Water Resources
Advanced Capabilities and Research
Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF)
The HIF provides quality hydrologic equipment and instrumentation
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State Contacts for Water-Use Data
Water-use data is compiled for each of the United States as well as for the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The list below contains a link to the USGS water-use site for each entity, if one exists, as well as the point of contact for State-level information.
The National Water-Use Science Project
The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Use Science Project (formerly the National Water-Use Information Program) is responsible for compiling and disseminating the nation's water-use data. Established by USGS in 1978, the USGS National Water-Use Science Project built on the legacy of the Estimated Use of Water in the United States report series, begun in 1950 and produced...
Pore-Water Profiler, US Patent 8,051,727
Patent for a pore-water profiler and method for sampling pore water. The pore-water profiler includes a sample intake probe that receives the fluid to be sampled. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Sequential, Time-Integrated Collector of Precipitation, Ground Water, and Surface Water for Analysis of Isotopes; US Patent 7,687,028
Patent for a sequential, time-integrated collector having an electronic controller that actuates either of two electrically-actuated valves, each connected to a water reservoir. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Measurement of Surface Areas by Polyvinylpyrrolidone Sorption, US Patent 7,264,777
A method of quantitatively determining surface area of a sample uses polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) dispersed in a solution containing the sample, and determining the amount of PVP that has deposited on the sample. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Borehole Testing System, US Patent 6,761,062
A self-contained, transportable system for conducting any of hydrologic tests or water sampling techniques without the need for retooling or readjusting the system. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Crystallization of Powders Having Uniform Particle Sizes by Ostwald Ripening at Large Levels of Supersaturation, US Patent 6,379,459
A method is provided for the manufacture of mineral power crystals having a uniform mean size. The method includes forming a solution which is highly supersaturated with respect to the crystals. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Method and Apparatus for Steady-State Measurement of Liquid Conductivity in Porous Media, US Patent 4,679,422
In the operation of the present invention, a compacted porous medium is provided with a supply of the desired liquid and is subjected to centrifugal force until the measurement of the flow rate of liquid through the medium is substantially constant. (Full details provided by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website.)
Understanding Spectral Gamma: Fundamentals of Nuclear Geophysics
The principles essential to the interpretation of gamma, gamma-spectrometry, gamma-gamma, and various types of neutron logs include the nature of subatomic particles and the particles and photons emitted by unstable isotopes.
Colorado River Basin Focus Area Study
As one of several Focus Area Studies within the USGS National Water Census (NWC), the USGS has completed a 3-year study of water availability and use in the Colorado River Basin.
Sediment-Associated Contaminants
Stream, river, and lake bed sediment are reservoirs for many contaminants. These contaminants include some “legacy” contaminants, like DDT, PCBs, and chlordane, and chemicals currently in use, like the insecticide bifenthrin and many flame retardants. Learn about techniques used to study sediment-associated contaminants and their importance to aquatic biota.
Flood Inundation Mapping Science
When planning for a flood, there are three key questions that must be answered: What areas will be flooded? How deep will the flood waters get? When will the flood arrive? Historical flooding can help a community anticipate how much impact similar flood events could have, but there are other methods and tools that can provide more accurate and nuanced estimations of a wide variety of...