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: 19039
Drivers and projections of ice phenology in mountain lakes in the western United States Drivers and projections of ice phenology in mountain lakes in the western United States
Climate change is causing rapid warming and altered precipitation patterns in mountain watersheds, both of which influence the timing of ice breakup in mountain lakes. To enable predictions of ice breakup in the future, we analyzed a dataset of mountain lake ice breakup dates derived from remote sensing and historical downscaled climate data. We evaluated drivers of ice breakup...
Authors
Timothy J Caldwell, Sudeep Chandra, Thomas Albright, Adrian Harpold, Thomas Dills, Jonathan Greenberg, Steven Sadro, Michael D. Dettinger
Lateral carbon exports from drained peatlands: An understudied carbon pathway in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California Lateral carbon exports from drained peatlands: An understudied carbon pathway in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California
Degradation of peatlands via drainage is increasing globally and destabilizing peat carbon (C) stores. The effects of drainage on the timing and magnitude of lateral C losses from degraded peatlands remains understudied. We measured spatial and temporal variability in lateral C exports from three drained peat islands in the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta in California across the 2017 and...
Authors
Christina M. Richardson, Joseph K. Fackrell, Tamara E. C. Kraus, Megan B. Young, Adina Paytan
Towards the understanding of hydrogeochemical seismic responses in karst aquifers: A retrospective meta-analysis focused on the Apennines (Italy) Towards the understanding of hydrogeochemical seismic responses in karst aquifers: A retrospective meta-analysis focused on the Apennines (Italy)
Earthquakes are known to affect groundwater properties, yet the mechanisms causing chemical and physical aquifer changes are still unclear. The Apennines mountain belt in Italy presents a rich literature of case studies documenting hydrogeochemical response to seismicity, due to the high frequency of seismic events and the presence of different regional aquifers in the area. In this...
Authors
Gilberto Binda, Andrea Pozzi, Alessandro Michetti, Paula Noble, Michael R. Rosen
Geochemistry and age of groundwater in the Williston Basin, USA: Assessing potential effects of shale-oil production on groundwater quality Geochemistry and age of groundwater in the Williston Basin, USA: Assessing potential effects of shale-oil production on groundwater quality
Thirty water wells were sampled in 2018 to understand the geochemistry and age of groundwater in the Williston Basin and assess potential effects of shale-oil production from the Three Forks-Bakken petroleum system (TBPS) on groundwater quality. Two geochemical groups are identified using hierarchical cluster analysis. Group 1 represents the younger (median 4He = 21.49 × 10−8 cm3 STP/g)...
Authors
Peter B. McMahon, Joel M. Galloway, Andrew G. Hunt, Kenneth Belitz, Bryant C. Jurgens, Tyler D. Johnson
Multiple-well monitoring site adjacent to the North and South Belridge Oil Fields, Kern County, California Multiple-well monitoring site adjacent to the North and South Belridge Oil Fields, Kern County, California
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board, is evaluating several questions about oil and gas development and groundwater resources in California, including (1) the location of groundwater resources; (2) the proximity of oil and gas operations to groundwater and the geologic materials between them; (3) evidence (or no...
Authors
Rhett R. Everett, Anthony A. Brown, Janice M. Gillespie, Adam Kjos, Nicole C. Fenton
Critical shifts in trace metal transport and remediation performance under future low river flows Critical shifts in trace metal transport and remediation performance under future low river flows
Exceptionally low river flows are predicted to become more frequent and more severe across many global regions as a consequence of climate change. Investigations of trace metal transport dynamics across streamflows reveal stark changes in water chemistry, metal transformation processes, and remediation effectiveness under exceptionally low-flow conditions. High spatial resolution...
Authors
Patrick A. Byrne, Patrizia Onnis, Robert L. Runkel, Ilaria Frau, Sarah F. L. Lynch, Paul Edwards
Variable seepage meter efficiency in high-permeability settings Variable seepage meter efficiency in high-permeability settings
The efficiency of seepage meters, long considered a fixed property associated with the meter design, is not constant in highly permeable sediments. Instead, efficiency varies substantially with seepage bag fullness, duration of bag attachment, depth of meter insertion into the sediments, and seepage velocity. Tests conducted in a seepage test tank filled with isotropic sand with a...
