Status and trends in suspended-sediment discharges, soil erosion, and conservation tillage in the Maumee River basin--Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Myers, Donna N.; Metzker, Kevin D.; Davis, Steven

2000-01-01

The relation of suspended-sediment discharges to conservation-tillage practices and soil loss were analyzed for the Maumee River Basin in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana as part of the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Cropland in the basin is the largest contributor to soil erosion and suspended-sediment discharge to the Maumee River and the river is the largest source of suspended sediments to Lake Erie. Retrospective and recently-collected data from 1970-98 were used to demonstrate that increases in conservation tillage and decreases in soil loss can be related to decreases in suspended-sediment discharge from streams. Average annual water and suspended-sediment budgets computed for the Maumee River Basin and its principal tributaries indicate that soil drainage and runoff potential, stream slope, and agricultural land use are the major human and natural factors related to suspended-sediment discharge. The Tiffin and St. Joseph Rivers drain areas of moderately to somewhat poorly drained soils with moderate runoff potential. Expressed as a percentage of the total for the Maumee River Basin, the St. Joseph and Tiffin Rivers represent 29.0 percent of the basin area, 30.7 percent of the average-annual streamflow, and 9.31 percent of the average annual suspended-sediment discharge. The Auglaize and St. Marys Rivers drain areas of poorly to very poorly drained soils with high runoff potential. Expressed as a percentage of the total for the Maumee River Basin, the Auglaize and St. Marys Rivers represent 48.7 percent of the total basin area, 53.5 percent of the average annual streamflow, and 46.5 percent of the average annual suspended-sediment discharge. Areas of poorly drained soils with high runoff potential appear to be the major source areas of suspended sediment discharge in the Maumee River Basin. Although conservation tillage differed in the degree of use throughout the basin, on aver-age, it was used on 55.4 percent of all crop fields in the Maumee River Basin from 1993-98. Conservation tillage was used at relatively higher rates in areas draining to the lower main stem from Defiance to Waterville, Ohio and at relatively lower rates in the St. Marys and Auglaize River Basins, and in areas draining to the main stem between New Haven, Ind. and Defiance, Ohio. The areas that were identified as the most important sediment-source areas in the basin were characterized by some of the lowest rates of conservation tillage. The increased use of conservation tillage was found to correspond to decreases in suspended-sediment discharge over time at two locations in the Maumee River Basin. A 49.8 percent decrease in suspended-sediment discharge was detected when data from 1970-74 were compared to data from 1996-98 for the Auglaize River near Ft. Jennings, Ohio. A decrease in suspended-sediment discharge of 11.2 percent was detected from 1970?98 for the Maumee River at Waterville, Ohio. No trends in streamflow at either site were detected over the period 1970-98. The lower rate of decline in suspended-sediment discharge for the Maumee River at Waterville, Ohio compared to the Auglaize River near Ft. Jennings, may be due to resuspension and export of stored sediments from drainage ditches, stream channels, and flood plains in the large drainage basin upstream from Waterville. Similar findings by other investigators about the capacity of drainage networks to store sediment are supported by this investigation. These findings go undetected when soil loss estimates are used alone to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation tillage. Water-quality data in combination with soil-loss estimates were needed to draw these conclusions. These findings provide information to farmers and soil conservation agents about the ability of conservation tillage to reduce soil erosion and suspended-sediment discharge from the Maumee River Basin.

Global energy and water cycle experiment (GEWEX) continental-scale international project (GCIP); reference data sets CD-ROM

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rea, Alan; Cederstrand, Joel R.

1994-01-01

The data sets on this compact disc are a compilation of several geographic reference data sets of interest to the global-change research community. The data sets were chosen with input from the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Continental-Scale International Project (GCIP) Data Committee and the GCIP Hydrometeorology and Atmospheric Subpanels. The data sets include: locations and periods of record for stream gages, reservoir gages, and meteorological stations; a 500-meter-resolution digital elevation model; grid-node locations for the Eta numerical weather-prediction model; and digital map data sets of geology, land use, streams, large reservoirs, average annual runoff, average annual precipitation, average annual temperature, average annual heating and cooling degree days, hydrologic units, and state and county boundaries. Also included are digital index maps for LANDSAT scenes, and for the U.S. Geological Survey 1:250,000, 1:100,000, and 1:24,000-scale map series. Most of the data sets cover the conterminous United States; the digital elevation model also includes part of southern Canada. The stream and reservoir gage and meteorological station files cover all states having area within the Mississippi River Basin plus that part of the Mississippi River Basin lying within Canada. Several data-base retrievals were processed by state, therefore many sites outside the Mississippi River Basin are included.

Use of streamflow data to estimate base flowground-water recharge for Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gebert, W.A.; Radloff, M.J.; Considine, E.J.; Kennedy, J.L.

2007-01-01

The average annual base flow/recharge was determined for streamflow-gaging stations throughout Wisconsin by base-flow separation. A map of the State was prepared that shows the average annual base flow for the period 1970-99 for watersheds at 118 gaging stations. Trend analysis was performed on 22 of the 118 streamflow-gaging stations that had long-term records, unregulated flow, and provided aerial coverage of the State. The analysis found that a statistically significant increasing trend was occurring for watersheds where the primary land use was agriculture. Most gaging stations where the land cover was forest had no significant trend. A method to estimate the average annual base flow at ungaged sites was developed by multiple-regression analysis using basin characteristics. The equation with the lowest standard error of estimate, 9.5%, has drainage area, soil infiltration and base flow factor as independent variables. To determine the average annual base flow for smaller watersheds, estimates were made at low-flow partial-record stations in 3 of the 12 major river basins in Wisconsin. Regression equations were developed for each of the three major river basins using basin characteristics. Drainage area, soil infiltration, basin storage and base-flow factor were the independent variables in the regression equations with the lowest standard error of estimate. The standard error of estimate ranged from 17% to 52% for the three river basins. ?? 2007 American Water Resources Association.

[Variation characteristics and influencing factors of actual evapotranspiration under various vegetation types: A case study in the Huaihe River Basin, China.

PubMed

Wu, Rong Jun; Xing, Xiao Yong

2016-06-01

The actual evapotranspiration was modelled utilizing the boreal ecosystem productivity simulator (BEPS) in Huaihe River Basin from 2001 to 2012. In the meantime, the quantitative analyses of the spatial-temporal variations of actual evapotranspiration characteristics and its influencing factors under different vegetation types were conducted. The results showed that annual evapotranspiration gradually decreased from southeast to northwest, tended to increase annually, and the monthly change for the average annual evapotranspiration was double-peak curve. The differences of evapotranspiration among vegetation types showed that the farmland was the largest contributor for the evapotranspiration of Huaihe Basin. The annual actual evapotranspiration of the mixed forest per unit area was the largest, and that of the bare ground per unit area was the smallest. The changed average annual evapotranspiration per unit area for various vegetation types indicated an increased tendency other than the bare ground, with a most significant increase trend for the evergreen broadleaf forest. The thermodynamic factors (such as average temperature) were the dominant factors affecting the actual evapotranspiration in the Huaihe Basin, followed by radiation and moisture factors.

Aquifer-test results, direction of ground-water flow, and 1984-90 annual ground-water pumpage for irrigation, lower Big Lost River Valley, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bassick, M.D.; Jones, M.L.

1992-01-01

The study area (see index map of Idaho), part of the Big Lost River drainage basin, is at the northern side of the eastern Snake River Plain. The lower Big Lost River Valley extends from the confluence of Antelope Creek and the Big Lost River to about 4 mi south of Arco and encompasses about 145 mi2 (see map showing water-level contours). The study area is about 18 mi long and, at its narrowest, 4 mi wide. Arco, Butte City, and Moore, with populations of 1,016, 59, and 190, respectively, in 1990, are the only incorporated towns. The entire study area, except the extreme northwestern part, is in Butte City. The study area boundary is where alluvium and colluvium pinch out and abut against the White Knob Mountains (chiefly undifferentiated sedimentary rock with lesser amounts of volcanic rock) on the west and the Lost River Range (chiefly sedimentary rock) on the east. Gravel and sand in the valley fill compose the main aquifer. The southern boundary is approximately where Big Lost River valley fill intercalates with or abuts against basalt of the Snake River Group. Spring ground-water levels and flow in the Big Lost River depend primarily on temperature and the amount and timing of precipitation within the entire drainage basin. Periods of abundant water supply and water shortages are, therefore, related to the amount of annual precipitation. Surface reservoir capacity in the valley (Mackay Reservoir, about 20 mi northwest of Moore) is only 20 percent of the average annual flow of the Big Lost River (Crosthwaite and others, 1970, p. 3). Stored surface water is generally unavailable for carryover from years of abundant water supply to help relieve drought conditions in subsequent years. Many farmers have drilled irrigation wells to supplement surface-water supplies and to increase irrigated acreage. Average annual flow of the Big Lost River below Mackay Reservoir near Mackay (gaging station 13127000, not shown) in water years 1905, 1913-14, and 1920-90 was about 224,600 acre-ft; average annual flow of the Big Lost River near Arco (gaging station 13132500; see map showing water-level contours) in water years 1947-61, 1967-80, and 1983-90 was about 79,000 acre-ft (Harenberg and others, 1991, p. 254-255). Moore Canal and East Side Ditch divert water from the Big Lost River at the Moore Diversion, 3 mi north of Moore (see map showing water-level contours) and supply water for irrigation near the margins of the valley. When water supply is average or greater, water in the Big Lost River flows through the study area and onto the Snake River Plain, where it evaporates or infiltrates into the Snake River Plain aquifer. When water supply is below average, water in the Big Lost River commonly does not reach Arco; rather, it is diverted for irrigation in the interior of the valley, evaporates, or infiltrates to the valley-fill aquifer. This report describes the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Water Resources, to collect hydrologic data needed to help address water-supply problems in the Big Lost River Valley. Work involved (1) field inventory of 81 wells, including 46 irrigation wells; (2) measurement of water levels in 154 wells in March 1991; (3) estimation of annual ground-water pumpage for irrigation from 1984 through 1990; and (4) analysis of results of an aquifer test conducted southwest of Moore. All data obtained during this study may be inspected at the U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho District office, Boise.

Decreased runoff response to precipitation, Little Missouri River Basin, northern Great Plains, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Griffin, Eleanor R.; Friedman, Jonathan M.

2017-01-01

High variability in precipitation and streamflow in the semiarid northern Great Plains causes large uncertainty in water availability. This uncertainty is compounded by potential effects of future climate change. We examined historical variability in annual and growing season precipitation, temperature, and streamflow within the Little Missouri River Basin and identified differences in the runoff response to precipitation for the period 1976-2012 compared to 1939-1975 (n = 37 years in both cases). Computed mean values for the second half of the record showed little change (<5%) in annual or growing season precipitation, but average annual runoff at the basin outlet decreased by 22%, with 66% of the reduction in flow occurring during the growing season. Our results show a statistically significant (p < 0.10) 27% decrease in the annual runoff response to precipitation (runoff ratio). Surface-water withdrawals for various uses appear to account for <12% of the reduction in average annual flow volume, and we found no published or reported evidence of substantial flow reduction caused by groundwater pumping in this basin. Results of our analysis suggest that increases in monthly average maximum and minimum temperatures, including >1°C increases in January through March, are the dominant driver of the observed decrease in runoff response to precipitation in the Little Missouri River Basin.

Spatial and temporal stability of temperature in the first-level basins of China during 1951-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yuting; Li, Peng; Xu, Guoce; Li, Zhanbin; Cheng, Shengdong; Wang, Bin; Zhao, Binhua

2018-05-01

In recent years, global warming has attracted great attention around the world. Temperature change is not only involved in global climate change but also closely linked to economic development, the ecological environment, and agricultural production. In this study, based on temperature data recorded by 756 meteorological stations in China during 1951-2013, the spatial and temporal stability characteristics of annual temperature in China and its first-level basins were investigated using the rank correlation coefficient method, the relative difference method, rescaled range (R/S) analysis, and wavelet transforms. The results showed that during 1951-2013, the spatial variation of annual temperature belonged to moderate variability in the national level. Among the first-level basins, the largest variation coefficient was 114% in the Songhuajiang basin and the smallest variation coefficient was 10% in the Huaihe basin. During 1951-2013, the spatial distribution pattern of annual temperature presented extremely strong spatial and temporal stability characteristics in the national level. The variation range of Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was 0.97-0.99, and the spatial distribution pattern of annual temperature showed an increasing trend. In the national level, the Liaohe basin, the rivers in the southwestern region, the Haihe basin, the Yellow River basin, the Yangtze River basin, the Huaihe basin, the rivers in the southeastern region, and the Pearl River basin all had representative meteorological stations for annual temperature. In the Songhuajiang basin and the rivers in the northwestern region, there was no representative meteorological station. R/S analysis, the Mann-Kendall test, and the Morlet wavelet analysis of annual temperature showed that the best representative meteorological station could reflect the variation trend and the main periodic changes of annual temperature in the region. Therefore, strong temporal stability characteristics exist for annual temperature in China and its first-level basins. It was therefore feasible to estimate the annual average temperature by the annual temperature recorded by the representative meteorological station in the region. Moreover, it was of great significance to assess average temperature changes quickly and forecast future change tendencies in the region.

Suspended sediment and carbonate transport in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska: Fluxes and potential future responses to climate change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dornblaser, Mark M.; Striegl, Robert G.

2009-01-01

Loads and yields of suspended sediment and carbonate were measured and modeled at three locations on the Yukon, Tanana, and Porcupine Rivers in Alaska during water years 2001–2005 (1 October 2000 to 30 September 2005). Annual export of suspended sediment and carbonate upstream from the Yukon Delta averaged 68 Mt a−1 and 387 Gg a−1, respectively, with 50% of the suspended sediment load originating in the Tanana River Basin and 88% of the carbonate load originating in the White River Basin. About half the annual suspended sediment export occurred during spring, and half occurred during summer‐autumn, with very little export in winter. On average, a minimum of 11 Mt a−1 of suspended sediment is deposited in floodplains between Eagle, Alaska, and Pilot Station, Alaska, on an annual basis, mostly in the Yukon Flats. There is about a 27% loss in the carbonate load between Eagle and Yukon River near Stevens Village, with an additional loss of about 29% between Stevens Village and Pilot Station, owing to a combination of deposition and dissolution. Comparison of current and historical suspended sediment loads for Tanana River suggests a possible link between suspended sediment yield and the Pacific decadal oscillation.

Suspended sediment and carbonate transport in the Yukon River Basin, Alaska: Fluxes and potential future responses to climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dornblaser, Mark M.; Striegl, Robert G.

2009-06-01

Loads and yields of suspended sediment and carbonate were measured and modeled at three locations on the Yukon, Tanana, and Porcupine Rivers in Alaska during water years 2001-2005 (1 October 2000 to 30 September 2005). Annual export of suspended sediment and carbonate upstream from the Yukon Delta averaged 68 Mt a-1 and 387 Gg a-1, respectively, with 50% of the suspended sediment load originating in the Tanana River Basin and 88% of the carbonate load originating in the White River Basin. About half the annual suspended sediment export occurred during spring, and half occurred during summer-autumn, with very little export in winter. On average, a minimum of 11 Mt a-1 of suspended sediment is deposited in floodplains between Eagle, Alaska, and Pilot Station, Alaska, on an annual basis, mostly in the Yukon Flats. There is about a 27% loss in the carbonate load between Eagle and Yukon River near Stevens Village, with an additional loss of about 29% between Stevens Village and Pilot Station, owing to a combination of deposition and dissolution. Comparison of current and historical suspended sediment loads for Tanana River suggests a possible link between suspended sediment yield and the Pacific decadal oscillation.

Hydrology, phosphorus, and suspended solids in five agricultural streams in the Lower Fox River and Green Bay Watersheds, Wisconsin, Water Years 2004-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graczyk, David J.; Robertson, Dale M.; Baumgart, Paul D.; Fermanich, Kevin J.

2011-01-01

The average annual TSS yields ranged from 111 tons/mi2 in Apple Creek to 45 tons/mi2 in Duck Creek. All five watersheds yielded more TSS than the median value (32.4 tons/mi2) from previous studies in the Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains (SWTP) ecoregion. The average annual TP yields ranged from 663 lbs/mi2 in Baird Creek to 382 lbs/mi2 in Duck Creek. All five watersheds yielded more TP than the median value from previous studies in the SWTP ecoregion, and the Baird Creek watershed yielded more TP than the statewide median of 650 lbs/mi2 from previous studies.Overall, Duck Creek had the lowest median and volumetric weighted concentrations and mean yield of TSS and TP. The same pattern was true for dissolved phosphorus (DP), except the volumetrically weighted concentration was lowest in the East River. In contrast, Ashwaubenon, Baird, and Apple Creeks had greater median and volumetrically weighted concentrations and mean yields of TSS, TP, DP than Duck Creek and the East River. Water quality in Duck Creek and East River were distinctly different from Ashwaubenon, Baird, and Apple Creeks. Loads from individual runoff events for all of these streams were important to the total annual mass transport of the constituents. On average, about 20 percent of the annual TSS loads and about 17 percent of the TP loads were transported in 1-day events in each stream.

Effects of alternative instream-flow criteria and water-supply demands on ground-water development options in the Big River Area, Rhode Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Granato, Gregory E.; Barlow, Paul M.

2005-01-01

Transient numerical ground-water-flow simulation and optimization techniques were used to evaluate potential effects of instream-flow criteria and water-supply demands on ground-water development options and resultant streamflow depletions in the Big River Area, Rhode Island. The 35.7 square-mile (mi2) study area includes three river basins, the Big River Basin (30.9 mi2), the Carr River Basin (which drains to the Big River Basin and is 7.33 mi2 in area), the Mishnock River Basin (3.32 mi2), and a small area that drains directly to the Flat River Reservoir. The overall objective of the simulations was to determine the amount of ground water that could be withdrawn from the three basins when constrained by streamflow requirements at four locations in the study area and by maximum rates of withdrawal at 13 existing and hypothetical well sites. The instream-flow requirement for the outlet of each basin and the outfall of Lake Mishnock were the primary variables that limited the amount of ground water that could be withdrawn. A requirement to meet seasonal ground-water-demand patterns also limits the amount of ground water that could be withdrawn by up to about 50 percent of the total withdrawals without the demand-pattern constraint. Minimum water-supply demands from a public water supplier in the Mishnock River Basin, however, did not have a substantial effect on withdrawals in the Big River Basin. Hypothetical dry-period instream-flow requirements and the effects of artificial recharge also affected the amount of ground water that could be withdrawn. Results of simulations indicate that annual average ground-water withdrawal rates that range up to 16 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) can be withdrawn from the study area under simulated average hydrologic conditions depending on instream-flow criteria and water-supply demand patterns. Annual average withdrawals of 10 to 12 Mgal/d are possible for proposed demands of 3.4 Mgal/d in the Mishnock Basin, and for a constant annual instream-flow criterion of 0.5 cubic foot per second per square mile (ft3/s/mi2) at the four streamflow-constraint locations. An average withdrawal rate of 10 Mgal/d can meet estimates of future (2020) water-supply needs of surrounding communities in Rhode Island. This withdrawal rate represents about 13 percent of the average 2002 daily withdrawal from the Scituate Reservoir (76 Mgal/d), the State?s largest water supply. Average annual withdrawal rates of 6 to 7 Mgal/d are possible for more stringent instream-flow criteria that might be used during dry-period hydrologic conditions. Two example scenarios of dry-period instream-flow constraints were evaluated: first, a minimum instream flow of 0.1 cubic foot per second at any of the four constraint locations; and second, a minimum instream flow of 10 percent of the minimum monthly streamflow estimate for each streamflow-constraint location during the period 1961?2000. The State of Rhode Island is currently (2004) considering methods for establishing instream-flow criteria for streams within the State. Twelve alternative annual, seasonal, or monthly instream-flow criteria that have been or are being considered for application in southeastern New England were used as hypothetical constraints on maximum ground-water-withdrawal rates in management-model calculations. Maximum ground-water-withdrawal rates ranged from 5 to 16 Mgal/d under five alternative annual instream-flow criteria. Maximum ground-water-withdrawal rates ranged from 0 to 13.6 Mgal/d under seven alternative seasonal or monthly instream-flow criteria. The effect of ground-water withdrawals on seasonal variations in monthly average streamflows under each criterion also were compared. Evaluation of management-model results indicates that a single annual instream-flowcriterion may be sufficient to preserve seasonal variations in monthly average streamflows and meet water-supply demands in the Big River Area, because withdrawals from wells in the Big

Average Annual Rainfall Over the Globe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, D. C.

2013-12-01

The atmospheric recycling of water is a very important phenomenon on the globe because it not only refreshes the water but it also redistributes it over land and oceans/rivers/lakes throughout the globe. This is made possible by the solar energy intercepted by the Earth. The half of the globe facing the Sun, on the average, intercepts 1.74×1017 J of solar radiation per second and it is divided over various channels as given in Table 1. It keeps our planet warm and maintains its average temperature2 of 288 K with the help of the atmosphere in such a way that life can survive. It also recycles the water in the oceans/rivers/ lakes by initial evaporation and subsequent precipitation; the average annual rainfall over the globe is around one meter. According to M. King Hubbert the amount of solar power going into the evaporation and precipitation channel is 4.0×1016 W. Students can verify the value of average annual rainfall over the globe by utilizing this part of solar energy. This activity is described in the next section.

Climatic control of bedrock river incision.

PubMed

Ferrier, Ken L; Huppert, Kimberly L; Perron, J Taylor

2013-04-11

Bedrock river incision drives the development of much of Earth's surface topography, and thereby shapes the structure of mountain belts and modulates Earth's habitability through its effects on soil erosion, nutrient fluxes and global climate. Although it has long been expected that river incision rates should depend strongly on precipitation rates, quantifying the effects of precipitation rates on bedrock river incision rates has proved difficult, partly because river incision rates are difficult to measure and partly because non-climatic factors can obscure climatic effects at sites where river incision rates have been measured. Here we present measurements of river incision rates across one of Earth's steepest rainfall gradients, which show that precipitation rates do indeed influence long-term bedrock river incision rates. We apply a widely used empirical law for bedrock river incision to a series of rivers on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i, where mean annual precipitation ranges from 0.5 metres to 9.5 metres (ref. 12)-over 70 per cent of the global range-and river incision rates averaged over millions of years can be inferred from the depth of river canyons and the age of the volcanic bedrock. Both a time-averaged analysis and numerical modelling of transient river incision reveal that the long-term efficiency of bedrock river incision across Kaua'i is positively correlated with upstream-averaged mean annual precipitation rates. We provide theoretical context for this result by demonstrating that our measurements are consistent with a linear dependence of river incision rates on stream power, the rate of energy expenditure by the flow on the riverbed. These observations provide rare empirical evidence for the long-proposed coupling between climate and river incision, suggesting that previously proposed feedbacks among topography, climate and tectonics may occur.

Eco-hydrological Responses to Soil and Water Conservation in the Jinghe River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, H.; Jia, Y.; Qiu, Y.

2011-12-01

The Jinghe River Basin is one of the most serious soil erosion areas in the Loess Plateau. Many measures of soil and water conservation were applied in the basin. Terrestrial ecosystem model BIOME-BGC and distributed hydrological model WEP-L were used to build eco-hydrological model and verified by field observation and literature values. The model was applied in the Jinghe River Basin to analyze eco-hydrological responses under the scenarios of vegetation type change due to soil and water conservation polices. Four scenarios were set under the measures of conversion of cropland to forest, forestation on bare land, forestation on slope wasteland and planting grass on bare land. Analysis results show that the soil and water conservation has significant effects on runoff and the carbon cycle in the Jinghe River Basin: the average annual runoff would decrease and the average annual NPP and carbon storage would increase. Key words: soil and water conservation; conversion of cropland to forest; eco-hydrology response; the Jinghe River Basin

Suspended-sediment loads from major tributaries to the Missouri River between Garrison Dam and Lake Oahe, North Dakota, 1954-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macek-Rowland, Kathleen M.

