated dramatic groundwater-level declines in California’s Central Valley over the past 30 years, but the impacts of aquifer overdraft on water quality are poorly understood. This study coupled over 160,000 measurements of nitrate from ∼6,000 public-supply wells with a 30-year reconstruction of groundwater levels throughout the Central Valley to evaluate...
Authors
Zeno F. Levy, Bryant C. Jurgens, Karen R. Burow, Stefan Voss, Kirsten E. Faulkner, Jose Alfredo Arroyo-Lopez, Miranda S. Fram
Interagency Ecological Program long-term monitoring element review: Pilot approach and methods development (2020) Interagency Ecological Program long-term monitoring element review: Pilot approach and methods development (2020)
This report describes the first-year, pilot-phase of what is intended to be a larger, multiple-year review of all IEP core long-term monitoring elements (LTMEs). Here we hope to provide evidence that the review team arrangement and communication schedule was effective at developing a framework to objectively evaluate a suite of LTMEs. We focused on developing methods for an effective...
Authors
Jereme W. Gaeta, Samuel M. Bashevkin, Frederick V. Feyrer, Brock Huntsman, Brian Mahardja, Steven D Culberson, Michael P Beakes, Stephanie Fong, Stephen Louie
Assessing the ecological functionality and integrity of natural ponds, excavated ponds and stormwater basins for conserving amphibian diversity Assessing the ecological functionality and integrity of natural ponds, excavated ponds and stormwater basins for conserving amphibian diversity
Wetlands provide ecological functionality by maintaining and promoting regional biodiversity supporting quality habitat for aquatic organisms. Globally, habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation due to increases in agricultural activities and urban development have reduced or altered geographically isolated wetlands, thus reducing biodiversity. The objective of this study was to assess...
Authors
Kelly L. Smalling, Sara E. Breitmeyer, John F. Bunnell, Kim J Laidig, Patrick Burritt, Marilyn Sobel, Jonathan Cohl, Michelle L. Hladik, Kristin M. Romanok, Paul M. Bradley