Gregory Schwarz is an Economist with the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Science and Products
River Corridor hot spots for biogeochemical processing: a continental scale synthesis
Rivers are the veins of the landscape, providing environmental benefits that are disproportionately high relative to their aerial extent; shedding flood waters, hosting aquatic ecosystems, transporting solutes and energy-rich materials, and storing and transforming pollutants into less harmful forms. From uplands to the coasts, rivers facilitate key biogeochemical reactions that cumulatively influ
Mean seasonal SPARROW model inputs and simulated nitrogen and phosphorus loads for the Northeastern United States 2002 base year
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release includes input and output tabular files associated with mean seasonal 2002 simulations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus loads of the northeastern United States. The mean seasonal (MS) simulations are performed using a dynamic configuration of the USGS's Spatially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (dynamicSPARROW-MS) model, nonlinear
Nutrient Load Data used to Quantify Regional Effects of Agricultural Best Management Practices: An application of the 2012 SPARROW models for the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast United States
Nitrogen and phosphorus losses from agricultural areas have impacted the water quality of downstream rivers, lakes, and oceans. As a result, investment in the adoption of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) has grown but assessments of their effectiveness at large spatial scales have been sparse. This study applies regional Spatially Referenced Regression On Watershed-attributes (SPARROW
Select Attributes for NHDPlus Version 2.1 Reach Catchments and Modified Network Routed Upstream Watersheds for the Conterminous United States
This metadata record describes a series of data sets of natural and anthropogenic landscape features linked to NHDPlus Version 2.1's (NHDPlusV2) approximately 2.7 million stream segments, their associated catchments, and their upstream watersheds within the conterminous United States. These data were developed by the Hydrologic Sytem's Team (HST) within the the United States Geological Survey's (
Inputs and Selected Predictions of the CBTN_v5 and CBTP_v5 SPARROW Models for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The CBTN_v5 and CBTP_v5 SPARROW models were developed to support inferences about causes of observed changes in nitrogen and phosphorus (respectively) fluxes in Chesapeake Bay tributaries between 1992 and 2012. Model inputs and outputs are included in three files, which are described below. Detailed documentation of the SPARROW modeling technique is available at https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publicatio
Filter Total Items: 63
Spatial variability in nutrient transport by HUC8, state, and subbasin based on Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin SPARROW models
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) has been linked to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. With geospatial datasets for 2002, including inputs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and monitored loads throughout the MARB, SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) watershed models were constructed specifically for the MA
Regional regression models of watershed suspended-sediment discharge for the eastern United States
Estimates of mean annual watershed sediment discharge, derived from long-term measurements of suspended-sediment concentration and streamflow, often are not available at locations of interest. The goal of this study was to develop multivariate regression models to enable prediction of mean annual suspended-sediment discharge from available basin characteristics useful for most ungaged river locati
Factors affecting stream nutrient loads: A synthesis of regional SPARROW model results for the continental United States
We compared the results of 12 recently calibrated regional SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) models covering most of the continental United States to evaluate the consistency and regional differences in factors affecting stream nutrient loads. The models – 6 for total nitrogen and 6 for total phosphorus – all provide similar levels of prediction accuracy, but those
A multi-agency nutrient dataset used to estimate loads, improve monitoring design, and calibrate regional nutrient SPARROW models
Stream‐loading information was compiled from federal, state, and local agencies, and selected universities as part of an effort to develop regional SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models to help describe the distribution, sources, and transport of nutrients in streams throughout much of the United States. After screening, 2,739 sites, sampled by 73 agencies, were
The Regionalization of National-Scale SPARROW Models for Stream Nutrients
This analysis modifies the parsimonious specification of recently published total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) national‐scale SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes models to allow each model coefficient to vary geographically among three major river basins of the conterminous United States. Regionalization of the national models reduces the standard errors in the pred
Sources of suspended-sediment flux in streams of the chesapeake bay watershed: A regional application of the sparrow model
We describe the sources and transport of fluvial suspended sediment in nontidal streams of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and vicinity. We applied SPAtially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes, which spatially correlates estimated mean annual flux of suspended sediment in nontidal streams with sources of suspended sediment and transport factors. According to our model, urban development g
