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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: 19021

Effects of climate change and population growth on the transboundary Santa Cruz aquifer Effects of climate change and population growth on the transboundary Santa Cruz aquifer

The USA and Mexico have initiated comprehensive assessment of 4 of the 18 aquifers underlying their 3000 km border. Binational management of groundwater is not currently proposed. University and agency researchers plus USA and Mexican federal, state, and local agency staff have collaboratively identified key challenges facing the Santa Cruz River Valley Aquifer located between the states...
Authors
Christopher A. Scott, Sharon Megdal, Lucas Antonio Oroz, James Callegary, Prescott Vandervoet

Interactive terrain visualization enables virtual field work during rapid scientific response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake Interactive terrain visualization enables virtual field work during rapid scientific response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake

The moment magnitude (Mw) 7.0 12 January 2010 Haiti earthquake is the first major earthquake for which a large-footprint LiDAR (light detection and ranging) survey was acquired within several weeks of the event. Here, we describe the use of virtual reality data visualization to analyze massive amounts (67 GB on disk) of multiresolution terrain data during the rapid scientific response to...
Authors
Eric Cowgill, Tony S. Bernardin, Michael E. Oskin, Christopher Bowles, M. Burak Yikilmaz, Oliver Kreylos, Austin J. Elliott, Scott Bishop, Ryan D. Gold, Alexander Morelan, Gerald W. Bawden, Bernd Hamann, Louise Kellogg

Evolution of the chemistry of Fe bearing waters during CO2 degassing Evolution of the chemistry of Fe bearing waters during CO2 degassing

The rates of Fe(II) oxidation and precipitation from groundwater are highly pH dependent. Elevated levels of dissolved CO2 can depress pH and cause difficulty in removing dissolved Fe and associated metals during treatment of ferruginous water. This paper demonstrates interdependent changes in pH, dissolved inorganic C species, and Fe(II) oxidation rates that occur as a result of the...
Authors
J.N. Geroni, C.A. Cravotta, D.J. Sapsford

A graphical method to evaluate predominant geochemical processes occurring in groundwater systems for radiocarbon dating A graphical method to evaluate predominant geochemical processes occurring in groundwater systems for radiocarbon dating

A graphical method is described for identifying geochemical reactions needed in the interpretation of radiocarbon age in groundwater systems. Graphs are constructed by plotting the measured 14C, δ13C, and concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon and are interpreted according to specific criteria to recognize water samples that are consistent with a wide range of processes, including...
Authors
Liang-Feng Han, Niel Plummer, Pradeep Aggarwal

A meeting of the waters: interdisciplinary challenges and opportunities in tidal rivers A meeting of the waters: interdisciplinary challenges and opportunities in tidal rivers

At the interface of estuarine tides and freshwater rivers lie wetland and aquatic ecosystems, which experience dramatic effects of sea level rise. There, nontidal channels and riparian floodplains are transforming into tidal ecosystems, and tidal freshwater ecosystems are receiving increasing salinity. These river-floodplain systems have both fluvial characteristics, including meandering...
Authors
Scott H. Ensign, Gregory B. Noe, Cliff R. Hupp, Sergio Fagherazzi

GeoChip-based analysis of microbial functional gene diversity in a landfill leachate-contaminated aquifer GeoChip-based analysis of microbial functional gene diversity in a landfill leachate-contaminated aquifer

The functional gene diversity and structure of microbial communities in a shallow landfill leachate-contaminated aquifer were assessed using a comprehensive functional gene array (GeoChip 3.0). Water samples were obtained from eight wells at the same aquifer depth immediately below a municipal landfill or along the predominant downgradient groundwater flowpath. Functional gene richness...
Authors
Zhenmei Lu, Zhili He, Victoria A. Parisi, Sanghoon Kang, Ye Deng, Joy D. Van Nostrand, Jason R. Masoner, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Joseph M. Suflita, Jizhong Zhou

Data from a thick unsaturated zone in Joshua Tree, San Bernardino County, California, 2007--09 Data from a thick unsaturated zone in Joshua Tree, San Bernardino County, California, 2007--09

Data were collected on the physical properties of unsaturated alluvial deposits, the chemical composition of leachate extracted from unsaturated alluvial deposits, the chemical and isotopic composition of groundwater and unsaturated-zone water, and the chemical composition of unsaturated-zone gas at four monitoring sites in the southwestern part of the Mojave Desert in the town of Joshua...
Authors
Matthew Burgess, John Izbicki, Nicholas Teague, David R. O’Leary, Dennis Clark, Michael Land

Total nitrogen and suspended-sediment loads and identification of suspended-sediment sources in the Laurel Hill Creek watershed, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, water years 2010-11 Total nitrogen and suspended-sediment loads and identification of suspended-sediment sources in the Laurel Hill Creek watershed, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, water years 2010-11

Laurel Hill Creek is a watershed of 125 square miles located mostly in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, with small areas extending into Fayette and Westmoreland Counties. The upper part of the watershed is on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection 303(d) list of impaired streams because of siltation, nutrients, and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. The objectives of...
Authors
Ronald A. Sloto, Allen C. Gellis, Daniel G. Galeone

Threats and stressors to the health of the ecosystems of Lakes Mead and Mohave: Chapter 6 in A synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave Threats and stressors to the health of the ecosystems of Lakes Mead and Mohave: Chapter 6 in A synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave

Ecosystem impacts from visitor activities or natural environmental change are important concerns in all units of the National Park system. Possible impacts to aquatic ecosystems at Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) are of particular concern because of the designation of Lakes Mead and Mohave as critical habitat for the federally listed endangered razorback sucker (Xyrauchen...
Authors
Michael R. Rosen, Steven L. Goodbred, Wai Hing Wong, Reynaldo Patiño, Kent Turner, Craig J. Palmer, Peggy Roefer

Hydrology and management of Lakes Mead and Mohave within the Colorado River Basin: Chapter 3 in A synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave Hydrology and management of Lakes Mead and Mohave within the Colorado River Basin: Chapter 3 in A synthesis of aquatic science for management of Lakes Mead and Mohave

The Colorado River Basin covers parts of seven States: Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and California; at 1,450 mi (2,333.5 km) in length, the Colorado River is the seventh longest river in the United States (fig. 3-1). The Bureau of Reclamation has the responsibility for management of this system, in coordination with the seven basin States, within a complex...
Authors
G. Chris Holdren, Todd Tietjen, Kent Turner, Jennell M. Miller

How to overcome inter-electrode variability and instability to quantify dissolved oxygen, Fe(II), mn(II), and S(−II) in undisturbed soils and sediments using voltammetry How to overcome inter-electrode variability and instability to quantify dissolved oxygen, Fe(II), mn(II), and S(−II) in undisturbed soils and sediments using voltammetry

Background - Although uniquely capable of measuring multiple redox constituents nearly simultaneously with no or minimal sample pretreatment, voltammetry is currently underutilized in characterizing redox conditions in aquatic and terrestrial systems. Investigation of undisturbed media such as pore water requires a solid-state electrode, and such electrodes can be difficult to fabricate
Authors
Aaron J. Slowey, Mark Marvin-DiPasquale
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