Water Resources
Publications
This list of Water Resources Mission Area publications includes both official USGS publications and journal articles authored by our scientists. A searchable database of all USGS publications can be accessed at the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Volcanic Aquifers of Hawai‘i—Construction and calibration of numerical models for assessing groundwater availability on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, and Maui
Steady-state numerical groundwater-flow models were constructed for the islands of Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, and Maui to enable quantification of the hydrologic consequences of withdrawals and other stresses that can place limits on groundwater availability. The volcanic aquifers of Hawai‘i supply nearly all drinking water for the islands’ residents,...
Izuka, Scot K.; Rotzoll, Kolja; Nishikawa, Tracy
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...
Segarra, Amelie; Mauduit, Florian; Amer, Nermeen; Biefel, Felix KJ; Hladik, Michelle; Connon, Richard E; Brander, Susanne M. Determination of vadose zone and saturated zone nitrate lag times using long-term groundwater monitoring data and statistical machine learning
In this study, we explored the use of statistical machine learning and long-term groundwater nitrate monitoring data to estimate vadose zone and saturated zone lag times in an irrigated alluvial agricultural setting. Unlike most previous statistical machine learning studies that sought to predict groundwater nitrate concentrations within aquifers...
Wells, Martin J.; Gilmore, Troy E.; Nelson, Natalie; Mittelstet, Aaron; Böhlke, John K.
Documentation of methods and inventory of irrigation information collected for the 2015 U.S. Geological Survey estimated use of water in the United States
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Use Science Project strives to report water-use estimates using the best available information for the period of the estimates. The information available on water used for irrigation activities varies from State to State and in some areas from county to county within a State, which results in many...
Painter, Jaime A.; Brandt, Justin T.; Caldwell, Rodney R.; Haynes, Jonathan V.; Read, Amy 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
Spatial and temporal variability of nutrients and algae in the Republican River and Milford Lake, Kansas, June through November 2017 and May through November 2018
Milford Lake has been listed as impaired and designated hypereutrophic because of excessive nutrient loading, specifically biologically available orthophosphate. It is the largest lake by surface area in Kansas and is a reservoir built for purposes including water supply and recreation. In 2015, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (...
Leiker, Brianna M.; Abel, Justin R.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Foster, Guy M.; King, Lindsey R.; Stiles, Tom C.; Buley, Riley P.
Nutrient concentrations, loads, and yields in the Middle Iowa River Basin, Iowa
Concentrations, loads, and yields of nitrate plus nitrite, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus were assessed in the Iowa River upstream from the Coralville Reservoir in east-central Iowa. The results of this study describe baseline nutrient transport during two historical reference periods, 1980–96 and 2006–10, that can be used to evaluate the...
Garrett, Jessica D.; Kalkhoff, Stephen J.
Evaluation of streamflow extent and hydraulic characteristics of a restored channel at Soldier Meadows, Black Rock Desert–High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area, Nevada
The Soldier Meadows spring complex provides habitat for the desert dace, an endemic and threatened fish. The spring complex has been altered with the construction of irrigation ditches that remove water from natural stream channels. Irrigation ditches generally provide lower quality habitat for the desert dace. Land and wildlife management...
Morris, Christopher M.
Modeling water temperature response to dam operations and water management in Green Peter and Foster Lakes and the South Santiam River, Oregon
Significant FindingsGreen Peter and Foster Dams have altered natural seasonal temperature patterns in the South and Middle Santiam Rivers of the Willamette River Basin in northwestern Oregon. Cold-water releases from Green Peter Dam, upstream of Foster Lake, contribute to the cool-water conditions at Foster Dam. In summer, unseasonably cold water...
Sullivan, Annett B.; Rounds, Stewart A.
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...
Watson, Elise; Rochester, Carlton J.; Brown, Chris W.; Holmes, Donn A.; Hathaway, Stacie A.; Fisher, Robert N. Environmental and anthropogenic drivers of contaminants in agricultural watersheds with implications for land management
If not managed properly, modern agricultural practices can alter surface and groundwater quality and drinking water resources resulting in potential negative effects on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Exposure to agriculturally derived contaminant mixtures has the potential to alter habitat quality and negatively affect fish and other aquatic...
Smalling, Kelly; Devereux, Olivia H.; Gordon, Stephanie; Phillips, Patrick J.; Blazer, Vicki S.; Hladik, Michelle; Kolpin, Dana W.; Meyer, Michael T.; Sperry, Adam; Wagner, Tyler Microbial and viral indicators of pathogens and human health risks from recreational exposure to waters impaired by fecal contamination
Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) (e.g., fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, and enterococci) have been used for decades to monitor for and protect the public from waterborne pathogens from fecal contamination. However, FIB may not perform well at predicting the presence of waterborne pathogens or human health outcomes from recreational...
McKee, Anna M.; Cruz, Marcella A.