2000-01-01

Annual suspended-sediment loads for water years 1954 through 1998 were estimated for the major tributaries in the Missouri River Basin between Garrison Dam and Lake Oahe in North Dakota and for the Missouri River at Garrison Dam and the Missouri River at Bismarck, N. Dak.  The major tributaries are the Knife River, Turtle Creek, Painted Woods Creek, Square Butte Creek, Burnt Creek, Heart River, and Apple Creek.  Sediment and streamflow data used to estimate the suspended-sediment loads were from selected U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations located within each basin.  Some of the stations had no sediment data available and limited continuous streamflow data for water years 1954 through 1998.  Therefore, data from nearby streamflow-gaging stations were assumed for the calculations. The Heart River contributed the largest amount of suspended sediment to the Missouri River for 1954-98.  Annual suspended-sediment loads in the Heart River near Mandan ranged from less than 1 to 40 percent of the annual suspended-sediment load in the Missouri River. The Knife River contributed the second largest amount of suspended sediment to the Missouri River.  Annual suspended-sediment loads in the Knife River at Hazen ranged from less than 1 to 19 percent of the annual suspended-sediment load in the Missouri River.  Apple Creek, Turtle Creek, Painted Woods Creek, Square Butte Creek, and Burnt Creek all contributed 2 percent or less of the annual suspended-sediment load in the Missouri River.  The Knife River and the Heart River also had the largest average suspended-sediment yields for the seven tributaries.  The yield for the Knife River was 91.1 tons per square mile, and the yield for the Heart River was 133 tons per square mile.  The remaining five tributaries had yields of less than 24 tons per square mile based on total drainage area. 

Concentrations and annual fluxes of sediment-associated chemical constituents from conterminous US coastal rivers using bed sediment data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, Arthur J.; Stephens, Verlin C.; Elrick, Kent A.; Smith, James J.

2012-01-01

Coastal rivers represent a significant pathway for the delivery of natural and anthropogenic sediment-associated chemical constituents to the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the conterminous USA. This study entails an accounting segment using published average annual suspended sediment fluxes with published sediment-associated chemical constituent concentrations for (1) baseline, (2) land-use distributions, (3) population density, and (4) worldwide means to estimate concentrations/annual fluxes for trace/major elements and total phosphorus, total organic and inorganic carbon, total nitrogen, and sulphur, for 131 coastal river basins. In addition, it entails a sampling and subsequent chemical analysis segment that provides a level of ‘ground truth’ for the calculated values, as well as generating baselines for sediment-associated concentrations/fluxes against which future changes can be evaluated. Currently, between 260 and 270 Mt of suspended sediment are discharged annually from the conterminous USA; about 69% is discharged from Gulf rivers (n = 36), about 24% from Pacific rivers (n = 42), and about 7% from Atlantic rivers (n = 54). Elevated sediment-associated chemical concentrations relative to baseline levels occur in the reverse order of sediment discharges:Atlantic rivers (49%)>Pacific rivers (40%)>Gulf rivers (23%). Elevated trace element concentrations (e.g. Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) frequently occur in association with present/former industrial areas and/or urban centres, particularly along the northeast Atlantic coast. Elevated carbon and nutrient concentrations occur along both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts but are dominated by rivers in the urban northeast and by southeastern and Gulf coast (Florida) ‘blackwater’ streams. Elevated Ca, Mg, K, and Na distributions tend to reflect local petrology, whereas elevated Ti, S, Fe, and Al concentrations are ubiquitous, possibly because they have substantial natural as well as anthropogenic sources. Almost all the elevated sediment-associated chemical concentrations found in conterminous US coastal rivers are lower than worldwide averages.

Trends and future challenges of water resources in the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers basin in Iraq

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Issa, I. E.; Al-Ansari, N. A.; Sherwany, G.; Knutsson, S.

2013-12-01

Iraq is one of the riparian countries within basins of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers in the Middle East region. The region is currently facing water shortage problems due to the increase of the demand and climate changes. In the present study, average monthly water flow measurements for 15 stream flow gaging stations within basins of these rivers in Iraq with population growth rate data in some of its part were used to evaluate the reality of the current situation and future challenges of water availability and demand in Iraq. The results showed that Iraq receives annually 70.29 km3 of water 45.4 and 25.52 km3 from River Tigris and Euphrates respectively. An amount of 18.04 km3 is supplied by its tributaries inside Iraq. The whole amount of water in the Euphrates Rivers comes outside the Iraqi borders. Annual decrease of the water inflow is 0.1335 km3 yr-1 for Tigris and 0.245 km3 yr-1 for Euphrates. This implies the annual percentage reduction of inflow rates for the two rivers is 0.294 and 0.960% respectively. Iraq consumes annually 88.89% (63.05 km3) of incoming water from the two rivers, where about 60.43 and 39.57% are from Rivers Tigris and Euphrates respectively. Water demand increases annually by 0.896 km3; of which 0.5271 and 0.475 km3 within Tigris and Euphrates basins respectively. The average water demand in 2020 will increase to 42.844 km3 yr-1 for Tigris basin and for Euphrates 29.225 km3 yr-1 (total 72.069 km3 yr-1), while water availability will decrease to 63.46 km3 yr-1. This means that the overall water shortage will be restricted to 8.61 km3.

Occurrence and distribution of fecal indicator bacteria, and physical and chemical indicators of water quality in streams receiving discharge from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and vicinity, North-Central Texas, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harwell, Glenn R.; Mobley, Craig A.

2009-01-01

This report, done by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport in 2008, describes the occurrence and distribution of fecal indicator bacteria (fecal coliform and Escherichia [E.] coli), and the physical and chemical indicators of water quality (relative to Texas Surface Water Quality Standards), in streams receiving discharge from DFW Airport and vicinity. At sampling sites in the lower West Fork Trinity River watershed during low-flow conditions, geometric mean E. coli counts for five of the eight West Fork Trinity River watershed sampling sites exceeded the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality E. coli criterion, thus not fully supporting contact recreation. Two of the five sites with geometric means that exceeded the contact recreation criterion are airport discharge sites, which here means that the major fraction of discharge at those sites is from DFW Airport. At sampling sites in the Elm Fork Trinity River watershed during low-flow conditions, geometric mean E. coli counts exceeded the geometric mean contact recreation criterion for seven (four airport, three non-airport) of 13 sampling sites. Under low-flow conditions in the lower West Fork Trinity River watershed, E. coli counts for airport discharge sites were significantly different from (lower than) E. coli counts for non-airport sites. Under low-flow conditions in the Elm Fork Trinity River watershed, there was no significant difference between E. coli counts for airport sites and non-airport sites. During stormflow conditions, fecal indicator bacteria counts at the most downstream (integrator) sites in each watershed were considerably higher than counts at those two sites during low-flow conditions. When stormflow sample counts are included with low-flow sample counts to compute a geometric mean for each site, classification changes from fully supporting to not fully supporting contact recreation on the basis of the geometric mean contact recreation criterion. All water temperature measurements at sampling sites in the lower West Fork Trinity River watershed were less than the maximum criterion for water temperature for the lower West Fork Trinity segment. Of the measurements at sampling sites in the Elm Fork Trinity River watershed, 95 percent were less than the maximum criterion for water temperature for the Elm Fork Trinity River segment. All dissolved oxygen concentrations were greater than the minimum criterion for stream segments classified as exceptional aquatic life use. Nearly all pH measurements were within the pH criterion range for the classified segments in both watersheds, except for those at one airport site. For sampling sites in the lower West Fork Trinity River watershed, all annual average dissolved solids concentrations were less than the maximum criterion for the lower West Fork Trinity segment. For sampling sites in the Elm Fork Trinity River, nine of the 13 sites (six airport, three non-airport) had annual averages that exceeded the maximum criterion for that segment. For ammonia, 23 samples from 12 different sites had concentrations that exceeded the screening level for ammonia. Of these 12 sites, only one non-airport site had more than the required number of exceedances to indicate a screening level concern. Stormflow total suspended solids concentrations were significantly higher than low-flow concentrations at the two integrator sites. For sampling sites in the lower West Fork Trinity River watershed, all annual average chloride concentrations were less than the maximum annual average chloride concentration criterion for that segment. For the 13 sampling sites in the Elm Fork Trinity River watershed, one non-airport site had an annual average concentration that exceeded the maximum annual average chloride concentration criterion for that segment.

Precipitation and temperature changes in the major Chinese river basins during 1957-2013 and links to sea surface temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Qing; Prange, Matthias; Merkel, Ute

2016-05-01

The variation characteristics of precipitation and temperature in the three major Chinese river basins (Yellow River, Yangtze River and Pearl River) in the period of 1957-2013 were analyzed on an annual and seasonal basis, as well as their links to sea surface temperature (SST) variations in the tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean on both interannual and decadal time scales. Annual mean temperature of the three river basins increased significantly overall since 1957, with an average warming rate of about 0.19 °C/10a, but the warming was characterized by a staircase form with steps around 1987 and 1998. The significant increase of annual mean temperature could mostly be attributed to the remarkable warming trend in spring, autumn and winter. Warming rates in the northern basins were generally much higher than in the southern basins. However, both the annual precipitation and seasonal mean precipitation of the three river basins showed little change in the study area average, but distinct interannual variations since 1957 and clear regional differences. An overall warming-wetting tendency was found in the northwestern and southeastern river basins in 1957-2013, while the central regions tended to become warmer and drier. Results from a Maximum Covariance Analysis (MCA) showed that the interannual variations of seasonal mean precipitation and surface air temperature over the three river basins were both associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) since 1957. ENSO SST patterns affected precipitation and surface air temperature variability throughout the year, but with very different response patterns in the different seasons. For instance, temperature in most of the river basins was positively correlated with central-eastern equatorial Pacific SST in winter and spring, but negatively correlated in summer and autumn. On the decadal time scale, the seasonal mean precipitation and surface air temperature variations were strongly associated with the Pacific Quasi-Decadal Oscillation.

Estimation of constituent concentrations, densities, loads, and yields in lower Kansas River, northeast Kansas, using regression models and continuous water-quality monitoring, January 2000 through December 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Ziegler, Andrew C.; Rasmussen, Patrick P.

2005-01-01

The lower Kansas River is an important source of drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people in northeast Kansas. Constituents of concern identified by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) for streams in the lower Kansas River Basin include sulfate, chloride, nutrients, atrazine, bacteria, and sediment. Real-time continuous water-quality monitors were operated at three locations along the lower Kansas River from July 1999 through September 2004 to provide in-stream measurements of specific conductance, pH, water temperature, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen and to estimate concentrations for constituents of concern. Estimates of concentration and densities were combined with streamflow to calculate constituent loads and yields from January 2000 through December 2003. The Wamego monitoring site is located 44 river miles upstream from the Topeka monitoring site, which is 65 river miles upstream from the DeSoto monitoring site, which is 18 river miles upstream from where the Kansas River flows into the Missouri River. Land use in the Kansas River Basin is dominated by grassland and cropland, and streamflow is affected substantially by reservoirs. Water quality at the three monitoring sites varied with hydrologic conditions, season, and proximity to constituent sources. Nutrient and sediment concentrations and bacteria densities were substantially larger during periods of increased streamflow, indicating important contributions from nonpoint sources in the drainage basin. During the study period, pH remained well above the KDHE lower criterion of 6.5 standard units at all sites in all years, but exceeded the upper criterion of 8.5 standard units annually between 2 percent of the time (Wamego in 2001) and 65 percent of the time (DeSoto in 2003). The dissolved oxygen concentration was less than the minimum aquatic-life-support criterion of 5.0 milligrams per liter less than 1 percent of the time at all sites. Dissolved solids, a measure of the dissolved material in water, exceeded 500 milligrams per liter about one-half of the time at the three Kansas River sites. Larger dissolved-solids concentrations upstream likely were a result of water inflow from the highly mineralized Smoky Hill River that is diluted by tributary flow as it moves downstream. Concentrations of total nitrogen and total phosphorus at the three monitoring sites exceeded the ecoregion water-quality criteria suggested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during the entire study period. Median nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were similar at all three sites, and nutrient load increased moving from the upstream to downstream sites. Total nitrogen and total phosphorus yields were nearly the same from site to site indicating that nutrient sources were evenly distributed throughout the lower Kansas River Basin. About 11 percent of the total nitrogen load and 12 percent of the total phosphorus load at DeSoto during 2000-03 originated from wastewater-treatment facilities. Escherichia coli bacteria densities were largest at the middle site, Topeka. On average, 83 percent of the annual bacteria load at DeSoto during 2000-03 occurred during 10 percent of the time, primarily in conjunction with runoff. The average annual sediment loads at the middle and downstream monitoring sites (Topeka and DeSoto) were nearly double those at the upstream site (Wamego). The average annual sediment yield was largest at Topeka. On average, 64 percent of the annual suspended-sediment load at DeSoto during 2000-03 occurred during 10 percent of the time. Trapping of sediment by reservoirs located on contributing tributaries decreases transport of sediment and sediment-related constituents. The average annual suspended-sediment load in the Kansas River at DeSoto during 2000-03 was estimated at 1.66 million tons. An estimated 13 percent of this load consisted of sand-size particles, so approximately 216,000 tons of sand were transported

Annual Coded Wire Tag Program; Oregon Missing Production Groups, 1995 Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garrison, Robert L.; Mallette, Christine; Lewis, Mark A.

1995-12-01

Bonneville Power Administration is the funding source for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife`s Annual Coded Wire Tag Program - Oregon Missing Production Groups Project. Tule brood fall chinook were caught primarily in the British Columbia, Washington and northern Oregon ocean commercial fisheries. The up-river bright fall chinook contributed primarily to the Alaska and British Columbia ocean commercial fisheries and the Columbia River gillnet fishery. Contribution of Rogue fall chinook released in the lower Columbia River system occurred primarily in the Oregon ocean commercial and Columbia river gillnet fisheries Willamette spring chinook salmon contributed primarily to the Alaska andmore » British Columbia ocean commercial, Oregon freshwater sport and Columbia River gillnet fisheries. Restricted ocean sport and commercial fisheries limited contribution of the Columbia coho released in the Umatilla River that survived at an average rate of 1.05% and contributed primarily to the Washington, Oregon and California ocean sport and commercial fisheries and the Columbia River gillnet fishery. The 1987 to 1991 brood years of coho released in the Yakima River survived at an average rate of 0.64% and contributed primarily to the Washington, Oregon and California ocean sport and commercial fisheries and the Columbia River gillnet fishery. Survival rates of salmon and steelhead are influenced, not only by factors in the hatchery, disease, density, diet and size and time of release, but also by environmental factors in the river and ocean. These environmental factors are controlled by large scale weather patterns such as El Nino over which man has no influence. Man could have some influence over river flow conditions, but political and economic pressures generally out weigh the biological needs of the fish.« less

The topographic distribution of annual incoming solar radiation in the Rio Grande River basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dubayah, R.; Van Katwijk, V.

1992-01-01

We model the annual incoming solar radiation topoclimatology for the Rio Grande River basin in Colorado, U.S.A. Hourly pyranometer measurements are combined with satellite reflectance data and 30-m digital elevation models within a topographic solar radiation algorithm. Our results show that there is large spatial variability within the basin, even at an annual integration length, but the annual, basin-wide mean is close to that measured by the pyranometers. The variance within 16 sq km and 100 sq km regions is a linear function of the average slope in the region, suggesting a possible parameterization for sub-grid-cell variability.

West Bank of the Mississippi River in the Vicinity of New Orleans, Louisiana (East of the Harvey Canal) Hurricane Protection Study. Technical Appendixes. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

ANNUAL PRECIPITATION, 30-YEAR NORMALS (1951-1980) A-I-3 A-I-2 MEAN MONTHLY AND ANNUAL TEMPERATURE , 30-YEAR NORMALS (1951-1980) A-I-4 A-1-3 AVERAGE ...Environmental Quality (DEQ). CLIMATE The climate of the area is humid si!btropicl. AMual average temperature in the project area is 68°F, with monthly...normal temperatures varying from 82’F in July to 531F in Januwry. Average annual precipitation over tae area is 63 inche!, maiying from a monthly

Annual suspended-sediment loads in the Colorado River near Cisco, Utah, 1930-82

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, K.R.

1985-01-01

The Colorado River upstream of gaging station 09180500 near Cisco, Utah, drains about 24,100 square miles in Utah and Colorado. Altitudes in the basin range from 12,480 feet near the headwaters to 4,090 feet at station 09180500. The average annual precipitation for 1894-1982 near the station was 7.94 inches. The average annual precipitation near the headwaters often exceeds 50 inches. Rocks ranging in age from Precambrian to Holocene are exposed in the drainage basin upstream from station 09180500. Shale, limestone, siltstone, mudstone, and sandstone probably are the most easily eroded rocks in the basin, and they contribute large quantities of sediment to the Colorado River. During 1930-82, the U.S. Geological Survey collected records of fluvial sediment at station 09180500. Based on these records, the mean annual suspended-sediment load was 11,390,000 tone, ranging from 2,038,000 tons in water year 1981 to 35,700,000 tons in water year 1938. The minimum daily load of 14 tons was on August 22, 1960, and the maximum daily load of 2,790,000 tons was on October 14, 1941. (USGS)

Recent trends and changes in freshwater discharge into Hudson, James, and Ungava Bays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Déry, S. J.; Stieglitz, M.; McKenna, E.; Wood, E. F.

2004-05-01

Recent trends and changes in the observed river discharge into Hudson, James, and Ungava Bays (HJUBs) for the period 1964-1994 will be presented. Forty-two rivers with outlets into these bays contribute on average 700 cubic kilometers (= 0.02 sverdrups) of freshwater to the Arctic Ocean. River discharge attains a mean annual peak of 4.2 cubic kilometers per day on average each 17 June for the system as a whole, whereas the minimum of 0.6 cubic kilometers occurs on average each 3 April. The Nelson River supplies as much as 30% of the daily discharge for the entire system during winter, but diminishes in relative importance during spring and summer. Runoff rates per contributing area are highest (lowest) on the eastern (western) shores of Hudson and James Bays. Linear trend analyses reveal decreasing discharge in 38 out of the 42 rivers over the 31-year period. By 1994, the total annual freshwater discharge into the Arctic Ocean diminished by 110 cubic kilometers from its values in 1964, equivalent to a reduction of 0.0035 sverdrups. The annual peak discharge rates associated with snowmelt advanced by 16 days between 1964 and 1994 and has diminished slightly in intensity. There is a direct correlation between the time of this hydrological event and the latitude of a river's mouth; the timing of the peak discharge rates varies by 5 days for each degree of latitude. Continental snowmelt induces a seasonal pulse of freshwater from HJUBs that is tracked along its path into the Labrador Current and that coincides with ocean salinity anomalies on the inner Newfoundland Shelf. The talk will end with a discussion on the implications of a changing freshwater regime in HJUBs.

Modeling the influence of river rehabilitation scenarios on bed material sediment flux in a large river over decadal timescales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Singer, Michael B.; Dunne, Thomas

2006-01-01

A stochastic flood generator and calibrated sediment transport formulae were used to assess the decadal impact of major river rehabilitation strategies on two fraction bed material sediment flux and net storage, first‐order indicators of aquatic riverine habitat, in a large river system. Model boundary conditions were modified to reflect the implementation of three major river rehabilitation strategies being considered in the Sacramento River Valley: gravel augmentation, setting back of levees, and flow alteration. Fifty 30‐year model simulations were used to compute probabilities of the response in sediment flux and net storage to these strategies. Total annual average bed material sediment flux estimates were made at six gauged river cross sections, and ∼60 km reach‐scale sediment budgets were evaluated between them. Gravel augmentation to improve spawning habitat induced gravel accumulation locally and/or downstream, depending on the added mixture. Levee setbacks to recreate the river corridor reduced flow stages for most flows and hence lowered sediment flux. Flow alteration to mimic natural flow regimes systematically decreased total annual average flux, suggesting that high‐magnitude low‐frequency transport events do not affect long‐term trends in bed material flux. The results indicate that each rehabilitation strategy reduces sediment transport in its target reaches and modulates imbalances in total annual bed material sediment budgets at the reach scale. Additional risk analysis is necessary to identify extreme conditions associated with variable hydrology that could affect rehabilitation over decades. Sensitivity analysis suggests that sorting of bed material sediment is the most important determinant of modeled transport and storage patterns.

Subsurface recharge to the Tesuque aquifer system from selected drainage basins along the western side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Santa Fe, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wasiolek, Maryann

1995-01-01

Water budgets developed for basins of five streams draining the western side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico indicate that subsurface inflow along the mountain front is recharging the Tesuque aquifer system of the Espanola Basin. Approximately 14,700 acre-feet of water per year, or 12.7 percent of average annual precipitation over the mountains, is calculated to leave the mountain block and enter the basin as subsurface recharge from the drainage basins of the Rio Nambe, Rio en Medio, Tesuque Creek, Little Tesuque Creek, and Santa Fe River. About 5,520 acre- feet per year, or about 12 percent of average annual precipitation, is calculated to enter from the Rio Nambe drainage basin; about 1,710 acre- feet per year, or about 15 percent of average annual precipitation, is calculated to enter from the Rio en Medio drainage basin; about 1,530 acre- feet, or about 10 percent of average annual precipi- tation, is calculated to enter from the Tesuque Creek drainage basin; about 1,790 acre-feet, or about 19 percent of average annual precipitation, is calculated to enter from the Little Tesuque Creek drainage basin; and about 4,170 acre-feet per year, or about 12 percent average annual precipitation, is calculated to enter from the Santa Fe River drainage basin. Calculated subsurface recharge values were used to define maximum fluxes permitted along the specified-flux boundary defining the mountain front of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains in a numerical computer model of the Tesuque aquifer system near Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations and loads at Illinois River south of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, 1997-1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, W. Reed; Haggard, Brian E.

2001-01-01

Water-quality sampling consisting of every other month (bimonthly) routine sampling and storm event sampling (six storms annually) is used to estimate annual phosphorus and nitrogen loads at Illinois River south of Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Hydrograph separation allowed assessment of base-flow and surfacerunoff nutrient relations and yield. Discharge and nutrient relations indicate that water quality at Illinois River south of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, is affected by both point and nonpoint sources of contamination. Base-flow phosphorus concentrations decreased with increasing base-flow discharge indicating the dilution of phosphorus in water from point sources. Nitrogen concentrations increased with increasing base-flow discharge, indicating a predominant ground-water source. Nitrogen concentrations at higher base-flow discharges often were greater than median concentrations reported for ground water (from wells and springs) in the Springfield Plateau aquifer. Total estimated phosphorus and nitrogen annual loads for calendar year 1997-1999 using the regression techniques presented in this paper (35 samples) were similar to estimated loads derived from integration techniques (1,033 samples). Flow-weighted nutrient concentrations and nutrient yields at the Illinois River site were about 10 to 100 times greater than national averages for undeveloped basins and at North Sylamore Creek and Cossatot River (considered to be undeveloped basins in Arkansas). Total phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus were greater than 10 times and total nitrogen and dissolved nitrite plus nitrate were greater than 10 to 100 times the national and regional averages for undeveloped basins. These results demonstrate the utility of a strategy whereby samples are collected every other month and during selected storm events annually, with use of regression models to estimate nutrient loads. Annual loads of phosphorus and nitrogen estimated using regression techniques could provide similar results to estimates using integration techniques, with much less investment.

76 FR 53448 - Northland Power Mississippi River LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-26

... grid. The proposed project would have an average annual generation of 788.0 gigawatt-hours (GWh), which... following: (1) Up to 360 TREK generating units installed in a matrix on the bottom of the river; (2) the...

76 FR 54765 - Northland Power Mississippi River LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-02

... power grid. The proposed project would have an average annual generation of 876.0 gigawatt-hours (GWh... following: (1) Up to 400 TREK generating units installed in a matrix on the bottom of the river; (2) the...

Long-term changes in the hydroclimatic characteristics in the Baikal region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voropay, N. N.; Kichigina, N. V.

