Publications
Below is a list of available Colorado Water Science Center publications and published products.
Filter Total Items: 813
Establishing the foundation for the global observing system for marine life Establishing the foundation for the global observing system for marine life
Maintaining healthy, productive ecosystems in the face of pervasive and accelerating human impacts including climate change requires globally coordinated and sustained observations of marine biodiversity. Global coordination is predicated on an understanding of the scope and capacity of existing monitoring programs, and the extent to which they use standardized, interoperable practices...
Authors
Erin V. Satterthwaite, Nicholas J. Bax, Patricia Miloslavich, Lavenia Ratnarajah, Gabrielle Canonico, Daniel Dunn, Samantha E. Simmons, Roxanne J. Carini, Karen Evans, Valerie Allain, Ward Appeltans, Sonia Batten, Lisandro Benedetti-Cecchi, Anthony T. F. Bernard, R. Sky Bristol, Abigail Benson, Pier Luigi Buttigieg, Leopoldo Cavaleri Gerhardinger, Sanae Chiba, Tammy E. Davies, J. Emmett Duffy, Alfredo Giron-Nava, Astrid J. Hsu, Alexandra C. Kraberg, Raphael M. Kudela, Dan Lear, Enrique Montes, Frank Muller-Karger, Todd D. O’Brien, David Obura, Pieter Provoost, Sara Pruckner, Lisa-Maria Rebelo, Elizabeth R. Selig, Olav Sigurd Kjesbu, Craig Starger, Rick D. Stuart-Smith, Marjo Vierros, John S. Waller, Lauren V. Weatherdon, Tristan Wellman, Anna Zivian
Influence of redox gradients on nitrate transport from the landscape to groundwater and streams Influence of redox gradients on nitrate transport from the landscape to groundwater and streams
Increases in nitrogen applications to the land surface since the 1950s have led to a cascade of negative environmental impacts, including degradation of drinking water supplies, nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems and contributions to global climate change. In this study, groundwater, streambed porewater, and stream sampling were used to establish trends in nitrate concentrations...
Authors
Anthony J. Tesoriero, Laurel E. Stratton, Matthew P. Miller
Assessing specific-capacity data and short-term aquifer testing to estimate hydraulic properties in alluvial aquifers of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA Assessing specific-capacity data and short-term aquifer testing to estimate hydraulic properties in alluvial aquifers of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA
Study Region: Rocky Mountains, United States Study Focus: Groundwater-flow modeling requires estimates of hydraulic properties, namely hydraulic conductivity. Hydraulic conductivity values commonly vary over orders of magnitudes however and estimation may require extensive field campaigns applying slug or pumping tests. As an alternative, specific-capacity tests can be used to estimate...
Authors
Connor P. Newman, Zachary D. Kisfalusi, Michael J. Holmberg
Snow depth retrieval with an autonomous UAV-mounted software-defined radar Snow depth retrieval with an autonomous UAV-mounted software-defined radar
We present results from a field campaign to measure seasonal snow depth at Cameron Pass, Colorado, using a synthetic ultrawideband software-defined radar (SDRadar) implemented in commercially available Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) software-defined radio hardware and flown on a small hexacopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). We coherently synthesize an ultrawideband signal...
Authors
S. Prager, Graham A. Sexstone, Daniel J McGrath, John W, Fulton, Mahta Moghaddam
Effects of hydrologic variability and remedial actions on first flush and metal loading from streams draining the Silverton caldera, 1992–2014 Effects of hydrologic variability and remedial actions on first flush and metal loading from streams draining the Silverton caldera, 1992–2014
This study examined water quality in the upper Animas River watershed, a mined watershed that gained notoriety following the 2015 Gold King mine release of acid mine drainage to downstream communities. Water-quality data were used to evaluate trends in metal concentrations and loads over a two-decade period. Selected sites included three sites on tributary streams and one main-stem site...
Authors
Tanya N Petach, Robert L. Runkel, Rory M. Cowie, Diane M. McKnight
Predicting regional fluoride concentrations at public and domestic supply depths in basin-fill aquifers of the western United States using a random forest model Predicting regional fluoride concentrations at public and domestic supply depths in basin-fill aquifers of the western United States using a random forest model
A random forest regression (RFR) model was applied to over 12,000 wells with measured fluoride (F) concentrations in untreated groundwater to predict F concentrations at depths used for domestic and public supply in basin-fill aquifers of the western United States. The model relied on twenty-two regional-scale environmental and surficial predictor variables selected to represent factors...
