Unified Interior Regions
Region 4: Mississippi Basin
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Watershed Restoration & Protection Studies (319 Monitoring) - Mississippi
The USGS-MWSC partners with various federal, state and local cooperating agencies to implement Monitoring Plans for watershed restoration or protection projects. The purpose of monitoring is to measure change in water quality throughout the duration of watershed specific restoration efforts targeted to remediate specific pollutants of concern. The goal is to document, using defensible...
Water Resources of Louisiana’s Parishes
The USGS is summarizing basic information on water resources for each parish in Louisiana and presenting the information in fact-sheet format. Information presented includes groundwater and surface-water availability, quality, development, use, and trends. These brief summaries of water resources will provide parish officials, local officials and concerned citizens with information needed to...
A Method for Identifying Karst Features in the Ozarks and Their Correlation to Ground-Water Quality Impacts
Short Title: Ozark Karst Study
Project Chiefs: Tim Kresse (USGS-Water), Phil Hays (USGS-Water), James Kaufmann (USGS-Geography), Mark Hudson (USGS-Geology), Esther Stroh (USGS-Biology)
Cooperator: U.S. Geological Survey
Project Time Frame: 2007 - 2011
Three major physiographic provinces in the Ozark Plateaus in Arkansas and Missouri include diverse topography and...
Assessing the Influence of the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion on Water-Quality in Waterways and Marshes of Barataria Preserve
In 2002, the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion began diverting up to 10,000 cfs of Mississippi River water into the waters surrounding the Barataria Preserve of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. Previously, precipitation, local surface-water runoff, and occasional marine intrusion largely determined quality of surface and marsh porewaters at the Preserve. The new influx of...
Mississippi Hydrologic Unit Code Map
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Mississippi Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, and the Mississippi Automated Resource Information System developed a 1:24,000-scale Watershed Boundary Dataset for Mississippi...
Physical soil properties of wetlands, and the hydrology of tidal swamp, tidal creeks, adjacent rivers, and adjacent marshes along the coastal gradient of palustrine, oligohaline, and mesohaline sites in relation to drought, storm, and tidal events
The LaWSC, in collaboration with researchers from the National Wetlands Research Center (NWRC), the NRP program, Auburn University, and Clemson University, is documenting conditions in tidal swamps in Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina as a baseline with which to compare future data to assess the impacts of climate change in such areas. Tidal swamps in these states offer an array of...
Water quality monitoring in the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Lake Borgne, and adjacent waterways in southeastern Louisiana, 2009 to 2013
In early 2009, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) constructed a rock barrier across the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), a navigation channel between the Port of New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. In August 2008, prior to construction of the rock barrier, the LaWSC, in cooperation with the USACE, began monitoring specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and discharge in the MRGO to...
Assessment of water quality and soil conditions at the Bayou aux Carpes 404(C) property wetlands
Wetlands in the Bayou aux Carpes area, south of New Orleans, La., currently are isolated from direct inflow of storm water runoff by levees and spoil banks. The USACE is considering removal of a spoil bank that would allow storm-water runoff to flow through and across the wetlands. . The wetlands consist of floating marshes, with a predominately organic substrate, and forested wetlands, some...
Principal Aquifer Susceptibility Study
Short Title: Principal Aquifers
Project Chief: Brian Clark
Cooperator: U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program
Project Time Frame: May 2008 - Sept 2009
The principal aquifer study will use regional ground-water MODFLOW models and...
Mississippi Embayment Regional Aquifer Study (MERAS)
Short Title: MERAS Model
Project Chief: Brian Clark
Cooperator: U.S. Geological Survey Office of Ground-Water Resources Program
Project Time Frame: January 2006 - 2009
Fresh ground-water in the Mississippi embayment can be found in alternating formations of...
Quality of Shallow Groundwater and Drinking Water in the Mississippi Embayment-Texas Coastal Uplands Aquifer System and the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer, South-Central United States, 1994–2004
The Mississippi embayment-Texas coastal uplands aquifer system is an important source of drinking water, providing about 724 million gallons per day to about 8.9 million people in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Alabama. The Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer ranks third in the Nation for total withdrawals of which more than 98...
Simulation of Groundwater Flow in the "1,500-Foot" and "2,000-Foot" Sands and Movement of Saltwater in the “2000-Foot” Sand of the Baton Rouge Area, Louisiana
Saltwater encroachment has been detected in six aquifers, including the "1,500-foot" and "2,000-foot" sands, north of the Baton Rouge fault in East Baton Rouge Parish. The encroachment is in response to ground-water withdrawals, primarily for public supply and industrial uses, in Baton Rouge. Additional information is needed for water planners and managers in the Baton Rouge area to make...
Estimating the effect of winter cover crops on nitrogen leaching using cost-share enrollment data, satellite remote sensing, and Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) modeling
This study employed a novel combination of data (winter cover crop cost-share enrollment records, satellite remote sensing of wintertime vegetation, and results of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) water quality simulations) to estimate the environmental performance of winter cover crops (WCC) at the watershed scale, from 2008 through 2017,...