2018-01-01

Since the end of the 19th century, global air temperature has been increasing. The period after 1976 is called the period of the most intensive warming. In Russia, the average annual air temperature rises at a rate of + 0.43 ° C / 10 years. The change of precipitation over the last 50-60 years on average in Russia is not significant. In the Baikal region, precipitation increase during the warm period (10-11%) and decrease during the cold period (4%). It is reflected on hydrological regime and the factors of river flow formation. The regional features of the hydrological regime dynamics of the Baikal region against the background of climate change are considered. Groups of the rivers with similar alternations of low water and high-water periods are allocated. Trends in runoff are analyzed. The increase in air temperature leads to intra annual redistribution of river flow. The majority of statistically significant trends of river run off are observed during the cold period of year.

Peak streamflows and runoff volumes for the Central United States, February through September, 2011: Chapter C in 2011 floods of the central United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holmes, Robert R.; Wiche, Gregg J.; Koenig, Todd A.; Sando, Steven K.

2013-01-01

During 2011, excessive precipitation resulted in widespread flooding in the Central United States with 33 fatalities and approximately $4.2 billion in damages reported in the Souris/Red River of the North (Souris/Red) and Mississippi River Basins. At different times, beginning in late February 2011 and extending through September 2011, various rivers in these basins had major flooding, with some locations receiving multiple rounds of flooding. Peak streamflow records were broken at 105 streamgages in the Souris/Red and Mississippi River Basins and annual runoff volume records set at 47 of the 211 streamgages analyzed for annual runoff. For the period of 1950 through 2011, the Ohio River provided almost one-half of the annual runoff at Vicksburg; the Missouri River contributed less than one-fourth, and the lower Mississippi River less than one-fourth. Those relative contribution patterns also occurred in 1973 and 2011, with the notable exception of the decrease in contribution of the lower Mississippi River tributaries and the increase in contribution from the upper Missouri River Basin in 2011 as compared to 1973 and the long-term average from 1950 to 2011.

Trends in streamflow in the Yukon River Basin from 1944 to 2005 and the influence of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brabets, T.P.; Walvoord, Michelle Ann

2009-01-01

Streamflow characteristics in the Yukon River Basin of Alaska and Canada have changed from 1944 to 2005, and some of the change can be attributed to the two most recent modes of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Seasonal, monthly, and annual stream discharge data from 21 stations in the Yukon River Basin were analyzed for trends over the entire period of record, generally spanning 4-6 decades, and examined for differences between the two most recent modes of the PDO: cold-PDO (1944-1975) and warm-PDO (1976-2005) subsets. Between 1944 and 2005, average winter and April flow increased at 15 sites. Observed winter flow increases during the cold-PDO phase were generally limited to sites in the Upper Yukon River Basin. Positive trends in winter flow during the warm-PDO phase broadened to include stations in the Middle and Lower Yukon River drainage basins. Increases in winter streamflow most likely result from groundwater input enhanced by permafrost thawing that promotes infiltration and deeper subsurface flow paths. Increased April flow may be attributed to a combination of greater baseflow (from groundwater increases), earlier spring snowmelt and runoff, and increased winter precipitation, depending on location. Calculated deviations from long-term mean monthly discharges indicate below-average flow in the winter months during the cold PDO and above-average flow in the winter months during the warm PDO. Although not as strong a signal, results also support the reverse response during the summer months: above-average flow during the cold PDO and below-average flow during the warm PDO. Changes in the summer flows are likely an indirect consequence of the PDO, resulting from earlier spring snowmelt runoff and also perhaps increased summer infiltration and storage in a deeper active layer. Annual discharge has remained relatively unchanged in the Yukon River Basin, but a few glacier-fed rivers demonstrate positive trends, which can be attributed to enhanced glacier melting. A positive trend in annual flow during the warm PDO near the mouth of the Yukon River suggests that small increases in flow throughout the Yukon River Basin have resulted in an additive effect manifested in the downstream-most streamflow station. Many of the identified changes in streamflow patterns in the Yukon River Basin show a correlation to the PDO regime shift. This work highlights the importance of considering proximate climate forcings as well as global climate change when assessing hydrologic changes in the Arctic.

Characteristics and Trends of River Discharge into Hudson, James, and Ungava Bays, 1964-2000.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Déry, Stephen J.; Stieglitz, Marc; McKenna, Edward C.; Wood, Eric F.

2005-07-01

The characteristics and trends of observed river discharge into the Hudson, James, and Ungava Bays (HJUBs) for the period 1964-2000 are investigated. Forty-two rivers with outlets into these bays contribute on average 714 km3 yr-1 [= 0.023 Sv (1 Sv 106 m3s-1)] of freshwater to high-latitude oceans. For the system as a whole, discharge attains an annual peak of 4.2 km3 day-1 on average in mid-June, whereas the minimum of 0.68 km3 day-1 occurs on average during the last week of March. The Nelson River contributes as much as 34% of the daily discharge for the entire system during winter but diminishes in relative importance during spring and summer. Runoff rates per contributing area are highest (lowest) on the eastern (western) shores of the Hudson and James Bays. Linear trend analyses reveal decreasing discharge over the 37-yr period in 36 out of the 42 rivers. By 2000, the total annual freshwater discharge into HJUBs diminished by 96 km3 (-13%) from its value in 1964, equivalent to a reduction of 0.003 Sv. The annual peak discharge rate associated with snowmelt has advanced by 8 days between 1964 and 2000 and has diminished by 0.036 km3 day-1 in intensity. There is a direct correlation between the timing of peak spring discharge rates and the latitude of a river's mouth; the spring freshet varies by 5 days for each degree of latitude. Continental snowmelt induces a seasonal pulse of freshwater from HJUBs that is tracked along its path into the Labrador Current. It is suggested that the annual upper-ocean salinity minimum observed on the inner Newfoundland Shelf can be explained by freshwater pulses composed of meltwater from three successive winter seasons in the river basins draining into HJUBs. A gradual salinization of the upper ocean during summer over the period 1966-94 on the inner Newfoundland Shelf is in accord with a decadal trend of a diminishing intensity in the continental meltwater pulses.

Analysis of trends of water quality and streamflow in the Blackstone, Branch, Pawtuxet, and Pawcatuck Rivers, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, 1979 to 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Savoie, Jennifer G.; Mullaney, John R.; Bent, Gardner C.

2017-02-21

Trends in long-term water-quality and streamflow data from six water-quality-monitoring stations within three major river basins in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that flow into Narragansett Bay and Little Narragansett Bay were evaluated for water years 1979–2015. In this study, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island Water Resources Board, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, water-quality and streamflow data were evaluated with a Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season smoothing method, which removes the effects of year-to-year variation in water-quality conditions due to variations in streamflow (discharge). Trends in annual mean, annual median, annual maximum, and annual 7-day minimum flows at four continuous streamgages were evaluated by using a time-series smoothing method for water years 1979–2015.Water quality at all monitoring stations changed over the study period. Decreasing trends in flow-normalized nutrient concentrations and loads were observed during the period at most monitoring stations for total nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, and total phosphorus. Average flow-normalized loads for water years 1979–2015 decreased in the Blackstone River by up to 46 percent in total nitrogen, 17 percent in nitrite plus nitrate, and 69 percent in total phosphorus. The other rivers also had decreasing flow-normalized trends in nutrient concentrations and loads, except for the Pawtuxet River, which had an increasing trend in nitrite plus nitrate. Increasing trends in flow-normalized chloride concentrations and loads were observed during the study period at all of the rivers, with increases of more than 200 percent in the Blackstone River.Small increasing trends in annual mean daily streamflow were observed in 3 of the 4 rivers, with increases of 1.2 to 11 percent; however, the trends were not significant. All 4 rivers had decreases in streamflow for the annual 7-day minimums, but only 3 of the 4 rivers had decreases that were significant (34 to 54 percent). The Branch River had decreasing annual mean daily streamflow (7.5 percent) and the largest decrease in the annual 7-day minimum streamflow. The Blackstone and Pawtuxet Rivers had the largest increases in annual maximum daily flows but had decreases in the annual 7-day minimum flows.

Low-flow study for southwest Ohio streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Webber, Earl E.; Mayo, Ronald I.

1971-01-01

Low-flow discharges at 60 sites on streams in the Little Miami River, Mill Creek, Great Miami River and Wabash River basins are presented in this report. The average annual minimum flows in cubic feet per second (cfs) for a 7-day period of 10-year frequency and a 1-day period of 30-year frequency are computed for each of the 60 sites.

Influence of combustion-originated dioxins in atmospheric deposition on water quality of an urban river in Japan.

PubMed

Minomo, Kotaro; Ohtsuka, Nobutoshi; Nojiri, Kiyoshi; Matsumoto, Rie

2018-02-01

Bulk (wet and dry) deposition samples were collected in Saitama Prefecture, Japan throughout a year (February 8, 2012 to February 7, 2013) to estimate the influence of dioxins emitting from waste incinerators on river water quality. The annual deposition flux of dioxins was 3.3ng-toxic equivalent (TEQ)/m 2 /year. Source identification using indicative congeners estimated that 82% of dioxin TEQ in the bulk deposition (2.7ng-TEQ/m 2 /year) was combustion-originated, indicating that most of the dioxins in the deposition were derived from waste incinerators. In Saitama prefecture the annual flux of combustion-originated dioxins in depositions was apparently consistent with that of dioxin emission into the air from waste incinerators. The TEQ of combustion-originated dioxins in the deposition per rainfall was 2.4pg-TEQ/L on annual average, exceeding the environmental quality standard (EQS) for water in Japan of 1pg-TEQ/L. This suggests there is a possibility that dioxins in atmospheric deposition have a significant influence on the water quality of urban rivers which rainwater directly flows into because of many paved areas in the basins. The influence of combustion-originated dioxin in the deposition on the water quality of Ayase River, an urban river heavily polluted with dioxins, was estimated at 0.29pg-TEQ/L on annual average in 2015. It seems that dioxins in atmospheric deposition from waste incinerators have a significant influence on water quality of some urban rivers via rainwater though the dioxins in the ambient air have achieved the EQS for atmosphere at all monitoring sites in Japan. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Attributes for MRB_E2RF1 Catchments by Major River Basins in the Conterminous United States: 30-Year Average Annual Precipitation, 1971-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wieczorek, Michael; LaMotte, Andrew E.

2010-01-01

This tabular data set represents the 30-year (1971-2000) average annual precipitation in millimeters multiplied by 100 compiled for every MRB_E2RF1 catchment of selected Major River Basins (MRBs, Crawford and others, 2006). The source data were the United States Average Monthly or Annual Minimum Precipitation, 1971 - 2000 raster data set produced by the PRISM Group at Oregon State University. The MRB_E2RF1 catchments are based on a modified version of the Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) ERF1_2 and include enhancements to support national and regional-scale surface-water quality modeling (Nolan and others, 2002; J.W. Brakebill, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2008). Data were compiled for every MRB_E2RF1 catchment for the conterminous United States covering New England and Mid-Atlantic (MRB1), South Atlantic-Gulf and Tennessee (MRB2), the Great Lakes, Ohio, Upper Mississippi, and Souris-Red-Rainy (MRB3), the Missouri (MRB4), the Lower Mississippi, Arkansas-White-Red, and Texas-Gulf (MRB5), the Rio Grande, Colorado, and the Great basin (MRB6), the Pacific Northwest (MRB7) river basins, and California (MRB8).

An analysis of effect of land use change on river flow variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tao; Liu, Yuting; Yang, Xinyue; Wang, Xiang

2018-02-01

Land use scenario analysis, SWAT model, flow characteristic indices and flow variability technology were used to analyze the effect of land use quantity and location change on river flow. Results showed that river flow variation caused by land use change from forest to crop was larger than that caused by land use change from forest to grass; Land use change neither from upstream to downstream nor from downstream to upstream had little effect on annual average discharge and maximum annual average discharge. But it had obvious effect on maximum daily discharge; Land use change which occurred in upstream could lead to producing larger magnitude flood more easily; Land use change from forest to crop or grass could increase the number of large magnitude floods and their total duration. And it also could increase the number of small magnitude floods but decrease their duration.

Variations in organic carbon fluxes from Long Island Sound to the Continental Shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlahos, P.; Whitney, M. M.

2017-12-01

Organic carbon balances for the Long Island Sound estuary over the years 2009-2012 are presented to assess the particulate and dissolved organic carbon contributions of the estuary to the adjacent shelf waters with respect to the Delaware and Chesapeake. Observations were coupled to a hydrodynamic model (ROMS) for both seasonal and annual estimates. During stratified summer periods, LIS was consistently a net exporter of OC to the continental shelf. LIS annual net carbon export however, varied with river flow. The heterotrophic or autotrophic nature of LIS also shifted seasonally and inter-annually. During the mass balance analysis period LIS ranged between net OC import from the continental shelf and heterotrophy in the lowest river flow year (2012) and net export of OC and autotrophy in the highest flow year (2011). Analysis suggests that LIS switches from net OC import to export when the annual river inputs exceed 19 km3 yr-1. Applying these thresholds to the annual river flow record suggests that net import occurred in 15% of the last 20 years and that LIS usually is a net exporter of OC (85%). Annually averaged LIS carbon export values based on river flow conditions over the last 20 yr are estimated at 56 ± 64 x 106 km3 yr-1. Analysis also suggests that LIS shifts from net heterotrophic to net autotrophic when annual river flow exceeds 26 km3 yr-1 (35% of the last 20 yr). Net heterotrophic conditions are most common, representing 65% of the last 20 yr.

Fluvial sediment in the little Arkansas River basin, Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albert, C.D.; Stramel, G.J.

1966-01-01

Characteristics and transport of sediment in the Little Arkansas River basin in south-central Kansas were studied to determine if the water from the river could be used as a supplemental source for municipal supply or would provide adequate recharge to aquifers that are sources of municipal and agricultural water supplies. During periods when overland 1low contributed a significant amount to streamflow, the suspended sediment in the Little Arkansas River at Valley Center averaged about 85 percent of clay, about 13 percent of silt, and about 2 percent of sand. The average annual suspended-sediment discharge for the water years 1958, 1959, 1960, and 1961 was about 306,000 tons, and about 80 percent of the load was transported during 133 days of the 1,461-day period. The average daily water discharge of 352 cubic feet per second for the period 1958-61 was more than the long-term (i}9-year) average of 245 cfs; therefore, the average annual sediment load for 1958-61 was probably greater than the average annual load for the same long-term period. Studies of seepage in a part of the channel of Kisiwa Creek indicated that an upstream gravel-pit operation yielded clays which, when deposited in the channel, reduced seepage. A change in plant operation and subsequent runoff that removed the deposited clays restored natural seepage conditions. Experiments by the Wichita Water Department showed that artificial recharge probably cannot be accomplished by using raw turbid water that is injected into wells or by using pits. Recharge by raw turbid water on large permeable areas or by seepage canals may be feasible. Studies of chemical quality of surface water at several sites in the Little Arkansas River basin indicate that Turkey. Creek is a major contributor of chloride and other dissolved solids to the Little Arkansas River and that the dissolved-solids content is probably highest during low-flow periods when suspended-sediment concentration is low. Data collected by the Wichita Water Department indicate that chloride concentrations are diminishing with time at sampled locations. and they receive recharge from rainwater and snowmelt moving through overlying alluvium and from storage in the De Chelly sandstone which encloses the east half of the diatreme. The quality of water from all areas is suitable for domestic use. However, special treatment may be necessary to make the water suitable for pulp processing.

Investigating organic matter in Fanno Creek, Oregon, Part 2 of 3: Sources, sinks, and transport of organic matter with fine sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keith, Mackenzie K.; Sobieszczyk, Steven; Goldman, Jami H.; Rounds, Stewart A.

2014-11-01

Organic matter (OM) is abundant in Fanno Creek, Oregon, USA, and has been tied to a variety of water-quality concerns, including periods of low dissolved oxygen downstream in the Tualatin River, Oregon. The key sources of OM in Fanno Creek and other Tualatin River tributaries have not been fully identified, although isotopic analyses from previous studies indicated a predominantly terrestrial source. This study investigates the role of fine sediment erosion and deposition (mechanisms and spatial patterns) in relation to OM transport. Geomorphic mapping within the Fanno Creek floodplain shows that a large portion (approximately 70%) of the banks are eroding or subject to erosion, likely as a result of the imbalance caused by anthropogenic alteration. Field measurements of long- and short-term bank erosion average 4.2 cm/year and average measurements of deposition for the watershed are 4.8 cm/year. The balance between average annual erosion and deposition indicates an export of 3,250 metric tons (tonnes, t) of fine sediment to the Tualatin River-about twice the average annual export of 1,880 t of sediment at a location 2.4 km from the creek's mouth calculated from suspended sediment load regressions from continuous turbidity data and suspended sediment samples. Carbon content from field samples of bank material, combined with fine sediment export rates, indicates that about 29-67 t of carbon, or about 49-116 t of OM, from bank sediment may be exported to the Tualatin River from Fanno Creek annually, an estimate that is a lower bound because it does not account for the mass wasting of organic-rich O and A soil horizons that enter the stream.

Annual Sediment Budgets for Newly Formed Point Bars on Powder River, Montana, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moody, John; Meade, Robert

2013-04-01

Morphodynamic processes have been monitored for 37 years on Powder River, a large, unregulated meandering river that drains an area of about 35,000 km2 in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana, USA. Cross-sectional surveys of the channel and adjacent floodplains and terraces have been measured nearly annually (30 out of 37 years) by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at 24 locations along 90 kilometers of the river. This long-term data set has provided insights into the natural morphological and sedimentary processes; and most recently, into the annual sediment budgets for three point bars that were created when an extreme flood in 1978 cut new channels across the necks of two former meander bends and radically shifted the location of a third bend. Because our cross-sectional surveys are generally made only once a year (during the low-flow period, usually September-October), we record only the net change in thickness of the annual deposition and erosion because some areas on a point bar may be scoured and refilled during multiple floods in a year. Point-bar sediment budgets vary spatially as well as annually. The long-term average of the net annual sediment budgets during the post-1978 years (n=26 surveys) indicates that the average annual increment of new sediment deposited on the three point bars has been three to four times the average annual increment of old sediment eroded from the point bars. This annual deposition-to-erosion ratio has varied at one point bar from a minimum of 0.14 (1986) to maximum of 275 (1995). At the other two point-bar sites the ratio ranged from 0.18 (1991) to 265 (2008) and from 0.023 (1980) to 479 (1987). The lack of correlation from year to year or from one point bar to the next suggests the importance of differences in the planimetric configurations and hydraulic histories of each point bar in the evolutionary process. All the deposited sediment we measured during an annual survey represents the same sediment year class, whereas the eroded sediment we measured is composed of different proportions of previous sediment year classes. An index of the preservation (completeness) of these sediment year classes was defined for each point-bar as the percent of the initial deposit (older than 10 years) that was still remaining in 2011. The average (n=20 surveys) completeness was 59, 81, and 64%, and in general, deposits had better chances for being preserved if they were deposited higher on the point bar surface, or if they were covered by new deposition in the following year. Net annual deposition correlated only weakly with annual peak water discharge, and we found no correlation between annual peak water discharge and the amount of sediment eroded from the point bars. These low correlations may be the result of our using only net deposition and erosion values, and not the total deposition and erosion. These results illustrate the dynamic nature of point bars that adds an important component to earlier uniform, lateral accretion models of point bars. This dynamic nature produces a range of vegetation year classes, and thus, a rich diverse habitat for terrestrial and aquatic populations. This abstract has described one application of this unique long-term data set, and the authors will be pleased to provide the data set to anyone who might need long-term fluvial geomorphic data to address other research questions such as floodplain contaminant storage, river restoration, and environmental change.

Monitoring and assessment of radionuclide discharges from Temelín Nuclear Power Plant into the Vltava River (Czech Republic).

PubMed

Hanslík, Eduard; Ivanovová, Diana; Juranová, Eva; Simonek, Pavel; Jedináková-Krízová, Vĕra

2009-02-01

The paper summarizes impacts of the Temelín Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on the Vltava and Labe River basins. The study is based on the results of long-term monitoring carried out before the plant operation (1989-2000), and subsequently during the plant operation (2001-2005). In the first period, the main objective was to determine background radionuclide levels remaining in the environment after global fallout and due to the Chernobyl accident. A decrease in the concentrations of (90)Sr, (134)Cs and (137)Cs, which was observed before the plant operation, continued also during the subsequent period. Apart from tritium, the results of the observation did not indicate any impacts of the plant on the concentrations of activation and fission products in the hydrosphere. The annual average tritium concentrations in the Vltava River were in agreement with predicted values. The maximum annual average tritium concentration (13.5 Bq L(-1)) was observed in 2004 downstream from the wastewater discharge in the Vltava River at Solenice. Estimated radiation doses for adults due to intakes of river water as drinking water contaminated by tritium are below 0.1 microSv y(-1).

Streamflow and nutrient data for the Yazoo River below Steele Bayou near Long Lake, Mississippi, 1996-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Runner, Michael S.; Turnipseed, D. Phil; Coupe, Richard H.

2002-01-01

Increased nutrient loading to the Gulf of Mexico from off-continent flux has been identified as contributing to the increase in the areal extent of the low dissolved-oxygen zone that develops annually off the Louisiana and Texas coast. The proximity of the Yazoo River Basin in northwestern Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, and the intensive agricultural activities in the basin have led to speculation that the Yazoo River Basin contributes a disproportionate amount of nitrogen and phosphorus to the Mississippi River and ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico. An empirical measurement of the flux of nitrogen and phosphorus from the Yazoo Basin has not been possible due to the hydrology of the lower Yazoo River Basin. Streamflow for the Yazoo River below Steele Bayou is affected by backwater from the Mississippi River. Flow at the gage is non-uniform and varying, with bi-directional and reverse flows possible. Streamflow was computed by using remote sensing and acoustic and conventional discharge and velocity measurement techniques. Streamflow from the Yazoo River for the 1996-2000 period accounted for 2.8 percent of the flow of the Mississippi River for the same period. Water samples from the Yazoo River were collected from February 1996 through December 2000 and were analyzed for total nitrogen, nitrate, total phosphorus, and orthophosphorus as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program. These data were used to compute annual loads of nitrogen and phosphorus discharged from the Yazoo River for the period 1996-2000. Annual loads of nitrogen and phosphorus were calculated by two methods. The first method used multivariate regression and the second method multiplied the mean annual concentration by the total annual flow. Load estimates based on the product of the mean annual concentration and the total annual flow were within the 95 percent confidence interval for the load calculated by multivariate regression in 10 of 20 cases. The Yazoo River loads, compared to average annual loads in the Mississippi River, indicated that the Yazoo River was contributing 1.4 percent of the total nitrogen load, 0.7 percent of the nitrate load, 3.4 percent of the total phosphorus load, and 1.6 percent of the orthophosphorus load during 1996 - 2000. The total nitrogen, nitrate, and orthophosphorus loads in the Yazoo River Basin were less than expected, whereas the total phosphorus load was slightly higher than expected based on discharge.

Suspended-sediment data in the Salt River basin, Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berkas, Wayne R.

1983-01-01

Suspended-sediment data collected at six stations in the Salt River basin during 1980-82 are presented. The estimated average annual suspended-sediment load is 1,390,000 tons per year from a geomorphic examination, and 1,330,000 tons per year from periodic sampling at Salt River near Monroe City, Mo. The suspended-sediment load from the major tributaries of the Salt River during 1981 was 1,610,000 tons, which is larger than the estimated values due to above-normal rainfall and runoff. (USGS)

Amazon River investigations, reconnaissance measurements of July 1963

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oltman, Roy Edwin; Sternberg, H. O'R.; Ames, F.C.; Davis, L.C.

1964-01-01

The first measurements of the flow of the Amazon River were made in July 1963 as a joint project of the University of Brazil, the Brazilian Navy, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The discharge of the Amazon River at Obidos was 7,640,000 cfs at an annual flood stage somewhat lower than the average. For comparison the maximum known discharge of the Mississippi River at Vicksburg is about 2,300,000 cfs. Dissolved-solids concentrations and sediment loads of the Amazon River and of several major tributaries were found to be low.

Sediment transport, particle sizes, and loads in lower reaches of the Chippewa, Black and Wisconsin Rivers in Western Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rose, W.J.

