Compliance Monitoring of Yearling Chinook Salmon and Juvenile Steelhead Survival and Passage at John Day Dam, Spring 2011

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

Skalski, J. R.; Townsend, Richard L.; Seaburg, Adam

2012-02-01

The study was designed to estimate dam passage survival at John Day Dam as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) and to provide additional fish passage performance measures at that site as stipulated in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords.

Compliance Monitoring of Yearling Chinook Salmon and Juvenile Steelhead Survival and Passage at John Day Dam, Spring 2011

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

Skalski, J. R.; Townsend, Richard L.; Seaburg, Adam

The study was designed to estimate dam passage survival at John Day Dam as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) and to provide additional fish passage performance measures at that site as stipulated in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords.

John Day Watershed Restoration Projects, annual report 2003.

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

Brown, Linda

The John Day is the nation's second longest free-flowing river in the contiguous United States and the longest containing entirely unsupplemented runs of anadromous fish. Located in eastern Oregon, the basin drains over 8,000 square miles, Oregon's fourth largest drainage basin, and incorporates portions of eleven counties. Originating in the Strawberry Mountains near Prairie City, the John Day River flows 284 miles in a northwesterly direction, entering the Columbia River approximately four miles upstream of the John Day dam. With wild runs of spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead, westslope cutthroat, and redband and bull trout, the John Day systemmore » is truly a basin with national significance. The majority of the John Day basin was ceded to the Federal government in 1855 by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon (Tribes). In 1997, the Tribes established an office in the basin to coordinate restoration projects, monitoring, planning and other watershed activities on private and public lands. Once established, the John Day Basin Office (JDBO) formed a partnership with the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District (GSWCD), which contracts the majority of the construction implementation activities for these projects from the JDBO. The GSWCD completes the landowner contact, preliminary planning, engineering design, permitting, construction contracting, and construction implementation phases of most projects. The JDBO completes the planning, grant solicitation/defense, environmental compliance, administrative contracting, monitoring, and reporting portion of the program. Most phases of project planning, implementation, and monitoring are coordinated with the private landowners and basin agencies, such as the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Water Resources Department. In 2003, the JDBO and GSWCD proposed continuation of their successful partnership between the two agencies and basin landowners to implement an additional twelve (12) watershed conservation projects. The types of projects include off channel water developments, juniper control, permanent diversions, pump stations, and return-flow cooling systems. Due to funding issues and delays, permitting delays, fire closures and landowner contracting problems, 2 projects were canceled and 7 projects were rescheduled to the 2004 construction season. Project costs in 2003 totaled $115,554.00 with a total amount of $64,981.00 (56%) provided by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the remainder coming from other sources such as the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Partners in Wildlife Program and individual landowners.« less

Waterfowl migration on Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges 1953-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gilmer, David S.; Yee, Julie L.; Mauser, David M.; Hainline, James M.

2004-01-01

The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) complex, located in northeastern California and southern Oregon, is situated on a major Pacific Flyway migration corridor connecting waterfowl breeding grounds in the north with major wintering grounds in California and Mexico. The complex comprises five waterfowl refuges including Lower Klamath NWR, Tule Lake NWR, Upper Klamath NWR, Klamath Marsh NWR, and Clear Lake NWR, and one bald eagle refuge, Bear Valley NWR. Lower Klamath and Tule Lake NWRs are the largest refuges in the complex; historically, they supported some of the greatest autumn and spring concentrations of migrating waterfowl in North America. Starting in 1953, standardized waterfowl surveys from small aircraft have been conducted in autumn through spring. This report summarizes waterfowl migration activity (i.e., abundance, species composition, distribution on refuges, and chronology) over four time periods—the long-term (1953-2001), early (1953-76), recent (1977-2001), and the most recent (1998-2001)—to describe changing patterns of migration on Klamath Basin refuges from autumn 1953 to spring 2001.Over the long term, waterfowl abundance (birds per day) on the refuge complex averaged about 1.0 million in autumn and about 360,000 in spring. A record peak count of 5.8 million waterfowl was recorded September 24-25, 1958. Average abundance of autumn staging waterfowl for the refuge complex, after reaching record levels in the 1950s and early 1960s, began a decline that lasted until the 1980s. A gradual recovery occurred during the 1990s, but autumn abundance has not recovered to pre-1970 levels. In contrast to autumn, average spring abundance was generally lower in the early decades but has gradually increased through the 1990s, particularly on Lower Klamath NWR.Dabbling ducks represented an average of 68% of all waterfowl in autumn and 55% in spring for the long term. Northern pintail (Anas acuta) was dominant, representing 62% of all dabblers in autumn and 51% in spring. A significant decline in pintail abundance starting in the late 1950s altered waterfowl composition on Klamath Basin refuges. As pintail declined, other species such as mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and green-winged teal (Anas crecca) increased in abundance. Although Arctic nesting geese, including white-fronted (Anser albifrons), cackling Canada (Branta canadensis minima), white geese (lesser snow [Chen caerulescens caerulescens], and Ross’s [Chen rossii]) have become less prominent in recent decades, they reached an historically high abundance during autumn in the 1960s and 1970s, particularly on Tule Lake NWR.Tule Lake NWR supported the highest average autumn waterfowl populations until surpassed by Lower Klamath NWR around 1980. During the recent period (1977-2001), Lower Klamath NWR accounted for 60% of all waterfowl using the refuge complex in autumn and 61% in spring. Habitat diversity and wetland productivity contributed to its greater waterfowl abundance. Tule Lake NWR supported the most geese over the long term, 79% in autumn and 66% in spring; however, total waterfowl abundance on this refuge in autumn has been in decline, likely because of reduced diversity and productivity of sumps in the refuge. Upper Klamath, Klamath Marsh, and Clear Lake NWRs accounted for less than 8% of total waterfowl use in autumn and spring but provided diverse habitats for migrants.Waterfowl use-days on Klamath Basin refuges typically peaked in mid-autumn, decreased as migrants passed through the basin, and then reached a lesser peak during spring passage. Waterfowl abundance reached a pronounced peak in autumn during the early period (1953-76), but spring peak buildup was much less pronounced. For the recent period the autumn peak was more subdued.Waterfowl abundance, species composition, and distribution on Klamath Basin refuges have fluctuated over the decades and have been influenced by events such as productivity on breeding grounds and habitat conditions on wintering grounds that cause shifts in migration patterns. A major challenge for the future appears to be the availability of adequate water for wetland management on Klamath Basin refuges.

Water Quality Outlet Works Prototype Tests, Warm Springs Dam Dry Creek, Russian River Basin Sonoma County, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

34.4* TECHNICAL REPORT HL-89-4 WATER QUALITY OUTLET WORKS PROTOTYPE TESTS, WARM SPRINGS DAM DRY CREEK, RUSSIAN RIVER BASIN AD-A207 058 SONOMA COUNTY , CALIFORNIA...Clawflcation) [7 Water Quality Outlet Works Prototype Tests, Warm Springs Dam, Dry Creek, Russian River Basin, Sonoma County , California 12. PERSONAL...Cointogobvil Be,,pesso Figur 1. iciniyama Pealm WATER QUALITY OUTLET WORKS PROTOTYPE TESTS WARM SPRINGS DAM, DRY CREEK, RUSSIAN RIVER BASIN SONOMA COUNTY , CALIFORNIA

78 FR 6832 - Call for Nominations for the John Day-Snake Resource Advisory Council, Oregon/Washington

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-31

... advice and recommendations to the BLM on land use planning and management of the National System of... System sites like the Spring Basin and Badlands Wilderness Areas as well as the Lower Deschutes and John...

Escapement and Productivity of Spring Chinook and Summer Steelhead in the John Day River Basin, Technical Report 2004-2005.

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

Wilson, Wayne

The objectives are: (1) Estimate number and distribution of spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha redds and spawners in the John Day River subbasin; and (2) Estimate smolt-to-adult survival rates (SAR) and out-migrant abundance for spring Chinook and summer steelhead O. mykiss and life history characteristics of summer steelhead. Spawning ground surveys for spring (stream-type) Chinook salmon were conducted in four main spawning areas (Mainstem, Middle Fork, North Fork, and Granite Creek System) and seven minor spawning areas (South Fork, Camas Creek, Desolation Creek, Trail Creek, Deardorff Creek, Clear Creek, and Big Creek) in the John Day River basin during Augustmore » and September of 2005. Census surveys included 298.2 river kilometers (88.2 rkm within index, 192.4 rkm additional within census, and 17.6 rkm within random survey areas) of spawning habitat. We observed 902 redds and 701 carcasses including 227 redds in the Mainstem, 178 redds in the Middle Fork, 420 redds in the North Fork, 62 redds in the Granite Creek System, and 15 redds in Desolation Creek. Age composition of carcasses sampled for the entire basin was 1.6% age 3, 91.2% age 4, and 7.1% age 5. The sex ratio was 57.4% female and 42.6% male. Significantly more females than males were observed in the Granite Creek System. During 2005, 82.3% of female carcasses sampled had released all of their eggs. Significantly more pre-spawn mortalities were observed in Granite Creek. Nine (1.3%) of 701 carcasses were of hatchery origin. Of 298 carcasses examined, 4.0% were positive for the presence of lesions. A significantly higher incidence of gill lesions was found in the Granite Creek System when compared to the rest of the basin. Of 114 kidney samples tested, two (1.8%) had clinical BKD levels. Both infected fish were age-4 females in the Middle Fork. All samples tested for IHNV were negative. To estimate spring Chinook and summer steelhead smolt-to-adult survival (SAR) we PIT tagged 5,138 juvenile Chinook and 4,913 steelhead during the spring of 2005. We estimated that 130,144 (95% CL's 97,133-168,409) Chinook emigrated from the upper John Day subbasin past our seining area in the Mainstem John Day River (river kilometers 274-296) between February 4 and June 16, 2005. We also estimated that 32,601 (95% CL's 29,651 and 36,264) Chinook and 47,921 (95% CL's 35,025 and 67,366) steelhead migrated past our Mainstem rotary screw trap at river kilometer (rkm) 326 between October 4, 2004 and July 6, 2005. We estimated that 20,193 (95% CL's 17,699 and 22,983) Chinook and 28,980 (95% CL's 19,914 and 43,705) steelhead migrated past our Middle Fork trap (rkm 24) between October 6, 2004 and June 17, 2005. Seventy three percent of PIT tagged steelhead migrants were age-2 fish, 13.8% were age-3, 12.7% were age-2, and 0.3% were age 4. Spring Chinook SAR for the 2002 brood year was estimated at 2.5% (100 returns of 4,000 PIT tagged smolts). Preliminary steelhead SAR (excluding 2-ocean fish) for the 2004 tagging year was estimated at 1.61% (60 returns of 3,732 PIT-tagged migrants).« less

Results of weekly chemical and isotopic monitoring of selected springs in Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park during June-September, 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fournier, R.O.; Weltman, U.; Counce, D.; White, L.D.; Janik, C.J.

2002-01-01

Each year at Norris Geyser Basin, generally in August or September, a widespread hydrothermal 'disturbance' occurs that is characterized by simultaneous changes in the discharge characteristics of many springs, particularly in the Back Basin. During the summer season of 1995, water samples from eight widely distributed hot springs and geysers at Norris were collected each week and analyzed to determine whether chemical and isotopic changes also occurred in the thermal waters at the time of the disturbance. In addition, Beryl Spring in Gibbon Canyon, 5.8 km southwest of Norris Geyser Basin, was included in the monitoring program. Waters discharged by four of the monitored hot springs and geysers appear to issue from relatively deep reservoirs where temperatures are at least 270 C and possibly higher than 300 C. At the time of, and for several days after, the onset of the 1995 disturbance, the normally neutral-chloride waters discharged by these four features all picked up an acid-sulfate component and became isotopically heavier. The acid-sulfate component appears to be similar in composition to some waters discharged in 100 Spring Plain that issue from subsurface regions where temperatures are in the range 170-210 C. However, the two monitored springs that discharge acid-chloride-sulfate waters in the 100 Spring Plain region did not show any significant chemical or isotopic response to the annual disturbance. Beryl Spring, and two neutral-chloride hot springs at Norris that appear to draw their water from reservoirs where temperatures are 250 C or less, also did not show any significant chemical or isotopic response to the annual disturbance. After the start of the annual disturbance, chloride concentrations in water sampled from Double Bulger Geyser in the Back Basin increased from about 800 ppm to about 1500 ppm, nearly twice as high as any previously reported chloride concentration in a thermal water at Yellowstone. The isotopic composition of that water precludes an origin of the high chloride by evaporation at atmospheric pressure. One way to account for the unique chemical and isotopic composition of this highly concentrated wateris by recirculation of water that had gone through one cycle of adiabatic cooling during upflow (decompressional boiling) back down into the hydrothermal system, where it is reheated to greater than 220 C. This previously boiled water then undergoes additional cycles of decompressional boiling during subsequent upflow. Another way the unique chemical and isotopic composition of Double Bulger water might evolve is by excess boiling in the formation that results from a decrease in fluid pressure within the channels of upflow. The annual disturbance at Norris Geyser Basin generally appears to be triggered by a cyclic up and down movement of the boilingpoint curve within the hydrothermal system in response to changes in the potentiometric surface of the cold water that is adjacent to, and interconnected with, that hydrothermal system. Annual disturbance phenomena that are easily recognized at Norris Geyser Basin may not be easily recognized elsewhere in Yellowstone National Park because (1) the neutral-chloride waters at Norris ascend directly from higher-temperature and higherpressure reservoirs (270 to >300 C at Norris compared to 180-215C at Upper and Lower Geyser Basins) that are capable of producing massive amounts of high-pressure steam, and (2) the clay that makes hot spring and geyser waters become turbid at Norris, heralding the start of the disturbance, comes from acid altered rocks that are widely distributed at intermediate depths at Norris, and that are rare in other geyser basins.

Foraging habitat for shorebirds in southeastern Missouri and its predicted future availability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twedt, Daniel J.

2013-01-01

Water management to protect agriculture in alluvial floodplains often conflicts with wildlife use of seasonal floodwater. Such is the case along the Mississippi River in southeastern Missouri where migrating shorebirds forage in shallow-flooded fields. I estimated the current availability of habitat for foraging shorebirds within the New Madrid and St. Johns Basins based on daily river elevations (1943–2009), under assumptions that shorebirds forage in open habitat with water depth <15 cm and use mudflats for 3 days after exposure. The area of shorebird foraging habitat, based on replicated 50-year random samples, averaged 975 ha per day during spring and 33 ha per day during fall. Adjustments to account for habitat quality associated with different water depths, duration of mudflat exposure, intra-seasonal availability, and state of agricultural crops, indicated the equivalent of 494 ha daily of optimal habitat during spring and 11 ha during fall. Proposed levees and pumps to protect cropland would reduce shorebird foraging habitat by 80 %: to 211 ha (108 optimal ha) per day during spring and 9 ha (<3 optimal ha) per day during fall. Alternative water management that allows natural flooding below a prescribed elevation would retain nearly all existing shorebird foraging habitat during fall and about 60 % of extant habitat during spring.

Historical trends and extremes in boreal Alaska river basins

DOE PAGES

Bennett, Katrina E.; Cannon, Alex J.; Hinzman, Larry

2015-05-12

Climate change will shift the frequency, intensity, duration and persistence of extreme hydroclimate events and have particularly disastrous consequences in vulnerable systems such as the warm permafrost-dominated Interior region of boreal Alaska. This work focuses on recent research results from nonparametric trends and nonstationary generalized extreme value (GEV) analyses at eight Interior Alaskan river basins for the past 50/60 years (1954/64–2013). Trends analysis of maximum and minimum streamflow indicates a strong (>+50%) and statistically significant increase in 11-day flow events during the late fall/winter and during the snowmelt period (late April/mid-May), followed by a significant decrease in the 11-day flowmore » events during the post-snowmelt period (late May and into the summer). The April–May–June seasonal trends show significant decreases in maximum streamflow for snowmelt dominated systems (<–50%) and glacially influenced basins (–24% to –33%). Annual maximum streamflow trends indicate that most systems are experiencing declines, while minimum flow trends are largely increasing. Nonstationary GEV analysis identifies time-dependent changes in the distribution of spring extremes for snowmelt dominated and glacially dominated systems. Temperature in spring influences the glacial and high elevation snowmelt systems and winter precipitation drives changes in the snowmelt dominated basins. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation was associated with changes occurring in snowmelt dominated systems, and the Arctic Oscillation was linked to one lake dominated basin, with half of the basins exhibiting no change in response to climate variability. The paper indicates that broad scale studies examining trend and direction of change should employ multiple methods across various scales and consider regime dependent shifts to identify and understand changes in extreme streamflow within boreal forested watersheds of Alaska.« less

Effects of climate change on spring wheat phenophase and water requirement in Heihe River basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Dongmei; Yan, Denghua; Xu, Xinyi; Gao, Yu

2017-02-01

Climate change has significantly altered the temperature rhythm which is a key factor for the growth and phenophase of the crop. And temperature change further affects crop water requirement and irrigation system. In the north-west of China, one of the most important crop production bases is Heihe River basin where the observed phenological data is scarce. This study thus first adopted accumulated temperature threshold (ATT) method to define the phenological stages of the crop, and analysed the effect of climate change on phenological stages and water requirement of the crop during growing season. The results indicated the ATT was available for the determination of spring wheat phenological stages. The start dates of all phenological stages became earlier and the growing season length (days) was reduced by 7 days under climate change. During the growing season, water requirement without consideration of phenophase change has been increased by 26.1 mm, while that with consideration of phenophase change was featured in the decrease of water requirement by 50 mm. When temperature increased by 1°C on average, the changes were featured in the 2 days early start date of growing season, 2 days decrease of growing season length, and the 1.4 mm increase of water requirement, respectively.

High temperature annealing of fission tracks in fluorapatite, Santa Fe Springs oil field, Los Angeles Basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naeser, Nancy D.; Crowley, Kevin D.; McCulloh, Thane H.; Reaves, Chris M.; ,

1990-01-01

Annealing of fission tracks is a kinetic process dependent primarily on temperature and to a laser extent on time. Several kinetic models of apatite annealing have been proposed. The predictive capabilities of these models for long-term geologic annealing have been limited to qualitative or semiquantitative at best, because of uncertainties associated with (1) the extrapolation of laboratory observations to geologic conditions, (2) the thermal histories of field samples, and (3) to some extent, the effect of apatite composition on reported annealing temperatures. Thermal history in the Santa Fe Springs oil field, Los Angeles Basin, California, is constrained by an exceptionally well known burial history and present-day temperature gradient. Sediment burial histories are continuous and tightly constrained from about 9 Ma to present, with an important tie at 3.4 Ma. No surface erosion and virtually no uplift were recorded during or since deposition of these sediments, so the burial history is simple and uniquely defined. Temperature gradient (???40??C km-1) is well established from oil-field operations. Fission-track data from the Santa Fe Springs area should thus provide one critical field test of kinetic annealing models for apatite. Fission-track analysis has been performed on apatites from sandstones of Pliocene to Miocene age from a deep drill hole at Santa Fe Springs. Apatite composition, determined by electron microprobe, is fluorapatite [average composition (F1.78Cl0.01OH0.21)] with very low chlorine content [less than Durango apatite; sample means range from 0.0 to 0.04 Cl atoms, calculated on the basis of 26(O, F, Cl, OH)], suggesting that the apatite is not unusually resistant to annealing. Fission tracks are preserved in these apatites at exceptionally high present-day temperatures. Track loss is not complete until temperatures reach the extreme of 167-178??C (at 3795-4090 m depth). The temperature-time annealing relationships indicated by the new data from Santa Fe Springs conflict with predictions based on previously published, commonly used, kinetic annealing models for apatite. Work is proceeding on samples from another area of the basin that may resolve this discrepancy.

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

Bennett, Katrina E.; Cannon, Alex J.; Hinzman, Larry

Climate change will shift the frequency, intensity, duration and persistence of extreme hydroclimate events and have particularly disastrous consequences in vulnerable systems such as the warm permafrost-dominated Interior region of boreal Alaska. This work focuses on recent research results from nonparametric trends and nonstationary generalized extreme value (GEV) analyses at eight Interior Alaskan river basins for the past 50/60 years (1954/64–2013). Trends analysis of maximum and minimum streamflow indicates a strong (>+50%) and statistically significant increase in 11-day flow events during the late fall/winter and during the snowmelt period (late April/mid-May), followed by a significant decrease in the 11-day flowmore » events during the post-snowmelt period (late May and into the summer). The April–May–June seasonal trends show significant decreases in maximum streamflow for snowmelt dominated systems (<–50%) and glacially influenced basins (–24% to –33%). Annual maximum streamflow trends indicate that most systems are experiencing declines, while minimum flow trends are largely increasing. Nonstationary GEV analysis identifies time-dependent changes in the distribution of spring extremes for snowmelt dominated and glacially dominated systems. Temperature in spring influences the glacial and high elevation snowmelt systems and winter precipitation drives changes in the snowmelt dominated basins. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation was associated with changes occurring in snowmelt dominated systems, and the Arctic Oscillation was linked to one lake dominated basin, with half of the basins exhibiting no change in response to climate variability. The paper indicates that broad scale studies examining trend and direction of change should employ multiple methods across various scales and consider regime dependent shifts to identify and understand changes in extreme streamflow within boreal forested watersheds of Alaska.« less

Persistence of Pasteurella multocida in Nebraska wetlands under epizootic conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, J.I.; Brand, C.J.

1984-01-01

Gleason Basin, a marsh located in the western part of the Rainwater Basin in Nebraska, was selected during the 1980 spring waterfowl migration as a study site to determine the presence and persistence of virulent Pasteurella multocida. Avian cholera mortality in migratory waterfowl using the Basin increased during a 2-wk period of a die-off beginning the first week of March when 2,409 carcasses were collected from the marsh. Study sites within the marsh were established for sampling water associated with and not associated with intact and scavenged carcasses. Isolations of virulent P. multocida were made from five of six study sites associated with either intact or scavenged carcasses for 3 days and from three of five non-carcass-associated study sites for 2 days. Recovery of these bacteria from this environment suggested a possible source of infection for susceptible waterfowl using the contaminated site.

Geohydrology and potential hydrologic effects of underground coal mining in the Rapid Creek Basin, Mesa County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Tom

1986-01-01

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management may lease additional coal tracts in the Rapid Creek basin, Colorado. Springs in this basin are used as a water supply for the town of Palisade. The geohydrology of the basin is described and the potential hydrologic effects of underground coal mining in the basin summarized. Geologic formations in the basin consists of Cretaceous sandstone and shale, Tertiary sandstone, shale, and basalt, and unconsolidated deposits of Quaternary age. Some sandstone and coal beds are permeable, although bedrock in the basin typically is a confining bed. Unconsolidated deposits contain aquifers that are the source of spring discharge. Stream discharge was measured on Rapid and Cottonwood Creeks, and inventories were made of 7 reservoirs, 25 springs, and 12 wells. Specific conductance of streams ranged from 320 to 1,050 microsiemens/cm at 25C; pH ranged from 7.8 to 8.6. Specific conductance of springs ranged from 95 to 1,050 microsiemens/cm at 25C; pH ranged from 6.8 to 8.3. Discharge from the basin includes about 18,800 acre-ft/yr as evapotranspiration, 1,300 acre-ft/yr as springflow, 1,280 acre-ft/yr as streamflow, and negligible groundwater flow in bedrock. With appropriate mining methods, underground mining would not decrease flow in basin streams or from springs. The potential effects of mining-caused subsidence might include water-pipeline damage and temporary dewatering of bedrock adjacent to coal mining. (Author 's abstract)

Geology, Streamflow, and Water Chemistry of the Talufofo Stream Basin, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Izuka, Scot K.; Ewart, Charles J.

1995-01-01

A study of the geology, streamflow, and water chemistry of Talufofo Stream Basin, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, was undertaken to determine the flow characteristics of Talufofo Stream and the relation to the geology of the drainage basin. The Commonwealth government is exploring the feasibility of using water from Talufofo Stream to supplement Saipan's stressed municipal water supply. Streamflow records from gaging stations on the principal forks of Talufofo Stream indicate that peak streamflows and long-term average flow are higher at the South Fork gaging station than at the Middle Fork gaging station because the drainage area of the South Fork gaging station is larger, but persistent base flow from ground-water discharge during dry weather is greater in the Middle Fork gaging station. The sum of the average flows at the Middle Fork and South Fork gaging stations, plus an estimate of the average flow at a point in the lower reaches of the North Fork, is about 2.96 cubic feet per second or 1.91 million gallons per day. Although this average represents the theoretical maximum long-term draft rate possible from the Talufofo Stream Basin if an adequate reservoir can be built, the actual amount of surface water available will be less because of evaporation, leaks, induced infiltration, and reservoir-design constraints. Base-flow characteristics, such as stream seepage and spring discharge, are related to geology of the basin. Base flow in the Talufofo Stream Basin originates as discharge from springs near the base of limestones located in the headwaters of Talufofo Stream, flows over low-permeability volcanic rocks in the middle reaches, and seeps back into the high-permeability limestones in the lower reaches. Water sampled from Talufofo Stream during base flow had high dissolved-calcium concentrations (between 35 and 98 milligrams per liter), characteristic of water from a limestone aquifer. Concentrations of potassium, sodium, and chloride ions in water samples from Talufofo Stream are characteristic of water draining a heavily vegetated basin near the ocean. The streamflow and water-chemistry data indicate that discharge from springs is in hydraulic connection with the limestone aquifer near the headwaters of the basin. The base flow therefore is subject to stresses placed on the nearby limestone ground-water system. Pumping from wells in the limestones at the headwaters of Talufofo Stream Basin may decrease spring flow in Talufofo Stream.

Seasonal effects of irrigation on land-atmosphere latent heat, sensible heat and carbon fluxes in semi-arid basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Zhenghui; Zeng, Yujin

2017-04-01

Irrigation, which constitutes 70% of the total amount of fresh water consumed by the human population, is significantly impacting the land-atmosphere fluxes. In this study, using the improved Community Land Model version 4.5 (CLM 4.5) with an active crop model, two high resolution ( 1 km) simulations investigating the effects of irrigation on Latent Heat (LH), Sensible Heat (SH) and Carbon Fluxes (or net ecosystem exchange, NEE) from land to atmosphere on the Heihe River Basin in northwestern China were conducted using a high-quality irrigation dataset compiled from 1981 to 2013. The model output and measurements from remote sensing demonstrated the capacity and viability of the developed models to reproduce ecological and hydrological processes. The results revealed the effects of irrigation on LH and SH are strongest during summer with a LH increase of 100 W/m2 and a SH decrease of 60 W/m2 over intensely irrigated areas. However, the reactions are much weaker during spring and autumn when there is much less irrigation. When the irrigation rate below 5 mm/day, the LH generally increases, whereas the SH decreases with growing irrigation rates. However, when the irrigation threshold is in excess of 5 mm/day, there is no accrued effect of irrigation on the LH and SH. Irrigation produces opposite effects to the NEE during spring and summer. During the spring, irrigation yields more discharged carbon from the land to the atmosphere, increasing the NEE value by 0.4-0.8 gC/m2/day, while the summer irrigation favors crop fixing of carbon from atmospheric CO2, decreasing the NEE value by 0.8 gC/m2/day. The repercussions of irrigation on land-atmosphere fluxes are not solely linked to the irrigation amount, and other parameters (especially the temperature) also control the effects of irrigation on LH, SH and NEE. The study indicates that how a land surface model with high spatial resolution can represent crop growing and its effects over basin scale.

Interbasin flow in the Great Basin with special reference to the southern Funeral Mountains and the source of Furnace Creek springs, Death Valley, California, U.S.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belcher, W.R.; Bedinger, M.S.; Back, J.T.; Sweetkind, D.S.

2009-01-01

Interbasin flow in the Great Basin has been established by scientific studies during the past century. While not occurring uniformly between all basins, its occurrence is common and is a function of the hydraulic gradient between basins and hydraulic conductivity of the intervening rocks. The Furnace Creek springs in Death Valley, California are an example of large volume springs that are widely accepted as being the discharge points of regional interbasin flow. The flow path has been interpreted historically to be through consolidated Paleozoic carbonate rocks in the southern Funeral Mountains. This work reviews the preponderance of evidence supporting the concept of interbasin flow in the Death Valley region and the Great Basin and addresses the conceptual model of pluvial and recent recharge [Nelson, S.T., Anderson, K., Mayo, A.L., 2004. Testing the interbasin flow hypothesis at Death Valley, California. EOS 85, 349; Anderson, K., Nelson, S., Mayo, A., Tingey, D., 2006. Interbasin flow revisited: the contribution of local recharge to high-discharge springs, Death Valley, California. Journal of Hydrology 323, 276-302] as the source of the Furnace Creek springs. We find that there is insufficient modern recharge and insufficient storage potential and permeability within the basin-fill units in the Furnace Creek basin for these to serve as a local aquifer. Further, the lack of high sulfate content in the spring waters argues against significant flow through basin-fill sediments and instead suggests flow through underlying consolidated carbonate rocks. The maximum temperature of the spring discharge appears to require deep circulation through consolidated rocks; the Tertiary basin fill is of insufficient thickness to generate such temperatures as a result of local fluid circulation. Finally, the stable isotope data and chemical mass balance modeling actually support the interbasin flow conceptual model rather than the alternative presented in Nelson et al. [Nelson, S.T., Anderson, K., Mayo, A.L., 2004. Testing the interbasin flow hypothesis at Death Valley, California. EOS 85, 349] and Anderson et al. [Anderson, K., Nelson, S., Mayo, A., Tingey, D., 2006. Interbasin flow revisited: the contribution of local recharge to high-discharge springs, Death Valley, California. Journal of Hydrology 323, 276-302]. In light of these inconsistencies, interbasin flow is the only readily apparent explanation for the large spring discharges at Furnace Creek and, in our view, is the likely explanation for most large volume, low elevation springs in the Great Basin. An understanding of hydrogeologic processes that control the rate and direction of ground-water flow in eastern and central Nevada is necessary component of regional water-resource planning and management of alluvial and bedrock aquifers.

Monitoring of Juvenile Yearling Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Survival and Passage at John Day Dam, Spring 2010

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

Weiland, Mark A.; Ploskey, Gene R.; Hughes, James S.

The purpose of this study was to compare dam passage survival, at two spill treatment levels, of yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead smolts at John Day Dam during spring 2010. The two treatments were 30% and 40% spill out of total project discharge. Under the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp), dam passage survival should be greater than or equal to 0.96 and estimated with a standard error (SE) less than or equal 0.015. The study also estimated forebay residence time, tailrace egress time, and spill passage efficiency (SPE), as required in the Columbia Basin Fishmore » Accords. However, by agreement among the stakeholders, this study was not an official BiOp compliance test because the long-term passage measures at John Day Dam have yet to be finalized and another year of spill-treatment testing was desired.« less

Nitrate Contamination in the groundwater of the Lake Acıgöl Basin, SW Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karaman, Muhittin; Budakoǧlu, Murat; Taşdelen, Suat

2017-04-01

The lacustrine Acıgöl basin, formed as an extensional half-graben, hosts various bodies of water, such as cold-hot springs, lakes, streams, and wells. The hydrologically closed basin contains a hypersaline lake (Lake Acıgöl) located in the southern part of the basin. The brackish springs and deep waters discharged along the Acıgöl fault zone in the southern part of the basin feed the hypersaline lake. Groundwater is used as drinking, irrigation, and domestic water in the closed Acıgöl Basin. Groundwater flows into the hypersaline lake from the highland. The Acıgöl basin hosts large plains (Hambat, Başmakçı, and Evciler). Waters in agricultural areas contain high amounts of nitrate; groundwater samples in agricultural areas contain nitrate levels higher than 10 mg/L. Nitrate concentrations in the groundwater samples varied from 0 to 487 mg/L (n=165); 25.4 % of the groundwater samples from the basin had nitrate concentrations above 10 mg/L (the WHO drinking guideline) and 52.2% of the groundwater samples from the basin had nitrate concentrations above 3.0 mg/L, and these high values were regarded as the result of human activity. The highest nitrate values were measured in the Hambat plain (480 and 100 mg/L) and Yirce Pinari spring (447 mg/L), which discharges along the Acıgöl fault zone in the southern part of the basin. The average multi-temporal nitrate concentration of the Yirce Pınarı spring was 3.3 mg/L. Extreme nitrate values were measured in the Yirce Pınarı spring during periods when sheep wool was washed (human activity). The lowest nitrate concentrations were observed in some springs that discharged along the Acıgöl fault zone in the southern part of the basin. Nitrate was not detected in deep groundwater discharged along the Acıgöl fault zone. Nitrate concentrations in deep groundwater and some springs discharged along the Acıgöl fault zone and those feeding the hypersaline lake were significantly affected by redox conditions. Nitrate in these reducing waters was transformed into ammonium. Nitrate concentrations in the Acıgöl Basin were enriched in groundwater beneath agricultural areas and this affected redox conditions. The main source of nitrate contamination was agricultural fertilizers. Elevated nitrate concentrations in groundwater, especially in agricultural areas of the Acigol Basin, can cause public health problems and environmental pollution.

Nocturnal and diurnal activity of armored suckermouth catfish (Loricariidae: Pterygoplichthys) associated with wintering Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nico, Leo G.

2010-01-01

Several Pterygoplichthys species, members of the Neotropical catfish family Loricariidae, have been widely introduced outside their native ranges. In this paper, I present observations on the diel activity pattern of non-native Pterygoplichthys, tentatively identified as P. disjunctivus, with respect to their attachment and grazing on endangered Florida manatees, Trichechus manatus latirostris. The study was conducted in December 2009 at Volusia Blue Spring, an artesianal spring system in the St. Johns River basin, Florida (USA). Supplemented by information gathered during previous visits to the spring site, this study revealed that adult Pterygoplichthys are active throughout the diel period (day, twilight and night). However, juvenile Pterygoplichthys were largely nocturnal and only at night did they consistently join adults in attaching to manatees. The juveniles generally remain hidden during the day, probably responding to presence of diurnal predators, mainly birds. Differences in diel behaviors among different Pterygoplichthys size classes in Florida are consistent with published observations on loricariids inhabiting clearwater streams within their native ranges.

Karst hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of the Cave Springs basin near Chattanooga, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pavlicek, D.J.

1996-01-01

The Cave Springs ground-water basin, located near Chattanooga, Tennessee, was chosen as one of the Valley and Ridge physiographic province type area studies for the Appalachian Valley-Piedmont Regional Aquifer-System Analysis study in 1990. Karstic Paleozoic carbonate rocks, residual clay-rich regolith, and coarse alluvium form the aquifer framework. Recharge from rainfall dispersed over the basin enters the karst aquifer through the thick regolith. The area supplying recharge to the Cave Springs Basin is approximately 7 square miles. Recharge from North Chickamauga Creek may contribute recharge to the Cave Springs Basin along losing reaches. The flow medium consists of mixed dolomite and limestone with cavernous and fracture porosity. Flow type as determined by the coefficient of variation of long-term continuous specific conductance (18 and 15 percent) from two wells completed in cavernous intervals about 150 feet northeast of Cave Springs, indicates an aquifer with conduit flow. Flow type, based on the ratio (6:1) of spring flood-flow discharge to spring base-flow discharge, indicates an aquifer with diffuse flow. Conduit flow probably dominates the aquifer system west of Cave Springs Ridge from the highly transmissive, unconfined, alluvium capped aquifer and along losing reaches of North Chickamauga Creek. Diffuse flow probably predominates in the areas along and east of Cave Springs Ridge covered with the thick, clay-rich regolith that forms a leaky confining layer. Based on average annual long-term precipitation and runoff records, the amount of water available for recharge to Cave Springs is 11.8 cubic feet per second. The mean annual long-term discharge of Cave Springs is 16.4 cubic feet per second which leaves 4.6 cubic feet per second of recharge unaccounted for. As determined by low-flow stream discharge measurements, recharge along losing reaches of North Chickamauga Creek may be an important source of unaccounted-for-recharge to the Cave Springs Basin. Selected ground-water samples in the study area are characterized by calcium bicarbonate type water and calcium magnesium bicarbonate type water. Calcium bicarbonate type water characterizes Lick Branch and Poe Branch. North Chickamauga Creek water is calcium magnesium sulfate type water and reflects interaction with the pyrite-containing siliciclastic rocks of the Cumberland Plateau or acid mine drainage. Seasonal high spring discharge is associated with lower specific conductance and lower temperatures, which lag in response to increasing spring discharge by approximately 2 months. Seasonal decrease in spring discharge is accompanied by an incident increase in specific conductance and temperature increase, which leads by about 4 months.

Linking diurnal cycles of river flow to interannual variations in climate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lundquist, Jessica D.; Dettinger, Michael D.

2003-01-01

Many rivers in the Western United States have diurnal variations exceeding 10% of their mean flow in the spring and summer months. The shape and timing of the diurnal cycle is influenced by an interplay of the snow, topography, vegetation, and meteorology in a basin, and the measured result differs between wet and dry years. The largest interannual differences occur during the latter half of the melt season, as the snowline retreats to the highest elevations and most shaded slopes in a basin. In most basins, during this period, the hour of peak discharge shifts to later in the day, and the relative amplitude of the diurnal cycle decreases. The magnitude and rate of these changes in the diurnal cycle vary between years and may provide clues about how long- term hydroclimatic variations affect short-term basin dynamics.

Investigations into the Early Life History of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon in the Grande Ronde Riiver Basin : Fish Research Project Oregon : Annual Progress Report 1 September 1995 to 1 August 1996.

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

Jonasson, Brian C.; Carmichael, Richard W.; Keefe, MaryLouise

1997-09-01

Historically, the Grande Ronde River produced an abundance of salmonids including stocks of spring, summer and fall chinook salmon, sockeye salmon, coho salmon, and summer steelhead. During the past century, numerous factors have caused the reduction of salmon stocks such that only sustainable stocks of spring chinook salmon and summer steelhead remain. The sizes of spring chinook salmon populations in the Grande Ronde River basin also have been declining steadily and are substantially depressed from estimates of historic levels. In addition to a decline in population abundance, a reduction of spring chinook salmon spawning distribution is evident in the Grandemore » Ronde River basin. Numerous factors are thought to contribute to the decline of spring chinook salmon in the Snake River and its tributaries. These factors include passage problems and increased mortality of juvenile and adult migrants at mainstem Columbia and Snake river dams, overharvest, and habitat degradation associated with timber, agricultural, and land development practices. This study was designed to describe aspects of the life history strategies exhibited by spring chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River basin. During the past year the focus was on rearing and migration patterns of juveniles in the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek. The study design included three objectives: (1) document the annual in-basin migration patterns for spring chinook salmon juveniles in the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek, including the abundance of migrants, migration timing and duration; (2) estimate and compare smolt survival indices to mainstem Columbia and Snake river dams for fall and spring migrating spring chinook salmon; and (3) determine summer and winter habitat utilization and preference of juvenile spring chinook salmon in the upper Grande Ronde River and Catherine Creek.« less

Great Basin riparian and aquatic ecosystems

Treesearch

Don Sada

2008-01-01

Most Great Basin riparian and aquatic ecosystems are associated with streams and springs that are comparatively small and isolated from one another because of the naturally arid climate. There are few rivers and lakes in the region. Surface waters and aquifers that support springs provide the only water available to humans and wildlife. Springs occur at all elevations...

Evaluation of baseline ground-water conditions in the Mosteiros, Ribeira Paul, and Ribeira Fajã Basins, Republic of Cape Verde, West Africa, 2005-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heilweil, Victor M.; Earle, John D.; Cederberg, Jay R.; Messer, Mickey M.; Jorgensen, Brent E.; Verstraeten, Ingrid M.; Moura, Miguel A.; Querido, Arrigo; Spencer,; Osorio, Tatiana

2006-01-01

This report documents current (2005-06) baseline ground-water conditions in three basins within the West African Republic of Cape Verde (Mosteiros on Fogo, Ribeira Paul on Santo Antão, and Ribeira Fajã on São Nicolau) based on existing data and additional data collected during this study. Ground-water conditions (indicators) include ground-water levels, ground-water recharge altitude, ground-water discharge amounts, ground-water age (residence time), and ground-water quality. These indicators are needed to evaluate (1) long-term changes in ground-water resources or water quality caused by planned ground-water development associated with agricultural projects in these basins, and (2) the feasibility of artificial recharge as a mitigation strategy to offset the potentially declining water levels associated with increased ground-water development.Ground-water levels in all three basins vary from less than a few meters to more than 170 meters below land surface. Continuous recorder and electric tape measurements at three monitoring wells (one per basin) showed variations between August 2005 and June 2006 of as much as 1.8 meters. Few historical water-level data were available for the Mosteiros or Ribeira Paul Basins. Historical records from Ribeira Fajã indicate very large ground-water declines during the 1980s and early 1990s, associated with dewatering of the Galleria Fajã tunnel. More-recent data indicate that ground-water levels in Ribeira Fajã have reached a new equilibrium, remaining fairly constant since the late 1990s.Because of the scarcity of observation wells within each basin, water-level data were combined with other techniques to evaluate ground-water conditions. These techniques include the quantification of ground-water discharge (well withdrawals, spring discharge, seepage to springs, and gallery drainage), field water-quality measurements, and the use of environmental tracers to evaluate sources of aquifer recharge, flow paths, and ground-water residence times.In the Mosteiros Basin, measured well and spring discharge is about 220,000 cubic meters per year. For the Ribeira Paul Basin, measured well discharge, spring discharge, and ground-water seepage to springs is about 1,600,000 cubic meters per year. Ribeira Fajã Basin is the driest of the three basins with a precipitation rate of about half that of the other two basins. The only measurable ground-water discharge from this basin is from Galleria Fajã, estimated to be about 150,000 cubic meters per year. Measured discharge for all three basins does not include submarine outflow or agricultural/phreatophyte consumptive use (Paul Basin, only) and is assumed to be less than total ground-water discharge.Ground-water ages indicate that recharge to wells and springs occurred from more than 50 years ago at some locations to within the past decade at other sites. Ground water in Paul is younger than that in the other two basins, indicating that recharge generally occurred within the past 50 years. Ground water at all the dateable sites using tritium/helium in both the Mosteiros and Ribeira Fajã Basins show that recharge occurred more than 50 years before the sampling dates. Ground-water tritium/helium age dating was not possible at some sites in Mosteiros and Ribeira Fajã Basins because of the presence of helium in the aquifer derived from the mantle or aquifer matrix. However, this helium was useful for accurate age dating of the unaffected ground-water sites.Dissolved gases indicate that most ground-water recharge occurs at mid and high altitudes within all three basins; calculated recharge altitudes ranged from 700 to more than 2,000 meters. In the Mosteiros and Ribeira Fajã Basins, recharge altitudes are much higher than the wells and springs. This suggests that it may take many years for artificial recharge to result in a beneficial impact on the aquifer in areas where the agricultural projects are implemented. Recharge altitudes in Paul Basin also were generally higher than their respective ground-water discharge sampling sites except for one spring, Seladinha. This spring, in combination with generally younger ground-water ages in Paul, indicates the existence of some short flow paths where artificial recharge may possibly enhance available water resources within a few years.The salinity of wells and springs is generally low in the Ribeira Paul and Ribeira Fajã Basins, but somewhat higher in Mosteiros Basin. Specific-conductance measurements of wells and springs in Ribeira Paul and Ribeira Fajã ranged from about 200 to 700 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius. Although the Monte Vermelho spring in Mosteiros Basin also has very low salinity (200 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius), water from the wells along the coastal plain has specific-conductance measurements of as much as 16,000 microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius. These higher values indicate some brackish water intrusion. Additional ground-water development of the Mosteiros coastal plain may exacerbate this situation.

Predicting the Timing of Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC and Mid-Atlantic States in Response to Climate Change

PubMed Central

Chung, Uran; Mack, Liz; Yun, Jin I.; Kim, Soo-Hyung

2011-01-01

Cherry blossoms, an icon of spring, are celebrated in many cultures of the temperate region. For its sensitivity to winter and early spring temperatures, the timing of cherry blossoms is an ideal indicator of the impacts of climate change on tree phenology. Here, we applied a process-based phenology model for temperate deciduous trees to predict peak bloom dates (PBD) of flowering cherry trees (Prunus×yedoensis ‘Yoshino’ and Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’) in the Tidal Basin, Washington, DC and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic States in response to climate change. We parameterized the model with observed PBD data from 1991 to 2010. The calibrated model was tested against independent datasets of the past PBD data from 1951 to 1970 in the Tidal Basin and more recent PBD data from other locations (e.g., Seattle, WA). The model performance against these independent data was satisfactory (Yoshino: r2 = 0.57, RMSE = 6.6 days, bias = 0.9 days and Kwanzan: r2 = 0.76, RMSE = 5.5 days, bias = −2.0 days). We then applied the model to forecast future PBD for the region using downscaled climate projections based on IPCC's A1B and A2 emissions scenarios. Our results indicate that PBD at the Tidal Basin are likely to be accelerated by an average of five days by 2050 s and 10 days by 2080 s for these cultivars under a mid-range (A1B) emissions scenario projected by ECHAM5 general circulation model. The acceleration is likely to be much greater (13 days for 2050 s and 29 days for 2080s ) under a higher (A2) emissions scenario projected by CGCM2 general circulation model. Our results demonstrate the potential impacts of climate change on the timing of cherry blossoms and illustrate the utility of a simple process-based phenology model for developing adaptation strategies to climate change in horticulture, conservation planning, restoration and other related disciplines. PMID:22087317

Hydrogeologic setting and conceptual hydrologic model of the Spring Creek basin, Centre County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fulton, John W.; Koerkle, Edward H.; McAuley, Steven D.; Hoffman, Scott A.; Zarr, Linda F.

2005-01-01

The Spring Creek Basin, Centre County, Pa., is experiencing some of the most rapid growth and development within the Commonwealth. This trend has resulted in land-use changes and increased water use, which will affect the quantity and quality of stormwater runoff, surface water, ground water, and aquatic resources within the basin. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the ClearWater Conservancy (CWC), Spring Creek Watershed Community (SCWC), and Spring Creek Watershed Commission (SCWCm), has developed a Watershed Plan (Plan) to assist decision makers in water-resources planning. One element of the Plan is to provide a summary of the basin characteristics and a conceptual model that incorporates the hydrogeologic characteristics of the basin. The report presents hydrogeologic data for the basin and presents a conceptual model that can be used as the basis for simulating surface-water and ground-water flow within the basin. Basin characteristics; sources of data referenced in this text; physical characteristics such as climate, physiography, topography, and land use; hydrogeologic characteristics; and water-quality characteristics are discussed. A conceptual model is a simplified description of the physical components and interaction of the surface- and ground-water systems. The purpose for constructing a conceptual model is to simplify the problem and to organize the available data so that the system can be analyzed accurately. Simplification is necessary, because a complete accounting of a system, such as Spring Creek, is not possible. The data and the conceptual model could be used in development of a fully coupled numerical model that dynamically links surface water, ground water, and land-use changes. The model could be used by decision makers to manage water resources within the basin and as a prototype that is transferable to other watersheds.

Recharge Area, Base-Flow and Quick-Flow Discharge Rates and Ages, and General Water Quality of Big Spring in Carter County, Missouri, 2000-04

USGS Publications Warehouse

Imes, Jeffrey L.; Plummer, Niel; Kleeschulte, Michael J.; Schumacher, John G.

2007-01-01

Exploration for lead deposits has occurred in a mature karst area of southeast Missouri that is highly valued for its scenic beauty and recreational opportunities. The area contains the two largest springs in Missouri (Big Spring and Greer Spring), both of which flow into federally designated scenic rivers. Concerns about potential mining effects on the area ground water and aquatic biota prompted an investigation of Big Spring. Water-level measurements made during 2000 helped define the recharge area of Big Spring, Greer Spring, Mammoth Spring, and Boze Mill Spring. The data infer two distinct potentiometric surfaces. The shallow potentiometric surface, where the depth-to-water is less than about 250 feet, tends to mimic topographic features and is strongly controlled by streams. The deep potentiometric surface, where the depth-to-water is greater than about 250 feet represents ground-water hydraulic heads within the more mature karst areas. A highly permeable zone extends about 20 mile west of Big Spring toward the upper Hurricane Creek Basin. Deeper flowing water in the Big Spring recharge area is directed toward this permeable zone. The estimated sizes of the spring recharge areas are 426 square miles for Big Spring, 352 square miles for Greer Spring, 290 square miles for Mammoth Spring, and 54 square miles for Boze Mill Spring. A discharge accumulation curve using Big Spring daily mean discharge data shows no substantial change in the discharge pattern of Big Spring during the period of record (water years 1922 through 2004). The extended periods when the spring flow deviated from the trend line can be attributed to prolonged departures from normal precipitation. The maximum possible instantaneous flow from Big Spring has not been adequately defined because of backwater effects from the Current River during high-flow conditions. Physical constraints within the spring conduit system may restrict its maximum flow. The largest discharge measured at Big Spring during the period of record (water years 1922 through 2004) was 1,170 cubic feet per second on December 7, 1982. The daily mean water temperature of Big Spring was monitored during water years 2001 through 2004 and showed little variability, ranging from 13 to 15? C (degree Celsius). Water temperatures generally vary less than 1? C throughout the year. The warmest temperatures occur during October and November and decrease until April, indicating Big Spring water temperature does show a slight seasonal variation. The use of the traditional hydrograph separation program HYSEP to determine the base flow and quick flow or runoff components at Big Spring failed to yield base-flow and quick-flow discharge curves that matched observations of spring characteristics. Big Spring discharge data were used in combination with specific conductance data to develop an improved hydrograph separation method for the spring. The estimated annual mean quick flow ranged from 15 to 48 cubic feet per second for the HYSEP analysis and ranged from 26 to 154 cubic feet per second for the discharge and specific conductance method for water years 2001 to 2004. Using the discharge and specific conductance method, the estimated base-flow component rises abruptly as the spring hydrograph rises, attains a peak value on the same day as the discharge peak, and then declines abruptly from its peak value. Several days later, base flow begins to increase again at an approximately linear trend, coinciding with the time at which the percentage of quick flow has reached a maximum after each recharge-induced discharge peak. The interval between the discharge peak and the peak in percentage quick flow ranges from 8 to 11 days for seven hydrograph peaks, consistent with quick-flow traveltime estimates by dye-trace tests from the mature karst Hurricane Creek Basin in the central part of the recharge area. Concentrations of environmental tracers chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs: CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113)

Hydrology of the coastal springs ground-water basin and adjacent parts of Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus Counties, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knochenmus, Lari A.; Yobbi, Dann K.

2001-01-01

The coastal springs in Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus Counties, Florida consist of three first-order magnitude springs and numerous smaller springs, which are points of substantial ground-water discharge from the Upper Floridan aquifer. Spring flow is proportional to the water-level altitude in the aquifer and is affected primarily by the magnitude and timing of rainfall. Ground-water levels in 206 Upper Floridan aquifer wells, and surface-water stage, flow, and specific conductance of water from springs at 10 gaging stations were measured to define the hydrologic variability (temporally and spatially) in the Coastal Springs Ground-Water Basin and adjacent parts of Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus Counties. Rainfall at 46 stations and ground-water withdrawals for three counties, were used to calculate water budgets, to evaluate long-term changes in hydrologic conditions, and to evaluate relations among the hydrologic components. Predictive equations to estimate daily spring flow were developed for eight gaging stations using regression techniques. Regression techniques included ordinary least squares and multiple linear regression techniques. The predictive equations indicate that ground-water levels in the Upper Floridan aquifer are directly related to spring flow. At tidally affected gaging stations, spring flow is inversely related to spring-pool altitude. The springs have similar seasonal flow patterns throughout the area. Water-budget analysis provided insight into the relative importance of the hydrologic components expected to influence spring flow. Four water budgets were constructed for small ground-water basins that form the Coastal Springs Ground-Water Basin. Rainfall averaged 55 inches per year and was the only source of inflow to the Basin. The pathways for outflow were evapotranspiration (34 inches per year), runoff by spring flow (8 inches per year), ground-water outflow from upward leakage (11 inches per year), and ground-water withdrawal (2 inches per year). Recharge (rainfall minus evapotranspiration) to the Upper Floridan aquifer consists of vertical leakage through the surficial deposits. Discharge is primarily through springs and diffuse upward leakage that maintains the extensive swamps along the Gulf of Mexico. The ground-water basins had slightly different partitioning of hydrologic components, reflecting variation among the regions. Trends in hydrologic data were identified using nonparametric statistical techniques to infer long-term changes in hydrologic conditions, and yielded mixed results. No trend in rainfall was detected during the past century. No trend in spring flow was detected in 1931-98. Although monotonic trends were not detected, rainfall patterns are naturally variable from month to month and year to year; this variability is reflected in ground-water levels and spring flows. A decreasing trend in ground-water levels was detected in the Weeki Wachee well (1966-98), but the trend was statistically weak. At current ground-water withdrawal rates, there is no discernible affect on ground-water levels and spring flows. Sporadic data records, lack of continuous data, and inconsistent periods of record among the hydrologic components impeded analysis of long-term changes to the hydrologic system and interrelations among components. The ongoing collection of hydrologic data from index sites could provide much needed information to assess the hydrologic factors affecting the quantity and quality of spring flow in the Coastal Springs Ground-Water Basin.

Hydrogeology of the Mammoth Spring groundwater basin and vicinity, Markagunt Plateau, Garfield, Iron, and Kane Counties, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spangler, Lawrence E.

2012-01-01

The Markagunt Plateau, in southwestern Utah, lies at an altitude of about 9,500 feet, largely within Dixie National Forest. The plateau is capped primarily by Tertiary- and Quaternary-age volcanic rocks that overlie Paleocene- to Eocene-age limestone of the Claron Formation, which forms escarpments on the west and south sides of the plateau. In the southwestern part of the plateau, an extensive area of sinkholes has formed that resulted primarily from dissolution of the underlying limestone and subsequent subsidence and (or) collapse of the basalt, producing sinkholes as large as 1,000 feet across and 100 feet deep. Karst development in the Claron Formation likely has been enhanced by high infiltration rates through the basalt. Numerous large springs discharge from the volcanic rocks and underlying limestone on the Markagunt Plateau, including Mammoth Spring, one of the largest in Utah, with discharge that ranges from less than 5 to more than 300 cubic feet per second (ft3/s). In 2007, daily mean peak discharge of Mammoth Spring was bimodal, reaching 54 and 56 ft3/s, while daily mean peak discharge of the spring in 2008 and in 2009 was 199 ft3/s and 224 ft3/s, respectively. In both years, the rise from baseflow, about 6 ft3/s, to peak flow occurred over a 4- to 5-week period. Discharge from Mammoth Spring accounted for about 54 percent of the total peak streamflow in Mammoth Creek in 2007 and 2008, and about 46 percent in 2009, and accounted for most of the total streamflow during the remainder of the year. Results of major-ion analyses for water samples collected from Mammoth and other springs on the plateau during 2006 to 2009 indicated calcium-bicarbonate type water, which contained dissolved-solids concentrations that ranged from 91 to 229 milligrams per liter. Concentrations of major ions, trace elements, and nutrients did not exceed primary or secondary drinking-water standards; however, total and fecal coliform bacteria were present in water from Mammoth and other springs. Temperature and specific conductance of water from Mammoth and other springs showed substantial variance and generally were inversely related to changes in discharge during snowmelt runoff and rainfall events. Over the 3-year study period, daily mean temperature and specific conductance of water from Mammoth Spring ranged from 3.4 degrees Celsius (°C) and 112 microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm) during peak flow from snowmelt runoff to 5.3°C and 203 μS/cm during baseflow conditions. Increases in specific conductance of the spring water prior to an increase in discharge in 2008–09 were likely the result of drainage of increasingly older water from storage. Variations in these parameters in water from two rise pools upstream from Mammoth Spring were the largest observed in relation to discharge and indicate a likely hydraulic connection to Mammoth Creek. Variations in water quality, discharge, and turbidity indicate a high potential for transport of contaminants from surface sources to Mammoth and other large springs in a matter of days. Results of dye-tracer tests indicated that recharge to Mammoth Spring largely originates from southwest of the spring and outside of the watershed for Mammoth Creek, particularly along the drainages of Midway and Long Valley Creeks, and in the Red Desert, Horse Pasture, and Hancock Peak areas, where karst development is greatest. A significant component of recharge to the spring takes place by both focused and diffuse infiltration through the basalt and into the underlying Claron limestone. Losing reaches along Mammoth Creek are also a source of rapid recharge to the spring. Maximum groundwater travel time to the spring during the snowmelt runoff period was about 7 days from sinking streams as far as 9 miles away and 1,900 feet higher, indicating a velocity of more than a mile per day. Response of the spring to rainfall events in the recharge area, however, indicated potential lag times of only about 1 to 2 days. Samples collected from Mammoth Spring during baseflow conditions and analyzed for tritium and sulfur-35 showed that groundwater in storage is relatively young, with apparent ages ranging from less than 1 year to possibly a few tens of years. Ratios of oxygen-18 and deuterium also showed that water from the spring represents a mixture of waters from different sources and altitudes. On the basis of evaluating results of dye-tracer tests and relations to adjacent basins, the recharge area for Mammoth Spring probably includes about 40 square miles within the Mammoth Creek watershed as well as at least 25 square miles outside and to the south of the watershed. Additional dye-tracer tests are needed to better define boundaries between the groundwater basins for Mammoth Spring and Duck Creek, Cascade, and Asay Springs.

The Tiberias Basin salt deposits and their effects on lake salinity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inbar, Nimrod; Rosenthal, Eliahu; Möller, Peter; Yellin-Dror, Annat; Guttman, Josef; Siebert, Christian; Magri, Fabien

2015-04-01

Lake Tiberias is situated in one of the pull-apart basins comprising the Dead Sea transform. The Tiberias basin extends along the northern boundary of the Lower Jordan Rift Valley (LJRV) which is known for its massive salt deposits, mostly at its southern end, at the Dead Sea basin. Nevertheless, prior to the drilling of Zemah-1 wildcat, drilled close to the southern shores of Lake Tiberias, the Tiberias Basin was considered rather shallow and free of salt deposits (Starinsky, 1974). In 1983, Zemah-1 wildcat penetrated 2.8 km thick sequence of sedimentary and magmatic rocks of which 980m are salt deposits (Marcus et al., 1984). Recent studies, including the presented geophysical investigations, lay out the mechanisms of salt deposition in the Tiberias basin and estimate its abundance. Supported by seismic data, our interpreted cross-sections display relatively thick salt deposits distributed over the entire basin. Since early days of hydrological research in the area, saline springs are known to exist at Lake Tiberias' surroundings. Water temperatures in some of the springs indicate their origin to be at depths of 2-3 km (Simon and Mero, 1992). In the last decade, several studies suggested that the salinity of springs may be attributed, at least partially, to the Zemah-1 salt deposits. Chemical justification was attributed to post-halite minerals which were thought to be present among those deposits. This hypothesis was never verified. Moreover, Möller et al. (2011) presented a calculation contradicting this theory. In addition to the geophysical investigations, numerical models of thermally driven flow, examine the possible fluid dynamics developing near salt deposits below the lake and their interactions with springs along the lakeshore (Magri et al., 2015). It is shown that leached halite is too heavy to reach the surface. However, salt diffusing from shallow salt crest may locally reach the western side of the lakeshore. References Magri, F., N. Inbar,C. Siebert, E. Rosenthal, J. Guttman and P. Möller (2015) Transient simulations of large-scale hydrogeological processes causing temperature and salinity anomalies in the Tiberias Basin, Journal of Hydrology, Volume 520, Pages 342-355, Marcus, E., Y. Slager, S. Ben-Zaken, and I. Y. Indik (1984), Zemah 1, Geological Complition ReportRep. 84/11, 108 pp, Oil Exploration (Investments) LTD, Tel Aviv. Möller, P., C. Siebert, S. Geyer, N. Inbar, E. Rosenthal, A. Flexer, and M. Zilberbrand (2011), Relationships of Brines in the Kinnarot Basin, Jordan-Dead Sea Rift Valley, Geofluids (doi: 10.1111/j.1468-8123.2011.00353.x). Simon, E., and F. Mero (1992), The salinization mechanism of Lake Kinneret, J. Hydrol., 138, 327-343. Starinsky, A. (1974), Relationship between Ca-Chloride Brines and Sedimentary Rocks in Israel, PhD thesis, 84 pp, Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

Application of UTCI in China from tourism perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Quansheng; Kong, Qinqin; Xi, Jianchao; Zheng, Jingyun

2017-05-01

This study uses ERA-Interim reanalysis data and the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) to investigate the spatial pattern of thermal bioclimatic conditions in China. Our results show that the annual UTCI increases with decreasing latitude throughout most of China. Areas that experience "no thermal stress" are located southeast of the line formed by the Yanshan Mountains, Taihang Mountains, the southern edge of the Loess Plateau, and the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with an area of 312.83e4 km2. During spring and autumn, the UTCI distribution is similar to the annual distribution. During summer, areas with "no thermal stress" cover the largest area (563.55e4 km2), including northern and southwestern China; in contrast, during winter, areas with "no thermal stress" only occur south of the Nanling Mountains. The annual number of days with "no thermal stress" increases from north to south in central and eastern China, exceeding 200 days in the Sichuan Basin, the southeastern coastal regions and the Yungui Plateau. The minimum and maximum values occur on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (≤10 days) and the southern Yungui Plateau (>280 days). Seasonal analysis indicates that there are over 70 days with "no thermal stress" in the Sichuan Basin, the Yungui Plateau and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River during spring and autumn, while there are more than 80 days in northern and southwestern China during summer and over 80 days in areas south of the Nanling Mountains during winter. The results of this study can be helpful for optimization of the tourism industry and tourism destinations development in China.

Sediment discharges during storm flow from proximal urban and rural karst springs, central Kentucky, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reed, T.M.; Todd, McFarland J.; Fryar, A.E.; Fogle, A.W.; Taraba, J.L.

2010-01-01

Since the mid-1990s, various studies have addressed the timing of sediment transport to karst springs during storm flow or the composition and provenance of sediment discharged from springs. However, relatively few studies have focused on the flow thresholds at which sediment is mobilized or total sediment yields across various time scales. We examined each of these topics for a mainly urban spring (Blue Hole) and a rural spring (SP-2) in the Inner Bluegrass region of central Kentucky (USA). Suspended sediment consisted mostly of quartz silt and sand, with lesser amounts of calcite and organic matter. Total suspended sediment (TSS) values measured during storm flow were greater at SP-2 than at Blue Hole. By aggregating data from four storms during 2 years, we found that median suspended-sediment size jumped as Q exceeded ???0.5 m3/s for both springs. At Blue Hole, TSS tended to vary with Q and capacity approached 1 g/L, but no systematic relationship between TSS and Q was evident at SP-2. Sediment fluxes from the Blue Hole basin were ???2 orders of magnitude greater for storms in March (2002 and 2004) than September (2002 and 2003). In contrast, sediment fluxes from the SP-2 basin were of similar magnitude in September 2003 and March 2004. The overall range of area-normalized fluxes for both springs, 9.16 ?? 10-3-4.45 ?? 102 kg/(ha h), overlaps values reported for farm plots and a stream in the Inner Bluegrass region and for other spring basins in the eastern USA and western Europe. Sediment compositions, sizes, and responses to storms in the basins may differ because of land use (e.g., the extent of impervious cover in the Blue Hole basin), basin size (larger for Blue Hole), conduit architecture, which appears to be more complex in the Blue Hole basin, and the impoundment of SP-2, which may have promoted decadal-scale storage of sediment upgradient. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biogeographic patterns of desert springs in the Great Basin with an emphasis on regional aquifer thermal springs as refugia for vulnerable crenobiotic species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forrest, M.; Sada, D. W.; Norris, R. D.

2013-12-01

The desert springs of the Great Basin Region in western North America provide ideal systems to study biogeographic and evolutionary patterns. In arid regions, springs are biodiversity hotspots because they often provide the sole source of water for the biota within and around them. In the Great Basin, springs provide critical habitat for diverse and extensive crenobiotic flora and fauna comprising over 125 endemic species. These aquatic environments represent island ecosystems surrounded by seas of desert, and researchers have compiled large databases of their biota and chemistry. Consequently, desert springs are excellent systems for biogeographic studies and multivariate statistical analyses of relationships between the chemical and physical characteristics of the springs and the biological communities that they support. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the relationships between the physicochemical characteristics of springs and their biota using multivariate statistical analyses to characterize 1325 springs, including regional aquifer springs, local aquifer cold springs and geothermal springs. The analyses reveal that regional aquifer thermal springs harbor disproportionate numbers of crenobiotic species including endemic gastropods, fishes, and aquatic insects. However, these regional aquifer springs also contain significantly more introduced species than cold and geothermal local aquifer springs. Springs are threatened by anthropogenic impacts including groundwater depletion and pollution, alteration of flow regimes, and the introduction of exotic species. In this study, one of the major factors that distinguished regional aquifer thermal springs from cold and geothermal local aquifer springs was the higher number of introduced species found in regional aquifer springs. This may be due to the influences of the same physicochemical characteristics that allow regional aquifer springs to serve as refugia for endemic species--species that are able to gain access to these environments and cope with their extreme physicochemical characteristics may be provided with refuge from extinction. The disproportionate number of endemic crenobiotic species found in regional aquifer thermal springs, as well as in some local aquifer geothermal springs, within the Great Basin strongly suggests that these hydrothermal habitats represent important biodiversity hotspots, and efforts to conserve and restore these unique ecosystems should be a major priority to ensure that the valuable information that these species can provide is not lost forever.

Seasonal effects of irrigation on land-atmosphere latent heat, sensible heat, and carbon fluxes in semiarid basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Yujin; Xie, Zhenghui; Liu, Shuang

2017-02-01

Irrigation, which constitutes ˜ 70 % of the total amount of freshwater consumed by the human population, is significantly impacting land-atmosphere fluxes. In this study, using the improved Community Land Model version 4.5 (CLM4.5) with an active crop model, two high-resolution (˜ 1 km) simulations investigating the effects of irrigation on latent heat (LH), sensible heat (SH), and carbon fluxes (or net ecosystem exchange, NEE) from land to atmosphere in the Heihe River basin in northwestern China were conducted using a high-quality irrigation dataset compiled from 1981 to 2013. The model output and measurements from remote sensing demonstrated the capacity of the developed models to reproduce ecological and hydrological processes. The results revealed that the effects of irrigation on LH and SH are strongest during summer, with a LH increase of ˜ 100 W m-2 and a SH decrease of ˜ 60 W m-2 over intensely irrigated areas. However, the reactions are much weaker during spring and autumn when there is much less irrigation. When the irrigation rate is below 5 mm day-1, the LH generally increases, whereas the SH decreases with growing irrigation rates. However, when the irrigation threshold is in excess of 5 mm day-1, there is no accrued effect of irrigation on the LH and SH. Irrigation produces opposite effects to the NEE during spring and summer. During the spring, irrigation yields more discharged carbon from the land to the atmosphere, increasing the NEE value by 0.4-0.8 gC m-2 day-1, while the summer irrigation favors crop fixing of carbon from atmospheric CO2, decreasing the NEE value by ˜ 0.8 gC m-2 day-1. The repercussions of irrigation on land-atmosphere fluxes are not solely linked to the irrigation amount, and other parameters (especially the temperature) also control the effects of irrigation on LH, SH, and NEE.

Acoustic Telemetry Evaluation of Juvenile Salmonid Passage and Survival at John Day Dam, 2011

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

Weiland, Mark A.; Woodley, Christa M.; Ploskey, Gene R.

This report presents survival, behavioral, and fish passage results for tagged yearling Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead as part of a survival study conducted at John Day Dam during spring 2011. This study was designed to evaluate the passage and survival of yearling Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead to assist managers in identifying dam operations for compliance testing as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion and the 2008 Columbia Basin Fish Accords. Survival estimates were based on a paired-release survival model.

Estimating nitrogen loading to ground water and assessing vulnerability to nitrate contamination in a large karstic springs Basin, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katz, B.G.; Sepulveda, A.A.; Verdi, R.J.

2009-01-01

A nitrogen (N) mass-balance budget was developed to assess the sources of N affecting increasing ground-water nitrate concentrations in the 960-km 2 karstic Ichetucknee Springs basin. This budget included direct measurements of N species in rainfall, ground water, and spring waters, along with estimates of N loading from fertilizers, septic tanks, animal wastes, and the land application of treated municipal wastewater and residual solids. Based on a range of N leaching estimates, N loads to ground water ranged from 262,000 to 1.3 million kg/year; and were similar to N export from the basin in spring waters (266,000 kg/year) when 80-90% N losses were assumed. Fertilizers applied to cropland, lawns, and pine stands contributed about 51% of the estimated total annual N load to ground water in the basin. Other sources contributed the following percentages of total N load to ground water: animal wastes, 27%; septic tanks, 12%; atmospheric deposition, 8%; and the land application of treated wastewater and biosolids, 2%. Due to below normal rainfall (97.3 cm) during the 12-month rainfall collection period, N inputs from rainfall likely were about 30% lower than estimates for normal annual rainfall (136 cm). Low N-isotope values for six spring waters (??15N-NO3 = 3.3 to 6.3???) and elevated potassium concentrations in ground water and spring waters were consistent with the large N contribution from fertilizers. Given ground-water residence times on the order of decades for spring waters, possible sinks for excess N inputs to the basin include N storage in the unsaturated zone and parts of the aquifer with relatively sluggish ground-water movement and denitrification. A geographical-based model of spatial loading from fertilizers indicated that areas most vulnerable to nitrate contamination were located in closed depressions containing sinkholes and other dissolution features in the southern half of the basin. ?? 2009 American Water Resources Association.

Hydrogeochemical signatures of thermal springs compared to deep formation water of North Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozau, Elke; van Berk, Wolfgang

2014-05-01

Thermal springs and hot deep formation waters can be used for geothermal energy production. Depending on the chemical composition of the used waters, geothermal power plants have to deal with scaling and corrosion effects. Therefore, the understanding of the hydrogeochemical behaviour of such waters can be helpful to enhance the efficiency of the energy production. This study is comparing hydrogeochemical characteristics of thermal springs in the Harz Mountains (North Germany) and deep formation water of the North German Basin. The Harz Mountains consist of uplifted Palaeozoic rocks, whereas the North German Basin consists of sedimentary layers of Permian, Mesozoic and Cenozoic age. Volcanic rocks are included in the Permian layers. The thickness of the sedimentary basin varies between 2 km and more than 8 km. The deep aquifers of the North German Basin are mostly not involved in the recent meteoric water cycle. Their waters have contents of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) up to about 400 g/L. Thermal springs of the Harz Mountains are situated close to the main fracture system of the region. These springs are connected to the meteoric water cycle and display lower contents of TDS (< 25 g/L). In both geological systems the TDS content is increasing with depth and temperature. The elemental ratios of the waters (e.g., Na/Cl, Cl/Br, Na/Ca) indicate similar hydrogeochemical formation processes in the Harz Mountains and the North German Basin. The concentrations of calcium, sodium, and chloride differ due to salt dissolution and feldspar transformation (albitisation) in the thermal springs as well as in the deep formation waters. Based on today's knowledge hydrochemical and stratigraphical data from the North German Basin can be used to elucidate the geological origin of the thermal springs in the Harz Mountains. Acknowledgements. The presented data are results of the collaborative research program "gebo" (Geothermal energy and high performance drilling), financed by the Ministry of Science and Culture of the State of Lower Saxony and the company Baker Hughes.

Chloride control and monitoring program in the Wichita River Basin, Texas, 1996-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haynie, M.M.; Burke, G.F.; Baldys, Stanley

2011-01-01

Water resources of the Wichita River Basin in north-central Texas are vital to the water users in Wichita Falls, Tex., and surrounding areas. The Wichita River Basin includes three major forks of the Wichita River upstream from Lake Kemp, approximately 50 miles southwest of Wichita Falls, Tex. The main stem of the Wichita River is formed by the confluence of the North Wichita River and Middle Fork Wichita River upstream from Truscott Brine Lake. The confluence of the South Wichita River with the Wichita River is northwest of Seymour, Tex. (fig. 1). Waters from the Wichita River Basin, which is part of the Red River Basin, are characterized by high concentrations of chloride and other salinity-related constituents from salt springs and seeps (hereinafter salt springs) in the upper reaches of the basin. These salt springs have their origins in the Permian Period when the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma areas were covered by a broad shallow sea. Over geologic time, evaporation of the shallow seas resulted in the formation of salt deposits, which today are part of the geologic formations underlying the area. Groundwater in these formations is characterized by high chloride concentrations from these salt deposits, and some of this groundwater is discharged by the salt springs into the Wichita River.

Hydrological processes in glacierized high-altitude basins of the western Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeelani, Ghulam; Shah, Rouf A.; Fryar, Alan E.; Deshpande, Rajendrakumar D.; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Perrin, Jerome

2018-03-01

Western Himalaya is a strategically important region, where the water resources are shared by China, India and Pakistan. The economy of the region is largely dependent on the water resources delivered by snow and glacier melt. The presented study used stable isotopes of water to further understand the basin-scale hydro-meteorological, hydrological and recharge processes in three high-altitude mountainous basins of the western Himalayas. The study provided new insights in understanding the dominant factors affecting the isotopic composition of the precipitation, snowpack, glacier melt, streams and springs. It was observed that elevation-dependent post-depositional processes and snowpack evolution resulted in the higher isotopic altitude gradient in snowpacks. The similar temporal trends of isotopic signals in rivers and karst springs reflect the rapid flow transfer due to karstification of the carbonate aquifers. The attenuation of the extreme isotopic input signal in karst springs appears to be due to the mixing of source waters with the underground karst reservoirs. Basin-wise, the input-output response demonstrates the vital role of winter precipitation in maintaining the perennial flow in streams and karst springs in the region. Isotopic data were also used to estimate the mean recharge altitude of the springs.

Tectonic implications of facies patterns, Lower Permian Dry Mountain trough, east-central Nevada

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

Gallegos, D.M.; Snyder, W.S.; Spinosa, C.

1991-02-01

Paleozoic tectonism is indicated by a study of a west-east facies analysis transect across the northern portion of the Lower Permian Dry Mountain trough (DMT). In an attempt to characterize the Early Permian basin-filling sequences, three broadly recognizable facies packages have been identified across the DMT: the western margin facies and the central basin facies of the DMT and an eastern shelf facies. In the western margin facies of the basin, pulses of tectonic activity are recorded at McCloud Spring in the Sulphur Springs Range. Here, shallow open-marine carbonate overlies eroded Vinini Formation and, in turn, is unconformably overlain bymore » basinal marine carbonate. An unconformity also marks the contact with the overriding prograding coarse clastic facies. These abrupt transitions suggest the sediments were deposited in a tectonically active area where they preservation of Waltherian sequences is unlikely to occur. Similarly abrupt transitions are evident in the western part of the central basin facies. At Portuguese Springs n the Diamond Range, a thin basal marine conglomerate delineates Lower Permian sedimentation over the Pennsylvanian Ely Formation. Coarsening-upward basinal carbonate strata of pelagic, hemipelagic, and turbidite components overlie the basal conglomerate. this progression of sediments is unconformably overlain by a subaerial sequence of coarse clastic deposits. Within the eastern part of the central basin facies in the Maverick Spring Range, the Lower Permian sediments are open-marine siltstone, wackestone, packstone, and grainstone. The sediments are assigned to a gradually sloping ramp, indicating the effects of tectonism on this margin of the basin were subdued.« less

Evaluating characteristics of dry spell changes in Lake Urmia Basin using an ensemble CMIP5 GCM models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fazel, Nasim; Berndtsson, Ronny; Bertacchi Uvo, Cintia; Klove, Bjorn; Madani, Kaveh

2015-04-01

Drought is a natural phenomenon that can cause significant environmental, ecological, and socio-economic losses in water scarce regions. Studies of drought under climate change are essential for water resources planning and management. Dry spells and number of consecutive days with precipitation below a certain threshold can be used to identify the severity of hydrological drought. In this study, we analyzed the projected changes of number of dry days in two future periods, 2011-2040 and 2071-2100, for both seasonal and annual time scales in the Lake Urmia Basin. The lake and its wetlands, located in northwestern Iran, have invaluable environmental, social, and economic importance for the region. The lake level has been shrinking dramatically since 1995 and now the water volume is less than 30% of its original. Moreover, frequent dry spells have struck the region and effected the region's water resources and lake ecosystem as in other parts of Iran too. Analyzing future drought and dry spells characteristics in the region is crucial for sustainable water management and lake restoration plans. We used daily projected precipitation from 20 climate models used in the CMIP5 (Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5) driven by three representative paths, RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and, RCP8.5. The model outputs were statistically downscaled and validated based on the historical observation period 1980-2010. We defined days with precipitation less than 1 mm as dry days for both observation periods and model projections. The model validation showed that all models underestimated the number of dry days. An ensemble based on the validation results consisting of five models which were in best agreement with observations was used to assess the changes in number of future dry days in Lake Urmia Basin. The entire ensemble showed increase in number of dry days for all seasons. The projected changes in winter and spring were larger than for summer and autumn. All models projected dryer winter and spring periods in the near and far future periods. The ensemble mean for future annual dry days increased by 6.5 % to 7.3% for the different climate change related emission and concentration pathway RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and, RCP8.5.

Charakterystyka wydajności wybranych źródeł w zlewni Lutynki na Wyżynie Lubelskiej

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chabudziński, Łukasz

2010-01-01

The Lutynka River basin, located in the zone of the Lublin Upland and Roztocze region edge, is characterized by the occurrence of numerous springs of underground waters. First information about springs in this area was pointed in the sixties of the 20th century (Wilgat 1968). Thereafter, Janiec (1972, 1984, 1997), Malinowski (1973, 1974) and Michalczyk (1983, 1993, 1996, 2001) carried out research into them. The basin is located in the boundary of the subregions: Wzniesienia Urzędowskie (Urzędów Hills) and Roztocze Zachodnie (Western Roztocze) regions against the background of the physiographic division after Chałubińska & Wilgat (1954). From May 2005 to March 2007, measurements of springs discharge and the Lutynka river flow were measured per month. On the basis of precipitation, air temperature and evapotranspiration, month by outflow deficit were appointed and water infiltration was estimated. Springs of the Lutynka River basin are fed from Neogene and Cretaceous-Neogene aquifiers. Maximum depths to the water (above 60 m) are noted in Wojciechów and Kamienna Góra. Water table is slightly inclined to river valleys. It circulates mainly in fissures of tectonic genesis. Thickness of Quaternary deposits exceeds dozens of meters in valleys, in turn it has only 2-3 meters in plateaus. They are formed in glacial till of Elsterian glaciation and sands of Saalian age, located in the central and southern part of the Lutynka River basin. In turn, loesses and loess-like deposits occur in its north-eastern part. Four springs located near the Lute village were described and characteristics of their discharge were presented. One spring occurs in a pond's bed and the rest are situated below the left slope of the Lutynka River valley, directly near the pond. The slope has a north-western exposition, 20 m height and 16° inclination. All three springs are located on 210 m a. s. l. height. The springs in the Lute village are characterized by various discharge and regime. Spring no. 1 is one of the biggest springs on the Lublin Upland and Roztocze regions and its average discharge amounts to 139.4 dm3·s-1. All the examined springs display different reaction to feeding and time of water flow between feeding and its outflow lasts from one to six months. It is conditioned by underground water circulation in channels and fissures existing in Cretaceous and Neogene rocks and their spatial extent. Total discharge of the examined springs was changing from 130 to 250 dm3·s-1. Spring water constitutes from 60 to 90% of water led by the Lutynka River, which causes that its basin is characterized by one of the biggest modules of underground and spring flow in the Lublin region. Good quality of the spring water, high landscape and scientific value of spring combs, steady and high discharge indicate the necessity of security of the Lutynka River basin, especially places of water outflows.

Development of a Willingness to Pay Survey for Willamette Basin Spring Chinook and Winter Steelhead Recovery

EPA Science Inventory

Salmon fisheries are a high-profile icon of the Pacific Northwest. Spring Chinook and winter-run steelhead are both listed as federally endangered species in the Willamette basin, the most populated and developed watershed in Oregon. Despite being a high profile issue, there are ...

A multitracer approach for characterizing interactions between shallow groundwater and the hydrothermal system in the Norris Geyser Basin area, Yellowstone National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, W.P.; Susong, D.D.; Solomon, D.K.; Heasler, H.P.

2011-01-01

Multiple environmental tracers are used to investigate age distribution, evolution, and mixing in local- to regional-scale groundwater circulation around the Norris Geyser Basin area in Yellowstone National Park. Springs ranging in temperature from 3??C to 90??C in the Norris Geyser Basin area were sampled for stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, major and minor element chemistry, dissolved chlorofluorocarbons, and tritium. Groundwater near Norris Geyser Basin is comprised of two distinct systems: a shallow, cool water system and a deep, high-temperature hydrothermal system. These two end-member systems mix to create springs with intermediate temperature and composition. Using multiple tracers from a large number of springs, it is possible constrain the distribution of possible flow paths and refine conceptual models of groundwater circulation in and around a large, complex hydrothermal system. Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

The Streambank Erosion Control Evaluation and Demonstration Act of 1974, Section 32, Public Law 93-251. Appendix A. Literature Survey.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

Creek, Russian River Basin, Sonoma County , California; Hydraulic Model Investigation," Technical Report H-73-3, U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment...Springs Dam, Dry Creek, Russian River Basin, Sonoma County , Cali- fornia; Hydraulic Model Investigation," Technical Report H-73-3, U. S. Army Engineer...Structures Ables, J. H., Jr., and Pickering, G. A. 1973 (Feb). "Outlet Works, 0 Warm Springs Dam, Dry Creek, Russian River Basin, Sonoma County , Cali

Identifying the Driving Factors of Water Quality in a Sub-Watershed of the Republican River Basin, Kansas USA.

PubMed

Burke, Morgen W V; Shahabi, Mojtaba; Xu, Yeqian; Zheng, Haochi; Zhang, Xiaodong; VanLooy, Jeffrey

2018-05-22

Studies have shown that the agricultural expansion and land use changes in the Midwest of the U.S. are major drivers for increased nonpoint source pollution throughout the regional river systems. In this study, we empirically examined the relationship of planted area and production of three dominant crops with nitrate flux in the Republican River, Kansas, a sub-watershed of Mississippi River Basin. Our results show that land use in the region could not explain the observed changes in nitrate flux in the river. Instead, after including explanatory variables such as precipitation, growing degree days, and well water irrigation in the regression model we found that irrigation and spring precipitation could explain >85% of the variability in nitrate flux from 2000 to 2014. This suggests that changes in crop acreage and production alone cannot explain variability in nitrate flux. Future agricultural policy for the region should focus on controlling both the timing and amount of fertilizer applied to the field to reduce the potential leaching of excess fertilizer through spring time runoff and/or over-irrigation into nearby river systems.

A geochemical and hydrological investigation of groundwater recharge in the Roswell basin of New Mexico: summary of results and updated listing of tritium determinations

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

Gross, G.W.; Hoy, R.N.

Different approaches were used to study recharge and flow patterns in the Roswell, New Mexico, artesian basin. Isotope determination for tritium, deuterium, and oxygen-18 were made as a function of time and space. Observation well levels, springflow, and precipitation were analyzed by stochastic/numerical approaches. Also, a hydrogeologic survey was made of representative springs in the recharge zone on the basin western flank. An updated listing of tritium activity in precipitation, springs, surface runoff, and subsurface water from over 120 sampling sites in the basin covers 117 pages of the report. Substantial deep leakage contributions from the basin western flank mustmore » be included to account for the basin groundwater budget.« less

Yakima River Radio-Telemetry Study: Spring Chinook Salmon, 1991-1992 Annual Report.

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

Hockersmith, Eric

1994-09-01

As part of the presupplementation planning, baseline data on the productivity of spring chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Yakima River have been collected. However, for adult salmonids, data on habitat use, delays in passage at irrigation diversions, migration rates, and substock separation had not been previously collected. In 1991, the National Marine Fisheries Service began a 2-year radio-telemetry study of adult spring chinook salmon in the Yakima River Basin. Specific objectives addressed in this study were: to determine spawning populations` run timing, passage patterns at irrigation diversion dams, and morphometric characteristics to determine where and when substocks become separated;more » to evaluate fish passage at Yakima River Basin diversion dams including Prosser, Sunnyside, Wapato, Roza, Town Diversion, Easton, Cowiche, and Wapatox Dams; to determine spring chinook salmon migration rates between Yakima River Basin dams, prespawning behavior, temporal distribution, and habitat utilization; to identify spawning distribution and timing of spring chinook salmon; to determine the amount and cause of prespawning mortality of spring chinook salmon; and to evaluate adult fish-handling procedures for the right-bank, adult-trapping facility at Prosser Dam.« less

Hydroclimatology of the Missouri River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wise, Erika K.; Woodhouse, Connie A.; McCabe, Gregory; Pederson, Gregory T.; St. Jacques, Jeannine-Marie

2018-01-01

Despite the importance of the Missouri River for navigation, recreation, habitat, hydroelectric power, and agriculture, relatively little is known about the basic hydroclimatology of the Missouri River basin (MRB). This is of particular concern given the droughts and floods that have occurred over the past several decades and the potential future exacerbation of these extremes by climate change. Here, observed and modeled hydroclimatic data and estimated natural flow records in the MRB are used to 1) assess the major source regions of MRB flow, 2) describe the climatic controls on streamflow in the upper and lower basins , and 3) investigate trends over the instrumental period. Analyses indicate that 72% of MRB runoff is generated by the headwaters in the upper basin and by the lowest portion of the basin near the mouth. Spring precipitation and temperature and winter precipitation impacted by changes in zonal versus meridional flow from the Pacific Ocean play key roles in surface water supply variability in the upper basin. Lower basin flow is significantly correlated with precipitation in late spring and early summer, indicative of Atlantic-influenced circulation variability affecting the flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Although increases in precipitation in the lower basin are currently overriding the effects of warming temperatures on total MRB flow, the upper basin’s long-term trend toward decreasing flows, reduction in snow versus rain fraction, and warming spring temperatures suggest that the upper basin may less often provide important flow supplements to the lower basin in the future.

Cryopreservation of Adult Male Spring and Summer Chinook Salmon Gametes in the Snake River Basin, 1997 Annual Report.

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

Faurot, Dave; Kucera, Paul A.; Armstrong, Robyn D.

1998-06-01

Chinook salmon populations in the Northwest are decreasing in number. The Nez Perce Tribe was funded in 1997 by the Bonneville Power Administration to coordinate and initiate gene banking of adult male gametes from Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed spring and summer chinook salmon in the Snake River basin.

Recharge in semiarid mountain environments

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

Gross, G.W.

A systematic investigation of tritium activity in precipitation, surface water, springs, and ground water of the Roswell artesian basin in New Mexico, has been supplemented by hydrogeologic reconnaissance of spring systems; by various statistical correlations and spectral analysis of stream flow and water level records of observation wells; by spring discharge measurements; by stable isotope determinations (oxygen 18 and deuterium); and by numerical modeling of part of the basin. Two recharge contributions to the Principal or Carbonate Aquifer have been distinguished principally on the basis of their tritium label and aquifer response characteristics. Almost all basin waters (including deep groundmore » water) fall close to the meteoric line of hydrogen/oxygen isotope composition, and this rules out a juvenile origin or appreciable bedrock interaction.« less

Regional groundwater-flow model of the Redwall-Muav, Coconino, and alluvial basin aquifer systems of northern and central Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pool, D.R.; Blasch, Kyle W.; Callegary, James B.; Leake, Stanley A.; Graser, Leslie F.

2011-01-01

A numerical flow model (MODFLOW) of the groundwater flow system in the primary aquifers in northern Arizona was developed to simulate interactions between the aquifers, perennial streams, and springs for predevelopment and transient conditions during 1910 through 2005. Simulated aquifers include the Redwall-Muav, Coconino, and basin-fill aquifers. Perennial stream reaches and springs that derive base flow from the aquifers were simulated, including the Colorado River, Little Colorado River, Salt River, Verde River, and perennial reaches of tributary streams. Simulated major springs include Blue Spring, Del Rio Springs, Havasu Springs, Verde River headwater springs, several springs that discharge adjacent to major Verde River tributaries, and many springs that discharge to the Colorado River. Estimates of aquifer hydraulic properties and groundwater budgets were developed from published reports and groundwater-flow models. Spatial extents of aquifers and confining units were developed from geologic data, geophysical models, a groundwater-flow model for the Prescott Active Management Area, drill logs, geologic logs, and geophysical logs. Spatial and temporal distributions of natural recharge were developed by using a water-balance model that estimates recharge from direct infiltration. Additional natural recharge from ephemeral channel infiltration was simulated in alluvial basins. Recharge at wastewater treatment facilities and incidental recharge at agricultural fields and golf courses were also simulated. Estimates of predevelopment rates of groundwater discharge to streams, springs, and evapotranspiration by phreatophytes were derived from previous reports and on the basis of streamflow records at gages. Annual estimates of groundwater withdrawals for agriculture, municipal, industrial, and domestic uses were developed from several sources, including reported withdrawals for nonexempt wells, estimated crop requirements for agricultural wells, and estimated per capita water use for exempt wells. Accuracy of the simulated groundwater-flow system was evaluated by using observational control from water levels in wells, estimates of base flow from streamflow records, and estimates of spring discharge. Major results from the simulations include the importance of variations in recharge rates throughout the study area and recharge along ephemeral and losing stream reaches in alluvial basins. Insights about the groundwater-flow systems in individual basins include the hydrologic influence of geologic structures in some areas and that stream-aquifer interactions along the lower part of the Little Colorado River are an effective control on water level distributions throughout the Little Colorado River Plateau basin. Better information on several aspects of the groundwater flow system are needed to reduce uncertainty of the simulated system. Many areas lack documentation of the response of the groundwater system to changes in withdrawals and recharge. Data needed to define groundwater flow between vertically adjacent water-bearing units is lacking in many areas. Distributions of recharge along losing stream reaches are poorly defined. Extents of aquifers and alluvial lithologies are poorly defined in parts of the Big Chino and Verde Valley sub-basins. Aquifer storage properties are poorly defined throughout most of the study area. Little data exist to define the hydrologic importance of geologic structures such as faults and fractures. Discharge of regional groundwater flow to the Verde River is difficult to identify in the Verde Valley sub-basin because of unknown contributions from deep percolation of excess surface water irrigation.

Water Treatment Technology - Springs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross-Harrington, Melinda; Kincaid, G. David

One of twelve water treatment technology units, this student manual on springs provides instructional materials for two competencies. (The twelve units are designed for a continuing education training course for public water supply operators.) The competencies focus on spring basin construction and spring protection. For each competency, student…

The origin of groundwater in Zhangye Basin, northwestern China, using isotopic signature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiansheng; Liu, Xiaoyan; Sun, Xiaoxu; Su, Zhiguo; Yong, Bin

2014-03-01

Zhangye Basin, in arid northwestern China, has recently been repeatedly flooded by rising groundwater. Isotope signatures of sampled waters gained insight into the recharge source of the groundwater. The summer Heihe River water and most of the spring water in Zhangye and Yongchang basins plotted above the global meteoric water line (GMWL) on the δ18O-δD plot. The spring water had R/Ra ratio >1, low TDS and high tritium, which indicates origin from Qilian Mountain glacier meltwater. The groundwater of Qilian Mountains was transported to the Hexi Corridor (in which Zhangye Basin is located) through underground fault zones. Additionally, some of the groundwater in the alluvial plain, and all spring water surrounding Zhangye Basin, plotted below the GMWL on the δ18O-δD plot along an evaporation line, and had R/Ra ratio < 1 and high TDS. It is proposed that the Tibetan rivers or lakes source the Hexi Corridor groundwater through either the NE-trending or NW-trending buried fault zones. The isotopic signatures presented as part of this study rule out the conventional viewpoint that groundwater of the Zhangye Basin was recharged by local precipitation and infiltration of Heihe River water on the alluvial plain.

Characterising the hydrothermal circulation patterns beneath thermal springs in the limestones of the Carboniferous Dublin Basin, Ireland: a geophysical and geochemical approach.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blake, Sarah; Henry, Tiernan; Muller, Mark R.; Jones, Alan G.; Moore, John Paul; Murray, John; Campanyà, Joan; Vozár, Jan; Walsh, John; Rath, Volker

2016-04-01

A hydrogeological conceptual model of the sources, circulation pathways and temporal variations of two low-enthalpy thermal springs is derived from a multi-disciplinary approach. The springs are situated in the Carboniferous limestones of the Dublin Basin, in east-central Ireland. Kilbrook spring (Co. Kildare) has the highest recorded temperatures for any thermal spring in Ireland (maximum of 25.0 °C), and St. Gorman's Well (Co. Meath) has a complex and variable temperature profile (maximum of 21.8 °C). These temperatures are elevated with respect to average Irish groundwater temperatures (9.5 - 10.5 °C), and represent a geothermal energy potential, which is currently under evaluation. A multi-disciplinary investigation based upon audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) surveys, time-lapse temperature and chemistry measurements, and hydrochemical analysis, has been undertaken with the aims of investigating the provenance of the thermal groundwater and characterising the geological structures facilitating groundwater circulation in the bedrock. The hydrochemical analysis indicates that the thermal waters flow within the limestones of the Dublin Basin, and there is evidence that Kilbrook spring receives a contribution from deep-basinal fluids. The time-lapse temperature, electrical conductivity and water level records for St. Gorman's Well indicate a strongly non-linear response to recharge inputs to the system, suggestive of fluid flow in karst conduits. The 3-D electrical resistivity models of the subsurface revealed two types of geological structure beneath the springs; (1) Carboniferous normal faults, and (2) Cenozoic strike-slip faults. These structures are dissolutionally enhanced, particularly where they intersect. The karstification of these structures, which extend to depths of at least 500 m, has provided conduits that facilitate the operation of a relatively deep hydrothermal circulation pattern (likely estimated depths between 240 and 1,000 m) within the Dublin Basin. The results of this study support a hypothesis that the thermal maximum and simultaneous increased discharge observed each winter at both springs is the result of rapid infiltration, heating and re-circulation of meteoric waters within a structurally- and recharge-controlled hydrothermal circulation system.

Arsenic and antimony in geothermal waters of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stauffer, R.E.; Thompson, J.M.

1984-01-01

A total of 268 thermal spring samples were analyzed for total soluble As using reduced molybdenum-blue; 27 of these samples were also analyzed for total Sb using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. At Yellowstone the Cl As atomic ratio is nearly constant among neutral-alkaline springs with Cl > 100 mg L-1, and within restricted geographic areas, indicating no differential effects of adiabatic vs. conductive cooling on arsenic. The Cl As ratio increases with silica and decreases with decreasing Cl ??CO3; the latter relationship is best exemplified for springs along the extensively sampled SE-NW trend within the Lone Star-Upper-Midway Basin region. The relationship between Cl As and Cl ??CO3 at Yellowstone suggests a possible rock leaching rather than magmatic origin for much of the Park's total As flux. Condensed vapor springs are low in both As and Cl. Very high Cl As ratios ( > 1000) are associated exclusively with highly diluted (Cl < 100 mg L-1) mixed springs in the Norris and Shoshone Basins and in the Upper White Creek and Firehole Lake areas of Lower Basin. The high ratios are associated with acidity and/or oxygen and iron; they indicate precipitation of As following massive dilution of the Asbearing high-Cl parent water. Yellowstone Sb ranged from 0.009 at Mammoth to 0.166 mg L-1 at Joseph's Coat Spring. Within basins, the Cl Sb ratio increases as the Cl ??CO3 ratio decreases, in marked contrast to As. Mixed springs also have elevated Cl Sb ratios. White (1967) and Weissberg (1969) previously reported stibnite (Sb2S3), but not orpiment (As2S3), precipitating in the near surface zone of alkaline geothermal systems. ?? 1984.

Groundwater quality impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater in a large karstic spring basin: Chemical and microbiological indicators

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katz, B.G.; Griffin, Dale W.; Davis, J.H.

2009-01-01

Geochemical and microbiological techniques were used to assess water-quality impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater in the karstic Wakulla Springs basin in northern Florida. Nitrate-N concentrations have increased from about 0.2 to as high as 1.1??mg/L (milligrams per liter) during the past 30??years in Wakulla Springs, a regional discharge point for groundwater (mean flow about 11.3??m3/s) from the Upper Floridan aquifer (UFA). A major source of nitrate to the UFA is the approximately 64??million L/d (liters per day) of treated municipal wastewater applied at a 774??ha (hectare) sprayfield farming operation. About 260 chemical and microbiological indicators were analyzed in water samples from the sprayfield effluent reservoir, wells upgradient from the sprayfield, and from 21 downgradient wells and springs to assess the movement of contaminants into the UFA. Concentrations of nitrate-N, boron, chloride, were elevated in water samples from the sprayfield effluent reservoir and in monitoring wells at the sprayfield boundary. Mixing of sprayfield effluent water was indicated by a systematic decrease in concentrations of these constituents with distance downgradient from the sprayfield, with about a 10-fold dilution at Wakulla Springs, about 15??km (kilometers) downgradient from the sprayfield. Groundwater with elevated chloride and boron concentrations in wells downgradient from the sprayfield and in Wakulla Springs had similar nitrate isotopic signatures, whereas the nitrate isotopic composition of water from other sites was consistent with inorganic fertilizers or denitrification. The sprayfield operation was highly effective in removing most studied organic wastewater and pharmaceutical compounds and microbial indicators. Carbamazepine (an anti-convulsant drug) was the only pharmaceutical compound detected in groundwater from two sprayfield monitoring wells (1-2??ppt). One other detection of carbamazepine was found in a distant well water sample where enteroviruses also were detected, indicating a likely influence from a nearby septic tank.