Incorporating uncertainty into the ranking of SPARROW model nutrient yields from Mississippi/Atchafalaya River basin watersheds
Excessive loads of nutrients transported by tributary rivers have been linked to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Management efforts to reduce the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico and improve the water quality of rivers and streams could benefit from targeting nutrient reductions toward watersheds with the highest nutrient yields delivered to sensitive downstream waters. One challenge is that most
The role of headwater streams in downstream water quality
Knowledge of headwater influences on the water-quality and flow conditions of downstream waters is essential to water-resource management at all governmental levels; this includes recent court decisions on the jurisdiction of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) over upland areas that contribute to larger downstream water bodies. We review current watershed research and use a water-quality model to i
Estimates of diffuse phosphorus sources in surface waters of the United States using a spatially referenced watershed model
The statistical watershed model SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) was used to estimate the sources and transport of total phosphorus (TP) in surface waters of the United States. We calibrated the model using stream measurements of TP from 336 watersheds of mixed land use and spatial data on topography, soils, stream hydrography, and land use (agriculture, forest, sh
Natural background concentrations of nutrients in streams and rivers of the conterminous United States
Determining natural background concentrations of nutrients in watersheds in the developed world has been hampered by a lack of pristine sampling sites covering a range of climatic conditions and basin sizes. Using data from 63 minimally impacted U.S. Geological Survey reference basins, we developed empirical models of the background yield of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) from small
Effect of stream channel size on the delivery of nitrogen to the Gulf of Mexico
An increase in the flux of nitrogen from the Mississippi river during the latter half of the twentieth century has caused eutrophication and chronic seasonal hypoxia in the shallow waters of the Louisiana shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This has led to reductions in species diversity, mortality of benthic communities and stress in fishery resources. There is evidence for a predominantly anth
Socioeconomic impacts of climate change on U.S. water supplies
A greenhouse warming would have major effects on water supplies and demands. A framework for examining the socioeconomic impacts associated with changes in the long-term availability of water is developed and applied to the hydrologic implications of the Canadian and British Hadley2 general circulation models (GCMs) for the 18 water resource regions in the conterminous United States. The climate p
Science and Products
- Science
River Corridor hot spots for biogeochemical processing: a continental scale synthesis
Rivers are the veins of the landscape, providing environmental benefits that are disproportionately high relative to their aerial extent; shedding flood waters, hosting aquatic ecosystems, transporting solutes and energy-rich materials, and storing and transforming pollutants into less harmful forms. From uplands to the coasts, rivers facilitate key biogeochemical reactions that cumulatively influ - Data
Mean seasonal SPARROW model inputs and simulated nitrogen and phosphorus loads for the Northeastern United States 2002 base year
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release includes input and output tabular files associated with mean seasonal 2002 simulations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus loads of the northeastern United States. The mean seasonal (MS) simulations are performed using a dynamic configuration of the USGS's Spatially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (dynamicSPARROW-MS) model, nonlinearNutrient Load Data used to Quantify Regional Effects of Agricultural Best Management Practices: An application of the 2012 SPARROW models for the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast United States
Nitrogen and phosphorus losses from agricultural areas have impacted the water quality of downstream rivers, lakes, and oceans. As a result, investment in the adoption of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) has grown but assessments of their effectiveness at large spatial scales have been sparse. This study applies regional Spatially Referenced Regression On Watershed-attributes (SPARROWSelect Attributes for NHDPlus Version 2.1 Reach Catchments and Modified Network Routed Upstream Watersheds for the Conterminous United States
This metadata record describes a series of data sets of natural and anthropogenic landscape features linked to NHDPlus Version 2.1's (NHDPlusV2) approximately 2.7 million stream segments, their associated catchments, and their upstream watersheds within the conterminous United States. These data were developed by the Hydrologic Sytem's Team (HST) within the the United States Geological Survey's (Inputs and Selected Predictions of the CBTN_v5 and CBTP_v5 SPARROW Models for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The CBTN_v5 and CBTP_v5 SPARROW models were developed to support inferences about causes of observed changes in nitrogen and phosphorus (respectively) fluxes in Chesapeake Bay tributaries between 1992 and 2012. Model inputs and outputs are included in three files, which are described below. Detailed documentation of the SPARROW modeling technique is available at https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publicatio - Publications
Filter Total Items: 63
Spatial variability in nutrient transport by HUC8, state, and subbasin based on Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin SPARROW models
