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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: 19116

Re-establishing marshes can return carbon sink functions to a current carbon source in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California, USA Re-establishing marshes can return carbon sink functions to a current carbon source in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California, USA

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in California was an historic, vast inland freshwater wetland, where organic soils almost 20 meters deep formed over the last several millennia as the land surface elevation of marshes kept pace with sea level rise. A system of levees and pumps were installed in the late 1800s and early 1900s to drain the land for agricultural use. Since then, land...
Authors
Robin L. Miller, Roger Fujii

Measurement of net nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization in wetland soils using a modification of the resin-core technique Measurement of net nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization in wetland soils using a modification of the resin-core technique

A modification of the resin-core method was developed and tested for measuring in situ soil N and P net mineralization rates in wetland soils where temporal variation in bidirectional vertical water movement and saturation can complicate measurement. The modified design includes three mixed-bed ion-exchange resin bags located above and three resin bags located below soil incubating...
Authors
Gregory B. Noe

On the Hydrologic Adjustment of Climate-Model Projections: The Potential Pitfall of Potential Evapotranspiration On the Hydrologic Adjustment of Climate-Model Projections: The Potential Pitfall of Potential Evapotranspiration

Hydrologic models often are applied to adjust projections of hydroclimatic change that come from climate models. Such adjustment includes climate-bias correction, spatial refinement ("downscaling"), and consideration of the roles of hydrologic processes that were neglected in the climate model. Described herein is a quantitative analysis of the effects of hydrologic adjustment on the...
Authors
Paul C.D. Milly, Krista A. Dunne

Occurrence and fate of the herbicide glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid in the atmosphere Occurrence and fate of the herbicide glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid in the atmosphere

This is the first report on the ambient levels of glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the United States, and its major degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), in air and rain. Concurrent, weekly integrated air particle and rain samples were collected during two growing seasons in agricultural areas in Mississippi and Iowa. Rain was also collected in Indiana in a...
Authors
Feng-Chih Chang, M.F. Simcik, P. D. Capel

High-resolution three-dimensional imaging and analysis of rock falls in Yosemite valley, California High-resolution three-dimensional imaging and analysis of rock falls in Yosemite valley, California

We present quantitative analyses of recent large rock falls in Yosemite Valley, California, using integrated high-resolution imaging techniques. Rock falls commonly occur from the glacially sculpted granitic walls of Yosemite Valley, modifying this iconic landscape but also posing significant potential hazards and risks. Two large rock falls occurred from the cliff beneath Glacier Point...
Authors
Gregory M. Stock, Gerald W. Bawden, J.K. Green, E. Hanson, G. Downing, Brian D. Collins, Sandra Bond, M. Leslar

Changes in monoterpene mixing ratios during summer storms in rural New Hampshire (USA) Changes in monoterpene mixing ratios during summer storms in rural New Hampshire (USA)

Monoterpenes are an important class of biogenic hydrocarbons that influence ambient air quality and are a principle source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). Emitted from vegetation, monoterpenes are a product of photosynthesis and act as a response to a variety of environmental factors. Most parameterizations of monoterpene emissions are based on clear weather models that do not take...
Authors
Karl B. Haase, C. Jordan, E. Mentis, L. Cottrell, H.R. Mayne, R. Talbot, B.C. Sive

Historical summer base flow and stormflow trends for New England rivers Historical summer base flow and stormflow trends for New England rivers

River base flow is important to aquatic ecosystems, particularly because of its influence on summer water temperatures. Summer (June through September) daily mean streamflows were separated into base flow and stormflow components by use of an automated method at 25 stations in the New England region of the United States that drain predominantly natural basins. Summer monthly mean base...
Authors
Glenn A. Hodgkins, Robert W. Dudley

Seasonal dripwater Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca variations driven by cave ventilation: Implications for and modeling of speleothem paleoclimate records Seasonal dripwater Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca variations driven by cave ventilation: Implications for and modeling of speleothem paleoclimate records

A 4-year study in a central Texas cave quantifies multiple mechanisms that control dripwater composition and how these mechanisms vary at different drip sites. We monitored cave-air compositions, in situ calcite growth, dripwater composition and drip rate every 4–6 weeks. Three groups of drip sites are delineated (Groups 1–3) based on geochemical variations in dripwater composition...
Authors
C.I. Wong, J.L. Banner, MaryLynn Musgrove

Distribution and characterization of in-channel large wood in relation to geomorphic patterns on a low-gradient river Distribution and characterization of in-channel large wood in relation to geomorphic patterns on a low-gradient river

A 177 river km georeferenced aerial survey of in-channel large wood (LW) on the lower Roanoke River, NC was conducted to determine LW dynamics and distributions on an eastern USA low-gradient large river. Results indicate a system with approximately 75% of the LW available for transport either as detached individual LW or as LW in log jams. There were approximately 55 individual LW per...
Authors
Bertrand Moulin, Edward R. Schenk, Cliff R. Hupp

Uranium and barium cycling in a salt wedge subterranean estuary: The influence of tidal pumping Uranium and barium cycling in a salt wedge subterranean estuary: The influence of tidal pumping

The contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to oceanic metal budgets is only beginning to be explored. Here, we demonstrate that biogeochemical processes in a northern Florida subterranean estuary (STE) significantly alter U and Ba concentrations entering the coastal ocean via SGD. Tidal pumping controlled the distribution of dissolved metals in shallow beach groundwater...
Authors
I.R. Santos, W. C. Burnett, S. Misra, I.G.N.A. Suryaputra, J. P. Chanton, T. Dittmar, R.N. Peterson, P.W. Swarzenski

Comparison of Bayesian clustering and edge detection methods for inferring boundaries in landscape genetics Comparison of Bayesian clustering and edge detection methods for inferring boundaries in landscape genetics

Recently, techniques available for identifying clusters of individuals or boundaries between clusters using genetic data from natural populations have expanded rapidly. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate these different techniques. We used spatially-explicit simulation models to compare three spatial Bayesian clustering programs and two edge detection methods. Spatially-structured
Authors
T. Safner, Mark P. Miller, B.H. McRae, M.-J. Fortin, S. Manel

Hydrological mobilization of mercury and dissolved organic carbon in a snow-dominated, forested watershed: Conceptualization and modeling Hydrological mobilization of mercury and dissolved organic carbon in a snow-dominated, forested watershed: Conceptualization and modeling

The mobilization of mercury and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during snowmelt often accounts for a major fraction of the annual loads. We studied the role of hydrological connectivity of riparian wetlands and upland/wetland transition zones to surface waters on the mobilization of Hg and DOC in Fishing Brook, a headwater of the Adirondack Mountains, New York. Stream water total mercury...
Authors
J. Schelker, Douglas A. Burns, M. Weiler, H. Laudon
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