1992-01-01

Average annual total-sediment load and the percentage transported as bedload were determined for a 10-year period (water years 1974-83)(October 1,1973-September 30, 1982). These loads and percentages were, respectively, 123,000 tons and 35 percent at Chippewa River near Caryville; 1,073,000 tons and 61 percent at Chippewa River at Durand; 940,000 tons and 44 percent at Chippewa River near Pepin; 277,000 tons and 43 percent at Black River near Galesville; and 558,000 tons and 49 percent at Wisconsin River at Muscoda.

Suspended sediment load in northwestern South America (Colombia): A new view on variability and fluxes into the Caribbean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Restrepo López, Juan Camilo; Orejarena R, Andrés F.; Torregroza, Ana Carolina

2017-12-01

Monthly averaged suspended sediment load data from seven rivers in northern Colombia (Caribbean alluvial plain) draining into the Caribbean Sea were analyzed to quantify magnitudes, estimate long-term trends, and evaluate variability patterns of suspended sediment load. Collectively these rivers deliver an average of around 146.3 × 106 t yr-1 of suspended sediments to the Colombian Caribbean coast. The largest sediment supply is provided by the Magdalena River, with a mean suspended sediment load of 142.6 × 106 t yr-1, or 38% of the total fluvial discharge estimated for the whole Caribbean littoral zone. Between 2000 and 2010, the annual suspended sediment load of these rivers increased by as much as 36%. Wavelet spectral analyses identified periods of intense variability between 1987-1990 and 1994-2002, where major oscillation processes appeared simultaneously. The semi-annual, annual and quasi-decadal bands are the main factors controlling suspended sediment load variability in fluvial systems, whereas the quasi-biennial and interannual bands constitute second-order sources of variability. The climatic and oceanographic drivers of the oscillations identified through wavelet spectral analyses define a signal of medium-long-term variability for the suspended sediment load, while the physiographic and environmental characteristics of the basins determine their ability to magnify, attenuate or modify this signal.

Wetland hydrology and tree distribution of the Apalachicola River flood plain, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leitman, Helen M.; Sohm, James E.; Franklin, Marvin A.

1984-01-01

The Apalachicola River in northwest Florida is part of a three-State drainage basin encompassing 50,800 km 2 in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. The river is formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers at Jim Woodruff Dam from which it flows 171 km to Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of Mexico. Its average annual discharge at Chattahoochee, Fla., is 690 m3/s (1958-80) with annual high flows averaging nearly 3,000 m3/s. Its flood plain supports 450 km 2 of bottom-land hardwood and tupelo-cypress forests. The Apalachicola River Quality Assessment focuses on the hydrology and productivity of the flood-plain forest. The purpose of this part of the assessment is to address river and flood-plain hydrology, flood-plain tree species and forest types, and water and tree relations. Seasonal stage fluctuations in the upper river are three times greater than in the lower river. Analysis of long-term streamflow record revealed that 1958-79 average annual and monthly flows and flow durations were significantly greater than those of 1929-57, probably because of climatic changes. However, stage durations for the later period were equal to or less than those of the earlier period. Height of natural riverbank levees and the size and distribution of breaks in the levees have a major controlling effect on flood-plain hydrology. Thirty-two kilometers upstream of the bay, a flood-plain stream called the Brothers River was commonly under tidal influence during times of low flow in the 1980 water year. At the same distance upstream of the bay, the Apalachicola River was not under tidal influence during the 1980 water year. Of the 47 species of trees sampled, the five most common were wet-site species constituting 62 percent of the total basal area. In order of abundance, they were water tupelo, Ogeechee tupelo, baldcypress, Carolina ash, and swamp tupelo. Other common species were sweetgum, overcup oak, planertree, green ash, water hickory, sugarberry, and diamond-leaf oak. Five forest types were defined on the basis of species predominance by basal area. Biomass increased downstream and was greatest in forests growing on permanently saturated soils. Depth of water, duration of inundation and saturation, and water-level fluctuation, but not water velocity, were highly correlated with forest types. Most forest types dominated by tupelo and bald-cypress grew on permanently saturated soils that were inundated by flood waters 50 to 90 percent of the time, or an average of 75 to 225 consecutive days during the growing season from 1958 to 1980. Most forest types dominated by other species grew in areas that were saturated or inundated 5 to 25 percent of the time, or an average of 5 to 40 consecutive days during the growing season from 1958 to 1980. Water and tree relations varied with river location because range in water-level fluctuation and topographic relief in the flood plain diminished downstream.

Generalized sediment budgets of the Lower Missouri River, 1968–2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heimann, David C.

2016-09-13

Sediment budgets of the Lower Missouri River were developed in a study led by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The scope of the study included the development of a long-term (post-impoundment, 1968–2014) average annual sediment budget and selected annual, monthly, and daily sediment budgets for a reach and period that adequate data were available. Included in the analyses were 31 main-stem and tributary stations of the Lower Missouri River and two Mississippi River stations—the Mississippi River below Grafton, Illinois, and the Mississippi River at St. Louis, Missouri.Long-term average annual suspended-sediment loads of Missouri River main-stem stations ranged from 0.33 million tons at the Missouri River at Yankton, South Dakota, station to 71.2 million tons at Missouri River at Hermann, Mo., station. Gaged tributary gains accounted for 9–36 percent of the local reach budgets and cumulative gaged tributary contributions accounted for 84 percent of the long-term average suspended-sediment load of the Missouri River at Hermann, Mo., station. Although the sediment budgets for seven defined main-stem reaches generally were incomplete—missing bedload, reach storage, and ungaged tributary contributions—the budget residuals (net result of sediment inputs and outputs) for six of the seven reaches ranged from -7.0 to 1.7 million tons, or from -9.2 to 4.0 percent of the reach output suspended-sediment load, and were within the 10 percent reported measurement error of annual suspended-sediment loads for large rivers. The remaining reach, downstream from Gavin’s Point Dam, extended from Yankton, S. Dak., to Sioux City, Iowa, and had a budget residual of -9.8 million tons, which was -88 percent of the suspended-sediment load at Sioux City.The Lower Missouri River reach from Omaha, Nebraska, to Nebraska City, Nebr., had periods of concurrent sediment data for each primary budget component with which to analyze and determine a suspended-sediment budget for selected annual, monthly, and daily time increments. The temporal changes in the cumulative annual budget residuals were poorly correlated with the comparatively steady 1968–2011 annual stage trends at the Missouri River at Nebraska City, Nebr., station. An accurate total sediment budget is developed by having concurrent data available for all primary suspended and bedload components for a reach of interest throughout a period. Such a complete budget, with concurrent record for suspended-sediment load and bedload components, is unavailable for any reach and period in the Lower Missouri River. The primary data gaps are in bedload data, and also in suspended-sediment gains and losses including ungaged tributary inputs and sediment storage. Bedload data gaps in the Missouri River Basin are much more prevalent than suspended-sediment data gaps, and the first step in the development of reach bedload budgets is the establishment of a standardized bedload monitoring program at main-stem stations.The temporal changes in flow-adjusted suspended-sediment concentrations analyzed at main-stem Missouri River stations indicated an overall downward change in concentrations between 1968 and 2014. Temporary declines in flow-adjusted suspended-sediment concentrations during and following large floods were evident but generally returned to near pre-flood values within about 6 months.Data uncertainties associated with the development of a sediment budget include uncertainties associated with the collection of suspended-sediment and bedload data and the computation of suspended-sediment loads. These uncertainties vary depending on the frequency of data collection, the variability of conditions being represented by the discrete samples, and the statistical approach to suspended-sediment load computations. The coefficients of variation of suspended-sediment loads of Missouri River tributary stations for 1968–2014 were greater, 75.0 percent, than the main-stem stations, 47.1 percent. The lower coefficient of variation at main-stem stations compared to tributaries, primarily is the result of the lower variability in streamflow and sediment discharge identified at main-stem stations. To obtain similar accuracy between suspended-sediment loads at main-stem and tributary stations, a longer period of record is required of the tributary stations. During 1968–2014, however, the Missouri River main-stem station record was much more complete (87 percent) than the tributary station record (28 percent).

Modelling Inland Flood Events for Hazard Maps in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, S.; Nzerem, K.; Sassi, M.; Hilberts, A.; Assteerawatt, A.; Tillmanns, S.; Mathur, P.; Mitas, C.; Rafique, F.

2015-12-01

Taiwan experiences significant inland flooding, driven by torrential rainfall from plum rain storms and typhoons during summer and fall. From last 13 to 16 years data, 3,000 buildings were damaged by such floods annually with a loss US$0.41 billion (Water Resources Agency). This long, narrow island nation with mostly hilly/mountainous topography is located at tropical-subtropical zone with annual average typhoon-hit-frequency of 3-4 (Central Weather Bureau) and annual average precipitation of 2502mm (WRA) - 2.5 times of the world's average. Spatial and temporal distributions of countrywide precipitation are uneven, with very high local extreme rainfall intensities. Annual average precipitation is 3000-5000mm in the mountainous regions, 78% of it falls in May-October, and the 1-hour to 3-day maximum rainfall are about 85 to 93% of the world records (WRA). Rivers in Taiwan are short with small upstream areas and high runoff coefficients of watersheds. These rivers have the steepest slopes, the shortest response time with rapid flows, and the largest peak flows as well as specific flood peak discharge (WRA) in the world. RMS has recently developed a countrywide inland flood model for Taiwan, producing hazard return period maps at 1arcsec grid resolution. These can be the basis for evaluating and managing flood risk, its economic impacts, and insured flood losses. The model is initiated with sub-daily historical meteorological forcings and calibrated to daily discharge observations at about 50 river gauges over the period 2003-2013. Simulations of hydrologic processes, via rainfall-runoff and routing models, are subsequently performed based on a 10000 year set of stochastic forcing. The rainfall-runoff model is physically based continuous, semi-distributed model for catchment hydrology. The 1-D wave propagation hydraulic model considers catchment runoff in routing and describes large-scale transport processes along the river. It also accounts for reservoir storage. Major historical flood events have been successfully simulated along with spatial patterns of flows. Comparison of stochastic discharge statistics w.r.t. observed ones from Hydrological Year Books of Taiwan over all recorded years are also in good agreement.

Water-Quality Characteristics for Sites in the Tongue, Powder, Cheyenne, and Belle Fourche River Drainage Basins, Wyoming and Montana, Water Years 2001-05, with Temporal Patterns of Selected Long-Term Water-Quality Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Melanie L.; Mason, Jon P.

2007-01-01

Water-quality sampling was conducted regularly at stream sites within or near the Powder River structural basin in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana during water years 2001-05 (October 1, 2000, to September 30, 2005) to characterize water quality in an area of coalbed natural gas development. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, characterized the water quality at 22 sampling sites in the Tongue, Powder, Cheyenne, and Belle Fourche River drainage basins. Data for general hydrology, field measurements, major-ion chemistry, and selected trace elements were summarized, and specific conductance and sodium-adsorption ratios were evaluated for relations with streamflow and seasonal variability. Trend analysis for water years 1991-2005 was conducted for selected sites and constituents to assess change through time. Average annual runoff was highly variable among the stream sites. Generally, streams that have headwaters in the Bighorn Mountains had more runoff as a result of higher average annual precipitation than streams that have headwaters in the plains. The Powder River at Moorhead, Mont., had the largest average annual runoff (319,000 acre-feet) of all the sites; however, streams in the Tongue River drainage basin had the highest runoff per unit area of the four major drainage basins. Annual runoff in all major drainage basins was less than average during 2001-05 because of drought conditions. Consequently, water-quality samples collected during the study period may not represent long-term water-quality con-ditions for all sites. Water-quality characteristics were highly variable generally because of streamflow variability, geologic controls, and potential land-use effects. The range of median specific-conductance values among sites was smallest in the Tongue River drainage basin. Median values in that basin ranged from 643 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (?S/cm at 25?C) on the Tongue River to 1,460 ?S/cm at 25?C on Prairie Dog Creek. The Tongue River drainage basin has the largest percentage of area underlain by Mesozoic-age and older rocks and by more resistant rocks. In addition, the higher annual precipitation and a steeper gradient in this basin compared to basins in the plains produce relatively fast stream velocities, which result in a short contact time between stream waters and basin materials. The Powder River drainage basin, which has the largest drainage area and most diverse site conditions, had the largest range of median specific-conductance values among the four major drainage basins. Median values in that basin ranged from 680 ?S/cm at 25?C on Clear Creek to 5,950 ?S/cm at 25?C on Salt Creek. Median specific-conductance values among sites in the Cheyenne River drainage basin ranged from 1,850 ?S/cm at 25?C on Black Thunder Creek to 4,680 ?S/cm at 25?C on the Cheyenne River. The entire Cheyenne River drainage basin is in the plains, which have low precipitation, soluble geologic materials, and relatively low gradients that produce slow stream velocities and long contact times. Median specific-conductance values among sites in the Belle Fourche River drainage basin ranged from 1,740 ?S/cm at 25?C on Caballo Creek to 2,800 ?S/cm at 25?C on Donkey Creek. Water in the study area ranged from a magnesium-calcium-bicarbonate type for some sites in the Tongue River drainage basin to a sodium-sulfate type at many sites in the Powder, Cheyenne, and Belle Fourche River drainage basins. Little Goose Creek, Goose Creek, and the Tongue River in the Tongue River drainage basin, and Clear Creek in the Powder River drainage basin, which have headwaters in the Bighorn Mountains, consistently had the smallest median dissolved-sodium concentrations, sodium-adsorption ratios, dissolved-sulfate concentrations, and dissolved-solids concentrations. Salt Creek, Wild Horse Creek, Little Powder River, and the Cheyenne River, which have headwat

Changes in Streamflow and the Flux of Nutrients in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin, USA, 1980-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Battaglin, William A.; Aulenbach, Brent T.; Vecchia, Aldo; Buxton, Herbert T.

2010-01-01

Nutrients and freshwater delivered by the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers drive algal production in the northern Gulf of Mexico, which eventually results in the widespread occurrence of hypoxic bottom waters along the Louisiana and Texas coast. Researchers have demonstrated a relation between the extent of the hypoxic zone and the magnitude of streamflow, nutrient fluxes, and nutrient concentrations in the Mississippi River, with springtime streamflows and fluxes being the most predictive. In 1999 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated the flux of nitrogen, phosphorus, and silica at selected sites in the Mississippi Basin and to the Gulf of Mexico for 1980-1996. These flux estimates provided the baseline information used by the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force to develop an Action Plan for reducing hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The primary goal of the Action Plan was to achieve a reduction in the size (areal extent) of the hypoxic zone from an average of approximately 14,000 square kilometers in 1996-2000 to a 5-year moving average of less than 5,000 square kilometers by 2015. Improved statistical models and adjusted maximum likelihood estimation using USGS Load Estimator (LOADEST) software were used to estimate annual and seasonal nutrient fluxes for 1980-2007 at selected sites on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. These data provide a means to evaluate the influence of natural and anthropogenic effects on delivery of water and nutrients to the Gulf of Mexico; to define subbasins that are the most important contributors of nutrients to the gulf; and to investigate the relations among streamflow, nutrient fluxes, and the size and duration of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone. A comparative analysis between the baseline period of 1980-1996 and 5-year moving averages thereafter indicate that the average annual streamflow and fluxes of total nitrogen, nitrate, orthophosphate, and silica to the Gulf of Mexico have decreased. However, the flux of total phosphorus between the baseline period and subsequent 5-year periods has increased. The average spring (April, May, and June) streamflow and fluxes of silica, total nitrogen, nitrate, and orthophosphate to the Gulf of Mexico also decreased, whereas the spring flux of total phosphorus has increased. Similar changes in streamflow and nutrient flux were observed at many sites Buxtonwithin the basin. The inputs of water, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus from the major subbasins of the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin as a percentage of the to-the-gulf totals have increased from the Ohio River Basin, decreased from the Missouri River Basin, and remained relatively unchanged from the Upper Mississippi, Red, and Arkansas River Basins. Changes in streamflow and nutrient fluxes are related, but short-term variations in sources of streamflow and nutrients complicate the interpretation of factors that affect nutrient delivery to the Gulf of Mexico. Parametric time-series models are used to try and separate natural variability in nutrient flux from changes due to other causes. Results indicate that the decrease in annual nutrient fluxes that has occurred between the 1980-1996 baseline period and more recent years can be largely attributed to natural causes (climate and streamflow) and not management actions or other human controlled activities in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin. The downward trends in total nitrogen, nitrate, ammonium, and orthophosphate that were detected at either the Mississippi River near St. Francisville, La., or the Atchafalaya River at Melville, La., occurred prior to 1995. In spite of the general decrease in nutrient flux, the average size of the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone has increased between 1997 and 2007. The reasons for this are not clear but could be due to the type or nature of nutrient delivery. Whereas the annual flux of total nitrogen to the Gulf of Mexico has decreased, the proporti

Spatial and temporal variations of metal content and water quality in the Belaya River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fashchevskaia, T. B.; Motovilov, Y.

2016-12-01

The aim of this research is to identify the spatiotemporal regularities of iron, copper and zinc contents dynamics in the streams of the Belaya River basin. The Belaya River is situated in the South Ural region and is one of the biggest tributary in the Volga River basin with catchment area of 142 000 km2. More than sixty years the diverse economic activities are carried out in the Belaya River basin, the intensity of this activity is characterized by high temporal variability. The leading industries in the region are oil, mining, petroleum processing, chemistry and petro chemistry, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, power industry. The dynamics of human activities in the catchment and intra and inter-annual changes in the water quality are analyzed for the period 1969-2007 years. Inter-annual dynamics of the metal content in the river waters was identified on the basis of the long-term hydrological monitoring statistics at the 32 sites. It was found that the dynamics of intensity of economic activities in the Belaya River basin is the cause statistically significant changes in the metal content of the river network. Statistically homogeneous time intervals have been set for each monitoring site. Within these time intervals there were obtained averaged reliable quantitative estimations of water quality. Empirical probability distributions of iron, copper and zinc concentrations for various phases of the water regime in all investigated monitoring sites were approximated by Pearson type III curves and the averages of the concentration values, the coefficient of variation and asymmetry, as well as the values of the concentrations of metal in the range of 1-95% of frequency were estimated. It was found that by the end of the test period, the average long-term concentrations for iron and copper exceed MAC for fishery use, for zinc become smaller MAC in many streams of Belaya River basin. Acknowledgements. The work was financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant 15-05-09022)

Mercury export from the Yukon River Basin and potential response to a changing climate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schuster, P. F.; Striegl, Robert G.; Aiken, G. R.; Krabbenhoft, D. P.; Dewild, J. F.; Butler, K.; Kamark, B.; Dornblaser, M.

2011-01-01

We measured mercury (Hg) concentrations and calculated export and yield from the Yukon River Basin (YRB) to quantify Hg flux from a large, permafrost-dominated, high-latitude watershed. Exports of Hg averaged 4400 kg Hg yr–1. The average annual yield for the YRB during the study period was 5.17 μg m–2 yr–1, which is 3–32 times more than Hg yields reported for 8 other major northern hemisphere river basins. The vast majority (90%) of Hg export is associated with particulates. Half of the annual export of Hg occurred during the spring with about 80% of 34 samples exceeding the U.S. EPA Hg standard for adverse chronic effects to biota. Dissolved and particulate organic carbon exports explained 81% and 50%, respectively, of the variance in Hg exports, and both were significantly (p < 0.001) correlated with water discharge. Recent measurements indicate that permafrost contains a substantial reservoir of Hg. Consequently, climate warming will likely accelerate the mobilization of Hg from thawing permafrost increasing the export of organic carbon associated Hg and thus potentially exacerbating the production of bioavailable methylmercury from permafrost-dominated northern river basins.

Mercury export from the Yukon River Basin and potential response to a changing climate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schuster, Paul F.; Striegl, Robert G.; Aiken, George R.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; DeWild, John F.; Butler, Kenna D.; Kamark, Ben; Dornblaser, Mark

2011-01-01

We measured mercury (Hg) concentrations and calculated export and yield from the Yukon River Basin (YRB) to quantify Hg flux from a large, permafrost-dominated, high-latitude watershed. Exports of Hg averaged 4400 kg Hg yr-1. The average annual yield for the YRB during the study period was 5.17 μg m-2 yr-1, which is 3–32 times more than Hg yields reported for 8 other major northern hemisphere river basins. The vast majority (90%) of Hg export is associated with particulates. Half of the annual export of Hg occurred during the spring with about 80% of 34 samples exceeding the U.S. EPA Hg standard for adverse chronic effects to biota. Dissolved and particulate organic carbon exports explained 81% and 50%, respectively, of the variance in Hg exports, and both were significantly (p < 0.001) correlated with water discharge. Recent measurements indicate that permafrost contains a substantial reservoir of Hg. Consequently, climate warming will likely accelerate the mobilization of Hg from thawing permafrost increasing the export of organic carbon associated Hg and thus potentially exacerbating the production of bioavailable methylmercury from permafrost-dominated northern river basins.

Climate of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, central Idaho

Treesearch

Arnold I. Finklin

1988-01-01

Describes the climate of the largest designated wilderness in the conterminous United States. Contains numerous maps, graphs, and tables. Shows annual patterns and 10-day details during the fire season. Includes both average values and frequency distributions. Examines relationship of climatic averages to topography, persistence of weather, and climatic trends.

Direct evidence of the feedback between climate and nutrient, major, and trace element transport to the oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eiriksdottir, Eydis Salome; Gislason, Sigurður Reynir; Oelkers, Eric H.

2015-10-01

Climate changes affect weathering, denudation and riverine runoff, and therefore elemental fluxes to the ocean. This study presents the climate effect on annual fluxes of 28 dissolved elements, and organic and inorganic particulate fluxes, determined over 26-42 year period in three glacial and three non-glacial river catchments located in Eastern Iceland. Annual riverine fluxes were determined by generating robust correlations between dissolved element concentrations measured from 1998 to 2003 and suspended inorganic matter concentrations measured from 1962 to 2002 with instantaneous discharge measured at the time of sampling in each of these rivers. These correlations were used together with measured average daily discharge to compute daily elemental fluxes. Integration of these daily fluxes yielded the corresponding annual fluxes. As the topography and lithology of the studied glacial and non-glacial river catchments are similar, we used the records of average annual temperature and annual runoff to examine how these parameters and glacier melting influenced individual element fluxes to the oceans. Significant variations were found between the individual elements. The dissolved fluxes of the more soluble elements, such as Mo, Sr, and Na are less affected by increasing temperature and runoff than the insoluble nutrients and trace elements including Fe, P, and Al. This variation between the elements tends to be more pronounced for the glacial compared to the non-glacial rivers. These observations are interpreted to stem from the stronger solubility control on the concentrations of the insoluble elements such that they are less affected by dilution. The dilution of the soluble elements by increasing discharge in the glacial rivers is enhanced by a relatively low amount of water-rock interaction; increased runoff due to glacial melting tend to be collected rapidly into river channels limiting water-rock interaction. It was found that the climate effect on particle transport from the glacial rivers is far higher than all other measured fluxes. This observation, together with the finding that the flux to the oceans of biolimiting elements such as P and Fe is dominated by particulates, suggests that particulate transport by melting glaciers have a relatively strong effect on the feedback between continental weathering, atmospheric chemistry, and climate regulation over geologic time.

[Influence of land use change on dissolved organic carbon export in Naoli River watershed. Northeast China].

PubMed

Yin, Xiao-min; Lyu, Xian-guo; Liu, Xing-tu; Xue, Zhen-shan

2015-12-01

The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of land use change on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export in Naoli River watershed, Northeast China. Seasonal variation of DOC concentrations of the river water and its relationship with land use in the whole watershed and 100 m riparian zone at the annual average scale were analyzed using the method of field sampling, laboratory analysis, GIS and statistics analysis. The results showed that the concentrations of DOC under base flow conditions in spring and summer were significantly higher than that in fall in the study watershed. The seasonal trend of DOC concentrations in wetland-watersheds was similar to that in all the sub-watersheds, while significantly different from that in non-wetland watersheds. On the annual average scale, percentage of wetland in the whole watershed and paddy field in the 100 m riparian zone had positive relationship with the DOC concentration in the river water, while percentage of forest in the whole watershed had negative relationship with it (P < 0.05). It indicated that wetland in the sub-watershed played a significant role in the seasonal variation of DOC in river water of Naoli River watershed. Wetland in the watershed and paddy field in the 100 m riparian zone significantly promoted DOC export, while forest alleviated it. Land use change in the watershed in the past few decades dramatically changed the DOC balance of river water.