Groundwater quality impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater in a large karstic spring basin: chemical and microbiological indicators.

PubMed

Katz, Brian G; Griffin, Dale W; Davis, J Hal

2009-04-01

Geochemical and microbiological techniques were used to assess water-quality impacts from the land application of treated municipal wastewater in the karstic Wakulla Springs basin in northern Florida. Nitrate-N concentrations have increased from about 0.2 to as high as 1.1 mg/L (milligrams per liter) during the past 30 years in Wakulla Springs, a regional discharge point for groundwater (mean flow about 11.3 m(3)/s) from the Upper Floridan aquifer (UFA). A major source of nitrate to the UFA is the approximately 64 million L/d (liters per day) of treated municipal wastewater applied at a 774 ha (hectare) sprayfield farming operation. About 260 chemical and microbiological indicators were analyzed in water samples from the sprayfield effluent reservoir, wells upgradient from the sprayfield, and from 21 downgradient wells and springs to assess the movement of contaminants into the UFA. Concentrations of nitrate-N, boron, chloride, were elevated in water samples from the sprayfield effluent reservoir and in monitoring wells at the sprayfield boundary. Mixing of sprayfield effluent water was indicated by a systematic decrease in concentrations of these constituents with distance downgradient from the sprayfield, with about a 10-fold dilution at Wakulla Springs, about 15 km (kilometers) downgradient from the sprayfield. Groundwater with elevated chloride and boron concentrations in wells downgradient from the sprayfield and in Wakulla Springs had similar nitrate isotopic signatures, whereas the nitrate isotopic composition of water from other sites was consistent with inorganic fertilizers or denitrification. The sprayfield operation was highly effective in removing most studied organic wastewater and pharmaceutical compounds and microbial indicators. Carbamazepine (an anti-convulsant drug) was the only pharmaceutical compound detected in groundwater from two sprayfield monitoring wells (1-2 ppt). One other detection of carbamazepine was found in a distant well water sample where enteroviruses also were detected, indicating a likely influence from a nearby septic tank.

Regional variability in dust-on-snow processes and impacts in the Upper Colorado River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Skiles, S. McKenzie; Painter, Thomas H.; Belnap, Jayne; Holland, Lacey; Reynolds, Richard L.; Goldstein, Harland L.; Lin, J.

2015-01-01

Dust deposition onto mountain snow cover in the Upper Colorado River Basin frequently occurs in the spring when wind speeds and dust emission peaks on the nearby Colorado Plateau. Dust loading has increased since the intensive settlement in the western USA in the mid 1880s. The effects of dust-on-snow have been well studied at Senator Beck Basin Study Area (SBBSA) in the San Juan Mountains, CO, the first high-altitude area of contact for predominantly southwesterly winds transporting dust from the southern Colorado Plateau. To capture variability in dust transport from the broader Colorado Plateau and dust deposition across a larger area of the Colorado River water sources, an additional study plot was established in 2009 on Grand Mesa, 150 km to the north of SBBSA in west central, CO. Here, we compare the 4-year (2010–2013) dust source, deposition, and radiative forcing records at Grand Mesa Study Plot (GMSP) and Swamp Angel Study Plot (SASP), SBBSA's subalpine study plot. The study plots have similar site elevations/environments and differ mainly in the amount of dust deposited and ensuing impacts. At SASP, end of year dust concentrations ranged from 0.83 mg g−1 to 4.80 mg g−1, and daily mean spring dust radiative forcing ranged from 50–65 W m−2, advancing melt by 24–49 days. At GMSP, which received 1.0 mg g−1 less dust per season on average, spring radiative forcings of 32–50 W m−2 advanced melt by 15–30 days. Remote sensing imagery showed that observed dust events were frequently associated with dust emission from the southern Colorado Plateau. Dust from these sources generally passed south of GMSP, and back trajectory footprints modelled for observed dust events were commonly more westerly and northerly for GMSP relative to SASP. These factors suggest that although the southern Colorado Plateau contains important dust sources, dust contributions from other dust sources contribute to dust loading in this region, and likely account for the majority of dust loading at GMSP.

Results from the Big Spring basin water quality monitoring and demonstration projects, Iowa, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowden, R.D.; Liu, H.; Libra, R.D.

2001-01-01

Agricultural practices, hydrology, and water quality of the 267-km2 Big Spring groundwater drainage basin in Clayton County, Iowa, have been monitored since 1981. Land use is agricultural; nitrate-nitrogen (-N) and herbicides are the resulting contaminants in groundwater and surface water. Ordovician Galena Group carbonate rocks comprise the main aquifer in the basin. Recharge to this karstic aquifer is by infiltration, augmented by sinkhole-captured runoff. Groundwater is discharged at Big Spring, where quantity and quality of the discharge are monitored. Monitoring has shown a threefold increase in groundwater nitrate-N concentrations from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The nitrate-N discharged from the basin typically is equivalent to over one-third of the nitrogen fertilizer applied, with larger losses during wetter years. Atrazine is present in groundwater all year; however, contaminant concentrations in the groundwater respond directly to recharge events, and unique chemical signatures of infiltration versus runoff recharge are detectable in the discharge from Big Spring. Education and demonstration efforts have reduced nitrogen fertilizer application rates by one-third since 1981. Relating declines in nitrate and pesticide concentrations to inputs of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides at Big Spring is problematic. Annual recharge has varied five-fold during monitoring, overshadowing any water-quality improvements resulting from incrementally decreased inputs. ?? Springer-Verlag 2001.

Correlation between the silica concentration and the orifice temperature in the warm springs along the jordan-dead sea rift valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levitte, D.; Eckstein, Y.

1978-01-01

Analysis of twenty-one thermal springs emerging along the Jordan-Dead Sea Rift Valley in Israel indicates a very good correlation between the concentration of dissolved silica and the temperature of the spring orifice. Dissolution of quartz was identified as the apparent source of the silica in the water. Application of the silica geothermometer for mixed systems suggests that the springs in the Tiberias Lake Basin are supplied with hot water from deep reservoir (or reservoirs) at a temperature of 115??C (239??F). The same temperature was postulated earlier by the application of the Na-K-Ca hydro-geothermometer to a group of thermal springs in the same basin. The temperature of the reservoir supplying hot brines to the springs emerging along the western shore of the Dead Sea is estimated at 90??C (194??F).

Grande Ronde Basin Supplementation Program; Lostine River, 2000 Annual Report.

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

Onjukka, Sam T.; Harbeck, Jim

2003-03-01

The Northwest Power Planning Council (NPPC) identified supplementation as a high priority to achieve its goal of increasing runs of anadromous fish in the Columbia Basin. Supplementation activities in the Lostine River and associated monitoring and evaluation conducted by the Nez Perce Tribe relate directly to the needs addressed in the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (NPPC 1994). Measure 7.4L.1 of the Program mandates that appropriate research accompany any proposed supplementation. In addition, measure 7.3B.2 of the Program stresses the need for evaluating supplementation projects to assess their ability to increase production. Finally, Section 7.4D.3 encourages the studymore » of hatchery rearing and release strategies to improve survival and adaptation of cultured fish. In 1997, Oregon Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (ODFW) requested a modification of Permit 1011 to allow the take of adult spring chinook salmon. In 1998, the Nez Perce Tribe also requested a permit specific to activities on Lostine River. The permit was issued in 2000. A special condition in the permits required the development of a long term management plan for the spring chinook salmon of the Grande Ronde Basin. The Nez Perce Tribe, ODFW, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) completed a formal long range plan entitled ''Grande Ronde Basin Endemic Spring Chinook Salmon Supplementation Program''. The program proposes to increase the survival of spring chinook salmon in the Grand Ronde Basin through hatchery intervention. Adult salmon from the Lostine River, Catherine Creek, and the Upper Grande Ronde River are used for a conventional supplementation program in the basin. The Nez Perce program currently operates under the ESA Section 10 Permit 1149.« less

Grande Ronde Basin Supplementation Program; Lostine River, 2001 Annual Report.

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

Onjukka, Sam T.; Harbeck, Jim

2003-03-01

The Northwest Power Planning Council (NPPC) identified supplementation as a high priority to achieve its goal of increasing runs of anadromous fish in the Columbia Basin. Supplementation activities in the Lostine River and associated monitoring and evaluation conducted by the Nez Perce Tribe relate directly to the needs addressed in the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (NPPC 1994). Measure 7.4L.1 of the Program mandates that appropriate research accompany any proposed supplementation. In addition, measure 7.3B.2 of the Program stresses the need for evaluating supplementation projects to assess their ability to increase production. Finally, Section 7.4D.3 encourages the studymore » of hatchery rearing and release strategies to improve survival and adaptation of cultured fish. In 1997, Oregon Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (ODFW) requested a modification of Permit 1011 to allow the take of adult spring chinook salmon. In 1998, the Nez Perce Tribe also requested a permit specific to activities on Lostine River. The permit was issued in 2000. A special condition in the permits required the development of a long term management plan for the spring chinook salmon of the Grande Ronde Basin. The Nez Perce Tribe, ODFW, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) completed a formal long range plan entitled ''Grande Ronde Basin Endemic Spring Chinook Salmon Supplementation Program''. The program proposes to increase the survival of spring chinook salmon in the Grand Ronde Basin through hatchery intervention. Adult salmon from the Lostine River, Catherine Creek, and the Upper Grande Ronde River are used for a conventional supplementation program in the basin. The Nez Perce program currently operates under the ESA Section 10 Permit 1149.« less

Avian cholera in Nebraska's Rainwater Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Windingstad, R.M.; Hurt, J.J.; Trout, A.K.; Cary, J.

1984-01-01

The first report of avian cholera in North America occurred in northwestern Texas in winter 1944 (Quortrup et al. 1946). In 1975, mortality from avian cholera occurred for the first time in waterfowl in the Rainwater Basin of Nebraska when an estimated 25,000 birds died (Zinkl et al. 1977). Avian cholera has continued to cause mortality in wild birds in specific areas of the Basin each spring since. Losses of waterfowl from avian cholera continue to be much greater in some of the wetlands in the western part of the Basin than in the east. Several wetlands in the west have consistently higher mortality and are most often the wetlands where initial mortality is noticed each spring (Figure 1). The establishment of this disease in Nebraska is of considerable concern because of the importance of the Rainwater Basin as a spring staging area for waterfowl migrating to their breeding grounds. The wetlands in this area are on a major migration route used by an estimated 5 to 9 million ducks and several hundred thousand geese. A large portion of the western mid-continental greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) population stage in the Basin each spring. Occasionally, whooping cranes (Grus americana) use these wetlands during migration, and lesser sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) staging on the nearby Platte River sometimes use wetlands where avian cholera occurs (Anonymous 1981). Our objectives were to determine whether certain water quality variables in the Rainwater Basin differed between areas of high and low avian cholera incidence. These results would then be used for laboratory studies involving the survivability of Pasteurella multocida, the causative bacterium of avian cholera. Those studies will be reported elsewhere.

Hydrogeologic framework and preliminary simulation of ground-water flow in the Mimbres Basin, southwestern New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, R.T.; McLean, J.S.; Miller, Ryan S.

1994-01-01

The bolson-fill aquifer, the major water-yielding unit in the Mimbres Basin, southwestern New Mexico, ranges in thickness from 0 to about 3,700 feet. Recharge to the bolson-fill aquifer occurs by infiltration of ephemeral streams that cross the basin margin, infiltration from precipitation and streamflow, ground-water underflow from adjacent basins, and infiltration of springflow from adjacent bedrock units within the basin. Ground water generally flows southward from the northern highland areas of the basin. Ground-water discharge consists of pumpage from wells, transpiration by plants, outflow to playas and springs in the Los Muertos Basin in Mexico, discharge to the Mimbres River, and ground-water flow to the Mesilla Basin near Mason Draw. Before 1910, ground-water recharge and discharge were approximately equal; by 1975, however, about 75 percent of the 146,000 acre-feet withdrawn annually was ground water, most of it from aquifer storage. The transmissivity of the bolson-fill aquifer determined from aquifer tests and specific-capacity data ranges from 10 to 50,000 feet squared per day. Hydraulic conductivity, calculated from saturated thickness and transmissivity, ranges from 0.03 to 800 feet per day, with median values of about 18 feet per day in the Deming area and 6 feet per day elsewhere. Reported storage-coefficient values representing confined parts of the aquifer range from 0.00036 to 0.0036, and those representing unconfined parts of the aquifer range from 0.02 to 0.24. Water quality in the north and central parts of the Mimbres Basin is suitable for most uses. Due to its large salinity and alkalinity, some of the ground water in the south and southeastern areas of the bolson-fill aquifer may not be suitable for irrigation or domestic use. A preliminary two-dimensional digital model was constructed to evaluate ground-water flow in the bolson-fill aquifer. The model was divided into zones of uniform hydraulic conductivity corresponding to the major structural elements of the basin. For simulation purposes, hydraulic conductivity in the central part of the basin ranged from 2.2 to 4.4 feet per day, whereas locally along the edges of the aquifer less certain values ranged from 0.003 to 62 feet per day Analysis of the results of this predevelopment model indicated that use of the mountain-front recharge method overestimates total recharge and that evapotranspiration is substantial. The simulated total inflow was about 55 percent of that estimated in a water budget for the Mimbres Basin.Ground-water development between 1930 and 1985 was simulated using storage-coefficient values of 0.01 and 0.02 for the Gila Conglomerate, 0.04 to 0.17 for bolson-fill deposits, and 0.001 for bolson fill capped with lacustrine clay. The simulated transient water budget indicated that most of the water pumped by 1985 came from storage, and lesser but substantial amounts came from reductions in evapotranspiration.

Factors Affecting Fish Production and Fishing Quality in New Reservoirs, with Guidance on Timber Clearing, Basin Preparation, and Filling.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

by Hall et al. (1946). Yeager (1949), who also conducted an extensive study of flooding effects on different species of trees , noted that virtually... species in Illinois, suggested setting a limit of 30 days’ inundation during spring and summer to ensure survival of all trees around reservoir margins...considered were tree species and size; submersion type (total, partial, or soil saturation); time of year (dormant or growing seasons); and duration of

MX Siting Investigation. Water Resources Program. Results of Regional Carbonate Aquifer Testing, Coyote Spring Valley, Nevada.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-18

Winograd and Thordarson (1975) and the regional transmissivity of 200,000 gpd/ft (2500 m2/day) esti- mated by Eakin (1966) for the carbonate aquifers...flow, southern Great Basin, Nevada and California, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, v. 83, p. 3691-3708. Winograd, I. J., and Thordarson , W., 1975...Survey Professional Paper No. 712-C, p. 126. Winograd, I. J., Thordarson , W., and Young, R. A., 1971, Hy- drology of the Nevada Test Site and vicinity

Climate controls on streamflow variability in the Missouri River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, E.; Woodhouse, C. A.; McCabe, G. J., Jr.; Pederson, G. T.; St-Jacques, J. M.

2017-12-01

The Missouri River's hydroclimatic variability presents a challenge for water managers, who must balance many competing demands on the system. Water resources in the Missouri River Basin (MRB) have increasingly been challenged by the droughts and floods that have occurred over the past several decades and the potential future exacerbation of these extremes by climate change. Here, we use observed and modeled hydroclimatic data and estimated natural flow records to describe the climatic controls on streamflow in the upper and lower portions of the MRB, examine atmospheric and oceanic patterns associated with high- and low-flow years, and investigate trends in climate and streamflow over the instrumental period. Results indicate that the two main source regions for total outflow, in the uppermost and lowermost parts of the basin, are under the influence of very different sets of climatic controls. Winter precipitation, impacted by changes in zonal versus meridional flow from the Pacific Ocean, as well as spring precipitation and temperature, play a key role in surface water supply variability in the upper basin. Lower basin flow is significantly correlated with precipitation in late spring and early summer, indicative of Atlantic-influenced circulation variability affecting the flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The upper basin, with decreasing snowpack and streamflow and warming spring temperatures, will be less likely to provide important flow supplements to the lower basin in the future.

Evaluating connection of aquifers to springs and streams, Great Basin National Park and vicinity, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prudic, David E.; Sweetkind, Donald S.; Jackson, Tracie R.; Dotson, K. Elaine; Plume, Russell W.; Hatch, Christine E.; Halford, Keith J.

2015-12-22

Groundwater flow from southern Spring Valley continues through the western side of Hamlin Valley before being directed northeast toward the south end of Snake Valley. This flow is constrained by southward-flowing groundwater from Big Spring Wash and northward-flowing groundwater beneath central Hamlin Valley. The redirection to the northeast corresponds to a narrowing of the width of flow in southern Snake Valley caused by a constriction formed by a steeply dipping middle Paleozoic siliciclastic confining unit exposed in the flanks of the mountains and hills on the east side of southern Snake Valley and shallowly buried beneath basin fill in the valley. The narrowing of groundwater flow could be responsible for the large area where groundwater flows to springs or is lost to evapotranspiration between Big Springs in Nevada and Pruess Lake in Utah.

Analog model study of the ground-water basin of the Upper Coachella Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tyley, Stephen J.

1974-01-01

An analog model of the ground-water basin of the upper Coachella Valley was constructed to determine the effects of imported water on ground-water levels. The model was considered verified when the ground-water levels generated by the model approximated the historical change in water levels of the ground-water basin caused by man's activities for the period 1986-67. The ground-water basin was almost unaffected by man's activities until about 1945 when ground-water development caused the water levels to begin to decline. The Palm Springs area has had the largest water-level decline, 75 feet since 1986, because of large pumpage, reduced natural inflow from the San Gorgonio Pass area, and diversions of natural inflows at Snow and Falls Creeks and Chino Canyon starting in 1945. The San Gorgonio Pass inflow had been reduced from about 18,000 acre-feet in 1986 to about 9,000 acre-feet by 1967 because of increased ground-water pumpage in the San Gorgonio Pass area, dewatering of the San Gorgonio Pass area that took place when the tunnel for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California was drilled, and diversions of surface inflow at Snow and Falls Creeks. In addition, 1944-64 was a period of below-normal precipitation which, in part, contributed to the declines in water levels in the Coachella Valley. The Desert Hot Springs, Garnet Hill, and Mission Creek subbasins have had relatively little development; consequently, the water-level declines have been small, ranging from 5 to 15 feet since 1986. In the Point Happy area a decline of about 2 feet per year continued until 1949 when delivery of Colorado River water to the lower valley through the Coachella Canal was initiated. Since 1949 the water levels in the Point Happy area have been rising and by 1967 were above their 1986 levels. The Whitewater River subbasin includes the largest aquifer in the basin, having sustained ground-water pumpage of about 740,000 acre-feet from 1986 to 1967, and will probably continue to provide the most significant supply of ground water for the upper valley. The total ground-water storage depletion for the entire upper valley for 1986-67 was about 600,000 acre-feet, an average storage decrease of about 25,000 acre-feet per year since 1945. Transmissivity for the Whitewater River subbasin ranges from 860,000 gallons per day per foot (near Point Happy) to 50,000 gallons per day per foot, with most of the subbasin about 800,000 gallons per day per foot. In contrast, the transmissivities of the Desert Hot Springs, Mission Creek, and Garnet Hill subbasins generally range from 2,000 to 100,000, but the highest value, beneath the Mission Creek streambed deposits, is 200,000 gallons per day per foot; the transmissivity for most of the area of th6 three subbasins is 80,000 gallons per day per foot. The storage coefficients are representative of water-table conditions, ranging from 0.18 beneath the Mission Creek stream deposits to 0.06 in the Palm Springs area. The model indicated that the outflow at Point Happy decreased from 50,000 acre-feet in 1936 to 30,000 acre-feet by 1967 as a result of the rising water levels in the lower valley. The most logical area to recharge the Colorado River water is the Windy Point-Whitewater area, where adequate percolation rates of 2-4 acre-feet per acre per day are probable. The Whitewater River bed may be the best location to spread the water if the largest part of the imported water can be recharged during low-flow periods. The area in sec. 21, T. 2 S., R. 4 E., would be adequate for the smaller quantities of recharge proposed for the Mission Creek area. Projected pumpage for the period 1968-2000 was programmed on the model with the proposed recharge of Colorado River water for the same period. The model indicated a maximum water-level increase of 200 feet above the 1967 water level at Windy Point, the proposed recharge site, by the year 2000, a 130-foot increase by 1990, and a 20-foot increas

Ground-water and water-chemistry data for the Willamette basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orzol, Leonard L.; Wozniak, Karl C.; Meissner, Tiffany R.; Lee, Douglas B.

2000-01-01

This report presents ground-water data collected and compiled as part of a study of the ground-water resources of the Willamette River Basin, Oregon. The report includes tabulated information and a location map for 1,234 field-located water wells and 6 springs, hydrographs showing water-level fluctuations during various time periods for 265 of the wells, borehole geophysical data for 16 wells, and water-chemistry analyses from 125 wells and 6 springs. These data, as well as data for 4,752 additional fieldlocated wells and 1 spring, are included on a CD-ROM. In addition, the locations of the field-located wells and springs are provided in geographic information system formats on the CD-ROM.

Potential effects of groundwater pumping on water levels, phreatophytes, and spring discharges in Spring and Snake Valleys, White Pine County, Nevada, and adjacent areas in Nevada and Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Halford, Keith J.; Plume, Russell W.

2011-01-01

Assessing hydrologic effects of developing groundwater supplies in Snake Valley required numerical, groundwater-flow models to estimate the timing and magnitude of capture from streams, springs, wetlands, and phreatophytes. Estimating general water-table decline also required groundwater simulation. The hydraulic conductivity of basin fill and transmissivity of basement-rock distributions in Spring and Snake Valleys were refined by calibrating a steady state, three-dimensional, MODFLOW model of the carbonate-rock province to predevelopment conditions. Hydraulic properties and boundary conditions were defined primarily from the Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) model except in Spring and Snake Valleys. This locally refined model was referred to as the Great Basin National Park calibration (GBNP-C) model. Groundwater discharges from phreatophyte areas and springs in Spring and Snake Valleys were simulated as specified discharges in the GBNP-C model. These discharges equaled mapped rates and measured discharges, respectively. Recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and transmissivity were distributed throughout Spring and Snake Valleys with pilot points and interpolated to model cells with kriging in geologically similar areas. Transmissivity of the basement rocks was estimated because thickness is correlated poorly with transmissivity. Transmissivity estimates were constrained by aquifer-test results in basin-fill and carbonate-rock aquifers. Recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and transmissivity distributions of the GBNP-C model were estimated by minimizing a weighted composite, sum-of-squares objective function that included measurement and Tikhonov regularization observations. Tikhonov regularization observations were equations that defined preferred relations between the pilot points. Measured water levels, water levels that were simulated with RASA, depth-to-water beneath distributed groundwater and spring discharges, land-surface altitudes, spring discharge at Fish Springs, and changes in discharge on selected creek reaches were measurement observations. The effects of uncertain distributed groundwater-discharge estimates in Spring and Snake Valleys on transmissivity estimates were bounded with alternative models. Annual distributed groundwater discharges from Spring and Snake Valleys in the alternative models totaled 151,000 and 227,000 acre-feet, respectively and represented 20 percent differences from the 187,000 acre-feet per year that discharges from the GBNP-C model. Transmissivity estimates in the basin fill between Baker and Big Springs changed less than 50 percent between the two alternative models. Potential effects of pumping from Snake Valley were estimated with the Great Basin National Park predictive (GBNP-P) model, which is a transient groundwater-flow model. The hydraulic conductivity of basin fill and transmissivity of basement rock were the GBNP-C model distributions. Specific yields were defined from aquifer tests. Captures of distributed groundwater and spring discharges were simulated in the GBNP-P model using a combination of well and drain packages in MODFLOW. Simulated groundwater captures could not exceed measured groundwater-discharge rates. Four groundwater-development scenarios were investigated where total annual withdrawals ranged from 10,000 to 50,000 acre-feet during a 200-year pumping period. Four additional scenarios also were simulated that added the effects of existing pumping in Snake Valley. Potential groundwater pumping locations were limited to nine proposed points of diversion. Results are presented as maps of groundwater capture and drawdown, time series of drawdowns and discharges from selected wells, and time series of discharge reductions from selected springs and control volumes. Simulated drawdown propagation was attenuated where groundwater discharge could be captured. General patterns of groundwater capture and water-table declines were similar for all scenarios. Simulated drawdowns greater than 1 ft propagated outside of Spring and Snake Valleys after 200 years of pumping in all scenarios.

Geophysical investigations of the geologic and hydrothermal framework of the Pilgrim Springs Geothermal Area, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glen, Jonathan; McPhee, Darcy K.; Bedrosian, Paul A.

2014-01-01

Pilgrim Hot Springs, located on the Seward Peninsula in west-central Alaska, is characterized by hot springs, surrounding thawed regions, and elevated lake temperatures. The area is of interest because of its potential for providing renewable energy for Nome and nearby rural communities. We performed ground and airborne geophysical investigations of the Pilgrim Springs geothermal area to identify areas indicative of high heat flow and saline geothermal fluids, and to map key structures controlling hydrothermal fluid flow. Studies included ground gravity and magnetic measurements, as well as an airborne magnetic and frequency-domain electromagnetic (EM) survey. The structural and conceptual framework developed from this study provides critical information for future development of this resource and is relevant more generally to our understanding of geothermal systems in active extensional basins. Potential field data reveal the Pilgrim area displays a complex geophysical fabric reflecting a network of intersecting fault and fracture sets ranging from inherited basement structures to Tertiary faults. Resistivity models derived from the airborne EM data reveal resistivity anomalies in the upper 100 m of the subsurface that suggest elevated temperatures and the presence of saline fluids. A northwest trending fabric across the northeastern portion of the survey area parallels structures to the east that may be related to accommodation between the two major mountain ranges south (Kigluaik) and east (Bendeleben) of Pilgrim Springs. The area from the springs southward to the range front, however, is characterized by east-west trending, range-front-parallel anomalies likely caused by late Cenozoic structures associated with north-south extension that formed the basin. The area around the springs (~10 km2 ) is coincident with a circular magnetic high punctuated by several east-west trending magnetic lows, the most prominent occurring directly over the springs. These features possibly result from hydrothermal alteration imposed by fluids migrating along intra-basin faults related to recent north-south extension. The Pilgrim River valley is characterized by a NE-elongate gravity low that reveals a basin extending to depths of ~300 m beneath Pilgrim Springs and deepening to ~800 m to the southwest. The margins of the gravity low are sharply defined by northeasttrending gradients that probably reflect the edges of fault-bounded structural blocks. The southeastern edge of the low, which lies very close to the springs, also corresponds with prominent NE-striking anomalies seen in magnetic and resistivity models. Together, these features define a structure we refer to as the Northeast Fault. The location of the hot springs appears to be related to the intersection of the Northeast Fault with a N-oriented structure marked by the abrupt western edge of a resistivity low surrounding the hot springs. While the hot springs represent the primary outflow of geothermal fluids, additional outflow extends from the springs northeast along the Northeast fault to another thaw zone that we interpret to be a secondary region of concentrated upflow of geothermal fluids. The Northeast Fault apparently controls shallow geothermal fluid flow, and may also provide an important pathway conveying deep fluids to the shallow subsurface. We suggest that geothermal fluids may derive from a reservoir residing beneath the sediment basin southwest of the springs. If so, the shape of the basin, which narrows and shallows towards the springs, may funnel fluids beneath the springs where they intersect the Northeast Fault allowing them to reach the surface. An alternative pathway for reservoir fluids to reach intermediate to shallow depths may be afforded by the main Kigluaik range front fault that coincides with a resistivity anomaly possibly resulting from fluid flow and associated hydrothermal mineralization occurring within the fault zone.

Hydrology of the North Cascades region, Washington: 2. A proposed hydrometeorological streamflow prediction method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tangborn, Wendell V.; Rasmussen, Lowell A.

1976-01-01

On the basis of a linear relationship between winter (October-April) precipitation and annual runoff from a drainage basin (Rasmussen and Tangborn, 1976) a physically reasonable model for predicting summer (May-September) streamflow from drainages in the North Cascades region was developed. This hydrometeorological prediction method relates streamflow for a season beginning on the day of prediction to the storage (including snow, ice, soil moisture, and groundwater) on that day. The spring storage is inferred from an input-output relationship based on the principle of conservation of mass: spring storage equals winter precipitation on the basin less winter runoff from the basin and less winter evapotranspiration, which is presumed to be small. The method of prediction is based on data only from the years previous to the one for which the prediction is made, and the system is revised each year as data for the previous year become available. To improve the basin storage estimate made in late winter or early spring, a short-season runoff prediction is made. The errors resulting from this short-term prediction are used to revise the storage estimate and improve the later prediction. This considerably improves the accuracy of the later prediction, especially for periods early in the summer runoff season. The optimum length for the test period appears to be generally less than a month for east side basins and between 1 and 2 months for those on the west side of the Cascade Range. The time distribution of the total summer runoff can be predicted when this test season is used so that on May 1 monthly streamflow for the May-September season can be predicted. It was found that summer precipitation and the time of minimum storage are two error sources that were amenable to analysis. For streamflow predictions in seasons beginning in early spring the deviation of the subsequent summer precipitation from a long-period average will contribute up to 53% of the prediction error. This contribution decreases to nearly zero during the summer and then rises slightly for late summer predictions. The reason for the smaller than expected effect of summer precipitation is thought to be due to the compensating effect of increased evaporative losses and increased infiltration when precipitation is greater than normal during the summer months. The error caused by the beginning winter month (assumed to be October in this study) not coinciding with the time of minimum storage was examined; it appears that October may be the best average beginning winter month for most drainages but that a more detailed study is needed. The optimum beginning of the winter season appears to vary from August to October when individual years are examined. These results demonstrate that standard precipitation and runoff measurements in the North Cascades region are adequate for constructing a predictive hydrologic model. This model can be used to make streamflow predictions that compare favorably with current multiple regression methods based on mountain snow surveys. This method has the added advantages of predicting the space and time distributions of storage and summer runoff.

Spatiotemporal classification of environmental monitoring data in the Yeongsan River basin, Korea, using self-organizing maps.

PubMed

Jin, Y-H; Kawamura, A; Park, S-C; Nakagawa, N; Amaguchi, H; Olsson, J

2011-10-01

Environmental monitoring data for planning, implementing and evaluating the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) management system have been measured at about 8-day intervals in a number of rivers in Korea since 2004. In the present study, water quality parameters such as Suspended Solids (SS), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Total Nitrogen (TN), and Total Phosphorus (TP) and the corresponding runoff were collected from six stations in the Yeongsan River basin for six years and transformed into monthly mean values. With the primary objective to understand spatiotemporal characteristics of the data, a methodologically systematic application of a Self-Organizing Map (SOM) was made. The SOM application classified the environmental monitoring data into nine clusters showing exclusively distinguishable patterns. Data frequency at each station on a monthly basis identified the spatiotemporal distribution for the first time in the study area. Consequently, the SOM application provided useful information that the sub-basin containing a metropolitan city is associated with deteriorating water quality and should be monitored and managed carefully during spring and summer for water quality improvement in the river basin.

Nitrate and herbicide loading in two groundwater basins of Illinois' sinkhole plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Panno, S.V.; Kelly, W.R.

2004-01-01

This investigation was designed to estimate the mass loading of nitrate (NO3-) and herbicides in spring water discharging from groundwater basins in an agriculturally dominated, mantled karst terrain. The loading was normalized to land use and NO3- and herbicide losses were compared to estimated losses in other agricultural areas of the Midwestern USA. Our study area consisted of two large karst springs that drain two adjoining groundwater basins (total area of 37.7 km2) in southwestern Illinois' sinkhole plain, USA. The springs and stream that they form were monitored for almost 2 years. Nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) concentrations at three monitoring sites were almost always above the background concentration (1.9 mg/l). NO3-N concentrations at the two springs ranged from 1.08 to 6.08 with a median concentration of 3.61 mg/l. Atrazine and alachlor concentrations ranged from <0.01 to 34 ??g/l and <0.01 to 0.98 ??g/l, respectively, with median concentrations of 0.48 and 0.12 ??g/l, respectively. Approximately 100,000 kg/yr of NO3-N, 39 kg/yr of atrazine, and 2.8 kg/yr of alachlor were discharged from the two springs. Slightly more than half of the discharged NO3- came from background sources and most of the remainder probably came from fertilizer. This represents a 21-31% loss of fertilizer N from the groundwater basins. The pesticide losses were 3.8-5.8% of the applied atrazine, and 0.05-0.08% of the applied alachlor. The loss of atrazine adsorbed to the suspended solid fraction was about 2 kg/yr, only about 5% of the total mass of atrazine discharged from the springs. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identifying the Driving Factors of Water Quality in a Sub-Watershed of the Republican River Basin, Kansas USA

PubMed Central

Burke, Morgen W. V.; Xu, Yeqian; Zheng, Haochi; VanLooy, Jeffrey

2018-01-01

Studies have shown that the agricultural expansion and land use changes in the Midwest of the U.S. are major drivers for increased nonpoint source pollution throughout the regional river systems. In this study, we empirically examined the relationship of planted area and production of three dominant crops with nitrate flux in the Republican River, Kansas, a sub-watershed of Mississippi River Basin. Our results show that land use in the region could not explain the observed changes in nitrate flux in the river. Instead, after including explanatory variables such as precipitation, growing degree days, and well water irrigation in the regression model we found that irrigation and spring precipitation could explain >85% of the variability in nitrate flux from 2000 to 2014. This suggests that changes in crop acreage and production alone cannot explain variability in nitrate flux. Future agricultural policy for the region should focus on controlling both the timing and amount of fertilizer applied to the field to reduce the potential leaching of excess fertilizer through spring time runoff and/or over-irrigation into nearby river systems. PMID:29789462

Methods for estimating selected spring and fall low-flow frequency statistics for ungaged stream sites in Iowa, based on data through June 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eash, David A.; Barnes, Kimberlee K.; O'Shea, Padraic S.

2016-09-19

A statewide study was led to develop regression equations for estimating three selected spring and three selected fall low-flow frequency statistics for ungaged stream sites in Iowa. The estimation equations developed for the six low-flow frequency statistics include spring (April through June) 1-, 7-, and 30-day mean low flows for a recurrence interval of 10 years and fall (October through December) 1-, 7-, and 30-day mean low flows for a recurrence interval of 10 years. Estimates of the three selected spring statistics are provided for 241 U.S. Geological Survey continuous-record streamgages, and estimates of the three selected fall statistics are provided for 238 of these streamgages, using data through June 2014. Because only 9 years of fall streamflow record were available, three streamgages included in the development of the spring regression equations were not included in the development of the fall regression equations. Because of regulation, diversion, or urbanization, 30 of the 241 streamgages were not included in the development of the regression equations. The study area includes Iowa and adjacent areas within 50 miles of the Iowa border. Because trend analyses indicated statistically significant positive trends when considering the period of record for most of the streamgages, the longest, most recent period of record without a significant trend was determined for each streamgage for use in the study. Geographic information system software was used to measure 63 selected basin characteristics for each of the 211streamgages used to develop the regional regression equations. The study area was divided into three low-flow regions that were defined in a previous study for the development of regional regression equations.Because several streamgages included in the development of regional regression equations have estimates of zero flow calculated from observed streamflow for selected spring and fall low-flow frequency statistics, the final equations for the three low-flow regions were developed using two types of regression analyses—left-censored and generalized-least-squares regression analyses. A total of 211 streamgages were included in the development of nine spring regression equations—three equations for each of the three low-flow regions. A total of 208 streamgages were included in the development of nine fall regression equations—three equations for each of the three low-flow regions. A censoring threshold was used to develop 15 left-censored regression equations to estimate the three fall low-flow frequency statistics for each of the three low-flow regions and to estimate the three spring low-flow frequency statistics for the southern and northwest regions. For the northeast region, generalized-least-squares regression was used to develop three equations to estimate the three spring low-flow frequency statistics. For the northeast region, average standard errors of prediction range from 32.4 to 48.4 percent for the spring equations and average standard errors of estimate range from 56.4 to 73.8 percent for the fall equations. For the northwest region, average standard errors of estimate range from 58.9 to 62.1 percent for the spring equations and from 83.2 to 109.4 percent for the fall equations. For the southern region, average standard errors of estimate range from 43.2 to 64.0 percent for the spring equations and from 78.1 to 78.7 percent for the fall equations.The regression equations are applicable only to stream sites in Iowa with low flows not substantially affected by regulation, diversion, or urbanization and with basin characteristics within the range of those used to develop the equations. The regression equations will be implemented within the U.S. Geological Survey StreamStats Web-based geographic information system application. StreamStats allows users to click on any ungaged stream site and compute estimates of the six selected spring and fall low-flow statistics; in addition, 90-percent prediction intervals and the measured basin characteristics for the ungaged site are provided. StreamStats also allows users to click on any Iowa streamgage to obtain computed estimates for the six selected spring and fall low-flow statistics.

Chemical Source Tracking of Bacterial Contamination Using Micropollutants - A Karst Aquifer Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zirlewagen, Johannes; Hillebrand, Olav; Nödler, Karsten; Licha, Tobias; Schiperski, Ferry; Stange, Claudia; Tiehm, Andreas; Scheytt, Traugott

2015-04-01

Karst aquifers are important drinking water resources in many parts of the world, though they are well known for their high vulnerability to contamination. Rainfall and snowmelt often trigger temporary contamination of karst water resources. Free-range animal breeding and application of manure on the one hand and sewage leakage or spillage on the other hand are usually regarded as main sources for fecal contamination. But distinction of their respective contributions is difficult. This study investigates the feasibility to track the origin of fecal contamination from the occurrences of indicator bacteria and chemical source indicators in karst spring water. The study site is the 45 km² rural catchment of the perennial karst spring Gallusquelle in SW-Germany (mean discharge: 0.5 m³/s). Overflow events of a stormwater detention basin (combined sewer system) are known to impact water quality at the spring. There is no free-range animal breeding in the catchment but intense application of manure. Following two heavy rainfall events with overflow of the stormwater detention basin, spring water was sampled over several days. Samples were analysed for indicator bacteria (total Coliform, E. coli, Enterococci) and 57 micropollutants, among them cyclamate and metazachlor. For the Gallusquelle catchment the artificial sweetener cyclamate and the herbicide metazachlor have been established as source specific indicators, the former for the sewer system and the latter for cropland. Though recharge in the Gallusquelle catchment is predominantly diffuse, there is a significant portion of direct recharge reflected by distinct breakthrough curves for cyclamate and metazachlor. The breakthrough of indicator bacteria coincides very well with the occurrence of both, cyclamate and metazachlor. However, indicator bacteria cannot be unambiguously tracked back to a specific source.

Spring bloom dinoflagellate cyst dynamics in three eastern sub-basins of the Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sildever, Sirje; Kremp, Anke; Enke, Annely; Buschmann, Fred; Maljutenko, Ilja; Lips, Inga

2017-04-01

Dinoflagellate cyst abundance and species composition were investigated before, during and after the spring bloom in the Gulf of Finland, north-eastern Baltic Proper and Gulf of Riga in order to detect spatial and temporal dynamics. Transport of newly formed cysts by currents was modelled to explore the possible distance travelled by cysts before sedimentation. The cyst community of the spring bloom dinoflagellates was dominated by the cysts of Biecheleria baltica in all basins, despite its marginal value in the planktonic spring bloom community in the Gulf of Riga. Dinoflagellate cyst abundance in the surface sediments displayed temporal dynamics in all basins, however, this appeared to be also influenced by physical processes. The model simulation showed that newly formed cysts are transported around 10-30 km from the point of origin before deposited. The latter suggests that transport of resting stages in the water column significantly affects spatial cyst distribution in the sediments and thus needs to be considered in the interpretation of temporal biological productivity patterns of a water body from cyst proxies.

Using noble gases measured in spring discharge to trace hydrothermal processes in the Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, W.P.; Susong, D.D.; Solomon, D.K.; Heasler, H.P.

2010-01-01

Dissolved noble gas concentrations in springs are used to investigate boiling of hydrothermal water and mixing of hydrothermal and shallow cool water in the Norris Geyser Basin area. Noble gas concentrations in water are modeled for single stage and continuous steam removal. Limitations on boiling using noble gas concentrations are then used to estimate the isotopic effect of boiling on hydrothermal water, allowing the isotopic composition of the parent hydrothermal water to be determined from that measured in spring. In neutral chloride springs of the Norris Geyser Basin, steam loss since the last addition of noble gas charged water is less than 30% of the total hydrothermal discharge, which results in an isotopic shift due to boiling of ?? 2.5% ??D. Noble gas concentrations in water rapidly and predictably change in dual phase systems, making them invaluable tracers of gas-liquid interaction in hydrothermal systems. By combining traditional tracers of hydrothermal flow such as deuterium with dissolved noble gas measurements, more complex hydrothermal processes can be interpreted. ?? 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Hydrology, water quality, and simulation of ground-water flow at a taconite-tailings basin near Keewatin, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Myette, C.F.

1991-01-01

Numerical-model simulations of ground-water flow near the vicinity of the tailings basin indicate that, if areal recharge were doubled during spring and fall, water levels in wells could average about 4 feet above 1983 levels during these periods. Model results indicate that water levels in the tailings could possibly remain about 5 feet above 1983 levels at the end of the year. Water levels in the tailings at the outlet of the basin could be about 1 foot above 1983 levels during the spring stress period and could be nearly 1.5 feet above 1983 levels during the fall stress period. Under these hypothetical climatic conditions, ground-water contribution to discharge at the outlet could be about 50 cubic feet per second during spring and about 80 cubic feet per second during fall.

Geohydrologic reconnaissance of the upper Potomac River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trainer, Frank W.; Watkins, Frank A.

1975-01-01

The upper Potomac River basin, in the central Appalachian region in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, is a humid temperate region of diverse fractured rocks. Three geohydrologic terranes, which underlie large parts of the basin, are described in terms of their aquifer characteristics and of the magnitude and duration of their base runoff: (1) fractured rock having a thin regolith, (2) fractured rock having a thick regolith, and (3) carbonate rock. Crystalline rock in the mountainous part of the Blue Ridge province and shale with tight sandstone in the folded Appalachians are covered with thin regolith. Water is stored in and moves through fairly unmodified fractures. Average transmissivity (T) is estimated to be 150 feet squared per day, and average storage coefficient (S), 0.005. Base runoff declines rapidly from its high levels during spring and is poorly sustained during the summer season of high evapotranspiration. The rocks in this geohydrologic terrane are the least effective in the basin for the development of water supplies and as a source of dry-weather streamflow. Crystalline and sedimentary rocks in the Piedmont province and in the lowland part of the Blue Ridge province are covered with thick regolith. Water is stored in and moves through both the regolith and the underlying fractured rock. Estimated average values for aquifer characteristics are T, 200 feet squared per day, and S, 0.01. Base runoff is better sustained in this terrane than in the thin-regolith terrane and on the average .is about twice as great. Carbonate rock, in which fractures have been widened selectively by solution, especially near streams, has estimated average aquifer characteristics of T, 500 feet squared per day, and S, 0.03-0.04. This rock is the most effective in the basin in terms of water supply and base runoff. Where its fractures have not been widened by solution, the carbonate rock is a fractured-rock aquifer much like the noncarbonate rock. At low values the frequency of specific capacities of wells is much the same in all rocks in the basin, but high values of specific capacity are as much as 10 times more frequent in carbonate rock than in noncarbonate rock. Nearly all the large springs and high-capacity wells in the basin are in carbonate rock. Base runoff from the carbonate rock is better sustained during dry weather and on the average is about three times as great as base runoff from fractured rock having a thin regolith. The potential role of these water-bearing terranes in water management probably lies in the local development of large water supplies from the carbonate rock and in the possible manipulation of underground storage for such purposes as providing space for artificial recharge of ground water and providing ground water to be used for the augmentation of low streamflow. The chief water-quality problems in the basin--acidic mine-drainage water in the western part of the basin, local highly mineralized ground water, and the high nitrate content of ground water in some of the densely populated parts of the basin--would probably have little adverse affect on the use of ground water for low-flow augmentation.

Geographic variation in migratory behavior of greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ely, Craig R.; Takekawa, John Y.

1996-01-01

We studied the migration and winter distribution of adult Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons frontalis) radio-marked on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (YKD) and Bristol Bay Lowlands (BBL) of Alaska from 1987 to 1992. The major autumn staging site for geese from both breeding areas was the Klamath Basin on the California/Oregon border. However, temporal use of this area differed markedly between populations. Geese from the BBL arrived at the Klamath Basin nearly 30 days before geese from the YKD and departed before most YKD geese had arrived. Ninety percent of BBL geese used the Klamath Basin in autumn, whereas 30% of YKD geese bypassed the Klamath Basin during autumn and instead flew directly to the Central Valley of California. Nearly all BBL geese migrated directly from the Klamath Basin to wintering areas in Mexico, bypassing the Central Valley. Ninety percent of the BBL geese wintered in Mexico, as opposed to <20% of the YKD geese. Wetlands of the Interior Highlands in the state of Chihuahua, particularly Laguna Babicora, were used by >90% of the radio-marked geese in Mexico. Marshes along the West Coast comprised the other important wintering habitat in Mexico. The Sacramento Valley of California was the predominant wintering area for YKD geese. BBL geese migrated north from Mexico into the San Joaquin Valley or Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California by the last week of January. Fifty-five percent of the BBL population used the Klamath Basin in spring, but many birds staged in eastern Oregon and western Idaho. In contrast, geese from the YKD staged almost exclusively in the Klamath Basin during spring before flying to staging areas in Alaska. Breeding allopatry and temporal partitioning on staging and wintering areas likely has contributed to the evolution of previously described phenotypic differences between these populations. These two populations, along with the Tule Greater White-fronted Goose (A. a. gambeli), may constitute a portion of a Rassenkreis, a group of subspecies connected by clines, each ecotype of which has independent conservation needs.

Estimating background and threshold nitrate concentrations using probability graphs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Panno, S.V.; Kelly, W.R.; Martinsek, A.T.; Hackley, Keith C.

2006-01-01

Because of the ubiquitous nature of anthropogenic nitrate (NO 3-) in many parts of the world, determining background concentrations of NO3- in shallow ground water from natural sources is probably impossible in most environments. Present-day background must now include diffuse sources of NO3- such as disruption of soils and oxidation of organic matter, and atmospheric inputs from products of combustion and evaporation of ammonia from fertilizer and livestock waste. Anomalies can be defined as NO3- derived from nitrogen (N) inputs to the environment from anthropogenic activities, including synthetic fertilizers, livestock waste, and septic effluent. Cumulative probability graphs were used to identify threshold concentrations separating background and anomalous NO3-N concentrations and to assist in the determination of sources of N contamination for 232 spring water samples and 200 well water samples from karst aquifers. Thresholds were 0.4, 2.5, and 6.7 mg/L for spring water samples, and 0.1, 2.1, and 17 mg/L for well water samples. The 0.4 and 0.1 mg/L values are assumed to represent thresholds for present-day precipitation. Thresholds at 2.5 and 2.1 mg/L are interpreted to represent present-day background concentrations of NO3-N. The population of spring water samples with concentrations between 2.5 and 6.7 mg/L represents an amalgam of all sources of NO3- in the ground water basins that feed each spring; concentrations >6.7 mg/L were typically samples collected soon after springtime application of synthetic fertilizer. The 17 mg/L threshold (adjusted to 15 mg/L) for well water samples is interpreted as the level above which livestock wastes dominate the N sources. Copyright ?? 2006 The Author(s).

The effect of wind waves on spring-neap variations in sediment transport in two meso-tidal estuarine basins with contrasting fetch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, Stephen; Bryan, Karin R.; Mullarney, Julia C.

2017-03-01

Higher-energy episodic wind-waves can substantially modify estuarine morphology over short timescales which are superimposed on lower-energy but long-term tidal asymmetry effects. Theoretically, wind waves and tidal currents change the morphology through their combined influence on the asymmetry between bed shear stress, τmax, on the flood and ebb tide, although the relative contribution of such wind-wave events in shaping the long-term morphological evolution in real estuaries is not well known. If the rising tide reaches sufficiently high water depths, τmax decreases as water depth increases because of the depth attenuation of wave orbital velocities. However, this effect is opposed by the increase in τmax associated with the longer fetch occurring at high tide, which allows the generation of larger waves. Additionally, these effects are superimposed on the spring-neap variations in current associated with changes to tidal range. By comparing two mesotidal basins in the same dendritic estuary, one with a large fetch aligned with the prevailing wind direction and one with only a small fetch, we show that for a sufficiently large fetch even the small and frequently occurring wind events are able to create waves that are capable of changing the morphology ('morphologically significant'). Conversely, in the basin with reduced fetch, these waves are generated less frequently and therefore are of reduced morphological significance. Here, we find that although tidal current should be stronger during spring tides and alter morphology more, on average the reduced fetch and increased water depth during spring tides mean that the basin-averaged intertidal τmax is similar during both spring and neap tides. Moreover, in the presence of wind waves, the duration of slack water is reduced during neap tides relative to spring tides, resulting in a reduced chance for accretion during neap tides. Finally, τmax is lower in the subtidal channels during neaps than springs but of a similar magnitude over the intertidal areas, and so sediment is more likely to be advected from the intertidal regions during neap tides rather than springs. This spring-neap cycle in sediment transport potential is in sharp contrast to that found previously in microtidal wave-dominated environments, where spring tides are expected to enhance erosion.

Effects of drainage-basin geomorphology on insectivorous bird abundance in temperate forests.

PubMed

Iwata, Tomoya; Urabe, Jotaro; Mitsuhashi, Hiromune

2010-10-01

Interfaces between terrestrial and stream ecosystems often enhance species diversity and population abundance of ecological communities beyond levels that would be expected separately from both the ecosystems. Nevertheless, no study has examined how stream configuration within a watershed influences the population of terrestrial predators at the drainage-basin scale. We examined the habitat and abundance relationships of forest insectivorous birds in eight drainage basins in a cool temperate forest of Japan during spring and summer. Each basin has different drainage-basin geomorphology, such as the density and frequency of stream channels. In spring, when terrestrial arthropod prey biomass is limited, insectivorous birds aggregated in habitats closer to streams, where emerging aquatic prey was abundant. Nevertheless, birds ceased to aggregate around streams in summer because terrestrial prey became plentiful. Watershed-scale analyses showed that drainage basins with longer stream channels per unit area sustained higher densities of insectivorous birds. Moreover, such effects of streams on birds continued from spring through summer, even though birds dispersed out of riparian areas in the summer. Although our data are from only a single year, our findings imply that physical modifications of stream channels may reduce populations of forest birds; thus, they emphasize the importance of landscape-based management approaches that consider both stream and forest ecosystems for watershed biodiversity conservation. © 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Mixing rates and vertical heat fluxes north of Svalbard from Arctic winter to spring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Amelie; Fer, Ilker; Sundfjord, Arild; Peterson, Algot K.

2017-06-01

Mixing and heat flux rates collected in the Eurasian Basin north of Svalbard during the N-ICE2015 drift expedition are presented. The observations cover the deep Nansen Basin, the Svalbard continental slope, and the shallow Yermak Plateau from winter to summer. Mean quiescent winter heat flux values in the Nansen Basin are 2 W m-2 at the ice-ocean interface, 3 W m-2 in the pycnocline, and 1 W m-2 below the pycnocline. Large heat fluxes exceeding 300 W m-2 are observed in the late spring close to the surface over the Yermak Plateau. The data consisting of 588 microstructure profiles and 50 days of high-resolution under-ice turbulence measurements are used to quantify the impact of several forcing factors on turbulent dissipation and heat flux rates. Wind forcing increases turbulent dissipation seven times in the upper 50 m, and doubles heat fluxes at the ice-ocean interface. The presence of warm Atlantic Water close to the surface increases the temperature gradient in the water column, leading to enhanced heat flux rates within the pycnocline. Steep topography consistently enhances dissipation rates by a factor of four and episodically increases heat flux at depth. It is, however, the combination of storms and shallow Atlantic Water that leads to the highest heat flux rates observed: ice-ocean interface heat fluxes average 100 W m-2 during peak events and are associated with rapid basal sea ice melt, reaching 25 cm/d.

Stratigraphy and depositional environments of Jurassic Gypsum Spring and Sundance Formations, Sheep Mountain anticline area, Big Horn County, Wyoming

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

Doyle, A.B.

1986-08-01

The Sheep Mountain anticlinal complex between Lovell and Greybull, Wyoming, in the Bighorn basin provides exposure suitable for three-dimensional stratigraphic studies of Mesozoic rocks. The lower unit of the Gypsum Spring Formation is interbedded shale and gypsum. The middle unit is a cyclic sequence of variegated shales, mudstones, and wackestones. The upper unit is red shale. The contact between the underlying Upper Triassic Chugwater Group and the Gypsum Spring Formation is unconformable, as evidenced by an erosional surface. The Sundance Formation is divided into Sundance A and Sundance B, based on fossil data. Sundance A is predominantly green shale withmore » some limestone-shale interbeds. Sundance B lithology is similar to Sundance A with belemnoid guards. Toward the top of Sundance B are beds of glauconitic sandstones that grade upward into fossiliferous limestone. The contact between the Gypsum Spring, Sundance, and Morrison Formations appears to be gradational. The Western Interior sedimentary basin experienced four major transgressions during the Jurassic, resulting in the deposition of the Gypsum Spring and Sundance. Gypsum Spring deposition was influenced by paleohighs, specifically the Belt Island and Sheridan arch, and a warm, arid climate with rare storms. The lower Gypsum Spring unit was deposited in a restricted basin, with the middle and upper units reflecting subsequent deepening and freshening of the Jurassic sea. Most of the Sundance Formation was deposited in a relatively quiet, open-marine environment. Individual units represent shoaling conditions during minor regressions. Storms cut channels into sand bars, which were filled with coquinoid deposits.« less

Field based geothermal exploration: Structural controls in the Tarutung Basin/North Central Sumatra (Indonesia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nukman, M.; Moeck, I.

2012-04-01

The Tarutung Basin is one of several basins along the prominent Sumatra Fault System (SFS) which represents a dextral strike slip fault zone segmented into individual fault strands. The basins are located at right-stepping transfer. The Tarutung Basin hosts geothermal manifestations such as hot springs and travertines indicating a geothermal system with some decent potential in the subsurface. As part of geothermal exploration, field geology is investigated focusing on how the structural setting controls the thermal manifestation distribution. A complex fault pattern is now newly mapped and evidences sinistral faults striking E-W (Silangkitang), normal faults striking SE-NW at the eastern strand of Tarutung Basin (Sitompul) and normal faults striking NW-SE at the western strand of the basin (Sitaka). These structures form an angle greater than 450 with respect to the current maximum principal stress which is oriented in N-S. Secondary sinistral shear fractures identified as antithetic Riedel shears can be correlated with hot spring locations at Silangkitang, forming an angle of 500 with respect to the current maximum stress. A large angle of normal fault and antithetic Riedel shear trend with respect to the current maximum stress direction indicates that the structures have been rotated. Unidentified dextral strike slip faults might exist at the eastern strand of Tarutung Basin to accommodate the clockwise rotation between the eastern boundary of the basin and the NW-SE striking normal fault of Panabungan. Normal faults striking parallel with the SFS East of the basin are interpreted as dilatational jogs caused by the clockwise rotated block movement with respect to the NW-SE fault trend sinistral shear along ENE-WSW faults. Silicified pryroclastics in association with large discharge at hot springs at these NW-SE striking normal faults support this hypothesis. As proposed by Nivinkovich (1976) and Nishimura (1986) Sumatra has rotated 20° clockwise since the last two million years due to the increase in sea-floor spreading rate of the Indian-Australian plate. The combination of regional clockwise rotation of Sumatra with local clockwise rotation caused by simple shear along the dextral SFS might generate the complex fault pattern which controls fluid flow of thermal water and placement of hot springs. Acknowledgements : Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, DAAD. German Ministry for Education and Research, BMBF. Badan Geologi - KESDM Bandung, Indonesia.

2009 Spring floods in North Dakota, western Minnesota, and northeastern South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macek-Rowland, Kathleen M.; Gross, Tara A.

2011-01-01

In 2009, record-breaking snowfalls and additional spring moisture caused severe flooding in parts of the Missouri River and Red River of the North (Red River) Basins in North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota. There were 48 peak of record stages and 36 discharges recorded at U.S. Geological Survey streamgages located in both basins between March 20 and May 15, 2009. High water continued to affect many communities up and down the rivers' main stems and tributaries for nearly 2 months. Record snowfall for single-day totals, as well as monthly totals, occurred throughout the Missouri River and Red River of the North Basins. Additional moisture in the spring as well as the timing of warmer temperatures caused record flooding in many places in both basins with many locations reporting two flood crests. Ice jams on the Missouri River, located north and south of Bismarck, N. Dak., caused flooding. Southwest Bismarck was evacuated as rising waters first began inundating homes in low-lying areas along the river and then continued flowing into the city's lower south side. On March 24, 2009, the peak stage of the Missouri River at Bismarck, N. Dak. streamgage was 16.11 feet, which was the highest recorded stage since the completion of Garrison Dam in 1954. South of Bismarck, the Missouri River near Schmidt, N. Dak. streamgage recorded a peak stage of 24.24 feet on March 25, 2009, which surpassed the peak of record of 23.56 feet that occurred on December 9, 1976. While peak stage reached record levels at these streamgages, the discharge through the river at these locations did not reach record levels. The record high stages resulted from ice jams occurring on the Missouri River north and south of the cities of Bismarck and Mandan. At the Red River of the North at Fargo, N. Dak. streamgage, the Red River reached a record stage of 40.84 feet surpassing the previous peak of record stage of 39.72 feet set in 1997. The associated peak streamflow of 29,500 cubic feet per second exceeded the previous peak of record set in 1997 by 1,500 cubic feet per second. For the cities of Fargo, and Moorhead, Minn., and the surrounding area, the stage of the Red River remained above flood stage for nearly 2 months. In addition to high stage and flow on the main-stem Missouri and Red Rivers, peak of record stage and discharge were recorded at many U.S. Geological Survey streamgages in the Missouri River and Red River Basins. Several reservoirs and lakes in the region also experienced record stage elevations from the high flows during the 2009 spring snowmelt floods.

Hydrogeochemical characteristics and sources of salinity of the springs near Wenquanzhen in the eastern Sichuan Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Juan; Zhou, Xun; Wang, Lidong; Zhang, Yuqi; Shen, Xiaowei; Zhou, Haiyan; Ye, Shen; Fang, Bin

2018-06-01

Natural springs have the potential to provide important information on hydrogeochemical processes within aquifers. This study used traditional and classic technical methods and procedures to determine the characteristics and evolution of springs to gain further knowledge on the differences between hot saline springs and cold fresh springs. In a short river segment near Wenquanzhen in the eastern Sichuan Basin, southwest China, several natural springs coexist with total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from less than 1 to 15 g/L and temperatures from 15 to 40 °C. The springs emanate from the outcropping Lower and Middle Triassic carbonates in the river valley cutting the core of an anticline. The cold springs are of Cl·HCO3-Na·Ca and Cl·SO4-Na types, and the hot saline springs are mainly of Cl-Na type. The chemistry of the springs has undergone some changes with time. The stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes indicate that the spring waters are of a meteoric origin. The salinity of the springs originates from dissolution of minerals, including halite, gypsum, calcite and dolomite. The evolution of the springs involves the following mechanisms: the groundwater receives recharge from infiltration of precipitation, then undergoes deep circulation in the core of the anticline (incongruent dissolution of the salt-bearing strata occurs), and emerges in the river valley in the form of hot springs with high TDS. Groundwater also undergoes shallow circulation in the northern and southern flanks of the anticline and appears in the river valley in the form of cold springs with low TDS.

Hydrogeochemical characteristics and sources of salinity of the springs near Wenquanzhen in the eastern Sichuan Basin, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Juan; Zhou, Xun; Wang, Lidong; Zhang, Yuqi; Shen, Xiaowei; Zhou, Haiyan; Ye, Shen; Fang, Bin

2017-12-01

Natural springs have the potential to provide important information on hydrogeochemical processes within aquifers. This study used traditional and classic technical methods and procedures to determine the characteristics and evolution of springs to gain further knowledge on the differences between hot saline springs and cold fresh springs. In a short river segment near Wenquanzhen in the eastern Sichuan Basin, southwest China, several natural springs coexist with total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from less than 1 to 15 g/L and temperatures from 15 to 40 °C. The springs emanate from the outcropping Lower and Middle Triassic carbonates in the river valley cutting the core of an anticline. The cold springs are of Cl·HCO3-Na·Ca and Cl·SO4-Na types, and the hot saline springs are mainly of Cl-Na type. The chemistry of the springs has undergone some changes with time. The stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes indicate that the spring waters are of a meteoric origin. The salinity of the springs originates from dissolution of minerals, including halite, gypsum, calcite and dolomite. The evolution of the springs involves the following mechanisms: the groundwater receives recharge from infiltration of precipitation, then undergoes deep circulation in the core of the anticline (incongruent dissolution of the salt-bearing strata occurs), and emerges in the river valley in the form of hot springs with high TDS. Groundwater also undergoes shallow circulation in the northern and southern flanks of the anticline and appears in the river valley in the form of cold springs with low TDS.

Water-Chemistry Data for Selected Springs, Geysers, and Streams in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 2003-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ball, James W.; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Holloway, JoAnn M.

2008-01-01

Water analyses are reported for 157 samples collected from numerous hot springs, their overflow drainages, and Lemonade Creek in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) during 2003-2005. Water samples were collected and analyzed for major and trace constituents from ten areas of YNP including Terrace and Beryl Springs in the Gibbon Canyon area, Norris Geyser Basin, the West Nymph Creek thermal area, the area near Nymph Lake, Hazle Lake, and Frying Pan Spring, Lower Geyser Basin, Washburn Hot Springs, Mammoth Hot Springs, Potts Hot Spring Basin, the Sulphur Caldron area, and Lemonade Creek near the Solfatara Trail. These water samples were collected and analyzed as part of research investigations in YNP on arsenic, antimony, and sulfur redox distribution in hot springs and overflow drainages, and the occurrence and distribution of dissolved mercury. Most samples were analyzed for major cations and anions, trace metals, redox species of antimony, arsenic, iron, nitrogen, and sulfur, and isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. Analyses were performed at the sampling site, in an on-site mobile laboratory vehicle, or later in a U.S. Geological Survey laboratory, depending on stability of the constituent and whether it could be preserved effectively. Water samples were filtered and preserved onsite. Water temperature, specific conductance, pH, Eh (redox potential relative to the Standard Hydrogen Electrode), and dissolved hydrogen sulfide were measured onsite at the time of sampling. Acidity was determined by titration, usually within a few days of sample collection. Alkalinity was determined by titration within 1 to 2 weeks of sample collection. Concentrations of thiosulfate and polythionate were determined as soon as possible (generally minutes to hours after sample collection) by ion chromatography in an on-site mobile laboratory vehicle. Total dissolved-iron and ferrous-iron concentrations often were measured onsite in the mobile laboratory vehicle. Concentrations of dissolved aluminum, arsenic, boron, barium, beryllium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, nickel, lead, selenium, silica, strontium, vanadium, and zinc were determined by inductively-coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Trace concentrations of dissolved antimony, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, lead, and selenium were determined by Zeeman-corrected graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry. Dissolved concentrations of total arsenic, arsenite, total antimony, and antimonite were determined by hydride-generation atomic-absorption spectrometry using a flow-injection analysis system. Dissolved concentrations of total mercury and methyl mercury were determined by cold-vapor atomic-fluorescence spectrometry. Concentrations of dissolved chloride, fluoride, nitrate, bromide, and sulfate were determined by ion chromatography. Concentrations of dissolved ferrous and total iron were determined by the FerroZine colorimetric method. Concentrations of dissolved nitrite were determined by colorimetry or chemiluminescence. Concentrations of dissolved ammonium were determined by ion chromatography, with reanalysis by colorimetry when separation of sodium and ammonia peaks was poor. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations were determined by the wet persulfate oxidation method. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios were determined using the hydrogen and CO2 equilibration techniques, respectively.

Community microrespirometry and molecular analyses reveal a diverse energy economy in Great Boiling Spring and Sandy's Spring West in the U.S. Great Basin.

PubMed

Murphy, Caitlin N; Dodsworth, Jeremy A; Babbitt, Aaron B; Hedlund, Brian P

2013-05-01

Microrespirometry showed that several organic and inorganic electron donors stimulated oxygen consumption in two ∼80°C springs. Sediment and planktonic communities were structurally and functionally distinct, and quantitative PCR revealed catabolically distinct subpopulations of Thermocrinis. This study suggests that a variety of chemolithotrophic metabolisms operate simultaneously in these springs.

Geologic map of the northern White Hills, Mohave County, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Howard, Keith A.; Priest, Susan S.; Lundstrom, Scott C.; Block, Debra L.

2017-07-10

IntroductionThe northern White Hills map area lies within the Kingman Uplift, a regional structural high in which Tertiary rocks lie directly on Proterozoic rocks as a result of Cretaceous orogenic uplift and erosional stripping of Paleozoic and Mesozoic strata. The Miocene Salt Spring Fault forms the major structural boundary in the map area. This low-angle normal fault separates a footwall (lower plate) of Proterozoic gneisses on the east and south from a hanging wall (upper plate) of faulted middle Miocene volcanic and sedimentary rocks and their Proterozoic substrate. The fault is part of the South Virgin–White Hills Detachment Fault, which records significant tectonic extension that decreases from north to south. Along most of its trace, the Salt Spring Fault dips gently westward, but it also has north-dipping segments along salients. A dissected, domelike landscape on the eroded footwall, which contains antiformal salients and synformal reentrants, extends through the map area from Salt Spring Bay southward to the Golden Rule Peak area. The “Lost Basin Range” represents an upthrown block of the footwall, raised on the steeper Lost Basin Range Fault.The Salt Spring Fault, as well as the normal faults that segment its hanging wall, deform rocks that are about 16 to 10 Ma, and younger deposits overlie the faults. Rhyodacitic welded tuff about 15 Ma underlies a succession of geochemically intermediate to progressively more mafic lavas (including alkali basalt) that range from about 14.7 to 8 Ma, interfingered with sedimentary rocks and breccias in the western part of the map area. Upper Miocene strata record further filling of the extension-formed continental basins. Basins that are still present in the modern landscape reflect the youngest stages of extensional-basin formation, expressed as the downfaulted Detrital Valley and Hualapai Wash basins in the western and eastern parts of the map area, respectively, as well as the north-centrally located, northward-sagged Temple Basin. Pliocene fluvial and piedmont alluvial fan deposits record postextensional basin incision, refilling, and reincision driven by the inception and evolution of the westward-flowing Colorado River, centered north of the map area.

Trends and variability in streamflow and snowmelt runoff timing in the southern Tianshan Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yan-Jun; Shen, Yanjun; Fink, Manfred; Kralisch, Sven; Chen, Yaning; Brenning, Alexander

2018-02-01

Streamflow and snowmelt runoff timing of mountain rivers are susceptible to climate change. Trends and variability in streamflow and snowmelt runoff timing in four mountain basins in the southern Tianshan were analyzed in this study. Streamflow trends were detected by Mann-Kendall tests and changes in snowmelt runoff timing were analyzed based on the winter/spring snowmelt runoff center time (WSCT). Pearson's correlation coefficient was further calculated to analyze the relationships between climate variables, streamflow and WSCT. Annual streamflow increased significantly in past decades in the southern Tianshan, especially in spring and winter months. However, the relations between streamflow and temperature/precipitation depend on the different streamflow generation processes. Annual precipitation plays a vital role in controlling recharge in the Toxkon basin, while the Kaidu and Huangshuigou basins are governed by both precipitation and temperature. Seasonally, temperature has a strong effect on streamflow in autumn and winter, while summer streamflow appears more sensitive to changes in precipitation. However, temperature is the dominant factor for streamflow in the glacierized Kunmalik basin at annual and seasonal scales. An uptrend in streamflow begins in the 1990s at both annual and seasonal scales, which is generally consistent with temperature and precipitation fluctuations. Average WSCT dates in the Kaidu and Huangshuigou basins are earlier than in the Toxkon and Kunmalik basins, and shifted towards earlier dates since the mid-1980s in all the basins. It is plausible that WSCT dates are more sensitive to warmer temperature in spring period compared to precipitation, except for the Huangshuigou basin. Taken together, these findings are useful for applications in flood risk regulation, future hydropower projects and integrated water resources management.

Aviation Turbine Fuels from Tar Sands Bitumen and Heavy Oils. Part 1. Process Analysis.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

Uinta Basin .......................too.... 11 b . Asphalt Ridge ........................ 13 c.* Tar Sand Triangle ..... to .. .. . .. .. . 15 e...Estimated ............**..* 7 3 CHARACTERISTICS OF UTAH’S MAJOR TAR SANDS ....... 12 4 UINTA BASIN DEPOSITS ................... *........ 13 *.5 UINTA ...7 UINTA BASIN , UTAH PROPERTIES -SUNNYSIDE ........ 20 8 UINTA BASIN , UTAH PROPERTIES -P. R. SPRINGS . 22 r9 ESTIMATED CALIFORNIA TAR SAND DISTRIBUTION

Stochastic model for simulating Souris River Basin precipitation, evapotranspiration, and natural streamflow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolars, Kelsey A.; Vecchia, Aldo V.; Ryberg, Karen R.

2016-02-24

The Souris River Basin is a 61,000-square-kilometer basin in the Provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba and the State of North Dakota. In May and June of 2011, record-setting rains were seen in the headwater areas of the basin. Emergency spillways of major reservoirs were discharging at full or nearly full capacity, and extensive flooding was seen in numerous downstream communities. To determine the probability of future extreme floods and droughts, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the North Dakota State Water Commission, developed a stochastic model for simulating Souris River Basin precipitation, evapotranspiration, and natural (unregulated) streamflow. Simulations from the model can be used in future studies to simulate regulated streamflow, design levees, and other structures; and to complete economic cost/benefit analyses.Long-term climatic variability was analyzed using tree-ring chronologies to hindcast precipitation to the early 1700s and compare recent wet and dry conditions to earlier extreme conditions. The extended precipitation record was consistent with findings from the Devils Lake and Red River of the North Basins (southeast of the Souris River Basin), supporting the idea that regional climatic patterns for many centuries have consisted of alternating wet and dry climate states.A stochastic climate simulation model for precipitation, temperature, and potential evapotranspiration for the Souris River Basin was developed using recorded meteorological data and extended precipitation records provided through tree-ring analysis. A significant climate transition was seen around1970, with 1912–69 representing a dry climate state and 1970–2011 representing a wet climate state. Although there were some distinct subpatterns within the basin, the predominant differences between the two states were higher spring through early fall precipitation and higher spring potential evapotranspiration for the wet compared to the dry state.A water-balance model was developed for simulating monthly natural (unregulated) mean streamflow based on precipitation, temperature, and potential evapotranspiration at select streamflow-gaging stations. The model was calibrated using streamflow data from the U.S. Geological Survey and Environment Canada, along with natural (unregulated) streamflow data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Correlation coefficients between simulated and natural (unregulated) flows generally were high (greater than 0.8), and the seasonal means and standard deviations of the simulated flows closely matched the means and standard deviations of the natural (unregulated) flows. After calibrating the model for a monthly time step, monthly streamflow for each subbasin was disaggregated into three values per month, or an approximately 10-day time step, and a separate routing model was developed for simulating 10-day streamflow for downstream gages.The stochastic climate simulation model for precipitation, temperature, and potential evapotranspiration was combined with the water-balance model to simulate potential future sequences of 10-day mean streamflow for each of the streamflow-gaging station locations. Flood risk, as determined by equilibrium flow-frequency distributions for the dry (1912–69) and wet (1970–2011) climate states, was considerably higher for the wet state compared to the dry state. Future flood risk will remain high until the wet climate state ends, and for several years after that, because there may be a long lag-time between the return of drier conditions and the onset of a lower soil-moisture storage equilibrium.

Sea-ice indicators of polar bear habitat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stern, Harry L.; Laidre, Kristin L.

2016-09-01

Nineteen subpopulations of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are found throughout the circumpolar Arctic, and in all regions they depend on sea ice as a platform for traveling, hunting, and breeding. Therefore polar bear phenology - the cycle of biological events - is linked to the timing of sea-ice retreat in spring and advance in fall. We analyzed the dates of sea-ice retreat and advance in all 19 polar bear subpopulation regions from 1979 to 2014, using daily sea-ice concentration data from satellite passive microwave instruments. We define the dates of sea-ice retreat and advance in a region as the dates when the area of sea ice drops below a certain threshold (retreat) on its way to the summer minimum or rises above the threshold (advance) on its way to the winter maximum. The threshold is chosen to be halfway between the historical (1979-2014) mean September and mean March sea-ice areas. In all 19 regions there is a trend toward earlier sea-ice retreat and later sea-ice advance. Trends generally range from -3 to -9 days decade-1 in spring and from +3 to +9 days decade-1 in fall, with larger trends in the Barents Sea and central Arctic Basin. The trends are not sensitive to the threshold. We also calculated the number of days per year that the sea-ice area exceeded the threshold (termed ice-covered days) and the average sea-ice concentration from 1 June through 31 October. The number of ice-covered days is declining in all regions at the rate of -7 to -19 days decade-1, with larger trends in the Barents Sea and central Arctic Basin. The June-October sea-ice concentration is declining in all regions at rates ranging from -1 to -9 percent decade-1. These sea-ice metrics (or indicators of habitat change) were designed to be useful for management agencies and for comparative purposes among subpopulations. We recommend that the National Climate Assessment include the timing of sea-ice retreat and advance in future reports.

Critical Elements in Produced Fluids from Nevada and Utah

DOE Data Explorer

Simmons, Stuart

2017-07-27

Critical elements and related analytical data for produced fluids from geothermal fields in Nevada and Utah, Sevier thermal belt hot springs, Utah, and Uinta basin oil-gas wells, Utah are reported. Analytical results include pH, major species, trace elements, transition metals, other metals, metalloids and REEs. Gas samples were collected and analyzed from Beowawe, Dixie Valley, Roosevelt Hot Springs, and Thermo. Helium gases and helium isotopes were analyzed on samples collected at Patua, San Emido and two wells in the Uinta basin.

The Pennsylvanian-early permian bird spring carbonate shelf, Southeastern California: Fusulinid biostratigraphy, paleogeographic evolution, and tectonic implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stevens, C.H.; Stone, P.

2007-01-01

The Bird Spring Shelf in southeastern California, along with coeval turbidite basins to the west, records a complex history of late Paleozoic sedimentation, sea-level changes, and deformation along the western North American continental margin. We herein establish detailed correlations between deposits of the shelf and the flanking basins, which we then use to reconstruct the depositional history, paleogeography, and deformational history, including Early Permian emplacement of the regionally significant Last Chance allochthon. These correlations are based on fusulinid faunas, which are numerous both on the shelf and in the adjoining basins. Study of 69 fusulinid species representing all major fusulinid-bearing Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian limestone outcrops of the Bird Spring Shelf in southeastern California, including ten new species of the genera Triticites, Leptotriticites, Stewartina, Pseudochusenella, and Cuniculinella, forms the basis for our correlations. We group these species into six fusulinid zones that we correlate with fusulinid-bearing strata in east-central and southern Nevada, Kansas, and West Texas, and we propose some regional correlations not previously suggested. In addition, we utilize recent conodont data from these areas to correlate our Early Permian fusulinid zones with the standard Global Permian Stages, strengthening their chronostratigraphic value. Our detailed correlations between the fusulinid-bearing rocks of the Bird Spring Shelf and deep-water deposits to the northwest reveal relationships between the history of shelf sedimentation and evolution of basins closer to the continental margin. In Virgilian to early Asselian (early Wolfcampian) time (Fusulinid Zones 1 and 2), the Bird Spring Shelf was flanked on the west by the deep-water Keeler Basin in which calcareous turbidites derived from the shelf were deposited. In early Sakmarian (early middle Wolfcampian) time (Fusulinid Zone 3), the Keeler Basin deposits were uplifted and transported eastward on the Last Chance thrust. By middle Sakmarian (middle middle Wolfcampian) time (within Fusulinid Zone 4), emplacement of the Last Chance allochthon was complete, and subsidence caused by thrust loading had resulted in development of a new turbidite basin (Darwin Basin) along the former western part of the Bird Spring Shelf. At the same time, farther east into the craton, paralic facies began prograding westward, so that the youngest fusulinid-bearing limestones on the shelf in this area become progressively younger to the west. Eventually, in Artinskian to Kungurian (late Wolfcampian to Leonardian) time (Fusulinid Zones 5 and 6), deposition of fusulinid-bearing limestone on the shelf was restricted to a marginal belt between the prograding paralic facies to the east and the Darwin Basin to the west. Development of the Keeler Basin in Pennsylvanian to earliest Permian time was approximately coeval with collision between South America-Africa (Gondwana) and North America (Laurentia) on the Ouachita-Marathon orogenic belt. This basin developed inboard of a northwest-trending, sinistral fault zone that truncated the continental margin. Later, in the Early Permian, the Last Chance allochthon, which was part of a northeast-trending belt of deformation that extended into northeastern Nevada, was emplaced. This orogenic belt probably was driven by convergence at the continental margin to the northwest. This work adds significant detail to existing interpretations of the late Paleozoic as a time of major tectonic instability on the continental margin of southeastern California as it changed from a relatively passive margin that had characterized most of the Paleozoic to an active convergent margin that would characterize the Mesozoic. ?? 2007 The Geological Society of America. All rights reserved.

An ostracode based paleolimnologic and paleohydrologic history of Death Valley: 200 to 0 ka

USGS Publications Warehouse

Forester, R.M.; Lowenstein, T.K.; Spencer, R.J.

2005-01-01

Death Valley, a complex tectonic and hydrologic basin, was cored from its lowest surface elevation to a depth of 186 m. The sediments range from bedded primary halite to black muds. Continental ostracodes found in the black muds indicate that those sediments were deposited in a variety of hydrologic settings ranging from deep, relatively fresh water to shallow saline lakes to spring discharge supported wetlands. The alkaline-enriched, calcium-depleted paleolake waters indicate extrabasinal streamflow and basin-margin spring discharge. The alkaline-depleted, calcium-enriched paleowetland waters indicate intrabasinal spring discharge. During Marine Isotope Stage 6 (MIS 6, ca. 180-140 ka) the hydrologic settings were highly variable, implying that complex relations existed between climate and basin hydrology. Termination II (MIS 6 to MIS 5E) was a complex multicyclic sequence of paleoenvironments, implying that climates oscillated between high and low effective moisture. MIS 4 (ca. 73-61 ka) was a spring discharge supported wetland complex. During MIS 2 (ca. 20-12 ka) the hydrologic settings were variable, although they are not fully understood because some black muds deposited during that time were lost during coring. ?? 2005 Geological Society of America.

Geologic context of large karst springs and caves in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weary, David J.; Orndorff, Randall C.

2016-01-01

The ONSR is a karst park, containing many springs and caves. The “jewels” of the park are large springs, several of first magnitude, that contribute significantly to the flow and water quality of the Current River and its tributaries. Completion of 1:24,000-scale geologic mapping of the park and surrounding river basin, along with synthesis of published hydrologic data, allows us to examine the spatial relationships between the springs and the geologic framework to develop a conceptual model for genesis of these springs. Based on their similarity to mapped spring conduits, many of the caves in the ONSR are fossil conduit segments. Therefore, geologic control on the evolution of the springs also applies to speleogenesis in this part of the southern Missouri Ozarks.Large springs occur in the ONSR area because: (1) the Ozark aquifer, from which they rise, is chiefly dolomite affected by solution via various processes over a long time period, (2) Paleozoic hypogenic fluid migration through these rocks exploited and enhanced flow-paths, (3) a consistent and low regional dip of the rocks off of the Salem Plateau (less than 2° to the southeast) allows integration of flow into large groundwater basins with a few discreet outlets, (4) the springs are located where the rivers have cut down into structural highs, allowing access to water from stratigraphic units deeper in the aquifer thus allowing development of springsheds that have volumetrically larger storage than smaller springs higher in the section, and (5) quartz sandstone and bedded chert in the carbonate stratigraphic succession that are locally to regionally continuous, serve as aquitards that locally confine groundwater up dip of the springs creating artesian conditions. This subhorizontal partitioning of the Ozark aquifer allows contributing areas for different springs to overlap, as evidenced by dye traces that cross adjacent groundwater basin boundaries, and possibly contributes to alternate flow routes under different groundwater flow regimes.A better understanding of the 3-dimensional hydrogeologic framework for the large spring systems in the ONSR allows more precise mapping of the contributing areas for those springs, will guide future studies of groundwater flow paths, and inform development of groundwater resource management strategies for the park.

Characterization of hydrology and salinity in the Dolores project area, McElmo Creek Region, southwest Colorado, 1978-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richards, Rodney J.; Leib, Kenneth J.

2011-01-01

Increasing salinity loading in the Colorado River has become a major concern for agricultural and municipal water supplies. The Colorado Salinity Control Act was implemented in 1974 to protect and enhance the quality of water in the Colorado River Basin. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Colorado River Salinity Control Forum, summarized salinity reductions in the McElmo Creek basin in southwest Colorado as a result of salinity-control modifications and flow-regime changes that result from the Dolores Project, which consists of the construction of McPhee reservoir on the Dolores River and salinity control modifications along the irrigation water delivery system. Flow-adjusted salinity trends using S-LOADEST estimations for a streamgage on McElmo Creek (site 1), that represents outflow from the basin, indicates a decrease in salinity load by 39,800 tons from water year 1978 through water year 2006, which is an average decrease of 1,370 tons per year for the 29-year period. Annual-load calculations for a streamgage on Mud Creek (site 6), that represents outflow from a tributary basin, indicate a decrease of 7,300 tons from water year 1982 through water year 2006, which is an average decrease of 292 tons per year for the 25-year period. The streamgage Dolores River at Dolores, CO (site 17) was chosen to represent a background site that is not affected by the Dolores Project. Annual load calculations for site 17 estimated a decrease of about 8,600 tons from water year 1978 through water year 2006, which is an average decrease of 297 tons per year for the 29-year period. The trend in salinity load at site 17 was considered to be representative of a natural trend in the region. Typically, salinity concentrations at outflow sites decreased from the pre-Dolores Project period (water years 1978-1984) to the post-Dolores Project period (water years 2000-2006). The median salinity concentration for site 1 (main basin outflow) decreased from 2,210 milligrams per liter per day in the preperiod to 2,110 milligrams per liter per day in the postperiod. The median salinity concentration for site 6 (tributary outflow) increased from 3,370 milligrams per liter per day in the preperiod to 3,710 milligrams per liter per day in the postperiod. Salinity concentrations typically increased at inflow sites from the preperiod to the postperiod. Salinity concentrations increased from 178 milligrams per liter per day during the preperiod at Main Canal #1 (site 16) to 227 milligrams per liter per day during the postperiod at the Dolores Tunnel Outlet near Dolores, CO (site 15). Calculation of the historical flow regime in McElmo Creek was done using a water-budget analysis of the basin. During water years 2000-2006, an estimated 845,000 acre-feet of water was consumed by crops and did not return to the creek as streamflow. The remaining 76,000 acre-feet, or 10,900 acre-feet per year for the 7-year postperiod, was assumed to represent a historical flow condition. The historical flow of 10,900 acre-feet per year is equivalent to 15.1 cubic feet per second. Average total dissolved solids concentrations for water in each type of sedimentary rock were used to estimate natural salinity loads. Most surface-water sites used to fit the criteria needed to achieve a natural TDS concentration were springs. An average spring TDS value for sandstones geology in the basin was 350 milligrams per liter, and the average value for Mancos Shale geology was 4,000 milligrams per liter. The natural salinity loads in McElmo Creek were estimated to be 29,100 tons per year, which is 43 percent of the salinity load that was calculated for the postperiod.

The effect of the 2011 flood on agricultural chemical and sediment movement in the lower Mississippi River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welch, H.; Coupe, R.; Aulenbach, B.

2012-04-01

Extreme hydrologic events, such as floods, can overwhelm a surface water system's ability to process chemicals and can move large amounts of material downstream to larger surface water bodies. The Mississippi River is the 3rd largest River in the world behind the Amazon in South America and the Congo in Africa. The Mississippi-Atchafalaya River basin grows much of the country's corn, soybean, rice, cotton, pigs, and chickens. This is large-scale modern day agriculture with large inputs of nutrients to increase yields and large applied amounts of crop protection chemicals, such as pesticides. The basin drains approximately 41% of the conterminous United States and is the largest contributor of nutrients to the Gulf of Mexico each spring. The amount of water and nutrients discharged from the Mississippi River has been related to the size of the low dissolved oxygen area that forms off of the coast of Louisiana and Texas each summer. From March through April 2011, the upper Mississippi River basin received more than five times more precipitation than normal, which combined with snow melt from the Missouri River basin, created a historic flood event that lasted from April through July. The U.S. Geological Survey, as part of the National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN), collected samples from six sites located in the lower Mississippi-Atchafalaya River basin, as well as, samples from the three flow-diversion structures or floodways: the Birds Point-New Madrid in Missouri and the Morganza and Bonnet Carré in Louisiana, from April through July. Samples were analyzed for nutrients, pesticides, suspended sediments, and particle size; results were used to determine the water quality of the river during the 2011 flood. Monthly loads for nitrate, phosphorus, pesticides (atrazine, glyphosate, fluometuron, and metolachlor), and sediment were calculated to quantify the movement of agricultural chemicals and sediment into the Gulf of Mexico. Nutrient loads were compared to historic loads to assess the effect of the flood on the zone of hypoxia that formed in the Gulf of Mexico during the spring of 2011.

Lithofacies and biofacies of mid-Paleozoic thermal spring deposits in the Drummond Basin, Queensland, Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walter, M. R.; Desmarais, D.; Farmer, J. D.; Hinman, N. W.

1996-01-01

The Devonian to Carboniferous sinters of the Drummond Basin, Australia, are among the oldest well established examples of fossil subaerial hot springs. Numerous subaerial and subaqueous spring deposits are known from the geological record as a result of the occurrence of economic mineral deposits in many of them. Some are reported to contain fossils, but very few have been studied by paleobiologists; they represent an untapped source of paleobiological information on the history of hydrothermal ecosystems. Such systems are of special interest, given the molecular biological evidence that thermophilic bacteria lie near the root of the tree of extant life. The Drummond Basin sinters are very closely comparable with modern examples in Yellowstone National Park and elsewhere. Thirteen microfacies are recognisable in the field, ranging from high temperature apparently abiotic geyserite through various forms of stromatolitic sinter probably of cyanobacterial origin to ambient temperature marsh deposits. Microfossils in the stromatolites are interpreted as cyanobacterial sheaths. Herbaceous lycopsids occur in the lower temperature deposits.

Investigation of the /sup 234/U//sup 238/U disequilibrium in the natural waters of the Santa Fe River basin north-central Florida

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

Briel, L.I.

1976-01-01

Typical surface water masses in the Santa Fe basin are characterized by a /sup 238/U concentration of 0.224 +- .014 ppB and a /sup 234/U//sup 238/U activity ratio of 1.081 +- .038. The Floridan aquifer in this area is represented by at least two distinct regimes of ground water. The effluent from the Poe Springs group has a nominal uranium concentration of 0.938 +- .014 ppB and an activity ratio of 0.900 +- .012, while the effluent from the Ichetucknee Springs group has a nominal uranium concentration of 0.558 +- .018 ppB and an activity ratio of 0.707 +- .022.more » The effluent from ten additional springs in the Santa Fe system can be represented by hypothetical mixtures of these two ground water regimes and a hypothetical surface water component, which may reflect the extent of local recharge to the aquifer in different parts of the basin.« less

Spatial distribution of pelagic fish larvae in the northern main basin of Lake Huron

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roseman, Edward F.; O'Brien, Timothy P.

2013-01-01

Larval fish occurrence in inshore and offshore zones in the northern main basin of Lake Huron was assessed during 2007 as part of a larger ecological examination of Lake Huron foodwebs and habitats. Day and night collections using neuston and conical nets at inshore (1.5–15 m depths) and offshore (37 and 91 m depths) locations at De Tour and Hammond Bay to assess the abundance, phenology, and spatial distribution of pelagic ichthyoplankton during spring and early summer were made. In general, densities of larval fishes were higher at De Tour than Hammond Bay during daytime neuston net collections, with the exception of Longnose Sucker, which were only collected at Hammond Bay. Lake Whitefish, Burbot, and Rainbow Smelt dominated inshore catches in early spring with Cisco, Deepwater Sculpin, Emerald Shiner, Bloater, Slimy Sculpin, Ninespine Stickleback, and Yellow Perch larvae also collected.Nighttime nearshore and offshore sampling revealed that Rainbow Smelt and Burbot larvae were present in relatively high abundances compared to inshore densities. Concentrations of larvae of deepwater demersal fishes such as Lake Whitefish and Deepwater Sculpin suggest that inshore zones in northern Lake Huron are important nursery habitats emphasizing a critical production and recruitment linkage between inshore and deepwater zones.

Canada's Fraser River Basin transitioning from a nival to a hybrid system in the late 20th century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, D. H.; Gao, H.; Shi, X.; Dery, S. J.

2014-12-01

The Fraser River Basin (FRB) is the largest river draining to the Pacific Ocean in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and it provides the world's most abundant salmon populations. With recent climate change, the shifting hydrologic regime of the FRB is evaluated using hydrological modeling results over the period 1949 to 2006. To quantify the contribution of snowmelt to runoff generation, the ratio RSR, defined as the division of the sum of the snowmelt across the watershed by the integrated runoff over the water year, is employed. Modeled results for RSR at Hope, BC — the furthest downstream hydrometric station of the FRB — show a significant decrease (from 0.80 to 0.65) in the latter part of the 20th century. RSR is found to be mainly suppressed by a decrease of the snowmelt across the FRB with a decline with 107 mm by 26 % along the simulation period. There is also a prominent shift in the timing of streamflow, with the spring freshet at Hope, BC advancing 30 days followed by reduced summer flows for over two months. The timing of the peak spring freshet becomes even earlier when moving upstream of the FRB owing to short periods of time after melting from the snow source to the rivers.

Geologic reconnaissance of the Hot Springs Mountains, Churchill County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Voegtly, Nickolas E.

1981-01-01

A geologic reconnaissance of the Hot Springs Mountains and adjacent areas, which include parts of the Brady-Hazen and the Stillwater-Soda Lake Known Geothermal Resource Areas, during June-December 1975, resulted in a reinterpretation of the nature and location of some Basin and Range faults. In addition, the late Cenozoic stratigraphy has been modified, chiefly on the basis of radiometric dates of volcanic rocks by U.S. Geological Survey personnel and others. The Hot Springs Mountains are in the western part of the Basin and Range province, which is characterized by east-west crustal extension and associated normal faulting. In the surrounding Trinity, West Humboldt, Stillwater, and Desert Mountains, Cenozoic rocks overlie ' basement ' rocks of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic age. A similar relation is inferred in the Hot Springs Mountains. Folding and faulting have taken place from the late Tertiary to the present. (USGS)

Isotopes and Sustainability of the Shallow Groundwater System in Spring and Snake Valleys, Eastern White Pine County, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acheampong, S. Y.

2007-12-01

A critical component to managing water resources is understanding the source of ground water that is extracted from a well. Detail information on the source of recharge and the age of groundwater is thus vital for the proper assessment, development, management, and monitoring of the groundwater resources in an area. Great differences in the isotopic composition of groundwater in a basin and the basin precipitation imply that the groundwater in the basin originates from a source outside the basin or is recharged under different climatic conditions. The stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen in precipitation were compared with the isotopic composition of water from wells, springs, and creeks to evaluate the source of the shallow groundwater recharge in Spring and Snake Valleys, Nevada, as part of an evaluation of the water resources in the area. Delta deuterium and delta oxygen-18 composition of springs, wells, creeks, and precipitation in Spring and Snake Valleys show that groundwater recharge occurs primarily from winter precipitation in the surrounding mountains. The carbon-14 content of the groundwater ranged from 30 to 95 percent modern carbon (pmc). Twenty two of the thirty samples had carbon-14 values of greater than 50 pmc. The relatively high carbon-14 values suggest that groundwater in the area is recharged by modern precipitation and the waters have rapid travel times. Total dissolved solids content of the samples outside the playa areas are generally low, and suggests that the water has a relatively short travel time between the recharge areas and sample sites. The presence of tritium in some of the springs and wells also indicate that groundwater mixes with post 1952 precipitation. Hydrogen bomb tests which began in 1952 in the northern hemisphere added large amounts of tritium to the atmosphere and reached a peak in 1963. The stable isotopic composition, the high carbon-14 activities, and the presence of tritium, show that the shallow groundwater in Snake and Spring Valleys originates as modern recharge. The shallow groundwater in these valleys is thus a renewable resource and can be developed in a sustainable manner using the appropriate planning and management tools.

Snowmelt in the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, F.

2016-12-01

Snow accumulation and melting are important hydrological processes in the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Qualification of snow dynamics is helpful for water resources management. In this study, a case study of snow and runoff modeling in a glaciated catchment in south Tibet was firstly conducted and showed that MODIS snow cover data can be successfully used for snow model calibration. Following the method, snow accumulation and melting in the TP was simulated using a distributed degree-day model through zonal calibration. The simulation results showed that the spatial pattern of snowmelt is basically in accordance with that of precipitation with discrepancy mainly introduced by elevation and temperature lapse. During 1979-2010, average annual precipitation and snowmelt in the TP was 394 and 80 mm/yr, respectively, indicating that about 1/5 of the precipitation in the TP supplied the rivers, lakes, and groundwater etc in the form of snowmelt. Seasonal snowmelt accounted for 35%, 37%, 26%, and 2% of the annual gross in spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively, with net accumulation of snow in fall and winter added to the snowmelt in the following spring and summer. The overall changing trends of annual precipitation and snowmelt in the TP were 4.1 and 0.4 mm/yr, respectively, with the most intensive snowmelt increase of about 3.0 mm/yr in the upstream of Tarim river basin (UTA) but decrease of about -1.4 mm/yr in the upstream of Mekong river basin (UME) due to the interacting impacts of temperature and precipitation. Significant increasing trend of snowmelt in spring shown in the UTA may benefit the local water use for irrigation etc.

Impacts of Biofuel-Induced Agricultural Land Use Changes on Watershed Hydrology and Water Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Z.; Zheng, H.

2015-12-01

The US Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 has contributed to widespread changes in agricultural land uses. The impact of these land use changes on regional water resources could also be significant. Agricultural land use changes were evaluated for the Red River of the North Basin (RRNB), an international river basin shared by the US and Canada. The influence of the land use changes on spring snowmelt flooding and downstream water quality was also assessed using watershed modeling. The planting areas for corn and soybean in the basin increased by 62% and 18%, while those for spring wheat, forest, and pasture decreased by 30%, 18%, and 50%, from 2006 to 2013. Although the magnitude of spring snowmelt peak flows in the Red River did not change from pre-EISA to post-EISA, our uncertainty analysis of the normalized hydrographs revealed that the downstream streamflows had a greater variability under the post-EISA land use scenario, which may lead to greater uncertainty in predicting spring snowmelt floods in the Red River. Hydrological simulation also showed that the sediment and nutrient loads at the basin's outlet in the US and Canada border increased under the post-EISA land use scenario, on average sediment increasing by 2.6%, TP by 14.1%, nitrate nitrogen by 5.9%, and TN by 9.1%. Potential impacts of the future biofuel crop scenarios on watershed hydrology and water quality in the RRNB were also simulated through integrated economic-hydrologic modeling.

Three-Dimensional Analysis of dike/fault interaction at Mono Basin (California) using the Finite Element Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Marra, D.; Battaglia, M.

2013-12-01

Mono Basin is a north-trending graben that extends from the northern edge of Long Valley caldera towards the Bodie Hills and is bounded by the Cowtrack Mountains on the east and the Sierra Nevada on the west. The Mono-Inyo Craters volcanic chain forms a north-trending zone of volcanic vents extending from the west moat of the Long Valley caldera to Mono Lake. The Hartley Springs fault transects the southern Mono Craters-Inyo Domes area between the western part of the Long Valley caldera and June Lake. Stratigraphic data suggest that a series of strong earthquakes occurred during the North Mono-Inyo eruption sequence of ~1350 A.D. The spatial and temporal proximity between Hartley Springs Fault motion and the North Mono-Inyo eruption sequence suggests a possible relation between seismic events and eruptions. We investigate the interactions between slip along the Hartley Springs fault and dike intrusion beneath the Mono-Inyo craters using a three-dimensional finite element model of the Mono Basin. We employ a realistic representation of the Basin that includes topography, vertical and lateral heterogeneities of the crust, contact relations between fault planes, and a physical model of the pressure required to propagate the dike. We estimate (a) the distribution of Coulomb stress changes to study the influence of dike intrusion on Hartley Springs fault, and (b) the local stress and volumetric dilatation changes to understand how fault slip may influence the propagation of a dike towards the surface.

