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: 19018
Mapping benthic algae and cyanobacteria in river channels from aerial photographs and satellite images: A proof-of-concept investigation on the Buffalo National River, AR, USA Mapping benthic algae and cyanobacteria in river channels from aerial photographs and satellite images: A proof-of-concept investigation on the Buffalo National River, AR, USA
Although rivers are of immense practical, aesthetic, and recreational value, these aquatic habitats are particularly sensitive to environmental changes. Increasingly, changes in streamflow and water quality are resulting in blooms of bottom-attached (benthic) algae, also known as periphyton, which have become widespread in many water bodies of US national parks. Because these blooms...
Authors
Carl J. Legleiter, Shawn W Hodges
Rocky Mountain Region Science Exchange 2020—EarthMAP and the Colorado River Basin Rocky Mountain Region Science Exchange 2020—EarthMAP and the Colorado River Basin
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Rocky Mountain Region (RMR) hosted USGS scientists, managers, program coordinators, and leadership team members for a virtual Science Exchange during September 15–17, 2020. The Science Exchange had 216 registered participants and included 48 talks over the 3-day period. Invited speakers presented information about the novel USGS Earth Monitoring...
Authors
Anne C. Tillery, Patrick J. Anderson, William J. Andrews, Katharine Dahm, Seth S. Haines, Robert Horton, David O’Leary, Ryan D. Taylor, Kathryn A. Thomas, Alicia A. Torregrosa
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Western Geographic Science Center, Colorado River Basin: Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology
Light and flow regimes regulate the metabolism of rivers Light and flow regimes regulate the metabolism of rivers
Mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation drive much of the variation in productivity across Earth's terrestrial ecosystems but do not explain variation in gross primary productivity (GPP) or ecosystem respiration (ER) in flowing waters. We document substantial variation in the magnitude and seasonality of GPP and ER across 222 US rivers. In contrast to their terrestrial...
Authors
Emily. S Bernhardt, Philip Savoy, Michael J Vlah, Alison Paige Appling, Lauren E Koenig, Robert O Hall Jr., Maite Arroita, Joanna Blaszczak, Alice M. Carter, Matthew J. Cohen, Judson Harvey, James B. Heffernan, Ashley M. Helton, J.D. Hosen, Lily Kirk, William H. McDowell, Emily H. Stanley, Charles Yackulic, Nancy B. Grimm
Stable isotopes provide insight into sources and cycling of N compounds in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA Stable isotopes provide insight into sources and cycling of N compounds in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA
River deltas and their diverse array of aquatic environments are increasingly impacted by anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen (N). These inputs can alter the N biogeochemistry of these systems and promote undesirable phenomena including harmful algae blooms and invasive aquatic macrophytes. To examine N sources and biogeochemical processes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a river delta...
Authors
Joseph K. Fackrell, Tamara E. C. Kraus, Megan B. Young, Carol Kendall, Sara Peek
Report of the River Master of the Delaware River for the period December 1, 2011–November 30, 2012 Report of the River Master of the Delaware River for the period December 1, 2011–November 30, 2012
A Decree of the Supreme Court of the United States, entered June 7, 1954, established the position of Delaware River Master within the U.S. Geological Survey. In addition, the Decree authorizes diversion of water from the Delaware River Basin and requires compensating releases from certain reservoirs, owned by New York City, to be made under the supervision and direction of the River...
Authors
Vincent J. DiFrenna, William J. Andrews, Kendra L. Russell, J. Michael Norris, Mason
Yucaipa valley integrated hydrological model Yucaipa valley integrated hydrological model
Introduction The hydrologic system in the Yucaipa Valley watershed (YVW) was simulated using the coupled Groundwater and Surface-water FLOW model (GSFLOW; Markstrom and others, 2008). This study uses version 2.0 of GSFLOW, which is a combination of the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS; Markstrom and others, 2015), and the Newton-Raphson formulation of the Modular Groundwater...