Hively, W. Dean; Lee, Sangchul; Sadeghi, Ali M.; McCarty, Gregory W.; Lamb, Brian T.; Soroka, Alexander M.; Keppler, Jason; Yeo, In-Young; Moglen, Glenn E. Joint seasonality in geographic and ecological spaces, illustrated with a partially migratory bird
As most species live in seasonal environments, considering varying conditions is essential to understand species dynamics in both geographic and ecological spaces. Both resident and migratory species need to contend with seasonality and balance settling in favorable areas with tracking favorable environmental conditions during the year. We present...
Basille, Mathieu; Watling, James I.; Romanach, Stephanie; Borkhataria, Rena R.
Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring Program: Mapping habitats in beach, dune, and intertidal environments along the Louisiana Gulf of Mexico shoreline, 2008 and 2015–16
Barrier islands, headlands, and coastal shorelines provide numerous valuable ecosystem goods and services, including storm protection and erosion control for the mainland, habitat for fish and wildlife, salinity regulation in estuaries, carbon sequestration in marshes, and areas for recreation and tourism. These coastal features are dynamic...
Enwright, Nicholas M.; SooHoo, William M.; Dugas, Jason L.; Conzelmann, Craig P.; Laurenzano, Claudia; Lee, Darin M.; Mouton, Kelly; Stelly, Spencer J. Evaluating the potential role of bioactive chemicals on the distribution of invasive Asian carp upstream and downstream from river mile 278 in the Illinois waterway
Two non-native carp species have invaded the Illinois Waterway and are a threat to Great Lakes ecosystems. Poor water quality in the upper Illinois Waterway, may be a factor contributing to the stalling of the carp population front near river mile 278. In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey collected 4 sets of water samples from two sites upstream...
Battaglin, William A.; Duncker, James J.; Terrio, Paul J.; Bradley, Paul; Barber, Larry; DeCicco, Laura A. A multi-model approach toward understanding iron fouling at rock-fill drainage sites along roadways in New Hampshire, USA
Factors affecting iron fouling in wet areas adjacent to roadways were investigated by collecting field rock cut and aqueous physicochemical data; developing exploratory predictive models; and developing geochemical models. Basic data included the identification of iron fouling from aerial imagery and field visits at 374 New Hampshire rock cut...
Lombard, Melissa; Lombard, Pamela J.; Brown, Craig J.; Degnan, James Food web controls on mercury fluxes and fate in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon
Mercury (Hg) biomagnification in aquatic food webs is a global concern; yet, the ways species traits and interactions mediate these fluxes remain poorly understood. Few pathways dominated Hg flux in the Colorado River despite large spatial differences in food web complexity, and fluxes were mediated by one functional trait, predation resistance....
Walters, David; Cross, Wyatt F.; Kennedy, Theodore; Baxter, Colden V.; Hall, R. O.; Rosi, Emma J. Fluoride occurrence in United States groundwater
Data from 38,105 wells were used to characterize fluoride (F) occurrence in untreated United States (U.S.) groundwater. For domestic wells (n = 11,032), water from which is generally not purposely fluoridated or monitored for quality, 10.9% of the samples have F concentrations >0.7 mg/L (U.S. Public Health Service recommended optimal F...
McMahon, Peter B.; Brown, Craig J.; Johnson, Tyler D.; Belitz, Kenneth; Lindsey, Bruce D. Species richness responses to water withdrawal scenarios and minimum flow levels: Evaluating presumptive standards in the Tennessee and Cumberland River basins
Water resource managers are challenged to balance growing water demand with protecting aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. Management decisions can benefit from improved understanding of water withdrawal impacts on hydrologic regimes and ecological assemblages. This study used Ecological Limit Functions for fish groups within the Tennessee and...
Driver, Lucas; Cartwright, Jennifer M.; Knight, Rodney; Wolfe, William J. Factors affecting sampling strategies for design of an effects‐directed analysis for endocrine‐active chemicals
Effects‐directed analysis (EDA) is an important tool for identifying unknown bioactive components in a complex mixture. Such an analysis of endocrine‐active chemicals (EACs) from water sources has promising regulatory implications but also unique logistical challenges. We propose a conceptual EDA (framework) based on a critical review of EDA...
Brennan, Jennifer; Gale, Robert W.; Alvarez, David; Berninger, Jason P.; Leet, Jessica Kristin; Li, Yan; Wagner, Tyler; Tillitt, Donald E. Microbiology and oxidation-reduction geochemistry of the water-table and Memphis aquifers in the Allen well field, Shelby County, Tennessee
The shallow and Memphis aquifers in Shelby County, Tennessee, are valuable natural resources that are used for domestic, public-supply, and agricultural water use. The Memphis aquifer is the primary source for public supply in West Tennessee and provides 170 to 175 million gallons of water per day for more than 900,000 people (Robinson, 2018). The...
Byl, Thomas D.; Bradley, Michael W. Green turtle mitochondrial microsatellites indicate finer-scale natal homing to isolated islands than to continental nesting sites
In highly mobile philopatric species, defining the scale of natal homing is fundamental to characterizing population dynamics and effectively managing distinct populations. Genetic tools have provided evidence of regional natal philopatry in marine turtles, but extensive sharing of maternally inherited mitochondrial control region (CR)...
