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
Assessing the response of the Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, USA to human and climatic disturbances: Management implications Assessing the response of the Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, USA to human and climatic disturbances: Management implications
The Pamlico Sound (PS) with its sub-estuaries is the largest lagoonal ecosystem in the United States. It exhibits periodically strong salinity stratification and an average freshwater residence time of 1 year for the sound proper. This relatively long residence time promotes effective use and cycling of nutrients, allowing the system to support high rates of primary and secondary...
Authors
H.W. Paerl, B.L. Peierls, N. S. Hall, A. R. Joyner, R.R. Christian, Jerad D. Bales, S.R. Riggs
Composition, distribution, and potential toxicity of organochlorine mixtures in bed sediments of streams Composition, distribution, and potential toxicity of organochlorine mixtures in bed sediments of streams
Mixtures of organochlorine compounds have the potential for additive or interactive toxicity to organisms exposed in the stream. This study uses a variety of methods to identify mixtures and a modified concentration-addition approach to estimate their potential toxicity at 845 stream sites across the United States sampled between 1992 and 2001 for organochlorine pesticides and...
Authors
Patrick J. Phillips, Lisa H. Nowell, Robert J. Gilliom, Naomi Nakagaki, Karen Riva-Murray, Carolyn VanAlstyne
Interpreting canopy water balance and fog screen observations: separating cloud water from wind-blown rainfall at two contrasting forest sites in Hawai'i Interpreting canopy water balance and fog screen observations: separating cloud water from wind-blown rainfall at two contrasting forest sites in Hawai'i
No abstract available.
Authors
Thomas W. Giambelluca, J. K. DeLay, M.A. Nullet, Martha A. Scholl, Stephen B. Gingerich
Historical deposition of mercury and selected trace elements to high-elevation National Parks in the Western U.S. inferred from lake-sediment cores Historical deposition of mercury and selected trace elements to high-elevation National Parks in the Western U.S. inferred from lake-sediment cores
Atmospheric deposition of Hg and selected trace elements was reconstructed over the past 150 years using sediment cores collected from nine remote, high-elevation lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Glacier National Park in Montana. Cores were age dated by 210Pb, and sedimentation rates were determined using the constant rate of supply model. Hg concentrations in most...
Authors
M. Alisa Mast, David J. Manthorne, David A. Roth
Variable responses of fish assemblages, habitat, and stability to natural-channel-design restoration in Catskill Mountain streams Variable responses of fish assemblages, habitat, and stability to natural-channel-design restoration in Catskill Mountain streams
Natural-channel-design (NCD) restorations were recently implemented within large segments of five first- and second-order streams in the Catskill Mountains of New York in an attempt to increase channel stability, reduce bed and bank erosion, and sustain water quality. In conjunction with these efforts, 54 fish and habitat surveys were done from 1999 to 2007 at six restored reaches and...
Authors
Barry P. Baldigo, Anne G. Ernst, Dana R. Warren, Sarah J. Miller
Multiple well-shutdown tests and site-scale flow simulation in fractured rocks Multiple well-shutdown tests and site-scale flow simulation in fractured rocks
A new method was developed for conducting aquifer tests in fractured-rock flow systems that have a pump-and-treat (P&T) operation for containing and removing groundwater contaminants. The method involves temporary shutdown of individual pumps in wells of the P&T system. Conducting aquifer tests in this manner has several advantages, including (1) no additional contaminated water is...
Authors
Claire R. Tiedeman, Pierre J. Lacombe, Daniel J. Goode
Measurement of bedload transport in sand-bed rivers: A look at two indirect sampling methods Measurement of bedload transport in sand-bed rivers: A look at two indirect sampling methods
Sand-bed rivers present unique challenges to accurate measurement of the bedload transport rate using the traditional direct sampling methods of direct traps (for example the Helley-Smith bedload sampler). The two major issues are: 1) over sampling of sand transport caused by “mining” of sand due to the flow disturbance induced by the presence of the sampler and 2) clogging of the mesh...
Authors
Robert R. Holmes
Historical arroyo formation: documentation of magnitude and timing of historical changes using repeat photography Historical arroyo formation: documentation of magnitude and timing of historical changes using repeat photography
No abstract available.
Authors
Robert H. Webb, Richard Hereford
Large-scale laboratory testing of bedload-monitoring technologies: Overview of the StreamLab06 Experiments Large-scale laboratory testing of bedload-monitoring technologies: Overview of the StreamLab06 Experiments
A 3-month-long, large-scale flume experiment involving research and testing of selected conventional and surrogate bedload-monitoring technologies was conducted in the Main Channel at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory under the auspices of the National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics. These experiments, dubbed StreamLab06, involved 25 researchers and volunteers from academia, government...
Authors
Jeffrey D. G. Marr, John R. Gray, Broderick E. Davis, Chris Ellis, Sara Johnson
A complex-systems approach to predicting effects of sea level rise and nitrogen loading on nitrogen cycling in coastal wetland ecosystems A complex-systems approach to predicting effects of sea level rise and nitrogen loading on nitrogen cycling in coastal wetland ecosystems
To effectively manage coastal ecosystems, we need an improvedunderstanding of how tidal marsh ecosystem services will respond to sea-level rise and increased nitrogen (N) loading to coastal areas. Here we review existing literature to better understand how these interacting perturbations s will likely impact N removal by tidal marshes. We propose that the keyy factors controlling long...
Authors
Laurel G. Larsen, Serena Moseman, Alyson Santoro, Kristine Hopfensperger, Amy Burgin
Groundwater site identification indexes for Washington, D.C., Baltimore City, and the counties of Maryland Groundwater site identification indexes for Washington, D.C., Baltimore City, and the counties of Maryland
These datasets represent 23 geographic 5-minute indexes for the counties of Maryland, one 2 1/2-minute index for Washington D.C., and 1-mile square index for Baltimore City. There are 25 vector polygon datasets covered by this metadata report.
Authors
Andrew E. LaMotte
Analyzing debris flows with the statistically calibrated empirical model LAHARZ in southeastern Arizona, USA Analyzing debris flows with the statistically calibrated empirical model LAHARZ in southeastern Arizona, USA
Hazard-zone delineation for extreme events is essential for floodplain management near mountain fronts in arid and semiarid regions. On 31 July 2006, unprecedented debris flows occurred in the Santa Catalina Mountains of southeastern Arizona following extreme multiday precipitation (recurrence interval > 1000 years for 4-day precipitation). Most mobilized sediment contributing to debris...
Authors
Christopher S. Magirl, Peter G. Griffiths, Robert H. Webb