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.
Filter Total Items: 19017
Heterogeneity in hyporheic flow, pore water chemistry, and microbial community composition in an alpine streambed Heterogeneity in hyporheic flow, pore water chemistry, and microbial community composition in an alpine streambed
The hyporheic zone, where surface water and groundwater mix, is an important microbial habitat where biogeochemical reactions influence water quality. We show that spatial variability in hyporheic flow in the East River near Crested Butte, Colorado, drives heterogeneity in streambed geochemical conditions and microbial community assemblages, but the diversity of assemblages remains...
Authors
A.R. Nelson, A. Sawyer, R. Gabor, C. Saup, S. Bryant, K. Harris, Martin A. Briggs, Kenneth Williams, M. J. Wilkins
Differentiating sediment sources using sediment fingerprinting techniques, in the Sprague River Basin, South-Central Oregon Differentiating sediment sources using sediment fingerprinting techniques, in the Sprague River Basin, South-Central Oregon
Identifying sources of sediment to streams in the Sprague River Basin, in south-central Oregon, is important for restoration efforts that are focused on reducing sediment erosion and transport. Reducing sediment loads in these streams also contributes to compliance with the total maximum daily load reduction requirements for total phosphorus in this basin. In the Sprague River Basin...
Authors
Liam N. Schenk, Tessa M. Harden, Julia K. Kelson
Advances in quantifying streamflow variability across continental scales: 2. Improved model regionalization and prediction uncertainties using hierarchical Bayesian methods Advances in quantifying streamflow variability across continental scales: 2. Improved model regionalization and prediction uncertainties using hierarchical Bayesian methods
The precise estimation of process effects in hydrological models requires applying models to large scales with extensive spatial variability in controlling factors. Despite progress in large‐scale applications of hydrological models in conterminous United States (CONUS) river basins, spatial constraints in model parameters have prevented the interbasin sharing of data, complicating...
Authors
Richard B. Alexander, Gregory E. Schwarz, Elizabeth W. Boyer
Constraining dissolved organic matter sources and temporal variability in a model sub-Arctic lake Constraining dissolved organic matter sources and temporal variability in a model sub-Arctic lake
Circumpolar lakes comprise ~ 1.4 million km2 of arctic and subarctic landscapes and are vulnerable to change in vegetation, permafrost distribution, and hydrological conditions in response to climate warming. However, the composition and cycling of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is poorly understood for these lakes because most are remote and unstudied. The goal of this study was to...
Authors
Sarah Ellen Johnston, Matthew J. Bogard, Jennifer A. Rogers, David Butman, Robert G. Striegl, Mark M. Dornblaser, Robert G. M. Spencer
Trace metal and nutrient loads from groundwater seepage into the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River near Smelterville, northern Idaho, 2017 Trace metal and nutrient loads from groundwater seepage into the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River near Smelterville, northern Idaho, 2017
The Coeur d’Alene mining district in northern Idaho historically was a globally important source of lead, zinc, and silver, but over 100 years of mining has left a legacy of metals contamination in the Coeur d’Alene River valley. Previous studies by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and others have indicated that groundwater discharging into the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River between...
Authors
Lauren M. Zinsser
Review of and recommendations for monitoring contaminants and their effects in the San Francisco Bay−Delta Review of and recommendations for monitoring contaminants and their effects in the San Francisco Bay−Delta
Legacy and current-use contaminants enter into and accumulate throughout the San Francisco Bay−Delta (Bay−Delta), and are present at concentrations with known effects on species important to this diverse watershed. There remains major uncertainty and a lack of focused research able to address and provide understanding of effects across multiple biological scales, despite previous and...
Authors
Richard E Connon, Simone Hasenbein, Susanne M. Brander, Helen C. Poynton, Erika B Holland, Daniel Schlenk, James Orlando, Michelle L. Hladik, Tracy K. Collier, Nathaniel L Scholz, John P Incardona, Nancy D. Denslow, Amro Hamdoun, Sascha Nicklisch, Natalia Garcia-Reyero, Edward J. Perkins, Evan P Gallagher, Xin Deng, Dan Wang, Stephanie Fong, Richard S Breuer, Mehrdad Hajibabei, James B Brown, John K Colbourne, Thomas M Young, Gary Cherr, Andrew Whitehead, Anne E. Todgham
Floodplain inundation spectrum across the United States Floodplain inundation spectrum across the United States
Floodplain inundation poses both risks and benefits to society. In this study, we characterize floodplain inundation across the United States using 5800 stream gages. We find that between 4% and 12.6% of a river’s annual flow moves through its floodplains. Flood duration and magnitude is greater in large rivers, whereas the frequency of events is greater in small streams. However, the...
Authors
Durelle T. Scott, Jesus D. Gomez-Velez, C. Nathan Jones, Judson Harvey
Response of nitrogen loading to the Chesapeake Bay to source reduction and land use change scenarios: A SPARROW‐informed analysis Response of nitrogen loading to the Chesapeake Bay to source reduction and land use change scenarios: A SPARROW‐informed analysis
In response to concerns regarding the health of streams and receiving waters, the United States Environmental Protection Agency established a total maximum daily load for nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay watershed for which practices must be in place by 2025 resulting in an expected 25% reduction in load from 2009 levels. The response of total nitrogen (TN) loads delivered to the Bay to...
Authors
Matthew P. Miller, Paul D. Capel, Ana M. Garcia, Scott W. Ator
Instructions for running the analytical code PAT (Purge Analyzer Tool) for computation of in-well time of travel of groundwater under pumping conditions Instructions for running the analytical code PAT (Purge Analyzer Tool) for computation of in-well time of travel of groundwater under pumping conditions
Introduction Understanding the optimal time needed to purge a well while pumping to collect a representative groundwater sample requires an understanding of groundwater flow in wells (in-well flow). Parameters that affect in-well flow include the hydraulic properties of the aquifer, well construction, drawdown from pumping, and pump rate. The time of travel relative to in-well flow is...
Authors
P.T. Harte, B. J. Huffman, Tomas Perina, Herb Levine, Daewon Rojas-Mickelson
Wind sheltering impacts on land-atmosphere fluxes over fens Wind sheltering impacts on land-atmosphere fluxes over fens
Wetlands and their ability to mitigate climate change motivates restorative and protective action; however, scientific understanding of land-atmosphere interactions is restricted by our limited continuous observations of gaseous fluxes. Many wetlands are small in spatial scale and embedded in forested landscapes. Yet, little is known about how the relative sheltering of forests affects...
Authors
Jessica Turner, Ankur R. Desai, Jonathan Thom, Kimberly P. Wickland, Brent Olson
Microplastic concentrations in two Oregon bivalve species: Spatial, temporal, and species variability Microplastic concentrations in two Oregon bivalve species: Spatial, temporal, and species variability
Microplastics are an ecological stressor with implications for ecosystem and human health when present in seafood. We quantified microplastic types, concentrations, anatomical burdens, geographic distribution, and temporal differences in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula) from 15 Oregon coast, U.S.A. sites. Microplastics were present in organisms...
Authors
Britta Baechler, Elise F. Granek, Matthew G. Hunter, Kathleen E. Conn
Naturally occurring uranium in groundwater in northeastern Washington State Naturally occurring uranium in groundwater in northeastern Washington State
Uranium is a radioactive element (radionuclide) that occurs naturally in rock, soil, and water, usually in low concentrations. Radionuclides are unstable atoms with excess energy and as radionuclides decay, they emit radiation. The uranium decay sequence also includes other radionuclides of concern such as radium and radon. This fact sheet addresses naturally occurring uranium in...
Authors
Sue C. Kahle