Geographic Information Systems Methods for Determining Drainage-Basin Areas, Stream-Buffered Areas, Stream Length, and Land Uses for the Neosho and Spring Rivers in Northeastern Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Masoner, Jason R.; March, Ferrella

2006-01-01

Geographic Information Systems have many uses, one of which includes the reproducible computation of environmental characteristics that can be used to categorize hydrologic features. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality are investigating Geographic Information Systems techniques to determine partial drainage-basin areas, stream-buffer areas, stream length, and land uses (drainage basin and stream characteristics) in northeastern Oklahoma. The U.S Geological Survey, in cooperation with Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, documented the methods used to determine drainage-basin and stream characteristics for the Neosho and Spring Rivers above Grand Lake Of the Cherokees in northeastern Oklahoma and calculated the characteristics. The drainage basin and stream characteristics can be used by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality to aid in natural-resource assessments.

Hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry at a site of strategic importance: the Pareja Limno-reservoir drainage basin (Guadalajara, central Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molina-Navarro, Eugenio; Sastre-Merlín, Antonio; Vicente, Rosa; Martínez-Pérez, Silvia

2014-08-01

A small calcareous basin in central Spain was studied to establish the role of groundwater in the Pareja Limno-reservoir. Limno-reservoirs aim to preserve a constant water level in the riverine zone of large reservoirs to mitigate the impacts arising from their construction. Groundwater flow contribution (mean 60 %) was derived by recharge estimation. In situ measurements (spring discharge, electrical conductivity and sulfate) were undertaken and spring discharge was compared with a drought index. Twenty-eight springs were monitored and three hydrogeological units (HGUs) were defined: a carbonate plateau (HGU1), the underlying aquitard (HGU2), and the gypsum-enriched HGU3. HGU1 is the main aquifer and may play a role in the preservation of the limno-reservoir water level. Hydrogeochemical sampling was conducted and the code PHREEQC used to describe the main geochemical processes. Weathering and dissolution of calcite and gypsum seem to control the hydrogeochemical processes in the basin. Water progresses from Ca2+-HCO3 - in the upper basin to Ca2+-SO4 2- in the lower basin, where HGU3 outcrops. A clear temporal pattern was observed in the limno-reservoir, with salinity decreasing in winter and increasing in summer. This variation was wider at the river outlet, but the mixing of the river discharge with limno-reservoir water buffered it.

Ecohydrological Index, Native Fish, and Climate Trends and Relationships in the Kansas River Basin.

PubMed

Sinnathamby, Sumathy; Douglas-Mankin, Kyle R; Muche, Muluken E; Hutchinson, Stacy L; Anandhi, Aavudai

2018-01-01

This study quantified climatological and hydrological trends and relationships to presence and distribution of two native aquatic species in the Kansas River Basin over the past half-century. Trend analyses were applied to indicators of hydrologic alteration (IHAs) at 34 streamgages over a 50-year period (1962-2012). Results showed a significant negative trend in annual streamflow for 10 of 12 western streamgages (up to -7.65 mm/50 yr) and smaller negative trends for most other streamgages. Significant negative trends in western Basin streamflow were more widespread in summer (12 stations) than winter or spring (6 stations). The negative-trend magnitude and significance decreased from west to east for maximum-flow IHAs. Minimum- flow IHAs, however, significantly decreased at High Plains streamgages but significantly increased at Central Great Plains streamgages. Number of zero-flow days showed positive trends in the High Plains. Most streamgages showed negative trends in low- and high-flow pulse frequency and high-flow pulse duration, and positive trends in low-flow pulse duration. These results were consistent with increasing occurrence of drought. Shift in occurrence from present (1860-1950) to absent (2000-2012) was significantly related (p<0.10) to negative trends of 1-day maximum flows (both species) and indices associated with reduced spawning-season flows for Plains Minnow and shifting annual-flow timing and increased flow intermittency for Common Shiner. Both species were absent for all western Basin sites and had different responses to hydrological index trends at eastern Basin sites. These results demonstrate ecohydrological index changes impact distributions of native fish and suggest target factors for assessment or restoration activities.

Compliance Monitoring of Yearling and Subyearling Chinook Salmon and Juvenile Steelhead Survival and Passage at John Day Dam, 2012

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

Skalski, J. R.; Townsend, Richard L.; Seaburg, Adam

The purpose of this compliance study was to estimate dam passage survival of yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon and steelhead smolts at John Day Dam during the spring and summer outmigrations in 2012. Under the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp), dam passage survival should be greater than or equal to 0.96 for spring migrants and greater than or equal to 0.93 for summer migrants, estimated with a standard error (SE) less than or equal to 0.015. The study also estimated smolt passage survival from the forebay 2 km upstream of the dam to the tailracemore » 3 km downstream of the dam, as well as the forebay residence time, tailrace egress time, spill passage efficiency (SPE), and fish passage efficiency (FPE), as required in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords (Fish Accords). A virtual/paired-release design was used to estimate dam passage survival at John Day Dam. The approach included releases of smolts, tagged with acoustic micro-transmitters, above John Day Dam that contributed to the formation of a virtual release at the face of John Day Dam. A survival estimate from this release was adjusted by a paired release below John Day Dam. A total of 3376 yearling Chinook salmon, 5726 subyearling Chinook salmon, and 3239 steelhead smolts were used in the virtual releases. Sample sizes for the below-dam paired releases (R2 and R3, respectively) were 997 and 995 for yearling Chinook salmon smolts, 986 and 983 for subyearling Chinook salmon smolts, and 1000 and 1000 for steelhead smolts. The Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) tags were manufactured by Advanced Telemetry Systems. Model SS300 tags, weighing 0.304 g in air, were surgically implanted in yearling and subyearling Chinook salmon, and Model SS130 tag, weighing 0.438 g in air, were surgically implanted in juvenile steelhead for this investigation. The intent of the spring study was to estimate dam passage survival during both 30% and 40% spill conditions. The two spill conditions were to be systematically performed in alternating 2-day test intervals over the course of the spring outmigration. High flow conditions in 2012 interrupted the spill study. Dam passage survival was therefore estimated season-wide regardless of spill conditions.« less

Concentrations of nutrients, pesticides, and suspended sediment in the karst terrane of the Sinking Creek basin, Kentucky, 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crain, Angela S.

2006-01-01

Water samples were collected in streams and springs in the karst terrane of the Sinking Creek Basin in 2004 as part of study in cooperation with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. A total of 48 water samples were collected at 7 sites (4 springs, 2 streams, and 1 karst window) from April through November 2004. The karst terrane of the Sinking Creek Basin (also known as Boiling Spring Basin) encompasses about 125 square miles in Breckinridge County and portions of Meade and Hardin Counties in Kentucky. Fourteen pesticides were detected of the 52 pesticides analyzed in the stream and spring samples. Of the 14 detected pesticides, 12 were herbicides and 2 were insecticides. The most commonly detected pesticides?atrazine, simazine, metolachlor, and acetochlor?were those most heavily used on crops during the study. Atrazine was detected in 100 percent of all samples; simazine, metolachlor, and acetochlor were detected in more than 35 percent of all samples. The pesticide-transformation compound, deethylatrazine, was detected in 98 percent of the samples. Only one nonagricultural herbicide, prometon, was detected in more than 30 percent of the samples. Malathion, the most commonly detected insecticide, was found in 4 percent of the samples, which was followed by carbofuran (2 percent). Most of the pesticides were present in low concentrations; however, atrazine was found in springs exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?s (USEPA) standards for drinking water. Atrazine exceeded the USEPA?s maximum contaminant level 2 times in 48 detections. Concentrations of nitrate greater than 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) were not found in water samples from any of the sites. Concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate ranged from 0.21 to 3.9 mg/L at the seven sites. The median concentration of nitrite plus nitrate for all sites sampled was 1.5 mg/L. Concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate generally were higher in the springs than in the main stem of Sinking Creek. Forty-two percent of the concentrations of total phosphorus at all seven sites exceeded the USEPA?s recommended maximum concentration of 0.1 mg/L. The median concentration of total phosphorus for all sites sampled was 0.09 mg/L. The highest median concentrations of total phosphorus were found in the springs. Median concentrations of orthophosphate followed the same pattern as concentrations of total phosphorus in the springs. Concentrations of orthophosphate ranged from <0.006 to 0.192 mg/L. Concentrations of suspended sediment generally were low throughout the basin; the median concentration of suspended sediment for all sites sampled was 23 mg/L. The highest concentration of suspended sediment (1,486 mg/L) was measured following a storm event at Sinking Creek near Lodiburg, Ky.

A method for characterizing late-season low-flow regime in the upper Grand Ronde River Basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelly, Valerie J.; White, Seth

2016-04-19

This report describes a method for estimating ecologically relevant low-flow metrics that quantify late‑season streamflow regime for ungaged sites in the upper Grande Ronde River Basin, Oregon. The analysis presented here focuses on sites sampled by the Columbia River Inter‑Tribal Fish Commission as part of their efforts to monitor habitat restoration to benefit spring Chinook salmon recovery in the basin. Streamflow data were provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Oregon Water Resources Department. Specific guidance was provided for selection of streamgages, development of probabilistic frequency distributions for annual 7-day low-flow events, and regionalization of the frequency curves based on multivariate analysis of watershed characteristics. Evaluation of the uncertainty associated with the various components of this protocol indicates that the results are reliable for the intended purpose of hydrologic classification to support ecological analysis of factors contributing to juvenile salmon success. They should not be considered suitable for more standard water-resource evaluations that require greater precision, especially those focused on management and forecasting of extreme low-flow conditions.

Hydrochemical Characteristics and Formation of the Saline or Salty Springs in Eastern Sichuan Basin of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, X.

2017-12-01

Saline or salty springs provide important information on the hydrogeochemical processes and hydrology within subsurface aquifers. More than 20 saline and salty springs occur in the core of anticlines in the eastern Sichuan Basin in southwestern China where the Lower and Middle Triassic carbonates outcrop. Water samples of 8 saline and salty springs (including one saline hot spring) were collected for analyses of the major and minor constituents, trace elements and stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. The TDS of the springs range from 4 to 83 g/L, and they are mainly of Cl-Na type. Sr, Ba and Li are the predominant trace elements. The δ2H and δ18O of the water samples indicate that they are of meteoric origin. The source of salinity of the springs originates from dissolution of minerals in the carbonates, including halite, gypsum, calcite and dolomite. The formation mechanism of the springs is that groundwater receives recharge from infiltration of precipitation, undergoes shallow or deep circulation in the core of the anticline and incongruent dissolution of the salt-bearing carbonates occurs, and emerges in the river valley in the form of springs with relatively high TDS. The 8 springs can be classified into 4 springs of shallow groundwater circulation and 4 springs of deep groundwater circulation according to the depth of groundwater circulation, 7 springs of normal temperature and 1 hot spring according to temperature. There are also 2 up-flow springs: the carbonate aquifers are overlain by relatively impervious sandstone and shale, groundwater may flows up to the ground surface through the local portion of the overlying aquiclude where fractures were relatively well developed, and emerges as an up-flow spring. Knowledge of the hydrochemical characteristics and the geneses of the saline and salty springs are of important significance for the utilization and preservation of the springs.

76 FR 64100 - Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Little Snake Resource Management Plan...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-17

... Mountain, Vermillion Basin, Dinosaur North, and Little Yampa Canyon. The management objectives for these... Spring Mountain, Dinosaur North and Vermillion Basin are closed to oil and gas leasing and development...

Independent colonization and extensive cryptic speciation of freshwater amphipods in the isolated groundwater springs of Australia's Great Artesian Basin.

PubMed

Murphy, Nicholas P; Adams, Mark; Austin, Andrew D

2009-01-01

The groundwater-dependent springs of the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) in arid inland Australia represent a unique and threatened ecosystem. These incredibly isolated springs support a diverse array of endemic flora and fauna. One of the common faunal groups in the GAB springs is the freshwater amphipods of the family Chiltoniidae. The morphological conservatism and taxonomic uncertainty associated with these amphipods has ensured their true biodiversity, phylogeographical history and evolutionary affinities have remained unknown. We have used mitochondrial DNA and allozyme data to unravel a complicated history of isolation, extinction and dispersal among spring amphipod populations across the GAB. The results provide evidence for multiple independent colonizations in the GAB springs, particularly within the Lake Eyre group of springs. The inclusion of a group of Western Australian (WA) stygobitic amphipods from populations up to 1500 km away found surprising evidence for a shared evolutionary history between stygobitic and GAB spring amphipods. Approximate dating of the diversity found between major clades suggests the majority of lineages originated in the late Miocene, around the time of the aridification of inland Australia. The large number of independent lineages and the close connection between GAB spring and WA stygobitic amphipods suggest that a significantly rich amphipod fauna existed in the much wetter environment that once existed in inland Australia. The results also provide evidence for a gross underestimation of the species diversity within the springs, with 12 putative species identified, a conclusion with significant implications for the ongoing conservation of the GAB springs.

Determination of the recharge area and salinization degree of karst springs in the Lamas Basin (Turkey).

PubMed

Yüce, Galip

2005-12-01

The Lamas Basin is an area covering approximately 4,400 km(2) situated on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey covered with highly karstified limestone and dolomitic limestone from the Miocene and Mesozoic age, respectively. Owing to the area's low karstification basement, groundwater in the karst aquifer circulates deep from the surface towards the springs along the coast as well as to the submarine springs. This study aims working out the salinization level and recharge characteristics of the Lamas Basin using environmental isotopes techniques. In the study, the data collected previously to discover, in general terms, the groundwater characteristics within the area are reanalyzed to fulfil the purpose of the study. In conclusion, it is found that the down gradient karst springs discharging along the Mediterranean coast mostly contain groundwater contributions from higher altitudes with depleted delta(18)O and delta(2)H compositions. The delta(18)O-altitude effect was determined as approximately-0.12 per thousand/100 m which may indicate sea-spray intrusion towards inland. As a result, the salinization level of coastal springs changes ranging between 1.2 % and 17.0 %. Owing to the seawater encroachment, Ca-HCO(3) water type changes to Na-HCO(3) or Na-Cl water by the cation exchange during the dry period. As the unique freshwater potential extends along the coastal area, the groundwater production should be exploited in a way that seawater encroachment is kept at minimum.

Structural Inventory of Great Basin Geothermal Systems and Definition of Favorable Structural Settings

DOE Data Explorer

Faulds, James E.

2013-12-31

Over the course of the entire project, field visits were made to 117 geothermal systems in the Great Basin region. Major field excursions, incorporating visits to large groups of systems, were conducted in western Nevada, central Nevada, northwestern Nevada, northeastern Nevada, east‐central Nevada, eastern California, southern Oregon, and western Utah. For example, field excursions to the following areas included visits of multiple geothermal systems: - Northwestern Nevada: Baltazor Hot Spring, Blue Mountain, Bog Hot Spring, Dyke Hot Springs, Howard Hot Spring, MacFarlane Hot Spring, McGee Mountain, and Pinto Hot Springs in northwest Nevada. - North‐central to northeastern Nevada: Beowawe, Crescent Valley (Hot Springs Point), Dann Ranch (Hand‐me‐Down Hot Springs), Golconda, and Pumpernickel Valley (Tipton Hot Springs) in north‐central to northeast Nevada. - Eastern Nevada: Ash Springs, Chimney Hot Spring, Duckwater, Hiko Hot Spring, Hot Creek Butte, Iverson Spring, Moon River Hot Spring, Moorman Spring, Railroad Valley, and Williams Hot Spring in eastern Nevada. - Southwestern Nevada‐eastern California: Walley’s Hot Spring, Antelope Valley, Fales Hot Springs, Buckeye Hot Springs, Travertine Hot Springs, Teels Marsh, Rhodes Marsh, Columbus Marsh, Alum‐Silver Peak, Fish Lake Valley, Gabbs Valley, Wild Rose, Rawhide‐ Wedell Hot Springs, Alkali Hot Springs, and Baileys/Hicks/Burrell Hot Springs. - Southern Oregon: Alvord Hot Spring, Antelope Hot Spring‐Hart Mountain, Borax Lake, Crump Geyser, and Mickey Hot Spring in southern Oregon. - Western Utah: Newcastle, Veyo Hot Spring, Dixie Hot Spring, Thermo, Roosevelt, Cove Fort, Red Hill Hot Spring, Joseph Hot Spring, Hatton Hot Spring, and Abraham‐Baker Hot Springs. Structural controls of 426 geothermal systems were analyzed with literature research, air photos, google‐Earth imagery, and/or field reviews (Figures 1 and 2). Of the systems analyzed, we were able to determine the structural settings of more than 240 sites. However, we found that many “systems” consisted of little more than a warm or hot well in the central part of a basin. Such “systems” were difficult to evaluate in terms of structural setting in areas lacking in geophysical data. Developed database for structural catalogue in a master spreadsheet. Data components include structural setting, primary fault orientation, presence or absence of Quaternary faulting, reservoir lithology, geothermometry, presence or absence of recent magmatism, and distinguishing blind systems from those that have surface expressions. Reviewed site locations for all 426 geothermal systems– Confirmed and/or relocated spring and geothermal sites based on imagery, maps, and other information for master database. Many systems were mislocated in the original database. In addition, some systems that included several separate springs spread over large areas were divided into two or more distinct systems. Further, all hot wells were assigned names based on their location to facilitate subsequent analyses. We catalogued systems into the following eight major groups, based on the dominant pattern of faulting (Figure 1): - Major normal fault segments (i.e., near displacement maxima). - Fault bends. - Fault terminations or tips. - Step‐overs or relay ramps in normal faults. - Fault intersections. - Accommodation zones (i.e., belts of intermeshing oppositely dipping normal faults), - Displacement transfer zones whereby strike‐slip faults terminate in arrays of normal faults. - Transtensional pull‐aparts. These settings form a hierarchal pattern with respect to fault complexity. - Major normal faults and fault bends are the simplest. - Fault terminations are typically more complex than mid‐segments, as faults commonly break up into multiple strands or horsetail near their ends. - A fault intersection is generally more complex, as it generally contains both multiple fault strands and can include discrete di...

Geohydrology and water quality of stratified-drift aquifers in the Saco and Ossipee River basins, east-central New Hampshire

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, R.B.; Medalie, Laura

1995-01-01

Stratified-drift aquifers discontinuously underlie 152.5 square miles of the Saco and Ossipee River Basins, which have a total drainage area of 869.4 square miles. Saturated thicknesses of stratified drift in the study area are locally greater than 280 feet, but generally are less. Transmissivity locally exceeds 8,000 feet squared per day but are generally less. About 93.6 square miles, or 10.8 percent of the study area, are identified as having transmissivity greater than 1,000 feet squared per day. The stratified-drift aquifer in Ossipee, Freedom, Effingham, Madison, and Tamworth was analyzed for the availability of ground water by use of transient simulations and a two-dimensional, finite-difference ground-water-flow model. The numerical -model results indicate that potential available water amounts in this aquifer are 7.72 million gallons per day. Sample results of water- quality analyses obtained from 25 test wells and 4 springs indicated that water was generally suitable for drinking and other domestic purposes. Concen- trations of dissolved constituents in ground-water samples are less than or meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)primary and secondary drinking-water regulations. Concentrations of inorganic constituents that exceeded the USEPA's secondary regulations were chloride and sodium, iron manganese, and fluoride.

Preliminary Gravity and Magnetic Data of the Lake Pillsbury Region, Northern Coast Ranges, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langenheim, V.E.; Jachens, Robert C.; Morin, Robert L.; McCabe, Craig A.

2007-01-01

The Lake Pillsbury region is transected by the Bartlett Springs Fault zone, one of the main strike-slip faults of the San Andreas system north of San Francisco Bay, California. Gravity and magnetic data were collected to help characterize the geometry and offset of the fault zone as well as determine the geometry of the Gravelly Valley pull-apart basin and Potter Valley, an alluvial intermontane basin southwest of Lake Pillsbury. The Bartlett Springs fault zone lies at the base of a significant gravity gradient. Superposed on the gradient is a small gravity low centered over Lake Pillsbury and Gravelly Valley. Another small gravity low coincides with Potter Valley. Inversion of gravity data for basin thickness indicates a maximum thickness of 400 and 440 m for the Gravelly and Potter Valley depressions, respectively. Ground magnetic data indicate that the regional aeromagnetic data likely suffer from positional errors, but that large, long-wavelength anomalies, sourced from serpentinite, may be offset 8 km along the Bartlett Springs Fault zone. Additional gravity data collected either on the lake surface or bottom and in Potter Valley would better determine the shape of the basins. A modern, high-resolution aeromagnetic survey would greatly augment the ability to map and model the fault geometry quantitatively.

Geochemistry of waters from springs, wells, and snowpack on and adjacent to Medicine Lake volcano, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mariner, R.H.; Lowenstern, Jacob B.

1999-01-01

Chemical analyses of waters from cold springs and wells of the Medicine Lake volcano and surrounding region indicate small chloride anomalies that may be due to water-rock interaction or limited mixing with high-temperature geothermal fluids. The Fall River Springs (FRS) with a combined discharge of approximately 37 m3/s, show a negative correlation between chloride (Cl) and temperature, implying that the Cl is not derived from a high-temperature geothermal fluid. The high discharge from the FRS indicates recharge over a large geographic region. Chemical and isotopic variations in the FRS show that they contain a mixture of three distinct waters. The isotopic composition of recharge on and adjacent to the volcano are estimated from the isotopic composition of snow and precipitation amounts adjusted for evapotranspiration. Enough recharge of the required isotopic composition (-100 parts per thousand ??D) is available from a combination of the Medicine Lake caldera, the Fall River basin and the Long Bell basin to support the slightly warmer components of the FRS (32 m3/s). The cold-dilute part of the FRS (approximately 5 m3/s) may recharge in the Bear Creek basin or at lower elevations in the Fall River basin.

Aphanius kruppi, a new killifish from Oman with comments on the A. dispar species group (Cyprinodontiformes: Aphaniidae).

PubMed

Freyhof, Jörg; Weissenbacher, Anton; Geiger, Matthias

2017-10-26

Eight species are recognised in the Aphanius dispar group. Aphanius dispar from the Red and Mediterranean Sea basins, A. stoliczkanus from coastal areas of the Arabian/Persian Gulf, the northern Arabian Sea east to Gujarat in India, the Gulf of Oman and some endorheic basins in Iran and Pakistan, A. richardsoni from springs in the Dead Sea basin in Jordan and Israel, A. sirhani from the Azraq Oasis in Jordan, A. ginaonis from one spring in Iran, A. furcatus from few streams and springs in Iran and A. stiassnyae from one lake in Ethiopia. Aphanius kruppi, new species, from the Wadi al Batha drainage in northern Oman, is distinguished from adjacent A. stoliczkanus by having 9-14 brown or grey lateral bars on the flank in the male, a roundish, diamond-shaped or somewhat vertically-elongate blotch centred on the caudal-fin base in the female and 2-3 scale rows on the caudal-fin base. The available molecular genetic data for A. dispar reject the hypothesis of the presence of a single widespread coastal species in the Middle East and make it likely that two additional unidentified species occur in the Red Sea basin.

Microbial Ecology of a Regional Flow System: Deep, Aerobic, Fractured Rock Aquifers of the US Basin and Range (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moser, D. P.; Hamilton-Brehm, S.; Zhang, G.; Fisher, J.; Hughes, K.; Wheatley, A.; Thomas, J.; Zavarin, M.; Roberts, S. K.; Kryder, L.; McRae, R.; Howard, W.; Walker, J.; Federwisch, R.; King, M.; Friese, R.; Grim, S.; Amend, J.; Momper, L.; Sherwood Lollar, B.; Onstott, T. C.

2013-12-01

Recent decades have revealed anaerobic microbial ecosystems across a range of deep, continental settings; however, aerobic, regional aquifers represent a little-studied habitat for deep life. The US' Basin and Range Province is an extensional zone defined by deep, interconnected fracture systems that span multiple hydrologic basins and host regional aquifers. Here we describe a multi-basin microbiological assessment, applied to the Death Valley Regional Flow System (DVRFS). Our group has surveyed more than thirty deep boreholes (~ 1,000 m depth average) and deeply-sourced springs across a ~170 km inferred flow path from recharge areas in volcanic and carbonate rock highlands of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and the Spring Mountains to discharge zones in Oasis, Amargosa, and Death Valleys. DVRFS waters were characterized by temperatures of 30 - 50 oC and the presence of dissolved O2 (4 - 8 mg/L in the recharge areas and ~0.2 - 2 mg/L in the discharge zones). Planktonic microbial populations, as tracked by molecular DNA approaches (e.g. 454 pyrotag), were of low abundance (e.g. ~ 10e3 ~10e6 per mL) and dominated by Proteobacteria and Nitrospirae. Archaea were also present and dominated by novel Thaumarchaeotes. Patterns of microbial diversity and the hypothesis that these patterns may have utility for recognition of hydrologic connectivity were assessed by statistical tools. At the species level, cosmopolitan, system-wide, and flow-path-specific groupings of both bacteria and archaea were detected. Even when in close proximity to aerobic springs and wells, sites sampling deep, hot, anaerobic groundwaters possessed completely distinct microbial populations (e.g. dominance by Firmicutes, ANME, and predicted methanogens). Among methodological refinements developed from this work, the repeated sampling of one deep borehole over a month-long pump test revealed that well-bore-associated contaminants required several days of pumping for complete removal and enabled the identification of the specific depth that produced most of the water. Our results reveal details of microbial community structure for a common, but little-studied microbial ecosystem and support the concept that regional flow systems possess distinct microbial populations, consistent with their geochemical and hydrologic characteristics. These results generally support the concept that microbial populations may have utility as amplifiable tracers for tracking the connectivity of fluids in the subsurface.

77 FR 51556 - Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Humboldt County and Washoe County, NV; Lake County, OR; Final...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-24

... found on the Refuge are primarily shrub-steppe uplands, and springs and spring brooks, basalt cliffs and..., representative of historical conditions in the Great Basin. Emphasis would be placed on improving shrub-steppe...

Ground-water resources of the south metropolitan Atlanta region, Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clarke, John S.; Peck, Michael F.

1991-01-01

Ground-water resources of the nine county south metropolitan Atlanta region were evaluated in response to an increased demand for water supplies and concern that existing surface water supplies may not be able to meet future supply demands. Previous investigations have suggested that crystalline rock in the study area has low permeability and can not sustain well yields suitable for public supply. However, the reported yield for 406 wells drilled into crystalIine rock units in this area ranged from less than 1 to about 700 gallons per minute, and averaged 43 gallons per minute. The reported flow from 13 springs ranged from 0.5 to 679 gallons per minute. The yield of 43 wells and flow from five springs was reported to exceed 100 gallons per minute. Most of the high-yielding wells and springs were near contact zones between rocks of contrasting lithologic and weathering properties. The high-yielding wells and springs are located in a variety of topographic settings: hillsides, upland draws, and hilltops were most prevalent.The study area, which includes Henry, Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Lamar, Pike, Meriwether, Upson and Talbot Counties, is within the Piedmont physiographic province except for the southernmost part of Talbot County, which is in the Coastal Plain physiographic province. In the Piedmont, ground-water storage occurs in joints, fractures and other secondary openings in the bedrock, and in pore spaces in the regolith. The most favorable geologic settings for siting highyielding wells are along contact zones between rocks of contrasting lithology and permeability, major zones of fracturing such as the Towaliga and Auchumpkee fault zones, and other numerous shear and microbreccia zones.Although most wells in the study area are from 101 to 300 feet deep, the highest average yields were obtained from wells 51 to 100 feet deep, and 301 to 500 feet deep. Of the wells inventoried, the average diameter of well casing was largest for wells located on hills and ridges, possibly indicating a preference for such topographic locations by cities and industrial users who typically develop larger diameter wells than do domestic users. Generally, for a given depth range or well diameter, the highest yielding wells were obtained in draws and valleys, followed by hills and ridges and slopes and flats.In 1985, wells and springs supplied about 16 million gallons per day or 37 percent of the total water withdrawn in the area. Average recharge to the aquifers in the upper Flint River basin, which constitutes 66 percent of the area, was estimated to be about 575 million gallons per day. Groundwater recharge in this basin ranged from 414 million gallons per day during an average dry year, to 77 million gallons per day during an average wet year. During the severe drought of 1954, the estimated recharge was 70 million gallons per day.Ground water in the study area generally is suitable for most uses. With the exception of local occurences of excessive iron, fluoride, and manganese, concentrations of total and/or dissolved constituents generally meets State and Federal drinking water standards. Ground-water quality may be affected by the presence of radionuclides associated with the decay of uranium found in igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Effects of the light goose conservation order on non-target waterfowl distribution during spring migration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dinges, Andrew J.; Webb, Elisabeth B.; Vrtiska, Mark P.

2015-01-01

The Light Goose Conservation Order (LGCO) was initiated in 1999 to reduce mid-continent populations of light geese (lesser snow geese Chen caerulescens and Ross's geese C. rossi). However, concern about potential for LGCO activities (i.e. hunting activities) to negatively impact non-target waterfowl species during spring migration in the Rainwater Basin (RWB) of Nebraska prompted agency personnel to limit the number of hunt days each week and close multiple public wetlands to LGCO activities entirely. To evaluate the effects of the LGCO in the RWB, we quantified waterfowl density at wetlands open and closed to LGCO hunting and recorded all hunter encounters during springs 2011 and 2012. We encountered a total of 70 hunting parties on 22 study wetlands, with over 90% of these encounters occurring during early season when the majority of waterfowl used the RWB region. We detected greater overall densities of dabbling ducks Anas spp., as well as for mallards A. platyrhynchos and northern pintails A. acuta on wetlands closed to the LGCO. We detected no effects of hunt day in the analyses of dabbling duck densities. We detected no differences in mean weekly dabbling duck densities among wetlands open to hunting, regardless of weekly or cumulative hunting encounter frequency throughout early season. Additionally, hunting category was not a predictor for the presence of greater white-fronted geese Anser albifronsin a logistic regression model. Given that dabbling duck densities were greater on wetlands closed to hunting, providing wetlands free from hunting disturbance as refugia during the LGCO remains an important management strategy at migration stopover sites. However, given that we did not detect an effect of hunt day or hunting frequency on dabbling duck density, our results suggest increased hunting frequency at sites already open to hunting would likely have minimal impacts on the distribution of non-target waterfowl species using the region for spring staging.

The integration of geophysical and enhanced Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data into a rule-based, piecewise regression-tree model to estimate cheatgrass beginning of spring growth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boyte, Stephen P.; Wylie, Bruce K.; Major, Donald J.; Brown, Jesslyn F.

2015-01-01

Cheatgrass exhibits spatial and temporal phenological variability across the Great Basin as described by ecological models formed using remote sensing and other spatial data-sets. We developed a rule-based, piecewise regression-tree model trained on 99 points that used three data-sets – latitude, elevation, and start of season time based on remote sensing input data – to estimate cheatgrass beginning of spring growth (BOSG) in the northern Great Basin. The model was then applied to map the location and timing of cheatgrass spring growth for the entire area. The model was strong (R2 = 0.85) and predicted an average cheatgrass BOSG across the study area of 29 March–4 April. Of early cheatgrass BOSG areas, 65% occurred at elevations below 1452 m. The highest proportion of cheatgrass BOSG occurred between mid-April and late May. Predicted cheatgrass BOSG in this study matched well with previous Great Basin cheatgrass green-up studies.

Changes in DOM Character and Composition during Spring Snow Melt in the Jemez River Basin Critical Zone Observatory.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, M.; Olshansky, Y.; Chorover, J.

2017-12-01

Dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in stream waters are important indicators of internal processes in the critical zone, such as decomposition and mobilization of soil organic matter, hydrologic flow paths, potential for metal mobilization and nutrient redistribution. Previous studies indicate that DOM concentration was highest during peak snow melt in the La Jara catchment located in the Jemez River Basin Critical Zone Observatory (Perdrial et al., 2014). We postulate that the molecular composition and character of DOM changes with the advance of spring snow melt. Water samples were collected from two flumes located at the outlets of the La Jara Creek and from a zero order basin within this catchment through the spring snowmelt from March 1 to May 15 2017. DOM concentration increased with stream discharge. Quantification of molecular changes was conducted using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), which showed the variation in carboxyl abundance (wavenumbers 1680, 1600 and 1410 cm-1) correlated with dissolved organic carbon concentration, indicating that this component is relatively a constant fraction of the organic carbon exported through the stream during spring snowmelt. In contrast, amide vibrations (3550, 1640 and 670 cm-1) were shown to decrease with the advance of spring snowmelt. This trend further corresponded to a decrease in the ratio of carboxylic acid (above) to aromatic (1622, 1490, 955 cm-1) moieties, suggesting either a flush of compounds accumulated prior to spring snow melt, or increased decomposition of plant derived material in the soil that was then transported to the stream. Aliphatic components (2965, 2925 and 2865 cm-1) decreased from the beginning to the middle of sampling period, then showed an increase toward the end of snowmelt. O-Alkyl peak (1150 and 1073 cm-1) varied without a clear trend during the spring snowmelt. These changes in O-Alkyl and aliphatic compounds may be related to microbial derived compounds and indicate changes in microbial activity during the spring snowmelt. These results will be combined with concentration discharge analysis and data from fluorescence and UV-vis spectroscopy for evaluation and modeling of CZ processes dominated by spring snowmelt.

Water-budgets and recharge-area simulations for the Spring Creek and Nittany Creek Basins and parts of the Spruce Creek Basin, Centre and Huntingdon Counties, Pennsylvania, Water Years 2000–06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fulton, John W.; Risser, Dennis W.; Regan, R. Steve; Walker, John F.; Hunt, Randall J.; Niswonger, Richard G.; Hoffman, Scott A.; Markstrom, Steven

2015-08-17

This report describes the results of a study by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with ClearWater Conservancy and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to develop a hydrologic model to simulate a water budget and identify areas of greater than average recharge for the Spring Creek Basin in central Pennsylvania. The model was developed to help policy makers, natural resource managers, and the public better understand and manage the water resources in the region. The Groundwater and Surface-water FLOW model (GSFLOW), which is an integration of the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) and the Modular Groundwater Flow Model (MODFLOW-NWT), was used to simulate surface water and groundwater in the Spring Creek Basin for water years 2000–06. Because the groundwater and surface-water divides for the Spring Creek Basin do not coincide, the study area includes the Nittany Creek Basin and headwaters of the Spruce Creek Basin. The hydrologic model was developed by the use of a stepwise process: (1) develop and calibrate a PRMS model and steady-state MODFLOW-NWT model; (2) re-calibrate the steady-state MODFLOW-NWT model using potential recharge estimates simulated from the PRMS model, and (3) integrate the PRMS and MODFLOW-NWT models into GSFLOW. The individually calibrated PRMS and MODFLOW-NWT models were used as a starting point for the calibration of the fully coupled GSFLOW model. The GSFLOW model calibration was done by comparing observations and corresponding simulated values of streamflow from 11 streamgages and groundwater levels from 16 wells. The cumulative water budget and individual water budgets for water years 2000–06 were simulated by using GSFLOW. The largest source and sink terms are represented by precipitation and evapotranspiration, respectively. For the period simulated, a net surplus in the water budget was computed where inflows exceeded outflows by about 1.7 billion cubic feet (0.47 inches per year over the basin area); storage increased by about the same amount to balance the budget. The rate and distribution of recharge throughout the Spring Creek, Nittany Creek, and Spruce Creek Basins is variable as a result of the high degree of hydrogeologic heterogeneity and karst features. The greatest amount of recharge was simulated in the carbonate-bedrock valley, near the toe slopes of Nittany and Tussey Mountains, in the Scotia Barrens, and along the area coinciding with the Gatesburg Formation. Runoff extremes were observed for water years 2001 (dry year) and 2004 (wet year). Simulated average recharge rates (water reaching the saturated zone as defined in GSFLOW) for 2001 and 2004 were 5.4 in/yr and 22.0 in/yr, respectively. Areas where simulations show large variations in annual recharge between wet and dry years are the same areas where simulated recharge was large. Those areas where rates of groundwater recharge are much higher than average, and are capable of accepting substantially greater quantities of recharge during wet years, might be considered critical for maintaining the flow of springs, stream base flow, or the source of water to supply wells. The slopes of the Bald Eagle, Tussey, and Nittany Mountains are relatively insensitive to variations in recharge, primarily because of reduced infiltration rates and steep slopes.

Riparian Cottonwood Ecosystems and Regulated Flows in Kootenai and Yakima Sub-Basins : Volume II Yakima (Overview, Report, Appendices).

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

Jamieson, Bob; Braatne, Jeffrey H.

Riparian vegetation and especially cottonwood and willow plant communities are dependent on normative flows and especially, spring freshette, to provide conditions for recruitment. These plant communities therefore share much in common with a range of fish species that require natural flow conditions to stimulate reproduction. We applied tools and techniques developed in other areas to assess riparian vegetation in two very different sub-basins within the Columbia Basin. Our objectives were to: Document the historic impact of human activity on alluvial floodplain areas in both sub-basins; Provide an analysis of the impacts of flow regulation on riparian vegetation in two systemsmore » with very different flow regulation systems; Demonstrate that altered spring flows will, in fact, result in recruitment to cottonwood stands, given other land uses impacts on each river and the limitations imposed by other flow requirements; and Assess the applicability of remote sensing tools for documenting the distribution and health of cottonwood stands and riparian vegetation that can be used in other sub-basins.« less

Magnitude and frequency of low flows in the Suwannee River Water Management District, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giese, G.L.; Franklin, M.A.

1996-01-01

Low-flow frequency statistics for 20 gaging stations having at least 10 years of continuous record and 31 other stations having less than 10 years of continu ous record or a series of at least two low- flow measurements are presented for unregulated streams in the Suwannee River Water Management District in north-central Florida. Statistics for the 20 continuous-record stations included are the annual and monthly minimum consecutive-day average low- flow magnitudes for 1, 3, 7, 14, and 30 consecutive days for recurrence intervals of 2, 5, 10, 20, and, for some long-term stations, 50 years, based on records available through the 1994 climatic year.Only theannual statistics are given for the 31 other stations; these are for the 7- and 30-consecutive day periods only and for recurrence intervals of 2 and 10 years only. Annual low-flow frequency statistics range from zero for many small streams to 5,500 cubic feet per second for the annual 30- consecutive-day average flow with a recurrenceinterval of 2 years for the Suwannee River near Wilcox (station 02323500). Monthly low-flow frequency statistics range from zero for many small streams to 13,800 cubic feet per second for the minimum 30-consecutive-day average flow with a 2-year recurrence interval for the month of March for the same station. Generally, low-flow characteristics of streams in the Suwannee River Water Management District are controlled by climatic, topographic, and geologic fac tors. The carbonate Floridan aquifer system underlies, or is at the surface of, the entire District. The terrane's karstic nature results in manysinkholes and springs. In some places, springs may contribute greatly to low streamflow and the contributing areas of such springs may include areasoutside the presumed surface drainage area of the springs. In other places, water may enter sinkholes within a drainage basin, then reappear in springs downstream from a gage. Many of the smaller streams in the District go dry or have no flow forseveral months in many years. In addition to the low-flow statistics, four synoptic low-flow measurement surveys were conducted on 161 sites during 1990, 1995, and 1996. Themeasurements were made to provide "snapshots" of flow conditions of streams throughout the Suwannee River Water Management District. Magnitudes of low flows during the 1990 series of measurements were in the range associated withminimum 7-consecutive-day 50-year recurrence interval to the minimum 7-consecutive-day 20-year recurrence interval, except in Taylor and Dixie Counties, where the magnitudes ranged from the minimum 7-consecutive-day 5-year flow level to the7-consecutive-day 2-year flow level. The magnitudes were all greater than the minimum 7- consecutive-day 2-year flow level during 1995 and 1996. Observations of no flow were recorded at many of the sites for all four series of measurements.

Optimal design of stormwater basins with bio-sorption activated media (BAM) in karst environments - phase I : site screening and selection.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

Anthropogenic activities within the Silver Springs springshed over recent decades may have contributed : to elevated nutrient concentrations in stormwater runoff and groundwater, leading to the eutrophication : of Silver Springs. To remove the nutrie...

High resolution paleoceanography of the central Gulf of California during the past 15,000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barron, J. A.; Bukry, D.; Dean, W. E.

2004-12-01

A high resolution paleoceanographic history of the central Gulf of California during the past 15,000 years has been assembled using microfossil (diatom and silicoflagellate) and geochemical proxy data from a composite section of gravity core GGC55 and giant piston core JPC56 in the western Guaymas Basin (27.5 deg. N, 112.1 deg. W, water depth 818 m) and from DSDP Site 480 (27.9 deg. N, 111.7 deg. W, 655 m water depth) in the eastern Guaymas Basin. These data argue for abrupt, basin-wide changes during the Bolling-Allerod, Younger Dryas, and earliest part of the Holocene that mirror changes documented in cores from the Pacific margins of both Baja and Alta California. Between about 10 ka and 6 ka, these central Gulf of California records became more regionally distinctive, as surface and intermediate waters resembling those of the modern-day northern Gulf became dominant and virtually no calcium carbonate or tropical microfossils were preserved in the underlying sediments. Beginning at about 6 ka, tropical microfossils returned to the central Gulf, possibly signaling enhanced El Nino-like conditions. Proxy data suggest that late winter-early spring coastal upwelling was abruptly strengthened on the mainland (eastern) side at about 5.4 ka and again at about 3.0 ka, whereas sediments from the western side of the central Gulf became increasingly diatom poor and calcium carbonate rich. An intensification of northwest winds during the late winter to early spring likely occurred in the central Gulf at about 5.4 ka. Interestingly, this proposed wind shift in the Gulf of California coincides with an abrupt 5.4 ka change to drier conditions in the Cariaco Basin off Venezuela that has been proposed to reflect a southward shift in the mean position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone in response to increasing El Nino-like conditions.

GEOMORPHIC CONTROLS ON MEADOW ECOSYSTEMS IN THE CENTRAL GREAT BASIN

EPA Science Inventory

Wet meadows, riparian corridor phreatophyte assemblages, and high-altitude spring-fed aspen meadows comprise a very small percentage of the total landscape of the mountain ranges in the central Great Basin however, they represent important ecological environments. We have used s...

Walla Walla River Fish Passage Operations Program, 2003-2004 Annual Report.

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

Bronson, James P.

2004-12-01

In the late 1990s, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with many other agencies, began implementing fisheries restoration activities in the Walla Walla Basin. An integral part of these efforts is to alleviate the inadequate fish migration conditions in the basin. The migration concerns are being addressed by removing diversion structures, constructing fish passage facilities, implementing minimum instream flow requirements, and providing trap and haul efforts when needed. The objective of the Walla Walla River Fish Passage Operations Project is to increase the survivalmore » of migrating adult and juvenile salmonids in the Walla Walla River basin. The project is responsible for coordinating operation and maintenance of ladders, screen sites, bypasses, trap facilities, and transportation equipment. In addition, the project provides technical input on passage criteria and passage and trapping facility design and operation. Operation of the various passage facilities and passage criteria guidelines are outlined in an annual operations plan that the project develops. During the 2003-2004 project year, there were 379 adult summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), 36 adult bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus); 108 adult and 3 jack spring chinook (O. tshawytscha) enumerated at the Nursery Bridge Dam fishway video counting window between December 21, 2003, and June 30, 2004. Summer steelhead and spring chinook were observed moving upstream while bull trout were observed moving both upstream and downstream of the facility. In addition, the old ladder trap was operated by the WWBNPME project in order to radio tag spring chinook adults. A total of 2 adult summer steelhead, 4 bull trout, and 23 adult spring chinook were enumerated at the west ladder at Nursery Bridge Dam during the trapping operations between May 6 and May 23, 2004. Operation of the Little Walla Walla River juvenile trap for trap and haul purposes was not necessary this year. The project transported adult spring chinook from Threemile Dam to the South Fork Walla Walla Brood Holding Facility. A total of 239 spring chinook were outplanted in August for natural spawning in the basin.« less

Is Snowmelt Initiation Independent of Elevation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundquist, J. D.; Dettinger, M. D.; Cayan, D. R.

2002-12-01

Recent studies (Peterson et al, Dettinger and Cayan) have shown that the Western rivers routinely monitored by the USGS all rise together each spring, suggesting an organized signal of snowmelt initiation across the region. These are all large basins (over 100 km2), spanning similar ranges of aspect and elevation. However, within a given basin, should we expect the spring pulse of snowmelt to occur at the same time in a 470 km2 basin gauged at 1200 m as in a 2 km2 glacial cirque gauged at 3200 m? Should streamflow from a north-facing cirque rise and peak at the same time as that from a south-facing cirque? Data from sub-basins of the Tuolumne and Merced Rivers within Yosemite National Park, from small lake basins throughout the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and from CDWR snow pillow stations throughout the central Sierra Nevada suggest that the answer to both of these questions is yes. Elevation and aspect exert strong influences on air temperature and solar radiation, which are important factors in controlling snowmelt. Why, then, does melt appear uniform across the Sierra Nevada each spring? Do air temperature and solar radiation differ less than previously supposed? Do snowpack properties create some kind of buffer or limit on melt rates that make small-scale meteorological differences less important? If initial melt rates are uniform throughout the basin, why do high-altitude, north-facing cirques retain their snow-cover the longest? Do they start out with more snow, or do the dominant factors influencing melt rates and supply change as the season progresses? This study uses the available data to examine these hypotheses.

Paleohydrologic record of spring deposits in and around Pleistocene pluvial Lake Tecopa, southeastern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, Stephen T.; Karlsson, Haraldur R.; Paces, James B.; Tingey, David G.; Ward, Stephen; Peters, Mark T.

2001-01-01

Tufa (spring) deposits in the Tecopa basin, California, reflect the response of arid groundwater regimes to wet climate episodes. Two types of tufa are represented, informally defined as (1) an easily disaggregated, fine-grained mixture of calcite and quartz (friable tufa) in the southwest Tecopa Valley, and (2) hard, vuggy micrite, laminated carbonate, and carbonate-cemented sands and gravels (indurated tufa) along the eastern margin of Lake Tecopa. High δ18OVSMOW (Vienna standard mean ocean water) water values, field relations, and the texture of friable tufa suggest rapid nucleation of calcite as subaqueous, fault- controlled groundwater discharge mixed with high-pH, hypersaline lake water. Variations between δ18OVSMOW and δ13CPDB (Peedee belemnite) values relative to other closed basin lakes such as the Great Salt Lake and Lake Lahontan suggest similarities in climatic and hydrologic settings. Indurated tufa, also fault controlled, formed mounds and associated feeder systems as well as stratabound carbonate-cemented ledges. Both deposits represent discharge of deeply circulated, high total dissolved solids, and high pCO2 regional groundwater with kinetic enrichments of as much as several per mil for δ18OVSMOW values. Field relations show that indurated tufa represents episodic discharge, and U-series ages imply that discharge was correlated with cold, wet climate episodes. In response to both the breaching of the Tecopa basin and a modern arid climate, most discharge has changed from fault-controlled locations near basin margins to topographic lows of the Amargosa River drainage at elevations 30–130 m lower. Because of episodic climate change, spring flows may have relocated from basin margin to basin center multiple times.

A Study of the Connection Among Basin-Fill Aquifers, Carbonate-Rock Aquifers, and Surface-Water Resources in Southern Snake Valley, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2008-01-01

The Secretary of the Interior through the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act approved funding for research to improve understanding of hydrologic systems that sustain numerous water-dependent ecosystems on Federal lands in Snake Valley, Nevada. Some of the streams and spring-discharge areas in and adjacent to Great Basin National Park have been identified as susceptible to ground-water withdrawals (Elliott and others, 2006) and research has shown a high potential for ground-water flow from southern Spring Valley into southern Snake Valley through carbonate rocks that outcrop along a low topographic divide known as the Limestone Hills (Welch and others, 2007). Comprehensive geologic, hydrologic, and chemical information will be collected and analyzed to assess the hydraulic connection between basin-fill aquifers and surface-water resources, water-dependent ecological features, and the regional carbonate-rock aquifer, the known source of many high-discharge springs. Understanding these connections is important because proposed projects to pump and export ground water from Spring and Snake Valleys in Nevada may result in unintended capture of water currently supplying springs, streams, wetlands, limestone caves, and other biologically sensitive areas (fig. 1). The methods that will be used in this study may be transferable to other areas in the Great Basin. The National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service submitted the proposal for funding this research to facilitate science-based land management. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Water Resources and Geologic Disciplines, and the University of Nevada, Reno, will accomplish four research elements through comprehensive data collection and analysis that are concentrated in two distinct areas on the eastern and southern flanks of the Snake Range (fig. 2). The projected time line for this research is from July 2008 through September 2011.

Simulation of groundwater storage changes in the eastern Pasco Basin, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heywood, Charles E.; Kahle, Sue C.; Olsen, Theresa D.; Patterson, James D.; Burns, Erick

2016-03-29

The Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group and younger sedimentary deposits of lacustrine, fluvial, eolian, and cataclysmic-flood origins compose the aquifer system of the Pasco Basin in eastern Washington. Irrigation return flow and canal leakage from the Columbia Basin Project have caused groundwater levels to rise substantially in some areas, contributing to landslides along the Columbia River. Water resource managers are considering extraction of additional stored groundwater to supply increasing demand and possibly mitigate problems caused by the increased water levels. To help address these concerns, the transient groundwater model of the Pasco Basin documented in this report was developed to quantify the changes in groundwater flow and storage. The MODFLOW model uses a 1-kilometer finite-difference grid and is constrained by logs and water levels from 846 wells in the study area. Eight model layers represent five sedimentary hydrogeologic units and underlying basalt formations. Head‑dependent flux boundaries represent the Columbia and Snake Rivers to the west and south, respectively, underflow to and (or) from adjacent areas to the northeast, and discharge to agricultural drains, springs, and groundwater withdrawal wells. Specified flux boundaries represent recharge from infiltrated precipitation and anthropogenic sources, including irrigation return flow and leakage from water-distribution canals. The model was calibrated with the parameter‑estimation code PEST++ to groundwater levels measured from 1907 through 2013 and measured discharge to springs and estimated discharge to agricultural drains. Increased recharge since pre-development resulted in a 6.8 million acre-feet increase in storage in the 508-14 administrative area of the Pasco Basin. Four groundwater-management scenarios simulate the 7-year drawdown resulting from withdrawals in different locations. Withdrawals of 2 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) from a hypothetical well field in the upper Ringold Formation along the Columbia River could generate 30–70 feet of drawdown, which may reduce landslide susceptibility along the White Bluffs. Drawdowns resulting from a 1 Mgal/d withdrawal from wells screened in either Pasco gravels, upper Ringold Formation, or both Ringold Formation and underlying basalt are simulated in the other three scenarios, and differ because of the contrasting hydraulic conductivities within the screened intervals.

Hydrogeology and ground-water flow in the carbonate rocks of the Little Lehigh Creek basin, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloto, R.A.; Cecil, L.D.; Senior, L.A.

1991-01-01

The Little Lehigh Creek basin is underlain mainly by a complex assemblage of highly-deformed Cambrian and Ordovician carbonate rocks. The Leithsville Formation, Allentown Dolomite, Beekmantown Group, and Jacksonburg Limestone act as a single hydrologic unit. Ground water moves through fractures and other secondary openings and generally is under water-table conditions. Median annual ground-water discharge (base flow) to Little Lehigh Creek near Allentown (station 01451500) during 1946-86 was 12.97 inches or 82 percent of streamflow. Average annual recharge for 1975-83 was 21.75 inches. Groundwater and surface-water divides do not coincide in the basin. Ground-water underflow from the Little Lehigh Creek basin to the Cedar Creek basin in 1987 was 4 inches per year. A double-mass curve analysis of the relation of cumulative precipitation at Allentown to the flow of Schantz Spring for 1956-84 showed that cessation of quarry pumping and development of ground water for public supply in the Schantz Spring basin did not affect the flow of Schantz Spring. Ground-water flow in the Little Lehigh Creek basin was simulated using a finite-difference, two-dimensional computer model. The geologic units in the modeled area were simulated as a single water-table aquifer. The 134-squaremile area of carbonate rocks between the Lehigh River and Sacony Creek was modeled to include the natural hydrologic boundaries of the ground-water-flow system. The ground-water-flow model was calibrated under steady-state conditions using 1975-83 average recharge, evapotranspiration, and pumping rates. Each geologic unit was assigned a different hydraulic conductivity. Initial aquifer hydraulic conductivity was estimated from specific-capacity data. The average (1975-83) water budget for the Little Lehigh Creek basin was simulated. The simulated base flow from the carbonate rocks of the Little Lehigh Creek basin above gaging station 01451500 is 11.85 inches per year. The simulated ground-water underflow from the Little Lehigh Creek basin to the Cedar Creek basin is 4.04 inches per year. For steady-state calibration, the root-mean-squared difference between observed and simulated heads was 21.19 feet. The effects of increased ground-water development on base flow and underflow out of the Little Lehigh Creek basin for average and drought conditions were simulated by locating a hypothetical well field in different parts of the basin. Steady-state simulations were used to represent equilibrium conditions, which would be the maximum expected long-term effect. Increased ground-water development was simulated as hypothetical well fields pumping at the rate of 15, 25, and 45 million gallons per day in addition to existing ground-water withdrawals. Four hypothetical well fields were located near and away from Little Lehigh Creek in upstream and downstream areas. The effects of pumping a well field in different parts of the Little Lehigh Creek basin were compared. Pumping a well field located near the headwaters of Little Lehigh Creek and away from the stream would have greatest effect on inducing underflow from the Sacony Greek basin and the least effect on reducing base flow and underflow to the Ceda^r Creek basin. Pumping a well field located near the headwaters of Little Leh|igh Creek near the stream would have less impact on inducing underflow from|the Sacony Creek basin and a greater impact on reducing the base flow of Little Lehigh Creek because more of the pumpage would come from diverted base flow. Pumping a well field located in the downstream area of the Little Lehigh Creek basin away from the stream would have the greatest effect on the underflow to the Cedar Creek basin. Pumping a well field located in the downstream area of the Little Lehigh Creek basin near the stream would have the greatest effect on reducing the base flow of Little Lehigh Cteek. Model simulations show that groundwater withdrawals do not cause a proportional reduction in base flow. Under average conditions, ground-water withdrawals are equal to 48 to 70 percent of simulated base-flow reductions; under drought conditions, ground-water withdrawals are equal to 35 to 73 percent of simulated base-flow reductions. The hydraulic effects of pumping largely depend on well location. In the Little Lehigh basin, surface-water and ground-water divides do not coincide, and ground-water development, especially near surface-water divides, can cause ground-water divides to shift and induce ground-water underflow from adjacent basins. Large-scale ground-water pumping in a basin may not produce expected reductions of base flow in that basin because of shifts in the ground-water divide; however, such shifts can reduce base flow in adjacent surface-water basins. 

Spring contributions to water quality and nitrate loads in the Suwannee River during base flow in July 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pittman, J.R.; Hatzell, H.H.; Oaksford, E.T.

1997-01-01

The Suwannee River flows through an area of north-central Florida where ground water has elevated nitrate concentrations. A study was conducted to determine how springs and other ground-water inflow affect the quantity and quality of water in the Suwannee River. The study was done on a 33-mile (mi) reach of the lower Suwannee River from just downstream of Dowling Park, Fla., to Branford, Fla. Water samples for nitrate concentrations (dissolved nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen) and discharge data were collected at 11 springs and 3 river sites during the 3-day period in July 1995 during base flow in the river. In the study reach, all inflow to the river is derived from ground water. Measured springs and other ground-water inflow, such as unmeasured springs and upward diffuse leakage through the riverbed, increased the river discharge 47 percent over the 33-mi reach. The 11 measured springs contributed 41 percent of the increased discharge and other ground-water inflow contributed the remaining 59 percent. River nitrate loads increased downstream from 2,300 to 6,000 kilograms per day (kg/d), an increase of 160 percent in the 33-mi study reach. Measured springs contributed 46 percent of this increase and other ground-water inflow contributed the remaining 54 percent. The study reach was divided at Luraville, Fla., into an 11-mi upper segment and a 22-mi lower segment to determine whether the ground-water inflows and nitrate concentrations were uniform throughout the entire study reach (fig. 1). The two segments were dissimilar. The amount of water added to the river by measured springs more than tripled from the upper to the lower segment. Even though the median nitrate concentration for the three springs in the upper segment (1.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L)) was similar to the median for the eight springs in the lower segment (1.8 mg/L), nitrate concentrations in the river almost doubled from 0.46 to 0.83 mg/L in the lower segment. Only 11 percent of the increase in nitrate load for the study reach occurred in the upper segment; the remaining 89 percent occurred in the lower segment. Measured springs were the major source of nitrate load in the upper reach and other ground-water inflow was the major source in the lower segment. Differences in nitrate loads between the upper and lower river segments are probably controlled by such factors as differences in the magnitude of the spring discharges, the size and location of spring basins, and the hydrologic characteristics of ground water in the study area.

Reconnaissance geochronology of tuffs in the Miocene Barstow Formation: implications for basin evolution and tectonics in the central Mojave Desert

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, David M.; Leslie, Shannon R.; Hillhouse, John W.; Wooden, Joseph L.; Vazquez, Jorge A.; Reynolds, R.E.

2010-01-01

Early to middle Miocene lacustrine strata of the Barstow Formation are well dated in just a few places, limiting our ability to infer basin evolution and regional tectonics. At the type section in the Mud Hills, previous studies have shown that the lacustrine interval of the Barstow Formation is between ~16.3 Ma and ~13.4 Ma. Elsewhere, lake beds of the Barstow Formation have yielded vertebrate fossils showing the Hemingfordian/Barstovian transition at ~16 Ma but are otherwise poorly dated. In an attempt to clarify the age and depositional environments of the lake deposits, we are mapping the Barstow Formation and dating zircons from interbedded tuffs, as well as testing ash-flow tuffs for the distinctive remanent magnetization direction of the widespread Peach Spring Tuff. Thus far, our new U-Pb zircon ages indicate that the Barstow lake beds contain tuff beds as old as 19.1 Ma and as young as 15.3 Ma. At Harvard Hill, Barstow lake beds contain a thick tuff dated at 18.7 Ma. On the basis of zircon ages, mineralogy, zircon chemistry, and paleomagnetic results, we consider the thick tuff to be a lacustrine facies of the Peach Spring Tuff. We have identified the Peach Spring Tuff by similar methods at eight localities over a broad area, providing a timeline for several fluvial and lacustrine sections. The new dates indicate that long-lived lacustrine systems originated before 19 Ma and persisted to at least 15 Ma. The onset of lacustrine conditions predates the Peach Spring Tuff in most Barstow Formation sections and may be older than 19.5 Ma in some places. The new data indicate that the central Mojave Desert contained narrow to broad lake basins during and after extension, and that Barstow lacustrine deposits did not exclusively postdate extensional tectonics. At present, it is unclear whether several separate, small lake basins coexisted during the early to middle Miocene, or if instead several small early Miocene basins gradually coalesced over about 6 million years to form one or two large middle Miocene lake basins.

Reconnaissance geochronology of tuffs in the Miocene Barstow Formation: implications for basin evolution and tectonics in the central Mojave Desert

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, D.M.; Leslie, S.R.; Hillhouse, J.W.; Wooden, J.L.; Vazquez, J.A.; Reynolds, R.E.

2010-01-01

Early to middle Miocene lacustrine strata of the Barstow Formation are well dated in just a few places, limiting our ability to infer basin evolution and regional tectonics. At the type section in the Mud Hills, previous studies have shown that the lacustrine interval of the Barstow Formation is between ~16.3 Ma and ~13.4 Ma. Elsewhere, lake beds of the Barstow Formation have yielded vertebrate fossils showing the Hemingfordian/Bartovian transition at ~16 Ma but are otherwise poorly dated. In an attempt to clarify the age and depositional environments of the lake deposits, we are mapping the Barstow Formation and dating zircons from interbedded tuffs, as well as testing ash-flow tuffs for the distinctive remanent magnetization direction of the widespread Peach Spring Tuff. Thus far, our new U-Pb zircon ages inficate that the Barstow lake beds contain tuff beds as old as 19.1 Ma and as young as 15.3 Ma. At Harvard Hill, Barstow lake beds contain a thick tuff dated at 18.7 Ma. On the basis of zircon ages, mineralogy, zircon chemistry, and paleomagnetic results, we consider the thick tuff to be a lacustrine facies of the Peach Spring Tuff. We have identified the Peach Spring Tuff by similar methods at eight localities over a broad area, providing a timeline for several fluvial and lacustrine sections. The new dates indicate that long-lived lacustrine systems originated before 19 Ma and persisted to at least 15 Ma. The onset of lacustrine conditions predates the Peach Spring Tuff in most Barstow Formation sections and may be older than 19.5 Ma in some places. The new data indicate that the central Mojave Desert contained narrow to broad lake basins during and after extension, and that Barstow lacustrine deposits did not exclusively postdate extensional tectonics. At present, it is unclear whether several separate, small lake basins coexisted during the early to middle Miocene, or if instead several small early Miocene basins gradually coalesced over about 6 millions years to form one or two large middle Miocene lake basins.

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

Thompson, J.M.; Yadav, S.

Waters from geysers, hot springs, and pools of Yellowstone National Park have been analyzed. We report 422 complete major ion analyses from 330 different locations of geysers, hot springs, and pools, collected from 1974 to 1978. Many of the analyses from Upper, Midway, Lower, and Norris Geyser Basin are recollections of features previously reported.

Land use, water use, streamflow characteristics, and water-quality characteristics of the Charlotte Harbor inflow area, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hammett, K.M.

1990-01-01

Charlotte Harbor is a 270-square-mile estuarine system in west-central Florida. It is being subjected to increasing environmental stress by rapid population growth and development. By 2020, population in the inflow area may double, which will result in increased demands for freshwater and increased waste loads. The Charlotte Harbor inflow area includes about 4,685 square miles. The Myakka, the Peace, and the Caloosahatchee are the major rivers emptying into the harbor. About 70 percent of the land in these three river basins is used for agriculture and range. In the coastal basin around Charlotte Harbor, about 50 percent of the total land area is devoted to commercial or residential uses. Water use in the inflow area is about 565 million gallons per day, of which 59 percent is used for irrigation, 26 percent for industry, 11 percent for public supply, and 4 percent for rural supply. Total freshwater inflow from the three major rivers, the coastal area, and rainfall directly into Charlotte Harbor averages between 5,700 and 6,100 cubic feet per second, which is more than 3,500 million gallons per day. A trend analysis of about 50 years of streamflow data shows a statistically significant decreasing trend for the Peace River stations at Bartow, Zolfo Springs, and Arcadia. No significant trend has been observed in the Myakka or the Caloosahatchee River data. In the Peace River, the decrease in flow may be related to a long-term decline in the potentiometric surface of the underlying Floridan aquifer system, which resulted from ground-water withdrawals. It is not possible to determine whether the trend will continue. However, if it does continue at the same rate, then, except for brief periods of storm runoff, the Peace River at Zolfo Springs could be dry year-round in about 100 years. Of the 114 facilities permitted to discharge domestic or industrial effluent to waters tributary to Charlotte Harbor, 88 are in the Peace River basin. Phosphate ore and citrus processing account for most of the industrial effluent. Several locations in the headwaters of the Peace River have been significantly affected as a result of receiving wastewater effluent. The Peace, the Myakka, and the Caloosahatchee Rivers transport more than 2,000 tons per day of dissolved solids, more than 17 tons per day of nitrogen, and about 6 tons per day of phosphorus. By 2020, the population in the inflow area is expected to increase by more than 500,000 people. They will require an additional 76 million gallons per day for water supply. The increased population will produce an additional 60 million gallons per day of domestic wastewater, which could result in an additional 3 tons per day of nitrogen and 0.65 ton per day of phosphorus. More than 150 square miles of land will be converted to urban uses, which will produce another 0.25 ton per day of nitrogen from urban runoff. These increased nutrient loads can be expected to occur concurrently with decreased freshwater inflow.

76 FR 42658 - Endangered and Threatened Species: Authorizing Release of a Nonessential Experimental Population...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-19

... Experimental Population of Upper Columbia Spring-Run Chinook Salmon in the Okanogan River Basin Under the... nonessential experimental population of Upper Columbia (UC) spring-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha... Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended. The geographic boundaries of the experimental population area would...

Optimal design of stormwater basins with bio-sorption activated media (BAM) in karst environments - phase I : site screening and selection, [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-11-01

Nutrient content is a concern in Floridas aquifers and springs sources of drinking water, : recreation, and the states natural beauty. In recent years, the nitrogen content of Floridas : aquifer springs has risen. This increase in nutrie...

AEROBIC DENITRIFICATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MOM RIVER BASIN

EPA Science Inventory

Each year about 1.6 million metric tons of nitrogen, mostly from agriculture, is discharged from the lower Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin into the Gulf of Mexico, and each spring this excess nitrogen fuels the formation of a huge hypoxic zone in the Gulf. In the Mississippi...

Back trajectory analysis of high-ozone days from a 15-year record of measurements at Great Basin National Park, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gustin, M. S.; Weiss-Penzias, P. S.; Jaffe, D. A.; Guo, W.

2011-12-01

It has been suggested that pristine locations in western North America are influenced by long-range transport of ozone (O3) precursors in the atmosphere from Asia, especially during the spring. There are also local and regional anthropogenic as well as biogenic sources of O3 precursors in the western United States and the potential for influx from the stratosphere that could influence air concentrations at the surface. High O3 events have been reported for Great Basin National Park located in remote eastern Nevada that will result in the park area being out of attainment with the proposed 60 to 70 ppb standard. In this work, we determine the potential sources of O3 using a 15 year record of O3 measurements at Great Basin National Park in Nevada, in conjunction with 72-hour HYSPLIT back trajectories and aerosol data from the IMPROVE network. Only days in which maximum 8-hour daily average O3 concentration exceeded 70 ppb were considered, and these totaled 97 days between 1995 and 2009. For these days a simple trajectory residence time (TRT) model was employed to compare the times an air mass spent in two different transport regimes: 1) a 2 degree x 3 degree x 1 km altitude box centered on Los Angeles, and 2) all horizontal locations > 3 km altitude. Only the days with high TRT in one box (> upper quartile) and zero TRT in the other box were considered, and IMPROVE aerosol data for these days were incorporated. This resulted in 18 days classified as "LA transport" and 9 days classified as "high altitude (HA) transport". The remaining days displayed some combination of LA and HA transport and were not considered. High "LA transport" days were associated with significantly enhanced aerosol parameters such as fine and coarse mass, nitrate, sulfate, and organics compared to high "HA transport" days. "LA transport" was associated with air flow in a counter clock-wise motion at altitudes below the boundary layer height, which tended to pass over Las Vegas. "HA transport" was more rapid, descending to Great Basin predominantly from the WNW. Some "HA transport" could be traced backward to Asia within 10 days. "LA transport" occurred most often in June, whereas "HA transport" tended to occur in March, April, and May. Our results suggest that days with O3 concentrations exceeding 70 ppb are about twice as likely to be associated with rapid transport from southern California and southern Nevada, compared with transport that could be characterized as from the free troposphere.

Geochemical Investigation of Source Water to Cave Springs, Great Basin National Park, White Pine County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prudic, David E.; Glancy, Patrick A.

2009-01-01

Cave Springs supply the water for the Lehman Caves Visitor Center at Great Basin National Park, which is about 60 miles east of Ely, Nevada, in White Pine County. The source of water to the springs was investigated to evaluate the potential depletion caused by ground-water pumping in areas east of the park and to consider means to protect the supply from contamination. Cave Springs are a collection of several small springs that discharge from alluvial and glacial deposits near the contact between quartzite and granite. Four of the largest springs are diverted into a water-collection system for the park. Water from Cave Springs had more dissolved strontium, calcium, and bicarbonate, and a heavier value of carbon-13 than water from Marmot Spring at the contact between quartzite and granite near Baker Creek campground indicating that limestone had dissolved into water at Cave Springs prior to discharging. The source of the limestone at Cave Springs was determined to be rounded gravels from a pit near Baker, Nevada, which was placed around the springs during the reconstruction of the water-collection system in 1996. Isotopic compositions of water at Cave Springs and Marmot Spring indicate that the source of water to these springs primarily is from winter precipitation. Mixing of water at Cave Springs between alluvial and glacial deposits along Lehman Creek and water from quartzite is unlikely because deuterium and oxygen-18 values from a spring discharging from the alluvial and glacial deposits near upper Lehman Creek campground were heavier than the deuterium and oxygen-18 values from Cave Springs. Additionally, the estimated mean age of water determined from chlorofluorocarbon concentrations indicates water discharging from the spring near upper Lehman Creek campground is younger than that discharging from either Cave Springs or Marmot Spring. The source of water at Cave Springs is from quartzite and water discharges from the springs on the upstream side of the contact between quartzite and granite where the alluvial and glacial deposits are thin. Consequently, the potential for depletion of discharge at Cave Springs from ground-water pumping in Snake Valley east of the park is less than if the source of water was from alluvial and glacial deposits or carbonate rocks, which would be more directly connected to downstream pumping sites in Snake Valley.

Hydrologic Setting and Conceptual Hydrologic Model of the Walker River Basin, West-Central Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lopes, Thomas J.; Allander, Kip K.

2009-01-01

The Walker River is the main source of inflow to Walker Lake, a closed-basin lake in west-central Nevada. Between 1882 and 2008, agricultural diversions resulted in a lake-level decline of more than 150 feet and storage loss of 7,400,000 acre-ft. Evaporative concentration increased dissolved solids from 2,500 to 17,000 milligrams per liter. The increase in salinity threatens the survival of the Lahontan cutthroat trout, a native species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This report describes the hydrologic setting of the Walker River basin and a conceptual hydrologic model of the relations among streams, groundwater, and Walker Lake with emphasis on the lower Walker River basin from Wabuska to Hawthorne, Nevada. The Walker River basin is about 3,950 square miles and straddles the California-Nevada border. Most streamflow originates as snowmelt in the Sierra Nevada. Spring runoff from the Sierra Nevada typically reaches its peak during late May to early June with as much as 2,800 cubic feet per second in the Walker River near Wabuska. Typically, 3 to 4 consecutive years of below average streamflow are followed by 1 or 2 years of average or above average streamflow. Mountain ranges are comprised of consolidated rocks with low hydraulic conductivities, but consolidated rocks transmit water where fractured. Unconsolidated sediments include fluvial deposits along the active channel of the Walker River, valley floors, alluvial slopes, and a playa. Sand and gravel deposited by the Walker River likely are discontinuous strata throughout the valley floor. Thick clay strata likely were deposited in Pleistocene Lake Lahontan and are horizontally continuous, except where strata have been eroded by the Walker River. At Walker Lake, sediments mostly are clay interbedded with alluvial slope, fluvial, and deltaic deposits along the lake margins. Coarse sediments form a multilayered, confined-aquifer system that could extend several miles from the shoreline. Depth to bedrock in the lower Walker River basin ranges from about 900 to 2,000 feet. The average hydraulic conductivity of the alluvial aquifer in the lower Walker River basin is 10-30 feet per day, except where comprised of fluvial sediments. Fluvial sediments along the Walker River have an average hydraulic conductivity of 70 feet per day. Subsurface flow was estimated to be 2,700 acre-feet per year through Double Spring. Subsurface discharge to Walker Lake was estimated to be 4,400 acre-feet per year from the south and 10,400 acre-feet per year from the north. Groundwater levels and groundwater storage have declined steadily in most of Smith and Mason Valleys since 1960. Groundwater levels around Schurz, Nevada, have changed little during the past 50 years. In the Whisky Flat area south of Hawthorne, Nevada, agricultural and municipal pumpage has lowered groundwater levels since 1956. The water-level decline in Walker Lake since 1882 has caused the surrounding alluvial aquifer to drain and groundwater levels to decline. The Wabuska streamflow-gaging station in northern Mason Valley demarcates the upper and lower Walker River basin. The hydrology of the lower Walker River basin is considerably different than the upper basin. The upper basin consists of valleys separated by consolidated-rock mountains. The alluvial aquifer in each valley thins or pinches out at the downstream end, forcing most groundwater to discharge along the river near where the river is gaged. The lower Walker River basin is one surface-water/groundwater system of losing and gaining reaches from Wabuska to Walker Lake, which makes determining stream losses and the direction and amount of subsurface flow difficult. Isotopic data indicate surface water and groundwater in the lower Walker River basin are from two sources of precipitation that have evaporated. The Walker River, groundwater along the Wassuk Range, and Walker Lake plot along one evaporation line. Groundwater along th

UTILIZATION OF IN-STREAM STRUCTURES FOR WET MEADOW STABILIZATION IN THE CENTRAL GREAT BASIN: A PROCESS-ORIENTED APPROACH

EPA Science Inventory

Wet meadows, riparian corridor phreatophyte assemblages, and high-altitude spring-fed aspen meadows all serve as important habitats in the Great Basin of central Nevada. Geomorphic and biotic characterization of the wet meadow complexes demonstrates that most terminate downvalle...

18 CFR 430.7 - Determination of protected areas and restriction on water use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION SPECIAL REGULATIONS GROUND WATER PROTECTION AREA: PENNSYLVANIA § 430.7... a protected area within the meaning and for the purpose of Article 10 of the Delaware River Basin.... Boroughs Elverson, Malvern, Phoenixville, Spring City, West Chester. Townships Lehigh County Lower Milford...

Hot Spot at Yellowstone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dress, Abby

2005-01-01

Within this huge national park (over two million acres spread across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho) are steaming geysers, hot springs, bubbling mudpots, and fumaroles, or steam vents. Drives on the main roads of Yellowstone take tourists through the major hot attractions, which also include Norris Geyser Basin, Upper and Lower Geyser Basin, West…

76 FR 34034 - Newspapers Used for Publication of Legal Notices by the Intermountain Region; Utah, Idaho, Nevada...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-10

... Express District Ranger decisions for Duchesne, Roosevelt: Uintah Basin Standard Flaming Gorge District... Teton Basin: Post Register District Ranger decisions for Montpelier, Soda Springs and Westside: Idaho...: Idaho Mountain Express Sawtooth National Recreation Area: The Challis Messenger Uinta-Wasatch-Cache...

77 FR 33703 - Newspapers Used for Publication of Legal Notices by the Intermountain Region; Utah, Idaho, Nevada...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-07

... Express District Ranger decisions for Duchesne, Roosevelt: Uintah Basin Standard Flaming Gorge District... Teton Basin: Post Register District Ranger decisions for Montpelier, Soda Springs and Westside: Idaho... decisions: Idaho Mountain Express Sawtooth National Recreation Area: The Challis Messenger Uinta-Wasatch...

Water Temperature, Invertebrate Drift, and the Scope for Growth for Juvenile Spring Chinook Salmon.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovtang, J. C.; Li, H. W.

2005-05-01

We present a bioenergetic assessment of habitat quality based on the concept of the scope for growth for juvenile Chinook salmon. Growth of juvenile salmonids during the freshwater phase of their life history depends on a balance between two main factors: energy intake and metabolic costs. The metabolic demands of temperature and the availability of food play integral roles in determining the scope for growth of juvenile salmonids in stream systems. We investigated differences in size of juvenile spring Chinook salmon in relation to water temperature and invertebrate drift density in six unique study reaches in the Metolius River Basin, a tributary of the Deschutes River in Central Oregon. This project was initiated to determine the relative quality and potential productivity of habitat in the Metolius Basin prior to the reintroduction of spring Chinook salmon, which were extirpated from the middle Deschutes basin in the early 1970's due to the construction of a hydroelectric dam. Variations in the growth of juvenile Chinook salmon can be described using a multiple regression model of water temperature and invertebrate drift density. We also discuss the relationships between our bioenergetic model, variations of the ideal free distribution model, and physiological growth models.

Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kimbrough, Robert A.; Holmes, Robert R.

2015-11-25

Flooding in the Fountain Creek Basin was primarily contained to Fountain Creek from southern Colorado Springs to its confluence with the Arkansas River in Pueblo, in lower Monument Creek, and in several mountain tributaries. New record peak streamflows occurred at four mountain tributary streamgages having at least 10 years of record; Bear Creek, Cheyenne Creek, Rock Creek, and Little Fountain Creek. Five streamgages with at least 10 years of record in a 32-mile reach of Fountain Creek extending from Colorado Springs to Piñon had peak streamflows in the top five for the period of record. A peak of 15,300 ft3/s at Fountain Creek near Fountain was the highest streamflow recorded in the Fountain Creek Basin during the September 2013 event and ranks the third highest peak in 46 years. Near the mouth of the basin, a peak of 11,800 ft3/s in Pueblo was only the thirteenth highest annual peak in 74 years. A new Colorado record for daily rainfall of 11.85 inches was recorded at a USGS rain gage in the Little Fountain Creek Basin on September 12, 2013.

Seasonal and spatial patterns in diurnal cycles in streamflow in the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lundquist, J.D.; Cayan, D.R.

2002-01-01

The diurnal cycle in streamflow constitutes a significant part of the variability in many rivers in the western United States and can be used to understand some of the dominant processes affecting the water balance of a given river basin. Rivers in which water is added diurnally, as in snowmelt, and rivers in which water is removed diurnally, as in evapotranspiration and infiltration, exhibit substantial differences in the timing, relative magnitude, and shape of their diurnal flow variations. Snowmelt-dominated rivers achieve their highest sustained flow and largest diurnal fluctuations during the spring melt season. These fluctuations are characterized by sharp rises and gradual declines in discharge each day. In large snowmelt-dominated basins, at the end of the melt season, the hour of maximum discharge shifts to later in the day as the snow line retreats to higher elevations. Many evapotranspiration/infiltration-dominated rivers in the western states achieve their highest sustained flows during the winter rainy season but exhibit their strongest diurnal cycles during summer months, when discharge is low, and the diurnal fluctuations compose a large percentage of the total flow. In contrast to snowmelt-dominated rivers, the maximum discharge in evapotranspiration/infiltration-dominated rivers occurs consistently in the morning throughout the summer. In these rivers, diurnal changes are characterized by a gradual rise and sharp decline each day.

Yakima River Spring Chinook Enhancement Study, 1991 Final Report.

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

Fast, David E.

1991-05-01

The population of Yakima River spring chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) has been drastically reduced from historic levels reported to be as high as 250,000 adults (Smoker 1956). This reduction is the result of a series of problems including mainstem Columbia dams, dams within the Yakima itself, severely reduced flows due to irrigation diversions, outmigrant loss in irrigation canals, increased thermal and sediment loading, and overfishing. Despite these problems, the return of spring chinook to the Yakima River has continued at levels ranging from 854 to 9,442 adults since 1958. In October 1982, the Bonneville Power Administration contracted the Yakima Indianmore » Nation to develop methods to increase production of spring chinook in the Yakima system. The Yakima Nation's current enhancement policy attempts to maintain the genetic integrity of the spring chinook stock native to the Yakima Basin. Relatively small numbers of hatchery fish have been released into the basin in past years. The goal of this study was to develop data that will be used to present management alternatives for Yakima River spring chinook. A major objective of this study is to determine the distribution, abundance and survival of wild Yakima River spring chinook. The second major objective of this study is to determine the relative effectiveness of different methods of hatchery supplementation. The last three major objectives of the study are to locate and define areas in the watershed that may be used for the rearing of spring chinook; to define strategies for enhancing natural production of spring chinook in the Yakima River; and to determine the physical and biological limitations on production within the system. 47 refs., 89 figs., 67 tabs.« less

Yakima River Spring Chinook Enhancement Study Appendices, 1991 Final Report.

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

Fast, David E.

1991-05-01

This document consists of the appendices for annual report DOE/BP/39461--9 which is summarized as follows. The population of Yakima River spring chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) has been drastically reduced from historic levels reported to be as high as 250,000 adults (Smoker 1956). This reduction is the result of a series of problems including mainstem Columbia dams, dams within the Yakima itself, severely reduced flows due to irrigation diversions, outmigrant loss in irrigation canals, increased thermal and sediment loading, and overfishing. Despite these problems, the return of spring chinook to the Yakima River has continued at levels ranging from 854 tomore » 9,442 adults since 1958. In October 1982, the Bonneville Power Administration contracted the Yakima Indian Nation to develop methods to increase production of spring chinook in the Yakima system. The Yakima Nation's current enhancement policy attempts to maintain the genetic integrity of the spring chinook stock native to the Yakima Basin. Relatively small numbers of hatchery fish have been released into the basin in past years. The goal of this study was to develop data that will be used to present management alternatives for Yakima River spring chinook. A major objective of this study is to determine the distribution, abundance and survival of wild Yakima River spring chinook. The second major objective of this study is to determine the relative effectiveness of different methods of hatchery supplementation. The last three major objectives of the study are to locate and define areas in the watershed that may be used for the rearing of spring chinook; to define strategies for enhancing natural production of spring chinook in the Yakima River; and to determine the physical and biological limitations on production within the system.« less

An investigation of the role of winter and spring precipitation as drivers of streamflow in the Missouri River Headwaters using tree-ring reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frederick, S. E.; Woodhouse, C. A.; Martin, J. T.; Pederson, G. T.

2017-12-01

The Missouri River supplies water to over 3 million basin residents and is a driving force for the nation's agricultural and energy sectors. However, with changing climate and declining snowpack in western North America, seasonal water yields are becoming less predictable, revealing a gap in our understanding of regional hydroclimate and drivers of streamflow within the basin. By analyzing the relationship between seasonal precipitation and streamflow in the Missouri River Headwaters sub-basin, this study seeks to expand our knowledge based on the instrumental record alone. Here we present the first annually-resolved tree-ring reconstruction of spring precipitation for the Missouri River Headwaters. This reconstruction along with existing tree-ring reconstructions of April 1 snow-water equivalence (SWE) (Pederson et al. 2011) and natural streamflow (Martin, J.T. & Pederson, G.T., personal communication, June 2017) are used to test the feasibility of detecting a variable influence of winter and spring precipitation on streamflow over past centuries, and relative to the modern period. Initial analyses indicate that April 1 SWE is a significant control on streamflow, however, the April 1 SWE record does not fully account for anomalies observed in the streamflow record. This study therefore seeks to determine whether spring precipitation can account for some of this asynchronous variability observed between the April 1 SWE and streamflow records. Aside from improved understanding of the relationship between hydroclimate and streamflow in the headwaters of the Missouri River, our findings offer insights relating to changing contributions from snowmelt and spring precipitation, and long-term hydrologic variability and trends relevant to water resource management and planning efforts.

Reconnaissance electrical surveys in the Coso Range, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Dallas B.; O'Donnell, James E.

1980-05-01

Telluric current, audiomagnetotelluric (AMT), and direct current (dc) methods were used to study the electrical structure of the Coso Range and Coso geothermal area. Telluric current mapping outlined major resistivity lows associated with conductive valley fill of the Rose Valley basin, the Coso Basin, and the northern extension of the Coso Basin east of Coso Hot Springs. A secondary resistivity low with a north-south trend runs through the Coso Hot Springs-Devil's Kitchen geothermal area. The secondary low in the geothermal area, best defined by the 7.5-Hz AMT map and dc soundings, is caused by a shallow conductive zone (5-30 ohm m) interpreted to be hydrothermally altered Sierra Nevada basement rocks containing saline water of a hot water geothermal system. This zone of lowest apparent resistivities over the basement rocks lies within a closed contour of a heat flow anomaly where all values are greater than 10 heat flow units.

Conceptual model of water resources in the Kabul Basin, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mack, Thomas J.; Akbari, M. Amin; Ashoor, M. Hanif; Chornack, Michael P.; Coplen, Tyler B.; Emerson, Douglas G.; Hubbard, Bernard E.; Litke, David W.; Michel, Robert L.; Plummer, Niel; Rezai, M. Taher; Senay, Gabriel B.; Verdin, James P.; Verstraeten, Ingrid M.

2010-01-01

The United States (U.S.) Geological Survey has been working with the Afghanistan Geological Survey and the Afghanistan Ministry of Energy and Water on water-resources investigations in the Kabul Basin under an agreement supported by the United States Agency for International Development. This collaborative investigation compiled, to the extent possible in a war-stricken country, a varied hydrogeologic data set and developed limited data-collection networks to assist with the management of water resources in the Kabul Basin. This report presents the results of a multidisciplinary water-resources assessment conducted between 2005 and 2007 to address questions of future water availability for a growing population and of the potential effects of climate change. Most hydrologic and climatic data-collection activities in Afghanistan were interrupted in the early 1980s as a consequence of war and civil strife and did not resume until 2003 or later. Because of the gap of more than 20 years in the record of hydrologic and climatic observations, this investigation has made considerable use of remotely sensed data and, where available, historical records to investigate the water resources of the Kabul Basin. Specifically, this investigation integrated recently acquired remotely sensed data and satellite imagery, including glacier and climatic data; recent climate-change analyses; recent geologic investigations; analysis of streamflow data; groundwater-level analysis; surface-water- and groundwater-quality data, including data on chemical and isotopic environmental tracers; and estimates of public-supply and agricultural water uses. The data and analyses were integrated by using a simplified groundwater-flow model to test the conceptual model of the hydrologic system and to assess current (2007) and future (2057) water availability. Recharge in the basin is spatially and temporally variable and generally occurs near streams and irrigated areas in the late winter and early spring. In irrigated areas near uplands or major rivers, the annual recharge rate may be about 1.2 ? 10-3 meters per year; however, in areas at lower altitude with little irrigation, the recharge rate may average about 0.7 ? 10-3 meters per year. With increasing population, the water needs of the Kabul Basin are estimated to increase from 112,000 cubic meters per day to about 725,000 cubic meters per day by the year 2057. In some areas of the basin, particularly in the north along the western mountain front and near major rivers, water resources are generally adequate for current needs. In other areas of the basin, such as in the east and away from major rivers, the available water resources may not meet future needs. On the basis of the model simulations, increasing withdrawals are likely to result in declining water levels that may cause more than 50 percent of shallow (typically less than 50 meters deep) supply wells to become dry or inoperative. The water quality in the shallow (less than 100 meters thick), unconsolidated primary aquifer has deteriorated in urban areas because of poor sanitation. Concerns about water availability may be compounded by poor well-construction practices and lack of planning. Future water resources of the Kabul Basin will likely be reduced as a result of increasing air temperatures associated with global climate change. It is estimated that at least 60 percent of shallow groundwater-supply wells would be affected and may become dry or inoperative as a result of climate change. These effects of climate change would likely be greatest in the agricultural areas adjacent to the Paghman Mountains where a majority of springs, karezes, and wells would be affected. The water available in the shallow primary aquifer of the basin may meet future water needs in the northern areas of the Kabul Basin near the Panjsher River. Conceptual groundwater-flow simulations indicate that the basin likely has groundwater reserves in unused unconsolidate

Winter Habitat Preferences for Florida Manatees and Vulnerability to Cold

PubMed Central

Laist, David W.; Taylor, Cynthia; Reynolds, John E.

2013-01-01

To survive cold winter periods most, if not all, Florida manatees rely on warm-water refuges in the southern two-thirds of the Florida peninsula. Most refuges are either warm-water discharges from power plant and natural springs, or passive thermal basins that temporarily trap relatively warm water for a week or more. Strong fidelity to one or more refuges has created four relatively discrete Florida manatee subpopulations. Using statewide winter counts of manatees from 1999 to 2011, we provide the first attempt to quantify the proportion of animals using the three principal refuge types (power plants, springs, and passive thermal basins) statewide and for each subpopulation. Statewide across all years, 48.5% of all manatees were counted at power plant outfalls, 17.5% at natural springs, and 34.9 % at passive thermal basins or sites with no known warm-water features. Atlantic Coast and Southwest Florida subpopulations comprised 82.2% of all manatees counted (45.6% and 36.6%, respectively) with each subpopulation relying principally on power plants (66.6% and 47.4%, respectively). The upper St. Johns River and Northwest Florida subpopulations comprised 17.8% of all manatees counted with almost all animals relying entirely on springs (99.2% and 88.6% of those subpopulations, respectively). A record high count of 5,076 manatees in January 2010 revealed minimum sizes for the four subpopulations of: 230 manatees in the upper St. Johns River; 2,548 on the Atlantic Coast; 645 in Northwest Florida; and 1,774 in Southwest Florida. Based on a comparison of carcass recovery locations for 713 manatees killed by cold stress between 1999 and 2011 and the distribution of known refuges, it appears that springs offer manatees the best protection against cold stress. Long-term survival of Florida manatees will require improved efforts to enhance and protect manatee access to and use of warm-water springs as power plant outfalls are shut down. PMID:23527063

Groundwater flow in a closed basin with a saline shallow lake in a volcanic area: Laguna Tuyajto, northern Chilean Altiplano of the Andes.

PubMed

Herrera, Christian; Custodio, Emilio; Chong, Guillermo; Lambán, Luis Javier; Riquelme, Rodrigo; Wilke, Hans; Jódar, Jorge; Urrutia, Javier; Urqueta, Harry; Sarmiento, Alvaro; Gamboa, Carolina; Lictevout, Elisabeth

2016-01-15

Laguna Tuyajto is a small, shallow saline water lake in the Andean Altiplano of northern Chile. In the eastern side it is fed by springs that discharge groundwater of the nearby volcanic aquifers. The area is arid: rainfall does not exceed 200mm/year in the rainiest parts. The stable isotopic content of spring water shows that the recharge is originated mainly from winter rain, snow melt, and to a lesser extent from some short and intense sporadic rainfall events. Most of the spring water outflowing in the northern side of Laguna Tuyajto is recharged in the Tuyajto volcano. Most of the spring water in the eastern side and groundwater are recharged at higher elevations, in the rims of the nearby endorheic basins of Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas to the East. The presence of tritium in some deep wells in Pampa Colorada and Pampa Las Tecas indicates recent recharge. Gas emission in recent volcanoes increase the sulfate content of atmospheric deposition and this is reflected in local groundwater. The chemical composition and concentration of spring waters are the result of meteoric water evapo-concentration, water-rock interaction, and mainly the dissolution of old and buried evaporitic deposits. Groundwater flow is mostly shallow due to a low permeability ignimbrite layer of regional extent, which also hinders brine spreading below and around the lake. High deep temperatures near the recent Tuyajto volcano explain the high dissolved silica contents and the δ(18)O shift to heavier values found in some of the spring waters. Laguna Tuyajto is a terminal lake where salts cumulate, mostly halite, but some brine transfer to the Salar de Aguas Calientes-3 cannot be excluded. The hydrogeological behavior of Laguna Tuyajto constitutes a model to understand the functioning of many other similar basins in other areas in the Andean Altiplano. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geological report on water conditions at Platt National Park, Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gould, Charles Newton; Schoff, Stuart Leeson

1939-01-01

Platt National Park, located in southern Oklahoma, containing 842 acres, was established by Acts of Congress in 1902, 1904, and 1906. The reason for the setting aside of this area was the presence in the area of some 30 'mineral' springs, the water from which contains sulphur, bromide, salt, and other minerals, which are believed to possess medicinal qualities. For many generations the sulphur springs of the Chickasaw Nation had been known for their reputed healing qualities. It had long been the custom for families to come from considerable distances on horseback and in wagons and camp near the springs, in order to drink the water. In course of time a primitive town, known as Sulphur Springs, grew up near a group of springs known since as Pavilion Springs at the mouth of Sulphur Creek, now known as Travertine Creek. This town was still in existence at the time of my first visit to the locality in July, 1901. At this time, in company with Joseph A. Taff, of the United States Geological Survey, I spent a week riding over the country making a preliminary survey looking toward the setting aside of the area for a National Park. After the establishment of the National Park, the old town of Sulphur Springs was abandoned, and when the present boundaries of the park had been established the present town of Sulphur, now county seat of Murray County, grew up. In July 1906, on request of Superintendent Joseph F. Swords, I visited the park and made an examination of the various springs and submitted a report, dated August 15, 1906, to Secretary of the Interior E.A. Hitchcock. Copies of this report are on file in the Regional Office and at Platt National Park. In this report I set forth the approximate amount of flow of the various springs, the character of the water in each, and the conditions of the springs as of that date. I also made certain recommendations regarding proposed improvements of each spring. In this report I say: 'In the town of Sulphur, four wells have been drilled to a depth of between 450 and 500 feet in which artesian water has been secured. These wells are said to flow 200,000 gallons each per day.' I also say: 'From a study of the log of one of these wells, it appears that the artesian water is derived from the upper part of the Simpson sandstone. It is very probable that the water of the springs is derived from the same source.' This early was recognized the relation between the water from the mineral springs and that from the artesian wells. As the years have passed, other wells have been drilled in the town of Sulphur, chiefly to supply water for mineral baths and for swimming pools, so that to date more than 30 wells have been drilled. The exact number is not known. The custom has usually been to turn the wells loose and permit them to flow at full capacity, although some of the wells have been 'valved in' and the flow reduced. An estimate furnished me by the Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce in 1937, referred to later in this report, indicated that at that time 16 wells were flowing approximately 28,800,000 gallons of water per day, practically all of which ran to waste. For many years geologists in Oklahoma and elsewhere have watched this unrestricted waste of water from the artesian wells at Sulphur with growing concern. Remembering the history of other artesian basins throughout the world, these geologists believed that in all probability it was only a question of time until the water in the Sulphur artesian basin would begin to fail. On two different occasions the State Geologist of Oklahoma, bearing these conditions in mind, has prepared and had introduced into the State Legislature a bill which, if enacted into law, would have regulated the flow of water in artesian wells throughout the State. Both bills died in committee. Partly on account of the drought of the past three years, the matter has been brought to a head. In September 1938, Buffalo and Antelope Springs at the hea

Characterization and analysis of temporal and spatial variations in habitat and macroinvertebrate community structure, Fountain Creek basin, Colorado Springs and vicinity, Colorado, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bruce, James F.

2002-01-01

The Fountain Creek Basin in and around Colorado Springs, Colorado, is affected by various land- and water-use activities. Biological, hydrological, water-quality, and land-use data were collected at 10 sites in the Fountain Creek Basin from April 1998 through April 2001 to provide a baseline characterization of macroinvertebrate communities and habitat conditions for comparison in subsequent studies; and to assess variation in macroinvertebrate community structure relative to habitat quality. Analysis of variance results indicated that instream and riparian variables were not affected by season, but significant differences were found among sites. Nine metrics were used to describe and evaluate macroinvertebrate community structure. Statistical analysis indicated that for six of the nine metrics, significant variability occurred between spring and fall seasons for 60 percent of the sites. Cluster analysis (unweighted pair group method average) using macroinvertebrate presence-absence data showed a well-defined separation between spring and fall samples. Six of the nine metrics had significant spatial variation. Cluster analysis using Sorenson?s Coefficient of Community values computed from macroinvertebrate density (number of organisms per square meter) data showed that macroinvertebrate community structure was more similar among tributary sites than main-stem sites. Canonical correspondence analysis identified a substrate particle-size gradient from site-specific species-abundance data and environmental correlates that decreased the 10 sites to 5 site clusters and their associated taxa.

Geothermal Monitoring in Yellowstone National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heasler, H. P.; Jaworowski, C.; Susong, D. D.; Lowenstern, J. B.

2007-12-01

When the first exploring parties surveyed the Yellowstone region in the late 19th Century, it was the geologic wonders - geysers, hot springs, mudpots, fumaroles - that captured their imaginations. Because of these treasures, the U.S. Congress set aside and dedicated this land of "natural curiosities" as the world's first "public pleasuring ground". Protection of Yellowstone's unique geothermal features is a key mission of Yellowstone National Park as mandated by U. S. Congressional law. In response to that mandate, the Yellowstone National Park Geology Program developed a peer-reviewed, Geothermal Monitoring Plan in 2003. With partial Congressional funding of the Plan in 2005, implementation of a scientific monitoring effort began. Yellowstone's scientific geothermal monitoring effort includes the acquisition of time-temperature data using electronic data loggers, basic water quality data, chloride flux data, estimates of radiative heat flux using airborne, thermal infrared imagery, geothermal gas monitoring, and the monitoring of groundwater wells. Time- temperature data are acquired for geysers, hot springs, steam vents, wells, rivers, and the ground. Uses of the time-temperature data include public safety, calibrating airborne thermal infrared-imagery, monitoring selected thermal features for potential hydrothermal explosions, and determining the spatial and temporal changes in thermal areas. Since 2003, upgrades of Yellowstone's stream gaging network have improved the spatial and temporal precision of the chloride flux, water quality, and groundwater components of the Geothermal Monitoring Plan. All of these methods serve both for geothermal monitoring and volcano monitoring as part of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. A major component of the Geothermal Monitoring Plan is remote sensing of the Yellowstone volcano and its active hydrothermal areas at various scales. The National Center for Landscape Fire Analysis at the University of Montana and the USDA Fire Sciences Lab acquired visible and mid-infrared (3-5 micron) airborne imagery (night and day flights) for Norris Geyser Basin during October 2005 and October 2006. The Remote Sensing Services Laboratory at Utah State University also acquired visible and thermal infrared (8-12 micron) airborne imagery (also day and night flights) for the Upper Geyser Basin, Midway Geyser Basin and Lower Geyser Basin during 2005 and 2006. Montana State University collaborators are analyzing Landsat satellite imagery for park-wide estimates of radiant heat flux and change detection of active geothermal areas. Geothermal gas and groundwater well monitoring efforts were initiated in 2006. The geothermal gas monitoring instrumentation, developed with assistance from both the Yellowstone and Hawaiian Volcano Observatories, measures hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and basic weather parameters. A specially constructed well adjacent to the Norris Geyser Basin measures water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and water level.