Hydrologic description of the Braden River watershed, west-central Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelCharco, M.J.; Lewelling, B.R.

1997-01-01

The Braden River watershed drains an 83-square mile area in west-central Florida and is the largest tributary to the Manatee River. The hydrology of the Braden River was altered in 1936 when the city of Bradenton created Ward Lake, a reservoir with an 838-foot broad-crested weir 6 miles upstream from the mouth. In 1985 the reservoir, which is the sole source of drinking water for the city of Bradenton, was expanded and supplies an annual average of 5.7 million gallons of water per day. The Braden River can be hydrologically divided into three distinct sections that include an 8.6-mile reach of naturally incised, free-flowing channel; a 6.4-mile reach of impounded river created by the Ward Lake reservoir and weir; and a 6-mile reach of tidal estuary. Ten first-order and two second-order tributaries that flow into the Braden River were examined in this report. The Braden River watershed is dominated by low topographic relief. The two physiographic zones that contain the Braden River watershed, the Gulf Coast Lowlands and De Soto Plain, are both poorly drained and have numerous depressional features. The climate is subtropical with an annual average rainfall of 56 inches, annual average temperatures of 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and estimated annual lake evaporation of 52 inches. The soil series in the watershed are predominantly Myakka-Cassia and the EauGallie-Floridana; these series are characterized as nearly level and poorly drained soils. Land use within the watershed is the fastest changing characteristic that affects the hydrology of the system. The western half of the watershed is typically urban and includes parts of the city of Bradenton. Land use in the eastern half of the watershed is predominantly agricultural, but the explosive population growth of the area is driving the development of medium to high-density residential communities. The three major aquifers underlying the Braden River watershed are the surficial, intermediate, and Floridan aquifer systems. The surficial aquifer generally is underlain in places by a clay layer that enhances the ground-water flow of the surficial aquifer to surface-water bodies. The intermediate aquifer system has discontinuous water-bearing units, but retards ground-water movement between the surficial and Floridan aquifer system. The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by a middle confining unit. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the primary source for ground-water withdrawals in the watershed and has, at times, heads 20 feet higher than land-surface elevation. Discharge over the Ward Lake weir into the tidal estuary was measured using volumetric and standard discharge measurement techniques. Annual mean flow for water years 1993 and 1994 were 59.7 and 57.3 cubic feet per second, respectively. Weir coefficients, calculated from discharge measurements, ranged from 0.023 to 2.99, depending on the head of water over the weir, and the method of determining length of flow on the weir. Weir coefficients calculated from the theoretical rating ranged from 0.032 to 3.11. No significant seepage was found around the ends of the weir, and no leakage was detected through the weir.

Understanding the past to interpret the future: Comparison of simulated groundwater recharge in the upper Colorado River basin (USA) using observed and general-circulation-model historical climate data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillman, Fred D.; Gangopadhyay, Subhrendu; Pruitt, Tom

2017-01-01

In evaluating potential impacts of climate change on water resources, water managers seek to understand how future conditions may differ from the recent past. Studies of climate impacts on groundwater recharge often compare simulated recharge from future and historical time periods on an average monthly or overall average annual basis, or compare average recharge from future decades to that from a single recent decade. Baseline historical recharge estimates, which are compared with future conditions, are often from simulations using observed historical climate data. Comparison of average monthly results, average annual results, or even averaging over selected historical decades, may mask the true variability in historical results and lead to misinterpretation of future conditions. Comparison of future recharge results simulated using general circulation model (GCM) climate data to recharge results simulated using actual historical climate data may also result in an incomplete understanding of the likelihood of future changes. In this study, groundwater recharge is estimated in the upper Colorado River basin, USA, using a distributed-parameter soil-water balance groundwater recharge model for the period 1951–2010. Recharge simulations are performed using precipitation, maximum temperature, and minimum temperature data from observed climate data and from 97 CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, phase 5) projections. Results indicate that average monthly and average annual simulated recharge are similar using observed and GCM climate data. However, 10-year moving-average recharge results show substantial differences between observed and simulated climate data, particularly during period 1970–2000, with much greater variability seen for results using observed climate data.

Long-term variations of the riverine input of potentially toxic dissolved elements and the impacts on their distribution in Jiaozhou Bay, China.

PubMed

Wang, Changyou; Guo, Jinqiang; Liang, Shengkang; Wang, Yunfei; Yang, Yanqun; Wang, Xiulin

2018-03-01

The concentrations of the potentially toxic dissolved elements (PTEs) As, Hg, Cr, Pb, Cd, and Cu in the main rivers into Jiaozhou Bay (JZB) during 1981-2006 were measured, and the impact of the fluvial PTE fluxes on their distributions in the bay was investigated. The overall average concentration in the rivers into JZB ranged from 8.8 to 39.6 μg L -1 for As, 10.1 to 632.6 ng L -1 for Hg, 4.1 to 3003.6 μg L -1 for Cr, 8.5 to 141.9 μg L -1 for Pb, 1.1 to 34.2 μg L -1 for Cd, and 13.2 to 1042.8 μg L -1 for Cu. The interannual average concentration variations of the PTEs in these rivers were enormous, with maximum differences of 41-21,680 times, while their relative seasonal changes were far smaller with maximum differences of 3-12 times. The total annual fluvial fluxes for As, Hg, and Cr into JZB exhibited the inverse "U" pattern, while those for Pb and Cd showed the "N" pattern. As a whole, the total annual Cu flux presented a growing tendency from 1998 to 2006. In general, the changing trends of the PTE concentrations in JZB were similar to those of their annual fluxes from the rivers, indicating a great impact of their fluvial fluxes on their distributions in JZB. The annual concentration of Cd in the bay almost remained constant and differed from the fluvial flux of Cd. The diversified pattern of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) represented China's approach to industrialization as "improving while developing."

Sediment transport and water-quality characteristics and loads, White River, northwestern Colorado, water years 1975-88

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tobin, R.L.

1993-01-01

Streamflow, sediment, and water-quality data are summarized for 6 sites on the White River, Colorado for water years 1975-88. Correlation techniques were used to estimate annual data for unmeasured years. Annual stream discharge in the main stem of the White River ranged from about 200,000 to about 1 million acre-feet. Generally, bedload was less than/= 3.3 percent of total sediment load. Annual suspended-sediment loads ranged from about 2,100 tons at the upstream sites on the North Fork and South Fork of the White River to about 2 million tons at the most downstream site. Average annual suspended-sediment loads ranged from about 11,000 tons at the upstream sites to about 705,000 tons at the most downstream site. Annual capacity losses in a 50,000 acre-ft reservoir could range from less than 0.01 percent near upstream sites to about 2.5 percent near downstream sites. Maximum water temperatures in the White River ranged from less than 20 to 25 C in summer. Specific conductance ranged from 200 to 1,000 microsiemens/cm. Generally, values of pH ranged from 7.6 to 8.8, and concentrations of dissolved oxygen were greater than 6.0 mg/L. In small streamflows, values of pH and dissolved oxygen were affected by biologic processes. Composition of dissolved solids in the White River was mostly calcium, bicarbonate, and(or) sulfate. Changes in the composition of dissolved solids caused by the changes in the concentrations of sodium and sulfate were greatest in small stream discharges. Annual loads of dissolved solids ranged from 21,100 tons in the South Fork to about 480,000 tons at the most downstream site. Total solids transport in the White River was mostly as dissolved solids at upstream sites and mostly as suspended sediment at downstream sites. Concentration ranges of nutrients and trace constituents were determined.

Investigating organic matter in Fanno Creek, Oregon, Part 2 of 3: sources, sinks, and transport of organic matter with fine sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keith, Mackenzie K.; Sobieszczyk, Steven; Goldman, Jami H.; Rounds, Stewart A.

2014-01-01

Organic matter (OM) is abundant in Fanno Creek, Oregon, USA, and has been tied to a variety of water-quality concerns, including periods of low dissolved oxygen downstream in the Tualatin River, Oregon. The key sources of OM in Fanno Creek and other Tualatin River tributaries have not been fully identified, although isotopic analyses from previous studies indicated a predominantly terrestrial source. This study investigates the role of fine sediment erosion and deposition (mechanisms and spatial patterns) in relation to OM transport. Geomorphic mapping within the Fanno Creek floodplain shows that a large portion (approximately 70%) of the banks are eroding or subject to erosion, likely as a result of the imbalance caused by anthropogenic alteration. Field measurements of long- and short-term bank erosion average 4.2 cm/year and average measurements of deposition for the watershed are 4.8 cm/year. The balance between average annual erosion and deposition indicates an export of 3,250 metric tons (tonnes, t) of fine sediment to the Tualatin River—about twice the average annual export of 1,880 t of sediment at a location 2.4 km from the creek’s mouth calculated from suspended sediment load regressions from continuous turbidity data and suspended sediment samples. Carbon content from field samples of bank material, combined with fine sediment export rates, indicates that about 29–67 t of carbon, or about 49–116 t of OM, from bank sediment may be exported to the Tualatin River from Fanno Creek annually, an estimate that is a lower bound because it does not account for the mass wasting of organic-rich O and A soil horizons that enter the stream.

Sediment Transport in Streams in the Umpqua River Basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Onions, C. A.

1969-01-01

This report presents tables of suspended-sediment data collected from 1956 to 1967 at 10 sites in the Umpqua River basin. Computations based on these data indicate that average annual suspended-sediment yields at these sites range from 137 to 822 tons per square mile. Because available data for the Umpqua River basin are generally inadequate for accurate determinations of sediment yield and for the definition of characteristics of fluvial sediments, recommendations are made for the collection and analysis of additional sediment data.

[Integrated assessment of ecosystem quality of arid inland river basin based on RS and GIS: A case study on Shiyang River Basin, Northwest China].

PubMed

Liang, Bian Bian; Shi, Pei Ji; Wang, Wei; Tang, Xiao; Zhou, Wen Xia; Jing, Ye

2017-01-01

The Shiyang River Basin is an important ecological area of the Eastern Hexi Corridor, and is one of the most prominent areas of water conflict and ecological environment problems. An assessment of ecosystem quality in the Shiyang River Basin can provide a reference for ecological protection in arid inland basin. Based on the concept of ecosystem quality and the statistical yearbook, remotely sensed and land cover data, an evaluation index was established with consideration of three aspects of ecosystem (i.e., productivity, stability and bearing capacity). Kruskal-Wallis (Φ 2 ) test and entropy method were applied to determine the weights of evaluation index. With the assistance of RS, GIS and SPSS software, a comprehensive evaluation and change analysis of ecosystem quality and corresponding index were conducted for various ecosystem types in the Shiyang River Basin in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. Results showed that the average ecosystem quality of the Shiyang River Basin was 57.76, and presented an obvious decrease with a magnitude of 0.72 per year du-ring 2000-2015. The spatial pattern of ecosystem quality was that the upstream was better than the midstream, and the midstream was superior to the downstream. The mean values of production capacity, stability and carrying capacity of ecosystem were 67.52, 45.37, and 58.53, respectively. Production capacity and stability had increased slightly, while carrying capacity gradually decreased. Considering various ecosystem types, the highest quality was detected for forest ecosystem with average annual value of 78.12, and this ecosystem presented the lowest decreasing magnitude of 0.28 per year; for grassland, farmland and urban ecosystems, the average annual value was 62.45, 58.76 and 50.29, respectively; the quality of wetland ecosystem was the lowest, and suffered the largest decline with an average rate of 0.98 per year.

Sediment transport by streams in the Palouse River basin, Washington and Idaho, July 1961-June 1965

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boucher, P.R.

1970-01-01

The Palouse River basin covers about 3,300 square miles in southeastern Washington and northwestern Idaho. The eastern part of the basin is composed of steptoes and foothills which are generally above an altitude of 2,600 feet; the central part is of moderate local relief and is mantled chiefly by thick loess deposits; and the western part is characterized by low relief and scabland topography and is underlain mostly by basalt. Precipitation increases eastward across the study area. It ranges annually from 12 to 18 inches in the western part and from 14 to 23 inches in the central part, and it exceeds 40 inches in the eastern part. Surface runoff from the basin for the 4-year period of study (July 1961-June 1965) averaged 408,000 acre-feet per year, compared with 445,200 acre-feet per year for the 27-year period of record. The eastern part of the basin contributed about 55 percent of the total, whereas the central and western parts contributed 37 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Most sediment transport from the Palouse River basin and the highest sediment concentrations in streams occurred in the winter. Of the several storms during the study period, those of February 3-9, 1963, December 22-27, 1964, and January 27-February 4, 1965, accounted for 81 percent of the total 4-year suspended-sediment load; the storm of February 3-9, 1963, accounted for nearly one-half the total load. The discharge-weighted mean concentration of suspended sediment carried in the Palouse River past Hooper during the study period was 2,970 milligrams per liter. The average annual sediment discharge of the Palouse River at its mouth was about 1,580,000 tons per year, and the estimated average annual sediment yield was 480 tons per square mile. The yield ranged from 5 tons per square mile from the western part of the basin to 2,100 tons per square mile from the central part. The high yield from the central part is attributed to a scarcity of vegetal cover, to the fine-grained loess soils, and to rapid runoff during winter storms. Sediment yield from the eastern part of the basin ranged from 460 to more than 1,000 tons per square mile. During high flow, silt particles make up the largest part of the suspended-sediment load, whereas during low flow, clay particles represent the greatest part. On the average, the suspended sediment transported by the Palouse River past Hooper contained 3 percent sand, 68 percent silt, and 29 percent clay. Unmeasured sediment discharge was estimated to have been 5 percent of the total sediment discharge. Data collected during the 4-year period of study show that sediment loads were higher than those recorded by V. G. Kaiser during the longer period 1939-65. Whereas Kaiser's study showed an average annual soil loss of 9.6 million tons, the average annual loss during the recent study was 14.2 million tons. The factor that has had the greatest effect on the increase of sediment yields is land use. Lands once covered and protected by natural vegetation have been extensively, cultivated, and much of the soil has become susceptible to erosion, particularly in areas mantled by loessal soils.

Potential for Water Savings by Defoliation of Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) by Saltcedar Beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) in the Upper Colorado River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagler, P. L.; Nguyen, U.; Bateman, H. L.; Jarchow, C.; van Riper, C., III; Waugh, W.; Glenn, E.

2016-12-01

Northern saltcedar beetles (Diorhabda carinata) have spread widely in riparian zones on the Colorado Plateau since their initial release in 2002. One goal of the releases was to reduce water consumption by saltcedar in order to conserve water through reduction of evapotranspiration (ET). The beetle moved south on the Virgin River and reached Big Bend State Park in Nevada in 2014, an expansion rate of 60 km/year. This is important because the beetle's photoperiod requirement for diapause was expected to prevent them from moving south of 37°N latitude, where endangered southwest willow flycatcher habitat occurs. In addition to focusing on the rate of dispersal of the beetles, we used remote sensing estimates of ET at 13 sites on the Colorado, San Juan, Virgin and Dolores rivers and their tributaries to estimate riparian zone ET before and after beetle releases. We estimate that water savings from 2007-2015 was 31.5 million m3/yr (25,547 acre-ft/yr), amounting to 0.258 % of annual river flow from the Upper Colorado River Basin to the Lower Basin. Reasons for the relatively low potential water savings are: 1) baseline ET before beetle release was modest (0.472 m/yr); 2) reduction in ET was low (0.061 m/yr) because saltcedar stands tended to recover after defoliation; 3) riparian ET even in the absence of beetles was only 1.8 % of river flows, calculated as the before beetle average annual ET (472 mm/yr) times the total area of saltcedar (51,588 ha) divided by the combined total average annual flows (1964-2015) from the upper to lower catchment areas of the Colorado River Basin at the USGS gages (12,215 million m3/yr or 9.90 million acre-ft). Further research is suggested to concentrate on the ecological impacts (both positive and negative) of beetles on riparian zones and on identifying management options to maximize riparian health.

Water temperature behaviour in the River Loire since 1976 and 1881

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moatar, Florentina; Gailhard, Joël

2006-05-01

Analysis of monthly mean river temperatures, recorded on an hourly basis in the middle reaches of the Loire since 1976, allows reconstruction by multiple linear regression of the annual, spring and summer water temperatures from equivalent information on air temperatures and river discharge. Since 1881, the average annual and summer temperatures of the Loire have risen by approximately 0.8 °C, this increase accelerating since the late 1980s due to the rise in air temperature and also to lower discharge rates. In addition, the thermal regime in the Orleans to Blois reach is considerably affected by the inflow of groundwater from the Calcaires de Beauce aquifer, as shown by the summer energy balance. To cite this article: F. Moatar, J. Gailhard, C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).

Linear and nonlinear characteristics of the runoff response to regional climate factors in the Qira River basin, Xinjiang, Northwest China.

PubMed

Xue, Jie; Gui, Dongwei

2015-01-01

The inland river watersheds of arid Northwest China represent an example of how, in recent times, climatic warming has increased the complexity of Earth's hydrological processes. In the present study, the linear and nonlinear characteristics of the runoff response to temperature and precipitation were investigated in the Qira River basin, located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains. The results showed that average temperature on annual and seasonal scales has displayed a significantly increasing trend, but this has not been reflected in accumulated precipitation and runoff. Using path analysis, a positive link between precipitation and runoff was found both annually and in the summer season. Conversely, it was found that the impact of temperature on runoff has been negative since the 1960s, attributable to higher evaporation and infiltration in the Qira River basin. Over the past 50 years, abrupt changes in annual temperature, precipitation and runoff occurred in 1997, 1987 and 1995, respectively. Combined with analysis using the correlation dimension method, it was found that the temperature, precipitation and runoff, both annually and seasonally, possessed chaotic dynamic characteristics, implying that complex hydro-climatic processes must be introduced into other variables within models to describe the dynamics. In addition, as determined via rescaled range analysis, a consistent annual and seasonal decreasing trend in runoff under increasing temperature and precipitation conditions in the future should be taken into account. This work may provide a theoretical perspective that can be applied to the proper use and management of oasis water resources in the lower reaches of river basins like that of the Qira River.

Linear and nonlinear characteristics of the runoff response to regional climate factors in the Qira River basin, Xinjiang, Northwest China

PubMed Central

Xue, Jie

2015-01-01

The inland river watersheds of arid Northwest China represent an example of how, in recent times, climatic warming has increased the complexity of Earth’s hydrological processes. In the present study, the linear and nonlinear characteristics of the runoff response to temperature and precipitation were investigated in the Qira River basin, located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains. The results showed that average temperature on annual and seasonal scales has displayed a significantly increasing trend, but this has not been reflected in accumulated precipitation and runoff. Using path analysis, a positive link between precipitation and runoff was found both annually and in the summer season. Conversely, it was found that the impact of temperature on runoff has been negative since the 1960s, attributable to higher evaporation and infiltration in the Qira River basin. Over the past 50 years, abrupt changes in annual temperature, precipitation and runoff occurred in 1997, 1987 and 1995, respectively. Combined with analysis using the correlation dimension method, it was found that the temperature, precipitation and runoff, both annually and seasonally, possessed chaotic dynamic characteristics, implying that complex hydro-climatic processes must be introduced into other variables within models to describe the dynamics. In addition, as determined via rescaled range analysis, a consistent annual and seasonal decreasing trend in runoff under increasing temperature and precipitation conditions in the future should be taken into account. This work may provide a theoretical perspective that can be applied to the proper use and management of oasis water resources in the lower reaches of river basins like that of the Qira River. PMID:26244113

Ground-water resources of the Cahaba River basin in Alabama - Subarea 7 of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa river basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mooty, Will S.; Kidd, Robert E.

1997-01-01

Drought conditions in the 1980's focused attention on the multiple uses of the surface- and ground-water resources in the Apalachicola-Chattahooochee-Flint and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River basins in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. State and Federal agencies also have proposed projects that would require additional water resources and revise operating practices within the river basins. The existing and proposed water projects create conflicting demands for water by the States and emphasize the problem of water-resource allocation. This study was initiated to describe ground-water availablity in the Cahaba River basin in Alabama, Subarea 7 of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River basins, and to estimate the possible effects of increased ground-water use within the basin. Subarea 7 encompasses about 1,030 square miles in north-central Alabama. Subarea 7 encompasses parts of the Piedmont, Valley and Ridge, and Coastal Plain physiographic provinces. The Piedmont Province is underlain by a two-component aquifer system that is composed of a fractured, crystalline-rock aquifer characterized by little or no primary porosity or permeability; and the overlying regolith, which can behave as a porous-media aquifer. The Valley and Ridge Province is underlain by fracture- and solution-conduit aquifer systems, similar in some ways to those in the Piedmont Province. Fracture-conduit aquifers predominante in the well-consolidated sandstones and shales of Paleozoic age; solution-conduit aquifers dedominate in the carbonate rocks of Paleozoic age. The Coastal Plain is underlain by southward-dipping, poorly consolidated deposits of sand, gravel, and clay of fluvial and marine origin. The conceptual model described for this study qualitatively subdivides the ground-water flow system into local (shallow), intermediate, and regional (deep) flow regimes. Ground- water discharge to tributaries mainly is from local and intermediate flow regimes and varies seasonally. The regional flow regime probably approximates steady-state conditions and discharges chiefly to major drains such as the Cahaba River. Ground-water discharge to major drains originates from all flow regimes. Mean-annual ground-water discharge to streams (baseflow) is considered to approximate the long-term, average recharge to ground water. The mean-annual baseflow was estimated using an atuomated hydrograph-separation method, and represents discharge from the local, intermediate, and regional flow regimes of the ground-water flow system. Mean-annual baseflow in Georgia was estimated to be 763 cubic feet per second at Centreville, Ala., where the Cahaba River exits Subarea 7 into Subarea 8. Mean-annual baseflow represented about 48 percent of total mean-annual stream discharge for the period of record. Stream discharge for selected sites on the Cahaba River and its tributaries were compiled for the years 1941, 1954, and 1986, during which sustained droughts occurred throughout most of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River basin area. Stream discharges were assumed to be sustained entirely by baseflow during the latter periods of these droughts. Estimated baseflow near the end of these droughts averaged about 21 percent of the estimated mean-annual baseflow in Subarea 7 (ranged from about 16 to 25 percent for individual drought years). The potential exists for the development of ground-water resources on a regional scale throughout Subarea 7. Estimated ground-water use in 1990 was about 2 percent of the estimated mean-annual baseflow, and 9.7 percent of the average drought baseflow near the end of the droughts of 1941, 1954, and 1986. Because ground- water use in Subarea 7 represents a relatively minor percentage of ground- water recharge, even a large increase in ground-water use in Subarea 7 is likely to have little effect on ground-water and surface-water occurrernce in Alabama. Indications of long-term ground-water dec

Attributes for NHDPlus catchments (version 1.1) for the conterminous United States: 30-year average annual maximum temperature, 1971-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wieczorek, Michael; LaMotte, Andrew E.

