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: 1814
Pesticide concentrations of surface water and suspended sediment in Yolo By-Pass and Cache Slough Complex, California, 2019–2021 Pesticide concentrations of surface water and suspended sediment in Yolo By-Pass and Cache Slough Complex, California, 2019–2021
Managed flow pulses in the north Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are an adaptive management tool used in efforts to enhance food availability in delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) habitat as part of the North Delta Food Subsidies Action. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) monitors non-managed seasonal and local flow pulses and managed flow pulses from agricultural...
Authors
Matthew Uychutin, James L. Orlando, Michelle L. Hladik, Corey J. Sanders, Michael S. Gross, Matthew D. De Parsia, Elisabeth M. LaBarbera, Laura Twardochleb, Brittany E. Davis
A probabilistic approach to training machine learning models using noisy data A probabilistic approach to training machine learning models using noisy data
Machine learning (ML) models are increasingly popular in environmental and hydrologic modeling, but they typically contain uncertainties resulting from noisy data (erroneous or outlier data). This paper presents a novel probabilistic approach that combines ML and Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation to (1) detect and underweight likely noisy data, (2) develop an approach capable of...
Authors
Ayman H. Alzraiee, Richard G. Niswonger
Persistence of pesticide residues in weathered avian droppings Persistence of pesticide residues in weathered avian droppings
Avian droppings (combination of fecal matter and urates) provide a non-lethal and non-invasive matrix for measuring pesticide exposures. In the field, droppings may be collected days or weeks after excretion and the persistence of pesticide residues in weathered droppings is not known. Thus, we studied the effects of weathering on pesticide residues in droppings. Domestic chicken (Gallus...
Authors
Nimish B. Vyas, Paula F. P. Henry, Lukasz Binkowski, Michelle L. Hladik, Michael S. Gross, Michael A. Schroeder, Dawn M. Davis
Estimating biogeochemical rates using a computationally efficient Lagrangian approach Estimating biogeochemical rates using a computationally efficient Lagrangian approach
Nutrient concentrations in many estuaries have increased over the past century due to increases in wastewater discharge and increased agricultural intensity, contributing to multiple environmental problems. Numerous biogeochemical and physical processes in estuaries influence nutrient concentrations during transport, resulting in complex spatial and temporal variability and challenges...
Authors
Edward Gross, Rusty Holleman, Wim Kimmerer, Tamara E. C. Kraus, Brian A. Bergamaschi, Scott Burdick-Yahya, David Senn
Evaluation of extinction risk for stream fishes within an urban riverscape using population viability analysis Evaluation of extinction risk for stream fishes within an urban riverscape using population viability analysis
1. The Santa Ana River in the Los Angeles region of California demonstrates common habitat degradation symptoms that are characteristic of the urban stream syndrome. These impacts have altered the Santa Ana River community structure, with few species as impacted as the native Santa Ana sucker (sucker; Pantosteus santaanae). 2. Consequently, a recovery plan developed for sucker identified...
Authors
Brock Huntsman, Kai Palenscar, Kerwin Russell, Brett Mills, Chris Jones, William Ota, Kurt E. Anderson, Heather Dyer, Fitsum Abadi, Marissa L. Wulff
Climate change scenarios for air and water temperatures in the upper San Francisco Estuary: Implications for thermal regimes and Delta Smelt Climate change scenarios for air and water temperatures in the upper San Francisco Estuary: Implications for thermal regimes and Delta Smelt
Climate projections and their effects in the San Francisco Estuary have been evaluated as part of the US Geological Survey’s CASCaDE2 project. Understanding the ecological effects of climate change can help manage and maintain the ecological health and productivity of the San Francisco Estuary. In this study, we assessed downscaled air temperature data from 10 global climate models (GCMs...
Authors
Brock Huntsman, Larry R. Brown, Marissa L. Wulff, Noah Knowles, R. Wayne Wagner, Frederick V. Feyrer
Development and evaluation of public-supply community water service area boundaries for the conterminous United States Development and evaluation of public-supply community water service area boundaries for the conterminous United States
The water service area dataset, derived from the National Boundary Dataset for public-supply water systems in the United States, offers a detailed resolution surpassing county-level assessments, emphasizing water-centric land use. Crucial for linking populations and infrastructure to system withdrawals, it supports the creation of a national public-supply water-use model, enhancing...
Authors
Cheryl A. Buchwald, Natalie Houston, Jana S. Stewart, Ayman H. Alzraiee, Richard G. Niswonger, Joshua Larsen
Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the Mojave Basin Domestic-Supply Aquifer study unit, 2018—California GAMA Priority Basin Project Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the Mojave Basin Domestic-Supply Aquifer study unit, 2018—California GAMA Priority Basin Project
Groundwater quality in the western part of the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California, was investigated in 2018 as part of the California State Water Resources Control Board Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program Priority Basin Project. The Mojave Basin Domestic-Supply Aquifer study unit (MOBS) region was divided into two study areas—floodplain and regional—to...
Authors
Krishangi D. Groover, Miranda S. Fram, Zeno F. Levy
Land-use interactions, Oil-Field infrastructure, and natural processes control hydrocarbon and arsenic concentrations in groundwater, Poso Creek Oil Field, California, USA Land-use interactions, Oil-Field infrastructure, and natural processes control hydrocarbon and arsenic concentrations in groundwater, Poso Creek Oil Field, California, USA
Like many hydrocarbon production areas in the U.S., the Poso Creek Oil Field in California includes and is adjacent to other land uses (agricultural and other developed lands) that affect the hydrology and geochemistry of the aquifer overlying and adjacent to oil development. We hypothesize that the distributions of hydrocarbons and arsenic in groundwater in such areas will be controlled...
Authors
Peter B. McMahon, Matthew K. Landon, Michael J. Stephens, Kimberly A. Taylor, Michael Wright, Angela Hansen, Tamara E. C. Kraus, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, David H. Shimabukuro, Theron A. Sowers, Justin T. Kulongoski, Andrew G. Hunt, Ruta Karolyte, Darren J. Hillegonds, Chris J. Ballentine
Status of water quality in groundwater resources used for drinking-water supply in the southeastern San Joaquin Valley, 2013–15—California GAMA Priority Basin Project Status of water quality in groundwater resources used for drinking-water supply in the southeastern San Joaquin Valley, 2013–15—California GAMA Priority Basin Project
The California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment Program Priority Basin Project (GAMA-PBP) investigated water quality of groundwater resources used for drinking-water supplies in the Madera-Chowchilla, Kings, Kaweah, Tule, and Tulare Lake groundwater subbasins of the southeastern San Joaquin Valley during 2013–15. The study focused primarily on groundwater resources used for...
Authors
Karen R. Burow, Jennifer L. Shelton, Miranda S. Fram
Groundwater sustainability and land subsidence in California’s Central Valley Groundwater sustainability and land subsidence in California’s Central Valley
The Central Valley of California is one of the most prolific agricultural regions in the world. Agriculture is reliant on the conjunctive use of surface-water and groundwater. The lack of available surface-water and land-use changes have led to pumping-induced groundwater-level and storage declines, land subsidence, changes to streamflow and the environment, and the degradation of water...
Authors
Claudia C. Faunt, Jonathan A. Traum, Scott E. Boyce, Whitney A. Seymour, Elizabeth Rae Jachens, Justin T. Brandt, Michelle Sneed, Sandra Bond, Marina Marcelli