Hydrology of the Johnson Creek Basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Karl K.; Snyder, Daniel T.

2009-01-01

The Johnson Creek basin is an important resource in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. Johnson Creek forms a wildlife and recreational corridor through densely populated areas of the cities of Milwaukie, Portland, and Gresham, and rural and agricultural areas of Multnomah and Clackamas Counties. The basin has changed as a result of agricultural and urban development, stream channelization, and construction of roads, drains, and other features characteristic of human occupation. Flooding of Johnson Creek is a concern for the public and for water management officials. The interaction of the groundwater and surface-water systems in the Johnson Creek basin also is important. The occurrence of flooding from high groundwater discharge and from a rising water table prompted this study. As the Portland metropolitan area continues to grow, human-induced effects on streams in the Johnson Creek basin will continue. This report provides information on the groundwater and surface-water systems over a range of hydrologic conditions, as well as the interaction these of systems, and will aid in management of water resources in the area. High and low flows of Crystal Springs Creek, a tributary to Johnson Creek, were explained by streamflow and groundwater levels collected for this study, and results from previous studies. High flows of Crystal Springs Creek began in summer 1996, and did not diminish until 2000. Low streamflow of Crystal Springs Creek occurred in 2005. Flow of Crystal Springs Creek related to water-level fluctuations in a nearby well, enabling prediction of streamflow based on groundwater level. Holgate Lake is an ephemeral lake in Southeast Portland that has inundated residential areas several times since the 1940s. The water-surface elevation of the lake closely tracked the elevation of the water table in a nearby well, indicating that the occurrence of the lake is an expression of the water table. Antecedent conditions of the groundwater level and autumn and winter precipitation totals were used to anticipate flooding of Holgate Lake. Several factors affect annual mean flow of Johnson Creek. More precipitation falls in the southeastern area of the basin because of the topographic setting. Runoff from much of the northern and western areas of the basin does not flow into Johnson Creek due to permeable deposits, interception by combined sewer systems, and by groundwater flow away from Johnson Creek. Inflow from Crystal Springs Creek accounts for one-half of the increase in streamflow of Johnson Creek between the Sycamore and Milwaukie sites. Low flows of Johnson Creek vary as a result of fluctuations in groundwater discharge to the creek, although past water uses may have decreased flows. The groundwater contributions to streamflow upstream of river mile (RM) 5.5 are small compared to contributions downstream of this point. Comparison of flows to a nearby basin indicates that diversions of surface water may have resulted in a 50 percent decrease in low flows from about 1955 to 1977. Runoff from the drainage basin area upstream of the Johnson Creek at Sycamore site contributes more to peak streamflow and peak volume than the drainage basin area between the Sycamore and Milwaukie sites. The average increase in annual peak streamflow and annual peak volume between the two sites was 11 and 24 percent, respectively. Decreased contribution in the lower area of the drainage basin is a result of infiltration, interception by drywell and combined sewer systems, and temporary overbank storage. Trends in flow typically associated with increasing urban development were absent in Johnson Creek. Annual, low, and high flows showed no trend from 1941 to 2006. Much of the infrastructure that may affect runoff from agricultural, residential, and urban development was in place prior to collection of hydrologic data in the basin. Management of stormwater in the urban areas by routing runoff from impervious surfaces to dry

Radon constrains the transit time of springs water at the border between tabular Middle Atlas and the Sais Basin (Morocco)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, Adriano; Rouai, Mohammed; Saracco, Ginette; Dekayir, Abdelilak; Miche, Héléne

2010-05-01

The tabular Middle Atlas (TMA) is an important fractured karstic reservoir in northern Morocco constituted by Liassic limestones and dolomites with a nearly sub-horizontal attitude, overlying basalts, shales and evaporates of Triassic age, as well as Paleozoic anchi-metamorphic schists. The zone is characterised by relative abundant rainfall (700 mm/y) and the absence of a surface watershed, which lead to an important groundwater reservoir hosted in the karstic (k-) aquifer. TMA is bordered to the North by extensive graben-like, normal, northward, fault-systems, which burden the Karstic formations under Plio-quaternary sediments at the Sais Basin border. At this limit, several important springs of high water-quality occur at the northernmost outcropping Lias limestone, which is overlaid in some areas by quaternary travertines. Two of these springs in particular, Bittit and Ribaa springs, provide almost drinking water for the town of Meknes (0.7 Million inhabitants), for local population and agriculture. These springs experienced a significant drop in water flow-rate in the last decades. Although the main origin of this water is certainly the k-aquifer, the drop in water-table raises several questions regarding the modality of water transport (influence of fractured and karstic systems in particular) and the possible participations of other groundwater reservoirs, which may deteriorate the high water-quality. A recent study has been carried out to shed some light on these questions, by using geochemical methods (K, Mg, Na, Ca, Fe, Mn, Ba, Sr, As, Sb, Hg, HCO3, SO4, NO3, Cl, Br, delta18-O, deltaD, Rn, EC, O2, pH, Eh, Temp). Constraints on the groundwater flow-path have been obtained by using a radon- hydrochemical- isotopic characterisation of spring waters. Here we report the results of the first geochemical sample collection (November 09). Several springs in the TMA yield Mg-Ca HCO3 rich water equilibrated with limestone and dolomite, having a very similar Rn activity of 3000 Bq/m3, unrelated to spring altitude. Similar radon activity is also found in a deep well in the Lias-confined aquifer of the Sais Basin and is hence considered to be the steady state activity in k-aquifer. Other springs situated at lower altitude yield more mineralised water (EC = 1200 uS/cm), richer in Na, K, Cl and Rn (15000 Bq/m3). These waters partially interacted with a non-karstic aquifer, most probably the deeper underlying Paleozoic schists (p-aquifer), as suggested by hydro chemical similarity with a water sample collected from a well in these shists. Since such water springs-out of Liassic carbonates, the measured Rn activity probably differs from the equilibrium activity achieved in the underlying p-aquifer, depending on the transit time from p-aquifer and the radon half-life (3.8 days). Furthermore, three other springs have hydrochemical characteristics intermediate between p- and k-aquifers, suggesting that a binary mixing of these waters occurred, either in the k- or in the p- aquifer. In principle, if the groundwater mixing occurred in k-aquifer, unsupported Rn activity would be lower than the activity expected from the binary mixing because of the time elapsed since the mixing occurred. The data show on the contrary that the mixed water has Rn activity higher than the expected activity calculated from the mixing. This suggests that groundwater mixing occurred in the p-aquifer. The excess of radon relatively to the expected activity calculated after the mixing, is interpreted to result from Rn radioactive ingrowth during the residence time in the p-aquifer, followed by radon decay occurred during uplift from p-aquifer to the spring in the Liassic carbonates. With this simple model, the measured Rn excess constraints the total time elapsed since the beginning of interaction with the p-aquifer on a time scale of 2 weeks. Remote sensed imaging of the area evidences that these "mixed" springs lies on important tectonic alignments, which suggest that fractures system could play a role in the fast upwelling of groundwater.

Sources and chronology of nitrate contamination in spring waters, Suwannee River basin, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katz, Brian G.; Hornsby, H.D.; Bohlke, J.K.; Mokray, M.F.

1999-01-01

A multi-tracer approach, which consisted of analyzing water samples for n aturally occurring chemical and isotopic indicators, was used to better understand sources and chronology of nitrate contamination in spring wate rs discharging to the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers in northern Florida. Dur ing 1997 and 1998, as part of a cooperative study between the Suwannee River Water Management District and the U.S. Geological Survey, water samples were collected and analyzed from 24 springs and two wells for major ions, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, and selected environmental isotopes [18O/16O, D/H, 13C/12C, 15N/14N]. To better understand when nitrate entered the ground-water system, water samples were analyzed for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs; CCl3F, CCl2F2, and C2Cl3F3) and tritium (3H); in this way, the apparent ages and residence times of spring waters and water from shallow zones in the Upper Floridan aquifer were determined. In addition to information obtained from the use of isotopic and other chemical tracers, information on changes in land-use activities in the basin during 1954-97 were used to estimate nitrogen inputs from nonpoint sources for five counties in the basin. Changes in nitrate concentrations in spring waters with time were compared with estimated nitrogen inputs for Lafayette and Suwannee Counties. Agricultural activities [cropland farming, animal farming operations (beef and dairy cows, poultry, and swine)] along with atmospheric deposition have contributed large quantities of nitrogen to ground water in the Suwannee River Basin in northern Florida. Changes in agricultural land use during the past 40 years in Alachua, Columbia, Gilchrist, Lafayette, and Suwannee Counties have contributed variable amounts of nitrogen to the ground-water system. During 1955-97, total estimated nitrogen from all nonpoint sources (fertilizers, animal wastes, atmospheric deposition, and septic tanks) increased continuously in Gilchrist and Lafayette Counties. In Suwannee, Alachua, and Columbia Counties, estimated nitrogen inputs from all nonpoint sources peaked in the late 1970's corresponding to the peak use in fertilizer during this time. Fertilizer use in Columbia, Gilchrist, Lafayette, and Suwannee Counties increased substantially during 1993-97. The heavy use of fertilizers in the basin is corroborated by nitrogen isotope data. Values of d15N of nitrate (d15N-NO3) in spring waters range from 2.7 per mil (SUW718971) to 10.6 per mil (Poe Spring) with a median of 5.4 per mil. The range of values indicates that nitrate in the sampled spring waters most likely originates from a mixture of inorganic (fertilizers) and organic (animal wastes) sources; however, higher d15N values for Poe and Lafayette Blue Springs indicate that an organic source of nitrogen probably is contributing nitrate to these spring waters. Water samples from two wells sampled in Lafayette County have high d15N-NO3 values of 11.0 and 12.1 per mil, indicating the predominance of an organic source of nitrate. These two wells are located near dairy and poultry farms, where leachate from animal wastes may contribute nitrate to ground water. Dissolved-gas data (nitrogen, argon, and oxygen) indicate that denitrification has not removed large amounts of nitrate from the ground-water system. Thus, variations in d15N-NO3 values of spring waters can be attributed to variations in d15N-NO3 values of ground-water recharge, and can be used to obtain information about source(s) of nitrate. Extending the use of age-dating techniques (CFCs and 3H) to spring waters in complex karst systems required the use of several different approaches for estimating age and residence time of ground water discharging to springs. These approaches included the use of a simple reservoir model, a piston-flow model, an exponential model, and a binary-mixing model. When age data (CFC-11, CFC-113, and 3H) are combined for all springs, models that incorporate exponential mixtures seem to provide re

Quantitative assessment of the impact of an inter-basin surface-water transfer project on the groundwater flow and groundwater-dependent eco-environment in an oasis in arid northwestern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiaobin; Wu, Jichun; Nie, Huijun; Guo, Fei; Wu, Jianfeng; Chen, Kouping; Liao, Penghui; Xu, Hongxia; Zeng, Xiankui

2018-06-01

Inter-basin water transfer projects (IBWTPs) can involve basins as water donors and water receivers. In contrast to most studies on IBWTPs, which mainly impact the surface-water eco-environment, this study focuses on the impacts of an IBWTP on groundwater and its eco-environment in a water donor basin in an arid area, where surface water and groundwater are exchanged. Surface water is assumed to recharge groundwater and a groundwater numerical simulation model was constructed using MODFLOW. The model was used to quantitatively evaluate the impact of an IBWTP located in the upstream portion of Nalenggele River (the biggest river in the Qaidam basin, Northwest China). The impact involved decrease in spring flow, drawdown of groundwater, reduction in oasis area, and an increase in species replacement of oasis vegetation in the midstream and downstream of the river. Results show that the emergence sites of springs at the front of the oasis will move 2-5 km downstream, and the outflow of springs will decrease by 42 million m3/a. The maximum drawdown of groundwater level at the front of the oasis will be 3.6 m and the area across which groundwater drawdown exceeds 2.0 m will be about 59.02 km2, accounting for 2.71% of the total area of the oasis. Under such conditions, reeds will gradually be replaced by Tamarix, shrubs, and other alternative plant species. These findings have important implications for the optimization of water resource allocation and protection of the eco-environment in arid regions.

Implications of Preliminary Gravity and Magnetic Surveys to the Understanding of the Bartlett Springs Fault Zone, Northern California Coast Ranges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langenheim, V. E.; Jachens, R. C.; Morin, R. L.; McCabe, C. M.; Page, W. D.

2007-12-01

We use new gravity and magnetic data in the Lake Pillsbury region to help understand the geometry and character of the Bartlett Springs fault zone, one of the three main strands of the San Andreas system north of the San Francisco Bay area. We collected 153 new gravity stations in the Lake Pillsbury region that complement the sparse regional dataset and are used to estimate the thickness of Quaternary deposits in the inferred Gravelly Valley (Lake Pillsbury) pull-apart basin. We also collected 38 line-km of ground magnetic data on roads and 65 line-km by boat on the lake to supplement regional aeromagnetic surveys and to map concealed fault strands beneath the lake. The new gravity data show a significant northwest-striking gravity gradient at the base of which lies the Bartlett Springs fault zone. Superposed on this major east-facing gravity gradient is a 5 mGal low centered on Lake Pillsbury and Gravelly Valley. Inversion of the gravity field for basin thickness assuming a density contrast of 400 kg/m3 indicates the deepest part of the basin is about 400 m and located in the northern part of the valley, although the inversion lacks gravity stations within the lake. The basin is about 3 km wide and 5 km long and basin edges coincide with strands of the Bartlett Springs fault zone. Our gravity data suggest that Potter Valley, which lies between the Maacama and Bartlett Springs faults, is also as much as 400 m deep in the southern part of the valley, although additional data west of the valley would better isolate the gravity low. Geomorphologic characteristics of the valley suggest that this structure has been quiescent during the late Quaternary. Ground magnetic data are very noisy but the data in conjunction with 9.6 km-spaced NURE aeromagnetic lines suggest that regional analog aeromagnetic data flown in 1962 may suffer from location errors. The regional and NURE data show a northwest-striking magnetic high that extends across Lake Pillsbury. The northeast edge of this anomaly, caused by ultramafic rocks, coincides with the Bartlett Springs fault zone for nearly 15 km. Lake magnetic data indicate as many as three right-stepping strands of the Bartlett Springs fault zone within the gravity- defined pull-apart basin. Two pairs of magnetic anomalies appear to be dextrally offset along the fault, arguing for about 8-9 km of cumulative offset on the fault since the passage of the triple junction at about 3.5 Ma. This estimate is similar to proposed offsets of the Eel River (8.6-10.9 km) at Lake Pillsbury. The minimum long-term slip rate is thus 2.3-3.1 mm/yr, considerably slower than geodetic rates of 5-8 mm/yr. Seismicity forms a 5-km-wide diffuse zone along the Bartlett Springs fault zone in the Lake Pillsbury area, with fewer earthquakes about 5 km northwest of the lake and its associated magnetic anomaly. The McCreary Glade seismicity lineament, located between Potter Valley and Lake Pillsbury, has been attributed to a dike intrusion at depth or reactivation of an older structure. These earthquakes coincide with the northeast edge of a 100-km-long belt of aeromagnetic anomalies and thus appear to have reactivated an older basement feature. The coincidence of the Bartlett Springs fault zone and significant gravity gradients also argues that the much younger fault zone has reactivated older basement features. Our analysis shows that a modern, high-resolution aeromagnetic survey is needed to confirm these preliminary interpretations.

Trace elements in lake sediment, macrozoobenthos, and fish near a coal ash disposal basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatcher, Charles O.; Ogawa, Roann E.; Poe, Thomas P.; French, John R. P.

1992-01-01

Of the 29 trace elements examined, arsenic and cobalt were significantly (p <0.05) more concentrated in sediment nearest the coal ash basin except in spring, when little or no difference was detected. Arsenic and bromine were significantly higher in oligochaetes, and selenium was significantly higher in both oligochaetes and chironomids taken from proximal stations than in those taken from reference stations. Selenium, bromine, cobalt, nickel, and chromium were higher in young-of-the-year brown bullheads taken nearer the disposal basin in fall 1983. Selenium was higher in adult spottail shiners taken at the proximal station in spring 1984, and bromine was higher in yearling white bass from the proximal station in fall 1983 and 1984. None of the trace elements was higher in adult yellow perch or adult brown bullheads at any time. Fewer spottail shiners and yearling white bass were caught close to the disposal basin than far away, which may indicate avoidance by these fish of increased concentrations of trace elements contained within the ash effluent.

Ground-water conditions and geologic reconnaissance of the Upper Sevier River basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carpenter, Carl H.; Robinson, Gerald B.; Bjorklund, Louis Jay

1967-01-01

The upper Sevier River basin is in south-central Utah and includes an area of about 2,400 .square miles of high plateaus and valleys. It comprises the entire Sevier River drainage basin above Kingston, including the East Fork Sevier River and its tributaries. The basin was investigated to determine general ground-water conditions, the interrelation of ground water and surface water, the effects of increasing the pumping of ground water, and the amount of ground water in storage.The basin includes four main valleys - Panguitch Valley, Circle Valley, East Fork Valley, and Grass Valley - which are drained by the Sevier River, the East Fork Sevier River, and Otter Creek. The plateaus surrounding the valleys consist of sedimentary and igneous rocks that range in age from Triassic to Quaternary. The valley fill, which is predominantly alluvial gravel, sand, silt, and clay, has a maximum thickness of more than 800 feet.The four main valleys constitute separate ground-water basins. East Fork Valley basin is divided into Emery Valley, Johns Valley, and Antimony subbasins, and Grass Valley basin is divided into Koosharem and Angle subbasins. Ground water occurs under both artesian and water-table conditions in all the basins and subbasins except Johns Valley, Emery Valley, and Angle subbasins, where water is only under water-table conditions. The water is under artesian pressure in beds of gravel and sand confined by overlying beds of silt and clay in the downstream parts of Panguitch Valley basin, Circle Valley basin, and Antimony subbasin, and in most of Koosharem subbasin. Along the sides and upstream ends of these basins, water is usually under water-table conditions.About 1 million acre-feet of ground water that is readily available to wells is stored in the gravel and sand of the upper 200 feet of saturated valley fill. About 570,000 acre-feet is stored in Panguitch Valley basin, about 210,000 in Circle Valley basin, about 6,000 in Emery Valley subbasin, about 90,000 in Johns Valley subbasin, about 36,000 in Antimony subbasin, about 90,000 in Koosharem subbasin, and about 60,000 in Angle subbasin. Additional water, although it is not readily available to wells, is stored in beds of silt and clay. Some ground water also is available in the bedrock underlying and surrounding the basins, although the bedrock formations generally are poor aquifers.The principal source of recharge to the valley fill in the upper Sevier River basin is infiltration from streams, canals, and irrigated fields. Some ground water also miles into the valley till from the bedrock surrounding the basins.The basin contains about 300 wells, most of which are less than 4 inches in diameter, are less than 250 feet deep, and are used for domestic purposes and stock watering. More than half the wells are flowing wells in Koosharem subbasin.Approximately 82,000 acre-feet of ground water was discharged in 1962 from the valley till. Springs discharged about 33,000 acre-feet, wells about 3,000, and drains about 3,000; and evapotranspiration from phreatophyte areas about 43,000 acre-feet. Springs in bedrock discharged an additional 75,000 acre-feet. Most of the water discharged by springs, wells, and drains was used for irrigation.The ground water in the basin generally is of good chemical quality. The water is excellent for irrigation and stock but is not as desirable for most domestic and industrial uses because of its hardness. The dissolved-solids content of the ground water generally increases slightly from the upstream end of the individual ground-water basins to. the downstream end owing mostly to repeated use of the water for irrigation. Surface water and ground water in the upper Sevier River basin are inter- connected, and the base flows of streams are affected by changes in ground- water levels. Increased pumping of ground water would result in (1) an increase in the recharge to the aquifers from surface-water sources or (2) a decrease in the discharge from streams, springs, flowing wells, and areas of phreatophytes or (3) a combination of these.About 43,000 acre-feet of ground water is now discharged annually by evapotranspiration from phreatophyte areas, and perhaps one-third of this loss, or about 14,000 acre-feet, could be salvaged by eliminating wet areas and phreatophytes. The areas where water could be salvaged are at the downstream ends of Panguitch Valley basin, Circle Valley basin, and Antimony subbasin. Most of the 14,000 acre-feet 'of water could be pumped from large-diameter wells or developed by properly designed drains without greatly affecting stream- flow and with only moderate effect on 'spring discharge. If the wells were properly located, the pumping would lower water levels and dry up wet areas where phreatophytes grow. Conjunctive use of ground water and surface water would facilitate the more efficient use of all water resources in the basin

Surface water of Beaver Creek Basin, in South-Central Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laine, L.L.; Murphy, J.J.

1962-01-01

Annual discharge from Beaver Creek basin is estimated to have averaged 217,000 acre-feet during a 19-year base period, water years 1938-56, equivalent to an average annual runoff depth of 4.7 inches over the 857 square-mile drainage area. About 55,000 acre-feet per year comes from Little Beaver Creek basin, a tributary drainage of 195 square miles. Yearly streamflow is highly variable. The discharge of Little Beaver Creek near Duncan during 13-year period of record (water years 1949-61) has ranged from 86,530 acre-feet in calendar year 1957 to 4,880 acre-feet in 1956, a ratio of almost 18 to 1. Highest runoff within a year tends to occur in the spring months of May and June, a 2-month period that, on the average, accounts for more than half of the annual discharge of Little Beaver Creek near Duncan. The average monthly runoff during record was lowest in January. Variation in daily streamflow is such that while the average discharge for the 13-year period of record was 50.1 cfs (cubic feet per second), the daily discharge was more than 6 cfs only about half of the time. There was no flow at the site 19 percent of the time during the period. Some base runoff usually exists in the headwaters of Beaver and Little Beaver Creeks, and in the lower reaches of Beaver Creek. Low flow in Cow Creek tends to be sustained by waste water from Duncan, where water use in 1961 averaged 4 million gallons per day. In the remainder of the basin, periods of no flow occur in most years. The surface water of Beaver Creek basin is very hard but in general is usable for municipal, agricultural and industrial purposes. The chemical character of the water is predominantly a calcium, magnesium bicarbonate type of water in the lower three quarters of the basin, except in Cow Creek where oil-field brines induce a distinct sodium, calcium chloride characteristic at low and medium flows. A calcium sulfate type of water occurs in most of the northern part of the basin except in headwater areas underlain by the Rush Springs Sandstone, where quality is similar to that in the lower basin. The report gives an estimate of the average discharge at several sites in Beaver Creek basin for a 19-year base period, October 1937 to September 1956. Duration curves of daily discharge for Little Beaver Creek near Duncan and Beaver Creek near Waurika are shown for the period of record. Monthly and annual discharge records for these gaging stations are presented. The results of 52 discharge measurements at 17 other sites in the basin are tabulated, with 5 groups being plotted as discharge profiles. Storage requirements for regulated discharge at the two gaging stations are shown. (available as photostat copy only)

Estimating Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) abundance in the Lamoille River, Vermont, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chellman, Isaac C.; Parrish, Donna; Donovan, Therese M.

2017-01-01

The Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) is classified as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need by the state of Vermont. There is concern regarding status of populations in the Lake Champlain basin because of habitat alteration and potential effects of 3-trifluromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), a chemical used to control Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus). The purpose of our research was to assess Mudpuppy capture methods and abundance in the Lamoille River, Vermont, USA. We sampled Mudpuppies under a mark-recapture framework, using modified, baited minnow traps set during two winter-spring periods. We marked each Mudpuppy with a passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag and released individuals after collecting morphological measurements. We collected 80 individuals during 2,581 trap days in 2008–2009 (year 1), and 81 individuals during 3,072 trap days in 2009–2010 (year 2). We estimated abundance from spring trapping periods in 2009 and 2010, during which capture rates were sufficient for analysis. Capture probability was low (< 0.04), but highest following precipitation events in spring, during periods of higher river flow, when water temperatures were approximately 3 to 6° C. During October 2009, management agencies treated the Lamoille River with TFM. Surveyors recovered more than 500 dead Mudpuppies during the post-treatment assessment. Overall, Mudpuppy captures did not change between sampling periods; however, we captured fewer females during year 2 compared to year 1, and the sex ratio changed from 0.79:1 (M:F) during year 1 to 3:1 (M:F) during year 2. Our data may help wildlife managers assess population status of Mudpuppies in conjunction with fisheries management techniques.

Compilation of hydrologic data for White Sands pupfish habitat and nonhabitat areas, northern Tularosa Basin, White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1911-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naus, C.A.; Myers, R.G.; Saleh, D.K.; Myers, N.C.

2014-01-01

The White Sands pupfish (Cyprinodon tularosa), listed as threatened by the State of New Mexico and as a Federal species of concern, is endemic to the Tularosa Basin, New Mexico. Because water quality can affect pupfish and the environmental conditions of their habitat, a comprehensive compilation of hydrologic data for pupfish habitat and nonhabitat areas in the northern Tularosa Basin was undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with White Sands Missile Range. The four locations within the Tularosa Basin that are known pupfish habitat areas are the Salt Creek, Malpais Spring and Malpais Salt Marsh, Main Mound Spring, and Lost River habitat areas. Streamflow data from the Salt Creek near Tularosa streamflow-gaging station indicated that the average annual mean streamflow and average annual total streamflow for water years 1995–2008 were 1.35 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) and 983 acre-feet, respectively. Periods of no flow were observed in water years 2002 through 2006. Dissolved-solids concentrations in Salt Creek samples collected from 1911 through 2007 ranged from 2,290 to 66,700 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The average annual mean streamflow and average annual total streamflow at the Malpais Spring near Oscura streamflow-gaging station for water years 2003–8 were 6.81 ft3/s and 584 acre-feet, respectively. Dissolved-solids concentrations for 16 Malpais Spring samples ranged from 3,882 to 5,500 mg/L. Isotopic data for a Malpais Spring near Oscura water sample collected in 1982 indicated that the water was more than 27,900 years old. Streamflow from Main Mound Spring was estimated at 0.007 ft3/s in 1955 and 1957 and ranged from 0.02 to 0.07 ft3/s from 1996 to 2001. Dissolved-solids concentrations in samples collected between 1955 and 2007 ranged from an estimated 3,760 to 4,240 mg/L in the upper pond and 4,840 to 5,120 mg/L in the lower pond. Isotopic data for a Main Mound Spring water sample collected in 1982 indicated that the water was about 19,600 years old. Dissolved-solids concentrations of Lost River samples collected from 1984 to 1999 ranged from 8,930 to 118,000 (estimated) mg/L. Dissolved-solids concentrations in samples from nonhabitat area sites ranged from 1,740 to 54,200 (estimated) mg/L. In general, water collected from pupfish nonhabitat area sites tends to have larger proportions of calcium, magnesium, and sulfate than water from pupfish habitat area sites. Water from springs associated with mounds in pupfish nonhabitat areas was of a similar type (calcium-sulfate) to water associated with mounds in pupfish habitat areas. Alkali Spring had a sodium-chloride water type, but the proportions of sodium-chloride and magnesium-sulfate are unique as compared to samples from other sites.

MODIS-based Snow Cover Variability of the Upper River Grande Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, B.; Wang, X.; Xie, H.

2007-12-01

Snow cover and its spring melting in the Upper Rio Grande Basin provides a major water source for the Upper to Middle Rio Grande valley and Elephant Butte Reservoir. Thus understanding the snowpack and its variability in the context of global climate change is crucial to the sustainable water resources for the region. MODIS instruments (on Terra and Aqua) have provided time series of snow cover products since 2000, but suffering with cloud contaminations. In this study, we evaluated four newly developed cloudless snow cover products (less than 10%) and four standard products: daily (MOD10A1, MYD10A1) and 8-day (MOD10A2, MYD10A2), in comparison with in situ Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) measurements for the hydrological year 2003-2004. The four new products are daily composite of Terra and Aqua (MODMYD10DC), multi-day composites of Terra (MOD10MC), Aqua (MYD10MC), and Terra and Aqua (MODMYD10MC). The standard daily and 8-day products can classify land correctly, but had fairly low accuracy in snow classification due to cloud contamination (a average of 39.4% for Terra and 45% for Aqua in the year 2003-2004). All the new multi-day composite products tended to have high accuracy in classifying both snow and land (over 90%), as the cloud cover has been reduced to less than 10% (~5% for the year) under the new algorithm . This result is consistent with a previous study in the Xinjiang area, China (Wang and Xie, 2007). Therefore, MOD10MC (before the Aqua data available) and MODMYD10MC products are used to get the mean snow cover of the Upper Rio Grande Basin from 2000 to 2007. The snow depletion curve derived from the new cloud-free snow cover map will be used to examine its effect on stream discharge.

Umatilla River Fish Passage Operations Program, 2003-2004 Annual Report.

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

Bronson, James P.; Duke, Bill B.

2005-08-01

Threemile Falls Dam (Threemile Dam), located near the town of Umatilla, is the major collection and counting point for adult salmonids returning to the Umatilla River. Returning salmon and steelhead were enumerated at Threemile Dam from August 19, 2003 to July 8, 2004. A total of 3,388 summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss); 1,482 adult, 638 jack, and 2,150 subjack fall chinook (O. tshawytscha); 8,319 adult and 667 jack coho (O. kisutch); and 2,965 adult and 270 jack spring chinook (O. tshawytscha) were counted. All fish were enumerated at the east bank facility. Of the fish counted, 34 summer steelhead and 31more » adult and 9 jack spring chinook were hauled upstream from Threemile Dam. There were 3,166 summer steelhead; 1,076 adult, 554 jack and 2,026 subjack fall chinook; 8,213 adult and 647 jack coho; and 2,152 adult and 174 jack spring chinook either released at, or allowed to volitionally migrate past, Threemile Dam. Also, 121 summer steelhead; 388 adult and 19 jack fall chinook; and 561 adult and 29 jack spring chinook were collected for brood. In addition, 239 spring chinook were collected for the outplanting efforts in the Walla Walla Basin. There were also 25 pair hatchery steelhead adults collected for the progeny maker study. The Westland Canal juvenile facility (Westland), located near the town of Echo at rivermile (RM) 27, is the major collection point for outmigrating juvenile salmonids and steelhead kelts. The canal was open for 184 days between January 12 and July 6, 2004. During that period, fish were bypassed back to the river 173 days and were trapped 10 days. An estimated 44 pounds of juvenile fish were transported from Westland to the Umatilla River boat ramp (RM 0.5). Approximately 84% of the juveniles transported were salmonids. No steelhead kelts were hauled from Westland this year. The Threemile Dam west bank juvenile bypass was opened on February 10, 2004 for outmigration sampling and continued until July 7, 2004 when sampling was discontinued. The juvenile bypass ran at the 5 cfs level until the initiation of Phase I on August 15, 2004. The juvenile trap was operated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) under the Evaluation of Umatilla Juvenile Salmonid Outmigration Project.« less

Grande Ronde Endemic Spring Chinook Salmon Supplementation Program : Facility Operation and Maintenance Facilities, Annual Report 2003.

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

McLean, Michael L.; Seeger, Ryan; Hewitt, Laurie

2004-01-01

Anadromous salmonid stocks have declined in both the Grande Ronde River Basin (Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) Status Review Symposium 1998) and in the entire Snake River Basin (Nehlsen et al. 1991), many to the point of extinction. The Grande Ronde River Basin historically supported large populations of fall and spring chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), sockeye (O. nerka), and coho (O. kisutch) salmon and steelhead trout (O. mykiss) (Nehlsen et al. 1991). The decline of chinook salmon and steelhead populations and extirpation of coho and sockeye salmon in the Grande Ronde River Basin was, in part, a result of constructionmore » and operation of hydroelectric facilities, over fishing, and loss and degradation of critical spawning and rearing habitat in the Columbia and Snake River basins (Nehlsen et al. 1991). Hatcheries were built in Oregon, Washington and Idaho under the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) to compensate for losses of anadromous salmonids due to the construction and operation of the lower four Snake River dams. Lookingglass Hatchery (LGH) on Lookingglass Creek, a tributary of the Grande Ronde River, was completed under LSRCP in 1982 and has served as the main incubation and rearing site for chinook salmon programs for Grande Ronde and Imnaha rivers in Oregon. Despite these hatchery programs, natural spring chinook populations continued to decline resulting in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) listing Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon as ''threatened'' under the federal Endangered Species Act (1973) on 22 April 1992. Continuing poor escapement levels and declining population trends indicated that Grande Ronde River basin spring chinook salmon were in imminent danger of extinction. These continuing trends led fisheries co-managers in the basin to initiate the Grande Ronde Endemic Spring Chinook Salmon Supplementation Program (GRESCSSP) in order to prevent extinction and preserve options for use of endemic fish stocks in future artificial propagation programs. The GRESCSSP was implemented in three Grande Ronde River basin tributaries; the Lostine and upper Grande Ronde rivers and Catherine Creek. The GRESCSSP employs two broodstock strategies utilizing captive and conventional brood sources. The captive brood program began in 1995, with the collection of parr from the three tributary areas. The conventional broodstock component of the program began in 1997 with the collection of natural adults returning to these tributary areas. Although LGH was available as the primary production facility for spring chinook programs in the Grande Ronde Basin, there were never any adult or juvenile satellite facilities developed in the tributary areas that were to be supplemented. An essential part of the GRESCSSP was the construction of adult traps and juvenile acclimation facilities in these tributary areas. Weirs were installed in 1997 for the collection of adult broodstock for the conventional component of the program. Juvenile facilities were built in 2000 for acclimation of the smolts produced by the captive and conventional broodstock programs and as release sites within the natural production areas of their natal streams. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) operate both the juvenile acclimation and adult trapping facilities located on Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde River under this project. The Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) operate the facilities on the Lostine River under a sister project. Hatcheries were also built in Oregon, Washington and Idaho under the LSRCP to compensate for losses of summer steelhead due to the construction and operation of the lowest four Snake River dams. Despite these harvest-driven hatchery programs, natural summer steelhead populations continued to decline as evidenced by declining counts at Lower Granite Dam since 1995 (Columbia River Data Access in Real Time, DART) and low steelhead redd counts on index streams in the Grande Ronde Basin. Because of low escapement the Snake River summer steelhead were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on 18 August, 1997. Co-managers have also discontinued off-station releases of juvenile Wallowa stock (non-endemic) hatchery summer steelhead into Catherine Creek in 1998 and the upper Grande Ronde River in 1999. Data are lacking on adult return numbers and the genetic make-up of populations that return to tributaries of the Grande Ronde River basin, Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde River specifically. Adult fish weirs are in place on Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde River and data on summer steelhead populations in those areas are collected.« less

Temporal and spatial variation of hydrological condition in the Ziwu River Basin of the Han River in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ziyan; Liu, Dengfeng; Huang, Qiang; Bai, Tao; Zhou, Shuai; Lin, Mu

2018-06-01

The middle route of South-To-North Water Diversion in China transfers water from the Han River and Han-To-Wei Water Diversion project of Shaanxi Province will transfer water from the Ziwu River, which is a tributary of the Han River. In order to gain a better understanding of future changes in the hydrological conditions within the Ziwu River basin, a Mann-Kendall (M-K) trend analysis is coupled with a persistence analysis using the rescaled range analysis (R/S) method. The future change in the hydrological characteristics of the Ziwu River basin is obtained by analysing the change of meteorological factors. The results show that, the future precipitation and potential evaporation are seasonal, and the spatial variation is significant. The proportion of basin area where the spring, summer, autumn and winter precipitation is predicted to continue increase is 0.00, 100.00, 19.00 and 16.00 %, meanwhile, the proportion of basin area that will continue to decrease in the future respectively will be 100.00, 0.00, 81.00 and 74.00 %.The future potential evapotranspiration of the four seasons in the basin shows a decreasing trend. The future water supply situation in the spring and autumn of the Ziwu River basin will degrade, and the future water supply situation in the summer and winter will improve. In addition, the areas with the same water supply situation are relatively concentrated. The results will provide scientific basis for the planning and management of river basin water resources and socio-hydrological processes analysis.

Response of the South China Sea to Forcing by Tropical Cyclone Ernie (1996)

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-03-01

complicated. Wide continental shelves appear in the northwest and southwest of the basin and steep slopes in the central portion, framing a deep, bowl...bottom topography of the SCS basin provides a favorable condition for the formation of anticyclonic eddies in the central SCS during the spring. From...cyclone is produced. This cyclonic wind stress then generates Ekman upwelling in the central basin and the formation of a cold pool. Again, through

Field Surveys, IOC Valleys. Volume III, Part I. Cultural Resources Survey, Dry Lake Valley, Nevada.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

and from* Catherine Fowler, Great Basin ethnographer and bibliographer. Personnel from Facilitators, Inc. and HDR provided information on contemporary...Caliente (see Figure 1-6 above). Together with Muleshoe Valley to the north, it occupies a surficially closel trough in the Basin and Range physiographic...province of the Great Basin (Eakin, ; Fenneman, 1931). It is bounded on the east by the Burnt Springs, Ely, Highland, and aristol ranges. The Chief

Water resources of Bannock Creek basin, southeastern Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spinazola, Joseph M.; Higgs, B.D.

1997-01-01

The potential for development of water resources in the Bannock Creek Basin is limited by water supply. Bannock Creek Basin covers 475 square miles in southeastern Idaho. Shoshone-Bannock tribal lands on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation occupy the northern part of the basin; the remainder of the basin is privately owned. Only a small amount of information on the hydrologic and water-quality characteristics of Bannock Creek Basin is available, and two previous estimates of water yield from the basin ranged widely from 45,000 to 132,500 acre-feet per year. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes need an accurate determination of water yield and baseline water-quality characteristics to plan and implement a sustainable level of water use in the basin. Geologic setting, quantities of precipitation, evapotranspiration, surface-water runoff, recharge, and ground-water underflow were used to determine water yield in the basin. Water yield is the annual amount of surface and ground water available in excess of evapotranspiration by crops and native vegetation. Water yield from Bannock Creek Basin was affected by completion of irrigation projects in 1964. Average 1965-89 water yield from five subbasins in Bannock Creek Basin determined from water budgets was 60,600 acre-feet per year. Water yield from the Fort Hall Indian Reservation part of Bannock Creek Basin was estimated to be 37,700 acre-feet per year. Water from wells, springs, and streams is a calcium bicarbonate type. Concentrations of dissolved nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen and fluoride were less than Maximum Contaminant Levels for public drinking-water supplies established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Large concentrations of chloride and nitrogen in water from several wells, springs, and streams likely are due to waste from septic tanks or stock animals. Estimated suspended-sediment load near the mouth of Bannock Creek was 13,300 tons from December 1988 through July 1989. Suspended-sediment discharge was greatest during periods of high streamflow.

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.

Hood River Production Program Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) - Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs : Annual Report For Fiscal Year, October 2007 – September 2008.

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

Gerstenberger, Ryan

2009-07-27

This progress report describes work performed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWSRO) portion of the Hood River Production Program Monitoring and Evaluation Project (HRPP) during the 2008 fiscal year. A total of 64,736 hatchery winter steelhead, 12,108 hatchery summer steelhead, and 68,426 hatchery spring Chinook salmon smolts were acclimated and released in the Hood River basin during the spring. The HRPP exceeded program goals for a release of and 50,000 winter steelhead but fell short of the steelhead release goals of 30,000 summer steelhead and 75,000 spring Chinook in 2008. Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT) tags were implanted inmore » 6,652 hatchery winter steelhead, and 1,196 hatchery summer steelhead, to compare migratory attributes and survival rates of hatchery fish released into the Hood River. Water temperatures were recorded at six locations within the Hood River subbasin to monitor for compliance with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality water quality standards. A preseason spring Chinook salmon adult run forecast was generated, which predicted an abundant return adequate to meet escapement goal and brood stock needs. As a result the tribal and sport fisheries were opened. A tribal creel was conducted from May 22 to July 18 during which an estimated 172 spring Chinook were harvested. One hundred sixteen Spring Chinook salmon redds were observed and 72 carcasses were inspected on 19.4 miles of spawning grounds throughout the Hood River Basin during 2008. Annual salvage operations were completed in two irrigation canals resulting in the liberation of 1,641 fish back to the Hood River.« less

Characterization of mean transit time at large springs in the Upper Colorado River Basin, USA: A tool for assessing groundwater discharge vulnerability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Solder, John; Stolp, Bernard J.; Heilweil, Victor M.; Susong, David D.

2016-01-01

Environmental tracers (noble gases, tritium, industrial gases, stable isotopes, and radio-carbon) and hydrogeology were interpreted to determine groundwater transit-time distribution and calculate mean transit time (MTT) with lumped parameter modeling at 19 large springs distributed throughout the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB), USA. The predictive value of the MTT to evaluate the pattern and timing of groundwater response to hydraulic stress (i.e., vulnerability) is examined by a statistical analysis of MTT, historical spring discharge records, and the Palmer Hydrological Drought Index. MTTs of the springs range from 10 to 15,000 years and 90 % of the cumulative discharge-weighted travel-time distribution falls within the range of 2−10,000 years. Historical variability in discharge was assessed as the ratio of 10–90 % flow-exceedance (R 10/90%) and ranged from 2.8 to 1.1 for select springs with available discharge data. The lag-time (i.e., delay in discharge response to drought conditions) was determined by cross-correlation analysis and ranged from 0.5 to 6 years for the same select springs. Springs with shorter MTTs (<80 years) statistically correlate with larger discharge variations and faster responses to drought, indicating MTT can be used for estimating the relative magnitude and timing of groundwater response. Results indicate that groundwater discharge to streams in the UCRB will likely respond on the order of years to climate variation and increasing groundwater withdrawals.

An examination of short-term variations in water quality at a karst spring in Kentucky

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

Ryan, M.; Meiman, J.

1996-01-01

Water quality at many karst springs undergoes very high amplitude but relatively brief degradation following influxes of runoff. Accurately recording transient variations requires more rigorous sampling strategies than traditional methods. A pilot study to determine the usefulness of high-frequency, flow-dependent sampling strategies, combined with coincidental quantitative dye tracer tests, was implemented in the Big Spring Ground-Water Basin in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. Data recorded following two separate runoff events showed that the concentrations of two nonpoint source pollutants, fecal coliform bacteria and suspended sediment, greatly exceeded prerunoff event values for very short periods of time. A phreatic conduit segment,more » calculated at 17 million liters in volume, instantaneously propagated head changes, caused by direct runoff entering the aquifer, from the ground-water inputs to Big Spring. A significant delay between the initial increases in discharge and the arrival of direct runoff, as indicated by a steady decrease in specific conductance, represented the time required to displace this volume of phreatic water. The delay showed that sampling a karst spring only during peak discharge would be an unreliable sampling method. Runoff from two different subcatchments was tagged with tracer dye and the timing of the passage of the resultant dye clouds through Big Spring were compared to water quality variations. Distinct lag times between the arrival of direct runoff at Big Spring and the bacteria and suspended sediment waveforms were shown through the concurrent quantitative tracer tests to be related to the areal distribution of land-cover type within the basin.« less

Geohydrology and water utilization in the Willcox Basin, Graham and Cochise Counties, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, S.G.; Schumann, Herbert H.

1969-01-01

The Willcox basin is an area of interior drainage in the northern part of Sulphur Springs Valley, Cochise and Graham Counties, Ariz. The basin comprises about 1,500 square miles, of which the valley floor occupies about 950 square miles. The basin probably formed during middle and late Tertiary time, when the area was subjected to large-scale faulting accompanied by the uplift of the mountain ranges that presently border it. During and after faulting, large quantities of alluvium were deposited in the closed basin. The rocks in the basin are divided into two broad groups--the rocks of the mountain blocks, of Precambrian through Tertiary age, and the rocks of the basin, of Tertiary and Quaternary age. The mountain blocks consist of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks; the water-bearing characteristics of these rocks depend primarily on their degree of weathering and fracturing. Even in areas where these rocks are fractured and jointed, only small amounts of water have been developed. The rocks of the basin consist of moderately consolidated alluvium, poorly consolidated alluvium, and unconsolidated alluvium. The water-bearing characteristics of the moderately and poorly consolidated alluvium are not well known. The unconsolidated alluvium underlies most of the valley floor and consists of two facies, stream deposits and lake beds associated with the old playa. The lenticular sand and gravel layers interbedded in silt- and clay-size material of the unconsolidated alluvium constitute the principal aquifer in the basin. The other aquifers, which yield less water, consist of beds of poorly to moderately consolidated sand- and gravel-size material; these beds occur in both the poorly consolidated and moderately consolidated alluvium. In the Stewart area the median specific capacity of wells per 100 feet of saturated unconsolidated alluvium was 20 gallons per minute, and in the Kansas Settlement area the specific capacity of wells penetrating the poorly and moderately consolidated alluvium, undifferentiated, was only 7.4 gallons per minute per 100 feet of saturated material penetrated. The aquifer in the Kansas Settlement area is much less permeable but more homogeneous than the aquifer in the Stewart area. The coefficient of transmissibility of the aquifers, which was estimated from the specific-capacity data, ranged from 58,000 to 160,000 gal. tons per day per foot. Prior to extensive ground-water pumpage, the ground-water system probably was in equilibrium, with discharge equaling recharge. At that time, ground water moved toward the playa, where it was discharged by transpiration and evaporation. The estimate of the evapotranspiration in the playa area before large-scale development was about 75,000 acre-feet per year. On the basis of estimates of coefficients of transmissibility of the aquifer and on the basis of the water-table configuration, underflow toward the playa was computed to be about 54,000 acre-feet per year. By 1963, large-scale pumping had caused marked changes in the shape of the piezometric surface; large cones of depression had developed, and ground-water movement was toward the centers of pumping. The cones of depression caused by large-scale pumping have since expanded, and water-level declines have been measured in the recharge areas along the mountain fronts. Ground water has been used for irrigation since 1910. In 1928, about 4,000 acre-feet of ground water was pumped, and by 1963 180,000 acre-feet per year was being pumped. An estimated 1,860,000 acre-feet of water has been pumped for irrigation in the Willcox basin through 1963; 680,000 acre-feet from the Stewart area, 990,000 acre-feet from the Kansas Settlement area, and 190,000 acre-feet from the Pearce-Cochise area. In the Sierra Bonita Ranch area and the north playa area, ground-water withdrawal for irrigation through 1963 was small. From the spring of 1952 to the spring of 1964 water-level declines resulting from the

Characterization of surface-water resources in the Great Basin National Park area and their susceptibility to ground-water withdrawals in adjacent valleys, White Pine County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, Peggy E.; Beck, David A.; Prudic, David E.

2006-01-01

Eight drainage basins and one spring within the Great Basin National Park area were monitored continually from October 2002 to September 2004 to quantify stream discharge and assess the natural variability in flow. Mean annual discharge for the stream drainages ranged from 0 cubic feet per second at Decathon Canyon to 9.08 cubic feet per second at Baker Creek. Seasonal variability in streamflow generally was uniform throughout the network. Minimum and maximum mean monthly discharges occurred in February and June, respectively, at all but one of the perennial streamflow sites. Synoptic-discharge, specific-conductance, and water- and air-temperature measurements were collected during the spring, summer, and autumn of 2003 along selected reaches of Strawberry, Shingle, Lehman, Baker, and Snake Creeks, and Big Wash to determine areas where surface-water resources would be susceptible to ground-water withdrawals in adjacent valleys. Comparison of streamflow and water-property data to the geology along each stream indicated areas where surface-water resources likely or potentially would be susceptible to ground-water withdrawals. These areas consist of reaches where streams (1) are in contact with permeable rocks or sediments, or (2) receive water from either spring discharge or ground-water inflow.

Uranium transport in the Walker River Basin, California and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.V.; Leach, D.L.

1979-01-01

During the summer of 1976 waters from tributaries, rivers, springs and wells were sampled in the Walker River Basin. Snow and sediments from selected sites were also sampled. All samples were analyzed for uranium and other elements. The resulting data provide an understanding of the transport of uranium within a closed hydrologic basin as well as providing a basis for the design of geochemical reconnaissance studies for the Basin and Range Province of the Western United States. Spring and tributary data are useful in locating areas containing anomalous concentrations of uranium. However, agricultural practices obscure the presence of known uranium deposits and render impossible the detection of other known deposits. Uranium is extremely mobile in stream waters and does not appear to sorb or precipitate. Uranium has a long residence time (2500 years) in the open waters of Walker Lake; however, once it crosses the sediment-water interface, it is reduced to the U(IV) state and is lost from solution. Over the past two million years the amount of uranium transported to the terminal point of the Walker River system may have been on the order of 4 ?? 108 kg. This suggests that closed basin termini are sites for significant uranium accumulations and are, therefore, potential sites of uranium ore deposits. ?? 1979.

A new approach to monitoring spatial distribution and dynamics of wetlands and associated flows of Australian Great Artesian Basin springs using QuickBird satellite imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Davina C.; Lewis, Megan M.

2011-09-01

SummaryThis study develops an expedient digital mapping technique using Very High Resolution satellite imagery to monitor the temporal response of permanent wetland vegetation to changes in spring flow rates from the Australian Great Artesian Basin at Dalhousie Springs Complex, South Australia. Three epochs of QuickBird satellite multispectral imagery acquired between 2006 and 2010 were analysed using the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). A regression of 2009 NDVI values against vegetation cover from field botanical survey plots provided a relationship of increasing NDVI with increased vegetation cover ( R2 = 0.86; p < 0.001). On the basis of this relationship a vegetation threshold was determined (NDVI ⩾ 0.35), which discriminated perennial and ephemeral wetland vegetation from surrounding dryland vegetation in the imagery. The extent of wetlands for the entire Dalhousie Springs Complex mapped from the imagery increased from 607 ha in December 2006 to 913 ha in May 2009 and 1285 ha in May 2010. Comparison of the three NDVI images showed considerable localised change in wetland vegetation greenness, distribution and extent in response to fires, alien vegetation removal, rainfall and fluctuations in spring flow. A strong direct relationship ( R2 = 0.99; p < 0.001) was exhibited between spring flow rate and the area of associated wetland vegetation for eight individual springs. This relationship strongly infers that wetland area is an indicator of spring flow and can be used for monitoring purposes. This method has the potential to determine the sensitivity of spring wetland vegetation extent and distribution to associated changes in spring flow rates due to land management and aquifer extractions. Furthermore, this approach is timely and provides reliable and repeatable monitoring, particularly needed given the projected increased demand for groundwater extractions from the GAB for mining operations.

Ground water in Tooele Valley, Tooele County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, H.E.

1946-01-01

Tooele Valley is a typical basin of the Basin and Range Province located about 30 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. It is roughly 15 miles long and 10 miles wide and has a population of about 7,000. Bordered on the west by the Stansbury Range, on the east by the Oquirrh Range, and on the south by South Mountain, it opens northward to Great Salt Lake. The bordering mountain ranges are formed by Paleozoic rocks ranging in age from Lower Cambrian to Pennsylvanian but with the Ordovician and Silurian periods unrepresented. There is no sedimentary record of the interval between Pennsylvanian and Tertiary times, and the Tertiary, Quaternary, and Recent sediments are of continental origin. These continental deposits play the dominant role in the ground-water hydrology of the basin, and were mapped and studied in detail. Pleistocene sediments are of major importance because they form the surface rock over most of the area, and give rise to conditions which yield water by artesian flow in the lower part of the valley.The development of the present land forms in this area began with the folding of Paleozoic and probably Mesozoic sediments during the Laramide revolution. The cycle of highland erosion and lowland deposition thus initiated has continued through recurrent uplift along Basin-Range faults to the present day. The principal physiographic subdivisions of the valley were developed as a result of the Basin-Range faulting, which began early in the Tertiary and has continued to Recent times.There are about 1,100 wells in Tooele Valley, about 90 per cent of which yield or have yielded water by artesian flow. Most of them are located in the lower part of the valley below an altitude of 4,400 feet. These wells and many of the springs derive their water from the unconsolidated Quaternary sediments, which include discontinuous, lenticular and commonly elongated bodies of sand, clay, gravel, and boulders of alluvial origin alternating and inter-fingered with lacustrine beds of the same materials which are more regularly stratified and better assorted. The larger springs are intimately related to the bedding planes and faults in the bedrock and alluvial formations. The well assorted sands and gravels deposited along the shore lines of Lake Bonneville are important as recharge areas for the artesian reservoir.

Multi-temporal remote sensing analysis of salars in El Loa Province, Chile: Implications for water resource management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markovich, K.; Pierce, S. A.

2011-12-01

Salar de Ascotán and Salar de Carcote are internally drained, evaporative basins located in the Atacama Desert, 200 km northeast of Antofogasta in Region II, Chile. The two salars are part of a regional groundwater system that recharges in the adjacent uplands to the east and terminates in the regional topographic low at Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia. This regional groundwater system is discharged locally as spring-fed perennial surface water that flows across the salar surface and either evaporates, or reinfiltrates, in lagoon-like environments. This perennial surface water supports diverse flora and fauna in the salar basins, including flamingo, vicuña, and the endemic fish species Orestias ascotanensis. Mining projects in the region began pumping the groundwater system in the Ascotán basin in the mid-1990's, leading to concern about the preservation of spring-fed surface flows. While hydrologic and ecologic monitoring efforts have been coordinated, data collection is limited to in-situ measurements and antecedent records precede extraction by approximately six months. Remote sensing can provide a means for large scale monitoring of the salars, as well as providing additional historical data to support environmental management of the systems. This comparative study utilizes satellite imagery to detect changes in surface water extent in the two salars and evaluate the results for possible correlation with climatic and/or anthropogenic factors. Landsat TM and ETM+ images from the time period of 1986-2011 are analyzed for surface water extent, and geographic information technologies are used to integrate the remotely sensed data with in-situ measurements. Early results indicate that surface water extent on the salar surface has diminished from 1986 and present day conditions. The decrease is most pronounced in the Ascotán basin, suggesting a possible correlation to anthropogenic influences. Also, the rate of decrease in surface water presence is most elevated in the first years following the onset of pumping, but decreases in the latter part of the time period. Key controls on the water balance in the basins include climatic and hydrologic conditions, human-induced changes to surface structures, water resource extraction, and artificial recharge efforts recently implemented to mitigate the effects of pumping.

Paleoceanographic history of the Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California, during the past 15,000 years based on diatoms, silicoflagellates, and biogenic sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barron, J.A.; Bukry, D.; Dean, W.E.

2005-01-01

High-resolution records of calcium carbonate, biogenic opal, diatoms, and silicoflagellates from western Guaymas Basin gravity core GGC55 and piston core JPC56 and eastern Guaymas Basin DSDP Site 480 reveal a complex paleoceanographic history of the central Gulf of California during the past 15,000 years. Prior to ??? 6.2 ka, the eastern and western Guaymas Basin proxy records were remarkably similar. After conditions similar to those of today during the B??lling-Allerod, the Younger Dryas (YD) saw a major drop in diatom production, coincident with increased calcium carbonate and tropical microfossils suggestive of El Nin??o-like conditions. Biosiliceous productivity began increasing during the latter part of the YD, but it was only during the earliest Holocene (11.6 to 11.0 ka) that conditions similar to those of the B??lling-Allerod returned to the central Gulf. Between around 11.0 and 6.2 ka, tropical diatoms and silicoflagellates were virtually absent from the central Gulf, as relatively cooler and fresher surface waters resembling those of the modern northern Gulf were present in the central Gulf. Beginning at about 6.2 ka, tropical diatoms and silicoflagellates began increasing in the central Gulf, and coccoliths returned to western Gulf sediments. The onset of modern-day monsoon conditions in the American Southwest required the presence of warm SSTs in the northern Gulf, which probably did not occur until after about 5.4 ka, when tropical diatoms and silicoflagellates became relatively common in the central Gulf. Modern east-west contrasts, which arise from late winter-early spring coastal upwelling on the mainland side and lower diatom productivity on the western side of the Gulf, commenced between 6.2 and 5.4 ka, possibly due to a shift in the direction of late winter-early spring winds more towards the southeast, or down the axis of the Gulf. This proposed wind shift might have ultimately been due to a late Holocene strengthening of ENSO-like conditions in the eastern equatorial Pacific.

Toward an annual estimate of methane emissions from Lake Erie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, J.; Townsend-Small, A.

2017-12-01

Lake Erie is the shallowest, warmest, and most eutrophic of all of the North American Great Lakes. The central basin of Lake Erie exhibits seasonally hypoxic bottom waters, which contributes to biological methane (CH4) production. Leaks from extensive natural gas wells and pipelines in Canadian waters are a potential source of thermogenic CH4 to the lake. The shallow western basin lacks water column hypoxia, but experiences increasingly frequent algal blooms and hypoxic sediments. Our past research, focused on the central basin, indicated that Lake Erie is a positive source of CH4 during late summer (August - September), emitting 1.3 ± 0.6 × 105 kg CH4-C day. Here, we present a seasonal dataset of CH4 fluxes measured throughout a 16-month period starting in the spring of 2015 and ending late summer in 2016 to estimate an annual lake wide CH4 emission. Our results indicate that the western basin experienced the greatest CH4 emissions, and the highest rates of CH4 flux co-occur with the highest rates of nutrient loading and largest algal blooms near the mouth of the Maumee River. Winter CH4 fluxes were minimal and similar throughout the lake, indicating that natural gas wells are a minimal source of CH4 emissions. Emissions were highest in August and tapered off through the fall and winter, rising again in spring. The estimated annual CH4 emission in Lake Erie was 4.41 × 107 kg CH4-C yr-1. We compared this to other CH4 sources in Michigan and Ohio in the USEPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Database, and found that Lake Erie is second largest emitter of CH4 in Ohio (a landfill in Cincinnati is a larger source), and the largest in Michigan. Recent work has shown that eutrophication in lakes such as Lake Erie may be on the rise due to climate change induced increases in precipitation. If so, these large CH4 emissions may have positive feedback consequences to climate warming. Therefore, more research is needed to indicate whether or not these CH4 emissions are increasing.

Reproductive ecology of interior least tern and piping plover in relation to Platte River hydrology and sandbar dynamics.

PubMed

Farnsworth, Jason M; Baasch, David M; Smith, Chadwin B; Werbylo, Kevin L

2017-05-01

Investigations of breeding ecology of interior least tern ( Sternula antillarum athalassos ) and piping plover ( Charadrius melodus ) in the Platte River basin in Nebraska, USA, have embraced the idea that these species are physiologically adapted to begin nesting concurrent with the cessation of spring floods. Low use and productivity on contemporary Platte River sandbars have been attributed to anthropomorphically driven changes in basin hydrology and channel morphology or to unusually late annual runoff events. We examined distributions of least tern and piping plover nest initiation dates in relation to the hydrology of the historical central Platte River (CPR) and contemporary CPR and lower Platte River (LPR). We also developed an emergent sandbar habitat model to evaluate the potential for reproductive success given observed hydrology, stage-discharge relationships, and sandbar height distributions. We found the timing of the late-spring rise to be spatially and temporally consistent, typically occurring in mid-June. However, piping plover nest initiation peaks in May and least tern nest initiation peaks in early June; both of which occur before the late spring rise. In neither case does there appear to be an adaptation to begin nesting concurrent with the cessation of spring floods. As a consequence, there are many years when no successful reproduction is possible because emergent sandbar habitat is inundated after most nests have been initiated, and there is little potential for successful renesting. The frequency of nest inundation, in turn, severely limits the potential for maintenance of stable species subpopulations on Platte River sandbars. Why then did these species expand into and persist in a basin where the hydrology is not ideally suited to their reproductive ecology? We hypothesize the availability and use of alternative off-channel nesting habitats, like sandpits, may allow for the maintenance of stable species subpopulations in the Platte River basin.

Climate and Tectonics Need Not Apply: Transient Erosion Driven by Drainage Integration, Aravaipa Creek, AZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jungers, M.; Heimsath, A. M.

2013-12-01

Periods of transient erosion during landscape evolution are most commonly attributed to fluvial systems' responses to changes in tectonic or climatic forcing. Dramatic changes in base level and sudden increases in drainage area associated with drainage reorganization can, however, drive punctuated events of incision and erosion equal in magnitude to those driven by tectonics or climate. In southeastern Arizona's Basin and Range, a mature portion of the North American physiographic province, the modern Gila River system integrates a network of previously internally drained structural basins. One basin in particular, Aravaipa Creek, is the most recent to join the broader Gila River fluvial network. Following drainage integration, Aravaipa Creek rapidly incised to equilibrate with its new, much lower, base level. In doing so, it carved Aravaipa Canyon, excavated a large volume of sedimentary basin fill, and captured drainage area from the still internally drained Sulphur Springs basin. Importantly, this dramatic episode of transient incision and erosion was the result of drainage integration alone. We hypothesize that the adjustment time for Aravaipa Creek was shorter than the timescale of any climate forcing, and regional extensional tectonics were quiescent at the time of integration. We can, therefore, explicitly quantify the magnitude of transient incision and erosion driven by drainage reorganization. We use remnants of the paleo-basin surface and modern landscape elevations to reconstruct the pre-drainage integration topography of Aravaipa Creek basin. Doing so enables us to quantify the magnitude of incision driven by drainage reorganization as well as the volume of material eroded from the basin subsequent to integration. Key control points for our landscape reconstruction are: (1) the inferred elevation of the spillover point between Aravaipa Creek and the San Pedro River; (2) Quaternary pediment-capping gravels above Aravaipa Canyon (3) perched remnants of late stage sedimentary basin fill that preserve the slope of the pre-incision piedmonts of the Galiuro Mountains and Santa Teresa Mountains; and (4) the paleo-drainage divide between Aravaipa Creek and Sulphur Springs Valley, approximately 6 km northwest of the modern divide. The pre-incision basin surface sloped from the Sulphur Springs divide (1370 m) to its intersection with the point of integration (1100 m) between Aravaipa Creek and the San Pedro River, 50 km to the northwest. Maximum incision of 450 m occurred in the vicinity of Aravaipa Canyon, and more than 50 cubic kilometers of material have been eroded from Aravaipa Creek basin. Finally, cosmogenic nuclide burial dates for latest stage sedimentary basin fill enable us to constrain the timing of drainage integration and place first-order constraints on paleo-erosion rates.

Trout use of woody debris and habitat in Wine Spring Creek, North Carolina

Treesearch

Patricia A. Flebbe

1999-01-01

Wine Spring Creek basin, in the mountains of North Carolina's Nantahala National Forest, is an ecosystem management demonstration site, in which ecological concepts for management and restoration are tested. Large woody debris (LWD) is an important link between streams and the adjacent riparian forest, but evidence for the connection between LWD and trout in the...

Effects of spring prescribed fire in expanding pinyon-juniper woodlands on seedling establishment of sagebrush species

Treesearch

David I. Board; Jeanne C. Chambers; Joan G. Wright

2011-01-01

Pinyon and juniper trees are expanding into mountain sagebrush communities throughout their ranges. Fire is used to restore these sagebrush communities, but limited information is available on seedling establishment of native shrubs and herbs. We examined effects of spring prescribed fire in the Great Basin on emergence and survival of five species (Artemisia...

Effects of groundwater withdrawals from the Hurricane Fault zone on discharge of saline water from Pah Tempe Springs, Washington County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gardner, Philip M.

2018-04-10

Pah Tempe Springs, located in Washington County, Utah, contribute about 95,000 tons of dissolved solids annually along a 1,500-foot gaining reach of the Virgin River. The river gains more than 10 cubic feet per second along the reach as thermal, saline springwater discharges from dozens of orifices located along the riverbed and above the river on both banks. The spring complex discharges from fractured Permian Toroweap Limestone where the river crosses the north-south trending Hurricane Fault. The Bureau of Reclamation Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program is evaluating the feasibility of capturing and desalinizing the discharge of Pah Tempe Springs to improve downstream water quality in the Virgin River. The most viable plan, identified by the Bureau of Reclamation in early studies, is to capture spring discharge by pumping thermal groundwater from within the Hurricane Fault footwall damage zone and to treat this water prior to returning it to the river.Three multiple-day interference tests were conducted between November 2013 and November 2014, wherein thermal groundwater was pumped from fractured carbonate rock in the fault damage zone at rates of up to 7 cubic feet per second. Pumping periods for these tests lasted approximately 66, 74, and 67 hours, respectively, and the tests occurred with controlled streamflows of approximately 2.0, 3.5, and 24.5 cubic feet per second, respectively, in the Virgin River upstream from the springs reach. Specific conductance, water temperature, and discharge were monitored continuously in the river (upstream and downstream of the springs reach) at selected individual springs, and in the pumping discharge during each of the tests. Water levels were monitored in three observation wells screened in the thermal system. Periodic stream and groundwater samples were analyzed for dissolved-solids concentration and the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen. Additional discrete measurements of field parameters (specific conductance, water temperature, pH, and discharge) were made at up to 26 sites along the springs reach. These data demonstrate the interaction between the saline, thermal groundwater system and the Virgin River, and provide estimates of reductions in dissolved-solids loads to the river.The interference tests show that pumping thermal groundwater from the shallow carbonate aquifer adjacent to the springs is effective at capturing high dissolved-solids loads discharging from Pah Tempe Springs before they enter the Virgin River. Discharge measurements made in the Virgin River downstream of the springs reach show that streamflow is reduced by approximately the amount pumped, indicating that complete capture of thermal discharge is possible. During the February 2014 test, the dissolved-solids load removed by pumping (190 tons per day) was approximately equal to the dissolved-solids load reduction observed in the river below the springs reach, indicating near 100-percent efficient capture of spring-sourced dissolved solids. However, an observed decrease in temperature and specific conductance of the pumping discharge during the high-flow test in November 2014 showed that capture of the cool, fresh river water can occur and is more likely at a higher stage in the Virgin River.

Paleohydrology and paleoenvironments at Bir Sahara: Pleistocene lithostratigraphy and sedimentology in the southern Egyptian Sahara

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Christopher L.; Schild, Romuald

2017-12-01

The Bir Sahara area contains a remarkable record of Middle and Late Pleistocene hydrologic and environmental conditions for Saharan North Africa, based on lithostratigraphic and sedimentologic evidence from basin-fill deposits. Some of the deposits contain Lower Paleolithic (Acheulean) or Middle Paleolithic artifacts that help to constrain their age, since Acheulian artifacts are assigned to the Middle Pleistocene, while Middle Paleolithic artifacts are limited to either the Middle or Late Pleistocene. Locality BS-14 is in the southern part of Bir Sahara, while localities E-88-15, E-88-2, BS-13, and BS-16 are situated in the south-central part of the deflational basin, closer to the present-day water-hole. Lowered groundwater conditions during arid intervals resulted in erosional topographic basins. These deflational basins were later filled with sediments associated with wetter hydrologic conditions. The oldest studied sedimentary sequence in the Bir Sahara depression (BS-14) contains in situ Acheulian artifacts. Acheulian handaxes are found in sands underlying carbonates that are interpreted as evidence of spring-fed pond and marsh environments during a Middle Pleistocene wet interval. At the E-88-15 locality, the stratigraphic sequence documents deposition in a possible perennial pond or small lake that varied in extent and depth and is associated with Middle Paleolithic artifacts. At E-88-12 and BS-13, lateral and vertical variations in the lithofacies of the basin-fill sediments provide additional records of changing hydrologic conditions during the Late Pleistocene. These hydrologic conditions appear to reflect variations in water-table levels related to groundwater recharge and, at times, local rains.

Reconnaissance of the hydrology, water quality, and sources of bacterial and nutrient contamination in the Ozark Plateaus aquifer system and Cave Springs Branch of Honey Creek, Delaware County, Oklahoma, March 1999-March 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schlottmann, Jamie L.; Tanner, Ralph S.; Samadpour, Mansour

2000-01-01

A reconnaissance investigation of hydrology and water quality was conducted to evaluate possible sources of bacteria and nutrient contamination in the Cave Springs Branch basin and the underlying karstic Ozark Plateau aquifer system. Objectives were to: (1) determine the directions of ground-water flow in the basin and determine whether Cave Springs Branch interacts with ground water, (2) compare water quality in Cave Springs Branch with water quality in nearby wells to determine whether the stream is contaminating nearby wells, and (3) determine sources of fecal coliform bacteria and nitrate contamination in Cave Springs Branch and ground water. Potential sources of bacteria and nitrate in the area include cultivated agriculture, cow and horse on pasture, poultry production, households, and wildlife. Presence of fecal coliform and fecal streptococcal bacteria directly indicate fecal contamination and the potential for the presence of other pathogenic organisms in a water supply. Nitrate in drinking water poses health risks and may indicate the presence of additional contaminants. Fecal coliform bacteria colony counts were least in wells, intermediate in the poultry-processing plant wastewater outfall and Honey Creek above the confluence with Cave Springs Branch, and greatest in Cave Springs Branch. Bacteria strains and resistance to antibiotics by some bacteria indicate that livestock may have been sources of some bacteria in the water samples. Multiple antibiotic resistances were not present in the isolates from the water samples, indicating that the bacteria may not be from human or poultry sources. Ribotyping indicates that Escherichia coli bacteria in water samples from the basin were from bird, cow, horse, dog, deer, and human sources. The presence of multiple ribotypes from each type of animal source except bird indicates that most of the bacteria are from multiple populations of source animals. Identifiable sources of bacteria in Cave Springs Branch at the state line were dominantly cow and horse with one ribotype from bird. Escherichia coli was detected in only one well sample. Bacterial ribotypes in water from that upgradient well indicated human and dog feces as sources for bacteria, and that on site wastewater treatment may not always be adequate in these highly permeable soils. Greater concentrations of nitrate in Cave Springs Branch and O'Brien Spring relative to the poultry-processing plant wastewater outfall may be due, in part, to conversion of ammonia from poultry processing plant wastewater. The poultry-processing plant wastewater outfall sample collected in March 2000 contained greater concentrations of ammonia and total organic nitrogen plus ammonia than the spring, stream, and well samples collected during August 1999. Cave Springs Branch and Honey Creek contributed approximately equal loads of nitrogen to Honey Creek below the confluence and the greatest loads of nitrogen were introduced to Cave Springs Branch by the poultry processing plant wastewater outfall and O'Brien Spring. Nitrate concentrations in upgradient well samples ranged from 0.38 to 4.60 milligrams per liter, indicating that there are sources of ground-water nitrogen other than Cave Springs Branch, such as animal waste, fertilizer, or human waste. Nitrogen compounds in water from wells downgradient of Cave Springs Branch may be from Cave Springs Branch, fertilizers, animal waste, or human waste.

Hydrogeology and water chemistry of Infranz catchment springs, Bahir Dar Area, Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abera, F. N.

2017-12-01

The major springs in the Infranz catchment are a significant source of water for Bahir city and nearby villages, while they help to sustain Infranz River and the downstream wetlands. The aim of the research was to understand the hydrogeological conditions of these high-discharge springs, and to explain the hydrochemical composition of spring waters. Water samples from rainwater and springs were collected and analyzed and compared for major cations and anions. The hydrochemical data analysis showed that all water samples of the springs have freshwater chemistry, Ca-HCO3 type, while deep groundwater shows more evolved types. This indicates limited water-rock interaction and short residence time for the spring waters. The rise of NO3- and PO43- may indicate future water quality degradation unless the anthropogenic activities upgradient and nearby are restricted. The uptake of 75% of spring water for water supply of Bahir Dar results in wetland degradation. Key words: Spring water, Infranz River, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, hydrochemistry

The age of the Keystone thrust: laser-fusion 40Ar/39Ar dating of foreland basin deposits, southern Spring Mountains, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fleck, R.J.; Carr, M.D.

1990-01-01

Nonmarine sedimentary and volcaniclastic foreland-basin deposits in the Spring Mountains are cut by the Contact and Keystone thrusts. These synorogenic deposits, informally designated the Lavinia Wash sequence by Carr (1980), previously were assigned a Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous(?) age. New 40Ar.39Ar laser-fusion and incremental-heating studies of a tuff bed in the Lavinia Wash sequence support a best estimate age of 99.0 ?? 0.4 Ma, indicating that the Lavinia Wash sequence is actually late Early Cretaceous in age and establishing a maximum age for final emplacement of the Contact and Keystone thrust plates consistent with the remainder of the Mesozoic foreland thrust belt. -from Authors

A multidisciplinary approach to define the hydrogeological model of the carbonate aquifer system in the Versilia River basin (Tuscany, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menichini, M.; Doveri, M.; Giannecchini, R.; Raco, B.; Rosi, M.

2012-12-01

A hydrogeological study was carried out on important fractured/karst aquifer systems located in the Versilia River basin (Tuscany, Italy), in order to optimize the groundwater resources management. The main aim was the individuation of the feeding areas of the most important springs by means of a multidisciplinary approach using geological, hydrogeological and geochemical-isotopic tools. Some hydrogeological sections were elaborated in order to define the geometry of the main hydrostructures and to individuate possible groundwater divides. The elaboration of geochemical data allowed at identifying 3 main chemical facies: Ca-HCO3, Ca-SO4 and Na-Cl. The first two highlight the interaction of water with limestone/dolostone and carbonate-evaporite rocks for a time sufficient to acquire these chemical compositions and to achieve saturation/supersaturation in calcite and dolomite. The Na-Cl groundwater shows low salinity and a composition similar to rainwater, indicating a circulation in rocks containing minerals not very reactive and/or short interaction time with carbonate rocks. These two main types of water-rock interaction are confirmed by the isotopic ratio δ13C: for the Ca-HCO3 and Ca-SO4 types, δ13C value requires a significant contribution of carbon derived from dissolution of calcite, while for Na-Cl water, δ13C values are consistent with the addition of biogenic CO2 in rainwater. Stable water isotopes (δ18O and δ2H) confirm that groundwaters have a meteoric origin and that the wide range of values essentially depends on the different average altitude of feeding zone. Comparing the geological and hydrogeological features with the results of the geochemical processing, it is reasonable to assume that: the Na-Cl springs are representative of the superficial circuits, with small feeding zones and very low residence times in aquifer; whereas the Ca-HCO3 and Ca-SO4 springs are representative of relatively deep circuits developed in extensive aquifers with high permeability. The first type of springs was used to obtain the relationship between the δ18O ratio and the altitude of rainwater infiltration. Taking into account that they drain a small basin and considering the regulator effect of the aquifers, the isotopic composition of these springs are very similar to the annual average isotopic values of the local meteoric water. This relationship was used to evaluate the average altitude of the feeding area of the second type of springs. All these elements, and some tracer test results available in literature, allowed us to delimit the hydrogeological basins likely drained by the most important springs under study. In addition, for each hydrogeological system, a simplified water balance using meteorological data and the effective infiltration coefficients reported in the literature was performed, verifying that the delimited catchment areas are entirely consistent with the flow rate data of the springs.

Hydrogeology and water quality of the Chakari Basin, Afghanistan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mack, Thomas J.; Chornack, Michael P.; Flanagan, Sarah M.; Chalmers, Ann T.

2014-01-01

The hydrogeology and water quality of the Chakari Basin, a 391-square-kilometer (km2) watershed near Kabul, Afghanistan, was assessed by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Afghanistan Geological Survey to provide an understanding of the water resources in an area of Afghanistan with considerable copper and other mineral resources. Water quality, chemical, and isotopic samples were collected at eight wells, four springs, one kareze, and the Chakari River in a basin-fill aquifer in the Chakari Basin by the Afghanistan Geological Survey. Results of water-quality analyses indicate that some water samples in the basin had concentrations of chemical constituents that exceeded World Health Organization guidelines for nitrate, sodium, and dissolved solids and some of the samples also had elevated concentrations of trace elements, such as copper, selenium, strontium, uranium, and zinc. Chemical and isotopic analyses, including for tritium, chlorofluorocarbons, and carbon-14, indicate that most wells contain water with a mixture of ages from young (years to decades) to old (several thousand years). Three wells contained groundwater that had modeled ages ranging from 7,200 to 7,900 years old. Recharge from precipitation directly on the basin-fill aquifer, which covers an area of about 150 km2, is likely to be very low (7 × 10-5 meters per day) or near zero. Most recharge to this aquifer is likely from rain and snowmelt on upland areas and seepage losses and infiltration of water from streams crossing the basin-fill aquifer. It is likely that the older water in the basin-fill aquifer is groundwater that has travelled along long and (or) slow flow paths through the fractured bedrock mountains surrounding the basin. The saturated basin-fill sediments in most areas of the basin are probably about 20 meters thick and may be about 30 to 60 meters thick in most areas near the center of the Chakari Basin. The combination of low recharge and little storage indicates that groundwater resources are likely to be limited. Groundwater use in the villages of the basin is generally supplied by hand-pumped wells, whereas agricultural needs are met by surface-water flows. New or increased water uses in the basin, or activities that may affect water quality, should be carefully evaluated to avoid affecting existing uses.

Hydrology of coal-resource areas in the southern Wasatch Plateau, central Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Danielson, T.W.; Sylla, D.A.

1982-01-01

The study defines the surface and groundwater hydrology of coal-resources areas in the Southern Wasatch Plateau in Central Utah and, where possible, predicts the hydrologic impacts of underground mining. Discharge data at four streamflow gaging stations indicated that from 5 to 29% of the average annual precipitation on a drainage runs off streams, mainly during the snowmelt period (spring and summer). Most of the base flow of streams originates as spring discharge in the higher altitudes of drainages. Peak flows, average 7-day flood flows, and flood depths were related to basin characteristics in order to develop flood equations for ungaged sites. Chemical quality of surface water was suitable for most uses. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 97 to 835 milligrams per liter in 61 samples collected throughout the area. Data from wells and coal-test holes, and a comprehensive spring inventory indicate that groundwater occurs in all geologic units exposed in the study area. The coal-bearing Blackhawk Formation and underlying Star Point Sandstone are saturated in most areas. Some future mining operations would require dewatering of the Star Point-Blackhawk aquifer. Most of the springs issue from the Flagstaff Limestone and North Horn Formation above the Star Point-Blackhawk aquifer. It is not known whether water in the Flagstaff and North Horn is perched. Dissolved-solids concentrations in groundwater ranged from 105 to 1,080 milligrams per liter in 87 analyzed samples. Water levels in wells, the discharge of springs, benthic invertebrates in streams, and quantity and quality of mine effluents all need to be monitored in order to detect changes in the hydrologic system caused by coal mining. (USGS)

Water resources in the Great Basin

Treesearch

Jeanne C. Chambers

2008-01-01

The Great Basin Watershed covers 362,600 km (140,110 mi2) and extends from the Sierra Nevada Range in California to the Wasatch Range in Utah, and from southeastern Oregon to southern Nevada (NBC Weather Plus Website). The region is among the driest in the nation and depends largely on winter snowfall and spring runoff for its water supply. Precipitation may be as much...

Ground-Water Hydrology of the Upper Klamath Basin, Oregon and California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gannett, Marshall W.; Lite, Kenneth E.; La Marche, Jonathan L.; Fisher, Bruce J.; Polette, Danial J.

2007-01-01

The upper Klamath Basin spans the California-Oregon border from the flank of the Cascade Range eastward to the Basin and Range Province, and encompasses the Klamath River drainage basin above Iron Gate Dam. Most of the basin is semiarid, but the Cascade Range and uplands in the interior and eastern parts of the basin receive on average more than 30 inches of precipitation per year. The basin has several perennial streams with mean annual discharges of hundreds of cubic feet per second, and the Klamath River at Iron Gate Dam, which represents drainage from the entire upper basin, has a mean annual discharge of about 2,100 cubic feet per second. The basin once contained three large lakes: Upper and Lower Klamath Lakes and Tule Lake, each of which covered areas of 100 to 150 square miles, including extensive marginal wetlands. Lower Klamath Lake and Tule Lake have been mostly drained, and the former lake beds are now cultivated. Upper Klamath Lake remains, and is an important source of irrigation water. Much of the wetland surrounding Upper Klamath Lake has been diked and drained, although efforts are underway to restore large areas. Upper Klamath Lake and the remaining parts of Lower Klamath and Tule Lakes provide important wildlife habitat, and parts of each are included in the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex. The upper Klamath Basin has a substantial regional ground-water flow system. The late Tertiary to Quaternary volcanic rocks that underlie the region are generally permeable, with transmissivity estimates ranging from 1,000 to 100,000 feet squared per day, and compose a system of variously interconnected aquifers. Interbedded with the volcanic rocks are late Tertiary sedimentary rocks composed primarily of fine-grained lake sediments and basin-filling deposits. These sedimentary deposits have generally low permeability, are not good aquifers, and probably restrict ground-water movement in some areas. The regional ground-water system is underlain and bounded on the east and west by older Tertiary volcanic and sedimentary rocks that have generally low permeability. Eight regional-scale hydrogeologic units are defined in the upper Klamath Basin on the basis of surficial geology and subsurface data. Ground water flows from recharge areas in the Cascade Range and upland areas in the basin interior and eastern margins toward stream valleys and interior subbasins. Ground water discharge to streams throughout the basin, and most streams have some component of ground water (baseflow). Some streams, however, are predominantly ground-water fed and have relatively constant flows throughout the year. Large amounts of ground water discharges in the Wood River subbasin, the lower Williamson River area, and along the margin of the Cascade Range. Much of the inflow to Upper Klamath Lake can be attributed to ground-water discharge to streams and major spring complexes within a dozen or so miles from the lake. This large component of ground water buffers the lake somewhat from climate cycles. There are also ground-water discharge areas in the eastern parts of the basin, for example in the upper Williamson and Sprague River subbasins and in the Lost River subbasin at Bonanza Springs. Irrigated agriculture is an integral part of the economy of the upper Klamath Basin. Although estimates vary somewhat, roughly 500,000 acres are irrigated in the upper Klamath Basin, about 190,000 acres of which are part of the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project. Most of this land is irrigated with surface water. Ground water has been used for many decades to irrigate areas where surface water is not available, for example outside of irrigation districts and stream valleys. Ground water has also been used as a supplemental source of water in areas where surface water supplies are limited and during droughts. Ground water use for irrigation has increased in recent years due to drought and shifts in surface-water allocation from irrigati

Spring Chinook Salmon Production for Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery, Annual Report 2006.

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

Doulas, Speros

2007-01-01

This annual report covers the period from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006. Work completed supports the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) effort to restore a locally-adapted stock of spring Chinook to the Umatilla River Basin. During the year, staff at the Little White Salmon/Willard National Fish Hatchery Complex have completed the rearing of 218,764 Brood Year 2004 spring Chinook salmon for release into the Umatilla River during spring 2006 and initiated production of approximately 220,000 Brood Year 2005 spring Chinook for transfer and release into the Umatilla River during spring 2007. All work under thismore » contract is performed at the Little White Salmon and Willard National Fish Hatcheries (NFH), Cook, WA.« less

Physico-chemical and biological factors influencing dinoflagellate cyst production in the Cariaco Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bringué, Manuel; Thunell, Robert C.; Pospelova, Vera; Pinckney, James L.; Romero, Oscar E.; Tappa, Eric J.

2018-04-01

We present a 2.5-year-long sediment trap record of dinoflagellate cyst production in the Cariaco Basin, off Venezuela (southern Caribbean Sea). The site lies under the influence of wind-driven, seasonal upwelling which promotes high levels of primary productivity during boreal winter and spring. Changes in dinoflagellate cyst production is documented between November 1996 and May 1999 at ˜ 14-day intervals and interpreted in the context of in situ observations of physico-chemical and biological parameters measured at the mooring site. Dinoflagellate cyst assemblages are diverse (57 taxa) and dominated by cyst taxa of heterotrophic affinity, primarily Brigantedinium spp. (51 % of the total trap assemblage). Average cyst fluxes to the trap are high (17.1 × 103 cysts m-2 day-1) and show great seasonal and interannual variability. On seasonal timescales, dinoflagellate cyst production responds closely to variations in upwelling strength, with increases in cyst fluxes of several protoperidinioid taxa observed during active upwelling intervals, predominantly Brigantedinium spp. Cyst taxa produced by autotrophic dinoflagellates, in particular Bitectatodinium spongium, also respond positively to upwelling. Several spiny brown cysts contribute substantially to the assemblages, including Echinidinium delicatum (9.7 %) and Echinidinium granulatum (7.3 %), and show a closer affinity to weaker upwelling conditions. The strong El Niño event of 1997/98 appears to have negatively impacted cyst production in the basin with a 1-year lag, and may have contributed to the unusually high fluxes of cysts type Cp (possibly the cysts of the toxic dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides sensu Li et al., 2015), with cyst type Cp fluxes up to 11.8 × 103 cysts m-2 day-1 observed during the weak upwelling event of February-May 1999. Possible trophic interactions between dinoflagellates and other major planktonic groups are also investigated by comparing the timing and magnitude of cyst production with proxies for phytoplanktonic communities (from photopigment data) and micro- to macrozooplankton abundance indicators (from palynological data) at the site. This work provides new, detailed insights into the ecology of cyst-producing dinoflagellates and will allow for more detailed interpretations of fossil assemblages extracted from sedimentary records in the basin and elsewhere.

The effects of monsoons and climate teleconnections on the Niangziguan Karst Spring discharge in North China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Juan; Hao, Yonghong; Hu, Bill X.; Huo, Xueli; Hao, Pengmei; Liu, Zhongfang

2017-01-01

Karst aquifers supply drinking water for 25 % of the world's population, and they are, however, vulnerable to climate change. This study is aimed to investigate the effects of various monsoons and teleconnection patterns on Niangziguan Karst Spring (NKS) discharge in North China for sustainable exploration of the karst groundwater resources. The monsoons studied include the Indian Summer Monsoon, the West North Pacific Monsoon and the East Asian Summer Monsoon. The climate teleconnection patterns explored include the Indian Ocean Dipole, E1 Niño Southern Oscillation, and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The wavelet transform and wavelet coherence methods are used to analyze the karst hydrological processes in the NKS Basin, and reveal the relations between the climate indices with precipitation and the spring discharge. The study results indicate that both the monsoons and the climate teleconnections significantly affect precipitation in the NKS Basin. The time scales that the monsoons resonate with precipitation are strongly concentrated on the time scales of 0.5-, 1-, 2.5- and 3.5-year, and that climate teleconnections resonate with precipitation are relatively weak and diverged from 0.5-, 1-, 2-, 2.5-, to 8-year time scales, respectively. Because the climate signals have to overcome the resistance of heterogeneous aquifers before reaching spring discharge, with high energy, the strong climate signals (e.g. monsoons) are able to penetrate through aquifers and act on spring discharge. So the spring discharge is more strongly affected by monsoons than the climate teleconnections. During the groundwater flow process, the precipitation signals will be attenuated, delayed, merged, and changed by karst aquifers. Therefore, the coherence coefficients between the spring discharge and climate indices are smaller than those between precipitation and climate indices. Further, the fluctuation of the spring discharge is not coincident with that of precipitation in most situations. Karst spring discharge as a proxy can represent groundwater resource variability at a regional scale, and is more strongly influenced by climate variation.

Variational data assimilative modeling of the Gulf of Maine in spring and summer 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yizhen; He, Ruoying; Chen, Ke; McGillicuddy, Dennis J.

2015-05-01

A data assimilative ocean circulation model is used to hindcast the Gulf of Maine [GOM) circulation in spring and summer 2010. Using the recently developed incremental strong constraint 4D Variational data assimilation algorithm, the model assimilates satellite sea surface temperature and in situ temperature and salinity profiles measured by expendable bathythermograph, Argo floats, and shipboard CTD casts. Validation against independent observations shows that the model skill is significantly improved after data assimilation. The data-assimilative model hindcast reproduces the temporal and spatial evolution of the ocean state, showing that a sea level depression southwest of the Scotian Shelf played a critical role in shaping the gulf-wide circulation. Heat budget analysis further demonstrates that both advection and surface heat flux contribute to temperature variability. The estimated time scale for coastal water to travel from the Scotian Shelf to the Jordan Basin is around 60 days, which is consistent with previous estimates based on in situ observations. Our study highlights the importance of resolving upstream and offshore forcing conditions in predicting the coastal circulation in the GOM.

Coupling the WRF model with a temperature index model based on remote sensing for snowmelt simulations in a river basin in the Altay Mountains, northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, X.; Shen, Y.; Wang, N.; Pan, X.; Zhang, W.; He, J.; Wang, G.

2017-12-01

Snowmelt water is an important freshwater resource in the Altay Mountains in northwest China, and it is also crucial for local ecological system, economic and social sustainable development; however, warming climate and rapid spring snowmelt can cause floods that endanger both eco-environment and public and personal property and safety. This study simulates snowmelt in the Kayiertesi River catchment using a temperature-index model based on remote sensing coupled with high-resolution meteorological data obtained from NCEP reanalysis fields that were downscaled using Weather Research Forecasting model, then bias-corrected using a statistical downscaled model. Validation of the forcing data revealed that the high-resolution meteorological fields derived from downscaled NCEP reanalysis were reliable for driving the snowmelt model. Parameters of temperature-index model based on remote sensing were calibrated for spring 2014, and model performance was validated using MODIS snow cover and snow observations from spring 2012. The results show that the temperature-index model based on remote sensing performed well, with a simulation mean relative error of 6.7% and a Nash-Sutchliffe efficiency of 0.98 in spring 2012 in the river of Altay Mountains. Based on the reliable distributed snow water equivalent simulation, daily snowmelt runoff was calculated for spring 2012 in the basin. In the study catchment, spring snowmelt runoff accounts for 72% of spring runoff and 21% of annual runoff. Snowmelt is the main source of runoff for the catchment and should be managed and utilized effectively. The results provide a basis for snowmelt runoff predictions, so as to prevent snowmelt-induced floods, and also provide a generalizable approach that can be applied to other remote locations where high-density, long-term observational data is lacking.

The dark side of the mushroom spring microbial mat: Life in the shadow of chlorophototrophs. I. Microbial diversity based on 16S rRNA gene amplicons and metagenomics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microbial-mat communities in the effluent channels of Octopus and Mushroom Springs within the Lower Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park have been studied for nearly 50 years. The emphasis has mostly focused on the chlorophototrophic bacterial organisms of the phyla Cyanobacteria and Chloroflex...

Water resources and potential effects of ground-water development in Maggie, Marys, and Susie Creek basins, Elko and Eureka counties, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plume, R.W.

1995-01-01

The basins of Maggie, Marys, and Susie Creeks in northeastern Nevada are along the Carline trend, an area of large, low-grade gold deposits. Pumping of ground water, mostly for pit dewatering at one of the mines, will reach maximum rates of about 70,000 acre-ft/yr (acre-feet per year) around the year 2000. This pumping is expected to affect ground-water levels, streamflow, and possibly the flow of Carlin spring, which is the water supply for the town of Carlin, Nev. Ground water in the upper Maggie Creek Basin moves from recharge areas in mountain ranges toward the basin axis and discharges as evapotranspiration and as inflow to the stream channel. Ground water in the lower Maggie, Marys, and Susie Creek Basins moves southward from recharge areas in mountain ranges and along the channel of lower Maggie Creek to the discharge area along the Humboldt River. Ground-water underflow between basins is through permeable bedrock of Schroeder Mountain from the upper Maggie Creek Basin to the lower Maggie Creek Basin and through permeable volcanic rocks from lower Maggie Creek to Carlin spring in the Marys Creek Basin. The only source of water to the combined area of the three basins is an estimated 420,000 acre-ft/yr of precipitation. Water leaves as runoff (38,000 acre-ft/yr) and evapotranspiration of soil moisture and ground water (380,000 acre-ft/yr). A small part of annual precipitation (about 25,000 acre-ft/yr) infiltrates the soil zone and becomes ground-water recharge. This ground water eventually is discharged as evapotranspiration (11,000 acre-ft/yr) and as inflow to the Humboldt River channel and nearby springflow (7,000 acre-ft/yr). Total discharge is estimated to be 18,000 acre-ft/yr.

Hydrogeology, geochemistry, and quality of water of The Basin and Oak Spring areas of the Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baker, E.T.; Buszka, P.M.

1993-01-01

Water-chemistry data, hydrochemical facies, and isotopic data also indicate that water from Oak Spring originates principally from precipitation onto the land surface of the Oak Spring area. Tritium data indicate that Oak Spring water is "modern," with an average age of recharge less than 14 years. The flow rates recorded almost continuously at Oak Spring beginning in December 1986 show a close relation between precipitation and discharge. The highest recorded spring flow of 167 gallons per minute in December 1986 is attributed to record high precipitation in the area during 1986. The lowest recorded flow of 22.4 gallons per minute, in December 1989, followed a period of 20 out of 26 months of below-normal precipitation. Flow at Oak Spring typically lags behind precipitation by about 1 month. This fairly rapid response indicates the spring is fed by a shallow aquifer having good permeability and effective recharge areas with the ability to absorb precipitation rapidly.

Preliminary geologic map of the Deadman Spring NE quadrangle, Lincoln County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swadley, W.C.; Page, William R.; Scott, Robert B.

1994-01-01

Pesticides are used extensively in the largely agricultural Red River of the North (Red River) Basin, but, unlike many other agricultural basins, only small amounts are routinely detected in samples from streams in the basin. The pesticides detected comprise less than 2 percent of the amount applied and usually are at concentrations far less than established drinking water standards. Most of the detected pesticides seem to come from sources near the headwaters in the southern part of the basin. Although low, concentrations are related to pesticide application and runoff. Flat slope, organic solids, pesticide management, and degra- dation all may reduce pesticide contamination of Red River streams.

Overview of water resources in and near Wichita and Affiliated Tribes treaty lands in western Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abbott, Marvin M.; Tortorelli, R.L.; Becker, M.F.; Trombley, T.J.

2003-01-01

This report is an overview of water resources in and near the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes treaty lands in western Oklahoma. The tribal treaty lands are about 1,140 square miles and are bordered by the Canadian River on the north, the Washita River on the south, 98? west longitude on the east, and 98? 40' west longitude on the west. Seventy percent of the study area lies within the Washita River drainage basin and 30 percent of the area lies within the Canadian River drainage basin. March through June are months of greatest average streamflow, with 49 to 57 percent of the annual streamflow occurring in these four months. November through February, July, and August have the least average streamflow with only 26 to 36 percent of the annual streamflow occurring in these six months. Two streamflow-gaging stations, Canadian River at Bridgeport and Cobb Creek near Fort Cobb, indicated peak streamflows generally decrease with regulation. Two other streamflow-gaging stations, Washita River at Carnegie and Washita River at Anadarko, indicated a decrease in peak streamflows after regulation at less than the 100-year recurrence and an increase in peak streamflows greater than the 100-year recurrence. Canadian River at Bridgeport and Washita River at Carnegie had estimated annual low flows that generally increased with regulation. Cobb Creek near Fort Cobb had a decrease of estimated annual low flows after regulation. There are greater than 900 ground-water wells in the tribal treaty lands. Eighty percent of the wells are in Caddo County.The major aquifers in the study area are the Rush Springs Aquifer and portions of the Canadian River and Washita River valley alluvial aquifers. The Rush Springs Aquifer is used extensively for irrigation as well as industrial and municipal purposes, especially near population centers.The Canadian River and Washita River valley alluvial aquifers are not used extensively in the study area. Well yields from the Rush Springs Aquifer ranged from 11 to greater than 850 gallons per minute. The Rush Springs Aquifer is recharged by the infiltration of precipitation. The estimated recharge is about 1.80 inches per year evenly distributed over the outcrop of the aquifer in the study area. Principal factors affecting the water quality in the study area include geology, agricultural practices,and oil and gas production. Calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and bicarbonate are the dominant dissolved constituents in water in the study area. Interquartile dissolved-solids concentrations in surface-water samples in the study area generally were greater than interquartile concentrations in ground-water samples. Median dissolved-solids concentrations for ground-water samples from Canadian River, Ionine Creek, Spring Creek,and Washita River Basins, which ranged from 535 to 1,195 milligrams per liter,exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking Water Standard of 500 milligrams per liter. Interquartile sulfate concentrations in surface-water samples in the study area generally were greater than interquartile concentrations in ground-water samples. Median sulfate concentrations from ground-water samples in the Canadian River, IonineCreek,and Spring Creek Basins, which ranged from 385 to 570 milligrams per liter, exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Drinking Water Standard of 250 milligrams per liter. Nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen concentrations in surface-water samples in the study area generally were less than concentrations in ground-water samples. The median nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen concentration in ground water was 9.8 milligrams per liter, suggesting almost one-half the ground-water samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Primary Drinking Water Standard (10 milligrams per liter). An estimated 100 million gallons of water per day were withdrawn from surface and ground water for all uses in

Decadal-Scale Changes of Dinoflagellates and Diatoms in the Anomalous Baltic Sea Spring Bloom

PubMed Central

Klais, Riina; Tamminen, Timo; Kremp, Anke; Spilling, Kristian; Olli, Kalle

2011-01-01

The algal spring bloom in the Baltic Sea represents an anomaly from the winter-spring bloom patterns worldwide in terms of frequent and recurring dominance of dinoflagellates over diatoms. Analysis of approximately 3500 spring bloom samples from the Baltic Sea monitoring programs revealed (i) that within the major basins the proportion of dinoflagellates varied from 0.1 (Kattegat) to >0.8 (central Baltic Proper), and (ii) substantial shifts (e.g. from 0.2 to 0.6 in the Gulf of Finland) in the dinoflagellate proportion over four decades. During a recent decade (1995–2004) the proportion of dinoflagellates increased relative to diatoms mostly in the northernmost basins (Gulf of Bothnia, from 0.1 to 0.4) and in the Gulf of Finland, (0.4 to 0.6) which are typically ice-covered areas. We hypothesize that in coastal areas a specific sequence of seasonal events, involving wintertime mixing and resuspension of benthic cysts, followed by proliferation in stratified thin layers under melting ice, favors successful seeding and accumulation of dense dinoflagellate populations over diatoms. This head-start of dinoflagellates by the onset of the spring bloom is decisive for successful competition with the faster growing diatoms. Massive cyst formation and spreading of cyst beds fuel the expanding and ever larger dinoflagellate blooms in the relatively shallow coastal waters. Shifts in the dominant spring bloom algal groups can have significant effects on major elemental fluxes and functioning of the Baltic Sea ecosystem, but also in the vast shelves and estuaries at high latitudes, where ice-associated cold-water dinoflagellates successfully compete with diatoms. PMID:21747911

Decadal-scale changes of dinoflagellates and diatoms in the anomalous baltic sea spring bloom.