2010-01-01

This data set represents the 30-year (1971-2000) average annual maximum temperature in Celsius multiplied by 100 compiled for every catchment of NHDPlus for the conterminous United States. The source data were the United States Average Monthly or Annual Minimum Temperature, 1971 - 2000 raster dataset produced by the PRISM Group at Oregon State University. The NHDPlus Version 1.1 is an integrated suite of application-ready geospatial datasets that incorporates many of the best features of the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and the National Elevation Dataset (NED). The NHDPlus includes a stream network (based on the 1:100,00-scale NHD), improved networking, naming, and value-added attributes (VAAs). NHDPlus also includes elevation-derived catchments (drainage areas) produced using a drainage enforcement technique first widely used in New England, and thus referred to as "the New England Method." This technique involves "burning in" the 1:100,000-scale NHD and when available building "walls" using the National Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD). The resulting modified digital elevation model (HydroDEM) is used to produce hydrologic derivatives that agree with the NHD and WBD. Over the past two years, an interdisciplinary team from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and contractors, found that this method produces the best quality NHD catchments using an automated process (USEPA, 2007). The NHDPlus dataset is organized by 18 Production Units that cover the conterminous United States. The NHDPlus version 1.1 data are grouped by the U.S. Geologic Survey's Major River Basins (MRBs, Crawford and others, 2006). MRB1, covering the New England and Mid-Atlantic River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 1 and 2. MRB2, covering the South Atlantic-Gulf and Tennessee River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 3 and 6. MRB3, covering the Great Lakes, Ohio, Upper Mississippi, and Souris-Red-Rainy River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 4, 5, 7 and 9. MRB4, covering the Missouri River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 10-lower and 10-upper. MRB5, covering the Lower Mississippi, Arkansas-White-Red, and Texas-Gulf River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 8, 11 and 12. MRB6, covering the Rio Grande, Colorado and Great Basin River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 13, 14, 15 and 16. MRB7, covering the Pacific Northwest River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Unit 17. MRB8, covering California River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Unit 18.

Attributes for NHDPlus Catchments (Version 1.1) for the Conterminous United States: 30-Year Average Annual Precipitation, 1971-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wieczorek, Michael; LaMotte, Andrew E.

2010-01-01

This data set represents the 30-year (1971-2000) average annual precipitation in millimeters multiplied by 100 compiled for every catchment of NHDPlus for the conterminous United States. The source data were the "United States Average Monthly or Annual Precipitation, 1971 - 2000" raster dataset produced by the PRISM Group at Oregon State University. The NHDPlus Version 1.1 is an integrated suite of application-ready geospatial datasets that incorporates many of the best features of the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and the National Elevation Dataset (NED). The NHDPlus includes a stream network (based on the 1:100,00-scale NHD), improved networking, naming, and value-added attributes (VAAs). NHDPlus also includes elevation-derived catchments (drainage areas) produced using a drainage enforcement technique first widely used in New England, and thus referred to as "the New England Method." This technique involves "burning in" the 1:100,000-scale NHD and when available building "walls" using the National Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD). The resulting modified digital elevation model (HydroDEM) is used to produce hydrologic derivatives that agree with the NHD and WBD. Over the past two years, an interdisciplinary team from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and contractors, found that this method produces the best quality NHD catchments using an automated process (USEPA, 2007). The NHDPlus dataset is organized by 18 Production Units that cover the conterminous United States. The NHDPlus version 1.1 data are grouped by the U.S. Geologic Survey's Major River Basins (MRBs, Crawford and others, 2006). MRB1, covering the New England and Mid-Atlantic River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 1 and 2. MRB2, covering the South Atlantic-Gulf and Tennessee River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 3 and 6. MRB3, covering the Great Lakes, Ohio, Upper Mississippi, and Souris-Red-Rainy River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 4, 5, 7 and 9. MRB4, covering the Missouri River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 10-lower and 10-upper. MRB5, covering the Lower Mississippi, Arkansas-White-Red, and Texas-Gulf River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 8, 11 and 12. MRB6, covering the Rio Grande, Colorado and Great Basin River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 13, 14, 15 and 16. MRB7, covering the Pacific Northwest River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Unit 17. MRB8, covering California River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Unit 18.

Attributes for NHDPlus Catchments (Version 1.1) for the Conterminous United States: 30-Year Average Annual Minimum Temperature, 1971-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wieczorek, Michael; LaMotte, Andrew E.

2010-01-01

This data set represents the 30-year (1971-2000) average annual minimum temperature in Celsius multiplied by 100 compiled for every catchment of NHDPlus for the conterminous United States. The source data were the "United States Average Monthly or Annual Minimum Temperature, 1971 - 2000" raster dataset produced by the PRISM Group at Oregon State University. The NHDPlus Version 1.1 is an integrated suite of application-ready geospatial datasets that incorporates many of the best features of the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) and the National Elevation Dataset (NED). The NHDPlus includes a stream network (based on the 1:100,00-scale NHD), improved networking, naming, and value-added attributes (VAAs). NHDPlus also includes elevation-derived catchments (drainage areas) produced using a drainage enforcement technique first widely used in New England, and thus referred to as "the New England Method." This technique involves "burning in" the 1:100,000-scale NHD and when available building "walls" using the National Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD). The resulting modified digital elevation model (HydroDEM) is used to produce hydrologic derivatives that agree with the NHD and WBD. Over the past two years, an interdisciplinary team from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and contractors, found that this method produces the best quality NHD catchments using an automated process (USEPA, 2007). The NHDPlus dataset is organized by 18 Production Units that cover the conterminous United States. The NHDPlus version 1.1 data are grouped by the U.S. Geologic Survey's Major River Basins (MRBs, Crawford and others, 2006). MRB1, covering the New England and Mid-Atlantic River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 1 and 2. MRB2, covering the South Atlantic-Gulf and Tennessee River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 3 and 6. MRB3, covering the Great Lakes, Ohio, Upper Mississippi, and Souris-Red-Rainy River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 4, 5, 7 and 9. MRB4, covering the Missouri River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 10-lower and 10-upper. MRB5, covering the Lower Mississippi, Arkansas-White-Red, and Texas-Gulf River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 8, 11 and 12. MRB6, covering the Rio Grande, Colorado and Great Basin River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Units 13, 14, 15 and 16. MRB7, covering the Pacific Northwest River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Unit 17. MRB8, covering California River basins, contains NHDPlus Production Unit 18.

Flow characteristics and salinity patterns of tidal rivers within the northern Ten Thousand Islands, southwest Florida, water years 2007–14

USGS Publications Warehouse

Booth, Amanda C.; Soderqvist, Lars E.

2016-12-12

Freshwater flow to the Ten Thousand Islands estuary has been altered by the construction of the Tamiami Trail and the Southern Golden Gate Estates. The Picayune Strand Restoration Project, which is associated with the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, has been implemented to improve freshwater delivery to the Ten Thousand Islands estuary by removing hundreds of miles of roads, emplacing hundreds of canal plugs, removing exotic vegetation, and constructing three pump stations. Quantifying the tributary flows and salinity patterns prior to, during, and after the restoration is essential to assessing the effectiveness of upstream restoration efforts.Tributary flow and salinity patterns during preliminary restoration efforts and prior to the installation of pump stations were analyzed to provide baseline data and preliminary analysis of changes due to restoration efforts. The study assessed streamflow and salinity data for water years1 2007–2014 for the Faka Union River (canal flow included), East River, Little Wood River, Pumpkin River, and Blackwater River. Salinity data from the Palm River and Faka Union Boundary water-quality stations were also assessed.Faka Union River was the dominant contributor of freshwater during water years 2007–14 to the Ten Thousand Islands estuary, followed by Little Wood and East Rivers. Pumpkin River and Blackwater River were the least substantial contributors of freshwater flow. The lowest annual flow volumes, the highest annual mean salinities, and the highest percentage of salinity values greater than 35 parts per thousand (ppt) occurred in water year 2011 at all sites with available data, corresponding with the lowest annual rainfall during the study. The highest annual flow volumes and the lowest percentage of salinities greater than 35 ppt occurred in water year 2013 for all sites with available data, corresponding with the highest rainfall during the study.In water year 2014, the percentage of monitored annual flow contributed by East River increased and the percentage of flow contributed by Faka Union River decreased, compared to the earlier years. No changes in annual flow occurred at any sites west of Faka Union River. No changes in the relative flow contributions were observed during the wet season; however, the relative amounts of streamflow increased during the dry season at East River in 2014. East River had only 1 month of negative flow in 2014 compared to 6 months in 2011 and 7 months in 2008. Higher dry season flows in East River may be in response to restoration efforts. The sites to the west of Faka Union River had higher salinities on average than Faka Union River and East River. Faka Union River had the highest range in salinities, and Faka Union Boundary had the lowest range in salinities. Pumpkin River was the tributary with the lowest range in salinities.1Water year is defined as the 12-month period from October 1, for any given year, through September 30 of the following year.

Annual mass drownings of the Serengeti wildebeest migration influence nutrient cycling and storage in the Mara River

PubMed Central

Rosi, Emma J.; Post, David M.

2017-01-01

The annual migration of ∼1.2 million wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) through the Serengeti Mara Ecosystem is the largest remaining overland migration in the world. One of the most iconic portions of their migration is crossing of the Mara River, during which thousands drown annually. These mass drownings have been noted, but their frequency, size, and impact on aquatic ecosystems have not been quantified. Here, we estimate the frequency and size of mass drownings in the Mara River and model the fate of carcass nutrients through the river ecosystem. Mass drownings (>100 individuals) occurred in at least 13 of the past 15 y; on average, 6,250 carcasses and 1,100 tons of biomass enter the river each year. Half of a wildebeest carcass dry mass is bone, which takes 7 y to decompose, thus acting as a long-term source of nutrients to the Mara River. Carcass soft tissue decomposes in 2–10 wk, and these nutrients are mineralized by consumers, assimilated by biofilms, transported downstream, or moved back into the terrestrial ecosystem by scavengers. These inputs comprise 34–50% of the assimilated diet of fish when carcasses are present and 7–24% via biofilm on bones after soft tissue decomposition. Our results show a terrestrial animal migration can have large impacts on a river ecosystem, which may influence nutrient cycling and river food webs at decadal time scales. Similar mass drownings may have played an important role in rivers throughout the world when large migratory herds were more common features of the landscape. PMID:28630330

Updated estimates of long-term average dissolved-solids loading in streams and rivers of the Upper Colorado River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillman, Fred D.; Anning, David W.

2014-01-01

The Colorado River and its tributaries supply water to more than 35 million people in the United States and 3 million people in Mexico, irrigating over 4.5 million acres of farmland, and annually generating about 12 billion kilowatt hours of hydroelectric power. The Upper Colorado River Basin, part of the Colorado River Basin, encompasses more than 110,000 mi2 and is the source of much of more than 9 million tons of dissolved solids that annually flows past the Hoover Dam. High dissolved-solids concentrations in the river are the cause of substantial economic damages to users, primarily in reduced agricultural crop yields and corrosion, with damages estimated to be greater than 300 million dollars annually. In 1974, the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act created the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program to investigate and implement a broad range of salinity control measures. A 2009 study by the U.S. Geological Survey, supported by the Salinity Control Program, used the Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes surface-water quality model to examine dissolved-solids supply and transport within the Upper Colorado River Basin. Dissolved-solids loads developed for 218 monitoring sites were used to calibrate the 2009 Upper Colorado River Basin Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes dissolved-solids model. This study updates and develops new dissolved-solids loading estimates for 323 Upper Colorado River Basin monitoring sites using streamflow and dissolved-solids concentration data through 2012, to support a planned Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes modeling effort that will investigate the contributions to dissolved-solids loads from irrigation and rangeland practices.

Average Annual Rainfall over the Globe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agrawal, D. C.

2013-01-01

The atmospheric recycling of water is a very important phenomenon on the globe because it not only refreshes the water but it also redistributes it over land and oceans/rivers/lakes throughout the globe. This is made possible by the solar energy intercepted by the Earth. The half of the globe facing the Sun, on the average, intercepts 1.74 ×…

Constituent loads and flow-weighted average concentrations for major subbasins of the upper Red River of the North Basin, 1997-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sether, Bradley A.; Berkas, Wayne R.; Vecchia, Aldo V.

2004-01-01

Data were collected at 11 water-quality sampling sites in the upper Red River of the North (Red River) Basin from May 1997 through September 1999 to describe the water-quality characteristics of the upper Red River and to estimate constituent loads and flow-weighted average concentrations for major tributaries of the Red River upstream from the bridge crossing the Red River at Perley, Minn. Samples collected from the sites were analyzed for 5-day biochemical oxygen demand, bacteria, dissolved solids, nutrients, and suspended sediment.Concentration data indicated the median concentrations for most constituents and sampling sites during the study period were less than existing North Dakota and Minnesota standards or guidelines. However, more than 25 percent of the samples for the Red River at Perley, Minn., site had fecal coliform concentrations that were greater than 200 colonies per 100 milliliters, indicating an abundance of pathogens in the upper Red River Basin. Although total nitrite plus nitrate concentrations generally increased in a downstream direction, the median concentrations for all sites were less than the North Dakota suggested guideline of 1.0 milligram per liter. Total and dissolved phosphorus concentrations also generally increased in a downstream direction, but, for those constituents, the median concentrations for most sampling sites exceeded the North Dakota suggested guideline of 0.1 milligram per liter.For dissolved solids, nutrients, and suspended sediments, a relation between constituent concentration and streamflow was determined using the data collected during the study period. The relation was determined by a multiple regression model in which concentration was the dependent variable and streamflow was the primary explanatory variable. The regression model was used to compute unbiased estimates of annual loads for each constituent and for each of eight primary water-quality sampling sites and to compute the degree of uncertainty associated with each estimated annual load. The estimated annual loads for the eight primary sites then were used to estimate annual loads for five intervening reaches in the study area.  Results were used as a screening tool to identify which subbasins contributed a disproportionate amount of pollutants to the Red River. To compare the relative water quality of the different subbasins, an estimated flow-weighted average (FWA) concentration was computed from the estimated average annual load and the average annual streamflow for each subbasin.The 5-day biochemical oxygen demands in the upper Red River Basin were fairly small, and medians ranged from 1 to 3 milligrams per liter. The largest estimated FWA concentration for dissolved solids (about 630 milligrams per liter) was for the Bois de Sioux River near Doran, Minn., site. The Otter Tail River above Breckenridge, Minn., site had the smallest estimated FWA concentration (about 240 milligrams per liter). The estimated FWA concentrations for dissolved solids for the main-stem sites ranged from about 300 to 500 milligrams per liter and generally increased in a downstream direction.The estimated FWA concentrations for total nitrite plus nitrate for the main-stem sites increased from about 0.2 milligram per liter for the Red River below Wahpeton, N. Dak., site to about 0.9 milligram per liter for the Red River at Perley, Minn., site. Much of the increase probably resulted from flows from the tributary sites and intervening reaches, excluding the Otter Tail River above Breckenridge, Minn., site. However, uncertainty in the estimated concentrations prevented any reliable conclusions regarding which sites or reaches contributed most to the increase.The estimated FWA concentrations for total ammonia for the main-stem sites increased from about 0.05 milligram per liter for the Red River above Fargo, N. Dak., site to about 0.15 milligram per liter for the Red River near Harwood, N. Dak., site. The increase resulted from a decrease in flows in the Red River above Fargo, N. Dak., to the Red River near Harwood, N. Dak., intervening reach and the large load for that reach.The estimated FWA concentrations for total organic nitrogen for the main-stem sites were relatively constant and ranged from about 0.5 to 0.7 milligram per liter. The relatively constant concentrations were in sharp contrast to the total nitrite plus nitrate concentrations, which increased about fivefold between the Red River below Wahpeton, N. Dak., site and the Red River at Perley, Minn., site.The Red River near Harwood, N. Dak., to the Red River at Perley, Minn., intervening reach had the largest estimated FWA concentration for total nitrogen (about 2.9 milligrams per liter), but the estimate was highly uncertain. The Otter Tail River above Breckenridge, Minn., site had the smallest concentration (about 0.6 milligram per liter). The estimated FWA concentrations for total nitrogen for the main-stem sites increased from about 0.9 milligram per liter for the Red River at Hickson, N. Dak., site to about 1.6 milligrams per liter for the Red River at Perley, Minn., site.The Sheyenne River at Harwood, N. Dak., site had the largest estimated FWA concentration for total phosphorus (about 0.5 milligram per liter). The Otter Tail River above Breckenridge, Minn., site had the smallest concentration (about 0.1 milligram per liter). The estimated FWA concentrations for total phosphorus for the main-stem sites increased from about 0.15 milligram per liter for the Red River below Wahpeton, N. Dak., site to about 0.35 milligram per liter for the Red River at Perley, Minn., site.The estimated FWA concentrations for suspended sediment for the main-stem sites increased from about 50 milligrams per liter for the Red River below Wahpeton, N. Dak., site to about 300 milligrams per liter for the Red River at Perley, Minn., site. Much of the increase occurred as a result of the large yield of suspended sediment from the Red River below Wahpeton, N. Dak., to the Red River at Hickson, N. Dak., intervening reach.

Preliminary flood-duration frequency estimates using naturalized streamflow records for the Willamette River Basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lind, Greg D.; Stonewall, Adam J.

2018-02-13

In this study, “naturalized” daily streamflow records, created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation, were used to compute 1-, 3-, 7-, 10-, 15-, 30-, and 60-day annual maximum streamflow durations, which are running averages of daily streamflow for the number of days in each duration. Once the annual maximum durations were computed, the floodduration frequencies could be estimated. The estimated flood-duration frequencies correspond to the 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, and 0.2-percent probabilities of their occurring or being exceeded each year. For this report, the focus was on the Willamette River Basin in Oregon, which is a subbasin of the Columbia River Basin. This study is part of a larger one encompassing the entire Columbia Basin.

Sources of phosphorus to the Carson River upstream from Lahontan Reservoir, Nevada and California, Water Years 2001-02

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alvarez, Nancy L.; Seiler, Ralph L.

2004-01-01

Discharge of treated municipal-sewage effluent to the Carson River in western Nevada and eastern California ceased by 1987 and resulted in a substantial decrease in phosphorus concentrations in the Carson River. Nonetheless, concentrations of total phosphorus and suspended sediment still commonly exceed beneficial-use criteria established for the Carson River by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. Potential sources of phosphorus in the study area include natural inputs from undisturbed soils, erosion of soils and streambanks, construction of low-head dams and their destruction during floods, manure production and grazing by cattle along streambanks, drainage from fields irrigated with streamwater and treated municipal-sewage effluent, ground-water seepage, and urban runoff including inputs from golf courses. In 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Carson Water Subconservancy District, began an investigation with the overall purpose of providing managers and regulators with information necessary to develop and implement total maximum daily loads for the Carson River. Two specific goals of the investigation were (1) to identify those reaches of the Carson River upstream from Lahontan Reservoir where the greatest increases in phosphorus and suspended-sediment concentrations and loading occur, and (2) to identify the most important sources of phosphorus within the reaches of the Carson River where the greatest increases in concentration and loading occur. Total-phosphorus concentrations in surface-water samples collected by USGS in the study area during water years 2001-02 ranged from <0.01 to 1.78 mg/L and dissolved-orthophosphate concentrations ranged from <0.01 to 1.81 mg/L as phosphorus. In streamflow entering Carson Valley from headwater areas in the East Fork Carson River, the majority of samples exceeding the total phosphorus water-quality standard of 0.1 mg/L occur during spring runoff (March, April, and May) when suspended-sediment concentrations are high. Downstream from Carson Valley, almost all samples exceed the water-quality standard, with the greatest concentrations observed during spring and summer months. Estimated annual total-phosphorus loads ranged from 1.33 tons at the West Fork Carson River at Woodfords to 43.41 tons at the Carson River near Carson City during water years 2001-02. Loads are greatest during spring runoff, followed by fall and winter, and least during the summer, which corresponds to the amount of streamflow in the Carson River. The estimated average annual phosphorus load entering Carson Valley was 21.9 tons; whereas, the estimated average annual phosphorus load leaving Carson Valley was 37.8 tons, for an annual gain in load across Carson Valley of 15.9 tons. Thus, about 58 percent of the total-phosphorus load leaving Carson Valley on an annual basis could be attributed to headwater reaches upstream from Carson Valley. During spring and summer (April 1-September 30) an average of 85 percent of the total-phosphorus load leaving Carson Valley could be attributed to headwater reaches. During fall and winter (October 1-March 31) only 17 percent of the phosphorus load leaving Carson Valley could be attributed to headwater reaches. The composition of the phosphorus changes during summer from particulate phosphorus entering Carson Valley to dissolved orthophosphate leaving Carson Valley. Particulate phosphorus entering Carson Valley could be settling out when water is applied to fields and be replaced by dissolved orthophosphate from other sources. Alternatively, the particulate phosphorus could be converted to dissolved orthophosphate as it travels across Carson Valley. Data collected during the study are not sufficient to distinguish between the two possibilities. Eagle Valley and Dayton-Churchill Valleys may act as sinks for phosphorus. On an annual basis, during water years 2001-02, about 90 percent of the phosphorus entering Eagle Valley left the

Ground-water and surface-water flow and estimated water budget for Lake Seminole, southwestern Georgia and northwestern Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dalton, Melinda S.; Aulenbach, Brent T.; Torak, Lynn J.

2004-01-01

Lake Seminole is a 37,600-acre impoundment formed at the confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers along the Georgia?Florida State line. Outflow from Lake Seminole through Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam provides headwater to the Apalachicola River, which is a major supply of freshwater, nutrients, and detritus to ecosystems downstream. These rivers,together with their tributaries, are hydraulically connected to karst limestone units that constitute most of the Upper Floridan aquifer and to a chemically weathered residuum of undifferentiated overburden. The ground-water flow system near Lake Seminole consists of the Upper Floridan aquifer and undifferentiated overburden. The aquifer is confined below by low-permeability sediments of the Lisbon Formation and, generally, is semiconfined above by undifferentiated overburden. Ground-water flow within the Upper Floridan aquifer is unconfined or semiconfined and discharges at discrete points by springflow or diffuse leakage into streams and other surface-water bodies. The high degree of connectivity between the Upper Floridan aquifer and surface-water bodies is limited to the upper Eocene Ocala Limestone and younger units that are in contact with streams in the Lake Seminole area. The impoundment of Lake Seminole inundated natural stream channels and other low-lying areas near streams and raised the water-level altitude of the Upper Floridan aquifer near the lake to nearly that of the lake, about 77 feet. Surface-water inflow from the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and Spring Creek and outflow to the Apalachicola River through Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam dominate the water budget for Lake Seminole. About 81 percent of the total water-budget inflow consists of surface water; about 18 percent is ground water, and the remaining 1 percent is lake precipitation. Similarly, lake outflow consists of about 89 percent surface water, as flow to the Apalachicola River through Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam, about 4 percent ground water, and about 2 percent lake evaporation. Measurement error and uncertainty in flux calculations cause a flow imbalance of about 4 percent between inflow and outflow water-budget components. Most of this error can be attributed to errors in estimating ground-water discharge from the lake, which was calculated using a ground-water model calibrated to October 1986 conditions for the entire Apalachicola?Chattahoochee?Flint River Basin and not just the area around Lake Seminole. Evaporation rates were determined using the preferred, but mathematically complex, energy budget and five empirical equations: Priestley-Taylor, Penman, DeBruin-Keijman, Papadakis, and the Priestley-Taylor used by the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network. Empirical equations require a significant amount of data but are relatively easy to calculate and compare well to long-term average annual (April 2000?March 2001) pan evaporation, which is 65 inches. Calculated annual lake evaporation, for the study period, using the energy-budget method was 67.2 inches, which overestimated long-term average annual pan evaporation by 2.2 inches. The empirical equations did not compare well with the energy-budget method during the 18-month study period, with average differences in computed evaporation using each equation ranging from 8 to 26 percent. The empirical equations also compared poorly with long-term average annual pan evaporation, with average differences in evaporation ranging from 3 to 23 percent. Energy budget and long-term average annual pan evaporation estimates did compare well, with only a 3-percent difference between estimates. Monthly evaporation estimates using all methods ranged from 0.7 to 9.5 inches and were lowest during December 2000 and highest during May 2000. Although the energy budget is generally the preferred method, the dominance of surface water in the Lake Seminole water budget makes the method inaccurate and difficult to use, because surface water makes up m

Small river plumes off the northeastern coast of the Black Sea under average climatic and flooding discharge conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osadchiev, Alexander; Korshenko, Evgeniya

2017-06-01

This study focuses on the impact of discharges of small rivers on the delivery and fate of fluvial water and suspended matter at the northeastern part of the Black Sea under different local precipitation conditions. Several dozens of mountainous rivers flow into the sea at the study region, and most of them, except for several of the largest, have little annual runoff and affect adjacent coastal waters to a limited extent under average climatic conditions. However, the discharges of these small rivers are characterized by a quick response to precipitation events and can significantly increase during and shortly after heavy rains, which are frequent in the considered area. The delivery and fate of fluvial water and terrigenous sediments at the study region, under average climatic and rain-induced flooding conditions, were explored and compared using in situ data, satellite imagery, and numerical modeling. It was shown that the point-source spread of continental discharge dominated by several large rivers under average climatic conditions can change to the line-source discharge from numerous small rivers situated along the coast in response to heavy rains. The intense line-source runoff of water and suspended sediments forms a geostrophic alongshore current of turbid and freshened water, which induces the intense transport of suspended and dissolved constituents discharged with river waters in a northwestern direction. This process significantly influences water quality and causes active sediment load at large segments of the narrow shelf at the northeastern part of the Black Sea compared to average climatic discharge conditions.

