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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

210Po in Nevada groundwater and its relation to gross alpha radioactivity 210Po in Nevada groundwater and its relation to gross alpha radioactivity

Polonium-210 (210Po) is a highly toxic alpha emitter that is rarely found in groundwater at activities exceeding 1 pCi/L. 210Po activities in 63 domestic and public-supply wells in Lahontan Valley in Churchill County in northern Nevada, United States, ranged from 0.01 ± 0.005 to 178 ± 16 pCi/L with a median activity of 2.88 pCi/L. Wells with high 210Po activities had low dissolved oxygen
Authors
R. L. Seiler

Use of hydrologic and hydrodynamic modeling for ecosystem restoration Use of hydrologic and hydrodynamic modeling for ecosystem restoration

Planning and implementation of unprecedented projects for restoring the greater Everglades ecosystem are underway and the hydrologic and hydrodynamic modeling of restoration alternatives has become essential for success of restoration efforts. In view of the complex nature of the South Florida water resources system, regional-scale (system-wide) hydrologic models have been developed and...
Authors
J. Obeysekera, L. Kuebler, S. Ahmed, M.-L. Chang, V. Engel, Christian D. Langevin, Eric D. Swain, Y. Wan

Continuous salinity and temperature data from San Francisco estuary, 1982-2002: Trends and the salinity-freshwater inflow relationship Continuous salinity and temperature data from San Francisco estuary, 1982-2002: Trends and the salinity-freshwater inflow relationship

The U.S. Geological Survey and other federal and state agencies have been collecting continuous temperature and salinity data, two critical estuarine habitat variables, throughout San Francisco estuary for over two decades. Although this dynamic, highly variable system has been well studied, many questions remain relating to the effects of freshwater inflow and other physical and...
Authors
Gregory Shellenbarger, David H. Schoellhamer

Impacts of agricultural land use on biological integrity: A causal analysis Impacts of agricultural land use on biological integrity: A causal analysis

Agricultural land use has often been linked to nutrient enrichment, habitat degradation, hydrologic alteration, and loss of biotic integrity in streams. The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Quality Assessment Program sampled 226 stream sites located in eight agriculture‐dominated study units across the United States to investigate the geographic variability and causes of...
Authors
C.M. Riseng, M.J. Wiley, Robert W. Black, M.D. Munn

Stationarity: Wanted dead or alive? Stationarity: Wanted dead or alive?

Aligning engineering practice with natural process behavior would appear, on its face, to be a prudent and reasonable course of action. However, if we do not understand the long‐term characteristics of hydroclimatic processes, how does one find the prudent and reasonable course needed for water management? We consider this question in light of three aspects of existing and unresolved...
Authors
Harry F. Lins, Timothy A. Cohn

Diel cycles in dissolved barium, lead, iron, vanadium, and nitrite in a stream draining a former zinc smelter site near Hegeler, Illinois Diel cycles in dissolved barium, lead, iron, vanadium, and nitrite in a stream draining a former zinc smelter site near Hegeler, Illinois

Diel variations in the concentrations of a number of constituents have the potential to substantially affect the appropriate sampling regimen in acidic streams. Samples taken once during the course of the day cannot adequately reflect diel variations in water quality and may result in an inaccurate understanding of biogeochemical processes, ecological conditions, and of the threat posed...
Authors
Robert T. Kay, G.E. Groschen, G. Cygan, David H. Dupre

Effects of groundwater-flow paths on nitrate concentrations across two riparian forest corridors Effects of groundwater-flow paths on nitrate concentrations across two riparian forest corridors

Groundwater levels, apparent age, and chemistry from field sites and groundwater-flow modeling of hypothetical aquifers collectively indicate that groundwater-flow paths contribute to differences in nitrate concentrations across riparian corridors. At sites in Virginia (one coastal and one Piedmont), lowland forested wetlands separate upland fields from nearby surface waters (an estuary...
Authors
Gary K. Speiran

Streamflow gain-loss characteristics of Elkhead Creek downstream from Elkhead Reservoir near Craig, Colorado, 2009 Streamflow gain-loss characteristics of Elkhead Creek downstream from Elkhead Reservoir near Craig, Colorado, 2009

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (UCREFRP), Colorado Division of Water Resources, and City of Craig studied the gain-loss characteristics of Elkhead Creek downstream from Elkhead Reservoir to the confluence with the Yampa River during August through October 2009. Earlier
Authors
Barbara C. Ruddy

Storm surge modeling and applications in coastal areas Storm surge modeling and applications in coastal areas

This chapter introduces the reader to a wide spectrum of storm surge modeling systems used to assess the impact of tropical cyclones, covering a range of numerical methods, model domains, forcing and boundary conditions, and purposes. New technologies to obtain data such as deployment of temporary sensors and remote sensing practices to support modeling are also presented. Extensive...
Authors
Shisir K. Dube, Tad S. Murty, Jesse C. Feyen, Reggina Cabrera, Bruce A. Harper, Jerad D. Bales, Saud A. Amer

Comparison of atmospheric mercury speciation and deposition at nine sites across central and eastern North America Comparison of atmospheric mercury speciation and deposition at nine sites across central and eastern North America

This study presents >5 cumulative years of tropospheric mercury (Hg) speciation measurements, over the period of 2003–2009, for eight sites in the central and eastern United States and one site in coastal Puerto Rico. The purpose of this research was to identify local and regional processes that impact Hg speciation and deposition (wet + dry) across a large swath of North America. Sites...
Authors
Mark A. Engle, Michael T. Tate, David P. Krabbenhoft, James J Schauer, Allan Kolker, James B. Shanley, Michael Bothner
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