Water Resources
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.
Insights on geochemical, isotopic, and volumetric compositions of produced water from hydraulically fractured Williston Basin oil wells
Tracing produced water origins from wells hydraulically fractured with freshwater-based fluids is sometimes predicated on assumptions that (1) each geological formation contains compositionally unique brine and (2) produced water from recently hydraulically fractured wells resembles fresher meteoric water more so than produced water from older...
Gallegos, Tanya J.; Doolan, Colin A.; Caldwell, Rodney R.; Engle, Mark A; Varonka, Matthew S.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Jolly, Glenn D.; Coplen, Tyler B.; Oliver, Thomas A. Toward improved decision-support tools for Delta Smelt management actions
The Collaborative Science and Adaptive Management Program (CSAMP) has endorsed a goal of reversing the recent downward trajectory of the Delta Smelt population within 5-10 generations, with the long-term aim of establishing a self-sustaining population. An ambitious agenda of management actions is planned, and more management actions are being...
Reed, Denise; Acuna, Shawn; Ateljevich, Eli; Brown, Larry R.; Geske, Ben; Gross, Edward; Hobbs, Jim; Kimmerer, Wim J.; Lucas, Lisa; Nobriga, Matthew; Rose, Kenneth A Machine learning to identify geologic factors associated with production in geothermal fields: A case-study using 3D geologic data, Brady geothermal field, Nevada
In this paper, we present an analysis using unsupervised machine learning (ML) to identify the key geologic factors that contribute to the geothermal production in Brady geothermal field. Brady is a hydrothermal system in northwestern Nevada that supports both electricity production and direct use of hydrothermal fluids. Transmissive fluid-flow...
Siler, Drew L.; Pepin, Jeff D.; Vesselinov, Velimir V.; Mudunuru, Maruti K.; Ahmmed, Bulbul
Approaches for assessing long-term annual yields of highway and urban runoff in selected areas of California with the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model (SELDM)
The California Department of Transportation, commonly known as CalTrans, and other municipal separate storm sewer system permittees in California as well as other State departments of transportation nationwide need information about potential loads and yields (loads per unit area) of constituents of concern in stormwater runoff and discharges from...
Granato, Gregory E.; Friesz, Paul J.
Distribution of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in monitoring wells at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2014–17
A study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Navy (the Navy) to determine the status of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in groundwater at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) in West Trenton, New Jersey. Wells contaminated with VOCs were sampled in 2014,...
Imbrigiotta, Thomas E.; Fiore, Alex R.
Hydrogeologic framework and groundwater characterization in selected alluvial basins in the upper Rio Grande basin, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, United States, and Chihuahua, Mexico, 1980 to 2015
Increasing demand for the limited water resources of the United States continues to put pressure on resource management agencies to balance the competing needs of ecosystem health with municipal, agricultural, and other uses. To meet these needs, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a multiyear study to evaluate water resources in the upper Rio...
Houston, Natalie A.; Thomas, Jonathan V.; Foster, Linzy K.; Pedraza, Diana E.; Welborn, Toby L. Assessing cyanobacterial frequency and abundance at surface waters near drinking water intakes across the United States
This study presents the first large-scale assessment of cyanobacterial frequency and abundance of surface water near drinking water intakes across the United States. Public water systems serve drinking water to nearly 90% of the United States population. Cyanobacteria and their toxins may degrade the quality of finished drinking water and can lead...
Coffer, Megan; Schaeffer, Blake A.; Foreman, Katherine; Porteous, Alex; Loftin, Keith; Stumpf, Richard; Werdell, Jeremy; Urquhart, Erin; Albert, Ryan; Darling, John Metal accumulation varies with life history, size, and development of larval amphibians
Amphibian larvae are commonly used as indicators of aquatic ecosystem health because they are susceptible to contaminants. However, there is limited information on how species characteristics and trophic position influence contaminant loads in larval amphibians. Importantly, there remains a need to understand whether grazers (frogs and...
Smalling, Kelly; Oja, Emily Bea; Cleveland, Danielle; Davenport, Jon D; Eagles-Smith, Collin; Campbell Grant, Evan H.; Kleeman, Patrick M.; Halstead, Brian J.; Stemp, Kenzi M; Tornabene, Brian J.; Bunnell, Zachary J; Hossack, Blake R. Exploring the potential of electrospray-Orbitrap for stable isotope analysis using nitrate as a model
Widely used isotope ratio mass spectrometers have limited capabilities to measure metabolites, drugs, or small polyatomic ions without the loss of structural isotopic information. A new approach has recently been introduced that uses electrospray ionization Orbitrap to measure multidimensional isotope signatures of intact polar compounds. Using...
Hilkert, Andreas; Böhlke, John K.; Mroczkowski, Stanley J.; Fort, Kyle L.; Aizikov, Konstantin; Wang, Xinchen T.; Kopf, Sebastian H.; Neubauer, Cajetan
Water-level data for the Albuquerque Basin and adjacent areas, central New Mexico, period of record through September 30, 2020
The Albuquerque Basin, located in central New Mexico, is about 100 miles long and 25–40 miles wide. The basin is hydrologically defined as the extent of consolidated and unconsolidated deposits of Tertiary and Quaternary age that encompasses the structural Rio Grande Rift between San Acacia to the south and Cochiti Lake to the north. A 20-percent...
Jurney, Elaiya R.; Bell, Meghan T.
Identification of bacteria in groundwater used for domestic supply in the southeast San Joaquin Valley, California, 2014
Groundwater is an important source of drinking water in California. Water-borne diseases caused by microbial contamination are a growing concern. The MI test, a membrane filtration method for the chromogenic/fluorogenic detection of total coliforms and Escherichia coli, was used for samples collected January to April 2014 from 42 domestic wells in...
Burton, Carmen A.; Lawrence, Christine J.
Survey of fish assemblages in the upper Neversink River and upper Rondout Creek, New York, 2017–19
Streams in the Catskill Mountains region of New York provide many important ecological and economic services, including recreational angling and serving as a drinking water supply to New York City. Many streams in this region were adversely affected by acid deposition during the late 20th century, impairing water quality and aquatic ecosystems....
Winterhalter, Dylan R.; George, Scott D.; Baldigo, Barry P.