Idaho Water Science Center
Publications
The following is a list of our publications available from the USGS Publications Warehouse. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact our Public Information Officer, Tim Merrick, at trmerrick@usgs.gov or 208-387-1305.
Optimization of the Idaho National Laboratory water-quality aquifer monitoring network, southeastern Idaho
Long-term monitoring of water-quality data collected from wells at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has provided essential information for delineating the movement of radiochemical and chemical wastes in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer, southeastern Idaho. Since 1949, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of...
Fisher, Jason C.; Bartholomay, Roy C.; Rattray, Gordon W.; Maimer, Neil V.
Nutrient limitation of algae and macrophytes in streams: Integrating laboratory bioassays, field experiments, and field data
Successful eutrophication control strategies need to address the limiting nutrient. We conducted a battery of laboratory and in situ nutrient-limitation tests with waters collected from 9 streams in an agricultural region of the upper Snake River basin, Idaho, USA. Laboratory tests used the green alga Raphidocelis subcapitata, the macrophyte...
Mebane, Christopher A.; Ray, Andrew M.; Marcarelli, Amy M
Field methods, quality-assurance, and data management plan for water-quality activities and water-level measurements, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho
IntroductionWater-quality activities and water-level measurements conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Project Office coincide with the USGS mission of appraising the quantity and quality of the Nation’s water resources. The activities are conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE...
Bartholomay, Roy C.; Maimer, Neil V.; Wehnke, Amy J.; Helmuth, Samuel L.
Multilevel groundwater monitoring of hydraulic head, water temperature, and chemical constituents in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho, 2014–18
Radiochemical and chemical wastewater discharged to infiltration ponds and disposal wells since the early 1950s at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), southeastern Idaho, has affected the water quality of the eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) aquifer. In 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy,...
Twining, Brian V.; Bartholomay, Roy C.; Fisher, Jason C.; Anderson, Calvin
Microplastics in the Delaware River, northeastern United States
Microplastics are a contaminant of increasing concern in aquatic environments. Our understanding of microplastics in freshwater environments has increased dramatically over the past decade, but we still lack information on microplastic occurrence and biological uptake in National Park Service (NPS) waters. During 2015–19, the U.S. Geological...
Baldwin, Austin K.; Spanjer, Andrew R.; Hayhurst, Brett; Hamilton, Donald Effect of organic matter concentration and characteristics on mercury mobilization and methylmercury production at an abandoned mine site
Thousands of abandoned mines throughout the western region of North America contain elevated total-mercury (THg) concentrations. Mercury is mobilized from these sites primarily due to erosion of particulate-bound Hg (THg-P). Organic matter-based soil amendments can promote vegetation growth on mine tailings, reducing erosion and subsequent loading...
Eckley, Chris S.; Luxton, Todd P.; Stanfield, Brooks; Baldwin, Austin K.; Holloway, JoAnn; McKernan, John; Johnson, Mark Geologic map of the Butte City 7.5' Quadrangle, Butte County, Idaho
The geologic map of the Butte City 7.5’ quadrangle is based on mapping summarized in the 1:100,000 scale map of the Idaho National Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Map I-2330, by Kuntz and others, 1994. New surficial geologic mapping was completed by National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) interns, Evan...
Helmuth, Samuel Levi; Martin, Evan; Hodges, Mary K. V.; Champion, Duane E. colorspace: A toolbox for manipulating and assessing colors and palettes
The R package colorspace provides a flexible toolbox for selecting individual colors or color palettes, manipulating these colors, and employing them in statistical graphics and data visualizations. In particular, the package provides a broad range of color palettes based on the HCL (hue-chroma-luminance) color space. The three HCL dimensions have...
Zeileis, Achim; Fisher, Jason C.; Hornik, Kurt; Ihaka, Ross; McWhite, Claire D.; Murrell, Paul; Stauffer, Reto; Wilke, Claus O.
Trends in concentration, loads, and sources of trace metals and nutrients in the Spokane River Watershed, northern Idaho, water years 1990–2018
A long history of mining and widespread metals contamination in the Coeur d’Alene River watershed and downstream into the Spokane River has led to the area’s designation as a Superfund site and to extensive, ongoing (as of 2020) remedial actions. Long-term water-quality and streamflow data, collected by the U.S. Geological Survey for up to 29...
Zinsser, Lauren M. Robotic environmental DNA bio-surveillance of freshwater health
Autonomous water sampling technologies may help to overcome the human resource challenges of monitoring biological threats to rivers over long time periods and large geographic areas. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute has pioneered a robotic Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) that overcomes some of the constraints associated with...
Sepulveda, Adam J.; Birch, Jim M.; Barnhart, Elliott; Merkes, Christopher M.; Yamahara, Kevan; Marin, Roman III; Kinsey, Stacy; Wright, Peter R.; Schmidt, Christian The influence of climate variability on the accuracy of NHD perennial and non-perennial stream classifications
National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) stream permanence classifications (SPC; perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral) are widely used for data visualization and applied science, and have implications for resource policy and management. NHD SPC were assigned using a combination of topographic field surveys and interviews with local residents. However...
Hafen, Konrad; Blasch, Kyle; Rea, Alan H.; Sando, Roy; Paul Gessler Seasonal dynamics and interannual variability in mercury concentrations and loads through a three-reservoir complex
The Hells Canyon Complex (HCC) along the Snake River (Idaho-Oregon border, USA) encompasses three successive reservoirs that seasonally stratify, creating anoxic conditions in the hypolimnion that promote methylmercury (MeHg) production. This study quantified seasonal dynamics and interannual variability in mercury concentrations (inorganic...
Baldwin, Austin K.; Poulin, Brett; Naymik, Jesse; Hoovestol, Charles; Clark, Gregory M.; Krabbenhoft, David P.