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
Middle Holocene hydrologic changes catalyzed by river avulsion in Big Soda Lake, Nevada, USA Middle Holocene hydrologic changes catalyzed by river avulsion in Big Soda Lake, Nevada, USA
Big Soda Lake is a 63 m deep, 1.6 km2 maar lake in the Great Basin of Nevada, USA. Water level in the lake is controlled by groundwater inputs from the surrounding aquifer and the only surface water input is rainfall, which is negligible. A core taken in 2010 records an 8.75 m depositional history of the lake. A radiocarbon date on fossil pollen from 8.4 m below the sediment water...
Authors
Michael R. Rosen, Liam M. Reidy, Scott W. Starratt, Susan Zimmerman
Introduction to limnogeology: Progress, challenges, and opportunities: A tribute to Elizabeth Gierlowski-Kordesch Introduction to limnogeology: Progress, challenges, and opportunities: A tribute to Elizabeth Gierlowski-Kordesch
Elizabeth Gierlowski-Kordesch (1956–2016) was a leader and innovator in the specialty field of limnogeology since its beginnings in the late 1980s. Her excitement for field work and examining sediments was contagious, and she was always testing new research ideas. Beth would have been thrilled with the diversity of papers presented in the volume and the wide array of techniques used to...
Authors
Michael R. Rosen, Lisa Park Boush, David Finkelstein, Sila Pla-Pueyo
Measuring and interpreting multilayer aquifer-system compactions for a sustainable groundwater-system development Measuring and interpreting multilayer aquifer-system compactions for a sustainable groundwater-system development
Ever decreasing water resources and climate change have driven the increasing use of groundwater causing land subsidence in many countries. Geodetic sensors such as InSAR, GPS and leveling can detect surface deformation but cannot measure subsurface deformation. A single‐well, single‐depth extensometer can be used to measure subsurface deformation, but it cannot delineate the depths of...
Authors
Wei-Chia Hung, Cheinway Hwang, Michelle Sneed, Yi-An Chen, Chi-Hua Chu, Shao-Hung Lin
The basin characterization model—A regional water balance software package The basin characterization model—A regional water balance software package
This report documents the computer software package, Basin Characterization Model, version 8 (BCMv8)—a monthly, gridded, regional water-balance model—and provides detailed operational instructions and example applications. After several years of many applications and uses of a previous version, CA-BCM, published in 2014, the BCMv8 was refined to improve the accuracy of the water-balance...
Authors
Lorraine E. Flint, Alan L. Flint, Michelle A. Stern
Public and private tapwater: Comparative analysis of contaminant exposure and potential risk, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA Public and private tapwater: Comparative analysis of contaminant exposure and potential risk, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA
Background
Authors
Paul M. Bradley, Denis R. LeBlanc, Kristin M. Romanok, Kelly L. Smalling, Michael J. Focazio, Mary C. Cardon, Jimmy Clark, Justin M. Conley, Nicola Evans, Carrie E. Givens, James L. Gray, L. Earl Gray, Phillip C. Hartig, Christopher P. Higgins, Michelle L. Hladik, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Keith A. Loftin, R. Blaine McCleskey, Carrie A. McDonough, Elizabeth Medlock-Kakaley, Christopher P. Weis, Vickie S. Wilson
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, California Water Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, New England Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Upper Midwest Water Science Center, National Water Quality Laboratory
Evaluating a laboratory flume microbiome as a window into natural riverbed biogeochemistry Evaluating a laboratory flume microbiome as a window into natural riverbed biogeochemistry
Riverbeds are hotspots for microbially-mediated reactions that exhibit pronounced variability in space and time. It is challenging to resolve biogeochemical mechanisms in natural riverbeds, as uncontrolled settings complicate data collection and interpretation. To overcome these challenges, laboratory flumes are often used as proxies for natural riverbed systems. Flumes capture...