Authors
Ayman H. Alzraiee, John A. Engott, Geoffrey Cromwell, Linda R. Woolfenden
Hydrogeologic characterization of the Yucaipa groundwater subbasin Hydrogeologic characterization of the Yucaipa groundwater subbasin
Introduction Water management in the Santa Ana River watershed in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties in southern California (fig. A1) is complex with various water purveyors navigating geographic, geologic, hydrologic, and political challenges to provide a reliable water supply to stakeholders. As the population has increased throughout southern California, so has the demand for water...
Authors
Geoffrey Cromwell, John A. Engott, Ayman H. Alzraiee, Christina Stamos-Pfeiffer, Gregory Mendez, Meghan C. Dick, Sandra Bond
In situ enhancement and isotopic labeling of biogenic coalbed methane In situ enhancement and isotopic labeling of biogenic coalbed methane
Subsurface microbial (biogenic) methane production is an important part of the global carbon cycle that has resulted in natural gas accumulations in many coal beds worldwide. Laboratory studies suggest that complex carbon-containing nutrients (e.g., yeast or algae extract) can stimulate methane production, yet the effectiveness of these nutrients within coal beds is unknown. Here, we use...
Authors
Elliott Barnhart, Leslie F. Ruppert, Randy Heibert, Heidi J. Smith, Hannah Schweitzer, Arthur Clark, Edwin Weeks, William H. Orem, Matthew S. Varonka, George A. Platt, Jenna L. Shelton, Katherine J Davis, Robert Hyatt, Jennifer C. McIntosh, Kilian Ashley, Shuhei Ono, Anna M. Martini, Keith Hackley, Robin Gerlach, Lee Spangler, Adrienne Phillips, Mark Barry, Alfred B. Cunningham, Matthew W. Fields
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater used as a source of drinking water in the eastern United States Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater used as a source of drinking water in the eastern United States
In 2019, 254 samples were collected from five aquifer systems to evaluate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) occurrence in groundwater used as a source of drinking water in the eastern United States. The samples were analyzed for 24 PFAS, major ions, nutrients, trace elements, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pharmaceuticals, and tritium. Fourteen...
Authors
Peter B. McMahon, Andrea K. Tokranov, Laura M. Bexfield, Bruce D. Lindsey, Tyler D. Johnson, Melissa A. Lombard, Elise Watson
The Hawai'i groundwater recharge tool The Hawai'i groundwater recharge tool
This article discusses the design and implementation of the Hawai’i Groundwater Recharge Tool, an application for providing data and analyses of the impacts of land-cover modifications and changes in precipitation on groundwater-recharge rates for the island of O’ahu. This application uses simulation data based on a set of 29 land-cover types and 2 precipitation conditions to provide...
Authors
Jared H. McLean, Sean B. Cleveland, Kolja Rotzoll, Scot K. Izuka, Jason Leigh, Gwen A. Jacobs, Ryan Theriot
The role of hydraulic and geomorphic complexity in predicting invasive carp spawning potential: St. Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin, United States The role of hydraulic and geomorphic complexity in predicting invasive carp spawning potential: St. Croix River, Minnesota and Wisconsin, United States
Since they were first introduced to the United States more than 50 years ago, invasive carp have rapidly colonized rivers of the Mississippi River Basin, with detrimental effects on native aquatic species. Their continued range expansion, and potential for subsequent invasion of the Great Lakes, has led to increased concern for the susceptibility of as-yet uncompromised lotic and lentic...
Authors
Alan Kasprak, P. Ryan Jackson, Evan M. Lindroth, J. William Lund, Jeffrey R. Ziegeweid
The occurrence of large floods in the United States in the modern hydroclimate regime: Seasonality, trends, and large-scale climate associations The occurrence of large floods in the United States in the modern hydroclimate regime: Seasonality, trends, and large-scale climate associations
Many studies investigate river floods by analyzing annual maximum series that record the largest flow of each year, including many within-bank events inconsequential for human communities. Fewer focus on larger floods, especially at the continental scale. Using 473 streamgages across the conterminous United States with near-natural flow from 1966 to 2015, we characterized the seasonality
Authors
Mathias Collins, Glenn A. Hodgkins, Stacey A. Archfield, Robert M. Hirsch