Shamblin, Brian M.; Hart, Kristen; Martin, Kelly J.; Ceriani, Simona A.; Bagley, Dean A.; Mansfield, Katherine L.; Ehrhart, Llewellyn M.; Nairn, Campbell J. Use of strong habitat–abundance relationships in assessing population status of cryptic fishes: An example using the Harlequin Darter
Understanding trends in abundance is important to fisheries conservation, but techniques for estimating streamwide abundance of cryptic fishes with strong habitat–abundance relationships are not well established and need further development. We developed techniques for addressing this need using the Harlequin Darter Etheostoma histrio, a...
Holcomb, Kathryn M; Schueller, Paul; Jelks, Howard L.; Knight, John R; Allen, Micheal S
"The past several days have seen remarkable devastation resulting from Hurricane Katrina. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by this disaster," said USGS Acting Director Pat Leahy. "In the aftermath of Katrina, USGS research on hurricanes and natural hazards is no longer just a scientific endeavor – it is a matter of public safety."
"The past several days have seen remarkable devastation resulting from Hurricane Katrina. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been affected by this disaster," said USGS Acting Director Pat Leahy. "In the aftermath of Katrina, USGS research on hurricanes and natural hazards is no longer just a scientific endeavor – it is a matter of public safety."
The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wetlands Research Center, headquartered in Lafayette, La., is responding to both humanitarian and scientific needs of people and agencies involved in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Did you know that from your desk you can monitor the effect of Hurricane Katrina as it moves inland? The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) WaterWatch Web site can show you what’s happening to streams in your local area and show you the places most affected by heavy rains expected from this storm.
In its latest report on water use in the United States, the USGS looked at the nation's dependence on ground water. The report entitled Estimated Withdrawals from Principal Aquifers in the United States, 2000, provides details of ground-water withdrawals and use from principal aquifers in each state.
The preliminary magnitude 4.1 earthquake that shook eastern Arkansas and western Tennessee at 8:04 a.m. Central Standard Time is cited by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as yet another wake-up call to the central United States about the serious potential for earthquakes, the hazard it poses to those living in the region, and the need to strengthen the region’s buildings and structures.
The preliminary magnitude 4.1 earthquake that shook eastern Arkansas and western Tennessee at 8:04 a.m. Central Standard Time is cited by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as yet another wake-up call to the central United States about the serious potential for earthquakes, the hazard it poses to those living in the region, and the need to strengthen the region’s buildings and structures.
Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are closely watching the Gulf of Mexico shoreline to understand the impact of Hurricane Ivan. The shoreline in the Gulf is particularly vulnerable to storm surge and coastal change during hurricanes because of the low elevation, shoreline retreat and subsidence in the Mississippi Delta regions.
Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are closely watching the Gulf of Mexico shoreline to understand the impact of Hurricane Ivan. The shoreline in the Gulf is particularly vulnerable to storm surge and coastal change during hurricanes because of the low elevation, shoreline retreat and subsidence in the Mississippi Delta regions.
Today, June 30, 2004, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announces the recipients of the first year of the Mineral Resources External Research Program, a grant and/or cooperative agreement opportunity designed to support minerals research. The grant award is split among six topics that will enhance ongoing research in the USGS and deliver products within one year.
A new assessment of shoreline change on the Gulf of Mexico, released today by the U.S. Geological Survey, shows that 61 percent of the Gulf Coast shoreline is eroding. Some areas are losing sand more rapidly than others and some areas are actually gaining sand.
America’s rivers and streams are generally suitable for irrigation, supplying drinking water, and home and recreational uses. However, in areas with significant agricultural and urban development, the quality of our nation’s water resources has been degraded by contaminants such as pesticides, nutrients, and gasoline-related compounds.
Contacts
Locations
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Jackson, MS Office
Phone: (601) 933-2900
Fax: (601) 933-2901
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center - Lafayette, LA
Phone: 337-266-8500
Fax: 337-266-8513
Columbia Environmental Research Center
Phone: 573-875-5399
Central Midwest Water Science Center - Rolla, MO Office
Phone: 573-308-3667
Fax: (573) 308-3645
Central Midwest Water Science Center - Iowa City, IA Office
Phone: 319-337-4191
Fax: (319) 358-3606
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Baton Rouge, LA Office
Phone: (225) 298-5481
Fax: (225) 298-5490
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Little Rock, AR Office
Phone: (501) 228-3600
National Geospatial Technical Operations Center - Rolla, MO
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Fayetteville, AR Office
Phone: (479) 442-4888
Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center - Ruston, LA Office
Phone: (318) 251-9630
Central Midwest Water Science Center - Lee's Summit, MO Office
Phone: 816-554-3489
Fax: 816-554-9273
Central Midwest Water Science Center - Olivette, MO Office
Phone: 314-567-7077 or 314-567-5440
Fax: 314-567-7641
Central Midwest Water Science Center - Council Bluffs, IA Office
Phone: 712-323-0824
Fax: 712-322-7775
Central Midwest Water Science Center - Fort Dodge, IA Office
Phone: 515-576-4571
Fax: 515-576-1692
