Publications
Read publications and other informational products to learn more about USGS science occurring in the Mississippi Basin.
Filter Total Items: 5565
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023—USGS disaster emergency recovery activities Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023—USGS disaster emergency recovery activities
Title VII of Division N in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117–328), was enacted on December 29, 2022. The U.S. Geological Survey received $41.04 million in disaster emergency supplemental funding for repairing and replacing facilities and equipment, collecting high-resolution elevation data in affected areas, and completing scientific assessments to support direct...
Authors
Jo Ellen Hinck, Joseph Stachyra
Groundwater residence times in glacial aquifers—A new general simulation-model approach compared to conventional inset models Groundwater residence times in glacial aquifers—A new general simulation-model approach compared to conventional inset models
Groundwater is important as a drinking-water source and for maintaining base flow in rivers, streams, and lakes. Groundwater quality can be predicted, in part, by its residence time in the subsurface, but the residence-time distribution cannot be measured directly and must be inferred from models. This report compares residence-time distributions from four areas where groundwater flow...
Authors
J. Jeffrey Starn, Leon J. Kauffman, Daniel T. Feinstein
Integration of remote sensing and field observations in evaluating DSSAT model for estimating maize and soybean growth and yield in Maryland, USA Integration of remote sensing and field observations in evaluating DSSAT model for estimating maize and soybean growth and yield in Maryland, USA
Crop models are useful for evaluating crop growth and yield at the field and regional scales, but their applications and accuracies are restricted by input data availability and quality. To overcome difficulties inherent to crop modeling, input data can be enhanced by the incorporation of remotely sensed and field observations into crop growth models. This approach has been recognized to...
Authors
Uvirkaa Akumaga, Feng Gao, Martha Anderson, Wayne Dulaney, Rasmus Houborg, Andy Russ, W. Dean Hively
Quality of thermal refuges influences use by the cold-intolerant Florida manatee Quality of thermal refuges influences use by the cold-intolerant Florida manatee
ABSTRACT: Thermal refuges are habitats used by species for behavioral thermoregulation. These habitats can be highly dynamic and are often influenced by fluctuations in local climate. When protected species require thermal refuges, it is necessary to identify stable and high-quality areas by evaluating species use in response to variation in thermal refuge quality. Here, we assessed...
Authors
Catherine G. Haase, Robert J. Fletcher, Daniel Slone, James P. Reid, Susan M. Butler
Using taxa-based approaches to delineate stream macroinvertebrate assemblage responses to stressor gradients in modified alluvial agroecosystems Using taxa-based approaches to delineate stream macroinvertebrate assemblage responses to stressor gradients in modified alluvial agroecosystems
Alluvial plain landscapes are some of the most agriculturally productive lands in the world but often have modified stream ecosystems due to cultivation history. This context requires consideration when establishing water quality management goals. We analyzed state water quality databases to demonstrate that Mississippi Alluvial Plain (MAP) ecoregion streams have elevated specific...
Authors
Jason M. Taylor, Stephen E. DeVilbiss, Matthew B. Hicks
When are environmental DNA early detections of invasive species actionable? When are environmental DNA early detections of invasive species actionable?
Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling provides sensitive early detection capabilities for recently introduced taxa. However, natural resource managers struggle with how to integrate eDNA results into an early detection rapid response program because positive eDNA detections are not always indicative of an eventual infestation. We used a structured decision making (SDM) framework to evaluate
Authors
Adam Sepulveda, Christine E. Dumoulin, Denise L. Blanchette, John Mcphedran, Colin Holme, Nathan Whalen, Margaret Hunter, Christopher M. Merkes, Catherine A. Richter, Matthew Neilson, Wesley M. Daniel, Devin Nicole Jones-Slobodian, David R. Smith
Comparison of historic to future without action (FWOA) land change Comparison of historic to future without action (FWOA) land change
One of the primary purposes of the 2023 Coastal Master Plan Integrated Compartment Model (ICM) is to forecast potential changes in coastal wetland area under varying environmental and restoration scenarios. To validate the model performance, historical analyses of observed wetland changes are needed for comparison to hindcast model runs. To generate these historical analyses, this effort...