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) has been linked to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. With geospatial datasets for 2002, including inputs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and monitored loads throughout the MARB, SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) watershed models were constructed specifically for the MARegional regression models of watershed suspended-sediment discharge for the eastern United States
Estimates of mean annual watershed sediment discharge, derived from long-term measurements of suspended-sediment concentration and streamflow, often are not available at locations of interest. The goal of this study was to develop multivariate regression models to enable prediction of mean annual suspended-sediment discharge from available basin characteristics useful for most ungaged river locatiFactors affecting stream nutrient loads: A synthesis of regional SPARROW model results for the continental United States
We compared the results of 12 recently calibrated regional SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) models covering most of the continental United States to evaluate the consistency and regional differences in factors affecting stream nutrient loads. The models – 6 for total nitrogen and 6 for total phosphorus – all provide similar levels of prediction accuracy, but thoseA multi-agency nutrient dataset used to estimate loads, improve monitoring design, and calibrate regional nutrient SPARROW models
Stream‐loading information was compiled from federal, state, and local agencies, and selected universities as part of an effort to develop regional SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models to help describe the distribution, sources, and transport of nutrients in streams throughout much of the United States. After screening, 2,739 sites, sampled by 73 agencies, wereThe Regionalization of National-Scale SPARROW Models for Stream Nutrients
This analysis modifies the parsimonious specification of recently published total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) national‐scale SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes models to allow each model coefficient to vary geographically among three major river basins of the conterminous United States. Regionalization of the national models reduces the standard errors in the predSources of suspended-sediment flux in streams of the chesapeake bay watershed: A regional application of the sparrow model
We describe the sources and transport of fluvial suspended sediment in nontidal streams of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and vicinity. We applied SPAtially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes, which spatially correlates estimated mean annual flux of suspended sediment in nontidal streams with sources of suspended sediment and transport factors. According to our model, urban development gIncorporating uncertainty into the ranking of SPARROW model nutrient yields from Mississippi/Atchafalaya River basin watersheds
Excessive loads of nutrients transported by tributary rivers have been linked to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Management efforts to reduce the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico and improve the water quality of rivers and streams could benefit from targeting nutrient reductions toward watersheds with the highest nutrient yields delivered to sensitive downstream waters. One challenge is that mostThe role of headwater streams in downstream water quality
Knowledge of headwater influences on the water-quality and flow conditions of downstream waters is essential to water-resource management at all governmental levels; this includes recent court decisions on the jurisdiction of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) over upland areas that contribute to larger downstream water bodies. We review current watershed research and use a water-quality model to iEstimates of diffuse phosphorus sources in surface waters of the United States using a spatially referenced watershed model
The statistical watershed model SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) was used to estimate the sources and transport of total phosphorus (TP) in surface waters of the United States. We calibrated the model using stream measurements of TP from 336 watersheds of mixed land use and spatial data on topography, soils, stream hydrography, and land use (agriculture, forest, shNatural background concentrations of nutrients in streams and rivers of the conterminous United States
Determining natural background concentrations of nutrients in watersheds in the developed world has been hampered by a lack of pristine sampling sites covering a range of climatic conditions and basin sizes. Using data from 63 minimally impacted U.S. Geological Survey reference basins, we developed empirical models of the background yield of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) from smallEffect of stream channel size on the delivery of nitrogen to the Gulf of Mexico
An increase in the flux of nitrogen from the Mississippi river during the latter half of the twentieth century has caused eutrophication and chronic seasonal hypoxia in the shallow waters of the Louisiana shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This has led to reductions in species diversity, mortality of benthic communities and stress in fishery resources. There is evidence for a predominantly anthSocioeconomic impacts of climate change on U.S. water supplies
A greenhouse warming would have major effects on water supplies and demands. A framework for examining the socioeconomic impacts associated with changes in the long-term availability of water is developed and applied to the hydrologic implications of the Canadian and British Hadley2 general circulation models (GCMs) for the 18 water resource regions in the conterminous United States. The climate p