Continuous estimation of baseflow in snowmelt-dominated streams and rivers in the Upper Colorado River Basin: A chemical hydrograph separation approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Matthew P.; Susong, David D.; Shope, Christopher L.; Heilweil, Victor M.; Stolp, Bernard J.

2014-01-01

Effective science-based management of water resources in large basins requires a qualitative understanding of hydrologic conditions and quantitative measures of the various components of the water budget, including difficult to measure components such as baseflow discharge to streams. Using widely available discharge and continuously collected specific conductance (SC) data, we adapted and applied a long established chemical hydrograph separation approach to quantify daily and representative annual baseflow discharge at fourteen streams and rivers at large spatial (> 1,000 km2 watersheds) and temporal (up to 37 years) scales in the Upper Colorado River Basin. On average, annual baseflow was 21-58% of annual stream discharge, 13-45% of discharge during snowmelt, and 40-86% of discharge during low-flow conditions. Results suggest that reservoirs may act to store baseflow discharged to the stream during snowmelt and release that baseflow during low-flow conditions, and that irrigation return flows may contribute to increases in fall baseflow in heavily irrigated watersheds. The chemical hydrograph separation approach, and associated conceptual model defined here provide a basis for the identification of land use, management, and climate effects on baseflow.

Fine-grained channel margin (FGCM) deposits conditioned by Large Woody Debris (LWD) in a gravel-bed river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skalak, K. J.; Pizzuto, J. E.

2006-12-01

The purpose of this research is to examine the origin, occurrence, persistence, residence time and general significance of fine-grained channel margin storage in South River, a steep gravel-bedded stream in western Virginia. Fine-grained channel margin (FGCM) deposits in this study refers to specific in-channel deposits of mud and sand. These deposits occur primarily in the margins and near-banks regions of the channel. Fine- grained sediment storage in the near-bank regions is a result of reduced velocity caused by the bank obstructions. Nearly all of these obstructions consist of LWD accumulations in the channel. Storage occurs in four different geomorphic settings: 1) long pooled sections caused by bedrock or old mill dams, 2) the upstream ends of pools in channel margins with LWD accumulations, 3) bank obstructions usually caused by trees, 4) side channel backwaters where flow separates around islands. In approximately 38 km of river, there is 3000 m3 of fine-grained sediment stored in these features. The channel stores approximately 15 percent its total annual suspended load as fine-grained channel margin deposits. Consequently, these features represent a significant component of an annual sediment budget for this river. On average, the FGCM deposits are about 35 cm deep, 20 m long, and 4 m wide. They average 30 percent mud, 68 percent sand, and 2 percent gravel. These deposits have been cored and analyzed for Hg, grain size, loss-on-ignition, and bomb radiocarbon. Results from bomb radiocarbon analysis indicate that these features have an average age of 13 years. High Hg concentrations in fish tissue are an ongoing problem along South River, further motivating detailed study of these deposits.

Spatial and temporal variations of water quality in the Belaya River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fashchevskaia, Tatiana; Motovilov, Yuri

2016-04-01

The aim of this research is to identify the spatiotemporal regularities of the maintenance of nitrogen compounds in the streams of the Belaya River basin. The dynamics of human activities in the catchment and intra and inter-annual changes in the water quality are analyzed for the period 1969-2007 years. The Belaya River is situated in the South Ural region and is one of the biggest tributary in the Volga River basin with catchment area of 142 000 km2. The Belaya River provides drinking water for a lot of settlements, it is used for industrial and agricultural water supply, fishery use, it is also a wastewater receiver for industry and housing and communal services. More than sixty years the diverse economic activities are carried out in the Belaya River basin, the intensity of this activity is characterized by high temporal variability. The leading industries in the region are oil mining, petroleum processing, chemistry and petro chemistry, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, power industry, timber industry. About 50% of the river basin is used for agriculture. Inter-annual dynamics of the nitrogen content in the river waters was identified on the basis of the long-term hydrological monitoring statistics at the 32 sites. It was found that the dynamics of the intensity of economic activities in the Belaya River basin is the cause statistically significant changes in the content of nitrogen compounds of the river network. Statistically homogeneous time intervals have been set for each monitoring site. Within these time intervals there were obtained averaged reliable quantitative estimations of water quality. Calculations showed that from the end of 1980 to 2007 the average long-term content of nutrients in the river waters is reduced in comparison with the previous period: ammonium nitrogen - in 1,6-7,5 times, nitrite nitrogen - 1,9-37,3 times, but the average concentration of nitrate nitrogen is increased in 1,4-6,6 times. Empirical probability distributions of ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen concentrations for various phases of the water regime in all investigated monitoring sites were approximated by Pearson type III curve and the averages of the concentration values for the water regime phases, the coefficient of variation and asymmetry, as well as the values of the concentrations of nitrogen compounds in the range of 1-95% of frequency ware estimated. It was found that by the end of the test period, the average long-term values for nitrogen compounds become smaller MAC in many streams of Belaya River basin that points to the suitability of river water quality for fishery use. However, in some points of river network there may be excess of MAC. Acknowledgements. The work was financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant 15-05-09022)

Organic micropollutants in the Yangtze River: seasonal occurrence and annual loads.

PubMed

Qi, Weixiao; Müller, Beat; Pernet-Coudrier, Benoit; Singer, Heinz; Liu, Huijuan; Qu, Jiuhui; Berg, Michael

2014-02-15

Twenty percent of the water run-off from China's land surface drains into the Yangtze River and carries the sewage of approximately 400 million people out to sea. The lower stretch of the Yangtze therefore offers the opportunity to assess the pollutant discharge of a huge population. To establish a comprehensive assessment of micropollutants, river water samples were collected monthly from May 2009 to June 2010 along a cross-section at the lowermost hydrological station of the Yangtze River not influenced by the tide (Datong Station, Anhui province). Following a prescreening of 268 target compounds, we examined the occurrence, seasonal variation, and annual loads of 117 organic micropollutants, including 51 pesticides, 43 pharmaceuticals, 7 household and industrial chemicals, and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). During the 14-month study, the maximum concentrations of particulate PAHs (1-5 μg/g), pesticides (11-284 ng/L), pharmaceuticals (5-224 ng/L), and household and industrial chemicals (4-430 ng/L) were generally lower than in other Chinese rivers due to the dilution caused of the Yangtze River's average water discharge of approximately 30,000 m(3)/s. The loads of most pesticides, anti-infectives, and PAHs were higher in the wet season compared to the dry season, which was attributed to the increased agricultural application of chemicals in the summer, an elevated water discharge through the sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) as a result of high hydraulic loads and the related lower treatment efficiency, and seasonally increased deposition from the atmosphere and runoff from the catchment. The estimated annual load of PAHs in the river accounted for some 4% of the total emission of PAHs in the whole Yangtze Basin. Furthermore, by using sucralose as a tracer for domestic wastewater, we estimate a daily disposal of approximately 47 million m(3) of sewage into the river, corresponding to 1.8% of its average hydraulic load. In summary, the annual amounts flushed by the Yangtze River into the East China Sea were 2.9×10(6)tons of dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC and POC), 369 tons of PAHs, 98 tons of pesticides, 152 tons of pharmaceuticals, and 273 tons of household and industrial chemicals. While the concentrations seem comparably moderate, the pollutant loads are considerable and pose an increasing burden to the health of the marine coastal ecosystem. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

76 FR 53450 - Northland Power Mississippi River LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-26

... with the power grid. The proposed project would have an average annual generation of 394.0 gigawatt...; (2) the total capacity of the installation would be up to 45,000 kilowatts; (3) shielded underwater...

Occurrence of Organic Compounds and Trace Elements in the Upper Passaic and Elizabeth Rivers and Their Tributaries in New Jersey, July 2003 to February 2004: Phase II of the New Jersey Toxics Reduction Workplan for New York-New Jersey Harbor

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Timothy P.; Bonin, Jennifer L.

2008-01-01

Samples of surface water and suspended sediment were collected from the Passaic and Elizabeth Rivers and their tributaries in New Jersey from July 2003 to February 2004 to determine the concentrations of selected chlorinated organic and inorganic constituents. This sampling and analysis was conducted as Phase II of the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Workplan?Contaminant Assessment and Reduction Program (CARP), which is overseen by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Phase II of the New Jersey Workplan was conducted to define upstream tributary and point sources of contaminants in those rivers sampled during Phase I work, with special emphasis on the Passaic and Elizabeth Rivers. Samples were collected from three groups of tributaries: (1) the Second, Third, and Saddle Rivers; (2) the Pompton and upper Passaic Rivers; and (3) the West Branch and main stem of the Elizabeth River. The Second, Third, and Saddle Rivers were sampled near their confluence with the tidal Passaic River, but at locations not affected by tidal flooding. The Pompton and upper Passaic Rivers were sampled immediately upstream from their confluence at Two Bridges, N.J. The West Branch and the main stem of the Elizabeth River were sampled just upstream from their confluence at Hillside, N.J. All tributaries were sampled during low-flow discharge conditions using the protocols and analytical methods for organic constituents used in low-flow sampling in Phase I. Grab samples of streamflow also were collected at each site and were analyzed for trace elements (mercury, methylmercury, cadmium, and lead) and for suspended sediment, particulate organic carbon, and dissolved organic carbon. The measured concentrations and available historical suspended-sediment and stream-discharge data (where available) were used to estimate average annual loads of suspended sediment and organic compounds in these rivers. Total suspended-sediment loads for 1975?2000 were estimated using rating curves developed from historical U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) suspended-sediment and discharge data, where available. Average annual loads of suspended sediment, in millions of kilograms per year (Mkg/yr), were estimated to be 0.190 for the Second River, 0.23 for the Third River, 1.00 for the Saddle River, 1.76 for the Pompton River, and 7.40 for the upper Passaic River. On the basis of the available discharge records, the upper Passaic River was estimated to provide approximately 60 percent of the water and 80 percent of the total suspended-sediment load at the Passaic River head-of-tide, whereas the Pompton River provided roughly 20 percent of the total suspended-sediment load estimated at the head-of-tide. The combined suspended-sediment loads of the upper Passaic and Pompton Rivers (9.2 Mkg/yr), however, represent only 40 percent of the average annual suspended-sediment load estimated for the head-of-tide (23 Mkg/yr) at Little Falls, N.J. The difference between the combined suspended-sediment loads of the tributaries and the estimated load at Little Falls represents either sediment trapped upriver from the dam at Little Falls, additional inputs of suspended sediment downstream from the tributary confluence, or uncertainty in the suspended-sediment and discharge data that were used. The concentrations of total suspended sediment-bound polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the tributaries to the Passaic River were 194 ng/g (nanograms per gram) in the Second River, 575 ng/g in the Third River, 2,320 ng/g in the Saddle River, 200 ng/g in the Pompton River, and 87 ng/g in the upper Passic River. The dissolved PCB concentrations in the tributaries were 563 pg/L (picograms per liter) in the Second River, 2,510 pg/L in the Third River, 2,270 pg/L in the Saddle River, 887 pg/L in the Pompton River, and 1,000 pg/L in the upper Passaic River. Combined with the sediment loads and discharge, these concentrations resulted in annual loads of suspended sediment-bound PCBs, i

Surface waters of Illinois River basin in Arkansas and Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laine, L.L.

1959-01-01

The estimated runoff from the Illinois River basin of 1,660 square miles has averaged 1,160,000 acre-feet per year during the water years 1938-56, equivalent to an average annual runoff depth of 13.1 inches. About 47 percent of the streamflow is contributed from drainage in Arkansas, where an average of 550,000 acre-ft per year runs off from 755 square miles, 45.5 percent of the total drainage area. The streamflow is highly variable. Twenty-two years of record for Illinois River near Tahlequah, Okla., shows a variation in runoff for the water year 1945 in comparison with 1954 in a ratio of almost 10 to 1. Runoff in 1927 may have exceeded that of 1945, according to records for White River at Beaver, Ark., the drainage basin just east of the Illinois River basin. Variation in daily discharge is suggested by a frequency analysis of low flows at the gaging station near Tahlequah, Okla. The mean flow at that site is 901 cfs (cubic feet per second), the median daily flow is 350 cfs, and the lowest 30-day mean flow in a year probably will be less than 130 cfs half of the time and less than 20 cfs every 10 years on the average. The higher runoff tends to occur in the spring months, March to May, a 3-month period that, on the average, accounts for almost half of the annual flow. High runoff may occur during any month in the year, but in general, the streamflow is the lowest in the summer. The mean monthly flow of Illinois River near Tahlequah, Okla., for September is about 11 percent of that for May. Records show that there is flow throughout the year in Illinois River and its principal tributaries Osage Creek, Flint Creek and Barren Fork. The high variability in streamflow in this region requires the development of storage by impoundment if maximum utilization of the available water supplies is to be attained. For example, a 120-day average low flow of 22 cfs occurred in 1954 at Illinois River near Tahlequah, Okla. To have maintained the flow at 350 cfs, the median daily flow during the 19-year base period, an impoundment at that site would have required a usable storage of 185,000 acre-ft to satisfy this demand during the drought years 1954-1956. The surface waters of the Illinois River basin are excellent quality being suitable for municipal, agriculture and most industrial uses. The average concentration of the dissolved mineral content is about 105 ppm (parts per million) and the hardness about 85 ppm. The water is slightly alkaline, having a range of pH values from 7.2 to 8.0. This report gives the estimated average discharge at gaging stations and approximations of average discharge at the State line for 3 sub-basins during the 19-year period October 1937 to September 1956, used as a base period in this report. Duration-of-flow data for various percentages of the time are shown for the period of observed record at the gaging stations; similar data are estimated for the selected base period. Storage requirements to sustain flow during the recent drought years are given for 3 stations. The streamflow records in the basin are presented on a monthly and annual basis through September 1957; provisional records for 3 stations are included through July 1958 for correlation purposes. Results of discharge measurements are given for miscellaneous sites where low-flow observations have been made. (available as photostat copy only)

Suspended Sediment Loads and Tributary Inputs in the Mississippi River below St. Louis, MO, 1990-2013 Compared With Earlier Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allison, M. A.; Biedenharn, D. S.; Dahl, T. A.; Kleiss, B.; Little, C. D.

2017-12-01

Annual suspended sediment loads and water discharges were calculated in the Mississippi River mainstem channel, and at the most downstream gaging station for major tributaries, from below the Missouri confluence near St. Louis, MO to Belle Chasse, LA, as well as down the Atchafalaya distributary for water years 1990 to 2013. The purpose of the present study was to assess changes in the Mississippi River sediment budget over the past half century, and to examine the continuing role that anthropogenic (e.g., dams, river control works, soil conservation practices) and natural (e.g., rainfall and denudation rates) factors have in controlling these changes. Sixteen of the 17 measured Mississippi River tributaries decreased in total suspended sediment load) from 1970-1978 to 1990-2013. The largest decreases occurred in the 2nd (Ohio River, 41% of 1970-1978) and 4th (Arkansas River, 45% of 1970-1978) largest water sources to the Mississippi. The Missouri River remains the largest Mississippi River tributary in terms of average annual suspended sediment flux; its relative contribution increased from 38% to 51% of the total flux from the 17 measured tributaries, even as its total suspended flux declined by 13%. Averaged over the period of study (WY 1990-2013), water flux increased by 468% and sediment flux increased by 37,418% downstream from the Gavin's Point Dam to the confluence with the Mississippi. Possible reasons for this disproportional increase in suspended sediment load downstream include sediment-rich contributions from 2nd order rivers below the dams and channel incision. Suggested station improvements to the system include improved monitoring of the Upper Mississippi and Arkansas River tributaries, establishing additional mainstem stations in the reach between Thebes, IL and Arkansas City, AR, and standardization of laboratory and field methodologies to eliminate a major source of station-to-station and time-series variability in the sediment budgeting.

Evaluate Status of Pacific Lamprey in the Clearwater River and Salmon River Drainages, Idaho, 2009 Technical Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochnauer, Tim; Claire, Christopher

2009-05-07

Pacific lamprey Lampetra tridentata have received little attention in fishery science until recently, even though abundance has declined significantly along with other anadromous fish species in Idaho. Pacific lamprey in Idaho have to navigate over eight lower Snake River and Columbia River hydroelectric facilities for migration downstream as juveniles to the Pacific Ocean and again as adults migrating upstream to their freshwater spawning grounds in Idaho. The number of adult Pacific lamprey annually entering the Snake River basin at Ice Harbor Dam has declined from an average of over 18,000 during 1962-1969 to fewer than 600 during 1998-2006. Based onmore » potential accessible streams and adult escapement over Lower Granite Dam on the lower Snake River, we estimate that no more than 200 Pacific lamprey adult spawners annually utilize the Clearwater River drainage in Idaho for spawning. We utilized electrofishing in 2000-2006 to capture, enumerate, and obtain biological information regarding rearing Pacific lamprey ammocoetes and macropthalmia to determine the distribution and status of the species in the Clearwater River drainage, Idaho. Present distribution in the Clearwater River drainage is limited to the lower sections of the Lochsa and Selway rivers, the Middle Fork Clearwater River, the mainstem Clearwater River, the South Fork Clearwater River, and the lower 7.5 km of the Red River. In 2006, younger age classes were absent from the Red River.« less

Simulation of streamflow and the effects of brush management on water yields in the upper Guadalupe River watershed, south-central Texas, 1995-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bumgarner, Johnathan R.; Thompson, Florence E.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, developed and calibrated a Soil and Water Assessment Tool watershed model of the upper Guadalupe River watershed in south-central Texas to simulate streamflow and the effects of brush management on water yields in the watershed and to Canyon Lake for 1995-2010. Model simulations were done to quantify the possible change in water yield of individual subbasins in the upper Guadalupe River watershed as a result of the replacement of ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) with grasslands. The simulation results will serve as a tool for resource managers to guide their brush-management efforts. Model hydrology was calibrated with streamflow data collected at the U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging station 08167500 Guadalupe River near Spring Branch, Tex., for 1995-2010. Simulated monthly streamflow showed very good agreement with measured monthly streamflow: a percent bias of -5, a coefficient of determination of 0.91, and a Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of model efficiency of 0.85. Modified land-cover input datasets were generated for the model in order to simulate the replacement of ashe juniper with grasslands in 23 brush-management subbasins in the watershed. Each of the 23 simulations showed an increase in simulated water yields in the targeted subbasins and to Canyon Lake. The simulated increases in average annual water yields in the subbasins ranged from 6,370 to 119,000 gallons per acre of ashe juniper replaced with grasslands with an average of 38,900 gallons. The simulated increases in average annual water yields to Canyon Lake from upstream subbasins ranged from 6,640 to 72,700 gallons per acre of ashe juniper replaced with grasslands with an average of 34,700 gallons.

Water in the Humboldt River Valley near Winnemucca, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cohen, Philip M.

1966-01-01

Most of the work of the interagency Humboldt River Research Project in the Winnemucca reach of the Humboldt River valley has been completed. More than a dozen State and Federal agencies and several private organizations and individuals participated in the study. The major objective of the project, which began in 1959, is to evaluate the water resources of the entire Humboldt River basin. However, because of the large size of the basin, most of the work during the first 5 years of the project was done in the Winnemucca area. The purpose of this report is to summarize briefly and simply the information regarding the water resources of the Winnemucca area-especially the quantitative aspects of the flow system-given in previous reports of the project. The Winnemucca reach of the Humboldt River valley, which is in north-central Nevada, is about 200 miles downstream from the headwaters of the Humboldt River and includes that part of the valley between the Comus and Rose Creek gaging stations. Average annual inflow to the storage area (the valley lowlands) in the Winnemucca reach in water years 1949-62 was about 250,000 acre-feet. Of this amount, about 68 percent was Humboldt River streamflow, as measured at the Comus gaging station, 23 percent was precipitation directly on the storage area, 6 percent was ground-water inflow, and about 3 percent was tributary streamflow. Average annual streamflow at the Rose Creek gaging station during the same period was about 155,000 acre-feet, or about 17,000 acre-feet less than that at the Comus gaging station. Nearly all the streamflow lost was consumed by evapotranspiration in the project area. Total average annual evapotranspiration loss during the period was about 115,000 acre-feet, or about 42 percent of the total average annual outflow. The most abundant ions in the ground and surface water in the area are commonly sodium and bicarbonate. Much of the water has a dissolved-solids content that ranges from 500 to 750 parts per million; however, locally, the dissolved-solids content of the ground water is more than 5,000 parts per million. The chemical quality of the Humboldt River, especially during periods of low flow, reflects the chemical quality of ground-water inflow from tributary areas that discharges into the river. Almost all water in the project area is moderately hard to very hard; otherwise, it is generally suitable for most uses. Increased ground-water development, the conjunctive use of ground and surface water, and increased irrigation efficiency would probably conserve much of the water presently consumed by nonbeneficial evapotranspiration. Intensive ground-water development, especially from the highly permeable medial gravel subunit, will, however, decrease the flow of the Humboldt River to the extent that some pumpage may not be offset by a corresponding decrease in natural evapotranspiration losses. Such streamflow depletions will therefore infringe upon downstream surface-water rights. The results of this study indicate that the Humboldt River and ground water in the unconsolidated deposits beneath and adjacent to the river in the Winnemucca area are closely related. Somewhat similar conditions probably exist elsewhere in the Humboldt River valley. Additional detailed studies are needed-both upstream and downstream from the Winnemucca area-to adequately define the flow system and the interrelations among the components of the system in the remainder of the valley. Before proceeding with additional detailed studies, however, a 1-year overall appraisal of the water resources of the basin should be considered. A major objective of this study would be to provide information that would help select the next subarea of the valley to be studied in detail and to decide which of the methods of study used in the Winnemucca area could be most effectively used in the future studies.

Salmon restoration in the Umatilla River: A study of straying and risk containment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayes, M.C.; Carmichael, R.W.

2002-01-01

The use of artificial propagation may produce unexpected results and the need for risk containment. Stray chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) from Umatilla River releases put the threatened Snake River stock at risk, caused conflict between two plans, altered management, and greatly increased the costs for hatchery-based restoration. Stray Umatilla returns captured or observed in the Snake River averaged more than 200 fish annually and comprised up to 26% of the escapement. The risk to the threatened population stimulated a series of containment actions, including wire tagging 2-3 million fish annually, use of acclimation ponds, altering release locations, flow enhancement, and broodstock management changes. Actions for the use of artificial propagation where straying or unexpected results are a concern include marking or tagging most or all fish, limiting the number of fish initially released, recognizing environmental variables that influence straying, ensuring that funding for risk containment is available when undesirable results occur, and recognizing that unexpected results may not be manifested or identified immediately.

76 FR 53447 - Northland Power Mississippi River LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-26

... with the power grid. The proposed project would have an average annual generation of 1,007.0 gigawatt...; (2) the total capacity of the installation would be up to 115,000 kilowatts; (3) shielded underwater...