Authors
Donald O. Rosenberry, Jose M Nieto-Lopez, Richard M. Webb, Sascha Muller
Suspended-sediment Flux in the San Francisco Estuary; Part II: the Impact of the 2013–2016 California Drought and Controls on Sediment Flux Suspended-sediment Flux in the San Francisco Estuary; Part II: the Impact of the 2013–2016 California Drought and Controls on Sediment Flux
Recent modeling has demonstrated that sediment supply is one of the primary environmental variables that will determine the sustainability of San Francisco Estuary tidal marshes over the next century as sea level rises. Therefore, understanding the environmental controls on sediment flux within the San Francisco Estuary is crucial for optimal planning and management of tidal marsh...
Authors
Daniel N. Livsey, Maureen A. Downing-Kunz, David H. Schoellhamer, Andrew J. Manning
Small atoll fresh groundwater lenses respond to a combination of natural climatic cycles and human modified geology Small atoll fresh groundwater lenses respond to a combination of natural climatic cycles and human modified geology
Freshwater lenses underlying small ocean islands exhibit spatial variability and temporal fluctuations in volume, influencing ecologic management. For example, The Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge harbors one of the few surviving native stands of Pisonia grandis in the central Pacific Ocean, yet these trees face pressure from groundwater salinization, with little basic groundwater...
Authors
Martin A. Briggs, J Cantelon, B. Kurylyk, Justin T. Kulongoski, Audrey Mills, John W. Lane
Retrospective analysis of estrogenic endocrine disruption and land-use influences in the Chesapeake Bay watershed Retrospective analysis of estrogenic endocrine disruption and land-use influences in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and its watershed includes river drainages in six states and the District of Columbia. Sportfishing is of major economic interest, however, the rivers within the watershed provide numerous other ecological, recreational, cultural and economic benefits, as well as serving as a drinking water source for millions of people...
Authors
Vicki S. Blazer, Stephanie E. Gordon, Daniel K. Jones, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Heather L. Walsh, Adam Sperry, Kelly L. Smalling
Landscape and climatic influences on actual evapotranspiration and available water using the Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) Model in eastern Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 2015 Landscape and climatic influences on actual evapotranspiration and available water using the Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) Model in eastern Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 2015
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bernalillo County Public Works Division, conducted a 1-year study in 2015 to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of evapotranspiration (ET) and available water within the East Mountain area in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. ET and available water vary spatiotemporally because of complex interactions among environmental factors...
Authors
Kyle R. Douglas-Mankin, Ryan J. McCutcheon, Aurelia C. Mitchell, Gabriel B. Senay
Stream dissolved organic matter in permafrost regions shows surprising compositional similarities but negative priming and nutrient effects Stream dissolved organic matter in permafrost regions shows surprising compositional similarities but negative priming and nutrient effects
Permafrost degradation is delivering bioavailable dissolved organic matter (DOM) and inorganic nutrients to surface water networks. While these permafrost subsidies represent a small portion of total fluvial DOM and nutrient fluxes, they could influence food webs and net ecosystem carbon balance via priming or nutrient effects that destabilize background DOM. We investigated how addition...
Authors
Ethan Wologo, Sarah Shakil, Scott Zolkos, Sadie R. Textor, Stephanie Ewing, Jane Klassen, Robert G. M. Spencer, David C. Podgorski, Suzanne E. Tank, Michelle Baker, Jonathan A. O’Donnell, Kimberly P. Wickland, Sydney Foks, Jay P. Zarnetske, Joseph Lee-Cullin, Futing Liu, Yuanhe Yang, Pirkko Kortelainen, Jaana Kolehmainen, Joshua F. Dean, Jorien E. Vonk, Robert M. Holmes, Gilles Pinay, Michaela M. Powell, Jansen Howe, Rebecca J. Frei, Samuel P. Bratsman, Benjamin W. Abbott