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: 19023
Microbial community structure of hydrothermal deposits from geochemically different vent fields along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge Microbial community structure of hydrothermal deposits from geochemically different vent fields along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
To evaluate the effects of local fluid geochemistry on microbial communities associated with active hydrothermal vent deposits, we examined the archaeal and bacterial communities of 12 samples collected from two very different vent fields: the basalt-hosted Lucky Strike (37°17'N, 32°16.3'W, depth 1600-1750m) and the ultramafic-hosted Rainbow (36°13'N, 33°54.1'W, depth 2270-2330m) vent...
Authors
Gilberto E. Flores, James H. Campbell, Julie D. Kirshtein, Jennifer Meneghin, Mircea Podar, Joshua I. Steinberg, Jeffrey S. Seewald, Margaret Kingston Tivey, Mary A. Voytek, Zamin K. Yang, Anna-Louise Reysenbach
Effects of humic substances on precipitation and aggregation of zinc sulfide nanoparticles Effects of humic substances on precipitation and aggregation of zinc sulfide nanoparticles
Nanoparticulate metal sulfides such as ZnS can influence the transport and bioavailability of pollutant metals in anaerobic environments. The aim of this work was to investigate how the composition of dissolved natural organic matter (NOM) influences the stability of zinc sulfide nanoparticles as they nucleate and aggregate in water with dissolved NOM. We compared NOM fractions that were...
Authors
Amrika Deonarine, Boris Lau, George R. Aiken, Joseph N. Ryan, Heileen Hsu-Kim
Field flume reveals aquatic vegetation's role in sediment and particulate phosphorus transport in a shallow aquatic ecosystem Field flume reveals aquatic vegetation's role in sediment and particulate phosphorus transport in a shallow aquatic ecosystem
Flow interactions with aquatic vegetation and effects on sediment transport and nutrient redistribution are uncertain in shallow aquatic ecosystems. Here we quantified sediment transport in the Everglades by progressively increasing flow velocity in a field flume constructed around undisturbed bed sediment and emergent macrophytes. Suspended sediment 100 μm was dominant in the lower...
Authors
J. W. Harvey, G.B. Noe, L. G. Larsen, D.J. Nowacki, L.E. McPhillips
Trends in pesticide concentrations in streams of the western United States, 1993-2005 Trends in pesticide concentrations in streams of the western United States, 1993-2005
Trends in pesticide concentrations for 15 streams in California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho were determined for the organophosphate insecticides chlorpyrifos and diazinon and the herbicides atrazine, s‐ethyl diproplythiocarbamate (EPTC), metolachlor, simazine, and trifluralin. A parametric regression model was used to account for flow, seasonality, and antecedent hydrologic conditions...
Authors
Henry M. Johnson, Joseph L. Domagalski, Dina Saleh
Diel cycles in dissolved barium, lead, iron, vanadium, and nitrite in a stream draining a former zinc smelter site near Hegeler, Illinois Diel cycles in dissolved barium, lead, iron, vanadium, and nitrite in a stream draining a former zinc smelter site near Hegeler, Illinois
Diel variations in the concentrations of a number of constituents have the potential to substantially affect the appropriate sampling regimen in acidic streams. Samples taken once during the course of the day cannot adequately reflect diel variations in water quality and may result in an inaccurate understanding of biogeochemical processes, ecological conditions, and of the threat posed...
Authors
Robert T. Kay, G.E. Groschen, G. Cygan, David H. Dupre
Response of algal metrics to nutrients and physical factors and identification of nutrient thresholds in agricultural streams Response of algal metrics to nutrients and physical factors and identification of nutrient thresholds in agricultural streams
Many streams within the United States are impaired due to nutrient enrichment, particularly in agricultural settings. The present study examines the response of benthic algal communities in agricultural and minimally disturbed sites from across the western United States to a suite of environmental factors, including nutrients, collected at multiple scales. The first objective was to...
Authors
Robert W. Black, Patrick W. Moran, Jill D. Frankforter
A counter-intuitive approach to calculating non-exchangeable 2H isotopic composition of hair: treating the molar exchange fraction fE as a process-related rather than compound-specific variable A counter-intuitive approach to calculating non-exchangeable 2H isotopic composition of hair: treating the molar exchange fraction fE as a process-related rather than compound-specific variable
Hair is a keratinous tissue that incorporates hydrogen from material that an animal consumes but it is metabolically inert following synthesis. The stable hydrogen isotope composition of hair has been used in ecological studies to track migrations of mammals as well as for forensic and archaeological purposes to determine the provenance of human remains or the recent geographic life...
Authors
J.M. Landwehr, W. Meier-Augenstein, H.F. Kemp
Hydrological mobilization of mercury and dissolved organic carbon in a snow-dominated, forested watershed: Conceptualization and modeling Hydrological mobilization of mercury and dissolved organic carbon in a snow-dominated, forested watershed: Conceptualization and modeling
The mobilization of mercury and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during snowmelt often accounts for a major fraction of the annual loads. We studied the role of hydrological connectivity of riparian wetlands and upland/wetland transition zones to surface waters on the mobilization of Hg and DOC in Fishing Brook, a headwater of the Adirondack Mountains, New York. Stream water total mercury...
Authors
J. Schelker, Douglas A. Burns, M. Weiler, H. Laudon
Simulating the potential effects of climate change in two Colorado basins and at two Colorado ski areas Simulating the potential effects of climate change in two Colorado basins and at two Colorado ski areas
The mountainous areas of Colorado are used for tourism and recreation, and they provide water storage and supply for municipalities, industries, and agriculture. Recent studies suggest that water supply and tourist industries such as skiing are at risk from climate change. In this study, a distributed-parameter watershed model, the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS), is used to...
Authors
William Battaglin, Lauren E. Hay, Steve Markstrom
Bed morphology, flow structure, and sediment transport at the outlet of Lake Huron and in the upper St. Clair River Bed morphology, flow structure, and sediment transport at the outlet of Lake Huron and in the upper St. Clair River
An integrated multibeam echo sounder and acoustic Doppler current profiler field survey was conducted in July 2008 to investigate the morphodynamics of the St. Clair River at the outlet of Lake Huron. The principal morphological features of the upper St. Clair River included flow-transverse bedforms that appear weakly mobile, erosive bedforms in cohesive muds, thin non-cohesive veneers...
Authors
J. A. Czuba, J.L. Best, K. A. Oberg, D.R. Parsons, P.R. Jackson, M.H. Garcia, P. Ashmore
Impacts of agricultural land use on biological integrity: A causal analysis Impacts of agricultural land use on biological integrity: A causal analysis
Agricultural land use has often been linked to nutrient enrichment, habitat degradation, hydrologic alteration, and loss of biotic integrity in streams. The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program sampled 226 stream sites located in eight agriculture‐dominated study units across the United States to investigate the geographic variability and causes of...
Authors
C.M. Riseng, M.J. Wiley, Robert W. Black, M.D. Munn
Distribution and seasonal dynamics of arsenic in a shallow lake in northwestern New Jersey, USA Distribution and seasonal dynamics of arsenic in a shallow lake in northwestern New Jersey, USA
Elevated concentrations of arsenic (As) occurred during warm months in water from the outlet of Lake Mohawk in northwestern New Jersey. The shallow manmade lake is surrounded by residential development and used for recreation. Eutrophic conditions are addressed by alum and copper sulfate applications and aerators operating in the summer. In September 2005, arsenite was dominant in...
Authors
J. L. Barringer, Z. Szabo, T.P. Wilson, J.L. Bonin, T. Kratzer, K. Cenno, T. Romagna, M. Alebus, B. Hirst