Publications
Dive into our publications and explore the science from the Environmental Health Program (Toxic Substances Hydrology and Contaminant Biology).
GeoHEALTH-USGS Newsletter
GeoHEALTH-USGS Newsletter
The GeoHEALTH–USGS Newsletter—published since 2004—provides information on USGS science activities pertinent to safeguarding the health of fish, wildlife, domesticated animals, and people from environmental exposures to contaminants and pathogens.
Featured Science Activities
Featured Science Activities
Lean about our Featured Science Activities through our pages that highlight science studies, publications, and results.
Filter Total Items: 3785
Age-dating ground water beneath Tinker Air Force Base, Midwest City, Oklahoma, 2003-04 Age-dating ground water beneath Tinker Air Force Base, Midwest City, Oklahoma, 2003-04
No abstract available.
Authors
Scott Christenson, David Parkhurst, Andrew G. Hunt, Denae Athay
State of the watershed: Water quality of Boulder Creek, Colorado State of the watershed: Water quality of Boulder Creek, Colorado
No abstract available.
Authors
Sheila F. Murphy
The influence of hydrous Mn–Zn oxides on diel cycling of Zn in an alkaline stream draining abandoned mine lands The influence of hydrous Mn–Zn oxides on diel cycling of Zn in an alkaline stream draining abandoned mine lands
Many mining-impacted streams in western Montana with pH near or above neutrality display large (up to 500%) diel cycles in dissolved Zn concentrations. The streams in question typically contain boulders coated with a thin biofilm, as well as black mineral crusts composed of hydrous Mn–Zn oxides. Laboratory mesocosm experiments simulating diel behavior in High Ore Creek (one of the...
Authors
Christopher L. Shope, Ying Xie, Christopher H. Gammons
Eutrophication of freshwater and marine ecosystems Eutrophication of freshwater and marine ecosystems
Initial understanding of the links between nutrients and aquatic productivity originated in Europe in the early 1900s, and our knowledge base has expanded greatly during the past 40 yr. This explosion of eutrophication-related research has made it unequivocally clear that a comprehensive strategy to prevent excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus from entering our waterways is...
Authors
Val H. Smith, Samantha B. Joye, Robert W. Howarth
Environmental effects of historical mining in the Boulder River watershed, southwestern Montana Environmental effects of historical mining in the Boulder River watershed, southwestern Montana
The U.S. Geological Survey recently completed an environmental study of historical mining in the Boulder River watershed, Montana, using the watershed approach. Results of the study have been used by State and Federal agencies to plan and implement cleanup. The watershed approach is based on the premise that contaminated sites that have the most profound effect on water and ecosystem...
Authors
David Nimick
Response to comment on “Persistence of pharmaceutical compounds and other organic wastewater contaminants in a conventional drinking-water-treatment plant” Response to comment on “Persistence of pharmaceutical compounds and other organic wastewater contaminants in a conventional drinking-water-treatment plant”
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Centers for Disease Control thank Dr. Till for her comments concerning our research (Till, 2005) and welcome the opportunity to respond. The primary objective of our study was to evaluate the potential for organic wastewater-related contaminants (OWCs), including pharmaceuticals, to survive a conventional drinking-water-treatment process and...
Authors
Paul E. Stackelberg, Edward T. Furlong, Michael T. Meyer, Steven D. Zaugg, Alden K. Henderson, Dori B. Reissman
Research plan and preliminary results: A field research site for emerging contaminants in Iowa Research plan and preliminary results: A field research site for emerging contaminants in Iowa
Research has recently documented the prevalence of a wide variety of pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants (ECs) in streams across the United States. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been found to be an important source and collection point of ECs to streams as many ECs are incompletely removed during treatment. To investigate the complex in-stream processes (e.g...
Authors
Douglas J. Schnoebelen, Dana W. Kolpin, Larry B. Barber, Edward T. Furlong, Michael Meyer, M. Skopec
Heat as a ground water tracer at the Russian River RBF facility, Sonoma County, California Heat as a ground water tracer at the Russian River RBF facility, Sonoma County, California
Temperature is routinely collected as a water quality parameter, but only recently utilized as an environmental tracer of stream exchanges with ground water (Stonestrom and Constantz, 2003). In this paper, water levels and seasonal temperatures were used to estimate streambed hydraulic conductivities and water fluxes. Temperatures and water levels were analyzed from 3 observation wells...
Authors
Jim Constantz, Grace W. Su, Christine Hatch
Sampling and analytical methods Sampling and analytical methods
No abstract available.
Authors
Eurybiades Busenberg, L.N. Plummer, Peter G. Cook, D. K. Solomon, L. F Han, H. Oster
Potential use of other atmospheric gases Potential use of other atmospheric gases
No abstract available.
Authors
Eurybiades Busenberg, L.N. Plummer
Chlorofluorocarbons in aquatic environments Chlorofluorocarbons in aquatic environments
No abstract available.
Authors
L.N. Plummer, Eurybiades Busenberg