PubMed

Klais, Riina; Tamminen, Timo; Kremp, Anke; Spilling, Kristian; Olli, Kalle

2011-01-01

The algal spring bloom in the Baltic Sea represents an anomaly from the winter-spring bloom patterns worldwide in terms of frequent and recurring dominance of dinoflagellates over diatoms. Analysis of approximately 3500 spring bloom samples from the Baltic Sea monitoring programs revealed (i) that within the major basins the proportion of dinoflagellates varied from 0.1 (Kattegat) to >0.8 (central Baltic Proper), and (ii) substantial shifts (e.g. from 0.2 to 0.6 in the Gulf of Finland) in the dinoflagellate proportion over four decades. During a recent decade (1995-2004) the proportion of dinoflagellates increased relative to diatoms mostly in the northernmost basins (Gulf of Bothnia, from 0.1 to 0.4) and in the Gulf of Finland, (0.4 to 0.6) which are typically ice-covered areas. We hypothesize that in coastal areas a specific sequence of seasonal events, involving wintertime mixing and resuspension of benthic cysts, followed by proliferation in stratified thin layers under melting ice, favors successful seeding and accumulation of dense dinoflagellate populations over diatoms. This head-start of dinoflagellates by the onset of the spring bloom is decisive for successful competition with the faster growing diatoms. Massive cyst formation and spreading of cyst beds fuel the expanding and ever larger dinoflagellate blooms in the relatively shallow coastal waters. Shifts in the dominant spring bloom algal groups can have significant effects on major elemental fluxes and functioning of the Baltic Sea ecosystem, but also in the vast shelves and estuaries at high latitudes, where ice-associated cold-water dinoflagellates successfully compete with diatoms.

Spring snow goose hunting influences body composition of waterfowl staging in Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearse, Aaron T.; Krapu, Gary L.; Cox, Robert R.

2012-01-01

A spring hunt was instituted in North America to reduce abundance of snow geese (Chen caerulescens) by increasing mortality of adults directly, yet disturbance from hunting activities can indirectly influence body condition and ultimately, reproductive success. We estimated effects of hunting disturbance by comparing body composition of snow geese and non-target species, greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons) and northern pintails (Anas acuta) collected in portions of south-central Nebraska that were open (eastern Rainwater Basin, ERB) and closed (western Rainwater Basin, WRB; and central Platte River Valley, CPRV) to snow goose hunting during springs 1998 and 1999. Lipid content of 170 snow geese was 25% (57 g) less in areas open to hunting compared to areas closed during hunting season but similar in all areas after hunting was concluded in the ERB. Protein content of snow geese was 3% (14 g) less in the region open to hunting. Greater white-fronted geese had 24% (76 g; n = 129) less lipids in the hunted portion of the study area during hunting season, and this difference persisted after conclusion of hunting season. We found little difference in lipid or protein content of northern pintails in relation to spring hunting. Indirect effects of spring hunting may be considered a collateral benefit regarding efforts to reduce overabundant snow goose populations. Disrupted nutrient storage observed in greater white-fronted geese represents an unintended consequence of spring hunting that has potential to adversely affect reproduction for this and other species of waterbirds staging in the region.

Revisiting a classification scheme for U.S.-Mexico alluvial basin-fill aquifers.

PubMed

Hibbs, Barry J; Darling, Bruce K

2005-01-01

Intermontane basins in the Trans-Pecos region of westernmost Texas and northern Chihuahua, Mexico, are target areas for disposal of interstate municipal sludge and have been identified as possible disposal sites for low-level radioactive waste. Understanding ground water movement within and between these basins is needed to assess potential contaminant fate and movement. Four associated basin aquifers are evaluated and classified; the Red Light Draw Aquifer, the Northwest Eagle Flat Aquifer, the Southeast Eagle Flat Aquifer, and the El Cuervo Aquifer. Encompassed on all but one side by mountains and local divides, the Red Light Draw Aquifer has the Rio Grande as an outlet for both surface drainage and ground water discharge. The river juxtaposed against its southern edge, the basin is classified as a topographically open, through-flowing basin. The Northwest Eagle Flat Aquifer is classified as a topographically closed and drained basin because surface drainage is to the interior of the basin and ground water discharge occurs by interbasin ground water flow. Mountains and ground water divides encompass this basin aquifer on all sides; yet, depth to ground water in the interior of the basin is commonly >500 feet. Negligible ground water discharge within the basin indicates that ground water discharges from the basin by vertical flow and underflow to a surrounding basin or basins. The most likely mode of discharge is by vertical, cross-formational flow to underlying Permian rocks that are more porous and permeable and subsequent flow along regional flowpaths beneath local ground water divides. The Southeast Eagle Flat Aquifer is classified as a topographically open and drained basin because surface drainage and ground water discharge are to the adjacent Wildhorse Flat area. Opposite the Eagle Flat and Red Light Draw aquifers is the El Cuervo Aquifer of northern Chihuahua, Mexico. The El Cuervo Aquifer has interior drainage to Laguna El Cuervo, which is a phreatic playa that also serves as a focal point of ground water discharge. Our evidence suggests that El Cuervo Aquifer may lose a smaller portion of its discharge by interbasin ground water flow to Indian Hot Springs, near the Rio Grande. Thus, El Cuervo Aquifer is a topographically closed basin that is either partially drained if a component of its ground water discharge reaches Indian Hot Springs or undrained if all its natural ground water discharge is to Laguna El Cuervo.

Eddy-driven stratification initiates North Atlantic spring phytoplankton blooms.

PubMed

Mahadevan, Amala; D'Asaro, Eric; Lee, Craig; Perry, Mary Jane

2012-07-06

Springtime phytoplankton blooms photosynthetically fix carbon and export it from the surface ocean at globally important rates. These blooms are triggered by increased light exposure of the phytoplankton due to both seasonal light increase and the development of a near-surface vertical density gradient (stratification) that inhibits vertical mixing of the phytoplankton. Classically and in current climate models, that stratification is ascribed to a springtime warming of the sea surface. Here, using observations from the subpolar North Atlantic and a three-dimensional biophysical model, we show that the initial stratification and resulting bloom are instead caused by eddy-driven slumping of the basin-scale north-south density gradient, resulting in a patchy bloom beginning 20 to 30 days earlier than would occur by warming.

Grande Ronde Basin Chinook Salmon Captive Brood and Conventional Supplementation Programs, 2003 Annual Report.

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

Hoffnagle, Timothy L.; Hair, Don; Carmichael, Richard W.

2004-07-01

BPA Fish and Wildlife Program Project Number 1998-01-001 provides funding for the Grande Ronde Basin Spring Chinook Salmon Captive Broodstock Program. This report satisfies the requirement that an annual report be submitted for FY 2003. The Grande Ronde Basin Spring Chinook Salmon Captive Broodstock Project is designed to rapidly increase numbers of salmon in stocks that are in imminent danger of extirpation. Parr are captured in Catherine Creek, upper Grande Ronde River and Lostine River and reared to adulthood in captivity. Upon maturation, these fish are spawned (within stocks) and their progeny reared to smoltification before being released into themore » natal stream of their parents. This program is co-managed by ODFW, National Marine Fisheries Service, Nez Perce Tribe and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. This report covers activities conducted and provides data analyses for the Grande Ronde Spring Chinook Salmon Captive broodstock Program from 1 January--31 December 2003. Since the fiscal year ends in the middle of the spawning period, an annual report based on calendar year is more logical. This document is the FY 2003 annual report. Detailed information on historic and present population status, project background, goals and objectives, significance to regional programs and relationships to other programs, methods and previous results are available in the 1995-2002 Project Status Report (Hoffnagle et al 2003).« less

Nitrate Sources and Transport in the Upper Illinois River Basin Evaluated with Stable Isotope Ratios and SWAT Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, J.; Demissie, Y.; Yan, E.; Bohlke, J. K.; Sturchio, N. C.

2014-12-01

Measurements of nitrate concentrations and δ15N and δ18O values in 450 surface-water samples from the Upper Illinois River Basin (UIRB) were combined with SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) modeling to study the influence of land use on nitrate sources, mixing, and transformation within the watershed. The samples were collected from the Illinois River and its tributaries, including effluent from Chicago's largest wastewater treatment plant (WTP), October 2004 through October 2008. The isotopic and concentration measurements indicated that WTP effluent and agricultural drainage waters were the two principal nitrate endmembers within the UIRB. Isotopic compositions indicated the source of nitrate during the annual spring flushing event was mostly derived from agriculture. An apparent denitrification trend was identified from spring through fall in tributaries draining agricultural subbasins and those having mixed urban-agricultural land use. Mass balance indicated that the fraction of nitrate from the WTP effluent was as low as 5 % or less during the spring flush (March-May) and much larger during late summer and fall. A SWAT model was constructed to evaluate effects of land use, fertilizer applications, and WTP point source discharge by coupling hydrologic processes with nutrient cycling and plant growth. The UIRB SWAT model was calibrated and validated with flow and nitrate measurements: the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) ranged from 0.60 to 0.83 and the determination coefficient (R2) ranged from 0.59 to 0.87. To explore the influence of fertilizer input on basin nitrate transport, the calibrated model was used to evaluate impacts of spring and fall fertilizer applications on stream nitrate loads. Simulations with a -50% change in the total fertilizer application rate (kg N/ha) resulted in as much as -42% change in basin nitrate export (kg N/month), while causing only -9% or less change in corn yield (kg N/ha). Decreased fertilizer application also led to reductions of annual basin N percolation rate below the root zone (kg N/ha) and nitrate loading to surface runoff (kg N/ha), causing changes as much as -32.2% and -15.6% respectively. Combined modeling and isotopic studies can be useful for understanding nutrient mixing and transformation processes and for optimizing nutrient export reduction strategies.

Coupled Teleconnections and River Dynamics for Enhanced Hydrologic Forecasting in the Upper Colorado River Basin USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matter, M. A.; Garcia, L. A.; Fontane, D. G.

2005-12-01

Accuracy of water supply forecasts has improved for some river basins in the western U.S.A. by integrating knowledge of climate teleconnections, such as El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), into forecasting routines, but in other basins, such as the Colorado River Basin (CRB), forecast accuracy has declined (Pagano et al. 2004). Longer lead time and more accurate seasonal forecasts, particularly during floods or drought, could help reduce uncertainty and risk in decision-making and lengthen the period for planning more efficient and effective strategies for water use and ecosystem management. The goal of this research is to extend the lead time for snowmelt hydrograph estimation by 4-6 months (from spring to the preceding fall), and at the same time increase the accuracy of snowmelt runoff estimates in the Upper CRB (UCRB). We hypothesize that: (1) UCRB snowpack accumulation and melt are driven by large scale climate modes, including ENSO, PDO and AMO, that establish by fall and persist into early spring; (2) forecast analysis may begin in the fall prior to the start of the primary snow accumulation period and when energy to change the climate system is decreasing; and (3) between fall and early spring, streamflow hydrographs will amplify precipitation and temperature signals, and thus will evolve characteristically in response to wet, dry or average hydroclimatic conditions. Historical in situ records from largely unregulated river reaches and undeveloped time periods of the UCRB are used to test this hypothesis. Preliminary results show that, beginning in the fall (e.g., October or November) streamflow characteristics, including magnitude, rate of change and variability, as well as timing and magnitude of fall/early winter and late winter/early spring season flow volumes, are directly correlated with the magnitude of the upcoming snowmelt runoff (or annual basin yield). The use of climate teleconnections to determine characteristic streamflow responses in the UCRB advances understanding of atmosphere/land surface processes and interactions in complex terrain and subsequent effects on snowpack development and runoff (i.e., water supply), and may be used to improve seasonal forecast accuracy and extend lead time to develop more efficient and effective management strategies for water resources and ecosystems.

Hydrogeologic and hydrochemical framework, south-central Great Basin, Nevada-California, with special reference to the Nevada Test Site

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

Winograd, I.J.; Thordarson, W.

Intensely fractured Precambrian and Paleozoic carbonate and clastic rocks and block-faulted Cenozoic volcanic and sedimentary strata in the Nevada Test Site are divided into 10 hydrogeologic units. Three of these--the lower clastic aquitard, the lower carbonate aquifer, and the tuff aquitard--control the regional movement of ground water. The coefficients of fracture transmissiblity of these rocks are, respectively, less than 1,000, 1,000 to 900,000, and less than 200 gallons per day per foot; interstitial permeability is negligible. Solution caverns are locally present in the carbonate aquifer, but regional movement of water is controlled by variations in fracture transmissibility and by structuralmore » juxtaposition of the aquifer and the lower clastic aquitard. Water circulates freely to depths of at least 1,500 feet beneath the top of the aquifer and up to 4,200 feet below land surface. Synthesis of hydrogeologic, hydrochemical, and isotopic data suggests that an area of at least 4,500 square miles (including 10 intermontane valleys) is hydraulically integrated into one ground-water basin, the Ash Meadows basin, by interbasin movement of ground water through the widespread carbonate aquifer. Discharge from this basin--a minimum of about 17,000 acre-feet annually--occurs along a fault-controlled spring line at Ash Meadows in east-central Amargosa Desert. Intrabasin movement of water between Cenozoic aquifers and the lower carbonate aquifer is controlled by the tuff aquitard, the basal Cenozoic hydrogeologic unit. Such movement significantly influences the chemistry of water in the carbonate aquifer. Ground-water velocity through the tuff aquitard in Yucca Flat is less than 1 foot per year. Velocity through the lower carbonate aquifer ranges from an estimated 0.02 to 200 feet per day, depending upon geographic position within the flow system.Within the Nevada Test Site, ground water moves southward and southwestward toward Ash Meadows.« less

Generalized hydrogeology and ground-water budget for the C Aquifer, Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins, Arizona and New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hart, Robert J.; Ward, John J.; Bills, Donald J.; Flynn, Marilyn E.

2002-01-01

The C aquifer underlies the Little Colorado River Basin and parts of the Verde and Salt River Basins and is named for the primary water-bearing rock unit of the aquifer, the Coconino Sandstone. The areal extent of this aquifer is more than 27,000 square miles. More than 1,000 well and spring sites were identified in the U.S. Geological Survey database for the C aquifer in Arizona and New Mexico. The C aquifer is the most productive aquifer in the Little Colorado River Basin. The Little Colorado River is the primary surface-water feature in the area, and it has a direct hydraulic connection with the C aquifer in some areas. Spring discharge as base flow from the C aquifer occurs predominantly in the lower 13 miles of the Little Colorado River subsequent to downward leakage into the deeper Redwall-Muav Limestone aquifer. Ground-water mounds or divides exist along the southern and northeastern boundaries of the Little Colorado River Basin. The ground-water divides are significant boundaries of the C aquifer; however, the location and persistence of the divides potentially can be affected by ground-water withdrawals. Ground-water development in the C aquifer has increased steadily since the 1940s because population growth has produced an increased need for agricultural, industrial, and public water supply. Ground-water pumpage from the C aquifer during 1995 was about 140,000 acre-feet. Ground-water budget components for the C aquifer were evaluated using measured or estimated discharge values. The system was assumed to be in a steady-state condition with respect to natural recharge and discharge, and the stability of discharge from major springs during the past several decades supported the steady-state assumption. Downward leakage to the Redwall-Muav Limestone aquifer is a major discharge component for the ground-water budget. Discharge from the C aquifer is estimated to be 319,000 acre-feet per year.

Behavior and movements of adult spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Chehalis River Basin, southwestern Washington, 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liedtke, Theresa L.; Zimmerman, Mara S.; Tomka, Ryan G.; Holt, Curt; Jennings, Lyle

2016-09-14

Recent interest in flood control and restoration strategies in the Chehalis River Basin has increased the need to understand the current status and ecology of spring Chinook salmon. Based on the extended period between freshwater entry and spawn timing, spring Chinook salmon have the longest exposure of all adult Chinook salmon life histories to the low-flow and high water temperature conditions that typically occur during summer. About 100 adult spring Chinook salmon were found dead in the Chehalis River in July and August 2009. Adult Chinook salmon are known to hold in cool-water refugia during warm summer months, but the extent to which spring Chinook salmon might use thermal refugia in the Chehalis River is unknown. The movements and temperature exposures of adult spring Chinook salmon following their return to the Chehalis River were investigated using radiotelemetry and transmitters equipped with temperature sensors, combined with water temperature monitoring throughout the basin. A total of 23 spring Chinook salmon were radio-tagged between April and early July 2015; 11 were captured and released in the main-stem Chehalis River, and 12 were captured and released in the South Fork Newaukum River. Tagged fish were monitored with a combination of fixed-site monitoring locations and regular mobile tracking, from freshwater entry through the spawning period.Water temperature and flow conditions in the main-stem Chehalis River during 2015 were atypical compared to historical averages. Mean monthly water temperatures between March and July 2015 were higher than any decade since 1960 and mean daily flows were 30–70 percent of the flows in previous years. Overall, 96 percent of the tagged fish were detected, with a mean of 62 d in the detection history of tagged fish. Of the 11 fish released in the main-stem Chehalis River, six fish (55 percent) moved upstream, either shortly after release (2–7 d, 50 percent), or following a short delay (12–18 d, 50 percent). One fish released in the main-stem Chehalis River remained near the release location for 64 d before moving upstream.The final fates for the seven fish that moved upstream in the main-stem Chehalis River included two fish with unknown fates, two fish with a fate of pre-spawn mortality, and three fish that were assigned a fate of spawner. Four (36 percent) of the radio-tagged Chinook salmon released in the main-stem Chehalis River showed limited movement from their release sites, and were assigned fates of unknown (one fish), pre-spawn mortality (one fish), and spit/mortality (2 fish). The 12 spring Chinook salmon released in the South Fork Newaukum River remained in the South Fork Newaukum River throughout the study period. Five (42 percent) of these fish were actively moving through the spawning period and were assigned a fate of spawner. Seven (58 percent) of these fish were detected for a period following release, but their detection histories ended prior to the spawning period. The fates assigned to these seven fish included two fish with spit/mortality fates and five fish with fates of pre-spawn mortality. Tagged fish in both the Chehalis River and the South Fork Newaukum River showed limited movements during the peak water temperatures in July and August, and were not frequently detected at sites where water temperatures were greater than 21 °C. Pre-spawn mortality due to predation or harvest may be an important factor in the Chehalis River Basin as it was the assigned fate for 27 percent of the fish released in the main-stem Chehalis River and 42 percent of the fish released in the South Fork Newaukum River.This study represents a substantial contribution to the understanding of spring Chinook salmon in the Chehalis River Basin. The water temperatures and flow conditions during the 2015 study period were not typical of the historical conditions in the basin and the numbers of tagged fish monitored was relatively low, so results should be interpreted with those cautions in mind.

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.

Implications of water supply for indigenous Americans during Holocene ardity phases on the Southern High Plains, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, W.W.; Stokes, S.; Rich, J.

2002-01-01

Springs in the 40 to 50 large lake basins (>15 km2) on the southern portion of the Southern High Plains (SHP) were active during periods of aridity in the Holocene when there may have been human habitation of the area. Eolian erosion of the lake floors and lunette accretion occurred as groundwater levels declined in response to decreased groundwater recharge. The declining lake floor associated with eolian erosion allowed groundwater evaporative discharge to continue, thus maintaining a groundwater gradient toward the lake. This hydrologic condition was favorable for a relatively continuous spring discharge to the lake, independent of the elevation of the lake floor. To evaluate the postulated dynamic equilibrium critical to this conclusion, 17 optically stimulated ages were determined from a 17.7-m deep core of a lunette adjacent to Double Lakes, Texas (33??13???15???N, 101??54???08???W). The core yielded sediment accumulation dates of 11,500 ?? 1100, 6500 ?? 700, and 4900 ?? 500 yr B.P., corresponding broadly with periods of aridity known from other evidence. Based on analysis of this lunette, it is concluded that springs in Double Lakes basin probably existed throughout the Holocene with discharges similar to those observed historically. We assumed that similar dynamic equilibrium existed in the other large lake basins in the SHP and that these springs could have provided a continuous source of water for indigenous peoples during periods of prolonged aridity. The dynamic equilibrium that is proposed in this study is applicable not only to other arid and semiarid geographic areas with wind-erodible material but also over different geologic times. ?? 2002 University of Washington.

Estimation of selected seasonal streamflow statistics representative of 1930-2002 in West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiley, Jeffrey B.; Atkins, John T.

2010-01-01

Regional equations and procedures were developed for estimating seasonal 1-day 10-year, 7-day 10-year, and 30-day 5-year hydrologically based low-flow frequency values for unregulated streams in West Virginia. Regional equations and procedures also were developed for estimating the seasonal U.S. Environmental Protection Agency harmonic-mean flows and the 50-percent flow-duration values. The seasons were defined as winter (January 1-March 31), spring (April 1-June 30), summer (July 1-September 30), and fall (October 1-December 31). Regional equations were developed using ordinary least squares regression using statistics from 117 U.S. Geological Survey continuous streamgage stations as dependent variables and basin characteristics as independent variables. Equations for three regions in West Virginia-North, South-Central, and Eastern Panhandle Regions-were determined. Drainage area, average annual precipitation, and longitude of the basin centroid are significant independent variables in one or more of the equations. The average standard error of estimates for the equations ranged from 12.6 to 299 percent. Procedures developed to estimate the selected seasonal streamflow statistics in this study are applicable only to rural, unregulated streams within the boundaries of West Virginia that have independent variables within the limits of the stations used to develop the regional equations: drainage area from 16.3 to 1,516 square miles in the North Region, from 2.78 to 1,619 square miles in the South-Central Region, and from 8.83 to 3,041 square miles in the Eastern Panhandle Region; average annual precipitation from 42.3 to 61.4 inches in the South-Central Region and from 39.8 to 52.9 inches in the Eastern Panhandle Region; and longitude of the basin centroid from 79.618 to 82.023 decimal degrees in the North Region. All estimates of seasonal streamflow statistics are representative of the period from the 1930 to the 2002 climatic year.

Walla Walla River Fish Passage Operations Program, 2000-2001 Annual Report.

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

Zimmerman, Brian C.; Duke, Bill B.

2004-02-01

In the late 1990's, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with many other agencies, began implementing fisheries restoration activities in the Walla Walla Basin. An integral part of these efforts is to alleviate the inadequate migration conditions in the basin. The migration concerns are being addressed by removing diversion structures, constructing fish passage facilities, implementing minimum instream flow measures, and initiating trap and haul efforts. The objective of the Walla Walla River Fish Passage Operations Project is to increase the survival of migrating adultmore » and juvenile salmonids in the basin. The project is responsible for coordinating operation and maintenance of ladders, screen sites, bypasses, trap facilities, and transportation equipment. In addition, the project provides technical input on passage criteria and passage and trapping facility design and operation. Operation of the various passage facilities and passage criteria guidelines are outlined in an annual operations plan that the project develops. During the 2000-2001 project year, there were 624 summer steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), 24 bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), and 47 spring chinook (O. tshawytscha) counted at the Nursery Bridge Dam adult trap between December 27, 2000 and June 7, 2001. The Little Walla Walla River juvenile trap was not operated this year. The project transported 1600 adult spring chinook from Ringold Springs Hatchery to the South Fork Walla Walla Brood Holding Facility and outplanted 1156 for natural spawning in the basin. The project also provided equipment for transportation of juveniles captured during the construction fish salvage at Nursery Bridge Dam.« less

Evaluation and Application of Gridded Snow Water Equivalent Products for Improving Snowmelt Flood Predictions in the Red River Basin of the North

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroeder, R.; Jacobs, J. M.; Vuyovich, C.; Cho, E.; Tuttle, S. E.

2017-12-01

Each spring the Red River basin (RRB) of the North, located between the states of Minnesota and North Dakota and southern Manitoba, is vulnerable to dangerous spring snowmelt floods. Flat terrain, low permeability soils and a lack of satisfactory ground observations of snow pack conditions make accurate predictions of the onset and magnitude of major spring flood events in the RRB very challenging. This study investigated the potential benefit of using gridded snow water equivalent (SWE) products from passive microwave satellite missions and model output simulations to improve snowmelt flood predictions in the RRB using NOAA's operational Community Hydrologic Prediction System (CHPS). Level-3 satellite SWE products from AMSR-E, AMSR2 and SSM/I, as well as SWE computed from Level-2 brightness temperatures (Tb) measurements, including model output simulations of SWE from SNODAS and GlobSnow-2 were chosen to support the snowmelt modeling exercises. SWE observations were aggregated spatially (i.e. to the NOAA North Central River Forecast Center forecast basins) and temporally (i.e. by obtaining daily screened and weekly unscreened maximum SWE composites) to assess the value of daily satellite SWE observations relative to weekly maximums. Data screening methods removed the impacts of snow melt and cloud contamination on SWE and consisted of diurnal SWE differences and a temperature-insensitive polarization difference ratio, respectively. We examined the ability of the satellite and model output simulations to capture peak SWE and investigated temporal accuracies of screened and unscreened satellite and model output SWE. The resulting SWE observations were employed to update the SNOW-17 snow accumulation and ablation model of CHPS to assess the benefit of using temporally and spatially consistent SWE observations for snow melt predictions in two test basins in the RRB.

Ground-water resources of the Sevier River basin between Yuba Dam and Leamington Canyon, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bjorklund, Louis Jay; Robinson, Gerald B.

1968-01-01

The area investigated is a segment of the Sevier River basin, Utah, comprising about 900 square miles and including a 19-mile reach of the Sevier River between Yuba Dam and Leamington Canyon. The larger valleys in the area are southern Juab, Round, and Scipio Valleys. The smaller valleys are Mills, Little, Dog, and Tinctic Wash Valleys.The geology of parts of Scipio, Little, and Mills Valleys and parts of the surrounding highlands was mapped and studied to explain the occurrence of numerous sinkholes in the thre valleys and to show their relation to the large springs in Mills Valley. The sinkholes, which are formed in the alluvium, are alined along faults, which penetrate both the alluvium and the underlying bedrock, and they have been formed by collapse of solution cavities in the underlying bedrock. The bedrock is mostly sandy limestone beds of the upper part of the North Horn Formation and of the Flagstaff Limestone. The numerous faults traversing Scipio Valley in a north-northeasterly direction trend directly toward Molter and Blue Springs in Mills Valley. One fault, which can be traced directly between the springs, probably is the principal channelway for the ground water moving from Scipio and Little Valleys to the springs.

Elevational dependence of projected hydrologic changes in the San Francisco Estuary and watershed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knowles, N.; Cayan, D.R.

2004-01-01

California's primary hydrologic system, the San Francisco Estuary and its upstream watershed, is vulnerable to the regional hydrologic consequences of projected global climate change. Previous work has shown that a projected warming would result in a reduction of snowpack storage leading to higher winter and lower spring-summer streamflows and increased spring-summer salinities in the estuary. The present work shows that these hydrologic changes exhibit a strong dependence on elevation, with the greatest loss of snowpack volume in the 1300-2700 m elevation range. Exploiting hydrologic and estuarine modeling capabilities to trace water as it moves through the system reveals that the shift of water in mid-elevations of the Sacramento river basin from snowmelt to rainfall runoff is the dominant cause of projected changes in estuarine inflows and salinity. Additionally, although spring-summer losses of estuarine inflows are balanced by winter gains, the losses have a stronger influence on salinity since longer spring-summer residence times allow the inflow changes to accumulate in the estuary. The changes in inflows sourced in the Sacramento River basin in approximately the 1300-2200 m elevation range thereby lead to a net increase in estuarine salinity under the projected warming. Such changes would impact ecosystems throughout the watershed and threaten to contaminate much of California's freshwater supply.

Onset of snowmelt and streamflow in 2004 in the Western Unites States: How shading may affect spring streamflow timing in a warmer world

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lundquist, J.D.; Flint, A.L.

2006-01-01

Historic streamflow records show that the onset of snowfed streamflow in the western United States has shifted earlier over the past 50 yr, and March 2004 was one of the earliest onsets on record. Record high temperatures occurred throughout the western United States during the second week of March, and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges throughout the area recorded early onsets of streamflow at this time. However, a set of nested subbasins in Yosemite National Park, California, told a more complicated story. In spite of high air temperatures, many streams draining high-elevation basins did not start flowing until later in the spring. Temperatures during early March 2004 were as high as temperatures in late March 2002, when streams at all of the monitored Yosemite basins began flowing at the same time. However, the March 2004 onset occurred before the spring equinox, when the sun was lower in the sky. Thus, shading and solar radiation differences played a much more important role in 2004, leading to differences in streamflow timing. These results suggest that as temperatures warm and spring melt shifts earlier in the season, topographic effects will play an even more important role than at present in determining snowmelt timing. ?? 2006 American Meteorological Society.

Reproductive Ecology of Yakima River Hatchery and Wild Spring Chinook; Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project Monitoring and Evaluation Report 3 of 7, 2003-2004 Annual Report.

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

Knudsen, Curtis

2004-05-01

This is the third in a series of annual reports that address reproductive ecological research and comparisons of hatchery and wild origin spring chinook in the Yakima River basin. Data have been collected prior to supplementation to characterize the baseline reproductive ecology, demographics and phenotypic traits of the unsupplemented upper Yakima population, however this report focuses on data collected on hatchery and wild spring chinook returning in 2003; the third year of hatchery adult returns. This report is organized into three chapters, with a general introduction preceding the first chapter and summarizes data collected between April 1, 2003 and Marchmore » 31, 2004 in the Yakima basin. Summaries of each of the chapters in this report are included below. A major component of determining supplementation success in the Yakima Klickitat Fishery Project's spring chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) program is an increase in natural production. Within this context, comparing upper Yakima River hatchery and wild origin fish across traits such as sex ratio, age composition, size-at-age, fecundity, run timing and gamete quality is important because these traits directly affect population productivity and individual fish fitness which determine a population's productivity.« less

Source and fate of inorganic solutes in the Gibbon River, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA: I. Low-flow discharge and major solute chemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCleskey, R. Blaine; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Susong, David D.; Ball, James W.; Holloway, JoAnn M.

2010-01-01

The Gibbon River in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is an important natural resource and habitat for fisheries and wildlife. However, the Gibbon River differs from most other mountain rivers because its chemistry is affected by several geothermal sources including Norris Geyser Basin, Chocolate Pots, Gibbon Geyser Basin, Beryl Spring, and Terrace Spring. Norris Geyser Basin is one of the most dynamic geothermal areas in YNP, and the water discharging from Norris is much more acidic (pH 3) than other geothermal basins in the upper-Madison drainage (Gibbon and Firehole Rivers). Water samples and discharge data were obtained from the Gibbon River and its major tributaries near Norris Geyser Basin under the low-flow conditions of September 2006. Surface inflows from Norris Geyser Basin were sampled to identify point sources and to quantify solute loading to the Gibbon River. The source and fate of the major solutes (Ca, Mg, Na, K, SiO2, Cl, F, HCO3, SO4, NO3, and NH4) in the Gibbon River were determined in this study and these results may provide an important link in understanding the health of the ecosystem and the behavior of many trace solutes. Norris Geyser Basin is the primary source of Na, K, Cl, SO4, and N loads (35–58%) in the Gibbon River. The largest source of HCO3 and F is in the lower Gibbon River reach. Most of the Ca and Mg originate in the Gibbon River upstream from Norris Geyser Basin. All the major solutes behave conservatively except for NH4, which decreased substantially downstream from Gibbon Geyser Basin, and SiO2, small amounts of which precipitated on mixing of thermal drainage with the river. As much as 9–14% of the river discharge at the gage is from thermal flows during this period.

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.

Fish assemblages and environmental correlates in least-disturbed streams of the upper Snake River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maret, T.R.; Robinson, C.T.; Minshall, G.W.

1997-01-01

Fish assemblages and environmental variables were evaluated from 37 least-disturbed, 1st- through 6th-order streams and springs in the upper Snake River basin, western USA. Data were collected as part of the efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program and the Idaho State University Stream Ecology Center to characterize aquatic biota and associated habitats in least-disturbed coldwater streams. Geographically, the basin comprises four ecoregions. Environmental variables constituting various spatial scales, from watershed characteristics to in stream habitat measures, were used to examine distribution patterns in fish assemblages. Nineteen fish species in the families Salmonidae, Cottidae, Cyprinidae, and Catostemidae were collected. Multivariate analyses showed high overlap in stream fish assemblages among the ecoregions. Major environmental factors determining species distributions in the basin were stream gradient, watershed size, conductivity, and percentage of the watershed covered by forest. Lowland streams (below 1,600 m in elevation), located mostly in the Snake River Basin/High Desert ecoregion, displayed different fish assemblages than upland streams (above 2,000 m elevation) in the Northern Rockies, Middle Rockies, and Northern Basin and Range ecoregions. For example, cotrids were not found in streams above 2,000 m in elevation. In addition, distinct fish assemblages were found in tributaries upstream and downstream from the large waterfall, Shoshone Falls, on the Snake River. Fish metrics explaining most of the variation among sites included the total number of species, number of native species, number of salmonid species, percent introduced species, percent cottids, and percent salmonids. Springs also exhibited different habitat conditions and fish assemblages than streams. The data suggest that the evolutionary consequences of geographic features and fish species introductions transcend the importance of ecoregion boundaries on fish distributions in the upper Snake River basin.

Ensemble hydrological forecast efficiency evolution over various issue dates and lead-time: case study for the Cheboksary reservoir (Volga River)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelfan, Alexander; Moreido, Vsevolod

2017-04-01

Ensemble hydrological forecasting allows for describing uncertainty caused by variability of meteorological conditions in the river basin for the forecast lead-time. At the same time, in snowmelt-dependent river basins another significant source of uncertainty relates to variability of initial conditions of the basin (snow water equivalent, soil moisture content, etc.) prior to forecast issue. Accurate long-term hydrological forecast is most crucial for large water management systems, such as the Cheboksary reservoir (the catchment area is 374 000 sq.km) located in the Middle Volga river in Russia. Accurate forecasts of water inflow volume, maximum discharge and other flow characteristics are of great value for this basin, especially before the beginning of the spring freshet season that lasts here from April to June. The semi-distributed hydrological model ECOMAG was used to develop long-term ensemble forecast of daily water inflow into the Cheboksary reservoir. To describe variability of the meteorological conditions and construct ensemble of possible weather scenarios for the lead-time of the forecast, two approaches were applied. The first one utilizes 50 weather scenarios observed in the previous years (similar to the ensemble streamflow prediction (ESP) procedure), the second one uses 1000 synthetic scenarios simulated by a stochastic weather generator. We investigated the evolution of forecast uncertainty reduction, expressed as forecast efficiency, over various consequent forecast issue dates and lead time. We analyzed the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency of inflow hindcasts for the period 1982 to 2016 starting from 1st of March with 15 days frequency for lead-time of 1 to 6 months. This resulted in the forecast efficiency matrix with issue dates versus lead-time that allows for predictability identification of the basin. The matrix was constructed separately for observed and synthetic weather ensembles.

Geologic map of the southern Funeral Mountains including nearby groundwater discharge sites in Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fridrich, C.J.; Thompson, R.A.; Slate, J.L.; Berry, M.E.; Machette, M.N.

2012-01-01

This 1:50,000-scale geologic map covers the southern part of the Funeral Mountains, and adjoining parts of four structural basins—Furnace Creek, Amargosa Valley, Opera House, and central Death Valley—in California and Nevada. It extends over three full 7.5-minute quadrangles, and parts of eleven others—an area of about 1,000 square kilometers (km2). The boundaries of this map were drawn to include all of the known proximal hydrogeologic features that may affect the flow of groundwater that discharges from springs of the Furnace Creek basin, in the west-central part of the map. These springs provide the main potable water supply for Death Valley National Park. Major hydrogeologic features shown on this map include: (1) springs of the Furnace Creek basin, (2) a large Pleistocene groundwater discharge mound in the northeastern part of the map, (3) the exposed extent of limestones and dolomites that constitute the Paleozoic carbonate aquifer, and (4) the exposed extent of the alluvial conglomerates that constitute the Funeral Formation aquifer.

Conodont and fusulinid biostratigraphy and history of the Pennsylvanian to Lower Permian Keeler Basin, east-central California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stevens, C.H.; Stone, P.; Ritter, S.M.

2001-01-01

The Pennsylvanian-Lower Permian Keeler Canyon Formation and lower part of the Lower Permian Lone Pine Formation in east-central California were deposited in a deep-water basin that originated in the Morrowan (Early Pennsylvanian), was fully established by the Desmoinesian (Middle Pennsylvanian), and lasted into the Sakmarian (Early Permian). Stratigraphic studies indicate that the Keeler Canyon Formation can be divided into members recognizable throughout the area of our detailed mapping. From older to younger they are the Tinemaha Reservoir, Tihvipah Limestone, Cerro Gordo Spring, and Salt Tram Members. Rocks in this basin, here referred to as the Keeler basin, contain numerous fusulinid and conodont faunas most of which were deposited by sediment-gravity flows probably originating at the margin of the Bird Spring carbonate platform to the northeast. Sixty-one species of Atokan to Sakmarian fusulinids and 38 species of Desmoinesian to Sakmarian conodonts are recognized. These, in addition to four species of Morrowan conodonts previously reported, show that every stage from the Morrowan to Sakmarian is represented in the basin. The fusulinid faunas are composed largely of taxa of the North American craton, especially the south-central USA, with important endemic constituents and some McCloud Limestone forms, representing the Eastern Klamath terrane. Conodonts are closely similar to species in the Ural Mountains region of Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as the American midcontinent. The co-occurrence of fusulinids and conodonts in the Keeler basin results in a better correlation of zones based on these two groups of fossils than generally is possible.

A multi-tracer approach to delineate groundwater dynamics in the Rio Actopan Basin, Veracruz State, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez Quezadas, Juan; Heilweil, Victor M.; Cortés Silva, Alejandra; Araguas, Luis; Salas Ortega, María del Rocío

2016-12-01

Geochemistry and environmental tracers were used to understand groundwater resources, recharge processes, and potential sources of contamination in the Rio Actopan Basin, Veracruz State, Mexico. Total dissolved solids are lower in wells and springs located in the basin uplands compared with those closer to the coast, likely associated with rock/water interaction. Geochemical results also indicate some saltwater intrusion near the coast and increased nitrate near urban centers. Stable isotopes show that precipitation is the source of recharge to the groundwater system. Interestingly, some high-elevation springs are more isotopically enriched than average annual precipitation at higher elevations, indicating preferential recharge during the drier but cooler winter months when evapotranspiration is reduced. In contrast, groundwater below 1,200 m elevation is more isotopically depleted than average precipitation, indicating recharge occurring at much higher elevation than the sampling site. Relatively cool recharge temperatures, derived from noble gas measurements at four sites (11-20 °C), also suggest higher elevation recharge. Environmental tracers indicate that groundwater residence time in the basin ranges from 12,000 years to modern. While this large range shows varying groundwater flowpaths and travel times, ages using different tracer methods (14C, 3H/3He, CFCs) were generally consistent. Comparing multiple tracers such as CFC-12 with CFC-113 indicates piston-flow to some discharge points, yet binary mixing of young and older groundwater at other points. In summary, groundwater within the Rio Actopan Basin watershed is relatively young (Holocene) and the majority of recharge occurs in the basin uplands and moves towards the coast.

Hydrogeology, water quality, and ecology of Anderton Branch near the Quail Hollow Landfill, Bedford County, Tennessee, 1995-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Farmer, James

2004-01-01

The Quail Hollow Landfill, located in southeastern Bedford County on the Highland Rim overlooking the Central Basin karst region of Tennessee, is constructed on the gravelly, clay-rich residuum of the Fort Payne Formation of Mississippian age. A conceptual hydrologic model of the landfill indicated that Anderton Branch was at risk of being affected by the landfill. Ground water flowing beneath the landfill mixes with percolating rainwater that has passed through the landfill and discharges to the surface from numerous weeps, seeps, and springs present in the area. Anderton Branch, adjacent to the landfill site on the north and east, receives most of the discharge from these weeps, seeps, and springs. Anderton Branch also receives water from the Powell Branch drainage basin to the west and south because of diverted flow of ground water through Harrison Spring Cave. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bedford County Solid Waste Authority, conducted a study to evaluate the effect of the Quail Hollow Landfill on ground- and surface-water quality. During storm runoff, specific conductance was elevated, and cadmium, iron, manganese, lead, and nickel concentrations in Anderton Branch frequently exceeded maximum contaminant levels for drinking water for the State of Tennessee. High chloride inputs to Anderton Branch were detected at two locations?a barnyard straddling the stream and a tributary draining a pond that receives water directly from the landfill. The chloride inputs probably contribute to chloride load levels that are three times higher for Anderton Branch than for the control stream Anthony Branch. Although toxic volatile organic compounds were detected in water from monitoring wells at the landfill, no organic contaminants were detected in domestic water wells adjacent to the landfill or in Anderton Branch. Sons Spring, a karst spring near the landfill, has been affected by the landfill as indicated by an increase in chloride concentrations from 4 milligrams per liter in 1974 to 59 milligrams per liter in 1996. Analysis of water samples from Sons Spring detected concentrations of nickel that exceeded primary drinking-water standards and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation fish and aquatic life chronic standards. Trichloroethene, 1,1-dichloroethene, and 1,1-dichloroethane also were detected at Sons Spring. The presence of these chlorinated solvents imply the landfill origin of the contaminants in Sons Spring. Continuous monitoring at Sons Spring indicated a pattern of decreased specific conductance and lower contaminant concentrations after a storm. Contaminant concentrations increased with specific conductance to pre-storm levels after several days. The benthic macroinvertebrate community in Anderton Branch adjacent to the landfill was not different from the communities at control sites upstream and in Anthony Branch. Sons Spring, however, has low abundance and numbers of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa. Toxicity studies using Ceriodaphnia dubia indicated no toxicity in the base flow or storm water in Anderton Branch or in a tributary draining a pond that receives water from the landfill and Sons Spring; however, water collected from Sons Spring resulted in 100 percent mortality to all organisms within 48 hours. High concentrations of nickel were detected in crayfish tissue from control sites and Anderton Branch. Analysis of sediment samples also indicates nickel concentrations are high at control sites upstream of the landfill. Increased levels of the biomarker metallothionein detected in crayfish from Anderton Branch likely are not caused by nickel or cadmium because the levels present in the tissue are not correlated with metallothionein levels. Despite the high levels of certain metals in Anderton Branch during storm flow, the lack of toxicity and the health of the benthic community imply no detectable negative effect from the landfill to the stream. Sons Spring, howe

Operational Hydrologic Forecasts in the Columbia River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, K. Y.; Curry, J. A.; Webster, P. J.; Toma, V. E.; Jelinek, M.

2013-12-01

The Columbia River Basin (CRB) covers an area of ~670,000 km2 and stretches across parts of seven U.S. states and one Canadian province. The basin is subject to a variable climate, and moisture stored in snowpack during the winter is typically released in spring and early summer. These releases contribute to rapid increases in flow. A number of impoundments have been constructed on the Columbia River main stem and its tributaries for the purposes of flood control, navigation, irrigation, recreation, and hydropower. Storage reservoirs allow water managers to adjust natural flow patterns to benefit water and energy demands. In the past decade, the complexity of water resource management issues in the basin has amplified the importance of streamflow forecasting. Medium-range (1-10 day) numerical weather forecasts of precipitation and temperature can be used to drive hydrological models. In this work, probabilistic meteorological variables from the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) are used to force the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model. Soil textures were obtained from FAO data; vegetation types / land cover information from UMD land cover data; stream networks from USGS HYDRO1k; and elevations from CGIAR version 4 SRTM data. The surface energy balance in 0.25° (~25 km) cells is closed through an iterative process operating at a 6 hour timestep. Output fluxes from a number of cells in the basin are combined through one-dimensional flow routing predicated on assumptions of linearity and time invariance. These combinations lead to daily mean streamflow estimates at key locations throughout the basin. This framework is suitable for ingesting daily numerical weather prediction data, and was calibrated using USGS mean daily streamflow data at the Dalles Dam (TDA). Operational streamflow forecasts in the CRB have been active since October 2012. These are 'naturalized' or unregulated forecasts. In 2013, increases of ~2600 m3/s (~48% of average discharge for water years 1879-2012) or greater were observed at TDA during the following periods: 29 March to 12 April, 5 May to 11 May, and 19 June to 29 June. Precipitation and temperature forecasts during these periods are shown along with changes in the model simulated snowpack. We evaluate the performance of the ensemble mean 10 days in advance of each of these three events, and comment on how the distribution of ensemble members affected forecast confidence in each situation.

Experimental Constraints on Hot Spring Fluid Chemistry in Back Arc Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaen, A. T.; Saccocia, P. J.; Seewald, J.

2010-12-01

Many axial hot springs from back-arc basins are characterized by low pH and high metal concentrations compared to fluids from the mid-ocean ridge. Such differences are likely related to the presence of felsic crust and the involvement of acidic magmatic fluids in back-arc hydrothermal systems. Previous experiments that reacted fresh andesite with seawater at elevated T and P yielded pH values significantly higher than those observed in back-arc basin hot springs. Moreover, ocean drilling beneath back-arc basin hot springs revealed acid-sulfate alteration assemblages, suggesting at least transient involvement of magmatic fluids. Here we report the results of two laboratory experiments designed to assess fluid chemistry in equilibrium with acid-sulfate alteration assemblages at sub-seafloor conditions typically associated with back-arc hot springs. Both experiments reacted a K-Ca-Na-Cl fluid with a pyrophyllite-pyrite-anhydrite-quartz assemblage (PPAQ). In addition, alunite was added to the assemblage in one experiment (PPAQA). Both experiments were conducted in a flexible-cell hydrothermal apparatus utilizing an inert Au-Ti reaction cell. Fluid samples were withdrawn from the reaction cell as a function of time and temperature and analyzed for major anions, cations, pH (25C), H2, and H2S to monitor reaction progress. In the PPAQ experiment, pH varied from 3.1 to 3.4 from 350 to 365C at 0.25 Kb. At 385C, 0.26 Kb, pH dropped to 2.74, close to the value observed in many BAB hot springs. H2S varied from 2 mmol/kg at 350C, 0.25 Kb to 11 mmol/kg at 385C, 0.26 Kb. In general, K decreased and Ca increased with increasing T and decreasing P while SO4 remained low (<1 mmol/kg). In the PPAQA experiment, fluid pH was much lower, varying from 2.2 to 1.5 from 250 to 350C, 0.25 Kb. H2S was low (<1 mmol/kg) at these same conditions. Similarly, H2 was <0.003 mmol/kg, consistent with relatively oxidizing conditions. K concentration remained nearly constant while Ca increased with decreasing T. SO4 varied inversely with Ca, varying from 35 to 4 mmol/kg from 350 to 250C, respectively. Thus, the presence of alunite in the alteration assemblage yields an extremely acid fluid, depleted in H2S and enriched in SO4 compared to fluids from the PPAQ experiment. These results suggest that the composition of hot spring fluids from back-arc environments is consistent with fluid-mineral equilibria involving acid-sulfate mineral assemblages. Such assemblages may be produced by previous episodes of magmatic degassing. Accordingly, the presence of highly acidic vent fluids may reflect an important role for magmatic fluids during crustal alteration processes, but does not require the presence of an actively degassing magma chamber.

Losing water in temporary streams on a Mediterranean island: Effects of climate and land-cover changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Celso; Amengual, Arnau; Homar, Víctor; Zamora, Alberto

2017-01-01

Temporary streams are unique, sensitive and threatened fluvial systems. They periodically dry up and contribute to biodiversity by supporting different species. In Mediterranean regions, human pressures and climate change increase the duration of the dry period for the streams. We analysed the annual and seasonal trends on streamflow data from 14 gauging stations on temporary streams on the island of Mallorca. We used a Mann-Kendall trend test on data from 1977 to 2009 (33 years) to identify trends in discharge, number of days with water, accumulated precipitation, potential evapotranspiration (PET), and land cover change. Results show a general decreasing trend of streamflow during spring and summer, with flows reduced between 4 and 17% in some basins. Although the inter-annual variability is high for both seasons, the decrease in annual precipitation, the increase in temperature, and the effects of colonization and growth of forests explain the reduction in the number of days with running water. Correlation and elasticity analyses show that precipitation is the main driver for streamflow reduction, but the increase in temperature and land-cover changes also play a significant role in the decreasing of flows. These seasonal changes especially affect the headwaters of the basins, which are located in a mountainous area. The Kendall regional test, applied to the 12 basins considered in the Tramuntana range, reveals a significant decreasing annual trend in the number of days with measured flow. The forest expansion and the warmer conditions cause a higher vegetation water demand, increasing the real evapotranspiration and, consequently, reducing the runoff and thus increasing the losses in the water balance. In addition, the increase in the number of days during which channels and parafluvial habitats are disconnected negatively affects the aquatic habitat. This paper provides the first evidence of a consistent long-term reduction in flow in temporary streams in the Mediterranean region. We highlight the ecological implications of losing water in temporary streams across Mallorca, and we argue the urgent need for conservation plans to protect them from present and future changes and challenges.

Assessment, water-quality trends, and options for remediation of acidic drainage from abandoned coal mines near Huntsville, Missouri, 2003-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christensen, Eric D.

2005-01-01

Water from abandoned underground coal mines acidifies receiving streams in the Sugar Creek Basin and Mitchell Mine Basin near Huntsville, Missouri. A 4.35-kilometer (2.7-mile) reach of Sugar Creek has been classified as impaired based on Missouri's Water Quality Standards because of small pH values [< (less than) 6.5]. Samples collected from Sugar Creek from July 2003 to June 2004 did not have pH values outside of the specified range of 6.5 to 9.0. However, large concentrations of iron [416 to 2,320 mg/L (milligrams per liter)], manganese (8.36 to 33.5 mg/L), aluminum (0.870 to 428 mg/L), and sulfate (2,990 to 13,700 mg/L) in acidic mine drainage (AMD) from two mine springs as well as small and diffuse seeps were observed to have an effect on water quality in Sugar Creek. Metal and sulfate loads increased and pH decreased immediately downstream from Sugar Creek's confluence with the Calfee Slope and Huntsville Gob drainages that discharge AMD into Sugar Creek. Similar effects were observed in the Mitchell Mine drainage that receives AMD from a large mine spring. Comparisons of water-quality samples from this study and two previous studies by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1987-1988 and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in 2000-2002 indicate that AMD generation in the Sugar Creek Basin and Mitchell Mine Basin is declining, but the data are insufficient to quantify any trends or time frame. AMD samples from the largest mine spring in the Calfee Slope subbasin indicated a modest but significant increase in median pH from 4.8 to 5.2 using the Wilcoxan rank-sum test (p <0.05) and a decrease in median specific conductance from 5,000 to 3,540 ?S/cm (microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius) during a 17-year period. AMD samples from the largest mine spring in the Mitchell Mine Basin indicated an increase in median pH values from 5.6 to 6.0 and a decrease in median specific conductance from 3,050 to 2,450 ?S/cm during the same period. Remediation of AMD at or near the sites of the three largest mine springs is geochemically feasible based on alkalinity addition rates and increased pH determined by cubitainer experiments and geochemical mixing experiments using the computer model PHREEQCI. Alkalinity values for seven cubitainer experiments conducted to simulate anoxic treatment options exceeded the targeted value for alkalinity [90 mg/L as calcium carbonate (CaCO3)] specified in Missouri's Total Maximum Daily Load program by 18 percent or more, but maximum pH values were between 6.2 and 6.3, which is less than the targeted pH value of 6.5. Treatment of AMD by mixing with stream water or sewage effluent can further increase pH as indicated by geochemical modeling, but will not totally achieve water-quality goals because of limited discharges. A combination of treatments including settling ponds, oxic or anoxic limestone drains, and possibly successive alkalinity producing systems to remediate AMD will likely be required in the Sugar Creek Basin and Mitchell Mine Basin to consistently meet Missouri's Water Quality Standards.

Water-quality reconnaissance and streamflow gain and loss of Yocum Creek basin, Carroll County, Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Joseph, Robert L.; Green, W. Reed

1994-01-01

A study of the Yocum Creek Basin conducted between July 27 and August 3, 1993, described the surface- and ground-water quality of the basin and the streamflow gain and loss. Water samples were collected from 12 sites on the main stem of Yocum Creek and 2 tributaries during periods of low to moderate streamflow (less than 40 cubic feet per second). Water samples were collected from 5 wells and 12 springs located in the basin. In 14 surface- water samples, nitrite plus nitrate concentrations ranged from 1.3 to 3.8 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Orthophosphorus concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.06 milligrams per liter as phosphorous. Fecal coliform bacteria counts ranged from 9 to 220 colonies per 100 milliliters, with a median of 49 colonies per 100 milliliters. Fecal streptococci bacteria counts ranged from 37 to 1,500 colonies per 100 milliliters with a median of 420 colonies per 100 milliliters. Analyses for selected metals collected near the mouth of Yocum Creek indicate that metals are not present in significant concen- trations in surface-water samples. Diel dissolved oxygen concentrations and temperatures were measured at two sites on the mainstem of the stream. At the upstream site, dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged from 6.2 to 9.9 milligrams per liter and temperatures ranged from 18.5 to 23.0 degrees Celsius. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were higher and tempentture values were lower at the upstream site than those at the downstream site. Five wells were sampled in the basin and dissolved ammonia was present in concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.07 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Dissolved nitrite plus nitrate was present in wells, with concen- trations ranging from less than 0.02 to 6.0 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Volatile organic compound samples were collected at two wells and two springs. Chloroform was the only volatile organic compound found to be above the detection limit. Analysis indicated that 0.2 micrograms per liter of chloroform was present in one spring-water sample. In springs sampled, nitrite plus nitrate concen- trations ranged from 1.4 to 7.0 milligrams per llter as nitrogen. Dissolved ammonia plus organic nitrogen concentrations ranged from less than 0.2 to 0.49 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Orthophosphorus concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.07 milligrams per liter as phosphorus. Fecal colfform bacteria counts ranged from 3 to 200 colonies per 100 milliliters, with a median of 18 colonies per 100 milliliters. Fecal streptococci bacteria counts ranged from 110 to more than 2,000 colonies per 100 milliliters with a median of 350 colonies per 100 milliliters. Large producing springs 1ocated in the mid to upper reaches of the basin contribute most of the flow to Yocum Creek. Streamflow increased an average of 29 percent on the mainstem of the stream. One losing reach was discovered on the mainstem of the stream and two losing reaches on tributaries to the mainstem. Surface flow steadily decreased along these reaches to the point where surface flow was not present, and the streambed became dry. These observations suggest that significant interaction exists between the underlying Springfield aquifer and surface flow in the Yocum Creek Basin.

Capoeta damascina (Valenciennes, 1842), a new host of Contracaecum sp. and Capillaria sp. (Nematoda) from the Kor River Basin, southwestern Iran

PubMed Central

Gholami, Zeinab; Rahimi, Mohammad Taghi; Kia, Eshrat Beigom; Esmaeili, Hamid Reza; Mobedi, Iraj

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate the parasitic infection status of cyprinid fish, Capoeta damascina in Gomban spring-stream, Kor River Basin, Fars Province, southwestern Iran. Methods A total of 12 cyprinid fish (7 females and 5 males) were collected from Gomban spring-stream, Kor River Basin, Fars Province, southwestern Iran. The collected fish were dissected carefully and their internal organs such as liver, gonad, muscle, abdominal lobes, whole viscera and digestive tract were surveyed parasitologically. Results One female cyprinid fish out of 12 fish was infected with three nematodes. Two nematodes (larvae) were identified as Contracaecum sp. which were attached firmly to the outer part of intestine and another adult helminth was recognized as Capillaria sp. which was recovered from digestive content. Conclusions This study is the first record indicating that cyprinid fish acts as a new host for recovered nematodes. Further helminthological investigations are highly recommended in different parts of Iran in order to expand our knowledge about helmintic parasites of cyprinid fish and their role in transmission of diseases to human and animal. PMID:25183068

Water-Chemistry and On-Site Sulfur-Speciation Data for Selected Springs in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 1996-1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ball, James W.; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Schoonen, Martin A.A.; Xu, Yong

2001-01-01

Fifty-eight water analyses are reported for samples collected from 19 hot springs and their overflow drainages and one ambient-temperature acid stream in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) during 1996-98. These water samples were collected and analyzed as part of research investigations on microbially mediated sulfur oxidation in stream waters and sulfur redox speciation in hot springs in YNP and chemical changes in overflow drainages that affect major ions, redox species, and trace elements. The research on sulfur redox speciation in hot springs is a collaboration with the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Northern Arizona University, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). One ambient-temperature acidic stream system, Alluvium Creek and its tributaries in Brimstone Basin, was studied in detail. Analyses were performed adjacent to the sampling site, in an on-site mobile laboratory truck, or later in a USGS laboratory, depending on stability and preservability of the constituent. Water temperature, specific conductance, pH, Eh, dissolved oxygen (D.O.), and dissolved H2S were determined on-site at the time of sampling. Alkalinity and F were determined within a few days of sample collection by titration and by ion-selective electrode, respectively. Concentrations of S2O3 and SxO6 were determined as soon as possible (minutes to hours later) by ion chromatography (IC). Concentrations of Cl, SO4, and Br were determined by IC within a few days of sample collection. Concentrations of Fe(II) and Fe(total) were determined by ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometry within a few days of sample collection. Densities were determined later in the USGS laboratory. Concentrations of Li, Na, and K were determined by flame atomic absorption (Li) and emission (Na, K) spectrometry. Concentrations of Al, As(total), B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe(total), Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Sr, V, and Zn were determined by inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Trace concentrations of Cd, Se, As(total), Ni, and Pb were determined by Zeeman-corrected graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry. Trace concentrations of As(total) and As(III) were determined by hydride generation using a flow-injection analysis system.

Evaluation of water quality, suspended sediment, and stream morphology with an emphasis on effects of stormwater on Fountain and Monument Creek basins, Colorado Springs and vicinity, Colorado, 1981-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edelmann, Patrick; Ferguson, Sheryl A.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.; August, Marianne; Payne, William F.; Bruce, James F.

2002-01-01

This report documents water quality and suspended sediment with an emphasis on evaluating the effects of stormflow on Fountain Creek Basin in the vicinity of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Water-quality data collected at 11 sites between 1981 and 2001 were used to evaluate the effects of stormflow on water quality. Suspended-sediment data collected at seven sites from 1998 through 2001 were used to evaluate effects of stormflow on suspended-sediment concentrations, discharges, and yields. Data were separated into three flow regimes: base flow, normal flow, and stormflow. A comparison of stormwater-quality concentrations measured between 1981 and 2001 to Colorado acute instream standards indicated that, except for isolated occurrences, stormwater quality met acute instream standards. At several sites, 5-day biochemical oxygen demand, fecal coliform, and selected nutrient concentrations tended to be highest during stormflow and lowest during base flow. Dissimilar to the other nutrients, dissolved nitrite plus nitrate concentrations generally were highest during base flow and lowest during stormflow. Most dissolved trace-element concentrations associated with stormflow decreased or showed little change compared to base flow. However, median concentrations of total copper, iron, lead, nickel, manganese, and zinc for stormflow samples generally were much larger than nonstorm samples. The substantially larger concentrations of total copper, iron, lead, nickel, manganese, and zinc measured at site 5800 during stormflow as compared to other sites indicates a relatively large source of these metals in the reach between sites 5530 and 5800. Semi-volatile organic compounds in samples collected during stormflow were detected relatively infrequently at the four sites monitored; however, analysis of pesticide data collected during stormflow showed a relatively frequent detection of pesticides at low levels. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and particulate trace-element loads substantially increased during stormflow. Suspended-sediment concentrations, discharges, and yields associated with stormflow were significantly greater than during normal flow. Depending on the site and year, suspended-sediment concentrations associated with storm-flow generally were 3 to10 times greater than concentrations measured during normal flow, and suspended-sediment discharges were usually more than 10 times greater during stormflow. The April through October cumulative suspended-sediment discharges and streamflows were largest in 1999 at all sites. Although large spatial variations in suspended-sediment yields occurred during normal flows, the suspended-sediment yields associated with stormflow generally were more than 10 times greater than the suspended-sediment yields that occurred during normal flow. The smallest suspended-sediment yields generally were less than 1 ton per day per square mile during stormflow. The largest suspended-sediment yields occurred at sites located in the Cottonwood Creek Basin and were greater than 10 tons per day per square mile.

A ground-based magnetic survey of Frenchman Flat, Nevada National Security Site and Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada: data release and preliminary interpretation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Jeffrey D.; Burton, Bethany L.; Curry-Elrod, Erika; Drellack, Sigmund

2014-01-01

Question 2—Does basin and range normal faulting observed in the hills north of Frenchman Flat continue southward under alluvium and possibly disrupt the Topopah Spring Tuff of the Paintbrush Group (the Topopah Spring welded tuff aquifer or TSA) east of the Pin Stripe underground nuclear test, which was conducted in Emplacement hole U11b?

Daily Variations in Spring Break Alcohol and Sexual Behaviors Based on Intentions, Perceived Norms, and Daily Trip Context

PubMed Central

Patrick, Megan E.; Lee, Christine M.

2012-01-01

Objective: Given the known risks of alcohol use and sexual behavior for college students on Spring Break, this study was designed to document the behaviors and correlates associated with being on a Spring Break trip on a given day (controlling for average time on a trip). Method: Participants were undergraduate students (n = 261; 55% women) who reported that they planned to go on a Spring Break trip. Web-based survey responses before and after Spring Break documented perceived norms, intentions, and actual behavior on each of the 10 days of Spring Break. Results: Students who went on longer trips, who previously engaged in more heavy episodic drinking, or who had greater pre–Spring Break intentions to drink reported greater alcohol use during Spring Break. Similarly, students with greater pre–Spring Break intentions to have sex, greater perceived norms for sex, or more previoussexual partners had greater odds of having sex. On days students were on trips, they had a greater likelihood of having sex, drinking to higher estimated blood alcohol concentrations, consuming more drinks, and reporting perceived drunkenness than on nontrip days, especially if they had intentions to have sex and drink alcohol (and, for models predicting sexual behavior and drunkenness, had greater perceived norms for sex and drinking). Conclusions: Students who went on Spring Break trips engaged in more risk behaviors. In addition, the context of being on a trip on a given day was associated with increased risk, especially if they had stronger intentions and, in some cases, higher perceived norms. Further research is needed to describe the contexts of Spring Break trips and how to intervene effectively. PMID:22630797

Water quality of streams and springs, Green River Basin, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeLong, L.L.

1986-01-01

Data concerning salinity, phosphorus, and trace elements in streams and springs within the Green River Basin in Wyoming are summarized. Relative contributions of salinity are shown through estimates of annual loads and average concentrations at 11 water quality measurements sites for the 1970-77 water years. A hypothetical diversion of 20 cu ft/sec from the Big Sandy River was found to lower dissolved solids concentration in the Green River at Green River, Wyoming. This effect was greatest during the winter months, lowering dissolved solids concentration as much as 13%. Decrease in dissolved solids concentrations during the remainder of the year was generally less than 2%. Unlike the dilution effect that overland runoff has on perennial streams, runoff in ephemeral and intermittent streams within the basin was found to be enriched by the flushing of salts from normally dry channels and basin surfaces. Relative concentrations of sodium and sulfate in streams within the basin appear to be controlled by solubility. A downstream trend of increasing relative concentrations of sodium, sulfate, or both with increasing dissolved solids concentration was evident in all streams sampled. Estimates of total phosphorus concentration at water quality measurement sites indicate that phosphorus is removed from the Green River water as it passes through Fontenelle and Flaming Gorge Reservoirs. Total phosphorus concentration at some stream sites is directly or inversely related to streamflow, but at most sites a simple relation between concentration and streamflow is not discernable. (USGS)

Substrate and flow characteristics associated with White Sturgeon recruitment in the Columbia River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatten, James R.; Parsley, Michael; Barton, Gary; Batt, Thomas; Fosness, Ryan L.

2018-01-01

A study was conducted to identify habitat characteristics associated with age 0+ White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, 1863) recruitment in three reaches of the Columbia River Basin: Skamania reach (consistent recruitment), John Day reach (intermittent/inconsistent recruitment), and Kootenai reach (no recruitment). Our modeling approach involved numerous steps. First, we collected information about substrate, embeddedness, and hydrodynamics in each reach. Second, we developed a set of spatially explicit predictor variables. Third, we built two habitat (probability) models with Skamania reach training data where White Sturgeon recruitment was consistent. Fourth, we created spawning maps of each reach by populating the habitat models with in-reach physical metrics (substrate, embeddedness, and hydrodynamics). Fifth, we examined model accuracy by overlaying spawning locations in Skamania and Kootenai reaches with habitat predictions obtained from probability models. Sixth, we simulated how predicted habitat changed in each reach after manipulating physical conditions to more closely match Skamania reach. Model verification confirmed White Sturgeon generally spawned in locations with higher model probabilities in Skamania and Kootenai reaches, indicating the utility of extrapolating the models. Model simulations revealed significant gains in White Sturgeon habitat in all reaches when spring flow increased, gravel/cobble composition increased, or embeddedness decreased. The habitat models appear well suited to assist managers when identifying reach-specific factors limiting White Sturgeon recruitment in the Columbia River Basin or throughout its range.

Polar Bears Across the Arctic Face Shorter Sea Ice Season

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Polar bears already face shorter ice seasons - limiting prime hunting and breeding opportunities. Nineteen separate polar bear subpopulations live throughout the Arctic, spending their winters and springs roaming on sea ice and hunting. The bears have evolved mainly to eat seals, which provide necessary fats and nutrients in the harsh Arctic environment. Polar bears can't outswim their prey, so instead they perch on the ice as a platform and ambush seals at breathing holes or break through the ice to access their dens. The total number of ice-covered days declined at the rate of seven to 19 days per decade between 1979 and 2014. The decline was even greater in the Barents Sea and the Arctic basin. Sea ice concentration during the summer months — an important measure because summertime is when some subpopulations are forced to fast on land — also declined in all regions, by 1 percent to 9 percent per decade. Read more: go.nasa.gov/2cIZSSc Photo credit: Mario Hoppmann

Dynamical and thermodynamical modulations of future changes in landfalling atmospheric rivers over North America

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

Gao, Yang; Lu, Jian; Leung, Lai-Yung R.

This study examines the changes of landfalling atmospheric rivers (ARs) over the west coast of North America in response to future warming using model outputs from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5). The result reveals a strikingly large magnitude of increase of AR days by the end of the 21st century in the RCP8.5 climate change scenario, with fractional increases ranging between ~50% and 600%, depending on the seasons and the landfall locations. These increases are predominantly controlled by the super-Clausius-Clapeyron rate of increase of atmospheric water vapor with warming, while changes of winds that transport moisture inmore » the ARs, or dynamical effect, mostly counter the thermodynamical effect of increasing water vapor, limiting the increase of AR events in the future. The consistent negative effect of wind changes on AR days during spring and fall can be further linked to the robust poleward shift of the subtropical jet in the North Pacific basin.« less

Peatland Structural Controls on Spring Distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hare, D. K.; Boutt, D. F.; Hackman, A. M.; Davenport, G.

2013-12-01

The species richness of wetland ecosystems' are sustained by the presence of discrete groundwater discharge, or springs. Springs provide thermal refugia and a source of fresh water inflow crucial for survival of many wetland species. The subsurface drivers that control the spatial distribution of surficial springs throughout peatland complexes are poorly understood due to the many challenges peatlands pose for hydrologic characterization, such as the internal heterogeneities, soft, dynamic substrate, and low gradient of peat drainage. This has previously made it difficult to collect spatial data required for restoration projects that seek to support spring obligate and thermally stressed species such as trout. Tidmarsh Farms is a 577-acre site in Southeastern Massachusetts where 100+ years of cranberry farming has significantly altered the original peatland hydrodynamics and ecology. Farming practices such as the regular application of sand, straightening of the main channel, and addition of drainage ditches has strongly degraded this peatland ecosystem. Our research has overlain non-invasive geophysical, thermal, and water isotopic data from the Tidmarsh Farms peatland to provide a detailed visualization of how subsurface peat structure and spring patterns correlate. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has proven particularly useful in characterizing internal peat structure and the mineral soil interface beneath peatlands, we interpolate the peatland basin at a large scale (1 km2) and compare this 3-D surface to the locations of springs on the peat platform. Springs, expressed as cold anomalies in summer and warm anomalies in winter, were specifically located by combining fiber-optic and infrared thermal surveys, utilizing the numerous relic agricultural drainage ditches as a sampling advantage. Isotopic signatures of the spring locations are used to distinguish local and regional discharge, differences that can be explained in part by the peat basin structure delineated with GPR. The study expands our understanding of complex peat systems and will be used to inform wetland restoration based on hydrodynamic processes; yielding a more successful, resilient restoration and desired ecologic function. Our research demonstrates how the use of GPR in combination with thermal imagery and isotopic analysis can help characterize degraded peatlands, informing a process-based approach to ecological restoration of the site with the ability to monitor changes through time.

Annual Coded Wire Tag Program; Oregon Stock Assessment, 2000 Annual Report.

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

Lewis, Mark; Mallette, Christine; Murray, William

2002-03-01

This annual report is in fulfillment of contract obligations with Bonneville Power Administration which is the funding source for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Annual Stock Assessment - Coded Wire Tag Program (ODFW) Project. Tule stock fall chinook were caught primarily in British Columbia and Washington ocean, and Columbia Basin fisheries. Up-river bright stock fall chinook contributed primarily to Alaska and British Columbia ocean commercial, Columbia Basin gillnet and freshwater sport fisheries. Contribution of Rogue stock fall chinook released in the lower Columbia River occurred primarily in Oregon ocean commercial, Columbia Basin gillnet and freshwater sport fisheries. Willamettemore » stock spring chinook contributed primarily to Alaska and British Columbia ocean, and Columbia Basin sport fisheries. Willamette stock spring chinook released by CEDC contributed to similar ocean fisheries, but had much higher catch in Columbia Basin gillnet fisheries than the same stocks released in the Willamette Basin. Up-river stocks of spring chinook contributed almost exclusively to Columbia Basin fisheries. The up-river stocks of Columbia River summer steelhead contributed almost exclusively to the Columbia Basin gillnet and freshwater sport fisheries. Coho ocean fisheries from Washington to California were closed or very limited from 1994 through 1999 (1991 through 1996 broods). This has resulted in a lower percent of catch in Washington, Oregon and California ocean fisheries, and a higher percent of catch in Alaska and British Columbia ocean and Columbia Basin freshwater fisheries. Coho stocks released by ODFW below Bonneville Dam were caught mainly in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia ocean, Columbia Gillnet and freshwater sport fisheries. Coho stocks released in the Klaskanine River and Youngs Bay area had similar ocean catch distributions, but a much higher percent catch in gillnet fisheries than the other coho releases. Ocean catch distribution of coho stocks released above Bonneville Dam was similar to the other coho groups. However, they had a higher percent catch in gillnet fisheries above Bonneville Dam than coho released below the dam. Survival rates of salmon and steelhead are influenced, not only by factors in the hatchery (disease, density, diet, size and time of release) but also by environmental factors in the river and ocean. These environmental factors are influenced by large scale oceanic and weather patterns such as El Nino. Changes in rearing conditions in the hatchery do impact survival, however, these can be offset by impacts caused by environmental factors. Coho salmon released in the Columbia River generally experience better survival rates when released later in the spring. However, for the 1990 brood year June releases of Columbia River coho had much lower survival than May releases, for all ODFW hatcheries. In general survival of ODFW Columbia River hatchery coho has declined to low levels in recent years. Preliminary results from the evaluation of Visual Implant Elastomer (VIE) tags showed tagging rate and pre-release tag retention improved from the first to second years of tagging. Tagging rate remained identical from 1999 to 2000 while pre-release tag retention dropped to 95%. Returning jack and adult salmon were sampled for CWT and VIE tags in the fall of 2000. Of 606 adults recovered at Sandy Fish Hatchery in 2000, only 1 or 0.2%, retained their VIE tag. Of 36 jacks recovered in 2000, 13 or 36.1% retained their VIE tag.« less

Water-Level and land-subsidence studies in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stamos, Christina L.; Glockhoff, Carolyn S.; McPherson, Kelly R.; Julich, Raymond J.

2007-01-01

What's New! Water-level data, contours, and meta data for spring 2008 are included in Version 2.0 of SIR 2007-5097 (http://ca.water.usgs.gov/mojave/wl_studies/wl2008.html). All the original data are still available on the web site. Introduction Since 1992, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Mojave Water Agency (MWA), has constructed a series of regional water-table maps for intermittent years in a continuing effort to monitor groundwater conditions in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins. The previously published data, which were used to construct these maps, can be accessed on the interactive map. The associated reports describing the groundwater conditions for the Mojave River groundwater basin for 1992 (Stamos and Predmore, 1995), the Morongo groundwater basin for 1994 (Trayler and Koczot, 1995), and for both groundwater basins for 1996 (Mendez and Christensen, 1997); for 1998 (Smith and Pimentel, 2000), for 2000 (Smith, 2002), for 2002 (Smith and others, 2004), for 2004 (Stamos and others, 2004), and for 2006 (Stamos and others, 2007) can be accessed using this web site. Spatially detailed maps of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) methods were used to characterize land subsidence associated with groundwater-level declines during various intervals of time between 1992 and 1999 in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins (Sneed and others, 2003). Concerns related to the potential for new or renewed land subsidence in the basins resulted in a cooperative study between the MWA and the USGS in 2006. InSAR data were developed to determine the location, extent, and magnitude of vertical land-surface changes in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins for time intervals ranging from about 35 days to 14 months between 1999 and 2000 and between 2003 and 2004. (interactive Google map) The results from many future land-subsidence studies, which are scheduled about every 10 years, will be available on this website. Mapping of water-level contours, water-level change and numerous InSAR images were combined in an interactive map. This interactive map may be customized to your needs and viewed at a scale that is appropriate for the data.

Effects on environment and agriculture of geothermal wastewater and boron pollution in great Menderes basin.

PubMed

Koç, Cengiz

2007-02-01

Boron toxicity is an important disorder that can be limit plant growth on soils of arid and semi arid environments through the world. High concentrations of Boron may occur naturally in the soil or in groundwater, or be added to the soil from mining, fertilizers, or irrigation water. Off all the potential resources, irrigation water is the most important contributor to high levels of soil boron, boron is often found in high concentrations in association with saline soil and saline well water. Although of considerable agronomic importance, our understanding of Boron toxicity is rather fragment and limited. In this study, Boron content of Great Menderes River and Basin was researched. Great Menderes Basin is one of the consequence basins having agricultural potential, aspect of water and soil resources in Turkey. Great Menderes River, water resource of the basin was to be polluted by geothermal wastewater and thermal springs including Boron element. Great Menderes Basin has abundant geothermal water resources which contain high amounts of Boron and these ground water are brought to surface and used for various purposes such as power generation, heating or thermal spring and than discharged to Great Menderes River. In order to prevent Boron pollution and hence unproductively in soils, it is necessary not to discharged water with Boron to irrigation water. According to results, it was obtained that Boron content of River was as high in particular Upper Basin where there was a ground thermal water reservoir. Boron has been accumulated more than plant requirement in this area irrigated by this water. Boron content of River was relatively low in rainy months and irrigation season while it was high in dry season. Boron concentration in the River was to decrease from upstream to downstream. If it is no taken measure presently, about 130,000 ha irrigation areas which was constructed irrigation scheme in the Great Menderes basin will expose the Boron pollution and salinity. Even though Boron concentration of river water is under 0.5 ppm limit value, Boron element will store in basin soils, decrease in crop yields, and occur problematic soils in basin.

Timescales for nitrate contamination of spring waters, northern Florida, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katz, B.G.; Böhlke, J.K.; Hornsby, H.D.

2001-01-01

Residence times of groundwater, discharging from springs in the middle Suwannee River Basin, were estimated using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), tritium (3H), and tritium/helium-3 (3H/3He) age-dating methods to assess the chronology of nitrate contamination of spring waters in northern Florida. During base-flow conditions for the Suwannee River in 1997–1999, 17 water samples were collected from 12 first, second, and third magnitude springs discharging groundwater from the Upper Floridan aquifer. Extending age-dating techniques, using transient tracers to spring waters in complex karst systems, required an assessment of several models [piston-flow (PFM), exponential mixing (EMM), and binary-mixing (BMM)] to account for different distributions of groundwater age. Multi-tracer analyses of four springs yielded generally concordant PFM ages of around 20±2 years from CFC-12, CFC-113, 3H, and 3He, with evidence of partial CFC-11 degradation. The EMM gave a reasonable fit to CFC-113, CFC-12, and 3H data, but did not reproduce the observed 3He concentrations or 3H/3He ratios, nor did a combination PFM–EMM. The BMM could reproduce most of the multi-tracer data set only if both endmembers had 3H concentrations not much different from modern values. CFC analyses of 14 additional springs yielded apparent PFM ages from about 10 to 20 years from CFC-113, with evidence of partial CFC-11 degradation and variable CFC-12 contamination. While it is not conclusive, with respect to the age distribution within each spring, the data indicate that the average residence times were in the order of 10–20 years and were roughly proportional to spring magnitude. Applying similar models to recharge and discharge of nitrate based on historical nitrogen loading data yielded contrasting trends for Suwanee County and Lafayette County. In Suwanee County, spring nitrate trends and nitrogen isotope data were consistent with a peak in fertilizer input in the 1970s and a relatively high overall ratio of artificial fertilizer/manure; whereas in Lafayette County, spring nitrate trends and nitrogen isotope data were consistent with a more monotonic increase in fertilizer input and relatively low overall ratio of artificial fertilizer/manure. The combined results of this study indicate that the nitrate concentrations of springs in the Suwannee River basin have responded to increased nitrogen loads from various sources in the watersheds over the last few decades; however, the responses have been subdued and delayed because the average residence time of groundwater discharging from springs are in the order of decades.

Trends in timing, magnitude, and duration of summer and fall/winter streamflows for unregulated coastal river basins in Maine during the 20th century

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dudley, Robert W.; Hodgkins, Glenn A.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission (ASC), began a study in 2003 to examine the timing, magnitude, and duration of summer (June through October) and fall/early winter (September through January) seasonal streamflows of unregulated coastal river basins in Maine and to correlate them to meteorological variables and winter/spring (January through May) seasonal streamflows. This study overlapped the summer seasonal window with the fall/early winter seasonal window to completely bracket the low-streamflow period during July, August, and September between periods of high streamflows in June and October. The ASC is concerned with the impacts of potentially changing meteorological and hydrologic conditions on Atlantic salmon survival. Because winter/spring high streamflows appear to have trended toward earlier dates over the 20th century in coastal Maine, it was hypothesized that the spring/summer recession to low streamflows could have a similar trend toward earlier, and possibly lower, longer lasting, late summer/early fall low streamflows during the 20th century. There were few statistically significant trends in the timing, magnitude, or duration of summer low streamflows for coastal river basins in Maine during the 20th century. The hypothesis that earlier winter/spring high streamflows may result in earlier or lower low streamflows is not supported by the data. No statistically significant trends in the magnitude of total runoff volume during the low-streamflow months of August and September were observed. The magnitude and timing of summer low streamflows correlated with the timing of fall/winter high streamflows and the amount of summer precipitation. The magnitude and timing of summer low streamflows did not correlate with the timing of spring snowmelt runoff. There were few correlations between the magnitude and timing of summer low streamflows and monthly mean surface air temperatures. There were few statistically significant trends in the timing or duration of fall/winter high streamflows for coastal river basins in Maine during the 20th century. The timing of the bulk of fall/winter high streamflows correlated with seasonal precipitation. Earlier fall/winter center-of-volume dates correlated with higher September and October precipitation. In general, little evidence was observed of trends in the magnitude of seasonal runoff volume during fall/winter. The magnitude of fall/winter high streamflows positively correlated with November and December precipitation amounts. There were few correlations between the magnitude and timing of fall/winter high streamflows and monthly mean surface air temperatures.

Reproductive Ecology of Yakima River Hatchery and Wild Spring Chinook; Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project Monitoring and Evaluation, 2001-2002 Annual Report.

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

Knudsen, Curtis M.

2003-05-01

This report is intended to satisfy two concurrent needs: (1) provide a contract deliverable from Oncorh Consulting to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), with emphasis on identification of salient results of value to ongoing Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) planning, and (2) summarize results of research that have broader scientific relevance. This is the second in a series of reports that address reproductive ecological research and monitoring of spring chinook in the Yakima River basin. In addition to within-year comparisons, between-year comparisons will be made to determine if traits of the wild Naches basin control population, the naturallymore » spawning population in the upper Yakima River and the hatchery control population are diverging over time. This annual report summarizes data collected between April 1, 2002 and March 31, 2003. In the future, these data will be compared to previous years to identify general trends and make preliminary comparisons. Supplementation success in the Yakima Klickitat Fishery Project's (YKFP) spring chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) program is defined as increasing natural production and harvest opportunities, while keeping adverse ecological interactions and genetic impacts within acceptable bounds (Busack et al. 1997). Within this context demographics, phenotypic traits, and reproductive ecology have significance because they directly affect natural productivity. In addition, significant changes in locally adapted traits due to hatchery influence, i.e. domestication, would likely be maladaptive resulting in reduced population productivity and fitness (Taylor 1991; Hard 1995). Thus, there is a need to study demographic and phenotypic traits in the YKFP in order to understand hatchery and wild population productivity, reproductive ecology, and the effects of domestication (Busack et al. 1997). Tracking trends in these traits over time is also a critical aspect of domestication monitoring (Busack et al. 2002) to determine whether trait changes have a genetic component and, if so, are they within acceptable limits. Each chapter of this report deals with monitoring phenotypic and demographic traits of Yakima River basin spring chinook comparing hatchery and wild returns in 2002; the second year of adult hatchery returns. The first chapter deals specifically with adult traits of American River, Naches basin (excluding the American River), and upper Yakima River spring chinook, excluding gametes. The second chapter examines the gametic traits and progeny produced by upper Yakima River wild and hatchery origin fish. In the third chapter, we describe work begun initially in 2002 to characterize and compare redds of naturally spawning wild and hatchery fish in the upper Yakima River.« less

Lower Granite Dam Smolt Monitoring Program, 1998 Annual Report.

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

Verhey, Peter; Ross, Doug; Morrill, Charles

1998-12-01

The 1998 fish collection season at Lower Granite was characterized by relatively moderate spring flows and spill, moderate levels of debris, cool spring, warm summer and fall water temperatures, and increased chinook numbers, particularly wild subyearling chinook collected and transported. The Fish Passage Center's Smolt Monitoring Program is designed to provide a consistent, real-time database on fish passage and document the migrational characteristics of the many stocks of salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin.

Wide distribution of autochthonous branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (bGDGTs) in U.S. Great Basin hot springs

PubMed Central

Hedlund, Brian P.; Paraiso, Julienne J.; Williams, Amanda J.; Huang, Qiuyuan; Wei, Yuli; Dijkstra, Paul; Hungate, Bruce A.; Dong, Hailiang; Zhang, Chuanlun L.

2013-01-01

Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (bGDGTs) are membrane-spanning lipids that likely stabilize membranes of some bacteria. Although bGDGTs have been reported previously in certain geothermal environments, it has been suggested that they may derive from surrounding soils since bGDGTs are known to be produced by soil bacteria. To test the hypothesis that bGDGTs can be produced by thermophiles in geothermal environments, we examined the distribution and abundance of bGDGTs, along with extensive geochemical data, in 40 sediment and mat samples collected from geothermal systems in the U.S. Great Basin (temperature: 31–95°C; pH: 6.8–10.7). bGDGTs were found in 38 out of 40 samples at concentrations up to 824 ng/g sample dry mass and comprised up to 99.5% of total GDGTs (branched plus isoprenoidal). The wide distribution of bGDGTs in hot springs, strong correlation between core and polar lipid abundances, distinctness of bGDGT profiles compared to nearby soils, and higher concentration of bGDGTs in hot springs compared to nearby soils provided evidence of in situ production, particularly for the minimally methylated bGDGTs I, Ib, and Ic. Polar bGDGTs were found almost exclusively in samples ≤70°C and the absolute abundance of polar bGDGTs correlated negatively with properties of chemically reduced, high temperature spring sources (temperature, H2S/HS−) and positively with properties of oxygenated, low temperature sites (O2, NO−3). Two-way cluster analysis and nonmetric multidimensional scaling based on relative abundance of polar bGDGTs supported these relationships and showed a negative relationship between the degree of methylation and temperature, suggesting a higher abundance for minimally methylated bGDGTs at high temperature. This study presents evidence of the widespread production of bGDGTs in mats and sediments of natural geothermal springs in the U.S. Great Basin, especially in oxygenated, low-temperature sites (≤70°C). PMID:23964271

Monitoring of Juvenile Yearling Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Survival and Passage at Bonneville Dam, Spring 2010

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

Ploskey, Gene R.; Faber, Derrek M.; Weiland, Mark A.

2011-02-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate the survival for yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead smolts during spring 2010 in a portion of the Columbia River that includes Bonneville Dam. The study estimated smolt survival from a virtual release at Bonneville Dam to a survival array 81 km downstream of Bonneville Dam. We also estimated median forebay residence time, median tailrace egress time, and spill passage efficiency (SPE), as required in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords. A single release design was used to estimate survival from Bonneville Dam to a primary array located 81 km downstream of Bonneville. Themore » approach did not include a reference tailrace release. Releases of acoustic-tagged smolts above John Day Dam to Hood River contributed to the formation of virtual releases at a Bonneville Dam forebay entrance array and at the face of the dam. A total of 3,880 yearling Chinook salmon and 3,885 steelhead smolts were tagged and released in the investigation. The Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) tag model number ATS-156dB, weighing 0.438 g in air, was used in this investigation.« less

Spatiotemporal patterns of stable isotopes and hydrochemistry in springs and river flow of the upper Karkheh River Basin, Iran.

PubMed

Osati, Khaled; Koeniger, Paul; Salajegheh, Ali; Mahdavi, Mohammad; Chapi, Kamran; Malekian, Arash

2014-06-01

Karst springs of the Zagros Mountains contribute a significant amount to agricultural and human water demands of western and south-western Iran. For an adequate management of available water resources in semi-arid and arid regions, sufficient hydrological monitoring is needed, and hydro-chemical and isotope hydrological data provide important additional information. About 350 water samples were collected from precipitation, river water, and karst springs of the upper part of the Karkheh River Basin (20,895 km(2)) located between 33°35(') and 34°55(') North and 46°22(') and 49°10(') East with elevations ranging from 928 to 3563 m above sea level. Sampling was conducted in monthly time resolution from August 2011 to July 2012. All samples were analysed for hydro-chemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, and major ions) and stable isotopes (deuterium, oxygen-18). Isotope values of precipitation indicate a local meteoric water line (Zagros MWL δ(2)H=6.8 δ(18)O+10.1; R(2)=0.99) situated between the Mediterranean MWL and Global MWL. Spring and river water isotope values vary between-7.1 and-4.1 ‰, and-38 and-25 ‰ for δ(18)O and δ(2)H, respectively, responding to winter snowmelt and evaporation. This work implements stable isotopes and hydro-chemical information of springs and river water to understand hydrological and hydro-geological interrelations in karstic semi-arid areas and helps to improve the current water resources management practices of western Iran.

Fish community dynamics in northeastern Lake Ontario with emphasis on the growth and reproductive success of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and white perch (Morone americana), 1978 to1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Gorman, Robert; Burnett, John A.D.

2001-01-01

Fishes were assessed in Guffin, Chaumount, and Black River bays in northeastern Lake Ontario with a 7.9-m (headrope) bottom trawl during late September and early October, 1978 to 1997. Fish density declined in the early 1990s with sharp declines in abundance of spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius), trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus), and johnny darter (Etheostoma nigrum) occurring in 1993 to 1995. Rising numbers of piscivores, walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) and double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), increased predation pressure, presumably acting in concert with oligotrophication to lower fish density, particularly after 1991 when large numbers of adult alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) no longer migrated to the northeast basin in spring. Annual mortality of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) from age 2 to 5 rose from 33% in 1980–83 to 65% in 1992–95 and was positively related to piscivore numbers (P = 0.01, r = 0.96, n = 5). Annual mortality of yellow perch from age 0 to 2 also peaked in 1992–95. Abundance of yellow perch YOY in fall varied 40 fold and was not related to water warming in spring (P = 0.45, r = −0.19, n = 18) but was negatively related to the abundance of adult alewives in spring (P = 0.04, r = −0.49, n = 18). Although yellow perch produced moderate to strong year classes each year during 1991–95, stock size failed to increase because of rapidly accelerating mortality. Fully 85% of the variation in mean length of yellow perch YOY was explained by a multiple regression model which included YOY abundance, mean total phosphorus, and cumulative degree days > 13.5°C (P < 0.01, n = 15). Abundance of white perch (Morone americana) YOY varied nearly 200 fold and was not related to water warming or spring alewife abundance (P > 0.15). Variation in mean length of white perch YOY was related to cumulative degree days > 15°C (P < 0.01, r = 0.69).

Mound Spring Complexes in Central Australia: An Analog for Martian Groundwater Fed Outflow Channels?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarke, J. D. A.; Stoker, C.

2003-01-01

The arid inland of Australia contains a diversity of landscapes and landscape processes, often of great antiquity, extending back to the Mesozoic and Paleozoic. The potential of this landscape as a source of Mars analogs has, however, been little explored. The few examples studied so far include radiation-tolerant microbes in thermal springs and hematite-silica hydrothermal alteration near Arkaroola in the Finders Ranges, and aeolian landforms at Gurra Gurra water hole the north east of Arkaroola. Further Australian Mars analog studies were provided by the studies of Bourke and Zimbelman of the paleoflood record of the Todd and Hale Rivers in central Australia. To facilitate study of such analogues, Mars Society Australia has embarked on a project to construct a Mars Analog Research Station near Arkaroola. The international scientific community will soon have the opportunity to participate in Mars analog studies in central Australia utilizing this facility. An area of considerable Mars analog potential is the mound spring complexes that occur at the margins of the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) which underlies 22% of the Australian continent and covers 1.7 million km2. The mound springs are formed when ground water flows to a topographic low, and subsurface strata dips up causing a hydrological head at the surface. Minerals precipitated at the spring discharge zone form low mesas or "mounds", the height of which are controlled by the hydrological head. This paper describes the Dalhousie Mound Spring Complex (DMC) in the northern part of South Australia (Figure 1), and its potential as a Mars analog. Hydrogeology: The DMC consists of a cluster of more than 60 active springs formed by natural discharge from the GAB). Total measured discharge from the GAB is 1.74 GL per day, estimated unfocussed natural leakage through the aquaclude is thought be approximately equal to this figure. Some 54 ML per day are currently discharged by the DMC, 3% of the measured total. The discharged artesian waters are of low to moderate salinity (700 - 9400 ppm), near neutral pH (6.8-7.3) and warm (20-46 C). The elevated temperatures are due to passage of the groundwater through deeply buried (up to 3 km) aquifers in an region of high heat flow, rather than magmatic heating. The waters also contain high levels of dissolved iron and H2S and less than 1 ppm dissolved oxygen. The water is carried in the Late Jurassic Algebuckina Sandstone beneath the aquaclude of the Bulldog Shale. It is brought near the surface by the mid-Cenozoic Dalhousie anticline and the ground water flow focused along a series of faults that breach the anticline's crest.

Later springs green-up faster: the relation between onset and completion of green-up in deciduous forests of North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klosterman, Stephen; Hufkens, Koen; Richardson, Andrew D.

2018-05-01

In deciduous forests, spring leaf phenology controls the onset of numerous ecosystem functions. While most studies have focused on a single annual spring event, such as budburst, ecosystem functions like photosynthesis and transpiration increase gradually after budburst, as leaves grow to their mature size. Here, we examine the "velocity of green-up," or duration between budburst and leaf maturity, in deciduous forest ecosystems of eastern North America. We use a diverse data set that includes 301 site-years of phenocam data across a range of sites, as well as 22 years of direct ground observations of individual trees and 3 years of fine-scale high-frequency aerial photography, both from Harvard Forest. We find a significant association between later start of spring and faster green-up: - 0.47 ± 0.04 (slope ± 1 SE) days change in length of green-up for every day later start of spring within phenocam sites, - 0.31 ± 0.06 days/day for trees under direct observation, and - 1.61 ± 0.08 days/day spatially across fine-scale landscape units. To explore the climatic drivers of spring leaf development, we fit degree-day models to the observational data from Harvard Forest. We find that the default phenology parameters of the ecosystem model PnET make biased predictions of leaf initiation (39 days early) and maturity (13 days late) for red oak, while the optimized model has biases of 1 day or less. Springtime productivity predictions using optimized parameters are closer to results driven by observational data (within 1%) than those of the default parameterization (17% difference). Our study advances empirical understanding of the link between early and late spring phenophases and demonstrates that accurately modeling these transitions is important for simulating seasonal variation in ecosystem productivity.

Ground-water and water-chemistry data for the upper Deschutes Basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Caldwell, Rodney R.; Truini, Margot

1997-01-01

This report presents ground-water data collected and compiled as part of a study of the ground-water resources of the upper Deschutes Basin, Oregon. Data in this report include tabulated information and a location map for more than 1,500 field-located water wells, hydrographs showing water-level fluctuations over various time periods for 102 of the wells, and water-chemistry analyses from 26 wells, 7 springs, and 5 surface-water sites.

Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods and two multimetric indexes, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010–2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bruce, James F.; Roberts, James J.; Zuellig, Robert E.

2018-05-24

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, analyzed previously collected invertebrate data to determine the comparability among four sampling methods and two versions (2010 and 2017) of the Colorado Benthic Macroinvertebrate Multimetric Index (MMI). For this study, annual macroinvertebrate samples were collected concurrently (in space and time) at 15 USGS surface-water gaging stations in the Fountain Creek Basin from 2010 to 2012 using four sampling methods. The USGS monitoring project in the basin uses two of the methods and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recommends the other two. These methods belong to two distinct sample types, one that targets single habitats and one that targets multiple habitats. The study results indicate that there are significant differences in MMI values obtained from the single-habitat and multihabitat sample types but methods from each program within each sample type produced comparable values. This study also determined that MMI values calculated by different versions of the Colorado Benthic Macroinvertebrate MMI are indistinguishable. This indicates that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment methods are comparable with the USGS monitoring project methods for single-habitat and multihabitat sample types. This report discusses the direct application of the study results to inform the revision of the existing USGS monitoring project in the Fountain Creek Basin.

Dynamics of the transition zone in coastal zone color scanner-sensed ocean color in the North Pacific during oceanographic spring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glover, David M.; Wroblewski, J. S.; Mcclain, Charles R.

1994-01-01

A transition zone in phytoplankton concentration running across the North Pacific basin at 30 deg to 40 deg north latitude corresponds to a basin-wide front in surface chlorophyll observed in a composite of coastal zone color scanner (CZCS) images for May, June, and July 1979-1986. This transition zone with low chlorophyll to the south and higher chlorophyll to the north can be simulated by a simple model of the concentration of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and dissolved nutrient (nitrate) in the surface mixed layer of the ocean applied to the North Pacific basin for the climatological conditions during oceanographic springtime (May, June, and July). The model is initialized with a 1 deg x 1 deg gridded estimate of wintertime (February, March, and April) mixed layer nitrate concentrations calculated from an extensive nutrient database and a similarly gridded mixed layer depth data set. Comparison of model predictions with CZCS data provides a means of evaluating the dynamics of the transition zone. We conclude that in the North Pacific, away from major boundary currents and coastal upwelling zones, wintertime vertical mixing determines the total nutrient available to the plankton ecosystem in the spring. The transition zone seen in basin-scale CZCS images is a reflection of the geographic variation in the wintertime mixed layer depth and the nitracline, leading to a latitudinal gradient in phytoplankton chlorophyll.

Grande Ronde Basin Chinook Salmon Captive Brood and Conventional Supplementation Programs, 2002 Annual Report.

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

Carmichael, Richard W.