Authors
Celia Z Rosecrans, Kenneth Belitz, Katherine Marie Ransom, Peter B. McMahon, Paul E. Stackelberg
Estimating urban air pollution contribution to South Platte River nitrogen loads with National Atmospheric Deposition Program data and SPARROW model Estimating urban air pollution contribution to South Platte River nitrogen loads with National Atmospheric Deposition Program data and SPARROW model
Air pollution is commonly disregarded as a source of nutrient loading to impaired surface waters managed under the Clean Water Act per states’ 303(d) list programs. The contribution of air pollution to 2017–2018 South Platte River nitrogen (N) loads was estimated from the headwaters to the gage at Weldona, Colorado, USA (100 km downstream of Denver), using data from the National...
Authors
Gregory A. Wetherbee, Michael Wieczorek, Dale M. Robertson, David A. Saad, Jon Novick, M. Alisa Mast
Estimates of public-supply, domestic, and irrigation water withdrawal, use, and trends in the Upper Rio Grande Basin, 1985 to 2015 Estimates of public-supply, domestic, and irrigation water withdrawal, use, and trends in the Upper Rio Grande Basin, 1985 to 2015
The Rio Grande flows approximately 670 miles from its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains of south-central Colorado to Fort Quitman, Texas, draining the Upper Rio Grande Basin (URGB) study area of 32,000 square miles that includes parts of Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. Parts of the basin extend into the United Mexican States (hereafter “Mexico”), where the Rio Grande forms the...
Authors
Tamara I. Ivahnenko, Allison K. Flickinger, Amy E. Galanter, Kyle R. Douglas-Mankin, Diana E. Pedraza, Gabriel B. Senay
Estimating invertebrate response to changes in total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and specific conductance at sites where invertebrate data are unavailable Estimating invertebrate response to changes in total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and specific conductance at sites where invertebrate data are unavailable
The purpose of this report is to describe a possible approach to estimate changes in invertebrate taxa richness at sites with known water-quality trends but no invertebrate data. In this study, data from 1,322 sites were used to describe invertebrate response to changes in total nitrogen, total phosphorus, or specific conductance, and to estimate changes in invertebrate taxa richness at...
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, Daren M. Carlisle
Analysis of Escherichia coli, total recoverable iron, and dissolved selenium concentrations, loading, and identifying data gaps for selected 303(d) listed streams, Grand Valley, western Colorado, 1980–2018 Analysis of Escherichia coli, total recoverable iron, and dissolved selenium concentrations, loading, and identifying data gaps for selected 303(d) listed streams, Grand Valley, western Colorado, 1980–2018
Tributaries to the Colorado River in the Grand Valley in western Colorado (segment COLCLC13b) have been placed on the State of Colorado 303(d) list as impaired for Escherichia coli (E. coli), total recoverable iron, and dissolved selenium. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Water Quality Control Division is required to develop total maximum daily loads for these...
Authors
Lisa D. Miller, Rachel G. Gidley, Natalie K. Day, Judith C. Thomas
Spatiotemporal dynamics of CO2 gas exchange from headwater mountain streams Spatiotemporal dynamics of CO2 gas exchange from headwater mountain streams
Mountain streams play an important role in the global carbon cycle by transporting, metabolizing, and exchanging carbon they receive from the terrestrial environment. The rates at which these processes occur remain highly uncertain because of a paucity of observations and the difficulty of measuring gas exchange rates in steep, turbulent mountain streams. This uncertainty is compounded...
Authors
David W. Clow, Robert G. Striegl, Mark Dornblaser
Assessment of diel cycling in nutrients and trace elements in the Eagle River Basin, 2017–18 Assessment of diel cycling in nutrients and trace elements in the Eagle River Basin, 2017–18
Diel cycles are known to occur in all types of waters, and increasing studies indicate routine water samples may not provide an accurate snapshot in concentrations of trace elements and nutrients. Diel behavior in neutral to alkaline pH ranges is independent of streamflow variability and concentration. Extensive historical U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) water-quality data have been...
Authors
Rodney J. Richards, Mark F. Henneberg