Authors
Brady Couvillion
Toward a national eDNA strategy for the United States Toward a national eDNA strategy for the United States
Environmental DNA (eDNA) data make it possible to measure and monitor biodiversity at unprecedented resolution and scale. As use-cases multiply and scientific consensus grows regarding the value of eDNA analysis, public agencies have an opportunity to decide how and where eDNA data fit into their mandates. Within the United States, many federal and state agencies are individually using...
Authors
Ryan Kelly, David M. Lodge, Kai Lee, Susanna Theroux, Adam Sepulveda, Chris Scholin, Joseph M. Craine, Elizabeth Allan, Krista M. Nichols, Kim M. Parsons, Kelly D Goodwin, Zachary Gold, Francisco P. Chavez, Rachel T. Noble, Cathryn Abbott, Melinda R. Baerwald, Amanda Naaum, Peter Thielen, Ariel Simons, Christopher L. Jerde, Jeffrey J. Duda, Margaret Hunter, John Hagan, Rachel Meyer, Joshua Steele, Mark Stoeckle, Holly Bik, Christopher Meyer, Eric D. Stein, Karen James, Austen Thomas, Elif Demir-Hilton, Molly Timmers, John Griffith, Michael J Weise, Steve Weisberg
Application of electricity and underwater acoustics to clear fish from a navigation lock during maintenance Application of electricity and underwater acoustics to clear fish from a navigation lock during maintenance
The presence of fish within navigation locks can introduce an environmental challenge for construction crews when maintenance is required. This study examined the effectiveness of a dual-deterrent fish herding technique using electricity and acoustic stimuli to reduce the abundance of fish within a navigation lock before a scheduled dewatering for maintenance. Fixed-location multi-beam...
Authors
Jose Rivera, Aaron R. Cupp, Josey Lee Ridgway, Duane Chapman, Bethany E Hoster, Matthew Ross Acre, Robin D. Calfee, Jesse Robert Fischer, James J. Duncker
Influence of increased freshwater inflow on nitrogen and phosphorus budgets in a dynamic subtropical estuary, Barataria Basin, Louisiana Influence of increased freshwater inflow on nitrogen and phosphorus budgets in a dynamic subtropical estuary, Barataria Basin, Louisiana
Coastal Louisiana is currently experiencing high rates of wetland loss and large-scale ecosystem restoration is being implemented. One of the largest and most novel restoration projects is a controlled sediment diversion, proposed to rebuild and sustain wetlands by diverting sediment- and nutrient-rich water from the Mississippi River. However, the impact of this proposed sediment...
Authors
Hoonshin Jung, William K. Nuttle, Melissa Millman Baustian, Tim J. B. Carruthers
Spatiotemporal patterns and environmental drivers of eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) abundance along the Missouri River, USA Spatiotemporal patterns and environmental drivers of eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) abundance along the Missouri River, USA
Context: Changes in disturbance regimes, including reductions in flooding and geomorphic dynamism from dam construction and flow regulation, have facilitated invasion by eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.), an upland tree species, in the understory of floodplain forests along the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR). Objectives: Our aim was to determine the spatiotemporal...
Authors
Nadeesha D. Illeperuma, Mark D. Dixon, Caroline M. Elliott, Kimberly I. Magnuson, Miyuraj H H. Withanage, James E. Vogelmann
Salinity and total dissolved solids measurements for natural waters: An overview and a new salinity method based on specific conductance and water type Salinity and total dissolved solids measurements for natural waters: An overview and a new salinity method based on specific conductance and water type
The total concentration of dissolved constituents in water is routinely quantified by measurements of salinity or total dissolved solids (TDS). However, salinity and TDS are operationally defined by their analytical methods and are not equivalent for most waters. Furthermore, multiple methods are available to determine salinity and TDS, and these methods have inherent differences. TDS is...
Authors
R. Blaine McCleskey, Charles A. Cravotta, Matthew P. Miller, Fred D. Tillman, Paul E. Stackelberg, Katherine J. Knierim, Daniel Wise