2003-07-01

Endangered Species Permit Number 1011 (formerly Permit No. 973) authorizes ODFW to take listed spring chinook salmon juveniles from Catherine Creek (CC), Lostine River (LR) and Grande Ronde River (GR) for research and enhancement purposes. Modification 2 of this permit authorizes ODFW to take adults for spawning and the production and release of smolts for the Captive and Conventional broodstock programs. This report satisfies the requirement that an annual report be submitted. Herein we report on activities conducted and provide cursory data analyses for the Grande Ronde spring chinook salmon Captive and Conventional broodstock projects from 1 January-31 December 2002.more » The Grande Ronde Basin Spring Chinook Salmon Captive Broodstock Project is designed to rapidly increase numbers of salmon in stocks that are in imminent danger of extirpation. Parr are captured in Catherine Creek, upper Grande Ronde River and Lostine River and reared to adulthood in captivity. Upon maturation, they are spawned (within stocks) and their progeny reared to smoltification before being released into the natal stream of their parents. This program is co-managed by ODFW, National Marine Fisheries Service, the Nez Perce Tribe and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.« less

Annual summary of ground-water conditions in Arizona, spring 1979 to spring 1980

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1981-01-01

Withdrawal of ground water, about 4.0 million acre-feet in Arizona in 1979, is about 200,000 acre-feet less than the amount withdrawn in 1978. The withdrawals in 1978 and 1979 are the smallest since the mid-1950 's except in 1966. Nearly all the decrease was in the amount of ground water used for irrigation in the Basin and Range lowlands province. The large amount of water in storage in the surface-water reservoirs, release of water from the reservoirs, floods, and conservation practices contributed to the decrease in ground-water use and caused water-level rises in the Salt River Valley, Gila Bend basin, and Gila River drainage from Painted Rock Dam to Texas Hill. Two small-scale maps show ground-water pumpage by areas and the status of the ground-water inventory in the State. The main map, which is at a scale of 1:500,000, shows potential well production, depth to water in selected wells in spring 1980, and change in water level in selected wells from 1975 to 1980. A brief text summarizes the current ground-water conditions in the State. (USGS)

77 FR 16257 - Notice of Public Meetings: Northeastern Great Basin Resource Advisory Council, Nevada

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-20

... Plan, greater sage-grouse conservation, and recreation; July 19 and 20 (Ely)--field tour to Spring Valley Wind/ Falcon-Gonder/Online (SWIP) transmission lines and greater sage-grouse leks; September 20...

Relations between fish abundances, summer temperatures, and forest harvest in a northern Minnesota stream system from 1997 to 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merten, Eric C.; Hemstad, Nathaniel A.; Eggert, L.S.; Johnson, L.B.; Kolka, R.K.; Newman, Raymond M.; Vondracek, Bruce C.

2015-01-01

Short-term effects of forest harvest on fish habitat have been well documented, including sediment inputs, leaf litter reductions, and stream warming. However, few studies have considered changes in local climate when examining postlogging changes in fish communities. To address this need, we examined fish abundances between 1997 and 2007 in a basin in a northern hardwood forest. Streams in the basin were subjected to experimental riparian forest harvest in fall 1997. We noted a significant decrease for fish index of biotic integrity and abundance of Salvelinus fontinalis and Phoxinus eos over the study period. However, for P. eos and Culaea inconstans, the temporal patterns in abundances were related more to summer air temperatures than to fine sediment or spring precipitation when examined using multiple regressions. Univariate regressions suggested that summer air temperatures influenced temporal patterns in fish communities more than fine sediment or spring precipitation.

Translocation of 14-C in ponderosa pine seedlings

Treesearch

Robert R. Ziemer

1971-01-01

The movement of 14-C from the old needles to the roots, and later to the new needles, was measured in 2-year-old ponderosa pine seedlings. The seedlings were in one of three growth stages at the time of the feeding of 14-CO-2: 9 days before spring bud break with no root activity; 7 days before spring bud break with high root activity; and 7 days after spring bud break...

Classification of ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial stream reaches using a TOPMODEL-based approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williamson, Tanja N.; Agouridis, Carmen T.; Barton, Christopher D.; Villines, Jonathan A.; Lant, Jeremiah G.

2015-01-01

Whether a waterway is temporary or permanent influences regulatory protection guidelines, however, classification can be subjective due to a combination of factors, including time of year, antecedent moisture conditions, and previous experience of the field investigator. Our objective was to develop a standardized protocol using publically available spatial information to classify ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial streams. Our hypothesis was that field observations of flow along the stream channel could be compared to results from a hydrologic model, providing an objective method of how these stream reaches can be identified. Flow-state sensors were placed at ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial stream reaches from May to December 2011 in the Appalachian coal basin of eastern Kentucky. This observed flow record was then used to calibrate the simulated saturation deficit in each channel reach based on the topographic wetness index used by TOPMODEL. Saturation deficit values were categorized as flow or no-flow days, and the simulated record of streamflow was compared to the observed record. The hydrologic model was more accurate for simulating flow during the spring and fall seasons. However, the model effectively identified stream reaches as intermittent and perennial in each of the two basins.

Hydrological Responses to Changes in the Rainfall Regime are Less Pronounced in Forested Basins: an Analysis of Southern Brazil, 1975-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chagas, V. B. P.; Chaffe, P. L. B.

2017-12-01

It is unknown to what extent the hydrological responses to changes in the rainfall regime vary across forested and non-forested landscapes. Southern Brazil is approximately 570000 km² and was naturally covered mostly by tropical and subtropical forests. In the last century, a large proportion of forests were replaced by agricultural activities. The rainfall regime has also changed substantially in the last decades. The annual rainfall, number and magnitude of extreme events, and number of non-rainy days have increased in most of the area. In this study, we investigated the changes in the regime of 142 streamflow gauges and 674 rainfall gauges in Southern Brazil, from 1975 to 2010. The changes in the regime were analyzed for forested basins (i.e., with more than 50% forest coverage) and non-forested basins (i.e., with less than 20% forest coverage). The area of the river basins ranged from 100 to 60000 km². We analyzed a total of six signatures that represent the regime, including annual averages, seasonality, floods, and droughts. The statistical trends of the signatures were calculated using the Mann-Kendall test and the Sen's slope. The results showed that the majority of basins with opposing signal trends for mean annual streamflow and rainfall are non-forested basins (i.e., basins with higher anthropogenic impacts). Forested basins had a lower correlation between trends in the streamflow and rainfall trends for the seasonality and the average duration of drought events. There was a lower variability in the annual maximum 1-day streamflow trends in the forested basins. Additionally, despite a decrease in the 31-day rainfall minima and an increase in the seasonality, in forested basins the 7-day streamflow minima increases were substantially larger than in non-forested basins. In summary, the forested basins were less responsive to the changes in the precipitation 1-day maxima, seasonality, number of dry days, and 31-day minima.

An observation-based progression modeling approach to spring and autumn deciduous tree phenology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Rong; Schwartz, Mark D.; Donnelly, Alison; Liang, Liang

2016-03-01

It is important to accurately determine the response of spring and autumn phenology to climate change in forest ecosystems, as phenological variations affect carbon balance, forest productivity, and biodiversity. We observed phenology intensively throughout spring and autumn in a temperate deciduous woodlot at Milwaukee, WI, USA, during 2007-2012. Twenty-four phenophase levels in spring and eight in autumn were recorded for 106 trees, including white ash, basswood, white oak, boxelder, red oak, and hophornbeam. Our phenological progression models revealed that accumulated degree-days and day length explained 87.9-93.4 % of the variation in spring canopy development and 75.8-89.1 % of the variation in autumn senescence. In addition, the timing of community-level spring and autumn phenophases and the length of the growing season from 1871 to 2012 were reconstructed with the models developed. All simulated spring phenophases significantly advanced at a rate from 0.24 to 0.48 days/decade ( p ≤ 0.001) during the 1871-2012 period and from 1.58 to 2.00 days/decade ( p < 0.02) during the 1970-2012 period; two simulated autumn phenophases were significantly delayed at a rate of 0.37 (mid-leaf coloration) and 0.50 (full-leaf coloration) days/decade ( p < 0.01) during the 1970-2012 period. Consequently, the simulated growing season lengthened at a rate of 0.45 and 2.50 days/decade ( p < =0.001), respectively, during the two periods. Our results further showed the variability of responses to climate between early and late spring phenophases, as well as between leaf coloration and leaf fall, and suggested accelerating simulated ecosystem responses to climate warming over the last four decades in comparison to the past 142 years.

An observation-based progression modeling approach to spring and autumn deciduous tree phenology.

PubMed

Yu, Rong; Schwartz, Mark D; Donnelly, Alison; Liang, Liang

2016-03-01

It is important to accurately determine the response of spring and autumn phenology to climate change in forest ecosystems, as phenological variations affect carbon balance, forest productivity, and biodiversity. We observed phenology intensively throughout spring and autumn in a temperate deciduous woodlot at Milwaukee, WI, USA, during 2007-2012. Twenty-four phenophase levels in spring and eight in autumn were recorded for 106 trees, including white ash, basswood, white oak, boxelder, red oak, and hophornbeam. Our phenological progression models revealed that accumulated degree-days and day length explained 87.9-93.4 % of the variation in spring canopy development and 75.8-89.1 % of the variation in autumn senescence. In addition, the timing of community-level spring and autumn phenophases and the length of the growing season from 1871 to 2012 were reconstructed with the models developed. All simulated spring phenophases significantly advanced at a rate from 0.24 to 0.48 days/decade (p ≤ 0.001) during the 1871-2012 period and from 1.58 to 2.00 days/decade (p < 0.02) during the 1970-2012 period; two simulated autumn phenophases were significantly delayed at a rate of 0.37 (mid-leaf coloration) and 0.50 (full-leaf coloration) days/decade (p < 0.01) during the 1970-2012 period. Consequently, the simulated growing season lengthened at a rate of 0.45 and 2.50 days/decade (p < =0.001), respectively, during the two periods. Our results further showed the variability of responses to climate between early and late spring phenophases, as well as between leaf coloration and leaf fall, and suggested accelerating simulated ecosystem responses to climate warming over the last four decades in comparison to the past 142 years.

Understanding hydrothermal circulation patterns at a low-enthalpy thermal spring using audio-magnetotelluric data: A case study from Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blake, Sarah; Henry, Tiernan; Muller, Mark R.; Jones, Alan G.; Moore, John Paul; Murray, John; Campanyà, Joan; Vozar, Jan; Walsh, John; Rath, Volker

2016-09-01

Kilbrook spring is a thermal spring in east-central Ireland. The temperatures in the spring are the highest recorded for any thermal spring in Ireland (maximum of 25 °C). The temperature is elevated with respect to average Irish groundwater temperatures (9.5-10.5 °C), and represents a geothermal energy potential, which is currently under evaluation. A multi-disciplinary investigation based upon an audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) survey, and hydrochemical analysis including time-lapse temperature and chemistry measurements, has been undertaken with the aims of investigating the provenance of the thermal groundwater and characterising the geological structures facilitating groundwater circulation in the bedrock. The three-dimensional (3-D) electrical resistivity model of the subsurface at Kilbrook spring was obtained by the inversion of AMT impedances and vertical magnetic transfer functions. The model is interpreted alongside high resolution temperature and electrical conductivity measurements, and a previous hydrochemical analysis. The hydrochemical analysis and time-lapse measurements suggest that the thermal waters have a relatively stable temperature and major ion hydrochemistry, and flow within the limestones of the Carboniferous Dublin Basin at all times. The 3-D resistivity model of the subsurface reveals a prominent NNW aligned structure within a highly resistive limestone lithology that is interpreted as a dissolutionally enhanced strike-slip fault, of Cenozoic age. The karstification of this structure, which extends to depths of at least 500 m directly beneath the spring, has provided conduits that facilitate the operation of a relatively deep hydrothermal circulation pattern (likely estimated depths between 560 and 1000 m) within the limestone succession of the Dublin Basin. The results of this study support the hypothesis that the winter thermal maximum and simultaneous increased discharge at Kilbrook spring is the result of rapid infiltration, heating and re-circulation of meteoric waters within this structurally controlled hydrothermal circulation system. This paper illustrates how AMT may be useful in a multi-disciplinary investigation of an intermediate-depth (100-1000 m), low-enthalpy, geothermal target, and shows how the different strands of inquiry from a multi-disciplinary investigation may be woven together to gain a deeper understanding of a complex hydrothermal system.

The prelaying interval of emperor geese on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hupp, Jerry W.; Schmutz, J.A.; Ely, Craig R.

2006-01-01

We marked 136 female Emperor Geese (Chen canagica) in western Alaska with VHF or satellite (PTT) transmitters from 1999 to 2003 to monitor their spring arrival and nest initiation dates on the Yukon Delta, and to estimate prelaying interval lengths once at the nesting area. Ninety-two females with functional transmitters returned to the Yukon Delta in the spring after they were marked, and we located the nests of 35 of these individuals. Prelaying intervals were influenced by when snow melted in the spring and individual arrival dates on the Yukon Delta. The median prelaying interval was 15 days (range = 12-19 days) in a year when snow melted relatively late, and 11 days (range = 4-16 days) in two warmer years when snow melted earlier. In years when snow melted earlier, prelaying intervals of <12 days for 11 of 15 females suggested they initiated rapid follicle development on spring staging areas. The prelaying interval declined by approximately 0.4 days and nest initiation date increased approximately 0.5 days for each day a female delayed her arrival. Thus, females that arrived first on the Yukon Delta had prelaying intervals up to four days longer, yet they nested up to five days earlier, than females that arrived last. The proximity of spring staging areas on the Alaska Peninsula to nesting areas on the Yukon Delta may enable Emperor Geese to alter timing of follicle development depending on annual conditions, and to invest nutrients acquired from both areas in eggs during their formation. Plasticity in timing of follicle development is likely advantageous in a variable environment where melting of snow cover in the spring can vary by 2-3 weeks annually. ?? The Cooper Ornithological Society 2006.

Hydrothermal disturbances at the Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park (USA) in 2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowenstern, J. B.; Heasler, H.; Smith, R. B.

2003-12-01

The Norris Geyser Basin in north-central Yellowstone National Park (YNP) experienced a series of notable changes during 2003, including formation of new hot springs and fumaroles, renewed activity of dormant geysers and elevated ground temperatures. This abstract provides a short synopsis of the new hydrothermal activity. In 2000, Yellowstone's tallest geyser, Steamboat, erupted after a dormant period of nearly 9 years. It erupted twice in 2002 and then again on 26 March and 27 April 2003. Surges in flux of thermal water preceding the eruptions (preplay) were recorded by a couplet of temperature data loggers placed in the outlet stream. The data indicated pulses of water flow with 1 and ~3 day intervals. On 10 July 2003, a new thermal feature was reported just west of Nymph Lake, ~ 3.5 km northwest of the Norris Museum. A linear series of vigorous fumaroles, about 75 m long had formed in a forested area, ~ 200 m up a hill on the lake's west shore. Fine particles of rock and mineral fragments coated nearby vegetation. Fumarole temperatures were around the local boiling temperature of water (92° C). After two months, somewhat reduced steam emission was accompanied by discharge of ~ 3-10 gallons per minute of near-neutral thermal water. Trees within 4 meters of the lineament were dead and were being slowly combusted. Porkchop Geyser in Norris' Back Basin had been dormant since it exploded in 1989, littering the nearby area with boulders up to over 1 m in diameter. Since that time, its water had remained well below the boiling temperature of water. From 1 April through 1 July `03, the temperature of waters in Porkchop's vent increased continuously from 67° to 88° C. Each Summer, Norris' Back Basin experiences an "annual disturbance" where individual hot springs and geysers typically show anomalous boiling, and have measurable increases in turbidity, acidity and SO4/Cl ratios. The disturbance has been linked to depressurization of the hydrothermal system as the hydrostatic pressure of the snowmelt-fed groundwater table wanes each summer. This year, the "Norris disturbance" is estimated to have begun on 11 July 2003,when pronounced changes were noted, including thermal pools that were boiled to dryness (e.g., Pearl Geyser), creating fumaroles. Porkchop Geyser erupted for the first time since 1989 on 16 July. New mud pots formed along the Back Basin Trail and increased ground temperatures were noted over an 500 x 300 m area. Park staff noted temperatures up to 94° C at 1 cm beneath the ground surface in areas that were previously cool. Vegetation in the area immediately died and began to break down due to the high temperatures. Yellowstone National Park closed the Back Basin Trail to all visitor travel on 22 July 2003. During the first week of August 2003, the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory installed a temporary monitoring network in the Norris Geyser Basin. University of Utah staff, with equipment and personnel made available by IRIS, UNAVCO, USGS and YNP, installed seven broadband seismometers and five continuous GPS receivers. In addition, YNP deployed a series of temperature data-loggers to record changes in flow from thermal features within the Norris Back Basin. The network is intended to identify ground motions associated with fluid flow within the geyser basin that may accompany eruptions of geysers, boiling episodes or events precursory to hydrothermal explosions. The monitoring network will remain operational for between four and twelve weeks.

Protecting the Geyser Basins of Yellowstone National Park: Toward a New National Policy for a Vulnerable Environmental Resource

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrick, Kenneth A.

2010-01-01

Geyser basins provide high value recreation, scientific, economic and national heritage benefits. Geysers are globally rare, in part, because development activities have quenched about 260 of the natural endowment. Today, more than half of the world’s remaining geysers are located in Yellowstone National Park, northwest Wyoming, USA. However, the hydrothermal reservoirs that supply Yellowstone’s geysers extend well beyond the Park borders, and onto two “Known Geothermal Resource Areas”—Island Park to the west and Corwin Springs on the north. Geysers are sensitive geologic features that are easily quenched by nearby geothermal wells. Therefore, the potential for geothermal energy development adjacent to Yellowstone poses a threat to the sustainability of about 500 geysers and 10,000 hydrothermal features. The purpose here is to propose that Yellowstone be protected by a “Geyser Protection Area” (GPA) extending in a 120-km radius from Old Faithful Geyser. The GPA concept would prohibit geothermal and large-scale groundwater wells, and thereby protect the water and heat supply of the hydrothermal reservoirs that support Yellowstone’s geyser basins and important hot springs. Proactive federal leadership, including buyouts of private groundwater development rights, can assist in navigating the GPA through the greater Yellowstone area’s “wicked” public policy environment. Moreover, the potential impacts on geyser basins from intrusive research sampling techniques are considered in order to facilitate the updating of national park research regulations to a precautionary standard. The GPA model can provide the basis for protecting the world’s few remaining geyser basins.

Audiomagnetotelluric Data and Two-Dimensional Models from Spring, Snake, and Three Lakes Valleys, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPhee, Darcy K.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Pellerin, Louise

2007-01-01

Audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) data along thirteen profiles in Spring, Snake, and Three Lakes Valleys, and the corresponding two-dimensional (2-D) inverse models, are presented. The AMT method is a valuable tool for estimating the electrical resistivity of the Earth over depth ranges of a few meters to roughly one kilometer. It is important for revealing subsurface structure and stratigraphy within the Basin and Range province of eastern Nevada that can be used to define the geohydrologic framework of the region. We collected AMT data using the Geometrics StrataGem EH4 system. Profiles were 1.2 to 4.6 km in length with station spacing of 100-400 m. Data were recorded in a coordinate system parallel to and perpendicular to the assumed regional geologic strike direction. We show station locations, sounding curves of apparent resistivity, phase, and coherency, and 2-D models. The 2-D inverse models are computed from the transverse electric (TE), transverse magnetic (TM), and TE+TM mode data using the conjugate gradient, finite-difference method of Rodi and Mackie (2001). Preliminary interpretation of these models defines the structural framework of the basins and the resistivity contrasts between alluvial basin-fill, volcanic units, and carbonate/clastic rocks.

Occurrence and environmental risk assessment of PAEs in Weihe River near Xi'an City, China.

PubMed

Guo, Xiaofeng; Wang, Lei; Wang, Xudong; Liu, Hanli

2013-01-01

The occurrence and distribution of phthalate acid esters (PAEs) in surface water of the Weihe River basin (eight mainstream sampling points and 15 tributary sampling points) in the Shaanxi section were investigated during the dry season, level period (spring), wet season and level period (autumn). The PAEs tested for were diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). The testing proceeded by millipore filtration, then solid phase extraction and then gas chromatography-mass spectrometry determination for all examined PAEs. The monitoring results indicated that, in terms of seasonal changes, concentration of the PAEs in the mainstream is: Dry season > Level period (spring) > Wet season ≈ Level period (autumn). An environmental risk assessment was then performed on PAE pollution levels of the Weihe River basin. This paper employed a risk assessment methodology to evaluate the potential adverse health effects of the individual PAE compounds according to their carcinogenicities. For DEP, DBP and DEHP, a low Risk Index (all of them were lower than the specified level of 1.0) reveals that small non-carcinogenic risks exist resulting from the presence of trace concentrations in the surface water of the Weihe River basin.

Simulations of hydrologic response in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin, Southeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

LaFontaine, Jacob H.; Jones, L. Elliott; Painter, Jaime A.

2017-12-29

A suite of hydrologic models has been developed for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin (ACFB) as part of the National Water Census, a U.S. Geological Survey research program that focuses on developing new water accounting tools and assessing water availability and use at the regional and national scales. Seven hydrologic models were developed using the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS), a deterministic, distributed-parameter, process-based system that simulates the effects of precipitation, temperature, land cover, and water use on basin hydrology. A coarse-resolution PRMS model was developed for the entire ACFB, and six fine-resolution PRMS models were developed for six subbasins of the ACFB. The coarse-resolution model was loosely coupled with a groundwater model to better assess the effects of water use on streamflow in the lower ACFB, a complex geologic setting with karst features. The PRMS coarse-resolution model was used to provide inputs of recharge to the groundwater model, which in turn provide simulations of groundwater flow that were aggregated with PRMS-based simulations of surface runoff and shallow-subsurface flow. Simulations without the effects of water use were developed for each model for at least the calendar years 1982–2012 with longer periods for the Potato Creek subbasin (1942–2012) and the Spring Creek subbasin (1952–2012). Water-use-affected flows were simulated for 2008–12. Water budget simulations showed heterogeneous distributions of precipitation, actual evapotranspiration, recharge, runoff, and storage change across the ACFB. Streamflow volume differences between no-water-use and water-use simulations were largest along the main stem of the Apalachicola and Chattahoochee River Basins, with streamflow percentage differences largest in the upper Chattahoochee and Flint River Basins and Spring Creek in the lower Flint River Basin. Water-use information at a shorter time step and a fully coupled simulation in the lower ACFB may further improve water availability estimates and hydrologic simulations in the basin.

A natural tracer investigation of the hydrological regime of Spring Creek Springs, the largest submarine spring system in Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimova, Natasha T.; Burnett, William C.; Speer, Kevin

2011-04-01

This work presents results from a nearly two-year monitoring of the hydrologic dynamics of the largest submarine spring system in Florida, Spring Creek Springs. During the summer of 2007 this spring system was observed to have significantly reduced flow due to persistent drought conditions. Our examination of the springs revealed that the salinity of the springs' waters had increased significantly, from 4 in 2004 to 33 in July 2007 with anomalous high radon ( 222Rn, t1/2=3.8 days) in surface water concentrations indicating substantial saltwater intrusion into the local aquifer. During our investigation from August 2007 to May 2009 we deployed on an almost monthly basis a continuous radon-in-water measurement system and monitored the salinity fluctuations in the discharge area. To evaluate the springs' freshwater flux we developed three different models: two of them are based on water velocity measurements and either salinity or 222Rn in the associated surface waters as groundwater tracers. The third approach used only salinity changes within the spring area. The three models showed good agreement and the results confirmed that the hydrologic regime of the system is strongly correlated to local precipitation and water table fluctuations with higher discharges after major rain events and very low, even reverse flow during prolong droughts. High flow spring conditions were observed twice during our study, in the early spring and mid-late summer of 2008. However the freshwater spring flux during our observation period never reached that reported from a 1970s value of 4.9×10 6 m 3/day. The maximum spring flow was estimated at about 3.0×10 6 m 3/day after heavy precipitation in February-March 2008. As a result of this storm (total of 173 mm) the salinity in the spring area dropped from about 27 to 2 in only two days. The radon-in-water concentrations dramatically increased in parallel, from about 330 Bq/m 3 to about 6600 Bq/m 3. Such a rapid response suggests a direct connection between the deep and the surficial aquifers.

Proceedings 43rd Stanford Geothermal Workshop

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

Simmons, Stuart; Kirby, Stefan; Verplanck, Philip

Herein we summarize the results of an investigation dealing with the concentrations and inventories of strategic, critical and valuable materials (SCVM) in produced fluids from geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs (50-250° C) in Nevada and Utah. Water samples were collected from thirty-four production wells across eight geothermal fields, the Uinta Basin oil/gas province in northeast Utah, and the Covenant oil field in southwestern Utah; additional water samples were collected from six hot springs in the Sevier Thermal Belt in southwestern Utah. Most SCVM concentrations in produced waters range from <0.1 to 100 µg/kg; the main exception is lithium, which has concentrationsmore » that range from <1000 to 25,000 ug/kg. Relatively high concentrations of gallium, germanium, scandium, selenium, and tellurium are measured too. Geothermal waters contain very low concentrations of REEs, below analytical detections limits (0.01 µg/kg), but the concentrations of lanthanum, cerium, and europium range from 0.05 to 5 µg/kg in Uinta basin waters. Among the geothermal fields, the Roosevelt Hot Spring reservoir appears to have the largest inventories of germanium and lithium, and Patua appears to have the largest inventories of gallium, scandium, selenium, and tellurium. By comparison, the Uinta basin has larger inventories of gallium. The concentrations of gallium, germanium, lithium, scandium, selenium, and tellurium in produced waters appear to be partly related to reservoir temperature and concentrations of total dissolved salts. The relatively high concentration and large inventory of lithium occurring at Roosevelt Hot Springs may be related to granitic-gneissic crystalline rocks, which host the reservoir. Analyses of calcite scales from Dixie Valley indicate enrichments in cobalt, gallium, gold, palladium, selenium and tellurium, and these metals appear to be depositing at deep levels in production wells due to boiling. Comparisons with SCVM mineral deposits suggest that brines in sedimentary basins, or derived from lacustrine evaporites, enable aqueous transport of gallium, germanium, and lithium.« less

Origin and pathways of the Winter Intermediate Water in the Western Mediterranean Sea using observations and numerical simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juza, Mélanie; Renault, Lionel; Ruiz, Simon; Heslop, Emma; Tintoré, Joaquin

2013-04-01

The Winter Intermediate Water (WIW) plays a crucial role in the water exchanges through the Balearic channels and in the Western Mediterranean Sea general circulation. Its formation occurs in the North-Western of the basin under severe winter conditions. Observational datasets (in situ temperature and salinity profiles collected during CTD and glider transects) reveal the presence of WIW in the Gulf of Lion and in the Ibiza Channel during the winter-spring 2011. However, the inhomogeneous spatial and temporal coverage of the observational array makes the monitoring of WIW through the basin difficult. In this study, as a complement to the observations, a ROMS 1/40° regional oceanic simulation implemented over the Western Mediterranean Sea is used to determine the origin, evolution and pathways of the WIW in the basin. The simulation outputs are first collocated at the observation positions. Their comparison against the observations shows the ability of the simulation to reproduce the observed WIW in the Gulf of Lion in March 2011 and in the Ibiza channel in winter-spring 2011. Then, the fully-sampled simulation outputs are used to study the spatial and temporal variability of the WIW in the Western Mediterranean Sea during the winter 2011. Investigating the T/S diagrams and transports in key sections over the basin and calculating lagrangian trajectories, the main pathways of WIW in winter-spring 2011 emerge. We show that, in good agreement with the literature, the simulated WIW are formed along the continental shelves of the Gulf of Lion and Catalan Sea, and then circulate souththward in the Balearic Sea reaching 100-200m depth. One branch (mainly formed in the Ebro estuary) goes through the Ibiza Channel, while the second main branch (coming from both the Gulf of Lion and the Ebro estuary) splits to the East joining the Balearic Current.

Geological factors controlling occurrence and distribution of arsenic in groundwaters from the southern margin of the Duero Basin, Spain.

PubMed

Giménez-Forcada, Elena; Smedley, Pauline L

2014-12-01

Groundwater from springs and boreholes on the southern edge of the Cenozoic Duero Basin (DB) of Spain has concentrations of arsenic (As) which are commonly above the EC drinking-water limit of 10 μg/L and reach observed values up to 241 μg/L. Groundwater compositions within the sedimentary aquifer vary from Ca-HCO3 type, variably affected by evaporation and agricultural pollution at shallow levels, to Na-HCO3 compositions in deeper boreholes of the basin. Groundwater conditions are mainly oxidising, but reducing groundwaters exist in sub-basins within the aquifer, localised flow paths likely being influenced by basement structure. Arsenic concentrations are spatially variable, reaching up to 38 μg/L in springs of the Spanish Central System (SCS) basement aquifer and up to 62 μg/L in springs from the DB. Highest As concentrations are associated with the Na-HCO3 compositions in deep boreholes (200-450 m depth) within the DB. These have high pH values (up to 9.6) which can give rise to associated elevated concentrations of V and U (up to 64 and 30 μg/L, respectively). In the deep borehole waters of the DB, oxidising flows derived from the mineralised igneous-metamorphic basement and discharging via major faults, and are considered the origin of the higher concentrations. Compositions are consistent with desorption of As and other anionic species from metal oxyhydroxides in an oxic environment. Under locally reducing conditions prevalent in some low-flow parts of the DB, an absence of detectable dissolved As is coincident with low or undetectable SO4 concentrations, and consistent with loss via formation of authigenic sulphide minerals. Mitigation measures are needed urgently in this semi-arid region where provision of alternative sources of safe drinking water is logistically difficult and expensive.

Aerosol optical properties observation and its relationship to meteorological conditions and emission during the Chinese National Day and Spring Festival holiday in Beijing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yu; Che, Huizheng; Zhao, Tianliang; Zhao, Hujia; Gui, Ke; Sun, Tianze; An, Linchang; Yu, Jie; Liu, Chong; Jiang, Yongcheng; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Hong; Wang, Yaqiang; Zhang, Xiaoye

2017-11-01

The reduction of traffic flow in downtown areas during the Chinese National Day holiday and the fireworks during the Spring Festival provide a unique opportunity for investigating the impact of urban anthropogenic activities on aerosol optical properties during these important Chinese festivals in Beijing. The National Day in 2014 and 2015 and Spring Festival in 2015 and 2016 were selected as study periods. The aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 440 nm increased over the all holiday periods and the average AODs during the 2015 National Day, 2015 Spring Festival and 2016 Spring Festival were about 81%, 21% and 36% higher than the background levels, respectively. The average AOD in 2014 National Day holiday was lower than background level partly influenced by precipitation event. The absorption AOD (AAOD) at 440 nm showed consistent variations with the AOD and the average AAODs during the 2015 National Day, 2015 Spring Festival and 2016 Spring Festival holidays were about 75%, 19% and 23% higher than the background level, respectively. The mean values of single scattering albedo were greater than the background level during the Spring Festival holidays, whereas the values during the National Day holiday in 2015 were lower partly due to the reduction of vehicular emissions in downtown areas. Fine- and coarse-mode particle volumes during pollution periods in holidays were 0.04-0.25 μm3 and 0.03-0.15 μm3 larger than background level, respectively. The results of potential source contribution function and concentration-weighted trajectory analyses identified the areas south of Beijing as the main source regions of PM2.5 and were responsible for the extremely high PM2.5 concentrations in Beijing during the holiday periods. The findings of this study may aid understanding the effects of human activities on aerosol optical properties over Beijing area and contribute to improving regional air quality.

The Importance of Submesoscale Versus Basin-scale Processes in Driving the Subpolar Spring Phytoplankton Bloom.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brody, S.; Mahadevan, A.; Lozier, M. S.

2014-12-01

The subpolar spring phytoplankton bloom has important consequences for marine ecosystems and the carbon cycle. The timing of the bloom has been conceived of as a basin-scale event: as the ocean warms, the seasonal mixed layer shoals, restricting phytoplankton to shallower depths and increasing available light to a level at which the bloom can begin. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of localized phenomena in driving the bloom initiation. Specifically, the role of lateral density gradients in generating <10km instabilities in the upper ocean, which then stratify the mixed layer before surface heating begins, has been explored with a process study model and fine-scale observations from a field program to study the North Atlantic spring bloom [1]. However, an alternative hypothesis has recently been validated at both the small scale, using the same observational data [2], and at the basin scale, using remote sensing data [3]. According to this hypothesis, blooms begin when surface heat fluxes weaken, mixing shifts from primarily convectively-driven to primarily wind-driven, and the depth of active mixing in the upper ocean consequently decreases. Here, we compare the importance of the barriers to mixing presented by submesoscale instabilities with the decreases in mixing depth caused by changes in surface forcing in driving the initiation of the spring bloom prior to the onset of surface heating. To make this comparison, we use a Lagrangian framework to track the light history of particles seeded in a high-resolution numerical model that we initialize with various surface forcing scenarios, and with and without lateral density gradients. Because the model parameterizes convection with convective adjustment, we present two methodologies to account for turbulent mixing processes that utilize observations of turbulent vertical mixing from a Lagrangian float. We present conclusions on whether and how submesoscale processes affect bloom initiation under varied surface forcing conditions in the context of whether the timing of the subpolar phytoplankton bloom can be thought of as a basin-scale or submesoscale phenomenon. [1] A. Mahadevan et al.. Science 337, 6090 (2012). [2] Brody, S.R. and Lozier, M.S. (under review, ICES J. Mar. Sci) [3] Brody, S.R. and Lozier, M.S. Geophys. Res. Lett. 41, (2014).

Quality of surface water in the Suwannee River Basin, Florida, August 1968 through December 1977

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hull, Robert W.; Dysart, Joel E.; Mann, William B.

1981-01-01

In the 9,950-square mile area of the Suwannee River basin in Florida and Georgia, 17 surface-water stations on 9 streams and several springs were sampled for selected water-quality properties and constituents from August 1968 through December 1977. Analyses from these samples indicate that: (1) the water quality of tributary wetlands controls the water quality of the upper Suwannee River headwaters; (2) groundwater substantially affects the water quality of the Suwannee River basin streams below these headquarters; (3) the water quality of the Suwannee River, and many of its tributaries, is determined by several factors and is not simply related to discharge; and (4) development in the Suwannee River basin has had observable effects on the quality of surface waters. 

Hydrology of Northern Utah Valley, Utah County, Utah, 1975-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cederberg, Jay R.; Gardner, Philip M.; Thiros, Susan A.

2009-01-01

The ground-water resources of northern Utah Valley, Utah, were assessed during 2003-05 to describe and quantify components of the hydrologic system, determine a hydrologic budget for the basin-fill aquifer, and evaluate changes to the system relative to previous studies. Northern Utah Valley is a horst and graben structure with ground water occurring in both the mountain-block uplands surrounding the valley and in the unconsolidated basin-fill sediments. The principal aquifer in northern Utah Valley occurs in the unconsolidated basin-fill deposits where a deeper unconfined aquifer occurs near the mountain front and laterally grades into multiple confined aquifers near the center of the valley. Sources of water to the basin-fill aquifers occur predominantly as either infiltration of streamflow at or near the interface of the mountain front and valley or as subsurface inflow from the adjacent mountain blocks. Sources of water to the basin-fill aquifers were estimated to average 153,000 (+/- 31,500) acre-feet annually during 1975-2004 with subsurface inflow and infiltration of streamflow being the predominant sources. Discharge from the basin-fill aquifers occurs in the valley lowlands as flow to waterways, drains, ditches, springs, as diffuse seepage, and as discharge from flowing and pumping wells. Ground-water discharge from the basin-fill aquifers during 1975-2004 was estimated to average 166,700 (+/- 25,900) acre-feet/year where discharge to wells for consumptive use and discharge to waterways, drains, ditches, and springs were the principal sources. Measured water levels in wells in northern Utah Valley declined an average of 22 feet from 1981 to 2004. Water-level declines are consistent with a severe regional drought beginning in 1999 and continuing through 2004. Water samples were collected from 36 wells and springs throughout the study area along expected flowpaths. Water samples collected from 34 wells were analyzed for dissolved major ions, nutrients, and stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. Water samples from all 36 wells were analyzed for dissolved-gas concentration including noble gases and tritium/helium-3. Within the basin fill, dissolved-solids concentration generally increases with distance along flowpaths from recharge areas, and shallower flowpaths tend to have higher concentrations than deeper flowpaths. Nitrate concentrations generally are at or below natural background levels. Dissolved-gas recharge temperature data support the conceptual model of the basin-fill aquifers and highlight complexities of recharge patterns in different parts of the valley. Dissolved-gas data indicate that the highest elevation recharge sources for the basin-fill aquifer are subsurface inflow derived from recharge in the adjacent mountain block between the mouths of American Fork and Provo Canyons. Apparent ground-water ages in the basin-fill aquifer, as calculated using tritium/helium-3 data, range from 2 to more than 50 years. The youngest waters in the valley occur near the mountain fronts with apparent ages generally increasing near the valley lowlands and discharge area around Utah Lake. Flowpaths are controlled by aquifer properties and the location of the predominant recharge sources, including subsurface inflow and recharge along the mountain front. Subsurface inflow is distributed over a larger area across the interface of the subsurface mountain block and basin-fill deposits. Subsurface inflow occurs at a depth deeper than that at which mountain-front recharge occurs. Recharge along the mountain front is often localized and focused over areas where streams and creeks enter the valley, and recharge is enhanced by the associated irrigation canals.

Streamflow changes in the Sierra Nevada, California, simulated using a statistically downscaled general circulation model scenario of climate change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilby, Robert L.; Dettinger, Michael D.

2000-01-01

Simulations of future climate using general circulation models (GCMs) suggest that rising concentrations of greenhouse gases may have significant consequences for the global climate. Of less certainty is the extent to which regional scale (i.e., sub-GCM grid) environmental processes will be affected. In this chapter, a range of downscaling techniques are critiqued. Then a relatively simple (yet robust) statistical downscaling technique and its use in the modelling of future runoff scenarios for three river basins in the Sierra Nevada, California, is described. This region was selected because GCM experiments driven by combined greenhouse-gas and sulphate-aerosol forcings consistently show major changes in the hydro-climate of the southwest United States by the end of the 21st century. The regression-based downscaling method was used to simulate daily rainfall and temperature series for streamflow modelling in three Californian river basins under current-and future-climate conditions. The downscaling involved just three predictor variables (specific humidity, zonal velocity component of airflow, and 500 hPa geopotential heights) supplied by the U.K. Meteorological Office couple ocean-atmosphere model (HadCM2) for the grid point nearest the target basins. When evaluated using independent data, the model showed reasonable skill at reproducing observed area-average precipitation, temperature, and concomitant streamflow variations. Overall, the downscaled data resulted in slight underestimates of mean annual streamflow due to underestimates of precipitation in spring and positive temperature biases in winter. Differences in the skill of simulated streamflows amongst the three basins were attributed to the smoothing effects of snowpack on streamflow responses to climate forcing. The Merced and American River basins drain the western, windward slope of the Sierra Nevada and are snowmelt dominated, whereas the Carson River drains the eastern, leeward slope and is a mix of rainfall runoff and snowmelt runoff. Simulated streamflow in the American River responds rapidly and sensitively to daily-scale temperature and precipitation fluctuations and errors; in the Merced and Carson Rivers, the response to the same short-term influences is much less. Consequently, the skill of simulated flows was significantly lower in the American River model than in the Carson and Merced. The physiography of the three basins also accounts for differences in their sensitivities to future climate change. Increases in winter precipitation exceeding +100% coupled with mean temperature rises greater than +2°C result in increased winter streamflows in all three basins. In the Merced and Carson basins, these streamflow increases reflect large changes in winter snowpack, whereas the streamflow changes in the lower elevation American basin are driven primarily by rainfall runoff. Furthermore, reductions in winter snowpack in the American River basin, owing to less precipitation falling as snow and earlier melting of snow at middle elevations, lead to less spring and summer streamflow. Taken collectively, the downscaling results suggest significant changes to both the timing and magnitude of streamflows in the Sierra Nevada by the end of the 21st Century. In the higher elevation basins, the HadCM2 scenario implies more annual streamflow and more streamflow during the spring and summer months that are critical for water-resources management in California. Depending on the relative significance of rainfall runoff and snowmelt, each basin responds in its own way to regional climate forcing. Generally, then, climate scenarios need to be specified — by whatever means — with sufficient temporal and spatial resolution to capture subtle orographic influences if projections of climate-change responses are to be useful and reproducible.

Aqueous geochemistry of the Thermopolis hydrothermal system, southern Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, U.S.A.

DOE PAGES

Kaszuba, John P.; Sims, Kenneth W.W.; Pluda, Allison R.

2014-06-01

The Thermopolis hydrothermal system is located in the southern portion of the Bighorn Basin, in and around the town of Thermopolis, Wyoming. It is the largest hydrothermal system in Wyoming outside of Yellowstone National Park. The system includes hot springs, travertine deposits, and thermal wells; published models for the hydrothermal system propose the Owl Creek Mountains as the recharge zone, simple conductive heating at depth, and resurfacing of thermal waters up the Thermopolis Anticline.

Delineating the Rattlesnake Springs, New Mexico Watershed Using Precision Gravity Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doser, D. I.; Boykov, N. D.; Baker, M. R.; Kaip, G. M.; Langford, R. P.

2009-12-01

Rattlesnake Springs serves as the sole domestic water source for Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The recent development of oil and gas leases and agricultural lands surrounding the springs has led to concern about contamination of the fracture controlled aquifer system. We have conducted a series of precision gravity surveys (station spacing 200 to 300 m in a 4 x 4 km area), combined with other geophysical studies and geologic mapping, to delineate possible fracture systems in the gypsum and carbonate bedrock that feed the spring system. Our combined results suggest several pathways for water to enter the springs. A series of WNW-ESE striking features are apparent in our gravity data that appear to align with relict spring valleys we have mapped to the west of the springs. A self potential survey indicates that water is entering the springs at a shallow level from the northwest direction. However, gravity data also indicate a north-south trending fracture system could be providing a pathway for water to enter from the south. This is consistent with drawdown tests conducted in the 1950’s and 1960’s on irrigation wells located to the south of the springs. The north-south fracture system appears related to a basin bounding fault system observed in the regional gravity data.

The origin of neap-spring tidal cycles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kvale, E.P.

2006-01-01

The origin of oceanic tides is a basic concept taught in most introductory college-level sedimentology/geology, oceanography, and astronomy courses. Tides are typically explained in the context of the equilibrium tidal theory model. Yet this model does not take into account real tides in many parts of the world. Not only does the equilibrium tidal model fail to explicate amphidromic circulation, it also does not explain diurnal tides in low latitude positions. It likewise fails to explain the existence of tide-dominated areas where neap-spring cycles are synchronized with the 27.32-day orbital cycle of the Moon (tropical month), rather than with the more familiar 29.52-day cycle of lunar phases (synodic month). Both types of neap-spring cycles can be recognized in the rock record. A complete explanation of the origin of tides should include a discussion of dynamic tidal theory. In the dynamic tidal model, tides resulting from the motions of the Moon in its orbit around the Earth and the Earth in its orbit around the Sun are modeled as products of the combined effects of a series of phantom satellites. The movement of each of these satellites, relative to the Earth's equator, creates its own tidal wave that moves around an amphidromic point. Each of these waves is referred to as a tidal constituent. The geometries of the ocean basins determine which of these constituents are amplified. Thus, the tide-raising potential for any locality on Earth can be conceptualized as the result of a series of tidal constituents specific to that region. A better understanding of tidal cycles opens up remarkable opportunities for research on tidal deposits with implications for, among other things, a more complete understanding of the tidal dynamics responsible for sediment transport and deposition, changes in Earth-Moon distance through time, and the possible influences tidal cycles may exert on organisms. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrogeology and groundwater availability in Clarke County, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelms, David L.; Moberg, Roger M.

2010-01-01

The prolonged drought between 1999 and 2002 drew attention in Clarke County, Virginia, to the quantity and sustainability of its groundwater resources. The groundwater flow systems of the county are complex and are controlled by the extremely folded and faulted geology that underlies the county. A study was conducted between October 2002 and October 2008 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Clarke County, Virginia, to describe the hydrogeology and groundwater availability in the county and to establish a long-term water monitoring network. The study area encompasses approximately 177 square miles and includes the carbonate and siliciclastic rocks of the Great Valley section of the Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province and the metamorphic rocks of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province (Blue Ridge). High-yielding wells generally tend to cluster along faults, within lineament zones, and in areas of tight folding throughout the county. Water-bearing zones are generally within 250 feet (ft) of land surface; however, median depths are slightly deeper for the hydrogeologic units of the Blue Ridge than for those of the Great Valley section of the county. Total water-level fluctuations between October 2002 and October 2008 ranged from 2.86 to 87.84 ft across the study area, with an average of 24.15 ft. Generally, water-level fluctuations were greatest near hydrologic divides, in isolated elevated areas, and in the Opequon Creek Basin. Seasonally, water-level highs occur in the early spring at the end of the major groundwater recharge period and lows occur in late autumn when evapotranspiration rates begin to decrease. An overall downward trend in water levels between 2003 and 2008, which closely follows a downward trend in annual precipitation over the same period, was observed in a majority of wells in the Great Valley and in some of the wells in the Blue Ridge. Water-level fluctuations in the Blue Ridge tend to follow current meteorological conditions, and seasonal highs and lows tend to shift in response to the current conditions. Springs generally are present along faults and fold axes, and discharges for the study period ranged from dry to 10 cubic feet per second. A similar downward trend in discharges correlates with the trend in water levels and is indicative of an aquifer system that, over time, drains to a base level controlled by springs and streams. Point discharge from springs can occur as the start of flows of streams and creeks, along banks, and as discrete discharge through streambeds in the Great Valley. For the most part, streams, creeks, and rivers in the Great Valley function as aqueducts. Springs in the Blue Ridge have relatively low discharge rates, have small drainage areas, and are susceptible to current meteorological conditions. Estimates of effective groundwater recharge from 2001 to 2007 ranged from 6.4 to 23.0 inches per year (in/yr) in the Dry Marsh Run and Spout Run Basins with averages of 11.6 and 11.9 in/yr, respectively. Base flow accounted for between 80 and 97 percent of mean streamflow and averaged about 90 percent in these basins. The high base-flow index values (percent of streamflow from base flow) in the Dry Marsh Run and Spout Run Basins indicate that groundwater is the dominant source of streamflow during both wet and drought conditions. Between 46 and 82 percent of the precipitation that fell on the Dry Marsh Run and Spout Run Basins from 2001 to 2007 was removed by evapotranspiration, and an average of approximately 30 percent of the precipitation reached the water table as effective recharge. The high permeability of the rocks and low relief in these basins are not conducive for runoff; therefore, on average, only about 3 to 4 percent of the precipitation becomes runoff. Groundwater flow systems in the county are extremely vulnerable to current climatic conditions. Successive years of below-average effective recharge cause declines in water levels, spring discha

Hydrology and simulation of ground-water flow in the Tooele Valley ground-water basin, Tooele County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stolp, Bernard J.; Brooks, Lynette E.

2009-01-01

Ground water is the sole source of drinking water within Tooele Valley. Transition from agriculture to residential land and water use necessitates additional understanding of water resources. The ground-water basin is conceptualized as a single interconnected hydrologic system consisting of the consolidated-rock mountains and adjoining unconsolidated basin-fill valleys. Within the basin fill, unconfined conditions exist along the valley margins and confined conditions exist in the central areas of the valleys. Transmissivity of the unconsolidated basin-fill aquifer ranges from 1,000 to 270,000 square feet per day. Within the consolidated rock of the mountains, ground-water flow largely is unconfined, though variability in geologic structure, stratigraphy, and lithology has created some areas where ground-water flow is confined. Hydraulic conductivity of the consolidated rock ranges from 0.003 to 100 feet per day. Ground water within the basin generally moves from the mountains toward the central and northern areas of Tooele Valley. Steep hydraulic gradients exist at Tooele Army Depot and near Erda. The estimated average annual ground-water recharge within the basin is 82,000 acre-feet per year. The primary source of recharge is precipitation in the mountains; other sources of recharge are irrigation water and streams. Recharge from precipitation was determined using the Basin Characterization Model. Estimated average annual ground-water discharge within the basin is 84,000 acre-feet per year. Discharge is to wells, springs, and drains, and by evapotranspiration. Water levels at wells within the basin indicate periods of increased recharge during 1983-84 and 1996-2000. During these periods annual precipitation at Tooele City exceeded the 1971-2000 annual average for consecutive years. The water with the lowest dissolved-solids concentrations exists in the mountain areas where most of the ground-water recharge occurs. The principal dissolved constituents are calcium and bicarbonate. Dissolved-solids concentration increases in the central and northern parts of Tooele Valley, at the distal ends of the ground-water flow paths. Increased concentration is due mainly to greater amounts of sodium and chloride. Deuterium and oxygen-18 values indicate water recharged primarily from precipitation occurs throughout the ground-water basin. Ground water with the highest percentage of recharge from irrigation exists along the eastern margin of Tooele Valley, indicating negligible recharge from the adjacent consolidated rock. Tritium and tritiogenic helium-3 concentrations indicate modern water exists along the flow paths originating in the Oquirrh Mountains between Settlement and Pass Canyons and extending between the steep hydraulic gradient areas at Tooele Army Depot and Erda. Pre-modern water exists in areas east of Erda and near Stansbury Park. Using the change in tritium along the flow paths originating in the Oquirrh Mountains, a first-order estimate of average linear ground-water velocity for the general area is roughly 2 to 5 feet per day. A numerical ground-water flow model was developed to simulate ground-water flow in the Tooele Valley ground-water basin and to test the conceptual understanding of the ground-water system. Simulating flow in consolidated rock allows recharge and withdrawal from wells in or near consolidated rock to be simulated more accurately. In general, the model accurately simulates water levels and water-level fluctuations and can be considered an adequate tool to help determine the valley-wide effects on water levels of additional ground-water withdrawal and changes in water use. The simulated increase in storage during a projection simulation using 2003 withdrawal rates and average recharge indicates that repeated years of average precipitation and recharge conditions do not completely restore the system after multiple years of below-normal precipitation. In the similar case where precipitation is 90

John Day River Subbasin Fish Habitat Enhancement Project, 2002 Annual Report.

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

Powell, Russ M.; Jerome, James P.; Delano, Kenneth H.

2003-03-01

Work undertaken in 2002 included: (1) Seven new fence projects were completed thereby protecting 6.0 miles of stream (2) Completion of 0.7 miles of dredge tail leveling on Granite Creek. (3) New fence construction (300ft) plus one watergap on Indian Creek/ Kuhl property. (4) Maintenance of all active project fences (58.76 miles), watergaps (56), spring developments (32) and plantings were checked and repairs performed. (5) Restoration and Enhancement projects protected 3 miles of stream within the basin. (6) Since the initiation of the Fish Habitat Project in 1984 we have 67.21 miles of stream protected using 124.2 miles of fence.more » With the addition of the Restoration and Enhancement Projects we have 199.06 miles of fence protecting 124.57 miles of stream.« less

Winds and the distribution of nearshore phytoplankton in a stratified lake.

PubMed

Cyr, Hélène

2017-10-01

The distribution of phytoplankton in lakes is notoriously patchy and dynamic, but wind-driven currents and algal buoyancy/motility are thought to determine where algae accumulate. In this study, nearshore phytoplankton were sampled from different parts of a lake basin twice a day for 4-5 consecutive days, in the spring and in late summer, to test whether short-term changes in phytoplankton biomass and community composition can be predicted from wind-driven currents. On windy days, phytoplankton biomass was higher at downwind than at upwind nearshore sites, and the magnitude of this difference increased linearly with increasing wind speed. However, contrary to the generally assumed downwind phytoplankton aggregations, these differences were mostly due to upwelling activity and the dilution of phytoplankton at upwind nearshore sites. The distribution of individual taxa was also related to wind speed, but only during late stratification (except for cryptophytes), and these relationships were consistent with the buoyancy and motility of each group. On windy days, large diatoms and cyanobacteria concentrated upwind, neutrally buoyant taxa (green algae, small diatoms) were homogeneously distributed, and motile taxa (cryptophytes, chrysophytes, dinoflagellates) concentrated downwind. Predictable differences in the biomass and composition of phytoplankton communities could affect the efficiency of trophic transfers in nearshore areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CO2 Uptake and Fixation by a Thermoacidophilic Microbial Community Attached to Precipitated Sulfur in a Geothermal Spring▿ †

PubMed Central

Boyd, Eric S.; Leavitt, William D.; Geesey, Gill G.

2009-01-01

Carbon fixation at temperatures above 73°C, the upper limit for photosynthesis, is carried out by chemosynthetic thermophiles. Yellowstone National Park (YNP), Wyoming possesses many thermal features that, while too hot for photosynthesis, presumably support chemosynthetic-based carbon fixation. To our knowledge, in situ rates of chemosynthetic reactions at these high temperatures in YNP or other high-temperature terrestrial geothermal springs have not yet been reported. A microbial community attached to precipitated elemental sulfur (So floc) at the source of Dragon Spring (73°C, pH 3.1) in Norris Geyser Basin, YNP, exhibited a maximum rate of CO2 uptake of 21.3 ± 11.9 μg of C 107 cells−1 h−1. When extrapolated over the estimated total quantity of So floc at the spring's source, the So floc-associated microbial community accounted for the uptake of 121 mg of C h−1 at this site. On a per-cell basis, the rate was higher than that calculated for a photosynthetic mat microbial community dominated by Synechococcus spp. in alkaline springs at comparable temperatures. A portion of the carbon taken up as CO2 by the So floc-associated biomass was recovered in the cellular nucleic acid pool, demonstrating that uptake was coupled to fixation. The most abundant sequences in a 16S rRNA clone library of the So floc-associated community were related to chemolithoautotrophic Hydrogenobaculum strains previously isolated from springs in the Norris Geyser Basin. These microorganisms likely contributed to the uptake and fixation of CO2 in this geothermal habitat. PMID:19429558

The question of recharge to the deep thermal reservoir underlying the geysers and hot springs of Yellowstone National Park: Chapter H in Integrated geoscience studies in Integrated geoscience studies in the Greater Yellowstone Area—Volcanic, tectonic, and hydrothermal processes in the Yellowstone geoecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rye, Robert O.; Truesdell, Alfred Hemingway; Morgan, Lisa A.

2007-01-01

The extraordinary number, size, and unspoiled beauty of the geysers and hot springs of Yellowstone National Park (the Park) make them a national treasure. The hydrology of these special features and their relation to cold waters of the Yellowstone area are poorly known. In the absence of deep drill holes, such information is available only indirectly from isotope studies. The δD-δ18O values of precipitation and cold surface-water and ground-water samples are close to the global meteoric water line (Craig, 1961). δD values of monthly samples of rain and snow collected from 1978 to 1981 at two stations in the Park show strong seasonal variations, with average values for winter months close to those for cold waters near the collection sites. δD values of more than 300 samples from cold springs, cold streams, and rivers collected during the fall from 1967 to 1992 show consistent north-south and east-west patterns throughout and outside of the Park, although values at a given site vary by as much as 8 ‰ from year to year. These data, along with hot-spring data (Truesdell and others, 1977; Pearson and Truesdell, 1978), show that ascending Yellowstone thermal waters are modified isotopically and chemically by a variety of boiling and mixing processes in shallow reservoirs. Near geyser basins, shallow recharge waters from nearby rhyolite plateaus dilute the ascending deep thermal waters, particularly at basin margins, and mix and boil in reservoirs that commonly are interconnected. Deep recharge appears to derive from a major deep thermal-reservoir fluid that supplies steam and hot water to all geyser basins on the west side of the Park and perhaps in the entire Yellowstone caldera. This water (T ≥350°C; δD = –149±1 ‰) is isotopically lighter than all but the farthest north, highest altitude cold springs and streams and a sinter-producing warm spring (δD = –153 ‰) north of the Park. Derivation of this deep fluid solely from present-day recharge is problematical. The designation of source areas depends on assumptions about the age of the deep water, which in turn depend on assumptions about the nature of the deep thermal system. Modeling, based on published chloride-flux studies of thermal waters, suggests that for a 0.5- to 4-km-deep reservoir the residence time of most of the thermal water could be less than 1,900 years, for a piston-flow model, to more than 10,000 years, for a well-mixed model. For the piston-flow model, the deep system quickly reaches the isotopic composition of the recharge in response to climate change. For this model, stable-isotope data and geologic considerations suggest that the most likely area of recharge for the deep thermal water is in the northwestern part of the Park, in the Gallatin Range, where major north-south faults connect with the caldera. This possible recharge area for the deep thermal water is at least 20 km, and possibly as much as 70 km, from outflow in the thermal areas, indicating the presence of a hydrothermal system as large as those postulated to have operated around large, ancient igneous intrusions. For this model, the volume of isotopically light water infiltrating in the Gallatin Range during our sampling period is too small to balance the present outflow of deep water. This shortfall suggests that some recharge possibly occurred during a cooler time characterized by greater winter precipitation, such as during the Little Ice Age in the 15th century. However, this scenario requires exceptionally fast flow rates of recharge into the deep system. For the well-mixed model, the composition of the deep reservoir changes slowly in response to climate change, and a significant component of the deep thermal water could have recharged during Pleistocene glaciation. The latter interpretation is consistent with the recent discovery of warm waters in wells and springs in southern Idaho that have δD values 10–20 ‰ lower than the winter snow for their present-day high-level recharge. These waters have been interpreted to be Pleistocene in age (Smith and others, 2002). The well-mixed model permits a significant component of recharge water for the deep system to have δD values less negative than –150 ‰ and consequently for the deep system recharge to be closer to the caldera at a number of possible localities in the Park.

Occurrence of foodborne bacteria in Alberta feedlots.

PubMed

Van Donkersgoed, Joyce; Bohaychuk, Valerie; Besser, Thomas; Song, Xin-Ming; Wagner, Bruce; Hancock, Dale; Renter, David; Dargatz, David

2009-02-01

The occurrence of generic Escherichia coli, E. coli O157, Salmonella, and Campylobacter in cattle manure, beef carcasses, catch basin water, and soils receiving manure application was determined in 21 Alberta feedlots. In cattle manure, generic E. coli (98%, 2069/2100) and Campylobacter (76%, 1590/2100) were frequently detected; E. coli O157 (7%, 143/2100) and Salmonella (1%, 20/2100) were less frequently detected. Samples from beef carcasses in the cooler following Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point interventions yielded only 1 isolate each of generic E. coli and Campylobacter (1/1653) and no Salmonella (0/1653). Catch basin water specimens were positive for generic E. coli in both the spring (62%, 13/21) and the fall (52%, 11/21). Other bacteria were detected only in the spring water specimens, including E. coli O157 (29%, 6/21), Salmonella (5%, 1/21), and Campylobacter (52%, 11/21). Generic E. coli was frequently isolated from soil specimens (30%, 27/88), but E. coli O157 was not found in soil samples obtained in the spring and was only occasionally detected in the fall samples (9%, 3/32). Salmonella were occasionally found in the soil specimens collected in the spring (3%, 2/56), but not in the fall season (0/32). Campylobacter jejuni was frequent in cattle manure (66%, 1070/1623), but rare in carcass and environmental samples. E. coli O157 and Salmonella were rarely detected in cattle or the environment. Generic E. coli and Salmonella were rarely detected on carcasses.

Thermal structure of the crust in Inner East Anatolia from aeromagnetic and gravity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bektaş, Özcan

2013-08-01

Inner East Anatolia has many hot spring outcomes. In this study, the relationship between the thermal structure and hot spring outcomes is investigated. The residual aeromagnetic and gravity anomalies of the Inner East Anatolia, surveyed by the Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) of Turkey, show complexities. The magnetic data were analyzed to produce Curie point depth estimates. The depth of magnetic dipole was calculated by azimuthally averaged power spectrum method for the whole area. The Curie point depth (CPD) map covering the Inner East Anatolia has been produced. The Curie point depths of the region between Sivas and Malatya vary from 16.5 to 18.7 km. Values of heat flow were calculated according to continental geotherm from the model. The heat flow values vary between 89 and 99 mW m-2. Heat flow values are incorporated with surface heat flow values. Gravity anomalies were modeled by means of a three-dimensional method. The deepest part of the basin (12-14 km), determined from the 3D model, are located below the settlement of Hafik and to the south of Zara towns. Two-dimensional cross sections produced from the basin depths, Curie values and MOHO depths. Based on the analysis of magnetic, gravity anomalies, thermal structures and geology, it seems likely that the hot springs are not related to rising asthenosphere, in the regions of shallow CPDs (∼16.5 km), and mostly hot springs are related to faulting systems in Inner East Anatolia.

Modeling fluid flow and heat transfer at Basin and Range faults: preliminary results for Leach hot springs, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

López, Dina L.; Smith, Leslie; Storey, Michael L.; Nielson, Dennis L.

1994-01-01

The hydrothermal systems of the Basin and Range Province are often located at or near major range bounding normal faults. The flow of fluid and energy at these faults is affected by the advective transfer of heat and fluid from an to the adjacent mountain ranges and valleys, This paper addresses the effect of the exchange of fluid and energy between the country rock, the valley fill sediments, and the fault zone, on the fluid and heat flow regimes at the fault plane. For comparative purposes, the conditions simulated are patterned on Leach Hot Springs in southern Grass Valley, Nevada. Our simulations indicated that convection can exist at the fault plane even when the fault is exchanging significant heat and fluid with the surrounding country rock and valley fill sediments. The temperature at the base of the fault decreased with increasing permeability of the country rock. Higher groundwater discharge from the fault and lower temperatures at the base of the fault are favored by high country rock permabilities and fault transmissivities. Preliminary results suggest that basal temperatures and flow rates for Leach Hot Springs can not be simulated with a fault 3 km deep and an average regional heat flow of 150 mW/m2 because the basal temperature and mass discharge rates are too low. A fault permeable to greater depths or a higher regional heat flow may be indicated for these springs.

Map showing general availability of ground water in the Kaiparowits coal-basin area, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, Don

1977-01-01

This is one of a series of maps that describe the geology and related natural resources in the Kaiparowits coal-basin area. This map is based partly on records of water wells, springs, and coal and petroleum exploration holes, partly on unpublished reports of field evaluations of prospective stock-water well sites by personnel of the U.S. Geological Survey, and partly on a 6-day field reconnaissance by the writer in parts of the mapped area.Most of the data used to compile this map were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with State, local, and other Federal agencies. Published sources of data included Phoenix (1963), Iorns, Hembree, and Phoenix (1964), Cooley (1965), Feltis (1966), Goode (1966, 1969), and the final environmental impact statement for the proposed Kaiparowits power project (U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 1976).Few data about the availability or depth of ground water could be obtained for large areas in the Kaiparowits coal basin. In those areas, expected yields of individual wells are inferred from the geology as compiled by Stokes (1964) and Hackman and Wyant (1973), and depths of ground water in wells are inferred largely from the local topography.El Paso Natural Gas Co., Resources Co., Kaiser Engineers, and Southern California Edison Co. provided specific information regarding the availability and depth of ground water in their exploratory holes on the Kaiparowits Plateau. The cooperation of those firms is gratefully acknowledged.

Changes in streamflow contributions with increasing spatial scale in Thukela basin, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutema, Macdex; Chaplot, Vincent

2018-06-01

Sustainable management of river basins requires precise understanding of the origin and variability of water fluxes. Water samples were collected in Thukela Basin (30,000 km2), South Africa, over the 2012 rainy season, from fifteen 1 m2 runoff microplots (for OF), a 5-m deep piezometer (SW) and 20-m deep borehole (GW), in the basin headwater and nested catchment outlets (microcatchment, 0.23 km2; subcatchment, 1.20 km2; catchment, 9.75 km2; sub-basin, 253 km2). The water samples were analysed for Sodium (Na) and Silica (Si) concentrations using an inductively coupled-plasma emission spectrophotometry. End Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA), with Na and Si as tracers, was then used to quantify the water compartment contributions to river flow. The results showed a general decrease of unit-area runoff in downslope direction from 5.7 to 1.2 L m-2 day-1 at microplot and microcatchment level, respectively, to 1.4 L m-2 day-1 at the basin outlet. OF contributions averaged 61% at microcatchment, 79% at subcatchment, 40% at catchment, 78% at sub-basin and 67% at the basin outlet, which corresponded to 0.82, 0.26, 5 × 10-5, 2 × 10-3 and 9 × 10-5 L m-2 day-1, respectively. The respective SW contributions were 39% (0.38 L m-2 day-1), 18% (0.10 L m-2 day-1), 49% (5 × 10-5 L m-2 day-1), 15% (4 × 10-4 L m-2 day-1) and 33% (5 × 10-5 L m-2 day-1). GW contributions were much lower at all spatial scales, but showed a general increase with increasing contributing surface area from microcatchment to sub-basin outlet followed by a decrease to the basin outlet. The end-member contributions showed large spatial variations, hence longer-term research integrating more observation points is recommended to generate adequate data for development of prediction models for this important river basin. More research linking carbon, nutrient and pollutant fluxes to water dynamics is also recommended.

8. 'THE ABOVE IS A PICTURE OF A DROP WHICH ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

8. 'THE ABOVE IS A PICTURE OF A DROP WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED THIS SPRING ON THE MAIL CANAL OF THE U.S. DRY GULCH NEAR THE LOWER END.' 1930 - Irrigation Canals in the Uinta Basin, Duchesne, Duchesne County, UT

Estimating nitrate concentrations in groundwater at selected wells and springs in the surficial aquifer system and Upper Floridan aquifer, Dougherty Plain and Marianna Lowlands, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama, 2002-50

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crandall, Christy A.; Katz, Brian G.; Berndt, Marian P.

2013-01-01

Groundwater from the surficial aquifer system and Upper Floridan aquifer in the Dougherty Plain and Marianna Lowlands in southwestern Georgia, northwestern Florida, and southeastern Alabama is affected by elevated nitrate concentrations as a result of the vulnerability of the aquifer, irrigation water-supply development, and intensive agricultural land use. The region relies primarily on groundwater from the Upper Floridan aquifer for drinking-water and irrigation supply. Elevated nitrate concentrations in drinking water are a concern because infants under 6 months of age who drink water containing nitrate concentrations above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 10 milligrams per liter as nitrogen can become seriously ill with blue baby syndrome. In response to concerns about water quality in domestic wells and in springs in the lower Apalachicola–Chattahoochee–Flint River Basin, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection funded a study in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey to examine water quality in groundwater and springs that provide base flow to the Chipola River. A three-dimensional, steady-state, regional-scale groundwater-flow model and two local-scale models were used in conjunction with particle tracking to identify travel times and areas contributing recharge to six groundwater sites—three long-term monitor wells (CP-18A, CP-21A, and RF-41) and three springs (Jackson Blue Spring, Baltzell Springs Group, and Sandbag Spring) in the lower Apalachicola–Chattahoochee–Flint River Basin. Estimated nitrate input to groundwater at land surface, based on previous studies of nitrogen fertilizer sales and atmospheric nitrate deposition data, were used in the advective transport models for the period 2002 to 2050. Nitrate concentrations in groundwater samples collected from the six sites during 1993 to 2007 and groundwater age tracer data were used to calibrate the transport aspect of the simulations. Measured nitrate concentrations (as nitrogen) in wells and springs sampled during the study ranged from 0.37 to 12.73 milligrams per liter. Average apparent ages of groundwater calculated from measurements of chlorofluorocarbon, sulfur hexafluoride, and tritium from wells CP-18A, CP-21A,and RF-41 were about 23, 29, and 32 years, respectively. Average apparent ages of groundwater from Baltzell Springs Group, Sandbag Spring, and Jackson Blue Spring were about 16, 18, and 19 years, respectively. Simulated travel times of particles from the six selected sites ranged from less than 1 day to 511 years; both the minimum and maximum particle travel times were estimated for water from Jackson Blue Spring. Median simulated travel times of particles were about 30, 38, and 62 years for Jackson Blue Spring, Sandbag Spring, and Baltzell Springs Group, respectively. Study results indicated that travel times for approximately 50 percent of the particles from all spring sites were less than 50 years. The median simulated travel times of particles arriving at receptor wells CP-18A, CP-21A, and RF-41 were about 50, 35, and 36 years, respectively. All particle travel times were within the same order of magnitude as the tracer-derived average apparent ages for water, although slightly older than the measured ages. Travel time estimates were substantially greater than the measured age for groundwater reaching well CP-18A, as confirmed by the average apparent age of water determined from tracers. Local-scale particle-tracking models were used to predict nitrate concentrations in the three monitor wells and three springs from 2002 to 2050 for three nitrogen management scenarios: (1) fixed input of nitrate at the 2001 level, (2) reduction of nitrate inputs of 4 percent per year (from the previous year) from 2002 to 2050, and (3) elimination of nitrate input after 2001. Simulated nitrate concentrations in well CP-21A peaked at 7.82 milligrams per liter in 2030, and concentrations in background well RF-41 peaked at 1.10 milligrams per liter in 2020. The simulated particle travel times were longer than indicated by age dating analysis for groundwater in well CP-18A; to account for the poor calibration fit at this well, nitrate concentrations were shifted 21 years. With the shift, simulated nitrate concentrations in groundwater at CP-18A peaked at 13.76 milligrams per liter in 2026. For groundwater in Baltzell Springs Group, Jackson Blue Spring, and Sandbag Spring, simulated nitrate concentrations peaked at 3.77 milligrams per liter in 2006, 3.51 milligrams per liter in 2011, and 0.81 milligram per liter in 2018, respectively, under the three management scenarios. In management scenario 3 (elimination of nitrate input after 2001), simulated nitrate concentrations in Baltzell Springs Group decreased to less than background concentrations (0.10 milligram per liter) by 2033, and in Sandbag Spring concentrations decreased to less than background by 2041. Simulations using nitrate management scenarios 1 (fixed input of nitrate at 2001 levels) and 2 (reduction of 4.0 percent per year) indicate that nitrate concentrations in groundwater may remain above background concentrations through 2050 at all sites.

Geohydrologic Investigations and Landscape Characteristics of Areas Contributing Water to Springs, the Current River, and Jacks Fork, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mugel, Douglas N.; Richards, Joseph M.; Schumacher, John G.

2009-01-01

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) is a narrow corridor that stretches for approximately 134 miles along the Current River and Jacks Fork in southern Missouri. Most of the water flowing in the Current River and Jacks Fork is discharged to the rivers from springs within the ONSR, and most of the recharge area of these springs is outside the ONSR. This report describes geohydrologic investigations and landscape characteristics of areas contributing water to springs and the Current River and Jacks Fork in the ONSR. The potentiometric-surface map of the study area for 2000-07 shows that the groundwater divide extends beyond the surface-water divide in some places, notably along Logan Creek and the northeastern part of the study area, indicating interbasin transfer of groundwater between surface-water basins. A low hydraulic gradient occurs in much of the upland area west of the Current River associated with areas of high sinkhole density, which indicates the presence of a network of subsurface karst conduits. The results of a low base-flow seepage run indicate that most of the discharge in the Current River and Jacks Fork was from identified springs, and a smaller amount was from tributaries whose discharge probably originated as spring discharge, or from springs or diffuse groundwater discharge in the streambed. Results of a temperature profile conducted on an 85-mile reach of the Current River indicate that the lowest average temperatures were within or downstream from inflows of springs. A mass-balance on heat calculation of the discharge of Bass Rock Spring, a previously undescribed spring, resulted in an estimated discharge of 34.1 cubic feet per second (ft3/s), making it the sixth largest spring in the Current River Basin. The 13 springs in the study area for which recharge areas have been estimated accounted for 82 percent (867 ft3/s of 1,060 ft3/s) of the discharge of the Current River at Big Spring during the 2006 seepage run. Including discharge from other springs, the cumulative discharge from springs was over 90 percent of the river discharge at most of the spring locations, and was 92 percent at Big Spring and at the lower end of the ONSR. The discharge from the 1.9-mile long Pulltite Springs Complex measured in the 2006 seepage run was 88 ft3/s. Most of this (77 ft3/s) was from the first approximately 0.25 mi of the Pulltite Springs Complex. It has been estimated that the annual mean discharge from the Current River Springs Complex is 125 ft3/s, based on an apparent discharge of 50 ft3/s during a 1966 U.S. Geological Survey seepage run. However, a reinterpretation of the 1966 seepage run data shows that the discharge from the Current River Springs Complex instead was about 12.6 ft3/s, and the annual mean discharge was estimated to be 32 ft3/s, substantially less than 125 ft3/s. The 2006 seepage run showed a gain of only 12 ft3/s from the combined Round Spring and Current River Springs Complex from the mouth of Sinking Creek to 0.7 mi upstream from Root Hollow. The 2006 temperature profile measurements did not indicate any influx of spring discharge throughout the length of the Current River Springs Complex. The spring recharge areas with the largest number of identified sinkholes are Big Spring, Alley Spring, and Welch Spring. The spring recharge areas with the largest number of sinkholes per square mile of recharge area are Alley Spring, Blue Spring (Jacks Fork), Welch Spring, and Round Spring and the Current River Springs Complex. Using the currently known locations of losing streams, the Big Spring recharge area has the largest number of miles of losing stream, and the Bass Rock Spring recharge area has the largest number of miles of losing stream per unit recharge area. The spring recharge areas with the most open land and the least forested land per unit recharge area are Blue Spring (Jacks Fork), Welch Spring, Montauk Springs, and Alley Spring. The spring recharge areas with the least amount

Preliminary evaluation of the behavior and movements of adult spring Chinook salmon in the Chehalis River, southwestern Washington, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liedtke, Theresa L.; Hurst, William R.; Tomka, Ryan G.; Kock, Tobias J.; Zimmerman, Mara S.

2017-01-30

Recent interest in flood control and restoration strategies in the Chehalis River Basin has increased the need to understand the current status and ecology of spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Spring Chinook salmon have the longest exposure of all adult Chinook salmon life histories to the low-flow and high water temperature conditions that typically occur during summer. About 100 adult spring Chinook salmon were found dead in the Chehalis River in July and August 2009. Adult Chinook salmon are known to hold in cool-water refugia during warm summer months, but the extent to which spring Chinook salmon might use thermal refugia in the Chehalis River is unknown. A preliminary evaluation of the movements and temperature exposures of adult spring Chinook salmon following their return to the Chehalis River was conducted using radiotelemetry and transmitters equipped with temperature sensors. A total of 12 spring Chinook salmon were captured, radio-tagged, and released in the main-stem Chehalis River between May and late June 2014. Tagged fish were monitored from freshwater entry through the spawning period using a combination of fixedsite monitoring locations and mobile tracking.Water temperature and flow conditions in the main-stem Chehalis River during 2014 were atypical compared to historical averages. Mean monthly water temperatures between March and August 2014 were higher than any decade since 1960 and mean monthly discharge was 90–206 percent of the discharge in previous years. Overall, 92 percent of the tagged fish were detected, with a mean of 102 d in the detection history of tagged fish. Seven tagged fish (58 percent) moved upstream, either shortly after release (5–8 d, 57 percent), or within about a month (34–35 d, 29 percent). One fish (14 percent) remained near the release location for 98 d before moving upstream. The final fates for the seven fish that moved upstream following release included six fish that were assigned a fate of spawner and one fish with an unknown fate. Tagged fish showed limited movements during the peak water temperatures in July and August, and were not frequently detected at sites where water temperatures exceeded 21 °C. The mouths of the Skookumchuck and Newaukum Rivers were commonly used by tagged fish for extended periods during peak water temperatures and study fish with a fate of spawner were last detected in these tributaries.This pilot study represents a substantial contribution to the understanding of spring Chinook salmon in the Chehalis River Basin, and provides information for the design and execution of future evaluations. The water temperatures and flow conditions during the 2014 study period were not typical of the historical conditions in the basin and the numbers of tagged fish monitored was relatively low, so results should be interpreted with those cautions in mind.

Secular spring rainfall variability at local scale over Ethiopia: trend and associated dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsidu, Gizaw Mengistu

2017-10-01

Spring rainfall secular variability is studied using observations, reanalysis, and model simulations. The joint coherent spatio-temporal secular variability of gridded monthly gauge rainfall over Ethiopia, ERA-Interim atmospheric variables and sea surface temperature (SST) from Hadley Centre Sea Ice and SST (HadISST) data set is extracted using multi-taper method singular value decomposition (MTM-SVD). The contemporaneous associations are further examined using partial Granger causality to determine presence of causal linkage between any of the climate variables. This analysis reveals that only the northwestern Indian Ocean secular SST anomaly has direct causal links with spring rainfall over Ethiopia and mean sea level pressure (MSLP) over Africa inspite of the strong secular covariance of spring rainfall, SST in parts of subtropical Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean and MSLP. High secular rainfall variance and statistically significant linear trend show consistently that there is a massive decline in spring rain over southern Ethiopia. This happened concurrently with significant buildup of MSLP over East Africa, northeastern Africa including parts of the Arabian Peninsula, some parts of central Africa and SST warming over all ocean basins with the exception of the ENSO regions. The east-west pressure gradient in response to the Indian Ocean warming led to secular southeasterly winds over the Arabian Sea, easterly over central Africa and equatorial Atlantic. These flows weakened climatological northeasterly flow over the Arabian Sea and southwesterly flow over equatorial Atlantic and Congo basins which supply moisture into the eastern Africa regions in spring. The secular divergent flow at low level is concurrent with upper level convergence due to the easterly secular anomalous flow. The mechanisms through which the northwestern Indian Ocean secular SST anomaly modulates rainfall are further explored in the context of East Africa using a simplified atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) coupled to mixed-layer oceanic model. The rainfall anomaly (with respect to control simulation), forced by the northwestern Indian Ocean secular SST anomaly and averaged over the 30-year period, exhibits prevalence of dry conditions over East and equatorial Africa in agreement with observation. The atmospheric response to secular SST warming anomaly led to divergent flow at low levels and subsidence at the upper troposphere over regions north of 5° S on the continent and vice versa over the Indian Ocean. This surface difluence over East Africa, in addition to its role in suppressing convective activity, deprives the region of moisture supply from the Indian Ocean as well as the Atlantic and Congo basins.

On the secular change of spring onset at Stockholm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Cheng; Fu, Congbin; Wu, Zhaohua; Yan, Zhongwei

2009-06-01

A newly developed method, the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition, was applied to adaptively determine the timing of climatic spring onset from the daily temperature records at Stockholm during 1756-2000. Secular variations of spring onset and its relationships to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and to the temperature variability were analyzed. A clear turning point of secular trend in spring onset around 1884/1885, from delaying to advancing, was found. The delaying trend of spring onset (6.9 days/century) during 1757-1884 and the advancing one (-7 days/century) during 1885-1999 were both significant. The winter NAO indices were found to be correlated with the spring onset at Stockholm at an inter-annual timescale only for some decades, but unable to explain the change of the long-term trends. The secular change from cooling to warming around the 1880s, especially in terms of spring temperature, might have led to the secular change of spring onset.

Ground-water quality and effects of poultry confined animal feeding operations on shallow ground water, upper Shoal Creek basin, Southwest Missouri, 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mugel, Douglas N.

2002-01-01

Forty-seven wells and 8 springs were sampled in May, October, and November 2000 in the upper Shoal Creek Basin, southwest Missouri, to determine if nutrient concentrations and fecal bacteria densities are increasing in the shallow aquifer as a result of poultry confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Most of the land use in the basin is agricultural, with cattle and hay production dominating; the number of poultry CAFOs has increased in recent years. Poultry waste (litter) is used as a source of nutrients on pasture land as much as several miles away from poultry barns.Most wells in the sample network were classified as ?P? wells, which were open only or mostly to the Springfield Plateau aquifer and where poultry litter was applied to a substantial acreage within 0.5 mile of the well both in spring 2000 and in several previous years; and ?Ag? wells, which were open only or mostly to the Springfield Plateau aquifer and which had limited or no association with poultry CAFOs. Water-quality data from wells and springs were grouped for statistical purposes as P1, Ag1, and Sp1 (May 2000 samples) and P2, Ag2, and Sp2 (October or November 2000 samples). The results of this study do not indicate that poultry CAFOs are affecting the shallow ground water in the upper Shoal Creek Basin with respect to nutrient concentrations and fecal bacteria densities. Statistical tests do not indicate that P wells sampled in spring 2000 have statistically larger concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate or fecal indicator bacteria densities than Ag wells sampled during the same time, at a 95-percent confidence level. Instead, the Ag wells had statistically larger concentrations of nitrite plus nitrate and fecal coliform bacteria densities than the P wells.The results of this study do not indicate seasonal variations from spring 2000 to fall 2000 in the concentrations of nutrients or fecal indicator bacteria densities from well samples. Statistical tests do not indicate statistically significant differences at a 95-percent confidence level for nitrite plus nitrate concentrations or fecal indicator bacteria densities between either P wells sampled in spring and fall 2000, or Ag wells sampled in spring and fall 2000. However, analysis of samples from springs shows that fecal streptococcus bacteria densities were statistically smaller in fall 2000 than in spring 2000 at a 95-percent confidence level.Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in spring 2000 samples ranged from less than the detection level [0.02 mg/L (milligram per liter) as nitrogen] to 18 mg/L as nitrogen. Seven samples from three wells had nitrite plus nitrate concentrations at or larger than the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L as nitrogen. The median nitrite plus nitrate concentrations were 0.28 mg/L as nitrogen for P1 samples, 4.6 mg/L as nitrogen for Ag1 samples, and 3.9 mg/L as nitrogen for Sp1 samples.Fecal coliform bacteria were detected in 1 of 25 P1 samples and 5 of 15 Ag1 samples. Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria were detected in 3 of 24 P1 samples and 1 of 13 Ag1 samples. Fecal streptococcus bacteria were detected in 8 of 25 P1 samples and 6 of 15 Ag1 samples. Bacteria densities in samples from wells ranged from less than 1 to 81 col/100 mL (colonies per 100 milliliters) of fecal coliform, less than 1 to 140 col/100 mL of E. coli, and less than 1 to 130 col/100 mL of fecal streptococcus. Fecal indicator bacteria densities in samples from springs were substantially larger than in samples from wells. In Sp1 samples, bacteria densities ranged from 12 to 3,300 col/100 mL of fecal coliform, 40 to 2,700 col/100 mL of E. coli, and 42 to 3,100 col/100 mL of fecal streptococcus.

Data on ground-water quality in the Carson River basin, western Nevada and eastern California, 1987-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitney, Rita

1994-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey collected and analyzed water samples from June 1987 through February 1990 as part of a study of the ground-water quality in the Carson River Basin. The Carson River Basin is one of seven national pilot projects conducted by the Geological Survey as part of a National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The data from the sampling program include analyses of 110 different constituents and properties of ground water in 400 separate samplings of 230 domestic, public-supply, irrigation, and shallow monitoring wells and one spring. The water-quality data include: field measurements, major constituents, nutrients, minor constituents, radionuclides, stable isotopes, and synthetic organic compounds.

Effects of urban land-use on largescale stonerollers in the Mobile River Basin, Birmingham, AL.

PubMed

Iwanowicz, D; Black, M C; Blazer, V S; Zappia, H; Bryant, W

2016-04-01

During the spring and fall of 2001 and the spring of 2002 a study was conducted to evaluate the health of the largescale stoneroller (Campostoma oligolepis) populations in streams along an urban land-use gradient. Sites were selected from a pool of naturally similar sub-basins (eco-region, basin size, and geology) of the Mobile River basin (MRB), using an index of urban intensity derived from infrastructure, socioeconomic, and land-use data. This urban land-use gradient (ULUG) is a multimetric indicator of urban intensity, ranging from 0 (background) to 100 (intense urbanization). Campostoma sp. have been used previously as indicators of stream health and are common species found in all sites within the MRB. Endpoints used to determine the effects of urban land-use on the largescale stoneroller included total glutathione, histology, hepatic apoptosis, condition factor and external lesions. Liver glutathione levels were positively associated with increasing urban land-use (r(2) = 0.94). Histopathological examination determined that some abnormalities and lesions were correlated with the ULUG and generally increased in prevalence or severity with increasing urbanization. Liver macrophage aggregates were positively correlated to the ULUG. The occurrence of nucleosomal ladders (indicating apoptotic cell death) did not correspond with urban intensity in a linear fashion. Apoptosis, as well as prevalence and severity of a myxozoan parasite, appeared to have a hormetic dose-response relationship. The majority of the biomarkers suggested fish health was compromised in areas where the ULUG ≥ 36.

Effects of urban land-use on largescale stonerollers in the Mobile River Basin, Birmingham, AL

USGS Publications Warehouse

Iwanowicz, Deborah; Black, M.C.; Blazer, Vicki S.; Zappia, H.; Bryant, Wade L.

2016-01-01

During the spring and fall of 2001 and the spring of 2002 a study was conducted to evaluate the health of the largescale stoneroller (Campostoma oligolepis) populations in streams along an urban land-use gradient. Sites were selected from a pool of naturally similar sub-basins (eco-region, basin size, and geology) of the Mobile River basin (MRB), using an index of urban intensity derived from infrastructure, socioeconomic, and land-use data. This urban land-use gradient (ULUG) is a multimetric indicator of urban intensity, ranging from 0 (background) to 100 (intense urbanization). Campostoma sp. have been used previously as indicators of stream health and are common species found in all sites within the MRB. Endpoints used to determine the effects of urban land-use on the largescale stoneroller included total glutathione, histology, hepatic apoptosis, condition factor and external lesions. Liver glutathione levels were positively associated with increasing urban land-use (r2 = 0.94). Histopathological examination determined that some abnormalities and lesions were correlated with the ULUG and generally increased in prevalence or severity with increasing urbanization. Liver macrophage aggregates were positively correlated to the ULUG. The occurrence of nucleosomal ladders (indicating apoptotic cell death) did not correspond with urban intensity in a linear fashion. Apoptosis, as well as prevalence and severity of a myxozoan parasite, appeared to have a hormetic dose–response relationship. The majority of the biomarkers suggested fish health was compromised in areas where the ULUG ≥ 36.

Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zuellig, Robert E.; Bruce, James F.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.; Brown, Krystal D.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at 15 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gages in the Fountain Creek basin from 2010 to 2012. Collectively, the four methods are used by local (U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program) and State monitoring programs (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) in the Fountain Creek basin to produce two distinct sample types for each program that target single-and multiple-habitats. This study found distinguishable differences between single-and multi-habitat sample types using both community similarities and multi-metric index values, while methods from each program within sample type were comparable. This indicates that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment methods were compatible with the cooperative monitoring program methods within multi-and single-habitat sample types. Comparisons between September and October samples found distinguishable differences based on community similarities for both sample types, whereas only differences were found for single-habitat samples when multi-metric index values were considered. At one site, differences between September and October index values from single-habitat samples resulted in opposing assessments of biological condition. Direct application of the results to inform the revision of the existing Fountain Creek basin U.S. Geological Survey cooperative monitoring program are discussed.

Generation and evolution of hydrothermal fluids at Yellowstone: Insights from the Heart Lake Geyser Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lowenstern, J. B.; Bergfeld, D.; Evans, W. C.; Hurwitz, S.

2012-01-01

We sampled fumaroles and hot springs from the Heart Lake Geyser Basin (HLGB), measured water and gas discharge, and estimated heat and mass flux from this geothermal area in 2009. The combined data set reveals that diverse fluids share an origin by mixing of deep solute-rich parent water with dilute heated meteoric water, accompanied by subsequent boiling. A variety of chemical and isotopic geothermometers are consistent with a parent water that equilibrates with rocks at 205°C ± 10°C and then undergoes 21% ± 2% adiabatic boiling. Measured diffuse CO2 flux and fumarole compositions are consistent with an initial dissolved CO2 concentration of 21 ± 7 mmol upon arrival at the caldera boundary and prior to southeast flow, boiling, and discharge along the Witch Creek drainage. The calculated advective flow from the basin is 78 ± 16 L s-1of parent thermal water, corresponding to 68 ± 14 MW, or ˜1% of the estimated thermal flux from Yellowstone. Helium and carbon isotopes reveal minor addition of locally derived crustal, biogenic, and meteoric gases as this fluid boils and degasses, reducing the He isotope ratio (Rc/Ra) from 2.91 to 1.09. The HLGB is one of the few thermal areas at Yellowstone that approaches a closed system, where a series of progressively boiled waters can be sampled along with related steam and noncondensable gas. At other Yellowstone locations, steam and gas are found without associated neutral Cl waters (e.g., Hot Spring Basin) or Cl-rich waters emerge without significant associated steam and gas (Upper Geyser Basin).

Generation and evolution of hydrothermal fluids at Yellowstone: Insights from the Heart Lake Geyser Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lowenstern, J. B.; Bergfeld, D.; Evans, William C.; Hurwitz, S.

2012-01-01

We sampled fumaroles and hot springs from the Heart Lake Geyser Basin (HLGB), measured water and gas discharge, and estimated heat and mass flux from this geothermal area in 2009. The combined data set reveals that diverse fluids share an origin by mixing of deep solute-rich parent water with dilute heated meteoric water, accompanied by subsequent boiling. A variety of chemical and isotopic geothermometers are consistent with a parent water that equilibrates with rocks at 205°C ± 10°C and then undergoes 21% ± 2% adiabatic boiling. Measured diffuse CO2 flux and fumarole compositions are consistent with an initial dissolved CO2 concentration of 21 ± 7 mmol upon arrival at the caldera boundary and prior to southeast flow, boiling, and discharge along the Witch Creek drainage. The calculated advective flow from the basin is 78 ± 16 L s−1 of parent thermal water, corresponding to 68 ± 14 MW, or –1% of the estimated thermal flux from Yellowstone. Helium and carbon isotopes reveal minor addition of locally derived crustal, biogenic, and meteoric gases as this fluid boils and degasses, reducing the He isotope ratio (Rc/Ra) from 2.91 to 1.09. The HLGB is one of the few thermal areas at Yellowstone that approaches a closed system, where a series of progressively boiled waters can be sampled along with related steam and noncondensable gas. At other Yellowstone locations, steam and gas are found without associated neutral Cl waters (e.g., Hot Spring Basin) or Cl-rich waters emerge without significant associated steam and gas (Upper Geyser Basin).

Calibration of Two-dimensional Floodplain Modeling in the Atchafalaya River Basin Using SAR Interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jung, Hahn Chul; Jasinski, Michael; Kim, Jin-Woo; Shum, C. K.; Bates, Paul; Lee, Hgongki; Neal, Jeffrey; Alsdorf, Doug

2012-01-01

Two-dimensional (2D) satellite imagery has been increasingly employed to improve prediction of floodplain inundation models. However, most focus has been on validation of inundation extent, with little attention on the 2D spatial variations of water elevation and slope. The availability of high resolution Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) imagery offers unprecedented opportunity for quantitative validation of surface water heights and slopes derived from 2D hydrodynamic models. In this study, the LISFLOOD-ACC hydrodynamic model is applied to the central Atchafalaya River Basin, Louisiana, during high flows typical of spring floods in the Mississippi Delta region, for the purpose of demonstrating the utility of InSAR in coupled 1D/2D model calibration. Two calibration schemes focusing on Manning s roughness are compared. First, the model is calibrated in terms of water elevations at a single in situ gage during a 62 day simulation period from 1 April 2008 to 1 June 2008. Second, the model is calibrated in terms of water elevation changes calculated from ALOS PALSAR interferometry during 46 days of the image acquisition interval from 16 April 2008 to 1 June 2009. The best-fit models show that the mean absolute errors are 3.8 cm for a single in situ gage calibration and 5.7 cm/46 days for InSAR water level calibration. The optimum values of Manning's roughness coefficients are 0.024/0.10 for the channel/floodplain, respectively, using a single in situ gage, and 0.028/0.10 for channel/floodplain the using SAR. Based on the calibrated water elevation changes, daily storage changes within the size of approx 230 sq km of the model area are also calculated to be of the order of 107 cubic m/day during high water of the modeled period. This study demonstrates the feasibility of SAR interferometry to support 2D hydrodynamic model calibration and as a tool for improved understanding of complex floodplain hydrodynamics

Estimated water use and availability in the South Coastal Drainage Basin, southern Rhode Island, 1995-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wild, Emily C.; Nimiroski, Mark T.

2005-01-01

The South Coastal Drainage Basin includes approximately 59.14 square miles in southern Rhode Island. The basin was divided into three subbasins to assess the water use and availability: the Saugatucket, Point Judith Pond, and the Southwestern Coastal Drainage subbasins. Because there is limited information on the ground-water system in this basin, the water use and availability evaluations for these subbasins were derived from delineated surface-water drainage areas. An assessment was completed to estimate water withdrawals, use, and return flow over a 5-year study period from 1995 through 1999 in the basin. During the study period, one major water supplier in the basin withdrew an average of 0.389 million gallons per day from the sand and gravel deposits. Most of the potable water is imported (about 2.152 million gallons per day) from the adjacent Pawcatuck Basin to the northwest. The estimated water withdrawals from the minor water suppliers, which are all in Charlestown, during the study period were 0.064 million gallons per day. The self-supplied domestic, industrial, commercial, and agricultural withdrawals from the basin were 0.574 million gallons per day. Water use in the basin was 2.874 million gallons per day. The average return flow in the basin was 1.190 million gallons per day, which was entirely from self-disposed water users. In this basin, wastewater from service collection areas was exported (about 1.139 million gallons per day) to the Narragansett Bay Drainage Basin for treatment and discharge. During times of little to no recharge, in the form of precipitation, the surface- and ground-water system flows are from storage primarily in the stratified sand and gravel deposits, although there is flow moving through the till deposits at a slower rate. The ground water discharging to the streams, during times of little to no precipitation, is referred to as base flow. The PART program, a computerized hydrograph-separation application, was used at the selected index stream-gaging station to determine water availability based on the 75th, 50th, and 25th percentiles of the total base flow, the base flow minus the 7-day, 10-year flow criteria, and the base flow minus the Aquatic Base Flow criteria at the index station. The base flow calculated at the selected index station was subdivided into two rates on the basis of the percent contributions from sandand-gravel and till deposits. There has been no long-term collection of surface-water data in this study area and therefore an index stream-gaging station in the Pawcatuck Basin was used for the South Coastal Drainage Basin. The Pawcatuck River at Wood River Junction was chosen as the index station for the South Coastal Drainage Basin because the station is representative of the basin on the basis of the percentage of sand and gravel deposits and the average extent of thickness of the sand and gravel deposits. The baseflow contributions from sand and gravel deposits at the index station were computed for June, July, August, and September, and applied to the percentage of surficial deposits at the index station. The base-flow contributions were converted to a per unit area at the station for the till, and for the sand and gravel deposits and applied to the South Coastal Drainage Basin to determine the water availability. The results from the index station, the Pawcatuck River at Wood River Junction streamgaging station, were lowest for the summer in September. To determine water availability in the South Coastal Drainage Basin, the per unit area of the estimated base flows from sand and gravel deposits and till deposits at the index station was applied to the subbasin areas, and the resultant flows were lowest in September. The base flow at the 75th percentile in the basin was 56.95 million gallons per day in June; 32.78 million gallons per day in July; 30.22 million gallons per day in August; and 23.94 million gallons per day in September. The base flow at the 50th percentile in the basin was 44.59 million gallons per day in June; 25.31 million gallons per day in July; 20.75 million gallons per day in August; and 17.01 million gallons per day in September. The base flow at the 25th percentile in the basin was 35.52 million gallons per day in June; 20.40 million gallons per day in July; 14.94 million gallons per day in August; and 12.00 million gallons per day in September. There are some limitations in the application of this method along the coast, because saltwater intrusion can change the amount of fresh ground-water discharge to the coastal saltwater ecosystem. A ground-water system analysis evaluating these variances would provide additional information to assess the water availability along the coast. Because water withdrawals and use are greater during the summer than other times of the year, water availability in June, July, August, and September was assessed and compared to water withdrawals in the basin. The ratios were calculated by dividing the water withdrawals by the water-availability flow scenarios at the 75th, 50th, and 25th percentiles for the basin, which are based on total water available from base-flow contributions from till and sand and gravel deposits in the basin. The closer the ratio is to one, the closer the withdrawals are to the estimated water available, and the net water available decreases. For the study period, the withdrawals in July were higher than the other summer months. The ratios in the basin for the base-flow scenario, with no low-flow criteria removed, ranged from 0.029 to 0.046 in June; 0.059 to 0.094 in July; 0.050 to 0.100 in August; and 0.040 to 0.079 in September. A long-term hydrologic budget (60 years) was calculated for the South Coastal Drainage Basin to identify and assess the basin and subbasin inflow and outflows. This coastal basin is different than other study areas because all three of the subbasins drain into salt water, Point Judith Point, Long Island Sound, and Rhode Island Sound towards the Atlantic Ocean, or internally within the subbasin to the salt ponds. The hydrologic budgets, therefore, were compiled by subbasin. The basin hydrologic budget is the sum of the three subbasin budgets. Unlike a river subbasin drainage system, however, the estimated streamflows out of the subbasins were also considered outflows from the basin. The water withdrawals and return flows used in the budget were from 1995 through 1999. For the hydrologic budget, it was assumed that inflow equals outflow, where the estimated inflows were from precipitation and wastewater-return flow, and the estimated outflows were from evapotranspiration, streamflow, and water withdrawals.

Groundwater dynamics in a hydrologically-modified alpine watershed from an ancient managed recharge system (Sierra Nevada National Park, Southern Spain): Insights from hydrogeochemical and isotopic information.