Authors
Matthew H. Kaufman, John G. Warden, M. Bayani Cardenas, James C. Stegen, Emily B. Graham, Joseph Brown
Inclusion of pesticide transformation products is key to estimating pesticide exposures and effects in small U.S. streams Inclusion of pesticide transformation products is key to estimating pesticide exposures and effects in small U.S. streams
Improved analytical methods can quantify hundreds of pesticide transformation products (TPs), but understanding of TP occurrence and potential toxicity in aquatic ecosystems remains limited. We quantified 108 parent pesticides and 116 TPs in more than 3 700 samples from 442 small streams in mostly urban basins across five major regions of the United States. TPs were detected nearly as...
Authors
Barbara Mahler, Lisa H. Nowell, Mark W. Sandstrom, Paul M. Bradley, Kristin M. Romanok, Christopher Konrad, Peter Van Metre
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, California Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Washington Water Science Center, National Water Quality Laboratory
Characterization of groundwater recharge and flow in California's San Joaquin Valley from InSAR-observed surface deformation Characterization of groundwater recharge and flow in California's San Joaquin Valley from InSAR-observed surface deformation
Surface deformation in California's Central Valley (CV) has long been linked to changes in groundwater storage. Recent advances in remote sensing have enabled the mapping of CV deformation and associated changes in groundwater resources at increasingly higher spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we use interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) from the Sentinel‐1 missions, augmented...
Authors
W.R. Neely, A.A. Borsa, J.A. Burney, M.C. Levy, F. Silverii, Michelle Sneed
Exploring biophysical linkages between coastal forestry management practices and aquatic bivalve contaminant exposure Exploring biophysical linkages between coastal forestry management practices and aquatic bivalve contaminant exposure
Terrestrial land use activities present cross-ecosystem threats to riverine and marine species and processes. Specifically, pesticide runoff can disrupt hormonal, reproductive, and developmental processes in aquatic organisms, yet non-point source pollution is difficult to trace and quantify. In Oregon, U.S.A., state and federal forestry pesticide regulations, designed to meet regulatory...
Authors
Kaegan Scully-Engelmeyer, Elise F. Granek, Max Nielsen-Pincus, Andy Lanier, Steven S Rumrill, Patrick W. Moran, Elena Nilsen, Michelle L. Hladik, Lori Pillsbury
Machine learning predicted redox conditions in the glacial aquifer system, northern continental United States Machine learning predicted redox conditions in the glacial aquifer system, northern continental United States
Groundwater supplies 50% of drinking water worldwide and 30% in the United States. Geogenic and anthropogenic contaminants can, however, compromise water quality, thus limiting groundwater availability. Reduction/oxidation (redox) processes and redox conditions affect groundwater quality by influencing the mobility and transport of common geogenic and anthropogenic contaminants. In the...
Authors
Melinda L. Erickson, Sarah M. Elliott, Craig J. Brown, Paul E. Stackelberg, Katherine Marie Ransom, James E. Reddy
Salinity changes the dynamics of pyrethroid toxicity in terms of behavioral effects on newly hatched delta smelt larvae Salinity changes the dynamics of pyrethroid toxicity in terms of behavioral effects on newly hatched delta smelt larvae
Salinity can interact with organic compounds and modulate their toxicity. Studies have shown that the fraction of pyrethroid insecticides in the aqueous phase increases with increasing salinity, potentially increasing the risk of exposure for aquatic organisms at higher salinities. In the San Francisco Bay Delta (SFBD) estuary, pyrethroid concentrations increase during the rainy season...
Authors
Amelie Segarra, Florian Mauduit, Nermeen Amer, Felix KJ Biefel, Michelle L. Hladik, Richard E Connon, Susanne M. Brander
Multi-taxa database data dictionary Multi-taxa database data dictionary
The conservation of biological resources relies on the successful management of ecological and physiological research data. The Western Ecological Research Center of the U.S. Geological Survey is working with researchers, land managers, and decision makers from non-government organizations and city, county, state, and federal resource agencies to develop data management methods. Access...
Authors
Elise Watson, Carlton J. Rochester, Chris W. Brown, Donn A. Holmes, Stacie A. Hathaway, Robert N. Fisher