Synthesis of monthly and annual streamflow records (water years 1950-2003) for Big Sandy, Clear, Peoples, and Beaver Creeks in the Milk River basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, Charles

2006-01-01

To address concerns expressed by the State of Montana about the apportionment of water in the St. Mary and Milk River basins between Canada and the United States, the International Joint Commission requested information from the United States government about water that originates in the United States but does not cross the border into Canada. In response to this request, the U.S. Geological Survey synthesized monthly and annual streamflow records for Big Sandy, Clear, Peoples, and Beaver Creeks, all of which are in the Milk River basin in Montana, for water years 1950-2003. This report presents the synthesized values of monthly and annual streamflow for Big Sandy, Clear, Peoples, and Beaver Creeks in Montana. Synthesized values were derived from recorded and estimated streamflows. Statistics, including long-term medians and averages and flows for various exceedance probabilities, were computed from the synthesized data. Beaver Creek had the largest median annual discharge (19,490 acre-feet), and Clear Creek had the smallest median annual discharge (6,680 acre-feet). Big Sandy Creek, the stream with the largest drainage area, had the second smallest median annual discharge (9,640 acre-feet), whereas Peoples Creek, the stream with the second smallest drainage area, had the second largest median annual discharge (11,700 acre-feet). The combined median annual discharge for the four streams was 45,400 acre-feet. The largest combined median monthly discharge for the four creeks was 6,930 acre-feet in March, and the smallest combined median monthly discharge was 48 acre-feet in January. The combined median monthly values were substantially smaller than the average monthly values. Overall, synthesized flow records for the four creeks are considered to be reasonable given the prevailing climatic conditions in the region during the 1950-2003 base period. Individual estimates of monthly streamflow may have large errors, however. Linear regression was used to relate logarithms of combined annual streamflow to water years 1950-2003. The results of the regression analysis indicated a significant downward trend (regression line slope was -0.00977) for combined annual streamflow. A regression analysis using data from 1956-2003 indicated a slight, but not significant, downward trend for combined annual streamflow.

The Great Basin Canada goose in southcentral Washington: A 40-year nesting history

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fitzner, R.E.; Rickard, W.H.; Eberhardt, L.E.

1991-04-01

Overall, the nesting population of Great Basin Canada geese (Branta canadensis moffitti) on the Hanford Site in southcentral Washington State is doing well and appears to be increasing. The average annual total nests for the period 1981 through 1990 was 215 nests, which is slightly above the average reported for the period 1950 through 1970. The nesting population has shifted its nucleus from upriver islands (1--10) to the lower river islands (11--20) with over 70% of the present-day nesting occurring on Islands 17, 18, 19, 20. The annual percent-successful nests from 1981 through 1990 was 80%. This is above themore » 71% reported for 1950 to 1970, but is below the 82% reported for 1971 to 1980. Average annual clutch size for 1981 to 1990 was 6.05, which is above the 1971-to-1980 average of 5.6 and the 1950-to-70 average of 5.5. Next desertions for 1981 to 1990 averaged 8%. This rate is well below the 14% reported for 1950 to 1970. Predators were responsible for an annual predation rate of 9% from 1981 to 1990. This is below the 1950-to-1970 annual average predation rate of 14%. Flooding losses to nests were low during the 1980s, except for 1989 and 1990 when 6% and 9% of the total nests, respectively, were destroyed by flooding. 9 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.« less

Low-flow characteristics of streams in South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Feaster, Toby D.; Guimaraes, Wladmir B.

2017-09-22

An ongoing understanding of streamflow characteristics of the rivers and streams in South Carolina is important for the protection and preservation of the State’s water resources. Information concerning the low-flow characteristics of streams is especially important during critical flow periods, such as during the historic droughts that South Carolina has experienced in the past few decades.Between 2008 and 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, updated low-flow statistics at 106 continuous-record streamgages operated by the U.S. Geological Survey for the eight major river basins in South Carolina. The low-flow frequency statistics included the annual minimum 1-, 3-, 7-, 14-, 30-, 60-, and 90-day mean flows with recurrence intervals of 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 years, depending on the length of record available at the streamflow-gaging station. Computations of daily mean flow durations for the 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 75-, 90-, and 95-percent probability of exceedance also were included.This report summarizes the findings from publications generated during the 2008 to 2016 investigations. Trend analyses for the annual minimum 7-day average flows are provided as well as trend assessments of long-term annual precipitation data. Statewide variability in the annual minimum 7-day average flow is assessed at eight long-term (record lengths from 55 to 78 years) streamgages. If previous low-flow statistics were available, comparisons with the updated annual minimum 7-day average flow, having a 10-year recurrence interval, were made. In addition, methods for estimating low-flow statistics at ungaged locations near a gaged location are described.

Changes in the channel-bed level of the western Carpathian rivers over the last 40years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kijowska-Strugała, Małgorzata; Bucała-Hrabia, Anna

2017-04-01

Channel-bed level is constantly changing in time and space, and the process is dependent on both natural and anthropogenic factors. In mountain areas this is one of the more visible morphological processes. The main aim of the research was to analyze the dynamics of the position of river channel beds. Three rivers located within the western part of Polish Carpathians were chosen for the analysis: the Ropa river, the Kamienica Nawojowska river and the Ochotnica river. They are typical rivers for the Beskidy Mountains, medium Flysch mountains. To assess changes in the position of channel bed long-term series of data of minimum water stages in the river were used. The Ropa river is the biggest left tributary of the Wisłoka river (basin a of the upper Vistula River). The total length of the river amounts to 80 km, its gradient equals 58.9‰ and the water basin area amounts to 974 km2. The Kamienica Nawojowska river, with a length of 32.2 km is a right tributary of Dunajec river. The average decrease for the entire watercourse is 18.1‰. The catchment area is 238 km2. The Ochotnica river is 22.7 km long and it is a left tributary of the Dunajec river. The average slope for the entire watercourse is 36.1‰. The Ochotnica river characterized by deep valleys (catchment area 107.6 km2). Analysis of trends in minimum annual water stages in the alluvial Ropa river channel throughout the multi-year period of 1995-2014 shows an increasing trend amounting to 0.8 cm/year. In the Kamienica Nawojowska river the tendency of incision was observed starting from the 1960 to 2014. Average annual rate of increase of the minimum stages was between 0.4 to 1.2 cm/year. On the basis of the analysis of the minimum water levels in the years 1972-2011 two periods can be seen with different tendencies to change the position of the Ochotnica channel bottom. The first covers the years 1972-1996, where aggradation (3.9 cm/year) was the predominant process while in the period 1997-2011 incision (3.2 cm/year) was dominated. Two main factors determine changes in the position of the rivers channel beds: natural (floods, tributaries, type of the channel bed substrate) and anthropogenic (control works in the channel, extraction gravels, reservoir backwater. The deep erosion observed in the Carpathians rivers in the last decade is also associated with changes in land use that have increased due to the economic transformation of the country, and in recent years, the Polish accession to the EU.

Response of Colorado river runoff to dust radiative forcing in snow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Painter, T.H.; Deems, J.S.; Belnap, J.; Hamlet, A.F.; Landry, C.C.; Udall, B.

2010-01-01

The waters of the Colorado River serve 27 million people in seven states and two countries but are overallocated by more than 10% of the river's historical mean. Climate models project runoff losses of 7-20% from the basin in this century due to human-induced climate change. Recent work has shown however that by the late 1800s, decades prior to allocation of the river's runoff in the 1920s, a fivefold increase in dust loading from anthropogenically disturbed soils in the southwest United States was already decreasing snow albedo and shortening the duration of snow cover by several weeks. The degree to which this increase in radiative forcing by dust in snow has affected timing and magnitude of runoff from the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) is unknown. Hereweuse the Variable Infiltration Capacity model with postdisturbance and predisturbance impacts of dust on albedo to estimate the impact on runoff from the UCRB across 1916-2003. We find that peak runoff at Lees Ferry, Arizona has occurred on average 3 wk earlier under heavier dust loading and that increases in evapotranspiration from earlier exposure of vegetation and soils decreases annual runoff by more than 1.0 billion cubic meters or ???5% of the annual average. The potential to reduce dust loading through surface stabilization in the deserts and restore more persistent snow cover, slow runoff, and increase water resources in the UCRB may represent an important mitigation opportunity to reduce system management tensions and regional impacts of climate change.

Assessing climate change impacts on fresh water resources of the Athabasca River Basin, Canada.

PubMed

Shrestha, Narayan Kumar; Du, Xinzhong; Wang, Junye

2017-12-01

Proper management of blue and green water resources is important for the sustainability of ecosystems and for the socio-economic development of river basins such as the Athabasca River Basin (ARB) in Canada. For this reason, quantifying climate change impacts on these water resources at a finer temporal and spatial scale is often necessary. In this study, we used a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to assess climate change impacts on fresh water resources, focusing explicitly on the impacts to both blue and green water. We used future climate data generated by the Canadian Center for Climate Modelling and Analysis Regional Climate Model (CanRCM4) with a spatial resolution of 0.22°×0.22° (~25km) for two emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 8.5). Results projected the climate of the ARB to be wetter by 21-34% and warmer by 2-5.4°C on an annual time scale. Consequently, the annual average blue and green water flow was projected to increase by 16-54% and 11-34%, respectively, depending on the region, future period, and emission scenario. Furthermore, the annual average green water storage at the boreal region was expected to increase by 30%, while the storage was projected to remain fairly stable or decrease in other regions, especially during the summer season. On average, the fresh water resources in the ARB are likely to increase in the future. However, evidence of temporal and spatial heterogeneity could pose many future challenges to water resource planners and managers. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A method of estimating in-stream residence time of water in rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worrall, F.; Howden, N. J. K.; Burt, T. P.

2014-05-01

This study develops a method for estimating the average in-stream residence time of water in a river channel and across large catchments, i.e. the time between water entering a river and reaching a downstream monitoring point. The methodology uses river flow gauging data to integrate Manning's equation along a length of channel for different percentile flows. The method was developed and tested for the River Tees in northern England and then applied across the United Kingdom (UK). The study developed methods to predict channel width and main channel length from catchment area. For an 818 km2 catchment with a channel length of 79 km, the in-stream residence time at the 50% exceedence flow was 13.8 h. The method was applied to nine UK river basins and the results showed that in-stream residence time was related to the average slope of a basin and its average annual rainfall. For the UK as a whole, the discharge-weighted in-stream residence time was 26.7 h for the median flow. At median flow, 50% of the discharge-weighted in-stream residence time was due to only 6 out of the 323 catchments considered. Since only a few large rivers dominate the in-stream residence time, these rivers will dominate key biogeochemical processes controlling export at the national scale. The implications of the results for biogeochemistry, especially the turnover of carbon in rivers, are discussed.

Herbicide concentrations in and loads transported by the Conestoga River and Pequea Creek, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1992-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reed, Lloyd A.; Koerkle, Edward H.; Takita, Charles S.

1997-01-01

Water samples were collected from four streams in Lancaster County from 1992 through 1995 and analyzed for selected herbicides. Samples were collected from the Little Conestoga Creek near Churchtown, Mill Creek (a tributary to the Conestoga River) at Elshelman Mill Road near Lyndon, the Conestoga River at Conestoga, and Pequea Creek at Martic Forge. Most samples were collected from stormflow that occurred during the growing season. Samples were analyzed for alachlor, aldrin, atrazine, chlordane, cyanazine, dieldrin, malathion, metolachlor, propazine, simazine, and toxaphene. Most samples had detectable concentrations of alachlor, atrazine, metolachlor, and simazine, and the loads of these constituents that were transported during each of the 4 years were computed.Of the samples collected from each of the streams—Little Conestoga Creek, Mill Creek, Conestoga River, and Pequea Creek—10, 12, 15, and 18 percent, respectively, had atrazine concentrations greater than 3.0 micrograms per liter, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level. Loads of atrazine, metolochlor, and simazine were greater than loads of any other herbicides. The largest loads were transported during 1994. Loads of atrazine transported by the four streams during periods of storm- flow from May to September 1994 totaled 3.46, 28.3, 263, and 46.8 pounds, respectively. The total loads of atrazine transported by the four streams?Little Conestoga Creek, Mill Creek, Conestoga River, and Pequea Creek—during calendar year 1994 were 6.48, 54.1, 498, and 102 pounds, respectively. A little less than half the atrazine load transported by each stream—45, 39, 42, and 42 percent, respectively—was transported during storms that occurred from May through September.Average annual yields of atrazine for the period 1992-95 were 0.59, 0.64, 0.68, and 0.51 pounds per square mile from the Little Conestoga Creek, Mill Creek, Conestoga River, and Pequea Creek, respectively. Average annual yields of simazine were 0.36, 1.2, 0.54, and 0.48 pounds per square mile, respectively, and average annual yields of metolachlor were 0.46, 0.49, 0.54, and 0.31 pounds per square mile, respectively. Less than 1 percent of both the atrazine and metolachlor that was applied to all basins was transported by streamflow.

Occurrence and distribution of dissolved solids, selenium, and uranium in groundwater and surface water in the Arkansas River Basin from the headwaters to Coolidge, Kansas, 1970-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Lisa D.; Watts, Kenneth R.; Ortiz, Roderick F.; ,

2010-01-01

In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with City of Aurora, Colorado Springs Utilities, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, Pueblo Board of Water Works, Southeastern Colorado Water Activity Enterprise, Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, and Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District began a retrospective evaluation to characterize the occurrence and distribution of dissolved-solids (DS), selenium, and uranium concentrations in groundwater and surface water in the Arkansas River Basin based on available water-quality data collected by several agencies. This report summarizes and characterizes available DS, dissolved-selenium, and dissolved-uranium concentrations in groundwater and surface water for 1970-2009 and describes DS, dissolved-selenium, and dissolved-uranium loads in surface water along the main-stem Arkansas River and selected tributary and diversion sites from the headwaters near Leadville, Colorado, to the USGS 07137500 Arkansas River near Coolidge, Kansas (Ark Coolidge), streamgage, a drainage area of 25,410 square miles. Dissolved-solids concentrations varied spatially in groundwater and surface water in the Arkansas River Basin. Dissolved-solids concentrations in groundwater from Quaternary alluvial, glacial drift, and wind-laid deposits (HSU 1) increased downgradient with median values of about 220 mg/L in the Upper Arkansas subbasin (Arkansas River Basin from the headwaters to Pueblo Reservoir) to about 3,400 mg/L in the Lower Arkansas subbasin (Arkansas River Basin from John Martin Reservoir to Ark Coolidge). Dissolved-solids concentrations in the Arkansas River also increased substantially in the downstream direction between the USGS 07086000 Arkansas River at Granite, Colorado (Ark Granite), and Ark Coolidge streamgages. Based on periodic data collected from 1976-2007, median DS concentrations in the Arkansas River ranged from about 64 mg/L at Ark Granite to about 4,060 mg/L at Ark Coolidge representing over a 6,000 percent increase in median DS concentrations. Temporal variations in specific conductance values (which are directly related to DS concentrations) and seasonal variations in DS concentrations and loads were investigated at selected sites in the Arkansas River from Ark Granite to Ark Coolidge. Analyses indicated that, for the most part, specific conductance values (surrogate for DS concentrations) have remained relatively constant or have decreased in the Arkansas River since about 1970. Dissolved-solids concentrations in the Arkansas River were higher during the nonirrigation season (November-February) than during the irrigation season (March-October). Average annual DS loads, however, were higher during the irrigation season than during the nonirrigation season. Average annual DS loads during the irrigation season were at least two times and as much as 23 times higher than average annual DS loads during the nonirrigation season with the largest differences occurring at sites located downstream from the two main-stem reservoirs at USGS 07099400 Arkansas River above Pueblo, Colorado (Ark Pueblo), (which is below Pueblo Reservoir) and USGS 07130500 Arkansas River below John Martin Reservoir, Colorado (Ark below JMR). View report for unabridged abstract.

Water resources inventory of Connecticut Part 1: Quinebaug River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Randall, Allan D.; Thomas, Mendall P.; Thomas, Chester E.; Baker, John A.

1966-01-01

The Quinebaug River basin is blessed with a relatively abundant supply of water of generally good quality which is derived from precipitation that has fallen on the basin. Annual precipitation has ranged from about 30 to 67 inches and has averaged about 45 inches over a 44-year period. Approximately 21 inches of water are returned to the atmosphere each year by evaporation and transpiration; the remainder of the annual precipitation either flows overland to streams or percolates downward to the water table and ultimately flows out of the basin in the Quinebaug River. During the autumn and winter months precipitation normally is sufficient to cause a substantial increase in the amount of water stored underground and in surface reservoirs within the basin, whereas in the summer most of the precipitation is lost through evaporation and transpiration, resulting in sharply reduced streamflow and lowered ground-water levels.

White sturgeon mitigation and restoration in the Columbia and Snake rivers upstream from Bonneville Dam, Annual Progress Report April 2005 - March 2006. Report C.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsley, M.J.; Kofoot, P.

2007-01-01

River discharge and water temperatures that occurred during April through July 2005 provided conditions suitable for spawning by white sturgeon downstream from Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day, and McNary dams. Optimal spawning temperatures in the four tailraces occurred for 3-4 weeks and coincided with the peak of the river hydrograph. However, the peak of the hydrograph occurred in mid May and discharges dropped quickly and water temperature rose during June, which is reflected in the monthly and annual indices of suitable spawning habitat. Indices of available spawning habitat for the month of June 2005 were less than one-half of the average of the period from 1985-2004. Bottom-trawl sampling in the Bonneville Reservoir revealed the presence of young-of-the-year (YOY) white sturgeon but the proportion of positive tows was quite low at 0.06.

Spatial distribution and output characteristics of nonpoint source pollution in the Dongjiang River basin in south China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rong, Q. Q.; Su, M. R.; Yang, Z. F.; Cai, Y. P.; Yue, W. C.; Dang, Z.

2018-02-01

In this research, the Dongjiang River basin was taken as the study area to analyze the spatial distribution and output characteristics of nonpoint source pollution, based on the export coefficient model. The results showed that the annual total nitrogen and phosphorus (i.e. TN and TP) loads from the Dongjiang River basin were 67916114.6 and 7215279.707 kg, respectively. Residents, forestland and pig were the main contributors for the TN load in the Dongjiang River basin, while residents, forestland and rainfed croplands were the three largest contributors for the TP load. The NPS pollution had a significant spatial variation in this area. The pollution loads overall decreased from the northeast to the southwest part of the basin. Also, the pollution loads from the gentle slope area were larger than those from steep slope areas. Among the ten tributary watersheds in the Dongjiang River basin, the TN and TP loads from the Hanxi River watershed were the largest. On the contrary, the Gongzhuang River watershed contributed least to the total pollution loads of the Dongjiang River basin. For the average pollution load intensities, Hanxi River watershed was still the largest. However, the smallest average TN and TP load intensities were in the Xinfeng River watershed.

Changes in flow in the Beaver-North Canadian River basin upstream from Canton Lake, western Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wahl, Kenneth L.; Tortorelli, Robert L.

1997-01-01

This report presents the results of an evaluation of hydrologic data for the Beaver-North Canadian River basin upstream from Canton Lake in western Oklahoma. It examines the climatic and hydrologic data for evidence of trends. The hydrologic data examined includes total annual flow, base flow, and annual peak discharges. This study was conducted to determine if there is evidence of trends present in hydrologic and climatic data. All available streamflow-gaging station data, with at least 10 or more years of record, were examined for trends. In addition, the data were divided into an 'early' period (ending in 1971), representing conditions before ground-water levels had declined appreciably, and a 'recent' period (1978-1994), reflecting the condition of declining ground-water levels, including the effects of storage reservoirs. Tests for trend, moving averages, and comparisons of median and average flows for an early period (ending in 1971) with those for the recent period (1978-1994) show that the total annual volume of flow and the magnitudes of instantaneous annual peak discharges measured at most gaging stations in the Beaver- North Canadian River basin have decreased in recent years. Precipitation records for the panhandle, however, show no corresponding changes. The changes in flow are most pronounced in the headwaters upstream from Woodward, but also are evident at Woodward and near Seiling, which represents the inflow to Canton Lake. The average annual discharge decreased between the early period and the recent period by the following amounts: near Guymon, 18,000 acre-feet; at Beaver, 68,000 acre-feet; at Woodward, 72,000 acre-feet; and near Seiling, 63,000 acre-feet. These decreases, expressed as a percentage of the average flows for the early period, were 91 percent near Guymon, 82 percent at Beaver, 49 percent at Woodward, and 37 percent near Seiling. The medians of the annual peak discharges decreased from the early period to the recent period by the following amounts: near Guymon, 98 percent; at Beaver, 86 percent; at Woodward, 80 percent; and near Seiling, 53 percent. The Guymon gage is not affected by reservoirs; the other three mainstem gaging stations are influenced by reservoirs, but the decreases in annual peak discharges are greater than can be explained by storage in those reservoirs. Base flows have undergone substantial change, but unlike the annual volumes the base flows show some increases and some decreases. Flow duration analyses show a shift in the distribution of annual flows. Less contribution is coming from large floods that formerly added substantially to the yearly average flows. Near Seiling, for example, the magnitudes of the large flows that occur less than about 20 percent of the time were greatly reduced in the recent period. A primary mechanism producing these decreased streamflows appears to be the depletion of ground water in the High Plains aquifer that underlies more than 90 percent of the basin. Changes in farming and conservation practices and in water use also may be having an effect.

Sediment characteristics of small streams in southern Wisconsin, 1954-59

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collier, Charles R.

1963-01-01

The results of investigations of the sediment and water discharge characteristics of Black Earth Creek, Mount Vernon Creek, and Yellowstone River from 1954 to 1959 and Dell Creek for 1958 and 1959 indicate large differences in annual runoff and sediment yields. The suspended-sediment discharge of Black Earth Creek averaged 3,260 tons per year or 71 tons per square mile : the annual yields ranged from 27 to 102 tons per square mile. The annual suspended-sediment yield of Mount Vernon Creek ranged from 48 to 171 tons per square mile and averaged 96 tons per square mile. The maximum daily discharge was 1,120 tons on April 1, 1960, during a storm which produced 67 percent of the suspended load for that water year and exceeded the discharge for the preceding 3 years. The sediment discharge of the Yellowstone River averaged 6,870 tons per year or 236 tons per square riffle. The maximum daily sediment discharge, 3,750 tons on April 1, 1959, occurred during a 14-day period of high flow during which the sediment discharge was 15,480 tons. In 1958 and 1959, Dell Creek had suspended-sediment yields of 4.7 and 26 tons per square mile of drainage area. The suspended sediment transported by Black Earth and Mount Vernon Creeks is about two-thirds clay and one-third silt. For Yellowstone River the particle-size distribution of the suspended sediment ranged from three-fourths clay and one-fourth silt during periods of low sediment discharge to one-third clay and two-thirds silt during high sediment discharges. For Dell Creek nearly all of the suspended sediment is clay, but the bed load is sand. The mean sediment concentration of storm runoff averaged two to three times more in the summer than in the winter. No significant changes with time occurred in the relation between storm runoff and sediment yield.

The twenty-first century Colorado River hot drought and implications for the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udall, Bradley; Overpeck, Jonathan

2017-03-01

Between 2000 and 2014, annual Colorado River flows averaged 19% below the 1906-1999 average, the worst 15-year drought on record. At least one-sixth to one-half (average at one-third) of this loss is due to unprecedented temperatures (0.9°C above the 1906-1999 average), confirming model-based analysis that continued warming will likely further reduce flows. Whereas it is virtually certain that warming will continue with additional emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, there has been no observed trend toward greater precipitation in the Colorado Basin, nor are climate models in agreement that there should be a trend. Moreover, there is a significant risk of decadal and multidecadal drought in the coming century, indicating that any increase in mean precipitation will likely be offset during periods of prolonged drought. Recently published estimates of Colorado River flow sensitivity to temperature combined with a large number of recent climate model-based temperature projections indicate that continued business-as-usual warming will drive temperature-induced declines in river flow, conservatively -20% by midcentury and -35% by end-century, with support for losses exceeding -30% at midcentury and -55% at end-century. Precipitation increases may moderate these declines somewhat, but to date no such increases are evident and there is no model agreement on future precipitation changes. These results, combined with the increasing likelihood of prolonged drought in the river basin, suggest that future climate change impacts on the Colorado River flows will be much more serious than currently assumed, especially if substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions do not occur.