PubMed

Barberá, J A; Jódar, J; Custodio, E; González-Ramón, A; Jiménez-Gavilán, P; Vadillo, I; Pedrera, A; Martos-Rosillo, S

2018-06-04

In many of the alpine watersheds of Sierra Nevada (Southern Spain) exists an ancient network of dug canals that collect, transport and facilitate the recharge the snowmelt in the underlying aquifer during the spring season. This practice, known as careos, in the lower part of the watersheds supply drinking water as spring discharge during the dry season. To study how this managed recharge technique modifies the natural response of these basins this work focuses on characterizing the hydrological behavior of one of the sites, the Berchules watershed. The mechanisms for mineralization of groundwater are based on geochemical processes such as evapo-concentration in the soil layer and silicate mineral weathering due to dissolved CO 2 originated from both soil biogenic processes and the atmosphere. Groundwater presents a main hydrogeochemical calcium‑magnesium-bicarbonate type facies, which is associated to groundwater flowing through the upper weathered silicates and quickly drained through springs located in the uplands and in the intermediate altitude catchment zone. Additionally, in the lower part of the basin some springs discharge mineralized groundwater with a sodium-calcium-bicarbonate composition associated to regional groundwater flow. In natural conditions, this hydrogeological system behaves as a sloping aquifer, occurring recharge between 1400 and 2500 m a.s.l. The springs discharge groundwater with an isotopic content and temperature in coherence with the local rainfall isotopic and thermal atmospheric altitudinal lines. Nevertheless, once the careo recharge begins the affected springs reveal the fingerprint of the concentrated recharge system by blurring the fingerprint of both the isotopic and thermal altitudinal dependence in the springs discharge. This validates the previous conceptual model and supports average recharge values of 141 ± 140 mm/yr and total average water resources of 181 ± 111 mm/yr which include a 40% increase in the study period due to the effect of the acequias de careo. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using multiple chemical indicators to assess sources of nitrate and age of groundwater in a karstic spring basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katz, B.; Copeland, R.; Greenhalgh, T.; Ceryak, R.; Zwanka, W.

2005-01-01

Human health and ecological concerns have arisen due to a steady increase in nitrate-N concentrations during the past 40 years in Fannin Springs (0.3-4.7 mg/L), a regional discharge point with an average flow of >2.8 m3/second (>100 ft3/second) for water from the karstic Upper Floridan aquifer (UFA). Multiple chemical indicators (major dissolved species, 15N and 18O of nitrate, dissolved gases, 78 pesticides and degradates, and 67 organic compounds typically found in domestic and industrial wastewater) and transient tracers (3H/3He, chlorofluorocarbons [CFCs], sulfur hexafluoride [SF6]) were analyzed in water samples from nine wells along three transects and in spring water to assess groundwater age and potential contaminant sources. Land use is predominantly agricultural (52 percent) and forest (31 percent) in the 320 km2 (124 mi2) spring basin, which was delineated from a potentiometric-surface map of the UFA using high-resolution water-level data. Nitrate-N concentrations were highly variable in the oxic UFA and ranged from <0.02 to 4.7 mg/L. ?? 15N-NO3 values (3.4-9.9 per mil) indicated that nitrate contamination originated from inorganic sources (synthetic fertilizer) and organic sources (manure spreading or waste disposal). Higher nitrate concentrations and the younger age of spring water relative to water from upgradient wells indicate better communication with N sources at the surface. Apparent ages of groundwater correlated positively with well depth (P < 0.05) and were younger in water from wells nearer to the spring (<8 years) compared with other wells (10-50 years). Most transient tracer concentrations were consistent with binary mixing curves representing mixtures of water recharged during the past 10 years and older water (recharged before 1940). Young water mixing fractions ranged from 0.07 to 0.90. Trace levels of herbicides found in groundwater and spring water were indicative of applications for vegetative control in agricultural and other land-use types.

A preliminary assessment of sources of nitrate in springwaters, Suwannee River basin, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Katz, B.G.; Hornsby, H.D.

1998-01-01

A cooperative study between the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is evaluating sources of nitrate in water from selected springs and zones in the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Suwannee River Basin. A multi-tracer approach, which consists of the analysis of water samples for naturally occurring chemical and isotopic indicators, is being used to better understand sources and chronology of nitrate contamination in the middle Suwannee River region. In July and August 1997, water samples were collected and analyzed from six springs and two wells for major ions, nutrients, and dissolved organic carbon. These water samples also were analyzed for environmental isotopes [18O/16O, D/H, 13C/12C, 15N/14N] to determine sources of water and nitrate. Chlorofluorocarbons (CCl3F, CCl2F2, and C2Cl3F3) and tritium (3H) were analyzed to assess the apparent ages (residence time) of springwaters and water from the Upper Floridan aquifer. Delta 15N-NO3 values in water from the six springs range from 3.94 per mil (Little River Springs) to 8.39 per mil (Lafayette Blue Spring). The range of values indicates that nitrate in the sampled springwaters most likely originates from a mixture of inorganic (fertilizers) and organic (animal wastes) sources, although the higher delta 15N-NO3 value for Lafayette Blue Spring indicates that an organic source of nitrogen is likely at this site. Water samples from the two wells sampled in Lafayette County have high delta 15N-NO3 values of 10.98 and 12.1 per mil, indicating the likelihood of an organic source of nitrate. These two wells are located near dairy and poultry farms, where leachate from animal wastes may contribute nitrate to ground water. Based on analysis of chlorofluorocarbons in ground water, the mean residence time of water in springs ranges from about 12 to 25 years. Chlorofluorocarbons-modeled recharge dates for water samples from the two shallow zones in the Upper Floridan aquifer range from 1985 to 1989.

18 CFR 430.7 - Determination of protected areas and restriction on water use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... located within the Delaware Basin: Townships Berks County Douglass, Hereford, Union. Bucks County..., Telford, Trumbauersville. Townships Chester County Birmingham, Charlestown, East Coventry, East Bradford.... Boroughs Elverson, Malvern, Phoenixville, Spring City, West Chester. Townships Lehigh County Lower Milford...

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

Skalski, John R.; Townsend, Richard L.; Seaburg, Adam

The study estimated dam passage survival at The Dalles Dam as stipulated by the 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) and provided additional performance measures as stipulated in the Columbia Basin Fish Accords. This summary report focuses on spring run stocks, yearling Chinook salmon and steelhead.

Fish Passage Center; Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority, 2002 Annual Report.

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

DeHart, Michele; Berggren, Thomas J.; Filardo, Margaret

2003-09-01

The runoff volumes in 2002 were near average for the January to July period above Lower Granite Dam (80%) and The Dalles Dam (97%). The year 2002 hydrosystem operations and runoff conditions resulted in flows that were less than the seasonal Biological Opinion (Opinion) flow objectives at Lower Granite Dam for both the spring and summer period. The seasonal flow objectives for Priest Rapids and McNary dams were exceeded for the spring period, but at McNary Dam summer flow objectives were not met. While seasonal flow objectives were exceeded for the spring at McNary Dam, the 2002 season illustrated thatmore » Biological Opinion management to seasonal flow targets can result in conditions where a major portion of the juvenile fish migration migrates in conditions that are less than the flow objectives. The delay in runoff due to cool weather conditions and the inability of reservoirs to augment flows by drafting lower than the flood control elevations, resulted in flows less than the Opinion objectives until May 22, 2002. By this time approximately 73% of the yearling chinook and 56% of steelhead had already passed the project. For the most part, spill in 2002 was managed below the gas waiver limits for total dissolved gas levels and the NMFS action criteria for dissolved gas signs were not exceeded. The exception was at Lower Monumental Dam where no Biological Opinion spill occurred due to the need to conduct repairs in the stilling basin. Survival estimates obtained for PIT tagged juveniles were similar in range to those observed prior to 2001. A multi-year analysis of juvenile survival and the factors that affect it was conducted in 2002. A water transit time and flow relation was demonstrated for spring migrating chinook and steelhead of Snake River and Mid Columbia River origin. Returning numbers of adults observed at Bonneville Dam declined for spring chinook, steelhead and coho, while summer and fall chinook numbers increased. However, all numbers were far greater than observed in the past ten years averaged together. In 2002, about 87 million juvenile salmon were released from Federal, State, Tribal or private hatcheries into the Columbia River Basin above Bonneville Dam. This represents an increase over the past season, when only 71 million juvenile fish were released into the same area.« less

Hydrogeology of the West Branch Delaware River basin, Delaware County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reynolds, Richard J.

2013-01-01

In 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, began a study of the hydrogeology of the West Branch Delaware River (Cannonsville Reservoir) watershed. There has been recent interest by energy companies in developing the natural gas reserves that are trapped within the Marcellus Shale, which is part of the Hamilton Group of Devonian age that underlies all the West Branch Delaware River Basin. Knowing the extent and thickness of stratified-drift (sand and gravel) aquifers within this basin can help State and Federal regulatory agencies evaluate any effects on these aquifers that gas-well drilling might produce. This report describes the hydrogeology of the 455-square-mile basin in the southwestern Catskill Mountain region of southeastern New York and includes a detailed surficial geologic map of the basin. Analysis of surficial geologic data indicates that the most widespread surficial geologic unit within the basin is till, which is present as deposits of ablation till in major stream valleys and as thick deposits of lodgment till that fill upland basins. Till and colluvium (remobilized till) cover about 89 percent of the West Branch Delaware River Basin, whereas stratified drift (outwash and ice-contact deposits) and alluvium account for 8.9 percent. The Cannonsville Reservoir occupies about 1.9 percent of the basin area. Large areas of outwash and ice-contact deposits occupy the West Branch Delaware River valley along its entire length. These deposits form a stratified-drift aquifer that ranges in thickness from 40 to 50 feet (ft) in the upper West Branch Delaware River valley, from 70 to 140 ft in the middle West Branch Delaware River valley, and from 60 to 70 ft in the lower West Branch Delaware River valley. The gas-bearing Marcellus Shale underlies the entire West Branch Delaware River Basin and ranges in thickness from 600 to 650 ft along the northern divide of the basin to 750 ft thick along the southern divide. The depth to the top of the Marcellus Shale ranges from 3,240 ft along the northern basin divide to 4,150 ft along the southern basin divide. Yields of wells completed in the aquifer are as high as 500 gallons per minute (gal/min). Springs from fractured sandstone bedrock are an important source of domestic and small municipal water supplies in the West Branch Delaware River Basin and elsewhere in Delaware County. The average yield of 178 springs in Delaware County is 8.5 gal/min with a median yield of 3 gal/min. An analysis of two low-flow statistics indicates that groundwater contributions from fractured bedrock compose a significant part of the base flow of the West Branch Delaware River and its tributaries.

A groundwater convection model for Rio Grande rift geothermal resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, P.; Harder, V.; Daggett, P. H.; Swanberg, C. A.

1981-01-01

It has been proposed that forced convection, driven by normal groundwater flow through the interconnected basins of the Rio Grande rift is the primary source mechanism for the numerous geothermal anomalies along the rift. A test of this concept using an analytical model indicates that significant forced convection must occur in the basins even if permeabilities are as low as 50-200 millidarcies at a depth of 2 km. Where groundwater flow is constricted at the discharge areas of the basins forced convection can locally increase the gradient to a level where free convection also occurs, generating surface heat flow anomalies 5-15 times background. A compilation of groundwater data for the rift basins shows a strong correlation between constrictions in groundwater flow and hot springs and geothermal anomalies, giving strong circumstantial support to the convection model.

Mapping the Wetland Vegetation Communities of the Australian Great Artesian Basin Springs Using SAM, Mtmf and Spectrally Segmented PCA Hyperspectral Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, D. C.; Lewis, M. M.

2012-07-01

The Australian Great Artesian Basin (GAB) supports a unique and diverse range of groundwater dependent wetland ecosystems termed GAB springs. In recent decades the ecological sustainability of the springs has become uncertain as demands on this iconic groundwater resource increase. The impacts of existing water extractions for mining and pastoral activities are unknown. This situation is compounded by the likelihood of future increasing demand for extractions. Hyperspectral remote sensing provides the necessary spectral and spatial detail to discriminate wetland vegetation communities. Therefore the objectives of this paper are to discriminate the spatial extent and distribution of key spring wetland vegetation communities associated with the GAB springs evaluating three hyperspectral techniques: Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), Mixture Tuned Matched Filtering (MTMF) and Spectrally Segmented PCA. In addition, to determine if the hyperspectral techniques developed can be applied at a number of sites representative of the range of spring formations and geomorphic settings and at two temporal intervals. Two epochs of HyMap airborne hyperspectral imagery were captured for this research in March 2009 and April 2011 at a number of sites representative of the floristic and geomorphic diversity of GAB spring groups/complexes within South Australia. Colour digital aerial photography at 30 cm GSD was acquired concurrently with the HyMap imagery. The image acquisition coincided with a field campaign of spectroradiometry measurements and a botanical survey. To identify key wavebands which have the greatest capability to discriminate vegetation communities of the GAB springs and surrounding area three hyperspectral data reduction techniques were employed: (i) Spectrally Segmented PCA (SSPCA); (ii) the Minimum Noise Transform (MNF); and (iii) the Pixel Purity Index (PPI). SSPCA was applied to NDVI-masked vegetation portions of the HyMap imagery with wavelength regions spectrally segmented for the VIS-NIR (450-1,350 nm), SWIR 1 (1,400-1,800 nm) and SWIR 2 (1,950-2,480 nm). The resulting pure endmember image pixels of the vegetation communities identified were used as target spectra for input into the SAM and MTMF algorithms. Spring wetland vegetation communities successfully discriminated include low lying reeds and sedges along spring tails (Baumea spp. and Cyperus spp.), dense homogenous stands of Phragmites australis reeds, and sporadic patches of salt couch grass (Sparabolus spp.). Our results indicate that a combination of hyperspectral remote sensing techniques which reduce superfluous wavebands providing a targeted spectral matching approach are capable of discriminating and mapping key vegetation communities of the GAB springs. This approach provides reliable baseline mapping of the GAB spring wetland vegetation communities, with repeatability over space and time. In addition it has the capability to determine the sensitivity of spring wetland vegetation extent, distribution and diversity, to associated changes in spring flow rates due to water extractions. This approach will ultimately inform water allocation plan management policies.

Discharge, water temperature, and water quality of Warm Mineral Springs, Sarasota County, Florida: A retrospective analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Metz, Patricia A.

2016-09-27

Warm Mineral Springs, located in southern Sarasota County, Florida, is a warm, highly mineralized, inland spring. Since 1946, a bathing spa has been in operation at the spring, attracting vacationers and health enthusiasts. During the winter months, the warm water attracts manatees to the adjoining spring run and provides vital habitat for these mammals. Well-preserved late Pleistocene to early Holocene-age human and animal bones, artifacts, and plant remains have been found in and around the spring, and indicate the surrounding sinkhole formed more than 12,000 years ago. The spring is a multiuse resource of hydrologic importance, ecological and archeological significance, and economic value to the community.The pool of Warm Mineral Springs has a circular shape that reflects its origin as a sinkhole. The pool measures about 240 feet in diameter at the surface and has a maximum depth of about 205 feet. The sinkhole developed in the sand, clay, and dolostone of the Arcadia Formation of the Miocene-age to Oligocene-age Hawthorn Group. Underlying the Hawthorn Group are Oligocene-age to Eocene-age limestones and dolostones, including the Suwannee Limestone, Ocala Limestone, and Avon Park Formation. Mineralized groundwater, under artesian pressure in the underlying aquifers, fills the remnant sink, and the overflow discharges into Warm Mineral Springs Creek, to Salt Creek, and subsequently into the Myakka River. Aquifers described in the vicinity of Warm Mineral Springs include the surficial aquifer system, the intermediate aquifer system within the Hawthorn Group, and the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Suwannee Limestone, Ocala Limestone, and Avon Park Formation. The Hawthorn Group acts as an upper confining unit of the Upper Floridan aquifer.Groundwater flow paths are inferred from the configuration of the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer for September 2010. Groundwater flow models indicate the downward flow of water into the Upper Floridan aquifer in inland areas, and upward flow toward the surface in coastal areas, such as at Warm Mineral Springs. Warm Mineral Springs is located in a discharge area. Changes in water use in the region have affected the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer. Historical increase in groundwater withdrawals resulted in a 10- to 20-foot regional decline in the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer by May 1975 relative to predevelopment levels and remained at approximately that level in May 2007 in the area of Warm Mineral Springs. Discharge measurements at Warm Mineral Springs (1942–2014) decreased from about 11–12 cubic feet per second in the 1940s to about 6–9 cubic feet per second in the 1970s and remained at about that level for the remainder of the period of record. Similarity of changes in regional water use and discharge at Warm Mineral Springs indicates that basin-scale changes to the groundwater system have affected discharge at Warm Mineral Springs. Water temperature had no significant trend in temperature over the period of record, 1943–2015, and outliers were identified in the data that might indicate inconsistencies in measurement methods or locations.Within the regional groundwater basin, Warm Mineral Springs is influenced by deep Upper Floridan aquifer flow paths that discharge toward the coast. Associated with these flow paths, the groundwater temperatures increase with depth and toward the coast. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that a source of warm groundwater to Warm Mineral Springs is likely the permeable zone of the Avon Park Formation within the Upper Floridan aquifer at a depth of about 1,400 to 1,600 feet, or deeper sources. The permeable zone contains saline groundwater with water temperatures of at least 95 degrees Fahrenheit.The water quality of Warm Mineral Springs, when compared with other springs in Florida had the highest temperature and the greatest mineralized content. Warm Mineral Springs water is characterized by a slight-green color, with varying water clarity, low dissolved oxygen (indicative of deep groundwater), and a hydrogen sulfide odor. Water-quality samples detected ammonium-nitrogen and nitrates, but at low concentrations. The drinking water standard for nitrate adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is 10 milligrams per liter, measured as nitrogen. Water samples collected at spring vents by divers on April 29, 2015, had concentrations of 0.9 milligram per liter nitrate-nitrogen at vent A and 0.04–0.05 milligram per liter at vents B, C, and D. Typically, the water clarity is highest in the morning (about 30 feet Secchi depth) and often decreases throughout the day.Analysis of existing data provided some insight into the hydrologic processes affecting Warm Mineral Springs; however, data have been sparsely and discontinuously collected since the 1940s. Continuous monitoring of hydrologic characteristics such as discharge, water temperature, specific conductance, and water-quality indicators, such as nitrate and turbidity (water clarity), would be valuable for monitoring and development of models of spring discharge and water quality. In addition, water samples could be analyzed for isotopic tracers, such as strontium, and the results used to identify and quantify the sources of groundwater that discharge at Warm Mineral Springs. Groundwater flow/transport models could be used to evaluate the sensitivity of the quality and quantity of water flowing from Warm Mineral Springs to changes in climate, aquifer levels, and water use.

Chemistry of ground water in the Silver Springs basin, Florida, with an emphasis on nitrate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phelps, G.G.

2004-01-01

The Silver Springs group, in central Marion County, Florida, has a combined average discharge rate of 796 cubic feet per second and forms the headwaters of the Silver River. The springs support a diverse ecosystem and are an important cultural and economic resource. Concentrations of nitrite-plus-nitrate (nitrate-N) in water from the Main Spring increased from less than 0.5 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in the 1960s to about 1.0 mg/L in 2003. The Upper Floridan aquifer supplies the ground water to support spring discharge. This aquifer is at or near land surface in much of the ground-water basin; nutrients leached at land surface can easily percolate downward into the aquifer. Sources of nitrogen in ground water in the Silver Springs basin include atmospheric deposition, fertilizers used by agricultural and urban activities, and human and animal wastes. During 2000-2001, 56 wells in the area contributing recharge to Silver Springs were sampled for major ions, nutrients, and some trace constituents. Selected wells also were sampled for a suite of organic constituents commonly found in domestic and industrial wastewater and for the ratio of nitrogen isotopes (15N/14N) to better understand the sources of nitrate. Wells were selected to be representative of both confined and unconfined conditions of the Upper Floridan aquifer, as well as a variety of land-use types. Data from this study were compared to data collected from 25 wells in 1989-90. Concentrations of nitrate-N in ground water during this study ranged from less than the detection limit of 0.02 to 12 mg/L, with a median of 1.2 mg/L. For data from 1989-90, the range was from less than 0.02 to 3.6 mg/L, with a median of 1.04 mg/L. Water from wells in agricultural land-use areas had the highest median nitrate-N concentration (1.7 mg/L), although it is uncertain if the 12 mg/L maximum concentration was influenced by land-use activities or proximity to a septic tank. The median value for all urban land-use areas was 1.15 mg/L. Because fewer wells were in rangeland or forested areas, those categories were grouped together. The median concentration for that group was 0.09 mg/L. The ratio of 15N/14N in ground-water samples ranged from -0.5 to 11.5 per mil. The median value for ground-water samples from 35 wells, 4.9 per mil, is near the top of the range that indicates inorganic nitrogen sources. In agricultural areas, the median 15N/14N was 4.8 per mil, indicating mostly inorganic (fertilizer) sources. In urban areas, the median 15N/14N was 5.4 per mil, indicating more influence of organic nitrogen (N) sources. Thus, in both agricultural and urban areas, fertilizer is an important inorganic source of N in ground water (and, therefore, in spring water as well). The influence of organic N is more apparent in urban areas than in agricultural areas. Two distinct 15N/14N values were observed in water from the Main Spring, one indicating an inorganic nitrogen source and the other indicating a mixture of sources with a strong influence of organic nitrogen. Thirty-five wells and three springs of the Silver Springs group (the Main Spring, the Abyss, and the Blue Grotto) were sampled for a suite of 63 compounds common in wastewater. A total of 38 compounds was detected, nearly all in very low concentrations. The most frequently detected compound was the insecticide N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), which was detected in water from 27 wells and all three springs. The presence or absence of DEET in ground-water samples did not seem to be related to land use; however, hydrogeologic conditions at the well sites (confined or unconfined) generally did affect the presence or absence of DEET in the ground water. DEET also appears to be a useful tracer for the presence of reused water. Water samples were collected from the Main Spring and two other springs of the Silver Springs group and analyzed for concentrations of dissolved gasses and for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), sulfur hexaflu

Discrete wavelet transform-based investigation into the variability of standardized precipitation index in Northwest China during 1960-2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Peng; Xia, Jun; Zhan, Chesheng; Zhang, Yongyong; Hu, Sheng

2018-04-01

In this study, the temporal variations of the standard precipitation index (SPI) were analyzed at different scales in Northwest China (NWC). Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) was used in conjunction with the Mann-Kendall (MK) test in this study. This study also investigated the relationships between original precipitation and different periodic components of SPI series with datasets spanning 55 years (1960-2014). The results showed that with the exception of the annual and summer SPI in the Inner Mongolia Inland Rivers Basin (IMIRB), spring SPI in the Qinghai Lake Rivers Basin (QLRB), and spring SPI in the Central Asia Rivers Basin (CARB), it had an increasing trend in other regions for other time series. In the spring, summer, and autumn series, though the MK trends test in most areas was at the insignificant level, they showed an increasing trend in precipitation. Meanwhile, the SPI series in most subbasins of NWC displayed a turning point in 1980-1990, with the significant increasing levels after 2000. Additionally, there was a significant difference between the trend of the original SPI series and the largest approximations. The annual and seasonal SPI series were composed of the short periodicities, which were less than a decade. The MK value would increase by adding the multiple D components (and approximations), and the MK value of the combined series was in harmony with that of the original series. Additionally, the major trend of the annual SPI in NWC was based on the four kinds of climate indices (e.g., Atlantic Oscillation [AO], North Atlantic Oscillation [NAO], Pacific Decadal Oscillation [PDO], and El Nino-Southern Oscillation index [ENSO/NINO]), especially the ENSO.

Spaceborne Microwave Remote Sensing of Seasonal Freeze-Thaw Processes in the Terrestrial High Latitudes: Relationships with Land-Atmosphere CO2 exchange

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDonald, Kyle C.; Kimball, John S.; Zhao, Maosheng; Njoku, Eni; Zimmermann, Reiner; Running, Steven W.

2004-01-01

Landscape transitions between seasonally frozen and thawed conditions occur each year over roughly 50 million square kilometers of Earth's Northern Hemisphere. These relatively abrupt transitions represent the closest analog to a biospheric and hydrologic on/off switch existing in nature, affecting surface meteorological conditions, ecological trace gas dynamics, energy exchange and hydrologic activity profoundly. We utilize time series satellite-borne microwave remote sensing measurements from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) to examine spatial and temporal variability in seasonal freeze/thaw cycles for the pan-Arctic basin and Alaska. Regional measurements of spring thaw timing are derived using daily brightness temperature measurements from the 19 GHz, horizontally polarized channel, separately for overpasses with 6 AM and 6 PM equatorial crossing times. Spatial and temporal patterns in regional freeze/thaw dynamics show distinct differences between North America and Eurasia, and boreal forest and Arctic tundra biomes. Annual anomalies in the timing of thawing in spring also correspond closely to seasonal atmospheric CO2 concentration anomalies derived from NOAA CMDL arctic and subarctic monitoring stations. Classification differences between AM and PM overpass data average approximately 5 days for the region, though both appear to be effective surrogates for monitoring annual growing seasons at high latitudes.

Spaceborne microwave remote sensing of seasonal freeze-thaw processes in theterrestrial high l atitudes : relationships with land-atmosphere CO2 exchange

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDonald, Kyle C.; Kimball, John S.; Zhao, Maosheng; Njoku, Eni; Zimmermann, Reiner; Running, Steven W.

2004-01-01

Landscape transitions between seasonally frozen and thawed conditions occur each year over roughly 50 million square kilometers of Earth's Northern Hemisphere. These relatively abrupt transitions represent the closest analog to a biospheric and hydrologic on/off switch existing in nature, affecting surface meteorological conditions, ecological trace gas dynamics, energy exchange and hydrologic activity profoundly. We utilize time series satellite-borne microwave remote sensing measurements from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) to examine spatial and temporal variability in seasonal freeze/thaw cycles for the pan-Arctic basin and Alaska. Regional measurements of spring thaw timing are derived using daily brightness temperature measurements from the 19 GHz, horizontally polarized channel, separately for overpasses with 6 AM and 6 PM equatorial crossing times. Spatial and temporal patterns in regional freeze/thaw dynamics show distinct differences between North America and Eurasia, and boreal forest and Arctic tundra biomes. Annual anomalies in the timing of thawing in spring also correspond closely to seasonal atmospheric CO2 concentration anomalies derived from NOAA CMDL arctic and subarctic monitoring stations. Classification differences between AM and PM overpass data average approximately 5 days for the region, though both appear to be effective surrogates for monitoring annual growing seasons at high latitudes.

Using daily temperature to predict phenology trends in spring flowers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jin-Hee; Kim, Soo-Ock; Kim, Dae-Jun; Moon, Kyung Hwan; Yun, Jin I.

2015-05-01

The spring season in Korea features a dynamic landscape with a variety of flowers blooming sequentially one after another. This enables local governments to earn substantial sightseeing revenues by hosting festivals featuring spring flowers. Furthermore, beekeepers move from the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula all the way northward in a quest to secure spring flowers as nectar sources for a sustained period of time. However, areal differences in flowering dates of flower species are narrowing, which has economic consequences. Analysis of data on flowering dates of forsythia ( Forsythia koreana) and cherry blossom ( Prunus serrulata), two typical spring flower species, as observed for the past 60 years at six weather stations of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) indicated that the difference between the flowering date of forsythia, the earliest blooming flower in spring, and cherry blossom, which flowers later than forsythia, was 14 days on average in the climatological normal year for the period 1951-1980, compared with 11 days for the period 1981-2010. In 2014, the gap narrowed further to 7 days, making it possible in some locations to see forsythias and cherry blossoms blooming at the same time. Synchronized flowering of these two flower species is due to acceleration of flowering due to an abnormally high spring temperature, and this was more pronounced in the later-blooming cherry blossom than forsythia. While cherry blossom flowering dates across the nation ranged from March 31 to April 19 (an areal difference of 20 days) for the 1951-1980 normal year, the difference ranged from March 29 to April 12 (an areal difference of 16 days) for the 1981-2010 normal year, and in 2014, the flowering dates spanned March 25 and March 30 (an areal difference of 6 days). In the case of forsythia, the gap was narrower than in cherry blossoms. Climate change in the Korean Peninsula, reflected by rapid temperature hikes in late spring in contrast to a slow temperature rise in early spring immediately after dormancy release, likely brought forward the flowering date of cherry blossom. We derived a thermal time-based flowering model from this analysis and used it to predict the flowering dates of forsythia and cherry blossom in 2014. The root mean square error for the prediction was within 2 days from the observed flowering dates in both species, showing a feasibility of prediction under the changing climate.

Hydrologic conditions and water-quality conditions following underground coal mining in the North Fork of the Right Fork of Miller Creek drainage basin, Carbon and Emery Counties, Utah, 2004-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilkowske, C.D.; Cillessen, J.L.; Brinton, P.N.

2007-01-01

In 2004 and 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, reassessed the hydrologic system in and around the drainage basin of the North Fork of the Right Fork (NFRF) of Miller Creek, in Carbon and Emery Counties, Utah. The reassessment occurred 13 years after cessation of underground coal mining that was performed beneath private land at shallow depths (30 to 880 feet) beneath the NFRF of Miller Creek. This study is a follow-up to a previous USGS study of the effects of underground coal mining on the hydrologic system in the area from 1988 to 1992. The previous study concluded that mining related subsidence had impacted the hydrologic system through the loss of streamflow over reaches of the perennial portion of the stream, and through a significant increase in dissolved solids in the stream. The previous study also reported that no substantial differences in spring-water quality resulted from longwall mining, and that no clear relationship between mining subsidence and spring discharge existed.During the summers of 2004 and 2005, the USGS measured discharge and collected water-quality samples from springs and surface water at various locations in the NFRF of Miller Creek drainage basin, and maintained a streamflow-gaging station in the NFRF of Miller Creek. This study also utilized data collected by Cyprus–Plateau Mining Corporation from 1992 through 2001.Of thirteen monitored springs, five have discharge levels that have not returned to those observed prior to August 1988, which is when longwall coal mining began beneath the NFRF of Miller Creek. Discharge at two of these five springs appears to fluctuate with wet and dry cycles and is currently low due to a drought that occurred from 1999–2004. Discharge at two other of the five springs did not increase with increased precipitation during the mid-1990s, as was observed at other monitored springs. This suggests that flowpaths to these springs may have been altered by land subsidence caused by underground coal mining. Analysis of possible impacts to the fifth spring were inconclusive due to a lack of data collected during the mid-1990s. Discharge at eight other monitored springs in the study area appears to be controlled mainly by climatic fluctuations and was generally near the value measured prior to 1988. Discharge at one of these eight springs is significantly greater than that measured during the longwall mining period. Concentrations of magnesium, calcium, sulfate, and dissolved solids at one undermined spring were elevated in relation to other springs in the study area. Dissolved solids concentration at this spring ranged from 539–709 milligrams per liter. Dissolved-solids concentration for all other springs in the study area ranged from 163 to 360 milligrams per liter and was near the median value measured prior to longwall mining beneath the NFRF of Miller Creek drainage basin.Baseflow measured at a streamflow-gaging station on the NFRF of Miller Creek located downstream of the mined area during the summer of 2004 was near 5 gallons per minute. Baseflow in 2005 increased to 7–8 gallons per minute, due to increased precipitation. This is slightly greater than the range of baseflow measured near the end of the longwall mining period which was approximately 3–5 gallons per minute.Seepage investigations carried out in the summer of 2004 and 2005 along the NFRF of Miller Creek showed a net loss of surface flow along the studied reach. Specific areas within the study reach had streamflow losses prior to longwall mining, however, the study reach as a whole was observed to gain in discharge when measured in 1986–1988, immediately before longwall mining began. The area where the greatest loss in discharge from the NFRF of Miller Creek occurred corresponds to an area where overburden (material overlying a deposit of useful geological materials or bedrock) is between 700 and 210 feet thick. Overburden thickness at the place where the streambed first dried up was approximately 600 feet thick. In 2004, approximately 1,600 ft of the streambed of the NFRF of Miller Creek was dry. Only 300 feet of the streambed was dry during the wetter year of 2005. Prior to longwall mining, no dry reaches were observed, though seepage loss was documented. Average discharge measured at a tributary to the NFRF of Miller Creek has increased from 1.6 gallons per minute measured during longwall mining to 7.2 gallons per minute measured in 2004–2005. During both years of this study, the lower reach of the stream regained flow from this tributary and from seepage gains.Water quality in the lower reach of the NFRF of Miller Creek downstream of the longwall-mined area, showed significantly higher concentrations of magnesium, calcium, sulfate, and strontium, in relation to water in the upper reach of the NFRF of Miller Creek and to the springs sampled in the area. Dissolved-solids concentration measured in the lower reach of the stream in 2004 and 2005 ranged from 1,880 to 2,220 milligrams per liter, while sulfate concentrations ranged from 1,090 to 1,320 mg/L. The maximum contaminant level for drinking water in the state of Utah for dissolved solids and sulfate is 2,000 and 1,000 mg/L respectively. Concentrations of these ions are slightly greater than those measured during and just following mining beneath the NFRF of Miller Creek drainage basin, but are significantly higher than those measured prior to mining. With the exception of strontium, dissolved metals concentrations in the NFRF of Miller Creek were similar to those measured in area springs. pH in the creek and at all spring sites was near neutral. Qualitative observations of the creek bottom suggest that mining-related activities have had little effect on vegetative growth.

Effects of increasing aerosol on regional climate change in China: Observation and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Y.; Leung, L.; Ghan, S. J.

2002-12-01

We present regional simulations of climate, aerosol properties, and direct radiative forcing and climatic effects of aerosol and analyze the pollutant emissions and observed climatic data during the latter decades of last century in China. The regional model generally captures the spatial distributions and seasonal pattern of temperature and precipitation. Aerosol extinction coefficient and aerosol optical depth are generally well simulated in both magnitude and spatial distribution, which provides a reliable foundation for estimating the radiative forcing and climatic effects of aerosol. The radiative forcing of aerosol is in the range of -1 to -14 W m-2 in autumn and summer and -1 to -9 W m-2 in spring and winter, with substantial spatial variability at the sub-regional scale. A strong maximum in negative radiative forcing corresponding to the maximum optical depth is found over the Sichuan Basin, where emission as well as relative humidity are high, and stagnant atmospheric conditions inhibit pollutants dispersion. Negative radiative forcing of aerosol induces a surface cooling, which is stronger in the range of -0.6 to -1.2oC in autumn and winter than in spring (-0.3 to -0.6oC) and summer (0.0 to -0.9oC) over the Sichuan Basin and East China due to more significant effects of cloud and precipitation in the summer and spring. Aerosol-induced cooling is mainly contributed by cooling in the daytime temperature. The cooling reaches a maximum and is statistically significant in the Sichuan Basin. The effect of aerosol on precipitation is not evident in our simulations. The temporal and spatial patterns of temperature trends observed in the second half of the twentieth century, including the asymmetric daily maximum and minimum temperature trends, are at least qualitatively consistent with the simulated aerosol-induced cooling over the Sichuan Basin and East China. It supports the hypothesis that the observed temperature trends during the latter decades of the twentieth century, especially the cooling trends over the Sichuan Basin and some parts of East China, which are exceptions to the large scale warming trend in the northern hemisphere, are at least partly related to the cooling induced by atmospheric aerosol loading that has been increasing since the middle of the last century.

Response to memorandum by Rowley and Dixon regarding U.S. Geological Survey report titled "Characterization of Surface-Water Resources in the Great Basin National Park Area and Their Susceptibility to Ground-Water Withdrawals in Adjacent Valleys, White Pine County, Nevada"

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prudic, David E.

2006-01-01

Applications pending for permanent permits to pump large quantities of ground water in Spring and Snake Valleys adjacent to Great Basin National Park (the Park) prompted the National Park Service to request a study by the U.S. Geological Survey to evaluate the susceptibility of the Park's surface-water resources to pumping. The result of this study was published as U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5099 'Characterization of Surface-Water Resources in the Great Basin National Park Area and Their Susceptibility to Ground-Water Withdrawals in Adjacent Valleys, White Pine County, Nevada,' by P.E. Elliott, D.A. Beck, and D.E. Prudic. That report identified areas within the Park where surface-water resources are susceptible to ground-water pumping; results from the study showed that three streams and several springs near the eastern edge of the Park were susceptible. However, most of the Park's surface-water resources likely would not be affected by pumping because of either low-permeability rocks or because ground water is sufficiently deep as to not be directly in contact with the streambeds. A memorandum sent by Peter D. Rowley and Gary L. Dixon, Consulting Geologists, to the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) on June 29, 2006 was critical of the report. The memorandum by Rowley and Dixon was made available to the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the public during the Nevada State Engineer's 'Evidentiary Exchange' process for the recent hearing on applications for ground-water permits by SNWA in Spring Valley adjacent to Great Basin National Park. The U.S. Geological Survey was asked by the National Park Service to assess the validity of the concerns and comments contained in the Rowley and Dixon memorandum. An Administrative Letter Report responding to Rowley and Dixon's concerns and comments was released to the National Park Service on October 30, 2006. The National Park Service subsequently requested that the contents with three minor changes to the Administrative Letter Report be released to the public. The first paragraph was revised to better explain how the memorandum was brought to the attention of the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey and the purpose of the Administrative Letter Report. The second and third changes were minor word changes to the end of the first sentence at the top of page 11 and in the Summary statement, respectively. The Administrative Letter Report with these minor changes is reproduced herein. Lastly, the National Park Service asked me to explain the difference between potentially and likely susceptible areas used in the report. Admittedly, the report did not clearly explain their usage. Potentially susceptible areas were used in the report to identify areas where (1) ground water interacts with water in the creeks but the connection between permeable rocks in the mountains with the basin fill is uncertain or where (2) ground-water interaction with water in the creeks is less certain but permeable rocks are connected with basin fill. Likely susceptible areas were used to identify areas in the mountains and valleys where ground-water interacts with water in the creeks or discharges as springs and permeable rocks are connected with basin fill. Likely susceptible areas are, therefore, more vulnerable to ground-water pumping.

Audiomagnetotelluric Data and Preliminary Two-Dimensional Models from Spring, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

McPhee, Darcy K.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Pellerin, Louise

2008-01-01

This report presents audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) data along fourteen profiles in Spring, Delamar, and Dry Lake Valleys, and the corresponding preliminary two-dimensional (2-D) inverse models. The AMT method is a valuable tool for estimating the electrical resistivity of the Earth over depth ranges from a few meters to less than one kilometer, and it is important for revealing subsurface structure and stratigraphy within the Basin and Range province of eastern Nevada, which can be used to define the geohydrologic framework of the region. We collected AMT data by using the Geometrics StrataGem EH4 system. Profiles were 0.7 - 3.2 km in length with station spacing of 50-400 m. Data were recorded in a coordinate system parallel to and perpendicular to the regional geologic-strike direction with Z positive down. We show AMT station locations, sounding curves of apparent resistivity, phase, and coherency, and 2-D models of subsurface resistivity along the profiles. The 2-D inverse models are computed from the transverse electric (TE), transverse magnetic (TM), and TE+TM mode data by using a conjugate gradient, finite-difference method. Preliminary interpretation of the 2-D models defines the structural framework of the basins and the resistivity contrasts between alluvial basin-fill, volcanic units, and carbonate basement rocks.

Formaldehyde as a carbon and electron shuttle between autotroph and heterotroph populations in acidic hydrothermal vents of Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park.

PubMed

Moran, James J; Whitmore, Laura M; Isern, Nancy G; Romine, Margaret F; Riha, Krystin M; Inskeep, William P; Kreuzer, Helen W

2016-05-01

The Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park contains a large number of hydrothermal systems, which host microbial populations supported by primary productivity associated with a suite of chemolithotrophic metabolisms. We demonstrate that Metallosphaera yellowstonensis MK1, a facultative autotrophic archaeon isolated from a hyperthermal acidic hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) spring in Norris Geyser Basin, excretes formaldehyde during autotrophic growth. To determine the fate of formaldehyde in this low organic carbon environment, we incubated native microbial mat (containing M. yellowstonensis) from a HFO spring with (13)C-formaldehyde. Isotopic analysis of incubation-derived CO2 and biomass showed that formaldehyde was both oxidized and assimilated by members of the community. Autotrophy, formaldehyde oxidation, and formaldehyde assimilation displayed different sensitivities to chemical inhibitors, suggesting that distinct sub-populations in the mat selectively perform these functions. Our results demonstrate that electrons originally resulting from iron oxidation can energetically fuel autotrophic carbon fixation and associated formaldehyde excretion, and that formaldehyde is both oxidized and assimilated by different organisms within the native microbial community. Thus, formaldehyde can effectively act as a carbon and electron shuttle connecting the autotrophic, iron oxidizing members with associated heterotrophic members in the HFO community.

Trees, History, and Isotopes - the Late Maunder Minimum (1675-1715) in the Pannonian Basin, Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazmer, M.; Demeny, A.; Grynaeus, A.; Racz, L.; Varkonyi, A.

2002-05-01

First results of a comprehensive study on climate change in the Pannonian Basin during the Late Maunder Minimum (1675-1715) are presented. The Pannonian Basin has continental climate, distinctly warm and dry in summer, cold in winter, unlike the Atlantic-type climate of Western Europe. Surrounded by the arc of the Carpathians, exposed to Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Siberian influences, the regional climate displays steep gradients. More than one tree-ring chronology for oak is being built, independent of the south German series. Rethly's rich database of historical sources has been assembled, and completed with recently published letters. Ring-width series are measured on oak, and skeleton plots are logged. Study of hydrogen isotope composition of tree rings is in progress. Tree-ring width faithfully reflects historical indices on spring (i.e. earlywood growth season) precipitation. Generally, precipitation - as shown both by indices and tree-ring width - was high and temperature low during the growth season in the first half of the LMM. The second half has seen a retardation in oak growth and an increase in spring temperature. The decades of the Late Maunder Minimum was a politically turbulent era: it saw the decline and fall of the Ottoman domination in Hungary, followed by a rebellion against Austrian rule, associated with disruption of national economy.

Formaldehyde as a carbon and electron shuttle between autotroph and heterotroph populations in acidic hydrothermal vents of Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

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

Moran, James J.; Whitmore, Laura M.; Isern, Nancy G.

The Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park contains a large number of hydrothermal systems, which host microbial populations supported by primary productivity associated with a suite of chemolithotrophic metabolisms. We demonstrate that Metallosphaera yellowstonesis MK1, a facultative autotrophic archaeon isolated from a hyperthermal acidic hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) spring in Norris Geyser Basin, excretes formaldehyde during autotrophic growth. To determine the fate of formaldehyde in this low organic carbon environment, we incubated native microbial mat (containing M. yellowstonensis) from a HFO spring with 13C-formaldehyde. Isotopic analysis of incubation-derived CO2 and biomass showed that formaldehyde was both oxidized and assimilatedmore » by members of the community. Autotrophy, formaldehyde oxidation, and formaldehyde assimilation displayed different sensitivities to chemical inhibitors, suggesting that distinct sub-populations in the mat selectively perform these functions. Our results demonstrate that electrons originally resulting from iron oxidation can energetically fuel autotrophic carbon fixation and associated formaldehyde excretion, and that formaldehyde is both oxidized and assimilated by different organisms within the native microbial community. Thus, formaldehyde can effectively act as a carbon and electron shuttle connecting the autotrophic, iron oxidizing members with associated heterotrophic members in the HFO community.« less

78 FR 41947 - Notice of Availability of a Supplement to the Bighorn Basin Draft Resource Management Plan...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-12

... Washakie Counties, and most of Hot Springs County in north-central Wyoming. The Planning Area includes all... listed in the ADDRESSES section above. In order to reduce the use of paper and control costs, the BLM...

Critical Elements in Reservoir Rocks of Produced Fluids Nevada and Utah August 2017

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

Simmons, Stuart

Critical and trace element data for drill cuttings from Beowawe, Dixie Valley, and Roosevelt Hot Springs-Blundell geothermal production fields, for drill cuttings from Uinta basin producing oil-gas wells, and from outcrops in the Sevier Thermal Anomaly-Utah.

Knowledge and Understanding of the Hydrogeology of the Salt Basin in South-Central New Mexico and Future Study Needs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huff, G.F.; Chace, D.A.

2006-01-01

The Salt Basin covers about 2,400 square miles of south-central New Mexico and extends across the State line into Texas. As much as 57 million acre-feet of ground water may be stored within the New Mexico part of the Salt Basin of which 15 million acre-feet are potentially potable and recoverable. Recent work suggests that the volume of ground water in storage within the New Mexico portion of the Salt Basin may be substantially greater than 57 million acre-feet. In this report, aquifers contained in the San Andres, Bone Spring, and Victorio Peak Limestones and in the Yeso, Hueco, and Abo Formations are collectively referred to as the carbonate aquifer. Porosity and permeability of the major aquifer are primarily determined by the density and interconnectedness of fractures and karstic solution channels. The spatial variability of these fractures and karstic features leads to a large spatial variability in hydraulic properties in the carbonate aquifer. Ground water generally moves southward away from recharge areas along the northern border of the Salt Basin and generally moves eastward to southeastward away from areas of distributed recharge on the Otero Mesa and the Diablo Plateau. Ground water originating from these recharge areas generally moves toward the central valley. Present day discharge is mostly through ground-water withdrawal for agricultural irrigation. A zone of relatively low hydraulic gradient, corresponding to the location of the Otero Break, extends from near the Sacramento River watershed southward toward Dell City, Texas. Ground water in the carbonate aquifer generally is very hard and has dissolved-solids concentrations ranging from 500 to 6,500 milligrams per liter. Substantial variability exists in current estimates of (1) ground-water recharge, (2) natural ground-water discharge, (3) the volume of ground water in storage, (4) the volume of recoverable ground water, (5) the conceptual model of ground-water flow, (6) the distribution of ground-water quality, and (7) the distribution of hydraulic characteristics. Future study could reduce uncertainty in these estimates and allow for better management of ground-water resources in the Salt Basin.

Tertiary evolution of the northeastern Venezuela offshore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ysaccis B., Raul

1998-12-01

On the northeastern offshore Venezuela, the pre-Tertiary basement consists of a deeply subducted accretionary complex of a Cretaceous island arc system that formed far to the west of its present location. The internal structure of this basement consists of metamorphic nappes that involve passive margin sequences, as well as oceanic (ophiolitic) elements. The Tertiary evolution of the northeastern Venezuela offshore is dominated by Paleogene (Middle Eocene-Oligocene) extension and Neogene transtension, interrupted by Oligocene to Middle Miocene inversions. The Paleogene extension is mainly an arc-normal extension associated with a retreating subduction boundary. It is limited to the La Tortuga and the La Blanquilla Basins and the southeastern Margarita and Caracolito subbasins. All of these basins are farther north of and not directly tied to the El Pilar fault system. On a reconstruction, these Paleogene extensional systems were located to the north of the present day Maracaibo Basin. By early Miocene the leading edge of the now overall transpressional system had migrated to a position to the north of the Ensenada de Barcelona. This relative to South America eastward migration is responsible for the Margarita strike-slip fault and the major inversions that began during the Oligocene and lasted into the Middle Miocene. The Bocono-El Pilar-Casanay-Warm Springs and the La Tortuga-Coche-North Coast fault systems are exclusively Neogene with major transtension occurring during the Late Miocene to Recent and act independently from the earlier Paleogene extensional system. They are responsible for the large Neogene transtensional basins of the area: the Cariaco trough, the Northern Tuy-Cariaco and the Paria sub-basins, and the Gulf of Paria Basin. This latest phase is characterized by strain-partitioning into strike slip faults, a transtensional northern domain and a transpressional southern domain that is responsible for the decollement tectonics and/or inversions of the Serrania del Interior and its associated Monagas foreland structures. Part of the latest (Middle Miocene to Recent) phase is the formation of a large arch that corresponds to the Margarita-Testigos-Grenada zone which perhaps was subject to mild lithospheric compression during the Plio-Pleistocene.

Relations between fish abundances, summer temperatures, and forest harvest in a northern Minnesota stream system from 1997 to 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merten, Eric C.; Hemstad, Nathaniel A.; Eggert, S.L.; Johnson, L.B.; Kolka, Randall K.; Newman, Raymond M.; Vondracek, Bruce C.

2010-01-01

Short-term effects of forest harvest on fish habitat have been well documented, including sediment inputs, leaf litter reductions, and stream warming. However, few studies have considered changes in local climate when examining postlogging changes in fish communities. To address this need, we examined fish abundances between 1997 and 2007 in a basin in a northern hardwood forest. Streams in the basin were subjected to experimental riparian forest harvest in fall 1997. We noted a significant decrease for fish index of biotic integrity and abundance of Salvelinus fontinalis and Phoxinus eos over the study period. However, for P. eos and Culaea inconstans, the temporal patterns in abundances were related more to summer air temperatures than to fine sediment or spring precipitation when examined using multiple regressions. Univariate regressions suggested that summer air temperatures influenced temporal patterns in fish communities more than fine sediment or spring precipitation.

Influences of climate change on water resources availability in Jinjiang Basin, China.

PubMed

Sun, Wenchao; Wang, Jie; Li, Zhanjie; Yao, Xiaolei; Yu, Jingshan

2014-01-01

The influences of climate change on water resources availability in Jinjiang Basin, China, were assessed using the Block-wise use of the TOPmodel with the Muskingum-Cunge routing method (BTOPMC) distributed hydrological model. The ensemble average of downscaled output from sixteen GCMs (General Circulation Models) for A1B emission scenario (medium CO2 emission) in the 2050s was adopted to build regional climate change scenario. The projected precipitation and temperature data were used to drive BTOPMC for predicting hydrological changes in the 2050s. Results show that evapotranspiration will increase in most time of a year. Runoff in summer to early autumn exhibits an increasing trend, while in the rest period of a year it shows a decreasing trend, especially in spring season. From the viewpoint of water resource availability, it is indicated that it has the possibility that water resources may not be sufficient to fulfill irrigation water demand in the spring season and one possible solution is to store more water in the reservoir in previous summer.

Bacteria and Turbidity Survey for Blue Mountain Lake, Arkansas, Spring and Summer, 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lasker, A. Dwight

1995-01-01

Introduction Blue Mountain Lake darn is located at river mile 74.4 on the Petit Jean River in Logan and Yell Counties in west-central Arkansas (fig. 1). Drainage area above the darn is 488 square miles. Blue Mountain Lake is located between two national forests-the Ozark National Forest and the Ouachita National Forest. The primary purpose for Blue Mountain Lake is flood control, but the lake is used for a variety of recreational purposes. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.s. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, conducted a bacterial and turbidity study of the Blue Mountain Lake Basin during the spring and suri1mer 1994. Samples were collected weekly at 11 locations within the lake basin from May through September 1994. Eight sampling sites were located on tributaries to the lake and three sampling sites were located on the lake with one of the sites located at a swim beach (fig. 2; table 1).

Historical Evolution of the Hydrological Functioning of the Old Lake Xochimilco, Southern Mexico Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, T.; Ruvalcaba, A.

2012-12-01

The lacustrian area of Xochimilco is one of the remnants of the old system of lakes located in the Basin of Mexico. After the Spanish conquest, began a series of actions including hydraulic-works that have changed the original landscape of this region. This region had important springs that for more than 50 years supplied water to the Mexico City. Since 1960, the excessive exploitation of the aquifer and urban growth in the region exhausted the springs. Using historical information we were able to characterize the major phenomena that have substantially changed the hydrogeological functioning of the region, in some more than 100 years. Currently, the exploitation of extraction wells has caused a gradual decrease in their static level and the existing remnant of the old lake is maintained with treated water. Observable effects are presented. The topographic gradient has been modified occurs subsidence and fractures are visible besides a severe reduction in the lake area which has been reduced to 15% of its original extent.

Geometeorological data collected by the USGS Desert Winds Project at Gold Spring, Great Basin desert, northeastern Arizona, 1979-1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Helm, P.J.; Breed, C.S.; Tigges, R.K.; Garcia, P.A.

1995-01-01

The primary purpose of the Desert Winds Project (DWP) is to obtain high-resolution meteorological data and related surface geological and vegetation data for natural (e.g., uncultivated) desert sites where wind is or has been a major erosive or depositional force. The objectives are twofold: (1) to provide the detailed field measurements needed to carry out quantitative studies of wind as an agent of surface geologic change; and (2) to establish a baseline for defining the 'normal' range of climatic conditions that can be expected to occur on a decadal time scale, in areas considered representative of the major American deserts. The Gold Spring locality was selected to represent that part of the Great Basin Desert that extends into northeastern Arizona. The long-term goal for acquiring and analyzing the Desert Winds Project data is to use them to address problems of land resource degradation by wind, whether resulting from climatic variation aridification) or human activities (desertification), or both (see techinfo.doc).

Water-chemistry data for selected springs, geysers, and streams in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 1999-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ball, James W.; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; Holloway, JoAnn M.; Verplanck, Philip L.; Sturtevant, Sabin A.

2002-01-01

Sixty-seven water analyses are reported for samples collected from 44 hot springs and their overflow drainages and two ambient-temperature acid streams in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) during 1990-2000. Thirty-seven analyses are reported for 1999, 18 for June of 2000, and 12 for September of 2000. These water samples were collected and analyzed as part of research investigations in YNP on microbially mediated sulfur oxidation in stream water, arsenic and sulfur redox speciation in hot springs, and chemical changes in overflow drainages that affect major ions, redox species, and trace elements. Most samples were collected from sources in the Norris Geyser Basin. Two ambient-temperature acidic stream systems, Alluvium and Columbine Creeks and their tributaries in Brimstone Basin, were studied in detail. Analyses were performed at or near the sampling site, in an on-site mobile laboratory truck, or later in a USGS laboratory, depending on stability of the constituent and whether or not it could be preserved effectively. Water temperature, specific conductance, pH, Eh, dissolved oxygen (D.O.), and dissolved H2S were determined on-site at the time of sampling. Alkalinity, acidity, and F were determined within a few days of sample collection by titration with acid, titration with base, and ion-selective electrode or ion chromatography (IC), respectively. Concentrations of S2O3 and SxO6 were determined as soon as possible (minutes to hours later) by IC. Concentrations of Br, Cl, NH4, NO2, NO3, SO4, Fe(II), and Fe(total) were determined within a few days of sample collection. Densities were determined later in the USGS laboratory. Concentrations of Li and K were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Concentrations of Al, As(total), B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe(total), K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Si, Sr, V, and Zn were determined by inductively-coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Trace concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Sb were determined by Zeeman-corrected graphitefurnace atomic-absorption spectrometry. Trace concentrations of As(total) and As(III) were determined by hydride generation atomic-absorption spectrometry using a flow-injection analysis system. Concentrations of Cl, NO3, Br, and SO4 were determined by IC. Concentrations of Fe(II) and Fe(total) were determined by the ferrozine colorimetric method. Concentrations of NO2 were determined by colorimetry using matrix-matched standards. Concentrations of NH4 were determined by IC, with reanalysis by colorimetry where separation of Na and NH4 peaks was poor. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations were determined by the wet persulfate oxidation method.

Mississippi River, Yazoo Basin, Memphis, TN

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-06-22

SL2-05-422 (22 June 1973) --- This section of the lower Mississippi River (34.0N, 90.0W) known as the Yazoo Basin, is characterized by a wide expanse of rich river bottomland with many oxbow lakes, the remains of the many changes in the riverbed over the course of many thousands of years. This soil is very fertile and productive but the region is prone to flooding. In this view, some of the back areas around the Delta National Forest show the effects of heavy spring rains. Photo credit: NASA

Water-quality assessment of the upper Snake River basin, Idaho and western Wyoming; environmental setting, 1980-92

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maupin, Molly A.

1995-01-01

Idaho leads the Nation in trout production for commercial sale. Combined mean annual discharges from 12 aquacultural facilities in the basin (1985-90) were about 787,000 acre-feet. These facilities are clustered in a reach of the Snake River between Milner Dam and King Hill where ground-water discharge is from many seeps and springs that provide sufficient quantities of good-quality water. Other facilities that release effluent to the Snake River include 13 municipal wastewater treatment plants and 3 industrial facilities.

[Influences of tide on silicon and nitrogen contents in soil and porewater in the Minjiang Ri-ver estuary, Southeast China].

PubMed

Hou, Guan Yun; Zhai, Shui Jing; Le, Xiao Qing; Tong, Chuan

2017-01-01

Taking Shanyuntan wetland in the Minjiang River estuary as test object, the dissolved silicates (DSi) and inorganic nitrogen contents in porewater and the biogenic silica (BSi) and total nitrogen contents in surface soil of the Phragmites australis wetland, Cyperus malaccensis wetland and Spartina alterniflora wetland were measured in October 2014 (spring tide month) and April 2015 (neap tide month), respectively, to illuminate the influence of tide on silicon and nitrogen contents in soil and porewater of estuarine wetland. Results showed that the DSi content in porewater and the BSi content in surface soil in spring tide month were slightly higher than those in neap tide month, with the highest being observed on neap tide day and the lowest occurring on spring tide day. In contrast, the BSi content in surface soil on spring tide day showed an opposite trend with that on neap tide day. The contents of NH 4 + -N and NO 3 - -N in porewater of different wetland soils in spring tide month were higher than those in neap tide month, while the content of NH 4 + -N on spring tide day was significantly higher than that on neap tide day (P<0.05). The study found that hydrological conditions such as flooding duration and drying-wetting alternation caused by tide had great influences on silicon and nitrogen contents in porewater and surface soil, and vegetation types also showed great influences on their distributions in intertidal wetland of the Minjiang River estuary.

Assessment of the geothermal potential of southwestern New Mexico. Final report, July 1, 1978-April 30, 1980

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

Elston, W.E.

1981-07-01

Results are reported of geologic mapping of geothermal anomalies in the Gila Hot Springs KGRA/Mimbres Hot Springs area, Grant County. They suggest that both hot-spring occurrences are structurally controlled by the intersection of a major Basin and Range fault and the disturbed margin of an ash-flow tuff cauldron. Hydrothermal alteration in both areas is related to mid-Tertiary volcanism, not to modern hot springs. At Gila Hot Springs, the geothermal aquifer is a zone at the contact between the unwelded top of a major ash-flow tuff sheet (Bloodgood Canyon Rhyolite Tuff) and a succession of interlayered vesicular basaltic andesite flows andmore » thin sandstone beds (Bearwallow Mountain Formation). Scattered groups of natural hot springs occur at intersections of this zone and the faults bordering the northeastern side of the Gila Hot Springs graben. Hydrothermal alteration of Bloodgood Canyon Rhyolite Tuff near major faults seems to have increased its permeability. At Mimbres Hot Springs, a single group of hot springs is controlled by the intersection of the Mimbres Hot Springs fault and a fractured welded ash-flow tuff that fills the Emory cauldron (Kneeling Nun Tuff). Gila Hot Springs and Mimbres Hot Springs do not seem to be connected by throughgoing faults. At both localities, hot spring water is used locally for space heating and domestic hot water; at Gila Hot Springs, water of 65.6/sup 0/C (150/sup 0/F) is used to generate electricity by means of a 10 kw freon Rankine Cycle engine. This is the first such application in New Mexico.« less

Artesian pressures and water quality in Paleozoic aquifers in the Ten Sleep area of the Bighorn Basin, north-central Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooley, M.E.

1985-01-01

Major Paleozoic artesian aquifers in the southeastern Bighorn Basin of Wyoming area, in descending order, the Tensleep Sandstone; the Madison Limestone and Bighorn Dolomite, which together form the Madison-Bighorn aquifer; and the Flathead Sandstone. Operating yields commonly are more than 1,000 gallons per minute from flowing wells completed in the Madison-Bighorn aquifer. The initial test of one well indicated a flow of 14,000 gallons per minute. Wellhead pressures range from less than 50 to more than 400 pounds per square inch. Transmissivities are 500-1,900 feet squared per day for the Madison-Bighorn aquifer and 90-325 feet squared per day for the Tensleep and Flathead Sandstones. Despite extensive development for irrigation there have been few decreases in pressure. Some decreases in pressure have occurred in wells completed in the Flathead Sandstone. Fractures along linear structural features result in significant secondary permeability and allow upward interformational movement of water that affects the altitude of the potentiometric surfaces in the Tensleep Sandstone and Madison-Bighorn aquifer. Upward-moving water from the Tensleep and other formations discharges at the land surface as springs along or near these lineations. Water from the aquifers generally contains minimal concentrations of dissolved solids and individual constituents but has excessive hardness. The water is satisfactory for irrigation and other purposes when hardness is not a detrimental factor. Wellhead temperatures range from 11 degrees to 27.5 degrees C, giving a geothermal gradient of about 0.44 degrees C per 100 feet. (USGS)

How do riparian woody seedlings survive seasonal drought?

PubMed

Stella, John C; Battles, John J

2010-11-01

In semi-arid regions, a major population limitation for riparian trees is seedling desiccation during the dry season that follows annual spring floods. We investigated the stress response of first-year pioneer riparian seedlings to experimental water table declines (0, 1 and 3 cm day(-1)), focusing on the three dominant cottonwood and willows (family Salicaceae) in California's San Joaquin Basin. We analyzed growth and belowground allocation response to water stress, and used logistic regression to determine if these traits had an influence on individual survival. The models indicate that high root growth (>3 mm day(-1)) and low shoot:root ratios (<1.5 g g(-1)) strongly predicted survival, but there was no evidence that plants increased belowground allocation in response to drawdown. Leaf δ(13)C values shifted most for the best-surviving species (net change of +3.5 per mil from -30.0 ± 0.3 control values for Goodding's willow, Salix gooddingii), implying an important role of increased water-use efficiency for surviving water stress. Both S. gooddingii and sandbar willow (S. exigua) reduced leaf size from controls, whereas Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) sustained a 29% reduction in specific leaf area (from 13.4 to 9.6 m(2) kg(-1)). The functional responses exhibited by Goodding's willow, the more drought-tolerant species, may play a role in its greater relative abundance in dry regions such as the San Joaquin Basin. This study highlights the potential for a shift in riparian forest composition. Under a future drier climate regime or under reduced regulated river flows, our results suggest that willow establishment will be favored over cottonwood.

Preliminary geochemical assessment of water in selected streams, springs, and caves in the Upper Baker and Snake Creek drainages in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paul, Angela P.; Thodal, Carl E.; Baker, Gretchen M.; Lico, Michael S.; Prudic, David E.

2014-01-01

Water in caves, discharging from springs, and flowing in streams in the upper Baker and Snake Creek drainages are important natural resources in Great Basin National Park, Nevada. Water and rock samples were collected from 15 sites during February 2009 as part of a series of investigations evaluating the potential for water resource depletion in the park resulting from the current and proposed groundwater withdrawals. This report summarizes general geochemical characteristics of water samples collected from the upper Baker and Snake Creek drainages for eventual use in evaluating possible hydrologic connections between the streams and selected caves and springs discharging in limestone terrain within each watershed.Generally, water discharging from selected springs in the upper Baker and Snake Creek watersheds is relatively young and, in some cases, has similar chemical characteristics to water collected from associated streams. In the upper Baker Creek drainage, geochemical data suggest possible hydrologic connections between Baker Creek and selected springs and caves along it. The analytical results for water samples collected from Wheelers Deep and Model Caves show characteristics similar to those from Baker Creek, suggesting a hydrologic connection between the creek and caves, a finding previously documented by other researchers. Generally, geochemical evidence does not support a connection between water flowing in Pole Canyon Creek to that in Model Cave, at least not to any appreciable extent. The water sample collected from Rosethorn Spring had relatively high concentrations of many of the constituents sampled as part of this study. This finding was expected as the water from the spring travelled through alluvium prior to being discharged at the surface and, as a result, was provided the opportunity to interact with soil minerals with which it came into contact. Isotopic evidence does not preclude a connection between Baker Creek and the water discharging from Rosethorn Spring. The residence time of water discharging into the caves and from selected springs sampled as part of this study ranged from 10 to 25 years.Within the upper Snake Creek drainage, the results of this study show geochemical similarities between Snake Creek and Outhouse Spring, Spring Creek Spring, and Squirrel Spring Cave. The strontium isotope ratio (87Sr/86Sr) for intrusive rock samples representative of the Snake Creek drainage were similar to carbonate rock samples. The water sample collected from Snake Creek at the pipeline discharge point had lower strontium concentrations than the sample downstream and a similar 87Sr/86Sr value as the carbonate and intrusive rocks. The chemistry of the water sample was considered representative of upstream conditions in Snake Creek and indicates minimal influence of rock dissolution. The results of this study suggest that water discharging from Outlet Spring is not hydrologically connected to Snake Creek but rather is recharged at high altitude(s) within the Snake Creek drainage. These findings for Outlet Spring largely stem from the relatively high specific conductance and chloride concentration, the lightest deuterium (δD) and oxygen-18 (δ18O) values, and the longest calculated residence time (60 to 90 years) relative to any other sample collected as part of this study. With the exception of water sampled from Outlet Spring, the residence time of water discharging into Squirrel Spring Cave and selected springs in the upper Snake Creek drainage was less than 30 years.

Parameters influencing the regeneration of a green roof's retention capacity via evapotranspiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poë, Simon; Stovin, Virginia; Berretta, Christian

2015-04-01

The extent to which the finite hydrological capacity of a green roof is available for retention of a storm event largely determines the scale of its contribution as a Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS). Evapotranspiration (ET) regenerates the retention capacity at a rate that is variably influenced by climate, vegetation treatment, soil and residual moisture content. Experimental studies have been undertaken to monitor the drying cycle behaviour of 9 different extensive green roof configurations with 80 mm substrate depth. A climate-controlled chamber at the University of Sheffield replicated typical UK spring and summer diurnal cycles. The mass of each microcosm, initially at field capacity, was continuously recorded, with changes inferred to be moisture loss/gain (or ET/dew). The ranges of cumulative ET following a 28 day dry weather period (ADWP) were 0.6-1.0 mm/day in spring and 0.7-1.25 mm/day in summer. These ranges reflect the influence of configuration on ET. Cumulative ET was highest from substrates with the greatest storage capacity. Significant differences in ET existed between vegetated and non-vegetated configurations. Initially, seasonal mean ET was affected by climate. Losses were 2.0 mm/day in spring and 3.4 mm/day in summer. However, moisture availability constrained ET, which fell to 1.4 mm/day then 1.0 mm/day (with an ADWP of 7 and 14 days) in spring; compared to 1.0 mm/day and 0.5 mm/day in summer. A modelling approach, which factors Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) according to stored moisture content, predicts daily ET with very good accuracy (PBIAS = 2.0% [spring]; -0.8% [summer]).

In situ production of branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers in a great basin hot spring (USA).

PubMed

Zhang, Chuanlun L; Wang, Jinxiang; Dodsworth, Jeremy A; Williams, Amanda J; Zhu, Chun; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe; Zheng, Fengfeng; Hedlund, Brian P

2013-01-01

Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (bGDGTs) are predominantly found in soils and peat bogs. In this study, we analyzed core (C)-bGDGTs after hydrolysis of polar fractions using liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry and analyzed intact P-bGDGTs using total lipid extract (TLE) without hydrolysis by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-multiple stage mass spectrometry. Our results show multiple lines of evidence for the production of bGDGTs in sediments and cellulolytic enrichments in a hot spring (62-86°C) in the Great Basin (USA). First, in situ cellulolytic enrichment led to an increase in the relative abundance of hydrolysis-derived P-bGDGTs over their C-bGDGT counterparts. Second, the hydrolysis-derived P- and C-bGDGT profiles in the hot spring were different from those of the surrounding soil samples; in particular, a monoglycosidic bGDGT Ib containing 13,16-dimethyloctacosane and one cyclopentane moiety was detected in the TLE but it was undetectable in surrounding soil samples even after sample enrichments. Third, previously published 16S rRNA gene pyrotag analysis from the same lignocellulose samples demonstrated the enrichment of thermophiles, rather than mesophiles, and total bGDGT abundance in cellulolytic enrichments correlated with the relative abundance of 16S rRNA gene pyrotags from thermophilic bacteria in the phyla Bacteroidetes, Dictyoglomi, EM3, and OP9 ("Atribacteria"). These observations conclusively demonstrate the production of bGDGTs in this hot spring; however, the identity of organisms that produce bGDGTs in the geothermal environment remains unclear.

Insights into contaminant transport from unconventional oil and gas developments from analog system analysis of methane-bearing thermal springs in the northern Canadian Rocky Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, Grant; Grasby, Stephen E.

2018-03-01

Natural gas is currently being produced from shales of the Montney and Liard basins in western Canada. Production requires hydraulic fracturing due to the low permeability of the shales in the basins. Stratigraphically equivalent shales are present in the northern Canadian Rocky Mountains. Thermal springs with notable hydrocarbon concentrations occur where large-scale faults intersect the same shale units that are the focus of gas development, indicating that under certain circumstances, connection of deep fractured shales to the land surface is possible. To constrain these conditions, simulations were conducted for the spring with the highest hydrocarbon flux (Toad River Spring), results of which indicate that in order to supply sufficient water to a fault to support measurable advection, the effective permeability of the shales in these structurally deformed areas must be one to four orders of magnitude higher than in areas of active gas production to the east. The spatial scale of enhanced permeability is much greater than that which is achieved by hydraulic fracturing and the mechanism of maintaining high pressures at depth is more persistent in time. Examination of groundwater velocities suggests that upward migration of solutes from hydraulic fracturing may take decades to centuries. Results also indicate that any temperature anomaly will be associated with transport along a fault at such velocities. No such temperature anomaly has been documented in regions with unconventional oil and gas development to date. Such an anomaly would be diagnostic of a deep solute source.

Cultivation and characterization of thermophilic Nitrospira species from geothermal springs in the US Great Basin, China, and Armenia.

PubMed

Edwards, Tara A; Calica, Nicole A; Huang, Dolores A; Manoharan, Namritha; Hou, Weiguo; Huang, Liuqin; Panosyan, Hovik; Dong, Hailiang; Hedlund, Brian P

2013-08-01

Despite its importance in the nitrogen cycle, little is known about nitrite oxidation at high temperatures. To bridge this gap, enrichment cultures were inoculated with sediment slurries from a variety of geothermal springs. While nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were successfully enriched from seven hot springs located in US Great Basin, south-western China, and Armenia at ≤ 57.9 °C, all attempts to enrich NOB from > 10 hot springs at ≥ 61 °C failed. The stoichiometric conversion of nitrite to nitrate, chlorate sensitivity, and sensitivity to autoclaving all confirmed biological nitrite oxidation. Regardless of origin, all successful enrichments contained organisms with high 16S rRNA gene sequence identity (≥ 97%) with Nitrospira calida. In addition, Armenian enrichments also contained close relatives of Nitrospira moscoviensis. Physiological properties of all enrichments were similar, with a temperature optimum of 45-50 °C, yielding nitrite oxidation rates of 7.53 ± 1.20 to 23.0 ± 2.73 fmoles cell(-1) h(-1), and an upper temperature limit between 60 and 65 °C. The highest rates of NOB activity occurred with initial NO2 - concentrations of 0.5-0.75 mM; however, lower initial nitrite concentrations resulted in shorter lag times. The results presented here suggest a possible upper temperature limit of 60-65 °C for Nitrospira and demonstrate the wide geographic range of Nitrospira species in geothermal environments. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water-chemistry data for selected springs, geysers, and streams in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 2006-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ball, James W.; McMleskey, R. Blaine; Nordstrom, D. Kirk

2010-01-01

Water analyses are reported for 104 samples collected from numerous thermal and non-thermal features in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) during 2006-2008. Water samples were collected and analyzed for major and trace constituents from 10 areas of YNP including Apollinaris Spring and Nymphy Creek along the Norris-Mammoth corridor, Beryl Spring in Gibbon Canyon, Norris Geyser Basin, Lower Geyser Basin, Crater Hills, the Geyser Springs Group, Nez Perce Creek, Rabbit Creek, the Mud Volcano area, and Washburn Hot Springs. These water samples were collected and analyzed as part of research investigations in YNP on arsenic, antimony, iron, nitrogen, and sulfur redox species in hot springs and overflow drainages, and the occurrence and distribution of dissolved mercury. Most samples were analyzed for major cations and anions, trace metals, redox species of antimony, arsenic, iron, nitrogen, and sulfur, and isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. Analyses were performed at the sampling site, in an on-site mobile laboratory vehicle, or later in a U.S. Geological Survey laboratory, depending on stability of the constituent and whether it could be preserved effectively. Water samples were filtered and preserved on-site. Water temperature, specific conductance, pH, emf (electromotive force or electrical potential), and dissolved hydrogen sulfide were measured on-site at the time of sampling. Dissolved hydrogen sulfide was measured a few to several hours after sample collection by ion-specific electrode on samples preserved on-site. Acidity was determined by titration, usually within a few days of sample collection. Alkalinity was determined by titration within 1 to 2 weeks of sample collection. Concentrations of thiosulfate and polythionate were determined as soon as possible (generally a few to several hours after sample collection) by ion chromatography in an on-site mobile laboratory vehicle. Total dissolved iron and ferrous iron concentrations often were measured on-site in the mobile laboratory vehicle. Concentrations of dissolved aluminum, arsenic, boron, barium, beryllium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, nickel, lead, selenium, silica, strontium, vanadium, and zinc were determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Trace concentrations of dissolved antimony, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, lead, and selenium were determined by Zeeman-corrected graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry. Dissolved concentrations of total arsenic, arsenite, total antimony, and antimonite were determined by hydride generation atomic-absorption spectrometry using a flow-injection analysis system. Dissolved concentrations of total mercury and methylmercury were determined by cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Concentrations of dissolved chloride, fluoride, nitrate, bromide, and sulfate were determined by ion chromatography. For many samples, concentrations of dissolved fluoride also were determined by ion-specific electrode. Concentrations of dissolved ferrous and total iron were determined by the FerroZine colorimetric method. Concentrations of dissolved ammonium were determined by ion chromatography, with reanalysis by colorimetry when separation of sodium and ammonia peaks was poor. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations were determined by the wet persulfate oxidation method. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios were determined using the hydrogen and CO2 equilibration techniques, respectively.

National Assessment of Oil and Gas Project: petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the Southwestern Wyoming Province, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the undiscovered oil and gas potential of the Southwestern Wyoming Province of southwestern Wyoming, northwestern Colorado, and northeastern Utah (fig. 1). The USGS Southwestern Wyoming Province for this assessment included the Green River Basin, Moxa arch, Hoback Basin, Sandy Bend arch, Rock Springs uplift, Great Divide Basin, Wamsutter arch, Washakie Basin, Cherokee ridge, and the Sand Wash Basin. The assessment of the Southwestern Wyoming Province is based on geologic principles and uses the total petroleum system concept. The geologic elements of a total petroleum system include hydrocarbon source rocks (source rock maturation, hydrocarbon generation, and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy, petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap types, formation, and timing). Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined 9 total petroleum systems (TPS) and 23 assessment units (AU) within these TPSs, and quantitatively estimated the undiscovered oil and gas resources within 21 of the 23 AUs.

Riverine export of dissolved organic carbon to the Gulf of Maine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huntington, T. G.; Aiken, G.

2013-12-01

Land-to-sea carbon transport of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an important part of the carbon cycle that can affect long-term carbon sequestration, satellite-derived ocean color metrics, and ocean primary productivity and biogeochemistry. Using continuous discharge data and discrete sampling we estimated DOC fluxes from rivers covering about 68% of the watershed that drains to the Gulf of Maine (GoM) for water years (October through September) 2011 and 2012. Estimates for rivers entering the GoM in the USA were made using LOADEST regression software that fits a seasonally-adjusted concentration discharge relation to the data. The basin area-weighted 95% confidence limits about the LOADEST mean fluxes averaged 8.1% for the lower limit and 8.9% for the upper limit. Estimates for rivers entering the GoM in Canada were obtained from previously published estimates. Carbon yield tends to increase from southwest (35 to 36 kg C/ha/yr) to a maximum of 76 kg C/ha/yr for the Penobscot River and then decline further to the northeast (61 kg C/ha/yr in the St. John River and 41 kg C/ha/yr in the rest of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia). The area-weighted average carbon yield for all measured basins was 54.5 kg C/ha/yr. The variation in carbon yield is most closely associated with the amount of runoff and wetland area within a river basin. Simple area-weighted extrapolation to the entire GoM basin resulted in an estimate of 9.8 x 105 metric tons C per year for the WY2011 and WY2012 period. Runoff is the dominant control on intra and inter-annual variation in DOC flux because runoff varies much more than DOC concentration at these temporal scales. Runoff is usually low during the winter, peaks in the spring during snowmelt, decreases to a minimum in late summer and increases again in the fall when transpiration decreases. DOC concentration is low during the winter and snowmelt-dominated spring period, generally increases through the summer, and peaks during the fall. DOC flux to the GoM is characterized by low fluxes in winter, high fluxes during the spring snowmelt and before major increase in transpiration, lower fluxes during summer months and, increasing fluxes in the fall. The increase in spring DOC flux occurs earliest in the major river basins in the southwest and progressively later towards the northeast. Assuming that the seasonally adjusted DOC concentration discharge relationships we obtained have been stable over time we estimated fluxes using historical runoff data to assess potential changes in DOC export from five large river basins with long-term discharge data to the GoM since 1930 (St Croix, Penobscot, Androscoggin, Saco and Merrimack Rivers). DOC export has apparently been increasing over time in association with increasing runoff. The largest increases in DOC in absolute and percentage terms have occurred during October, November, and December. Increases were observed in all months except May when there was a small decrease. The decrease in May and increases in March and April are consistent with earlier snowmelt and earlier onset of transpiration.

Environmental drivers of fish functional diversity and composition in the Lower Colorado River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pool, T.K.; Olden, J.D.; Whittier, Joanna B.; Paukert, C.P.

2010-01-01

Freshwater conservation efforts require an understanding of how natural and anthropogenic factors shape the present-day biogeography of native and non-native species. This knowledge need is especially acute for imperiled native fishes in the highly modified Lower Colorado River Basin (LCRB), USA. In the present study we employed both a taxonomic and functional approach to explore how natural and human-related environmental drivers shape landscape-scale patterns of fish community composition in the LCRB. Our results showed that hydrologic alteration, watershed land use, and regional climate explained 30.3% and 44.7% of the total variation in fish community taxonomic and functional composition, respectively. Watersheds with greater dam densities and upstream storage capacity supported higher non-native functional diversity, suggesting that dams have provided additional "niche opportunities" for non-native equilibrium life-history strategists by introducing new reservoir habitat and modifying downstream flow and thermal regimes. By contrast, watersheds characterized by greater upstream land protection, lower dam densities, and higher variation in spring and summer precipitation supported fish communities with a strong complement of native species (opportunistic-periodic strategists). In conclusion, our study highlights the utility of a life-history approach to better understand the patterns and processes by which fish communities vary along environmental gradients.

Impact and monitoring of dust storms in Taklimakan desert

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, G. G.; Li, X.; Zheng, Z.

2012-12-01

The Taklimakan is China's largest, driest, and warmest desert in total area of 338000km^2 with perimeter of 436 km, it is also known as one of the world's largest shifting-sand deserts. Fully 85 percent of the total area consists of mobile, crescent-shaped sand dunes and are virtually devoid of vegetation. The abundant sand provides material for frequent intense dust storms. The Taklimakan desert fills the expansive Tarim Basin between the Kunlun Mountains and the Tibet Plateau to the south and the Tian Shan Mountains to the north. The Tarim River flows across the basin from west-to-east. In these places, the oases created by fresh surface water support agriculture. Studies outside Xinjiang indicated that 80% dust source of storms was from farmland. Dust storms in the Tarim Basin occur for 20 to 59 days, mainly in spring every year. However, little effort was taken to investigate soil wind erosion and dust emission around the desert. Quantitative understanding of individual dust events in the arid Taklimakan desert, for example, the dust emission rates and the long-range transport, are still incomplete. Therefore, the dust events were observed through routine satellite sensors, lidar instruments, airborne samplers, and surface-based aerosol monitors. Soil wind erosion and suspended particulates emission of four major dust storms from the desert and the typical oasis farmlands at the north rim of the desert were measured using creep sampler, BSNE and TSP at eight heights in 2012. In addition, Aqua satellite AOD data, the NAAPS Global Aeosol model, the CALIPSO satellite products, EPA's AirNow AQI of PM2.5 and HYSPLIT Back Trajectory model were applied to analyze dust transport across the Pacific. Four significant dust storms were observed at the north rim of Taklimakan desert in the spring, 2012. During those events, predominant wind direction ranged from 296 to 334°, wind speed over 7 m/s at 2 m lasted for 471-1074 min, gust wind speed ranged from 11-18m/s. It was determined that the horizontal dust flux was 0.6 to 4.3 kg/m. Dust clouds are formed when the friction from high surface wind speeds (>6 m/s) lifts loose dust particles into the atmospheric boundary layer or above. Analysis shows that a dust storm in the Taklimakan desert on April 23th produced a huge atmospheric dust cloud, it was transported across the Pacific Ocean to reach the West Coast of North America 12 days later, corresponding to 6 m/s average transport speed. The observations in the Pacific Coast indicated that aerosol concentrations were elevated which resulted in Air Quality Index (AQI) to the yellow moderate category.

The Pine-Popple River basin--Hydrology of a wild river area, northeastern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oakes, Edward L.; Field, Stephen J.; Seeger, Lawrence P.

1973-01-01

The Pine and Popple Rivers, virtually unaltered by man, flow through a semiprimitive area of forests, lakes, and glacial hills. White-water streams, natural lakes, fish and animal life, and abundant vegetation contribute to the unique recreational and aesthetic characteristics of the area. Resource planning or development should recognize the interrelationships within the hydrologic system and the possible effects of water and land-use changes upon the wild nature of the area. The basin covers about 563 square miles in northeastern Wisconsin. Swamps and wetlands cover nearly 110 square miles, and the 70 lakes cover about 11 square miles. The undulating topography is formed by glacial deposits overlying an irregular, resistant surface of bedrock. An annual average of 30 inches of precipitation, highest from late spring to early autumn, falls on the basin. Of this amount, evapotranspiration, highest in mid summer and late summer, averages 19 inches; the remaining 11 inches is runoff, which is highest in spring and early summer. Ground water from the glacial drift is the source of water for the minor withdrawal use in the basin. Ground-water movement is to streams and lakes and regionally follows the slope of topography and the bedrock surface, which is generally west to east. Ground water is of good quality, although locally high in iron. The major uses of water are for recreation and power generation. Domestic use is slight. No water is withdrawn from lakes or streams, and no sewage or industrial wastes are added to lakes or streams. Most of the flow of the Pine River is used for power generation. The main stems of the Pine and Popple Rivers contain 114 canoeable miles, of which 95 percent is without such major obstructions as falls or large rapids. In general streams support cold-water fish, and lakes support warm-water fish. Trout is the principal stream and game fish in the basin. The basin has no significant water problems. Future development between the Pine River power plant and the mouth of the Pine River should have little effect on the western two-thirds of the basin, already largely protected by public ownership or development planning agreements.

Discovery of South American suckermouth armored catfishes (Loricariidae, Pterygoplichthys spp.) in the Santa Fe River drainage, Suwannee River basin, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nico, Leo G.; Butt, Peter L.; Johnston, Gerald R.; Jelks, Howard L.; Kail, Matthew; Walsh, Stephen J.

2012-01-01

We report on the occurrence of South American suckermouth armored catfishes (Loricariidae) in the Suwannee River basin, southeastern USA. Over the past few years (2009-2012), loricariid catfishes have been observed at various sites in the Santa Fe River drainage, a major tributary of the Suwannee in the state of Florida. Similar to other introduced populations of Pterygoplichthys, there is high likelihood of hybridization. To date, we have captured nine specimens (270-585 mm, standard length) in the Santa Fe River drainage. One specimen taken from Poe Spring best agrees with Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps (Kner, 1854) or may be a hybrid with either P. pardalis or P. disjunctivus. The other specimens were taken from several sites in the drainage and include seven that best agree with Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (Weber, 1991); and one a possible P. disjunctivus x P. pardalis hybrid. We observed additional individuals, either these or similar appearing loricariids, in Hornsby and Poe springs and at various sites upstream and downstream of the long (> 4 km) subterranean portion of the Santa Fe River. These specimens represent the first confirmed records of Pterygoplichthys in the Suwannee River basin. The P. gibbiceps specimen represents the first documented record of an adult or near adult of this species in open waters of North America. Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus or its hybrids (perhaps hybrid swarms) are already abundant and widespread in other parts of peninsular Florida, but the Santa Fe River represents a northern extension of the catfish in the state. Pterygoplichthys are still relatively uncommon in the Santa Fe drainage and successful reproduction not yet documented. However, in May 2012 we captured five adult catfish (two mature or maturing males and three gravid females) from a single riverine swallet pool. One male was stationed at a nest burrow (no eggs present). To survive the occasional harsh Florida winters, these South American catfish apparently use artesian springs as thermal refugia. In the Santa Fe River, eradication might be possible during cold periods when catfish congregate in spring habitats. However, should Pterygoplichthys increase in number and disperse more widely, the opportunity to eliminate them from the drainage will pass.

Traveling Weather Disturbances in Mars Southern Extratropics: Sway of the Great Impact Basins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollingsworth, Jeffery L.

2016-01-01

As on Earth, between late autumn and early spring on Mars middle and high latitudes within its atmosphere support strong mean thermal contrasts between the equator and poles (i.e. "baroclinicity"). Data collected during the Viking era and observations from both the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) indicate that this strong baroclinicity supports vigorous, large-scale eastward traveling weather systems (i.e. transient synoptic-period waves). Within a rapidly rotating, differentially heated, shallow atmosphere such as on Earth and Mars, such large-scale, extratropical weather disturbances are critical components of the global circulation. These wave-like disturbances act as agents in the transport of heat and momentum, and moreover generalized tracer quantities (e.g., atmospheric dust, water vapor and water-ice clouds) between low and high latitudes of the planet. The character of large-scale, traveling extratropical synoptic-period disturbances in Mars' southern hemisphere during late winter through early spring is investigated using a high-resolution Mars global climate model (Mars GCM). This global circulation model imposes interactively lifted (and radiatively active) dust based on a threshold value of the instantaneous surface stress. Compared to observations, the model exhibits a reasonable "dust cycle" (i.e. globally averaged, a more dusty atmosphere during southern spring and summer occurs). In contrast to their northern-hemisphere counterparts, southern synoptic-period weather disturbances and accompanying frontal waves have smaller meridional and zonal scales, and are far less intense synoptically. Influences of the zonally asymmetric (i.e. east-west varying) topography on southern large-scale weather disturbances are examined. Simulations that adapt Mars' full topography compared to simulations that utilize synthetic topographies emulating essential large-scale features of the southern middle latitudes indicate that Mars' transient barotropic/baroclinic eddies are significantly influenced by the great impact basins of this hemisphere (e.g., Argyre and Hellas). In addition, the occurrence of a southern storm zone in late winter and early spring is keyed particularly to the western hemisphere via orographic influences arising from the Tharsis highlands, and the Argyre and Hellas impact basins. Geographically localized transient-wave activity diagnostics are constructed that illuminate fundamental differences amongst such simulations and these are described.

Traveling Weather Disturbances in Mars' Southern Extratropics: Sway of the Great Impact Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollingsworth, Jeffery L.

2016-04-01

As on Earth, between late autumn and early spring on Mars middle and high latitudes within its atmosphere support strong mean thermal contrasts between the equator and poles (i.e., "baroclinicity"). Data collected during the Viking era and observations from both the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) indicate that this strong baroclinicity supports vigorous, large-scale eastward traveling weather systems (i.e., transient synoptic-period waves). Within a rapidly rotating, differentially heated, shallow atmosphere such as on Earth and Mars, such large-scale, extratropical weather disturbances are critical components of the global circulation. These wave-like disturbances act as agents in the transport of heat and momentum, and moreover generalized tracer quantities (e.g., atmospheric dust, water vapor and water-ice clouds) between low and high latitudes of the planet. The character of large-scale, traveling extratropical synoptic-period disturbances in Mars' southern hemisphere during late winter through early spring is investigated using a high-resolution Mars global climate model (Mars GCM). This global circulation model imposes interactively lifted (and radiatively active) dust based on a threshold value of the instantaneous surface stress. Compared to observations, the model exhibits a reasonable "dust cycle" (i.e., globally averaged, a more dusty atmosphere during southern spring and summer occurs). In contrast to their northern-hemisphere counterparts, southern synoptic-period weather disturbances and accompanying frontal waves have smaller meridional and zonal scales, and are far less intense synoptically. Influences of the zonally asymmetric (i.e., east-west varying) topography on southern large-scale weather disturbances are examined. Simulations that adapt Mars' full topography compared to simulations that utilize synthetic topographies emulating essential large-scale features of the southern middle latitudes indicate that Mars' transient barotropic/baroclinic eddies are significantly influenced by the great impact basins of this hemisphere (e.g., Argyre and Hellas). In addition, the occurrence of a southern storm zone in late winter and early spring is keyed particularly to the western hemisphere via orographic influences arising from the Tharsis highlands, and the Argyre and Hellas impact basins. Geographically localized transient-wave activity diagnostics are constructed that illuminate fundamental differences amongst such simulations and these are described.

Finite Element Analysis Of Structural And Magmatic Interactions At Mono Basin (California)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Marra, D.; Manconi, A.; Battaglia, M.

2010-12-01

Mono Basin is a northward trending graben situated east of the Sierra Nevada and west of Cowtrack Mountains, extending from the northern edge of Long Valley Caldera towards the Bodie Hills. From a hydrographic perspective, the Mono Basin is defined by all streams that drain into Mono Lake. The Mono-Inyo Craters forms a prominent 25-km-long volcanic complex from the NW corner of Long Valley caldera to the southern edge of Mono Lake. The late Quaternary Hartley Springs fault occurs along the Sierran range front between June Lake and the northern border of Long Valley Caldera. Recently it has been proposed that the manifestation of the volcanic and of the tectonic activity in this area is likely interrelated. According to Bursik et al (2003), stratigraphic data suggest that during the North Mono-Inyo eruption sequence of ~1350 A.D., a series of strong earthquakes occurred across the end of the North Mono explosive phase and the beginning of the Inyo explosive phase. Moreover, geological and geomorphic features of the Hartley Springs fault are consistent with rupture of the fault during the eruption sequence. We use the Finite Element Method (FEM) to simulate a three-dimensional model and investigate the feedback mechanism between dike intrusion and slip along the Hartley Springs fault. We first validate our numerical model against the Okada (1985) analytical solution for a homogeneous and elastic flat half-space. Subsequently, we evaluate the distribution of local stress changes to study the influence of the Inyo Dike intrusion in ~1350 A.D. on Hartley Springs fault, and how the fault slip may encourage the propagation of dikes towards the surface. To this end, we considered the standard Coulomb stress change as failure criterion. Finally, we analyze the effects of the topography and of vertical and lateral heterogeneities of the crust on the distribution of local and regional stress changes. In this presentation, we highlight the preliminary results of our analysis and discuss the possible future developments of this study.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Smolt Migration in the Columbia Basin : Volume XVI : Survival and Transportation Effects for Migrating Snake River Hatchery Chinook Salmon and Steelhead: Historical Estimates from 1996-2003.

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

Buchanan, Rebecca A.; Skalski, John R.

2007-12-07

In 2005, the University of Washington developed a new statistical model to analyze the combined juvenile and adult detection histories of PIT-tagged salmon migrating through the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). This model, implemented by software Program ROSTER (River-Ocean Survival and Transportation Effects Routine), has been used to estimate survival and transportation effects on large temporal and spatial scales for PIT-tagged hatchery spring and summer Chinook salmon and steelhead released in the Snake River Basin from 1996 to 2003. Those results are reported here. Annual estimates of the smolt-to-adult return ratio (SAR), juvenile inriver survival from Lower Granite tomore » Bonneville, the ocean return probability from Bonneville to Bonneville, and adult upriver survival from Bonneville to Lower Granite are reported. Annual estimates of transport-inriver (T/I) ratios and differential post-Bonneville mortality (D) are reported on both a systemwide basis, incorporating all transport dams analyzed, and a dam-specific basis. Transportation effects are estimated only for dams where at least 5,000 tagged smolts were transported from a given upstream release group. Because few tagged hatchery steelhead were transported in these years, no transportation effects are estimated for steelhead. Performance measures include age-1-ocean adult returns for steelhead, but not for Chinook salmon. Annual estimates of SAR from Lower Granite back to Lower Granite averaged 0.71% with a standard error (SE) of 0.18% for spring Chinook salmon from the Snake River Basin for tagged groups released from 1996 through 2003, omitting age-1-ocean (jack) returns. For summer Chinook salmon from the Snake River Basin, the estimates of annual SAR averaged 1.15% (SE=0.31%). Only for the release years 1999 and 2000 did the Chinook SAR approach the target value of 2%, identified by the NPCC as the minimum SAR necessary for recovery. Annual estimates of SAR for hatchery steelhead from the Snake River Basin averaged 0.45% (SE=0.11%), including age-1-ocean returns, for release years 1996 through 2003. For release years when the ocean return probability from Bonneville back to Bonneville could be estimated (i.e., 1999 through 2003), it was estimated that on average approximately 86% of the total integrated mortality for nontransported, tagged hatchery spring and summer Chinook, and 74% for steelhead, occurred during the ocean life stage (i.e., from Bonneville to Bonneville). This suggests that additional monitoring and research efforts should include the ocean and estuary environment. Annual estimates of the systemwide T/I are weighted averages of the dam-specific T/I ratios for each transport dam (with {ge} 5,000 tagged fish transported), weighted by the probabilities of being transported at each dam. The systemwide T/I compares the observed SAR under the existing transportation system with the expected SAR if the transportation system had not been operated. Estimates of 1.0 indicate that the systemwide transportation program has no effect on SAR, while estimates > 1.0 indicate that the transportation program increases SAR. Excluding the 2001 release group, the geometric mean of the systemwide T/I estimates for hatchery spring Chinook salmon from the Snake River Basin was 1.15 (SE=0.03) for release years 1997 through 2003. The geometric mean of the systemwide T/I estimates for hatchery summer Chinook salmon from the Snake River Basin was 1.28 (SE=0.13) for release years 1997 through 2000 and 2003. Estimates were much higher for the 2001 release groups. These estimates reflect transportation from Lower Granite and/or Little Goose for most release years, depending on the number of tagged smolts actually transported at each dam during each release year. Differential post-Bonneville mortality (D) is the ratio of post-Bonneville survival to Lower Granite Dam of transported fish to that of nontransported ('inriver') fish. Excluding the 2001 release year, the geometric mean of the D estimates for hatchery spring Chinook salmon from the Snake River Basin was 1.00 (SE=0.09) for release years 1997 through 2003. For hatchery summer Chinook salmon from the Snake River Basin, the geometric mean of the D estimates was 1.32 (SE=0.27) for release years 1997 through 2000 and 2003. These estimates reflect transportation from Lower Granite and/or Little Goose, depending on the number of tagged smolts actually transported at each dam during each release year. Approximately half the point estimates of D for both spring and summer Chinook salmon were 1.0 or greater, indicating that for those release groups, transported fish did not have lower ocean and adult survival than nontransported fish. For those years with estimates of D < 1.0, the systemwide T/I estimates were always {ge} 1.0, indicating that despite lower ocean and adult survival of transported fish, transportation did not lower SAR overall.« less

78 FR 18967 - Walla Walla Basin Spring Chinook Hatchery Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-28

... Program AGENCY: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Notice of... assessment. SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), BPA intends to prepare... of Intent, BPA is initiating the public scoping process for the EIS. BPA is requesting comments about...

Evaluating winter/spring seeding of a native perennial bunchgrass in the sagebrush steppe

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) plant communities in the US Great Basin region are being severely impacted by increasingly frequent wildfires in association with the expansion of exotic annual grasses. Maintenance of native perennial bunchgrasses is key to controlling annual grass expansion,...

Willingness to Pay for Willamette Basin Spring Chinook and Winter Steelhead Recovery

EPA Science Inventory

Two of the primary goals of conducting economic valuation studies should be to improve the way in which communities frame choices regarding the allocation of scarce resources and to clarify the trade-offs between alternative outcomes. The challenge of quantifying public preferen...

Environmental Flow Assessments in the McKenzie and Santiam River Basins, Oregon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risley, J. C.; Bach, L.; Budai, C.; Duffy, K.

2012-12-01

The McKenzie and Santiam Rivers are tributaries of the Willamette River in northwestern Oregon, draining areas of 3,370 and 4,690 square kilometers, respectively. The river basins are heavily forested and contain streams that historically provided critical habit for salmonid rearing, salmonid spawning, and bull trout. In the 1950s and 1960s, hydropower and flood control dams were constructed in both basins. In 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), began assessing the impacts of dam regulation in the two basins on streamflow, geomorphic, and ecological processes (Risley et. al., 2010; 2012). The baseline assessments were made under the auspices of the Sustainable Rivers Project (SRP), formed in 2002 by TNC and the Corps. SRP is a nation-wide partnership aimed at developing, implementing, and refining environmental flows downstream of dams. Environmental flows can be defined as the streamflow needed to sustain ecosystems while continuing to meet human needs. Determining environmental flows is an iterative collective process involving stakeholders, workshops, bio-monitoring, and follow-up assessments. The dams on the McKenzie and Santiam Rivers have decreased the frequency and magnitude of floods and increased the magnitude of low flows. In the Santiam River study reaches, for example, annual 1-day maximum streamflows decreased by 46-percent on average because of regulated streamflow conditions. Annual 7-day minimum flows in six of the seven study reaches increased by 146 percent on average. On a seasonal basis, median monthly streamflows in both river basins decreased from February to May and increased from September to January. However, the magnitude of these impacts usually decreased farther downstream from the dams because of the cumulative inflow from unregulated tributaries and groundwater discharge below the dams. In addition to streamflow assessments, the USGS studies included a geomorphic and ecological characterization of both rivers using reach characterization, historical channel mapping, aerial photography, and specific gage analysis methods. Decreased flooding and decreased sediment supply resulting from the dams likely contributed to a decrease in gravel bars, which are critical to salmonid spawning. Secondary channel features and sinuosity also decreased. However, other anthropogenic factors, such as bank stabilization revetments, land filling, and channel dredging, have also impacted channel morphology in both basins. Exemplar native terrestrial and aquatic species of interest and used in developing environmental flows for both river basins include black cottonwood, red alder, bull trout, spring Chinook, Oregon chub, red-legged frogs, and western pond turtles. Suggestions for future bio-monitoring and investigations were also provided in the study reports. References: Risley, John, Wallick, J.R., Waite, Ian, and Stonewall, Adam, 2010, Development of an environmental flow framework for the McKenzie River basin, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5016, 94 p. Risley, J.C., Wallick, J.R., Mangano, J.F., and Jones, K.F., 2012, An environmental streamflow assessment for the Santiam River basin, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2012-1133, 66 p.

