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
Emergency use of groundwater as a backup supply: Quantifying hydraulic impacts and economic benefits Emergency use of groundwater as a backup supply: Quantifying hydraulic impacts and economic benefits
Groundwater can play an important role in water‐supply emergency planning. A framework is presented for assessing the hydraulic impacts and associated costs of using groundwater as a backup supply when imported‐water deliveries are disrupted, and for quantifying the emergency benefits of groundwater management strategies that enable better response to such disruptions. Response functions...
Authors
Eric G. Reichard, Zhen Li, Caroline Hermans
Analysis of pelagic species decline in the upper San Francisco Estuary using multivariate autoregressive modeling (MAR) Analysis of pelagic species decline in the upper San Francisco Estuary using multivariate autoregressive modeling (MAR)
Four species of pelagic fish of particular management concern in the upper San Francisco Estuary, California, USA, have declined precipitously since ca. 2002: delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys), striped bass (Morone saxatilis), and threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense). The estuary has been monitored since the late 1960s with extensive...
Authors
Ralph Mac Nally, James R. Thomson, Wim J. Kimmerer, Frederick Feyrer, Ken B. Newman, Andy Sih, William A. Bennett, Larry R. Brown, Erica Fleishman, Steven D. Culberson, Gonzalo Castillo
Predictive modeling of transient storage and nutrient uptake: Implications for stream restoration Predictive modeling of transient storage and nutrient uptake: Implications for stream restoration
This study examined two key aspects of reactive transport modeling for stream restoration purposes: the accuracy of the nutrient spiraling and transient storage models for quantifying reach-scale nutrient uptake, and the ability to quantify transport parameters using measurements and scaling techniques in order to improve upon traditional conservative tracer fitting methods. Nitrate (NO3...
Authors
Ben L. O’Connor, Miki Hondzo, Judson W. Harvey
Testing mixing models of old and young groundwater in a tropical lowland rain forest with environmental tracers Testing mixing models of old and young groundwater in a tropical lowland rain forest with environmental tracers
We tested three models of mixing between old interbasin groundwater flow (IGF) and young, locally derived groundwater in a lowland rain forest in Costa Rica using a large suite of environmental tracers. We focus on the young fraction of water using the transient tracers CFC‐11, CFC‐12, CFC‐113, SF6, 3H, and bomb 14C. We measured 3He, but 3H/3He dating is generally problematic due to the...
Authors
D. Kip Solomon, David P. Genereux, Niel Plummer, Eurybiades Busenberg
Evaluation of well logs for determining the presence of freshwater, saltwater, and gas above the Marcellus Shale in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York Evaluation of well logs for determining the presence of freshwater, saltwater, and gas above the Marcellus Shale in Chemung, Tioga, and Broome Counties, New York
No abstract available.
Authors
John Williams
Quantifying data worth toward reducing predictive uncertainty Quantifying data worth toward reducing predictive uncertainty
The present study demonstrates a methodology for optimization of environmental data acquisition. Based on the premise that the worth of data increases in proportion to its ability to reduce the uncertainty of key model predictions, the methodology can be used to compare the worth of different data types, gathered at different locations within study areas of arbitrary complexity. The...
Authors
A.M. Dausman, J. Doherty, C.D. Langevin, M.C. Sukop
Influence of organic carbon loading, sediment associated metal oxide content and sediment grain size distributions upon Cryptosporidium parvum removal during riverbank filtration operations, Sonoma County, CA Influence of organic carbon loading, sediment associated metal oxide content and sediment grain size distributions upon Cryptosporidium parvum removal during riverbank filtration operations, Sonoma County, CA
This study assessed the efficacy for removing Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts of poorly sorted, Fe- and Al-rich, subsurface sediments collected from 0.9 to 4.9 and 1.7–13.9 m below land surface at an operating riverbank filtration (RBF) site (Russian River, Sonoma County, CA). Both formaldehyde-killed oocysts and oocyst-sized (3 μm) microspheres were employed in sediment-packed flow...
Authors
D.W. Metge, R.W. Harvey, G. R. Aiken, R. Anders, G. Lincoln, James Jasperse
Sapflow and water use of freshwater wetland trees exposed to saltwater incursion in a tidally influenced South Carolina watershed Sapflow and water use of freshwater wetland trees exposed to saltwater incursion in a tidally influenced South Carolina watershed
Sea-level rise and anthropogenic activity promote salinity incursion into many tidal freshwater forested wetlands. Interestingly, individual trees can persist for decades after salt impact. To understand why, we documented sapflow (Js), reduction in Js with sapwood depth, and water use (F) of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.) trees undergoing exposure to salinity. The mean Js...
Authors
K. W. Krauss, J.A. Duberstein
Determining sources of dissolved organic carbon and disinfection byproduct precursors to the McKenzie River, Oregon Determining sources of dissolved organic carbon and disinfection byproduct precursors to the McKenzie River, Oregon
This study was conducted to determine the main sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors to the McKenzie River, Oregon (USA). Water samples collected from the mainstem, tributaries, and reservoir outflows were analyzed for DOC concentration and DBP formation potentials (trihalomethanes [THMFPs] and haloacetic acids [HAAFPs]). In addition...
Authors
Tamara E.C. Kraus, Chauncey W. Anderson, Karl Morgenstern, Bryan D. Downing, Brian A. Pellerin, Brian A. Bergamaschi
BRIDGES: Evolution of basic and applied linkages in benthic science BRIDGES: Evolution of basic and applied linkages in benthic science
Growing awareness of environmental degradation resulted in stricter environmental regulations and laws for aquatic ecosystems. These regulations were followed by an increase in applied research and monitoring beginning in the early 1970s. The number of applied scientists who were members of the North American Benthological Society grew at a commensurate rate. The editors of J-NABS...
Authors
Nicholas G. Aumen, Martin E. Gurtz, Michael T. Barbour, Ashley Moerke
Summary of groundwater-recharge estimates for Pennsylvania Summary of groundwater-recharge estimates for Pennsylvania
Groundwater recharge is water that infiltrates through the subsurface to the zone of saturation beneath the water table. Because recharge is a difficult parameter to quantify, it is typically estimated from measurements of other parameters like streamflow and precipitation. This report provides a general overview of processes affecting recharge in Pennsylvania and presents estimates of...
Authors
Stuart O. Reese, Dennis W. Risser
Fluvial sediment in the environment: a national challenge Fluvial sediment in the environment: a national challenge
Sediment and sediment-associated constituents can contribute substantially to water-quality impairment. In the past, sediment was viewed mainly as an engineering problem that affected reservoir storage capacity, shipping channel maintenance, and bridge scour, as well as the loss of agricultural soil. Sediment is now recognized as a major cause of aquatic system degradation in many rivers...
Authors
Matthew C. Larsen, Allen C. Gellis, G. Douglas Glysson, John R. Gray, Arthur J. Horowitz