Publications
This list of Water Resources Mission Area publications includes both official USGS publications and journal articles authored by our scientists. A searchable database of all USGS publications can be accessed at the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Filter Total Items: 19115
Draft genome sequence of Picocystis strain ML cultivated from Mono Lake, California Draft genome sequence of Picocystis strain ML cultivated from Mono Lake, California
The microscopic alga Picocystis sp. strain ML is responsible for recurrent algal blooms in Mono Lake, CA. This organism was characterized by only very little molecular data, despite its prominence as a primary producer in saline environments. Here, we report the draft genome sequence for Picocystis sp. strain ML based on long-read sequencing.
Authors
Emily N Junkins, Blake W. Stamps, Frank A Corsetti, Ronald S. Oremland, John R. Spear, Bradley S. Stevenson
Estimating river discharge with swath altimetry: A proof of concept using AirSWOT observations Estimating river discharge with swath altimetry: A proof of concept using AirSWOT observations
The forthcoming Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission will provide global measurements of the free surface of large rivers, providing new opportunities for remote sensing‐derived estimates of river discharge in gaged and ungaged basins. SWOT discharge algorithms have been developed and benchmarked using synthetic data but remain untested on real‐world swath...
Authors
Stephen Tuozzolo, Greg D. Lind, Brandon Overstreet, Joseph F. Mangano, Mark A Fonstad, M. Hagemann, R.P.M. Frasson, K Larnier, P.-A. Garambois, J. Monnier, M. Durand
Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon
Permafrost thaw alters subsurface flow in boreal regions that in turn influences the magnitude, seasonality, and chemical composition of streamflow. Prediction of these changes is challenged by incomplete knowledge of timing, flowpath depth, and amount of groundwater discharge to streams in response to thaw. One important phenomenon that may affect flow and transport through boreal...
Authors
Michelle A. Walvoord, Clifford I. Voss, Brian A. Ebel, Burke J. Minsley
Temporal variability in nitrate – discharge relationships in large rivers as revealed by high frequency data Temporal variability in nitrate – discharge relationships in large rivers as revealed by high frequency data
Little is known about temporal variability in nitrate concentration responses to changes in discharge on intraannual time scales in large rivers. To investigate this knowledge gap, we used a six‐year data set of daily surface water nitrate concentration and discharge averaged from near‐continuous monitoring at U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations on the Connecticut, Potomac, and...
Authors
Margaret Zimmer, Brian A. Pellerin, Douglas A. Burns, Gregory Paul Petrochenkov
Simulating runoff quality with the highway-runoff database and the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model Simulating runoff quality with the highway-runoff database and the Stochastic Empirical Loading and Dilution Model
Stormwater practitioners need quantitative information about the quality and volume of highway runoff to assess and mitigate potential adverse effects of runoff on the Nation’s receiving waters. The U.S. Geological Survey developed the Highway Runoff Database (HRDB) in cooperation with the FHWA to provide practice-ready information to meet these information needs on the local or national...
Authors
Gregory E. Granato, Susan C. Jones
Improving estimates and forecasts of lake carbon dynamics using data assimilation Improving estimates and forecasts of lake carbon dynamics using data assimilation
Lakes are biogeochemical hotspots on the landscape, contributing significantly to the global carbon cycle despite their small areal coverage. Observations and models of lake carbon pools and fluxes are rarely explicitly combined through data assimilation despite successful use of this technique in other fields. Data assimilation adds value to both observations and models by constraining...
Authors
Jacob Aaron Zwart, Oleksandra Hararuk, Yves Prairie, Stuart E. Jones, Christopher T. Solomon
Scientific integrity issues in environmental toxicology and chemistry: Improving research transparency, reproducibility, and credibility Scientific integrity issues in environmental toxicology and chemistry: Improving research transparency, reproducibility, and credibility
High‐profile reports of detrimental scientific practices leading to retractions in the scientific literature contribute to lack of trust in scientific experts. Although the bulk of these have been in the literature of other disciplines, environmental toxicology and chemistry are not free from problems. While we believe that egregious misconduct such as fraud, fabrication of data, or...
Authors
Christopher A. Mebane, Anne Fairbrother, Thomas Augspurger, Timothy J. Canfield, William Goodfellow, Patrick Guiney, Anne LeHuray, Lorraine Maltby, David Mayfield, Michael McLaughlin, Lisa Ortego, Tamar Schlekat, Richard P. Scroggins, John Sumpter, Tim Verslycke
Patterns, pace and processes of water-quality variability: Examples from a long-studied estuary Patterns, pace and processes of water-quality variability: Examples from a long-studied estuary
Environmental time series have rich information content that is invaluable for measuring and understanding changes over time and guiding policies to manage change. I extracted information from measurements of 10 water‐quality constituents in upper San Francisco Bay from 1975 to 2016, one of the longest observational records in a U.S. estuary. Changes were detected at every time scale...
Authors
James Cloern
Fena Valley Reservoir watershed and water-balance model updates and expansion of watershed modeling to southern Guam Fena Valley Reservoir watershed and water-balance model updates and expansion of watershed modeling to southern Guam
In 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, initiated a project to evaluate the potential impacts of projected climate-change on Department of Defense installations that rely on Guam’s water resources. A major task of that project was to develop a watershed model of southern Guam and a...
Authors
Sarah N. Rosa, Lauren E. Hay
Organic geochemistry and toxicology of a stream impacted by unconventional oil and gas wastewater disposal operations Organic geochemistry and toxicology of a stream impacted by unconventional oil and gas wastewater disposal operations
Water and sediment extracts samples were analyzed for extractable hydrocarbons by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) using an Agilent (Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, CA, USA) 7890 series GC and 5975 electron ionization (EI) mass selective detector (MSD) operated in scan mode. Agilent ChemStation software was used for data acquisition and analysis (version E.02.00.493 on GC/MS...
Authors
William H. Orem, Matthew S. Varonka, Lynn M. Crosby, Karl B. Haase, Keith A. Loftin, Michelle L. Hladik, Denise M. Akob, Calin Tatu, Adam C. Mumford, Jeanne B. Jaeschke, Anne L. Bates, Tiffani Schell, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli
Evidence for conservative transport of dissolved organic carbon in major river basins in the Gulf of Maine Watershed Evidence for conservative transport of dissolved organic carbon in major river basins in the Gulf of Maine Watershed
Transport and fate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in rivers are important aspects of the carbon cycle and the critical linkage between terrestrial, aquatic, and marine systems. Recent studies have quantified fluvial export to the marine environment in many systems, but in-stream losses of DOC are poorly constrained. This study compares DOC yields (kg C/ha) between the area-weighted...
Authors
Thomas G. Huntington, Collin S. Roesler, George R. Aiken
Establishment of a vertical control network along the St. Croix River in New Brunswick and Maine Establishment of a vertical control network along the St. Croix River in New Brunswick and Maine
Consistent elevations at stable benchmarks, referenced to a common datum, are important for measuring and comparing water levels and for computing flows throughout a watershed. Elevations are presented for 38 control points within the St. Croix River watershed, mostly along the main stem of the St. Croix River. Vertical control points are located at 7 dams, 3 Environment Canada (EC) lake
Authors
Pamela J. Lombard