Publications
Browse more than 160,000 publications authored by our scientists over the past 100+ year history of the USGS. Publications available are: USGS-authored journal articles, series reports, book chapters, other government publications, and more.
Mission Area Publications
Mission Area Publications
We are focused on some of the most significant issues society faces, and our science is making a substantial contribution to the well-being of the Nation and the world. Learn more about the major topics our research covers and the programs focused on those topics.
Filter Total Items: 83952
Inset groundwater-flow models for the Cache and Grand Prairie Critical Groundwater Areas, northeastern Arkansas
The water resources in the Mississippi alluvial plain, located in parts of Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas, supports a multibillion-dollar agricultural industry that relies heavily on pumping of groundwater for irrigation of crops and aquaculture. The primary source of groundwater for agricultural-related pumping is the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer,
Authors
Jonathan P. Traylor, Leslie L. Duncan, Andrew T. Leaf, Alec Rolland Weisser, Benjamin J. Dietsch, Moussa Guira
Peak streamflow trends in South Dakota and their relation to changes in climate, water years 1921–2020
Peak-flow (flood) frequency analysis is essential to water-resources management applications, including the design of critical infrastructure such as bridges and culverts, and floodplain mapping. Federal guidelines for performing peak-flow flood frequency analyses are presented in a U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods Report known as Bulletin 17C. A basic assumption within Bulletin 17C,
Authors
Nancy A. Barth, Steven K. Sando
Upper Mississippi River System hydrogeomorphic change conceptual model and hierarchical classification
Understanding the geomorphic processes and causes for long-term hydrogeomorphic changes along the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) is necessary for scientific studies ranging from habitat needs assessments, sediment transport, and nutrient processing, and making sound management decisions and prioritizing ecological restoration activities. From 2018 through 2020 the U.S. Geological Survey and
Authors
Faith A. Fitzpatrick, James T. Rogala, Jon S. Hendrickson, Lucie Sawyer, Jayme Stone, Susannah Erwin, Edward J. Brauer, Angus A. Vaughan
Real-time pier scour monitoring and observations at three scour-critical sites in Idaho, water years 2020–22
To observe real-time pier scour at three scour-critical sites in Idaho, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Idaho Transportation Department, installed and operated fixed real-time (15-minute interval) bed elevation scour sonar sensors at three bridge locations associated with U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gaging stations for water years 2020 through 2022. Daily mean and peak stream
Authors
Ryan L. Fosness, Paul V. Schauer
Potential corrosivity of untreated groundwater in Louisiana
Corrosive groundwater can cause lead, copper, and other metals to leach from pipes and plumbing fixtures in water distribution systems. Metals, if ingested, could lead to serious health implications to the nearly 2.9 million people in Louisiana who obtain their drinking water from groundwater sources. Four indices—the Langelier Saturation Index (LSI), Ryznar Stability Index (RSI), Puckorius Scalin
Authors
Angela L. Robinson
Groundwater quality and groundwater levels in Dougherty County, Georgia, April 2020 through January 2023
The Upper Floridan aquifer is the uppermost reliable groundwater source in southwest Georgia. The aquifer lies on top of the Claiborne, Clayton, and Cretaceous aquifers, all of which exhibited water-level declines in the 1960s and 1970s. The U.S. Geological Survey has been working cooperatively with Albany Utilities to monitor groundwater quality and availability in these aquifers since 1977.Flow
Authors
Debbie W. Gordon
The state of the science and practice of stream restoration in the Chesapeake: Lessons learned to inform better implementation, assessment and outcomes
The Chesapeake Bay Program’s (CBP) Science and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) organized and led a workshop on the science and practice of stream restoration in order to summarize the state of knowledge in order to identify ways to improve stream restoration outcomes. The workshop identified a general framework for explaining the main factors leading to stream restoration outcomes: stream degr
Authors
Gregory Noe, Neely Law, Joel Berger, Solange Filoso, Sadie Drescher, L. Fraley-McNeal, Ben Hayes, Paul Mayer, Chris Ruck, Bill Stack, Rich Starr, Scott Stranko, Tess Thompson
Quality of groundwater used for domestic supply in the eastern Sacramento Valley and adjacent foothills, California
SummaryMore than 2 million Californians rely on groundwater from privately owned domestic wells for drinking-water supply. This report summarizes a water-quality survey of domestic and small-system drinking-water supply wells in the eastern Sacramento Valley and adjacent foothills where more than 25,000 residents are estimated to use privately owned domestic wells. Study results show that inorgani
Authors
George L. Bennett
U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group proceedings, Nashville, Tennessee, October 22-24, 2024
Karst hydrogeologic systems represent challenging and unique conditions to scientists studying groundwater flow and contaminant transport. Karst terrains are characterized by distinct and beautiful landscapes, caverns, and springs, and many of the exceptional karst areas are designated as national or state parks. The range and complexity of landforms and groundwater flow systems associated with ka
Sand supply to San Francisco Bay from the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers of the Central Valley, California
Sediment from the Central Valley via the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) and Suisun Bay is a primary source of sand to San Francisco Bay, California. Sand is mined from San Francisco Bay for commercial purposes, such as for use in concrete for construction. To better understand the supply of sand to Suisun Bay and San Francisco Bay, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the S
Authors
Mathieu D. Marineau, David Hart, Christopher P. Ely, Lester McKee
Use of continuous water-quality time-series data to compute total phosphorus concentrations and loads for the Missouri River at St. Joseph and Hermann, Missouri, 2007–22
In support of Missouri’s Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, which was created to reduce the nutrient contamination of Missouri’s waterways from point and nonpoint sources, total phosphorus concentrations and loads were computed for the Missouri River at St. Joseph, Missouri, streamgage (U.S. Geological Survey station 06818000) and the Missouri River at Hermann, Mo., streamgage (U.S. Geological Surv
Authors
Kendra M. Markland
Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the Norphlet Formation, U.S. Gulf Coast region, 2023
Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated undiscovered, technically recoverable mean resources of 16 million barrels of oil and 348 billion cubic feet of gas in conventional reservoirs of the Norphlet Formation in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.
Authors
John W. Counts, William H. Craddock, Jared T. Gooley, Marc Buursink, Tracey J. Mercier, Cheryl A. Woodall, Christopher J. Schenk