The Impact Of Snow Melt On Surface Runoff Of Sava River In Slovenia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horvat, A.; Brilly, M.; Vidmar, A.; Kobold, M.

2009-04-01

Snow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Snow remains on the ground until it melts or sublimates. Spring snow melt is a major source of water supply to areas in temperate zones near mountains that catch and hold winter snow, especially those with a prolonged dry summer. In such places, water equivalent is of great interest to water managers wishing to predict spring runoff and the water supply of cities downstream. In temperate zone like in Slovenia the snow melts in the spring and contributes certain amount of water to surface flow. This amount of water can be great and can cause serious floods in case of fast snow melt. For this reason we tried to determine the influence of snow melt on the largest river basin in Slovenia - Sava River basin, on surface runoff. We would like to find out if snow melt in Slovenian Alps can cause spring floods and how serious it can be. First of all we studied the caracteristics of Sava River basin - geology, hydrology, clima, relief and snow conditions in details for each subbasin. Furtermore we focused on snow and described the snow phenomenom in Slovenia, detailed on Sava River basin. We collected all available data on snow - snow water equivalent and snow depth. Snow water equivalent is a much more useful measurement to hydrologists than snow depth, as the density of cool freshly fallen snow widely varies. New snow commonly has a density of between 5% and 15% of water. But unfortunately there is not a lot of available data of SWE available for Slovenia. Later on we compared the data of snow depth and river runoff for some of the 40 winter seasons. Finally we analyzed the use of satellite images for Slovenia to determine the snow cover for hydrology reason. We concluded that snow melt in Slovenia does not have a greater influence on Sava River flow. The snow cover in Alps can melt fast due to higher temperatures but the water distributes and runs off slowly and does not cause floods. About use of satellite images we concluded that first of all, weather is unfavorable - lots of cloudiness in winter, and furthermore a grater part of land is covered by forest which prevents to see the snow cover on image clearly.

Delineating saturated conduit patterns and dimensions in the upper Floridan aquifer through numerical groundwater flow modeling (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kincaid, T. R.; Meyer, B. A.

2009-12-01

In groundwater flow modeling, aquifer permeability is typically defined through model calibration. Since the pattern and size of conduits are part of a karstic permeability framework, those parameters should be constrainable through the same process given a sufficient density of measured conditions. H2H Associates has completed a dual-permeability steady-state model of groundwater flow through the western Santa Fe River Basin, Florida from which a 380.9 km network of saturated conduits was delineated through model calibration to heads and spring discharges. Two calibration datasets were compiled describing average high-water and average low-water conditions based on heads at 145 wells and discharge from 18 springs for the high-water scenario and heads at 188 wells and discharge from 9 springs for the low-water scenario. An initial conduit network was defined by assigning paths along mapped conduits and inferring paths along potentiometric troughs between springs and swallets that had been connected by groundwater tracing. These initial conduit assignments accounted for only 13.75 and 34.1 km of the final conduit network respectively. The model was setup using FEFLOW™ where conduits were described as discrete features embedded in a porous matrix. Flow in the conduits was described by the Manning-Strickler equation where variables for conduit area and roughness were used to adjust the volume and velocity of spring flows. Matrix flow was described by Darcy’s law where hydraulic conductivity variations were limited to three geologically defined internally homogeneous zones that ranged from ~2E-6 m/s to ~4E-3 m/s. Recharge for both the high-water and low-water periods was determined through a water budget analysis where variations were restricted to nine zones defined by land-use. All remaining variations in observed head were then assumed to be due to conduits. The model was iteratively calibrated to the high-water and low-water datasets wherein the location, size and roughness of the conduits were assigned as needed to accurately simulate observed heads and spring discharges while bounding simulated velocities by the tracer test results. Conduit diameters were adjusted to support high-water spring discharges but the locations were best determined by calibration to the low-water head field. The final model calibrated to within 5% of the total head change across the model region at 143 of the 145 wells in the high-water scenario and at 176 of the 188 wells in the low-water scenario. Simulated spring discharges fell within 13% of the observed range under high-water conditions and to within 100% of the observed range under low-water conditions. Simulated velocities ranged from as low as 10-4 m/day in the matrix to as high as 10+3 m/day in the largest conduits. The significance of these results that we emphasize here is two-fold. First, plausible karstic groundwater flow conditions can be reasonably simulated if adequate efforts are made to include springs, swallets, caves, and traced flow paths. And second, detailed saturated conduit networks can be delineated from careful evaluation of hydraulic head data particularly when dense datasets can be constructed by correlating values obtained from different wells under similar hydraulic periods.

The spring migration of adult North American Ospreys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martell, Mark S.; Bierregaard, Richard O.; Washburn, Brian E.; Elliott, John E.; Henny, Charles J.; Kennedy, Robert S.; MacLeod, Iain

2014-01-01

Most North American Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) are migratory, breeding in northern latitudes and migrating long distances to and from their wintering grounds in the tropics. Although fall migration patterns of North American Ospreys have been described and studied, very little has been published about the spring migration of these birds. We used satellite telemetry to: (1) determine the characteristics (timing, duration, migratory routes) of spring migrations of Ospreys; (2) determine if differences in spring migration patterns existed between sexes and among three breeding populations (east coast, midwestern, and western); and (3) compare consecutive fall and spring migrations of individual Ospreys. The median dates for departure from the wintering grounds and arrival on the breeding grounds did not differ significantly between adult male and female Ospreys. Compared to their fall migrations, all male and all east coast Ospreys spent fewer days on migration, fewer days in stopover periods along the migration route, traveled shorter distances overall, and traveled farther (on average) each day during spring. In contrast, fall and spring migration characteristics of all female and western Ospreys were similar. Our findings suggest that, although sex and breeding location might influence the spring migration strategy used by individual Ospreys, both males and females minimize the time spent on migration to ensure a timely arrival on the breeding grounds to establish or defend a nesting territory.

Fractures and stresses in Bone Spring sandstones

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

Warpinski, N.R.; Sattler, A.R.; Lorenz, J.C.

This project was a collaboration between Sandia National Laboratories and the Harvey E. Yates Company (Heyco), Roswell, NM, conducted under the auspices of Department of Energy's Oil Recovery Technology Partnership. The project applied Sandia perspectives on the effects of natural fractures, stress, and sedimentology for the stimulation and production of low permeability gas reservoirs to low permeability oil reservoirs, such as those typified by the Bone Spring sandstones of the Delaware Basin, southeast New Mexico. This report details the results and analyses obtained in 1990 from core, logs, stress, and other data taken from three additional development wells. An overallmore » summary gives results from all five wells studied in this project in 1989--1990. Most of the results presented are believed to be new information for the Bone Spring sandstones.« less

Occurrence and transport of nutrients in the Missouri River Basin, April through September 2011: Chapter G in 2011 floods of the central United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kalkhoff, Stephen J.

2013-01-01

Heavy snow and early spring rainfall generated substantial amounts of runoff and flooding in the upper part of the Missouri River Basin in 2011. Spring runoff in the upper and middle parts of the basin exceeded the storage capacity of the Missouri River reservoirs and unprecedented amounts of water were released into the lower parts of the basin resulting in record floods from June through September on the Missouri River in Iowa and Nebraska and extending into Kansas and Missouri. Runoff from the Missouri River Basin in April through September 2011 was 8,440,000 hectare meters (68,400,000 acre feet) and was only exceeded during flooding in 1993 when runoff was 11,200,000 hectare meters (90,700,000 acre feet). Nitrate and total phosphorus concentrations in the Missouri River and selected tributaries in April through September, 2011 generally were within the expected range of concentrations measured during the last 30 years. Substantial discharge from the upper and middle parts of the Missouri River Basin resulted in nitrate concentrations decreasing in the lower Missouri River beginning in June. Concentrations of nitrate in water entering the Mississippi River from the Missouri River were less in 2011 than in 1993, but total phosphorus concentrations entering the Mississippi River were substantially greater in 2011 than in 1993. The Missouri River transported an estimated 79,600 megagrams of nitrate and 38,000 megagrams of total phosphorus to the Mississippi River from April through September 2011. The nitrate flux in 2011 was less than 20 percent of the combined total from the Upper Mississippi and Missouri River Basins. In contrast, the total phosphorus flux of 38,000 megagrams from the Missouri River constituted about 39 percent of the combined total from the Upper Mississippi and Missouri River Basins during April through September 2011. Substantially more nitrate but less total phosphorus was transported from the Missouri River Basin during the historic 1993 than during the 2011 flood. Greater runoff from the lower part of the basin contributed to the greater nitrate transport in 1993. In addition to the differing amounts of runoff and the source of flood waters, changes in land use, and management practices are additional factors that may have contributed to the difference in nitrate and total phosphorus flux between the 1993 and 2011 floods.

Hydrometeorological model for streamflow prediction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tangborn, Wendell V.

1979-01-01

The hydrometeorological model described in this manual was developed to predict seasonal streamflow from water in storage in a basin using streamflow and precipitation data. The model, as described, applies specifically to the Skokomish, Nisqually, and Cowlitz Rivers, in Washington State, and more generally to streams in other regions that derive seasonal runoff from melting snow. Thus the techniques demonstrated for these three drainage basins can be used as a guide for applying this method to other streams. Input to the computer program consists of daily averages of gaged runoff of these streams, and daily values of precipitation collected at Longmire, Kid Valley, and Cushman Dam. Predictions are based on estimates of the absolute storage of water, predominately as snow: storage is approximately equal to basin precipitation less observed runoff. A pre-forecast test season is used to revise the storage estimate and improve the prediction accuracy. To obtain maximum prediction accuracy for operational applications with this model , a systematic evaluation of several hydrologic and meteorologic variables is first necessary. Six input options to the computer program that control prediction accuracy are developed and demonstrated. Predictions of streamflow can be made at any time and for any length of season, although accuracy is usually poor for early-season predictions (before December 1) or for short seasons (less than 15 days). The coefficient of prediction (CP), the chief measure of accuracy used in this manual, approaches zero during the late autumn and early winter seasons and reaches a maximum of about 0.85 during the spring snowmelt season. (Kosco-USGS)

Effects of Varying Cloud Cover on Springtime Runoff in California's Sierra Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumargo, E.; Cayan, D. R.

2017-12-01

This study investigates how cloud cover modifies snowmelt-runoff processes in Sierra Nevada watersheds during dry and wet periods. We use two of the California Department of Water Resources' (DWR's) quasi-operational models of the Tuolumne and Merced River basins developed from the USGS Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) hydrologic modeling system. Model simulations are conducted after a validated optimization of model performance in simulating recent (1996-2014) historical variability in the Tuolumne and Merced basins using solar radiation (Qsi) derived from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) remote sensing. Specifically, the questions we address are: 1) how sensitive are snowmelt and runoff in the Tuolumne and Merced River basins to Qsi variability associated with cloud cover variations?, and 2) does this sensitivity change in dry vs. wet years? To address these question, we conduct two experiments, where: E1) theoretical clear-sky Qsi is used as an input to PRMS, and E2) the annual harmonic cycle of Qsi is used as an input to PRMS. The resulting hydrographs from these experiments exhibit changes in peak streamflow timing by several days to a few weeks and smaller streamflow variability when compared to the actual flows and the original simulations. For E1, despite some variations, this pattern persists when the result is evaluated for dry-year and wet-year subsets, reflecting the consistently higher Qsi input available. For E2, the hydrograph shows a later spring-summer streamflow peak in the dry-year subset when compared to the original simulations, indicating the relative importance of the modulating effect of cloud cover on snowmelt-runoff in drier years.

Landscape controls on total and methyl Hg in the Upper Hudson River basin, New York, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burns, Douglas A.; Riva-Murray, K.; Bradley, P.M.; Aiken, G.R.; Brigham, M.E.

2012-01-01

Approaches are needed to better predict spatial variation in riverine Hg concentrations across heterogeneous landscapes that include mountains, wetlands, and open waters. We applied multivariate linear regression to determine the landscape factors and chemical variables that best account for the spatial variation of total Hg (THg) and methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations in 27 sub-basins across the 493 km2 upper Hudson River basin in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. THg concentrations varied by sixfold, and those of MeHg by 40-fold in synoptic samples collected at low-to-moderate flow, during spring and summer of 2006 and 2008. Bivariate linear regression relations of THg and MeHg concentrations with either percent wetland area or DOC concentrations were significant but could account for only about 1/3 of the variation in these Hg forms in summer. In contrast, multivariate linear regression relations that included metrics of (1) hydrogeomorphology, (2) riparian/wetland area, and (3) open water, explained about 66% to >90% of spatial variation in each Hg form in spring and summer samples. These metrics reflect the influence of basin morphometry and riparian soils on Hg source and transport, and the role of open water as a Hg sink. Multivariate models based solely on these landscape metrics generally accounted for as much or more of the variation in Hg concentrations than models based on chemical and physical metrics, and show great promise for identifying waters with expected high Hg concentrations in the Adirondack region and similar glaciated riverine ecosystems.

Hydrogeology and simulation of groundwater flow in fractured rock in the Newark basin, Rockland County, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, Richard M.; Ratcliffe, Nicholas M.

2011-01-01

Groundwater in the Newark basin aquifer flows primarily through discrete water-bearing zones parallel to the strike and dip of bedding, whereas flow perpendicular to the strike is restricted, thereby imparting anisotropy to the groundwater flow field. The finite-element model SUTRA was used to represent bedrock structure in the aquifer by spatially varying the orientation of the hydraulic conductivity tensor to reflect variations in the strike and dip of the bedding. Directions of maximum and medium hydraulic conductivity were oriented parallel to the bedding, and the direction of minimum hydraulic conductivity was oriented perpendicular to the bedding. Groundwater flow models were prepared to simulate local flow in the vicinity of the Spring Valley well field and regional flow through the Newark basin aquifer. The Newark basin contains sedimentary rocks deposited as alluvium during the Late Triassic and is one of a series of basins that developed when Mesozoic rifting of the super continent Pangea created the Atlantic Ocean. The westward-dipping basin is filled with interbedded facies of coarse-grained to fine-grained rocks that were intruded by diabase associated with Jurassic volcanism. The Newark basin aquifer is bounded to the north and east by the Palisades sill and to the west by the Ramapo Fault. Although the general dip of bedding is toward the fault, mapping of conglomerate beds indicates the rocks are folded into broad anticlines and synclines. An alternative, more uniform pattern of regional structure, based on interpolated strike and dip measurements from a number of sources, has also been proposed. Two groundwater flow models (A for the former type of bedrock structure and B for the latter type) were developed to represent these alternative depictions of bedrock structure. Transient simulations were calibrated to reproduce measured water-level recoveries in a 9.3 mi² area surrounding the Spring Valley well field during a 5-day aquifer test in 1992. The models represented a 330-ft thick rock mass divided vertically into 10 equally spaced layers and were calibrated through nonlinear regression. Results of model B best matched the observed water-level recoveries with an estimated hydraulic conductivity of 9.5 ft/day, specific storage of 7.6 x 10 -6 ft -1, and Kmax: Kmin anisotropy ratio (hydraulic conductivity parallel to bedding: perpendicular to bedding) of 72:1. Model error was 50 percent greater in model A because the assumed structure did not match the actual strike of bedding in this area. Steady-state simulations of regional flow through the 85.4-mi2 modeled extent of the Newark basin aquifer represented both the alluvial aquifer beneath the Mawah River and the fractured bedrock. The rock mass was divided into two aquifer units: an upper 500-ft thick unit divided into 10 equally spaced layers through which most groundwater is assumed to flow and a lower unit divided into 7 layers with increasing thickness. Models were calibrated through nonlinear regression to average water levels measured in 140 wells from August 2005 through April 2007. Water levels simulated using the two models were similar and generally matched those observed, and the average recharge rate estimated using both models was 19 inches/year for the simulated period. Estimated transmissivity parallel to the strike of bedding (1,100 ft²/d) was uniform in two transmissivity (T) zones in model A, but in model B the transmissivity of a high T zone (1,600 ft²/d), delineated on the basis of aquifer test data, was slightly greater than in a low T zone (1,300 ft²/d). The Kmax: Kmin anisotropy was estimated to be 58:1 in model A and 410:1 in model B, so the proportion of flow perpendicular to bedding is less in model B than in model A. Distributions of groundwater age simulated with models A and B are similar and indicate that most shallow ground-water (225 ft below the bedrock surface) is 5 t

Pain and distress induced by elastomeric and spring separators in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.

PubMed

Al-Balbeesi, Hana O; Bin Huraib, Sahar M; AlNahas, Nadia W; AlKawari, Huda M; Abu-Amara, Abdulrahman B; Vellappally, Sajith; Anil, Sukumaran

2016-01-01

The objective of the present investigation is to evaluate patients' pain perception and discomfort, the duration of pain and the level of self-medication over time during tooth separation, and the effectiveness of elastomeric and spring types of orthodontic separators in Saudi population. The study group consisted of 30 female adolescent patients who had elastomeric/spring separators as part of their orthodontic treatment. A self-administrated questionnaire comprising 16 multiple choice questions and another with visual analog scale were used to record the patient's pain perceptions at 4 hours, 24 hours, 3 days, 5 days, and 7 days from the time of insertion. The level of pain and discomfort during these time periods were assessed by a visual analog scale. After a separation period of 7 days, the amount of separation was measured with a leaf gauge. Type and frequency of analgesic consumption was also recorded. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 (IBM SPSS -Chicago, IL: SPSS Inc.,) was used for statistical analysis. The data showed significant increase in the level of pain at 4 hours, 24 hours, and 3 days from separator placement. The elastomeric separators produced significantly more separation than the spring separators and also caused maximum pain during the first 3 days after insertion. However, there was no significant difference between the score of pain between two separators at all time intervals. Both elastomeric and spring separators showed comparative levels of pain and discomfort during the early phase of separation. Elastomeric separators were found to be more effective in tooth separation than spring separators. However, further studies are necessary to substantiate this preliminary observation.

Optimization of irrigation scheduling for spring wheat with mulching and limited irrigation water in an arid climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Y.

2017-12-01

Combining mulch and irrigation scheduling may lead to an increase of crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE = crop yield/evapotranspiration) with limited irrigation water, especially in arid regions. Based on 2 years' field experiments with ten irrigation-mulching treatments of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the Shiyang River Basin Experiment Station in Gansu Province of Northwest China, a simulation-based optimization model for deficit irrigation scheduling of plastic mulching spring wheat was used to analyze an optimal irrigation scheduling for different deficit irrigation scenarios. Results revealed that mulching may increase maximum grain yield without water stress by 0.4-0.6 t ha-1 in different years and WUE by 0.2-0.3 kg m-3 for different irrigation amounts compared with no mulching. Yield of plastic mulching spring wheat was more sensitive to water stress in the early and development growth stages with an increase of cumulative crop water sensitive index (CCWSI) by 42%, and less sensitive to water stress in the mid and late growth stages with a reduction of CCWSI by 24%. For a relative wet year, when irrigation water is only applied once it should be at the mid to end of booting growth stage. Two irrigations should be applied at the beginning of booting and heading growth stages. The irrigation date can be extended to the beginning of jointing and grain formation growth stages with more water available for irrigation. For a normal or a dry year, the first irrigation should be applied 5-8 days earlier than the wet year. The highest WUE of 3.6 kg m-3 was achieved with 180 mm of irrigation applied twice for mulching in a wet year. Combining mulch and an optimal deficit irrigation scheduling is an effective way to increase crop yield and WUE in arid regions.

Ground-Water Occurrence and Movement, 2006, and Water-Level Changes in the Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento Valley Basins, Mohave County, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anning, David W.; Truini, Margot; Flynn, Marilyn E.; Remick, William H.

2007-01-01

Ground-water levels for water year 2006 and their change over time in Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento Valley Basins of northwestern Arizona were investigated to improve the understanding of current and past ground-water conditions in these basins. The potentiometric surface for ground water in the Basin-Fill aquifer of each basin is generally parallel to topography. Consequently, ground-water movement is generally from the mountain front toward the basin center and then along the basin axis toward the Colorado River or Lake Mead. Observed water levels in Detrital, Hualapai, and Sacramento Valley Basins have fluctuated during the period of historic water-level records (1943 through 2006). In Detrital Valley Basin, water levels in monitored areas have either remained the same, or have steadily increased as much as 3.5 feet since the 1980s. Similar steady conditions or water-level rises were observed for much of the northern and central parts of Hualapai Valley Basin. During the period of historic record, steady water-level declines as large as 60 feet were found in wells penetrating the Basin-Fill aquifer in areas near Kingman, northwest of Hackberry, and northeast of Dolan Springs within the Hualapai Valley Basin. Within the Sacramento Valley Basin, during the period of historic record, water-level declines as large as 55 feet were observed in wells penetrating the Basin-Fill aquifer in the Kingman and Golden Valley areas; whereas small, steady rises were observed in Yucca and in the Dutch Flat area.

A Preliminary Investigation of The Structure of Southern Yucca Flat, Massachusetts Mountain, and CP Basin, Nevada Test Site, Nevada, Based on Geophysical Modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phelps, Geoffrey A.; Justet, Leigh; Moring, Barry C.; Roberts, Carter W.

2006-01-01

New gravity and magnetic data collected in the vicinity of Massachusetts Mountain and CP basin (Nevada Test Site, NV) provides a more complex view of the structural relationships present in the vicinity of CP basin than previous geologic models, helps define the position and extent of structures in southern Yucca Flat and CP basin, and better constrains the configuration of the basement structure separating CP basin and Frenchman Flat. The density and gravity modeling indicates that CP basin is a shallow, oval-shaped basin which trends north-northeast and contains ~800 m of basin-filling rocks and sediment at its deepest point in the northeast. CP basin is separated from the deeper Frenchman Flat basin by a subsurface ridge that may represent a Tertiary erosion surface at the top of the Paleozoic strata. The magnetic modeling indicates that the Cane Spring fault appears to merge with faults in northwest Massachusetts Mountain, rather than cut through to Yucca Flat basin and that the basin is downed-dropped relative to Massachusetts Mountain. The magnetic modeling indicates volcanic units within Yucca Flat basin are down-dropped on the west and supports the interpretations of Phelps and KcKee (1999). The magnetic data indicate that the only faults that appear to be through-going from Yucca Flat into either Frenchman Flat or CP basin are the faults that bound the CP hogback. In general, the north-trending faults present along the length of Yucca Flat bend, merge, and disappear before reaching CP hogback and Massachusetts Mountain or French Peak.

Hydrogeochemical response of groundwater springs during central Italy earthquakes (24 August 2016 and 26-30 October 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archer, Claire; Binda, Gilberto; Terrana, Silvia; Gambillara, Roberto; Michetti, Alessandro; Noble, Paula; Petitta, Marco; Rosen, Michael; Pozzi, Andrea; Bellezza, Paolo; Brunamonte, Fabio

2017-04-01

Co-seismic hydrological and chemical response at groundwater springs following strong earthquakes is a significant concern in the Apennines, a region in central Italy characterized by regional karstic groundwater systems interacting with active normal faults capable of producing Mw 6.5 to 7.0 seismic events. These aquifers also provide water supply to major metropolitan areas in the region. On August 24, 2016, a Mw 6.0 earthquake hit Central Italy in the area where Latium joins Umbria, Marche and Abruzzi; this was immediately followed one hour later by a Mw 5.4 shock. The epicenter of the event was located at the segment boundary between the Mt. Vettore and Mt. Laga faults. On October 26, 2016 and on October 30, 2016, three other big shocks (Mw 5.5, Mw 6.0 and Mw 6.5) ruptured again the Vettore Fault and its NW extension. Immediately after Aug. 24, we sampled springs discharging different aquifers in the Rieti area, including the Peschiera spring, which feeds the aqueduct of Rome. Thermal springs connected with deep groundwater flowpaths were also sampled. These springs, sampled previously in 2014 and 2015, provide some pre-earthquake data. Moreover, we sampled 4 springs along the Mt. Vettore fault system: 3 small springs at Forca di Presta, close to the trace of the earthquake surface ruptures, and two in Castel Sant'Angelo sul Nera. The latter are feeding the Nera aqueduct and the Nerea S.p.A. mineral water plant, which also kindly allowed us to collect bottled water samples from the pre-seismic period. The aim of this study is to evaluate the strong earthquake sequence effects on the hydrochemistry and flow paths of groundwater from different aquifer settings based on analysis before and after seismic events. The comparison between the responses of springs ca. 40 km from the epicenter (Rieti basin) and the springs located near the epicenter (Castelsantangelo sul Nera and Forca di Presta) is especially significant for understanding the resilience of groundwater systems in an active tectonic zone because these springs are located near parallel active fault segments within the same extensional regime. The epicentral springs are subject to the direct effects of the shaking and coseismic fault displacement; the more distal ones to the tectonic displacement of large hydrogeologic structures, which affect the chemical composition and flow path even with late responses, lasting for weeks and months after the mainshocks. Temporal trend analysis, based on pre-earthquake and post-earthquake chemical-physical data, point out alteration of different parameters. For example, the lowering of different trace metals in all areas after the first earthquake. These changes could be due to fluctuations in redox equilibria related to degassing and/or interactions with deeper fluid flow. In the Rieti springs, the EC, alkalinity, and trace metals show small transient responses within 1-3 days following the main shocks, however δ2H vs. δ18O remain stable and plot with previous data, indicating no major change in recharge source. Analysis is ongoing and preliminary results will be presented here.

Burrowing owl foods in Conata Basin, South Dakota

Treesearch

James C. MacCracken; Daniel W. Uresk; Richard M. Hansen

1985-01-01

Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) were studied in a prairie dog town of southwestern South Dakota. Pellets regurgitated by Burrowing Owls contained a wide variety of prey remains. Insects, spiders, small mammals, and vegetation were the most frequent items identified in the pellets. Mammals were consumed most frequently during spring and early...

Biomass burning CCN enhance the dynamics of a mesoscale convective system over the La Plata Basin: a numerical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camponogara, Gláuber; Assunção Faus da Silva Dias, Maria; Carrió, Gustavo G.

2018-02-01

High aerosol loadings are discharged into the atmosphere every year by biomass burning in the Amazon and central Brazil during the dry season (July-December). These particles, suspended in the atmosphere, can be carried via a low-level jet toward the La Plata Basin, one of the largest hydrographic basins in the world. Once they reach this region, the aerosols can affect mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), whose frequency is higher during the spring and summer over the basin. The present study is one of the first that seeks to understand the microphysical effects of biomass burning aerosols from the Amazon Basin on mesoscale convective systems over the La Plata Basin. We performed numerical simulations initialized with idealized cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) profiles for an MCS case observed over the La Plata Basin on 21 September 2010. The experiments reveal an important link between CCN number concentration and MCS dynamics, where stronger downdrafts were observed under higher amounts of aerosols, generating more updraft cells in response. Moreover, the simulations show higher amounts of precipitation as the CCN concentration increases. Despite the model's uncertainties and limitations, these results represent an important step toward the understanding of possible impacts on the Amazon biomass burning aerosols over neighboring regions such as the La Plata Basin.

Lessons Learned from Predicting the Poorly Gauged Sweetwater Creek Basin, in Central Idaho

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morehead, M. D.; Peckham, S.; Muskatirovic, J.

2005-12-01

The flow regime of a poorly gauged basin in central Idaho was modeled in response to Agency, Tribal and Irrigation District needs to provide water for irrigation while still providing flows for a healthy ecosystem in Sweetwater Creek. This modeling effort shows some strengths and weakness of our present state of knowledge in simulating the hydrology of a basin. The spring freshet of a normal and a high flow year were simulated relatively successfully. However, the low flow year and summer thunderstorm events were not simulated as well, with the model over simulating the flow rates for these events. Improvements in a number of areas would increase the accuracy of the modeled flows. Improved meteorological data collection may help considerably. It is known that storm systems are funneled up the valley of Clearwater River where the present meteorological gauging sites are. Having meteorological gauging sites further into Sweetwater Creek Basin and away from the effects of the Clearwater River would improve the input conditions. Additionally, this semi-arid watershed commonly breaks the assumption of a moist soil profile. When these soils are dry, a wetting front must establish and propagate its way through the soil before a shallow groundwater flow system can be set up. Much of the precipitation input from the intermittent summer rainstorms can be absorbed into the soil profile and evaporated without having a significant discharge signal. An improved, semiarid groundwater model is needed for this type of environment. An irrigation project exists on Sweetwater Creek near Lewiston Idaho that decreases the flows on the creek, particularly during low flow periods, including late summer and early fall. There are concerns over the effects of the operation of the irrigation system on in-stream habitat. Limited data have been collected, which would allow an evaluation of the natural flow regime of Sweetwater Creek. Due to the lack of natural flow data, a numerical model was used to simulate the natural flow regime of Sweetwater Creek. This study provided information on the natural flow regime that is being used in the decision making process to balance ecosystem health with irrigation demands by determining the volumes of flows needed to provide for a healthy river system with high-quality physical conditions. A spatially distributed river basin simulation model TopoFlow was used to generate stream flows under a variety of meteorological conditions. In order to capture the range of variability present in flows of Sweetwater Creek, three years were modeled representing high (1996), low (1992) and near average (1986) modern flow conditions. The model results show that the low flow conditions during the late summer and fall months and during dry years are controlled from falling below certain levels by the Twenty One Ranch springs. These springs are feed through a groundwater flow system from Lake Waha. Lake Waha is a naturally dammed lake created by a very large landslide and has no surface flow outlet. The low flows are naturally controlled by this spring system and the magnitude of the flows depend on the lake level and the efficiency of the groundwater flow system. The modeling effort shows that the higher winter and spring flows are controlled by the weather during the immediate time period and the snow accumulations and fast reacting ground water pool levels controlled by previous weather and hydrologic conditions.

2001 floods in the Red River of the North basin in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macek-Rowland, K. M.

2001-01-01

The Red River of the North is a complex river system in the north-central plains of the United States. The river continues to impact the people and property within its basin. During the spring of 2001, major flooding occurred for the second time in four years on the Red River of the North and its many tributaries in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. Unlike the 1997 floods, which were the result of record-high snowpacks region-wide and a late spring blizzard, the 2001 floods were the result of above-average soil moistures in some areas of the basin, rapid melting of above-average snowpacks in the upper basin, and heavy rainfall that swept across the region on April 7, 2001. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), one of the principal Federal agencies responsible for the collection and interpretation of water-resources data, works with other Federal, State, and local agencies to ensure that accurate and timely data are available for making decisions regarding the public's welfare. This report presents preliminary water-resources 2001 flood data that were obtained from selected streamflow-gaging stations located in the Red River of the North Basin.Flooding in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota usually is caused by spring snowmelt, and the severity of the flooding is affected by (1) substantial precipitation in the fall that produces high levels of soil moisture, (2) above-normal snowfall in the winter, (3) moist, frozen ground that prohibits infiltration of moisture, (4) a late spring thaw, (5) above-normal precipitation during spring thaw, and (6) ice jams (temporary dams of ice) on rivers and streams.Stream stages (height of water in a stream above an arbitrarily established datum) and discharges measured by USGS personnel at streamflow-gaging stations are used to define a unique relation between stage and discharge. This relation, commonly called a rating curve, may not be well defined at extreme high discharges because these discharges are rare events of short duration and have unstable conditions that often make measurement extremely difficult. Therefore, estimates for some peak discharges need to be extrapolated from rating curves extended to known peak stages. The peak discharges are used to determine the probability, often expressed in recurrence intervals, that a given discharge will be exceeded in the future. For example, a flood that has a 1-percent chance of exceedance in any given year would, on the long-term average, be expected to occur only about once a century; therefore, the flood would be termed a "100-year flood." However, the chance of such a flood occurring in any given year is 1 percent. Thus, a 100-year flood can occur in successive years at the same location. In some instances, recurrence interval estimates can be based on periods of regulated flow or made with historic adjustments when historic data are available.Historical peak stages and peak discharges and the 2001 peak stages, peak discharges, and recurrence intervals are shown in table 1. The streamflow-gaging stations are listed in downstream order by station number, and station locations are shown in figure 1. Revisions to the 2001 peak stages and peak discharges given in this preliminary report may occur as site surveys are completed and additional field data are reviewed in the upcoming months.

2001 floods in the Red River of the North basin in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macek-Rowland, K. M.

2001-01-01

The Red River of the North is a complex river system in the north-central plains of the United States. The river continues to impact the people and property within its basin. During the spring of 2001, major flooding occurred for the second time in four years on the Red River of the North and its many tributaries in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. Unlike the 1997 floods, which were the result of record-high snowpacks region-wide and a late spring blizzard, the 2001 floods were the result of above-average soil moistures in some areas of the basin, rapid melting of above-average snowpacks in the upper basin, and heavy rainfall that swept across the region on April 7, 2001. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), one of the principal Federal agencies responsible for the collection and interpretation of water-resources data, works with other Federal, State, and local agencies to ensure that accurate and timely data are available for making decisions regarding the public's welfare. This report presents preliminary water-resources 2001 flood data that were obtained from selected streamflow-gaging stations located in the Red River of the North Basin. Flooding in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota usually is caused by spring snowmelt, and the severity of the flooding is affected by (1) substantial precipitation in the fall that produces high levels of soil moisture, (2) above-normal snowfall in the winter, (3) moist, frozen ground that prohibits infiltration of moisture, (4) a late spring thaw, (5) above-normal precipitation during spring thaw, and (6) ice jams (temporary dams of ice) on rivers and streams. Stream stages (height of water in a stream above an arbitrarily established datum) and discharges measured by USGS personnel at streamflow-gaging stations are used to define a unique relation between stage and discharge. This relation, commonly called a rating curve, may not be well defined at extreme high discharges because these discharges are rare events of short duration and have unstable conditions that often make measurement extremely difficult. Therefore, estimates for some peak discharges need to be extrapolated from rating curves extended to known peak stages. The peak discharges are used to determine the probability, often expressed in recurrence intervals, that a given discharge will be exceeded in the future. For example, a flood that has a 1-percent chance of exceedance in any given year would, on the long-term average, be expected to occur only about once a century; therefore, the flood would be termed a "100-year flood." However, the chance of such a flood occurring in any given year is 1 percent. Thus, a 100-year flood can occur in successive years at the same location. In some instances, recurrence interval estimates can be based on periods of regulated flow or made with historic adjustments when historic data are available. Historical peak stages and peak discharges and the 2001 peak stages, peak discharges, and recurrence intervals are shown in table 1. The streamflow-gaging stations are listed in downstream order by station number, and station locations are shown in figure 1. Revisions to the 2001 peak stages and peak discharges given in this preliminary report may occur as site surveys are completed and additional field data are reviewed in the upcoming months.

Drivers of the autumn phytoplankton development in the open Black Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikaelyan, Alexander S.; Shapiro, Georgy I.; Chasovnikov, Valeriy K.; Wobus, Fred; Zanacchi, Marcus

2017-10-01

The dynamics of the autumn development of phytoplankton in the Black Sea were investigated using satellite-derived chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl), which was estimated for two regions in the deep sea over a 20-year period. We analysed 8-day composite Chl images along with changes in: (i) nutrient concentration obtained from in-situ measurements, (ii) sea surface temperature (SST), (iii) photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) obtained from satellite imagery, (iv) wind speed from the re-analysis of meteodata and (v) the depth of the upper mixed layer (UML) calculated from a 3D numerical model of the Black Sea. The peak in Chl was identified most frequently in the first half of November. A positive correlation between the duration of strong wind events and phytoplankton development was revealed, which was associated with the deepening of the UML, and replenishment of the photic zone with nutrients. The impact on phytoplankton was significant when the cumulative duration of strong wind (> 8 m s- 1) exceeded 60 h over the preceding 8 days. In such cases, the frequency of the Chl peaks increased up to 30-50% with an average of 20%. Strong wind was shown to determine the timing of the autumn bloom, but not its strength. From a positive relationship between the maximum Chl and nitrate concentration we found instead that the intensity of the autumn bloom was mainly defined by nitrate replenishment in the photic zone. On average, the timing of the seasonal maximum of Chl in the first half of November coincided with the deepening of the UML to the bottom of the seasonal thermocline (ca 25 m). Elution of nitrate from deeper layers, where its concentration is substantially higher, mitigated the nutrient limitation of phytoplankton growth. At the same time, a sharp decrease in PAR after mid-November resulted in the limitation of light for phytoplankton growth. Inter-annual variations of Chl in spring and autumn were shown not to be correlated. For example, the basin-wide autumn blooms were observed in some years when the spring blooms were absent. As the bloom cannot be based on regenerated nitrate, the amount of 'new' nitrate in the photic zone should have a positive trend in autumn. However, the sources and mechanisms of the basin-wide increase of nitrate concentration in the upper layer in autumn are not clear.

Occurrence, distribution, and transport of pesticides, trace elements, and selected inorganic constituents into the Salton Sea Basin, California, 2001-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

LeBlanc, Lawrence A.; Schroeder, Roy A.; Orlando, James L.; Kuivila, Kathyrn M.

2004-01-01

A study of pesticide distribution and transport within the Salton Sea Basin, California, was conducted from September 2001 to October 2002. Sampling for the study was done along transects for the three major rivers that flow into the Salton Sea Basin: the New and Alamo Rivers at the southern end of the basin and the Whitewater River at the northern end. Three stations were established on each river: an outlet station approximately 1 mile upstream of the river discharge, a near-shore station in the river delta, and off-shore station in the Salton Sea. Water and suspended and bed sediments were collected at each station in October 2001, March-April 2002, and September 2002, coinciding with peak pesticide applications in the fall and spring. Fourteen current-use pesticides were detected in the water column. Concentrations of dissolved pesticides typically decreased from the outlets to the sea in all three rivers, consistent with the off-shore transport of pesticides from the rivers to the sea. Dissolved concentrations ranged from the limits of detection to 151 nanograms per liter (ng/L); however, diazinon, eptam (EPTC), and malathion were detected at much higher concentrations (940?3,830 ng/L) at the New and Alamo River outlet and near-shore stations. Concentrations of carbaryl, dacthal, diazinon, and eptam were higher during the two fall sampling periods, whereas concentrations of atrazine, carbofuran, and trifluralin were higher during the spring. Current-use pesticides also were detected on suspended and bed sediments in concentrations ranging from method detection limits to 106 ng/g (nanograms per gram). Chlorpyrifos, dacthal, eptam, trifluralin, and DDE were the most frequently detected pesticides on sediments from all three rivers. The number and concentrations of pesticides associated with suspended sediments frequently were similar for the river outlet and near-shore sites, consistent with the downstream transport of sediment-associated pesticides out of the rivers. Seasonal trends in pesticide concentration were similar to those for dissolved concentrations in fall 2001 and spring 2002, but not in fall 2002. Generally, the pesticides detected in the suspended sediments were the same pesticides detected in the bed sediments, and concentrations were similar, especially at the Alamo River outlet site in spring 2002 and fall 2002. Pesticides generally were not detected in sediments from the off-shore sites; however, the samples from these sites also had greater incidences of matrix interference during analysis. Sediment-associated pesticide concentrations were above equilibrium in water, suggesting a bound fraction of sediment-associated pesticides that are resistant to desorption. Concentrations of trace elements and other inorganic constituents in suspended sediments collected during the fall 2001 followed expected trends with dilution of river-derived minerals owing to highly organic autochthonous production within the Salton Sea Basin. However, calculation of enrichment ratios provided evidence for the bioconcentration of several trace elements, notably selenium in the off-shore biota.

Floods of 1950 in the upper Mississippi River and Lake Superior basins in Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paulsen, C.G.

1953-01-01

In areal coverage and magnitude of peak discharge the floods of April-May 1950 in the Missouri River Basin in North and South Dakota were unprecedented in the area. These floods were characterized by an extremely late spring breakup of ice, by great flood peaks resulting from snow melt, and by two separate floods in the James River Valley in less than a month. The primary cause of the floods was the rapid melting of the season's great accumulation of snow, one of the deepest on record. In the period between the normal spring breakup time and the actual breakup of river ice, considerably more snow accumulated. Some of this was melted by a few .warm days and the melt was stored as water behind snow barriers in upland watercourses. A sudden increase in temperature beginning April 13 and lasting until most of the snow had been converted into runoff resulted in rapid rise of flood waters. Tributary flood waters made the Missouri River from Mobridge to Yankton, S. Oak., rise to near the maximum recorded discharge. At Sioux City, Iowa, the 1950 flood peak-discharge exceeded any previously recorded by the Geological Survey. The center of the flooded area west of the Missouri River lay m the Cannonball River Basin which had the greatest water content of snow on the ground just before the ice broke up Floods north and south of this area were relatively less intense. Scattered records of the Cannonball River and a study of newspaper accounts and other information show that the flood of 1950 was greatest since the area was settled. Flooding of the James River at Jamestown was the greatest since 1897, and the floods of April and May 1950 were of nearly the same stage. Itemized flood damages were made by Federal and State agencies, and relief was sent to the area by the Department of the Army and the American National Red Cross. Data include records of stage and discharge at 54 gaging stations for the period of flood, a summary of peak discharges and comparative data for past and present maxima, a table of crest stages, and weather associated with the 1950 flood.

77 FR 23747 - Notice of Availability of the Proposed John Day Basin Resource Management Plan and Final...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-20

... on public lands, and expanded scientific knowledge and information pertaining to the conservation of... John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council and with representatives of local, State, and other Federal... received from the public, John Day/Snake Resource Advisory Council, John Day Basin RMP Cooperating Agencies...

Influences of spring-to-summer sea surface temperatures over different Indian Ocean domains on the Asian summer monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhenning; Yang, Song

2017-11-01

The influences of spring-to-summer sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in different domains of the Indian Ocean (IO) on the Asian summer monsoon are investigated by conducting a series of numerical experiments using the NCAR CAM4 model. It is found that, to a certain extent, the springtime IO SST anomalies can persist to the summer season. The spring-to-summer IO SST anomalies associated with the IO basin warming mode are strongly linked to the summer climate over Asia, especially the South Asian monsoon (SAM) and the East Asian monsoon. Among this connection, the warming of tropical IO plays the most critical role, and the warming of southern IO is important for monsoon variation and prediction prior to the full development of the monsoon. The atmospheric response to IO basin wide warming is similar with that to tropical IO warming. The influence of northern IO warming on the SAM, however, is opposite to the effect of southern IO warming. Meanwhile, the discrepancies between the results from idealized SST forcing simulations and observations, especially for the southern IO, reveal that the dominant role of air-sea interaction in the monsoon-IO coupled system cannot be ignored. Moreover, the springtime northern IO warming seems to favor an early onset or a stronger persistence of the SAM.

Climate change effects on water allocations with season dependent water rights.

PubMed

Null, Sarah E; Prudencio, Liana

2016-11-15

Appropriative water rights allocate surface water to competing users based on seniority. Often water rights vary seasonally with spring runoff, irrigation schedules, or other non-uniform supply and demand. Downscaled monthly Coupled Model Intercomparison Project multi-model, multi-emissions scenario hydroclimate data evaluate water allocation reliability and variability with anticipated hydroclimate change. California's Tuolumne watershed is a study basin, chosen because water rights are well-defined, simple, and include competing environmental, agricultural, and urban water uses representative of most basins. We assume that dedicated environmental flows receive first priority when mandated by federal law like the Endangered Species Act or hydropower relicensing, followed by senior agricultural water rights, and finally junior urban water rights. Environmental flows vary by water year and include April pulse flows, and senior agricultural water rights are 68% larger during historical spring runoff from April through June. Results show that senior water right holders receive the largest climate-driven reductions in allocated water when peak streamflow shifts from snowmelt-dominated spring runoff to mixed snowmelt- and rainfall-dominated winter runoff. Junior water right holders have higher uncertainty from inter-annual variability. These findings challenge conventional wisdom that water shortages are absorbed by junior water users and suggest that aquatic ecosystems may be disproportionally impaired by hydroclimate change, even when environmental flows receive priority. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reconnaissance of the hydrothermal resources of Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rush, F. Eugene

1983-01-01

Geologic factors in the Basin and Range province in Utah are more favorable for the occurrence of geothermal resources than in other areas on the Colorado Plateaus or in the Middle Rocky Mountains. These geologic factors are principally crustal extension and crustal thinning during the last 17 million years. Basalts as young as 10,000 years have been mapped in the area. High-silica volcanic and intru­sive rocks of Quaternary age can be used to locate hydrothermal convection systems. Drilling for hot, high-silica, buried rock bodies is most promising in the areas of recent volcanic activity. Southwestern Utah has more geothermal potential than other parts of the Basin and Range province in Utah. The Roosevelt Hot Springs area, the Cove Fort-Sulphurdale area, and the area to the north as far as 60 kilome­ters from them probably have the best potential for geothermal devel­opment for generation of electricity. Other areas with estimated res­ervoir temperatures greater than 150°C are Thermo, Monroe, Red Hill (in the Monroe-Joseph Known Geothermal Resource Area), Joseph Hot Springs, and the Newcastle area. The rates of heat and water discharge are high at Crater, Meadow, and Hatton Hot Springs, but estimated reservoir temperatures there are less than 150°C. Ad­ditional exploration is needed to define the potential in three ad­ditional areas in the Escalante Desert.

The use of Stable Isotopes to Assess Climatic Controls on Groundwater Recharge in the Southern Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newton, B. T.; Timmons, S. S.; Rawling, G. C.; Kludt, T.; Eastoe, C. J.

2008-12-01

We used the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen to relate the temporal variability of groundwater recharge to climatic conditions in the southern Sacramento Mountains as a part of a larger regional hydrogeologic study. The southern Sacramento Mountains are the primary recharge source not only to local aquifers, but also to the Lower Pecos River Basin, the Roswell Artesian aquifer and aquifers in the Salt Basin. Aquifers in the study area mainly consist of fractured limestone. In years prior to 2006, groundwater levels within the study area showed a steady decline. We observed a significant increase in regional groundwater levels and spring discharge during and shortly after the unusually wet 2006 monsoon season. We developed a local meteoric water line (LMWL) in δ18O vs. δD space based on precipitation samples collected from several different elevations over a period of two years. The stable isotopic compositions of streams during base flow conditions define an evaporation line with a slope of 5.5 that intersects the LMWL in the region that represents winter precipitation. Spring and well samples collected in 2003 and spring samples collected in 2008 exhibit isotopic compositions that plot near the evaporation line, indicating that groundwater recharge is largely snow melt that has subsequently undergone evaporation in local streams. After the unusually wet 2006 monsoon season, the isotopic compositions of springs sampled in fall of 2006 and wells sampled in spring of 2007 deviated from the evaporation line, plotting closer to the LMWL. This observed isotopic trend is thought to represent a large input of 2006 monsoon precipitation to the groundwater system via relatively short fracture-dominated flow paths. Stable isotope results indicate that while snow melt is probably the main source of groundwater recharge in the southern Sacramento Mountains, as exhibited by the 2003 and 2008 samples, above average summer precipitation events, such as in 2006, can also contribute to significant groundwater recharge.

Ammonia oxidation, denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium in two US Great Basin hot springs with abundant ammonia-oxidizing archaea.

PubMed

Dodsworth, Jeremy A; Hungate, Bruce A; Hedlund, Brian P

2011-08-01

Many thermophiles catalyse free energy-yielding redox reactions involving nitrogenous compounds; however, little is known about these processes in natural thermal environments. Rates of ammonia oxidation, denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) were measured in source water and sediments of two ≈ 80°C springs in the US Great Basin. Ammonia oxidation and denitrification occurred mainly in sediments. Ammonia oxidation rates measured using (15)N-NO(3)(-) pool dilution ranged from 5.5 ± 0.8 to 8.6 ± 0.9 nmol N g(-1) h(-1) and were unaffected or only mildly stimulated by amendment with NH(4) Cl. Denitrification rates measured using acetylene block ranged from 15.8 ± 0.7 to 51 ± 12 nmol N g(-1) h(-1) and were stimulated by amendment with NO(3)(-) and complex organic compounds. The DNRA rate in one spring sediment measured using an (15)N-NO(3)(-) tracer was 315 ± 48 nmol N g(-1) h(-1). Both springs harboured distinct planktonic and sediment microbial communities. Close relatives of the autotrophic, ammonia-oxidizing archaeon 'Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii' represented the most abundant OTU in both spring sediments by 16S rRNA gene pyrotag analysis. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) indicated that 'Ca. N. yellowstonii'amoA and 16S rRNA genes were present at 3.5-3.9 × 10(8) and 6.4-9.0 × 10(8) copies g(-1) sediment. Potential denitrifiers included members of the Aquificales and Thermales. Thermus spp. comprised <1% of 16S rRNA gene pyrotags in both sediments and qPCR for T. thermophilus narG revealed sediment populations of 1.3-1.7 × 10(6) copies g(-1) sediment. These data indicate a highly active nitrogen cycle (N-cycle) in these springs and suggest that ammonia oxidation may be a major source of energy fuelling primary production. © 2011 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Correlation of geothermal springs with sub-surface fault terminations revealed by high-resolution, UAV-acquired magnetic data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glen, Jonathan; A.E. Egger,; C. Ippolito,; N.Athens,

2013-01-01

There is widespread agreement that geothermal springs in extensional geothermal systems are concentrated at fault tips and in fault interaction zones where porosity and permeability are dynamically maintained (Curewitz and Karson, 1997; Faulds et al., 2010). Making these spatial correlations typically involves geological and geophysical studies in order to map structures and their relationship to springs at the surface. Geophysical studies include gravity and magnetic surveys, which are useful for identifying buried, intra-basin structures, especially in areas where highly magnetic, dense mafic volcanic rocks are interbedded with, and faulted against less magnetic, less dense sedimentary rock. High-resolution magnetic data can also be collected from the air in order to provide continuous coverage. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are well-suited for conducting these surveys as they can provide uniform, low-altitude, high-resolution coverage of an area without endangering crew. In addition, they are more easily adaptable to changes in flight plans as data are collected, and improve efficiency. We have developed and tested a new system to collect magnetic data using small-platform UAS. We deployed this new system in Surprise Valley, CA, in September, 2012, on NASA's SIERRA UAS to perform a reconnaissance survey of the entire valley as well as detailed surveys in key transition zones. This survey has enabled us to trace magnetic anomalies seen in ground-based profiles along their length. Most prominent of these is an intra-basin magnetic high that we interpret as a buried, faulted mafic dike that runs a significant length of the valley. Though this feature lacks surface expression, it appears to control the location of geothermal springs. All of the major hot springs on the east side of the valley lie along the edge of the high, and more specifically, at structural transitions where the high undergoes steps, bends, or breaks. The close relationship between the springs and structure terminations revealed by this study is unprecedented. Collecting magnetic data via UAS represents a new capability in geothermal exploration of remote and dangerous areas that significantly enhances our ability to map the subsurface.

Spring-migration ecology of Northern Pintails in south-central Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearse, A.T.; Krapu, G.L.; Cox, R.R.; Davis, B.E.

2011-01-01

Spring-migration ecology of staging Northern Pintails, Anas acuta, was investigated in south-central Nebraska, USA. Habitat associations, local movements, settling patterns, arrival dates, residency times and survival were estimated from 71 radiomarked pintails during spring 2001, 2003 and 2004, and diet determined from 130 females collected during spring 1998 and 1999. Seventy-two percent of pintail diurnal locations were in palustrine wetlands, 7% in riverine wetlands, 3% in lacustrine wetlands, 6% in municipal sewage lagoons and irrigation reuse pits and 10.5% in croplands. Emergent wetlands with hemi-marsh conditions were used diurnally more often than wetlands with either open or closed vegetation structures. Evening foraging flights averaged 4.3 km (SE = 0.6) and 72% were to cornfields. In accord with these findings, 87% of 93 pintails collected during spring 1998 and 1999 returning to evening roosts consumed corn, which represented 84% dry mass of all foods. Pintails collected on non-cropped wetlands ingested invertebrates and seeds from wetland plants more frequently than birds returning to roost. Radiomarked pintails arrived in Nebraska on 7 March 2003 and 18 February 2004; average arrival date was six days earlier during 2004 compared to 2003. Residency time for individuals varied greatly (1-40 days) yet yearly means were similar and averaged 9.5 days within the region. No mortality was detected for 71 birds monitored over 829 exposure days. Conservation planners linking population dynamics and habitat conditions at spring-staging areas need to focus on pintail body condition during spring and its connection with reproductive success and survival during the breeding season.

Spring-migration ecology of Northern Pintails in south-central Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearse, Aaron T.; Krapu, Gary L.; Cox, Robert R.; Davis, Bruce E.

2011-01-01

Spring-migration ecology of staging Northern Pintails, Anas acuta, was investigated in south-central Nebraska, USA. Habitat associations, local movements, settling patterns, arrival dates, residency times and survival were estimated from 71 radiomarked pintails during spring 2001, 2003 and 2004, and diet determined from 130 females collected during spring 1998 and 1999. Seventy-two percent of pintail diurnal locations were in palustrine wetlands, 7% in riverine wetlands, 3% in lacustrine wetlands, 6% in municipal sewage lagoons and irrigation reuse pits and 10.5% in croplands. Emergent wetlands with hemi-marsh conditions were used diurnally more often than wetlands with either open or closed vegetation structures. Evening foraging flights averaged 4.3 km (SE = 0.6) and 72% were to cornfields. In accord with these findings, 87% of 93 pintails collected during spring 1998 and 1999 returning to evening roosts consumed corn, which represented 84% dry mass of all foods. Pintails collected on non-cropped wetlands ingested invertebrates and seeds from wetland plants more frequently than birds returning to roost. Radiomarked pintails arrived in Nebraska on 7 March 2003 and 18 February 2004; average arrival date was six days earlier during 2004 compared to 2003. Residency time for individuals varied greatly (1–40 days) yet yearly means were similar and averaged 9.5 days within the region. No mortality was detected for 71 birds monitored over 829 exposure days. Conservation planners linking population dynamics and habitat conditions at spring-staging areas need to focus on pintail body condition during spring and its connection with reproductive success and survival during the breeding season.

Simulating the potential effects of climate change in two Colorado basins and at two Colorado ski areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Battaglin, William; Hay, Lauren E.; Markstrom, Steve

2011-01-01

The mountainous areas of Colorado are used for tourism and recreation, and they provide water storage and supply for municipalities, industries, and agriculture. Recent studies suggest that water supply and tourist industries such as skiing are at risk from climate change. In this study, a distributed-parameter watershed model, the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS), is used to identify the potential effects of future climate on hydrologic conditions for two Colorado basins, the East River at Almont and the Yampa River at Steamboat Springs, and at the subbasin scale for two ski areas within those basins.Climate-change input files for PRMS were generated by modifying daily PRMS precipitation and temperature inputs with mean monthly climate-change fields of precipitation and temperature derived from five general circulation model (GCM) simulations using one current and three future carbon emission scenarios. All GCM simulations of mean daily minimum and maximum air temperature for the East and Yampa River basins indicate a relatively steady increase of up to several degrees Celsius from baseline conditions by 2094. GCM simulations of precipitation in the two basins indicate little change or trend in precipitation, but there is a large range associated with these projections. PRMS projections of basin mean daily streamflow vary by scenario but indicate a central tendency toward slight decreases, with a large range associated with these projections.Decreases in water content or changes in the spatial extent of snowpack in the East and Yampa River basins are important because of potential adverse effects on water supply and recreational activities. PRMS projections of each future scenario indicate a central tendency for decreases in basin mean snow-covered area and snowpack water equivalent, with the range in the projected decreases increasing with time. However, when examined on a monthly basis, the projected decreases are most dramatic during fall and spring. Presumably, ski area locations are picked because of a tendency to receive snow and keep snowpack relative to the surrounding area. This effect of ski area location within the basin was examined by comparing projections of March snow-covered area and snowpack water equivalent for the entire basin with more local projections for the portion of the basin that represents the ski area in the PRMS models. These projections indicate a steady decrease in March snow-covered area for the basins but only small changes in March snow-covered area at both ski areas for the three future scenarios until around 2050. After 2050, larger decreases are possible, but there is a large range in the projections of future scenarios. The rates of decrease for snowpack water equivalent and precipitation that falls as snow are similar at the basin and subbasin scale in both basins. Results from this modeling effort show that there is a wide range of possible outcomes for future snowpack conditions in Colorado. The results also highlight the differences between projections for entire basins and projections for local areas or subbasins within those basins.

Source of water to Lithia Springs in Hillsborough County, Florida

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

Hickey, J.J.; Coates, M.J.

1993-03-01

The source of water to Lithia Springs adjacent to the Alafia River in Hillsborough County, Florida has traditionally been hypothesized to be from the Upper Floridan aquifer. As a result, potential impacts from an adjacent public supply well field has been of interest since the well field began production in July, 1988. The discharge from Lithia Springs since March, 1984 has averaged about 3,600,000 cubic feet per day. Pumpage from the adjacent well field since July, 1988 has averaged about 2,500,000 cubic feet per day. A comparison between mean daily pumpage from the well field and mean daily discharge frommore » the springs showed no apparent association indicating that the Floridan aquifer may not be the source for the springs. Lithologic data suggested that the Upper Floridan aquifer was confined with no direct connection to the springs. This confining unit hypothesis was tested and accepted by pumping two wells close to the springs. The test consisted of pumping both wells for about 13 days at a combined rate that was about 40% of the average daily well field pumpage. No discernable test caused effects were observed on the springs or in an adjacent 115-foot deep well open to carbonate rock. Because of this, it was concluded that the Upper Floridan aquifer was not the source of water to Lithia Springs. Interpretation of available data suggested that the source of water to Lithia Springs was from the intermediate aquifer system located within solution riddled Early Miocene carbonate rocks of the lower Hawthorn Formation with maybe an important aquifer contribution from the Alafia River.« less

Geothermal activity and hydrothermal mineral deposits at southern Lake Bogoria, Kenya Rift Valley: Impact of lake level changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renaut, Robin W.; Owen, R. Bernhart; Ego, John K.

2017-05-01

Lake Bogoria, a saline alkaline closed-lake in a drainage basin of Neogene volcanic rocks in the central Kenya Rift, is fed partly by ∼200 hot alkaline springs located in three groups along its margins. Hot springs along the midwest shoreline (Loburu, Chemurkeu) and their travertine deposits have been studied, but little is known about the geothermal activity at southern Lake Bogoria. Observations, field measurements and analyses (geochemical and mineralogical) of the spring waters and deposits, spanning three decades, show that the southern spring waters are more saline, the hydrothermal alteration there is more intense, and that most hot spring deposits are siliceous. Geothermal activity at southern Lake Bogoria (Ng'wasis, Koibobei, Losaramat) includes littoral boiling springs and geysers, with fumaroles at slightly higher elevations. Modern spring deposits are ephemeral sodium carbonates, opal-A crusts and silica gels. Local fossil spring deposits include diatomaceous silica-cemented conglomerates that formed subaqueously when the lake was then dilute and higher than today, and outlying calcite tufa deposits. In contrast, mineral deposits around neighbouring fumarole vents and sites of hydrothermal alteration include clays (kaolinite), sulfate minerals (jarosite, alunite), and Fe-oxyhydroxides linked to rising acidic fluids. When lake level falls, the zone of acidity moves downwards and may overprint older alkaline spring deposits. In contrast, rising lake level leads to lake water dilution and vents in the lower parts of the acidic zone may become dilute alkaline springs. The new evidence at Lake Bogoria shows the potential for using the mineralogy of geothermal sediments to indicate former changes in lake level.

Karst groundwater vulnerability mapping to the pollution: Case of Dir springs located between EL KSIBA and Ouaoumana (High Atlas, Morocco)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alili, L.; Boukdir, A.; Maslouhi, M. R.; Ikhmerdi, H.

2018-05-01

The study area is located in the north of the province of Beni Mellal, it covers the Piedmont of the high Atlas between El Ksiba and Ouaoumana. It is characterized by a poorly developed hydrographic network and the presence of very important karstic forms. These forms condition the rapid infiltration to the karstic springs are the subject of this study. In this work we presented a method of mapping the vulnerability to pollution of Karstic springs located between El Ksiba and Ouaoumana. To do this, we have introduced a vulnerability index called F which takes into account four parameters (EPIK): Development of the Epikarst, importance of the protective cover, infiltration conditions and development of the Karst network. The overlay of the thematic maps of these parameters through a GIS software (ArcGIS) gave us a map of the vulnerability to contamination on the whole hydrogeological basin of the springs.

Predicting the Start of the Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Female Adult Biting Season Using the Spring Temperature in Japan

PubMed Central

Higa, Yukiko; Muto, Atsushi; Hirabayashi, Kimio; Yoshida, Masahiro; Sato, Takashi; Nihei, Naoko; Sawabe, Kyoko; Kobayashi, Mutsuo

2017-01-01

Abstract Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) is distributed widely and is common in much of Japan. In Japan, female adults begin to bite in between April and June, except in the southern subtropics where the mosquito has no dormant period. It is difficult to estimate the first Ae. albopictus biting day because it varies annually depending on the location. Over several years, we surveyed the mosquitoes at different locations that covered a range of warmer to cooler areas of Japan. We found an association between the timing of first biting day by Ae. albopictus and spring temperature. In spring months, the strongest correlation was found with mean April temperatures, followed by March. Based on these data, it may, therefore, be possible to apply a simple formula to predict the timing of the first biting day at various geographical locations in Japan. Forecasting maps were created using a simple prediction formula. We found that the first biting day for Ae. albopictus changed depending on early spring temperatures for each year. There was an approximate 20-d difference in first biting day between years with warmer and cooler springs. This prediction model will provide useful insight for planning and practice of Ae. albopictus control programs, targeting larvae and adults, in temperate regions globally. PMID:28968909

Development, evolution, and destruction of the saline mineral area of Eocene Lake Uinta, Piceance Basin, western Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Ronald C.; Brownfield, Michael E.

2015-01-01

Leaching of saline minerals began sometime after the Green River Formation was lithified enough to allow collapse breccias to form. Leaching is ongoing today, indicated by the discharge of highly saline water from a series of springs in the northern part of the basin. Groundwater invasion and saline mineral dissolution is commonly incomplete in areas that lack fractures, leaving behind pockets of unleached saline minerals in otherwise leached intervals. Today, the base of the leached zone slopes toward the north and toward the area where the brines are being discharged.

Great Basin NP and USGS cooperate on a geologic mapping program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Janet L.; Davila, Vidal

1993-01-01

The GRBA draft General Management Plan proposes development in several locations in Kious Spring and Lehman Caves 1:24,000 topographic quadrangles, and these proposed developments need geologic evaluation before construction. Brown will act as project manager to coordinate the IA with time frames, budget constraints, and the timely preparation of required maps, reports, and GIS data sets. In addition to having been an interpretive Ranger-Naturalist in two National Parks, Brown has published USGS interpretive geologic maps and USGS bulletins. Her research includes sedimentologic, stratigraphic, and structural analyses of Laramide intermontane basins in the Westem Interior.

MX Siting Investigation. Preliminary Biological and Cultural Resources Inventory and Environmental Evaluation of the Proposed Operational Base Sites in Coyote Spring Valley and the Milford-Beryl Area.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-20

There are no croplands within the study area. Oil and gas leases are widely scattered in the area, and deep tests are currently being drilled. There...sightings from Uinta Basin in 1972 and 1975, from New Green River, Utah, in 1976, and from Rich and Emery counties in 1977 and 1978. The primary prey...located in a transitional area between the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert, and it contains vegeta- tion representative of both regions. Plant and

Black Mats, Spring-Fed Streams, and Late-Glacial-Age Recharge in the Southern Great Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Quade, Jay; Forester, R.M.; Pratt, W.L.; Carter, C.

1998-01-01

Black mats are prominent features of the late Pleistocene and Holocene stratigraphic record in the southern Great Basin. Faunal, geochemical, and sedimentological evidence shows that the black mats formed in several microenvironments related to spring discharge, ranging from wet meadows to shallow ponds. Small land snails such as Gastrocopta tappaniana and Vertigo berryi are the most common mollusk taxa present. Semiaquatic and aquatic taxa are less abundant and include Catinellids, Fossaria parva, Gyraulus parvus, and others living today in and around perennial seeps and ponds. The ostracodes Cypridopsis okeechobi and Scottia tumida, typical of seeps and low-discharge springs today, as well as other taxa typical of springs and wetlands, are common in the black mats. Several new species that lived in the saturated subsurface also are present, but lacustrine ostracodes are absent. The ??13C values of organic matter in the black mats range from -12 to -26???, reflecting contributions of tissue from both C3 (sedges, most shrubs and trees) and C4 (saltbush, saltgrass) plants. Carbon-14 dates on the humate fraction of 55 black mats fall between 11,800 to 6300 and 2300 14C yr B.P. to modern. The total absence of mats in our sample between 6300 and 2300 14C yr B.P. likely reflects increased aridity associated with the mid-Holocene Altithermal. The oldest black mats date to 11,800-11,600 14C yr B.P., and the peak in the 14C black mat distribution falls at ???10,000 14C yr B.P. As the formation of black mats is spring related, their abundance reflects refilling of valley aquifers starting no later than 11,800 and peaking after 11,000 14C yrB.P. Reactivation of spring-fed channels shortly before 11,200 14C yr B.P. is also apparent in the stratigraphic records from the Las Vegas and Pahrump Valleys. This age distribution suggests that black mats and related spring-fed channels in part may have formed in response to Younger Dryas (YD)-age recharge in the region. However, the inception of black mat formation precedes that of the YD by at least 400 14C yr, and hydrological change is gradual, not rapid. ?? 1998 University of Washington.

Investigating the potential impacts of local climate change on the meltwater supply of a small snow-fed mountain river system: A case study of the Animas River, Colorado

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, C. A.

2010-12-01

The western US receives up to 80% of its annual streamflow from snowmelt fed river systems during the mid-to-late spring season. Changes in winter and spring air temperature and precipitation patterns have, however, begun to alter this sensitive hydroclimatological process, both in terms of the timing and magnitude of snowmelt events and the responding streamflow. Monitoring and planning for these changes in the future may well prove crucial for local water resource planners who traditionally rely on historical trends or means for water resource planning. Local-level water resource planners also often do not have the data or tools at the right resolution available to them for the same planning purposes. This goal of this research was to identify how changes in the local winter-spring climate may alter the hydrological response of a typical small mountain snowmelt fed river system, the Animas River in SW Colorado. To achieve this, a statistical downscaling technique was applied to increase the resolution of, and build a linear relationship between, historical upper atmospheric reanalysis data to surface level mean air temperature and precipitation for several climate stations located across the basin for 1950-2007. The same technique was then used to increase the resolution of two GCM scenarios from the NCAR CCSM3 model SRES-AR4 data runs (a 'business as usual’ or A1B scenario, and an increase in global greenhouse gas emissions or A2 scenario) using the same relationships between the historical upper atmospheric reanalysis data and the surface station climate data. Snowmelt streamflow magnitude and timing were then projected to 2099 based on their historical relationship to mean monthly winter and spring air temperature and precipitation before being compared to the historical averages. Results indicated a shift in the timing of the snowmelt streamflow to earlier in the spring, and a reduction in the magnitude of peak spring streamflow following increasing spring temperatures and decreasing winter precipitation across the basin. These techniques and methods may provide a starting framework for local-level water resource planners to monitor and prepare for any future changes to basinwide hydroclimatology.

Black Mats, Spring-Fed Streams, and Late-Glacial-Age Recharge in the Southern Great Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quade, Jay; Forester, Richard M.; Pratt, William L.; Carter, Claire

1998-03-01

Black mats are prominent features of the late Pleistocene and Holocene stratigraphic record in the southern Great Basin. Faunal, geochemical, and sedimentological evidence shows that the black mats formed in several microenvironments related to spring discharge, ranging from wet meadows to shallow ponds. Small land snails such as Gastrocopta tappanianaand Vertigo berryiare the most common mollusk taxa present. Semiaquatic and aquatic taxa are less abundant and include Catinellids, Fossaria parva, Gyraulus parvus,and others living today in and around perennial seeps and ponds. The ostracodes Cypridopsis okeechobiand Scottia tumida,typical of seeps and low-discharge springs today, as well as other taxa typical of springs and wetlands, are common in the black mats. Several new species that lived in the saturated subsurface also are present, but lacustrine ostracodes are absent. The δ 13C values of organic matter in the black mats range from -12 to -26‰, reflecting contributions of tissue from both C 3(sedges, most shrubs and trees) and C 4(saltbush, saltgrass) plants. Carbon-14 dates on the humate fraction of 55 black mats fall between 11,800 to 6300 and 2300 14C yr B.P. to modern. The total absence of mats in our sample between 6300 and 2300 14C yr B.P. likely reflects increased aridity associated with the mid-Holocene Altithermal. The oldest black mats date to 11,800-11,600 14C yr B.P., and the peak in the 14C black mat distribution falls at ˜10,000 14C yr B.P. As the formation of black mats is spring related, their abundance reflects refilling of valley aquifers starting no later than 11,800 and peaking after 11,000 14C yr B.P. Reactivation of spring-fed channels shortly before 11,200 14C yr B.P. is also apparent in the stratigraphic records from the Las Vegas and Pahrump Valleys. This age distribution suggests that black mats and related spring-fed channels in part may have formed in response to Younger Dryas (YD)-age recharge in the region. However, the inception of black mat formation precedes that of the YD by at least 400 14C yr, and hydrological change is gradual, not rapid.

Joint pattern of seasonal hydrological droughts and floods alternation in China's Huai River Basin using the multivariate L-moments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, ShaoFei; Zhang, Xiang; She, DunXian

2017-06-01

Under the current condition of climate change, droughts and floods occur more frequently, and events in which flooding occurs after a prolonged drought or a drought occurs after an extreme flood may have a more severe impact on natural systems and human lives. This challenges the traditional approach wherein droughts and floods are considered separately, which may largely underestimate the risk of the disasters. In our study, the sudden alternation of droughts and flood events (ADFEs) between adjacent seasons is studied using the multivariate L-moments theory and the bivariate copula functions in the Huai River Basin (HRB) of China with monthly streamflow data at 32 hydrological stations from 1956 to 2012. The dry and wet conditions are characterized by the standardized streamflow index (SSI) at a 3-month time scale. The results show that: (1) The summer streamflow makes the largest contribution to the annual streamflow, followed by the autumn streamflow and spring streamflow. (2) The entire study area can be divided into five homogeneous sub-regions using the multivariate regional homogeneity test. The generalized logistic distribution (GLO) and log-normal distribution (LN3) are acceptable to be the optimal marginal distributions under most conditions, and the Frank copula is more appropriate for spring-summer and summer-autumn SSI series. Continuous flood events dominate at most sites both in spring-summer and summer-autumn (with an average frequency of 13.78% and 17.06%, respectively), while continuous drought events come second (with an average frequency of 11.27% and 13.79%, respectively). Moreover, seasonal ADFEs most probably occurred near the mainstream of HRB, and drought and flood events are more likely to occur in summer-autumn than in spring-summer.

Geologic framework, regional aquifer properties (1940s-2009), and spring, creek, and seep properties (2009-10) of the upper San Mateo Creek Basin near Mount Taylor, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langman, Jeff B.; Sprague, Jesse E.; Durall, Roger A.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, examined the geologic framework, regional aquifer properties, and spring, creek, and seep properties of the upper San Mateo Creek Basin near Mount Taylor, which contains areas proposed for exploratory drilling and possible uranium mining on U.S. Forest Service land. The geologic structure of the region was formed from uplift of the Zuni Mountains during the Laramide Orogeny and the Neogene volcanism associated with the Mount Taylor Volcanic Field. Within this structural context, numerous aquifers are present in various Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary formations and the Quaternary alluvium. The distribution of the aquifers is spatially variable because of the dip of the formations and erosion that produced the current landscape configuration where older formations have been exhumed closer to the Zuni Mountains. Many of the alluvial deposits and formations that contain groundwater likely are hydraulically connected because of the solid-matrix properties, such as substantive porosity, but shale layers such as those found in the Mancos Formation and Chinle Group likely restrict vertical flow. Existing water-level data indicate topologically downgradient flow in the Quaternary alluvium and indiscernible general flow patterns in the lower aquifers. According to previously published material and the geologic structure of the aquifers, the flow direction in the lower aquifers likely is in the opposite direction compared to the alluvium aquifer. Groundwater within the Chinle Group is known to be confined, which may allow upward migration of water into the Morrison Formation; however, confining layers within the Chinle Group likely retard upward leakage. Groundwater was sodium-bicarbonate/sulfate dominant or mixed cation-mixed anion with some calcium/bicarbonate water in the study area. The presence of the reduction/oxidation-sensitive elements iron and manganese in groundwater indicates reducing conditions at some time or in some location(s) in most aquifers. Frequent detections of zinc in the alluvium aquifer may represent anthropogenic influences such as mining. Along the mesas in the upper San Mateo Creek Basin, springs that form various creeks, including El Rito and San Mateo Creeks, discharge from the basalt-cap layer and the upper Cretaceous sedimentary layers. Streamflow in El Rito and San Mateo Creeks flows down steep gradients near the mesas sustained by groundwater discharges, and this streamflow transitions to shallow groundwater contained within the valley alluvium through infiltration where the subsequent groundwater is restricted from downward migration by the shaly Menefee Formation. This shallow groundwater reemerges at seeps where the land surface has been eroded below the groundwater level. Spring- and creek-water samples contained small amounts of dissolved solutes, and seep water contained substantially larger amounts of dissolved solutes. The pH of water within the creeks was neutral to alkaline, and all locations exhibited well-oxygenated conditions, although typically at substantially less than saturated levels. Changes in the stable-isotope ratios of water between spring and summer samples indicate differences in source-water inputs that likely pertain to seasonal recharge sources. Results of the water-isotope analysis and geochemical modeling indicate little evaporation and chemical weathering at the spring and creek sites but stronger evaporation and chemical weathering by the time the water reaches the seep locations in the center of the upper San Mateo Creek Basin.

Estimate of methane emissions from oil and gas operations in the Uintah Basin using airborne measurements and Lidar wind data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karion, A.; Sweeney, C.; Petron, G.; Frost, G. J.; Trainer, M.; Brewer, A.; Hardesty, R.; Conley, S. A.; Wolter, S.; Newberger, T.; Kofler, J.; Tans, P. P.

2012-12-01

During a February 2012 campaign in the Uintah oil and gas basin in northeastern Utah, thirteen research flights were conducted in conjunction with a variety of ground-based measurements. Using aircraft-based high-resolution (0.5 Hz) observations of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), along with High-Resolution Doppler Lidar wind observations from a ground site in the basin, we have calculated the basin-wide CH4 flux on several days. Uncertainty estimates are calculated for each day and are generally large for all but one flight day. On one day, February 3, uncertainty on the estimate from a mass balance approach is better than 30% due to ideal meteorological conditions, including a well-mixed boundary layer and low wind variability both in time and altitude, as determined from the Lidar wind observations. This aircraft-based mass balance approach to flux estimates is a critical and valuable tool for estimating CH4 emissions from oil and gas basins.

Ground-water discharge by evapotranspiration in a desert environment of southern Nevada, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, M.J.

1994-01-01

Evapotranspiration (ET) data were collected at two sites where microclimates are typical of the Mojave Desert in southern Nevada-one site with and one without ground-water contributions to ET--under extremely arid desert conditions. By comparing the rate of evapotranspiration at the two sites, the amount of ground-water ET can be inferred. This method may be useful for quantifying ground-water discharge by ET around basin playas or the summer carbonate-aquifer springs, ET rates are greatest in early spring, but are less than 0.6 millimeter per day (mm/d). As the summer progresses and soil moisture is depleted, ET drops below 0.1 mm/d and vegetation wilts. In areas'with a ground-water contribution, under similar climatic conditions, ET rates increase with increasing solar radiation and plant growth from 1 mm/d in winter to an average of 1.5 to 3.0 mm/d in spring. The highest average is about 5.0 mm/d, in June, July, and August, with fluctuations generally between 3.0 and 7.0 mm/d; the rate then decreases from 3.0 to less than 1.0 mm/d by late autumn. A comparison of monthly ET totals based on average daily rates at the two sites indicates that about 520 millimeters of ground water was lost to ET at Ash Meadows during the 6 months of record, April through September 1987. This is in general agreement with the range of values estimated for areas with native vegetation in the Amargosa Desert where the depth to water was between 0.0 and 1.5 meters. Estimated rates ranged from 320 to 760 millimeters per year.

Discovery Central

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Jaimee

2005-01-01

Spring is an exciting time in any kindergarten classroom. The children are communicating better, and they have begun working more independently. Their critical-thinking skills are growing each day. Last year, as the warm days of spring teased our senses, a plant unit seemed especially enticing, so the author created four interactive, plant-themed…

How does the anthropogenic activity affect the spring discharge?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Yonghong; Zhang, Juan; Wang, Jiaojiao; Li, Ruifang; Hao, Pengmei; Zhan, Hongbin

2016-09-01

Karst hydrological process has largely been altered by climate change and human activity. In many places throughout the world, human activity (e.g. groundwater pumping and dewatering from mining) has intensified and surpassed climate change, where human activity becomes the primary factor that affects groundwater system. But it is still largely unclear how the human activity affects spring discharge in magnitude and periodicity. This study investigates the effects of anthropogenic activity on spring discharge, using the Xin'an Springs of China as an example. The Xin'an Spring discharge were divided into two time periods: the pre-development period from 1956 to 1971 and the post-development period from 1972 to 2013. We confirm the dividing time (i.e. 1971) of these two periods using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Then the wavelet transform and wavelet coherence were used to analyze the karst hydrological processes for the two periods respectively. We analyze the correlations of precipitation and the Xin'an spring discharge with the monsoons including the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) and the West North Pacific Monsoon (WNPM) and the climate teleconnections including El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), respectively. The results indicated that the spring discharge was attenuated about 19.63% under the influence of human activity in the Xin'an Springs basin. However, human activity did not alter the size of the resonance frequencies between the spring discharge and the monsoons. In contrast, it reinforced the periodicities of the monsoons-driven spring discharge. It suggested that human has adapted to the major climate periodicities, and human activity had the same rhyme with the primary climate periodicity. In return, human activity enhances the correlation between the monsoons and the spring discharge.

Fractures and stresses in Bone Spring sandstones. Final report

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

Warpinski, N.R.; Sattler, A.R.; Lorenz, J.C.

This project was a collaboration between Sandia National Laboratories and the Harvey E. Yates Company (Heyco), Roswell, NM, conducted under the auspices of Department of Energy`s Oil Recovery Technology Partnership. The project applied Sandia perspectives on the effects of natural fractures, stress, and sedimentology for the stimulation and production of low permeability gas reservoirs to low permeability oil reservoirs, such as those typified by the Bone Spring sandstones of the Delaware Basin, southeast New Mexico. This report details the results and analyses obtained in 1990 from core, logs, stress, and other data taken from three additional development wells. An overallmore » summary gives results from all five wells studied in this project in 1989--1990. Most of the results presented are believed to be new information for the Bone Spring sandstones.« less

Evaluating Satellite-based Rainfall Estimates for Basin-scale Hydrologic Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, K. K.; Hogue, T. S.; Hsu, K.; Gupta, H. V.; Mahani, S. E.; Sorooshian, S.

2003-12-01

The reliability of any hydrologic simulation and basin outflow prediction effort depends primarily on the rainfall estimates. The problem of estimating rainfall becomes more obvious in basins with scarce or no rain gauges. We present an evaluation of satellite-based rainfall estimates for basin-scale hydrologic modeling with particular interest in ungauged basins. The initial phase of this study focuses on comparison of mean areal rainfall estimates from ground-based rain gauge network, NEXRAD radar Stage-III, and satellite-based PERSIANN (Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks) and their influence on hydrologic model simulations over several basins in the U.S. Six-hourly accumulations of the above competing mean areal rainfall estimates are used as input to the Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting Model. Preliminary experiments for the Leaf River Basin in Mississippi, for the period of March 2000 - June 2002, reveals that seasonality plays an important role in the comparison. There is an overestimation during the summer and underestimation during the winter in satellite-based rainfall with respect to the competing rainfall estimates. The consequence of this result on the hydrologic model is that simulated discharge underestimates the major observed peak discharges during early spring for the basin under study. Future research will entail developing correction procedures, which depend on different factors such as seasonality, geographic location and basin size, for satellite-based rainfall estimates over basins with dense rain gauge network and/or radar coverage. Extension of these correction procedures to satellite-based rainfall estimates over ungauged basins with similar characteristics has the potential for reducing the input uncertainty in ungauged basin modeling efforts.

Water quality in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barks, James H.

1978-01-01

The Current River and its principal tributary, Jacks Fork, are the Ozark National Scenic Riverway's primary natural features. About 60 percent of the baseflow in the two streams is derived from the seven largest springs in the basin. The springs are supplied by diffuse contributions from the regional aquifer system and discrete inflows from sinkholes and losing streams, some of which are outside the Current River basin. Because the streams and springs are the primary attractions to the park, preservation of the physical, chemical, and biological quality and aesthetic appeal of the waters is important. From April 1973 to May 1975, water samples were collected from 19 wells, 7 large springs, 14 sites on the Current River, 7 sites on the Jacks Fork, and 5 tributaries to the Current River and Jacks Fork. Calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate composed more than 90 percent of the total ionic composition of dissolved material in springs and streams and more than 95 percent in ground water, reflecting the dolomitic composition of the rocks. Dissolved-solids concentrations averaged 276 mg/L (milligrams per liter) in ground water and less than 200 mg/L in springs and streams. Total nitrate concentrations as N averaged 0.22 mg/L in ground water, 0.42 mg/L in springs, and less than 0.65 mg/L in streams. Minor element concentrations were generally low, but on one occasion anomalously high concentrations of total barium, lead, silver, and zinc were found in Blue Spring and the four stream-index stations. The only pesticides detected were 0.03 ?g/L (micrograms per liter) of 2,4-D, and 0.03 ?g/L of 2,4,5-T, and these were in the Current River below Montauk State Park during storm runoff. The streams were relatively free of sediment, except during periods of storm runoff. Fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus densities as high as 2,000 and 2,100 col/100 ml (colonies per 100 milliliters), respectively, were measured in the Jacks Fork downstream from horseback riding activities. Fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus densities of about 4,000 and 22,000 co11100 ml, respectively, were measured in the Current River during storm runoff. Otherwise, bacteria densities averaged less than 100 col/100 ml for fecal coliforms and 200 col/100 ml for fecal streptococci and appear to be relatively unaffected by swimming, camping, canoeing, and other recreational activities in and along streams. The aquatic biota in the Current River and Jacks Fork indicate that the streams generally are unaffected by pollution.

Spatiotemporal Variability of Great Lakes Basin Snow Cover Ablation Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suriano, Z. J.; Leathers, D. J.

2017-12-01

In the Great Lakes basin of North America, annual runoff is dominated by snowmelt. This snowmelt-induced runoff plays an important role within the hydrologic cycle of the basin, influencing soil moisture availability and driving the seasonal cycle of spring and summer Lake levels. Despite this, relatively little is understood about the patterns and trends of snow ablation event frequency and magnitude within the Great Lakes basin. This study uses a gridded dataset of Canadian and United States surface snow depth observations to develop a regional climatology of snow ablation events from 1960-2009. An ablation event is defined as an inter-diurnal snow depth decrease within an individual grid cell. A clear seasonal cycle in ablation event frequency exists within the basin and peak ablation event frequency is latitudinally dependent. Most of the basin experiences peak ablation frequency in March, while the northern and southern regions of the basin experience respective peaks in April and February. An investigation into the inter-annual frequency of ablation events reveals ablation events significantly decrease within the northeastern and northwestern Lake Superior drainage basins and significantly increase within the eastern Lake Huron and Georgian Bay drainage basins. In the eastern Lake Huron and Georgian Bay drainage basins, larger ablation events are occurring more frequently, and a larger impact to the hydrology can be expected. Trends in ablation events are attributed primarily to changes in snowfall and snow depth across the region.

Characteristics of the internal and external sources of the Mediterranean synoptic cyclones for the period 1956-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almazroui, Mansour; Awad, Adel M.; Nazrul Islam, M.

2017-07-01

This paper investigates the main sources and features of the Mediterranean synoptic cyclones affecting the basin, using the cyclone tracks. The cyclones' tracks are identified using sea level pressure (SLP) from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data for the period 1956-2013. The identified cyclones are classified into two categories: basin affected and basin non-affected. Most of the basin-affected (non-affected) cyclones are internal (external), i.e., generated inside (outside) the Mediterranean basin. This study reveals four (five) main sources of internal (external) cyclones. These four (five) main sources generated about 63.76% (57.25%) of the internal (external) cyclones. Seasonal analysis shows that most of the basin-affected internal (external) cyclones were generated in the winter (spring) season. The lowest number of cyclones were found in the summer. Moreover, the synoptic study of the atmospheric systems accompanied the highest- and lowest-generated years demonstrates that the deepening of the north Europe cyclones and the relative positions of Azores- and Siberian-high systems represent the important factors that influence the number of internal cyclones. Essential factors influencing the external cyclones are the strength of the maximum upper wind, Azores high, Siberian high, and orientations of their ridges.

Watershed scale response to climate change--Yampa River Basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hay, Lauren E.; Battaglin, William A.; Markstrom, Steven L.

2012-01-01

General Circulation Model simulations of future climate through 2099 project a wide range of possible scenarios. To determine the sensitivity and potential effect of long-term climate change on the freshwater resources of the United States, the U.S. Geological Survey Global Change study, "An integrated watershed scale response to global change in selected basins across the United States" was started in 2008. The long-term goal of this national study is to provide the foundation for hydrologically based climate change studies across the nation. Fourteen basins for which the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System has been calibrated and evaluated were selected as study sites. Precipitation Runoff Modeling System is a deterministic, distributed parameter watershed model developed to evaluate the effects of various combinations of precipitation, temperature, and land use on streamflow and general basin hydrology. Output from five General Circulation Model simulations and four emission scenarios were used to develop an ensemble of climate-change scenarios for each basin. These ensembles were simulated with the corresponding Precipitation Runoff Modeling System model. This fact sheet summarizes the hydrologic effect and sensitivity of the Precipitation Runoff Modeling System simulations to climate change for the Yampa River Basin at Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Characterization of the Spatial Variability of Methane, Ozone, and Carbon Dioxide in Two Oil and Gas Production Basins Via a Spatial Grid of Continuous Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casey, J. G.; Collier, A. M.; Hannigan, M.; Piedrahita, R.; Vaughn, B. H.; Sherwood, O.

2015-12-01

In recent years, aided by the advent of horizontal drilling used in conjunction with hydraulic fracturing, oil and gas production in basins around the United States has increased significantly. A study was conducted in two oil and gas basins during the spring and summer of 2015 to investigate the spatial and temporal variability of several atmospheric trace gases that can be influenced by oil and gas extraction including methane, ozone, and carbon dioxide. Fifteen air quality monitors were distributed across the Denver Julesburg Basin in Northeast Colorado, and the San Juan Basin, which stretches from Southwest Colorado into Northwest New Mexico in Four Corners Region. Spatial variability in ozone was observed across each basin. The presence of dynamic short-term trends observed in the mole fraction of methane and carbon dioxide indicate the extent to which each site is uniquely impacted by local emission sources. Diurnal trends of these two constituents lead toward a better understanding of local pooling of emissions that can be influenced by topography, the planetary boundary layer height, atmospheric stability, as well as the composition and flux of local and regional emissions sources.

Geophysical prospecting for the deep geothermal structure of the Zhangzhou basin, Southeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Chaofeng; Liu, Shuang; Hu, Xiangyun; Wang, Guiling; Lin, Wenjing

2017-04-01

Zhangzhou basin located at the Southeast margins of Asian plate is one of the largest geothermal fields in Fujian province, Southeast China. High-temperature natural springs and granite rocks are widely distributed in this region and the causes of geothermal are speculated to be involved the large number of magmatic activities from Jurassic to Cretaceous periods. To investigate the deep structure of Zhangzhou basin, magnetotelluric and gravity measurements were carried out and the joint inversion of magnetotelluric and gravity data delineated the faults and the granites distributions. The inversion results also indicated the backgrounds of heat reservoirs, heat fluid paths and whole geothermal system of the Zhangzhou basin. Combining with the surface geological investigation, the geophysical inversion results revealed that the faults activities and magma intrusions are the main reasons for the formation of geothermal resources of the Zhangzhou basin. Upwelling mantle provides enormous heats to the lower crust leading to metamorphic rocks to be partially melt generating voluminous magmas. Then the magmas migration and thermal convection along the faults warm up the upper crust. So finally, the cap rocks, basements and major faults are the three favorable conditions for the formation of geothermal fields of the Zhangzhou basin.

Heavy metal distribution and water quality characterization of water bodies in Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain Basin, USA.

PubMed

Zhang, Zengqiang; Wang, Jim J; Ali, Amjad; DeLaune, Ronald D

2016-11-01

The seasonal variation in physico-chemical properties, anions, and the heavy metal (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) concentration was evaluated in water from nine different rivers in Lake Pontchartrain Basin, Louisiana, USA. The water quality parameters were compared with toxicity reference values (TRV), US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking/aquatic life protection, and WHO standards. Among physico-chemical properties, pH, DO, and turbidity were high during spring, while, EC, temperature, and DOC were high during summer and vice versa. The anion study revealed that the concentrations of F - , Cl - , and NO 3 - were higher during summer and Br - and SO 4 - were higher during spring. Our research findings showed anion concentration decreased in the order of Cl -  > SO 4 -  > NO 3 -  > Br -  > F - , in accordance with the global mean anion concentration. The dissolved heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb) except Zn were higher during spring than summer. None of the rivers showed any Cd pollution for both seasons. Co showed higher concentrations in Amite River, Mississippi River, Industrial Canal, and Lacombe Bayou during summer. The Cr concentration was higher than WHO drinking water standards, implicating water unsuitability for drinking purposes in all the rivers associated with the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Cu showed no pollution risk for the study area. Mn and Co were similar to concentration in Lacombe Bayou, Liberty Bayou, Blind River, and Industrial Canal. Mn levels were greater than WHO standards for the Tickfaw River, Tangipahoa River, and Blind River in both seasons. Blind River, Tangipahoa River, Tickfaw River, and Amite River will require more monitoring for determining possible Mn pollution. Ni content in river water during both seasons showed low pollution risk. Liberty Bayou and Industrial Canal concentrations were closer to the WHO regulatory standards, indicating possible risk of Pb pollution in these water bodies. The Zn content was near the USEPA aquatic life standards in summer for all water bodies. None of the rivers showed any risk associated with Cd, Co, Cu, and Ni levels but medium to higher risk to aquatic life from Cr and Zn for both seasons for most of the rivers. Metal fractionation revealed the decreasing order of inert > labile > organic. The high inert fraction in the rivers under study reflects the major contribution of natural sources in Lake Pontchartrain Basin. The labile and organic forms of Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn pose potential higher risk to the aquatic life in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.

Reconnaissance of land-use sources of pesticides in drinking water, McKenzie River, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelly, Valerie J.; Anderson, Chauncey W.; Morgenstern, Karl

2012-01-01

The Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) provides water and electricity to the City of Eugene, Oregon, from the McKenzie River. In the spring of 2002, EWEB initiated a pesticide monitoring program in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey as part of their Drinking Water Source Protection Plan. Approximately twice yearly pesticide samples were collected from 2002 to 2010 at a suite of sampling sites representing varying land uses in the lower McKenzie River basin. A total of 117 ambient samples were collected from 28 tributary and mainstem sites, including those dominated by forestry, urban, and agricultural activities, as well as the mouths of major tributaries characterized by a mixture of upstream land use. Constituents tested included 175 compounds in filtered water (72 herbicides, 43 insecticides, 10 fungicides, and 36 of their degradation products, as well as 14 pharmaceutical compounds). No attempt was made to sample different site types equivalently; sampling was instead designed primarily to characterize representative storm events during spring and fall runoff conditions in order to assess or confirm the perceived importance of the different site types as sources for pesticides. Sampling was especially limited for agricultural sites, which were only sampled during two spring storm surveys. A total of 43 compounds were detected at least once, with many of these detected only at low concentrations (<0.1 micrograms per liter). Nine compounds were detected at the drinking- water intake, and most of these were reported as estimates less than the laboratory reporting level. Human-health benchmark concentrations were consistently several orders of magnitude higher than detected concentrations at the intake, indicating that pesticide concentrations present a negligible threat to human health. The largest number of pesticide detections occurred during spring storm surveys and primarily were associated with urban stormwater drains. Urban sites also were associated with the highest concentrations, occasionally exceeding 1 microgram per liter. Many of the compounds detected at urban sites were relatively hydrophobic (do not mix easily with water), persistent, and suspected of endocrine disruption. In contrast, forestry compounds were rarely detectable in the McKenzie River, even though forest land predominates in the basin and forestry pesticide use was detected in small tributaries draining forested lands following application. Agricultural pesticide runoff was not well characterized by the limited data available, although a large number of compounds was estimated to be used in the basin and concentrations were moderately high in the few samples collected from small tributaries draining agricultural lands. Results from this analysis indicate that urban pesticide use is potentially an important source for pesticides of concern for drinking water, not limited exclusively to storm conditions. Forestry pesticide use is not considered a likely threat to drinking water quality at the present time (2012). A more complete understanding of agricultural chemicals in runoff in the McKenzie River basin requires further investigation. In addition to evaluating the data collected in this study, a conceptual model describing pesticide contamination in the McKenzie River basin is provided, based on current scientific understanding that is consistent with the data analysis presented in this report. This model is intended to provide a foundation for future monitoring in the basin.

Current and future hot-spots and hot-moments of nitrous oxide emission in a cold climate river basin.

PubMed

Shrestha, Narayan Kumar; Wang, Junye

2018-08-01

An ecosystem in a cold climate river basin is vulnerable to the effects of climate change affecting permafrost thaw and glacier retreat. We currently lack sufficient data and information if and how hydrological processes such as glacier retreat, snowmelt and freezing-thawing affect sediment and nutrient runoff and transport, as well as N 2 O emissions in cold climate river basins. As such, we have implemented well-established, semi-empirical equations of nitrification and denitrification within the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), which correlate the emissions with water, sediment and nutrients. We have tested this implementation to simulate emission dynamics at three sites on the Canadian prairies. We then regionalized the optimized parameters to a SWAT model of the Athabasca River Basin (ARB), Canada, calibrated and validated for streamflow, sediment and water quality. In the base period (1990-2005), agricultural areas (2662 gN/ha/yr) constituted emission hot-spots. The spring season in agricultural areas and summer season in forest areas, constituted emission hot-moments. We found that warmer conditions (+13% to +106%) would have a greater influence on emissions than wetter conditions (-19% to +13%), and that the combined effect of wetter and warmer conditions would be more offsetting than synergetic. Our results imply that the spatiotemporal variability of N 2 O emissions will depend strongly on soil water changes caused by permafrost thaw. Early snow freshet leads to spatial variability of soil erosion and nutrient runoff, as well as increases of emissions in winter and decreases in spring. Our simulations suggest crop residue management may reduce emissions by 34%, but with the mixed results reported in the literature and the soil and hydrology problems associated with stover removal more research is necessary. This modelling tool can be used to refine bottom-up emission estimations at river basin scale, test plausible management scenarios, and assess climate change impacts including climate feedback. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reconnaissance of persistent and emerging contaminants in the Shenandoah and James River Basins, Virginia, during Spring of 2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alvarez, David A.; Cranor, Walter; Perkins, Stephanie D.; Schroeder, Vickie; Werner, Stephen; Furlong, Edward; Kain, Donald; Brent, Robert

2008-01-01

Fish exhibiting external lesions, incidences of intersex, and death have recently been observed in the Shenandoah and James River Basins. These basins are characterized by widespread agriculture (intensive in some areas), several major industrial discharges, numerous sewage treatment plant discharges, and urban, transportation, and residential growth that has increased rapidly in recent years. Nine locations in the Shenandoah River Basin, Virginia, and two in the James River Basin, Virginia, were selected for study in an attempt to identify chemicals that may have contributed to the declining fish health. Two passive sampling devices, semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS), were deployed during the spring and early summer of 2007 to measure select organic contaminants to which fish may have been exposed. This study determined that concentrations of persistent hydrophobic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (<17,000 picograms per liter), legacy pesticides (<510 picograms per liter), and polychlorinated biphenyls (<1,600 picograms per liter) were generally low and indicative of a largely agricultural area. Chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, and lindane were the most commonly detected chlorinated pesticides. Atrazine, which was detected at concentrations much greater than other pesticides associated with agricultural use, ranged from <0.18 to 430 nanograms per liter during the deployment period. Few chemicals characteristic of wastewater treatment plant effluent or septic tank discharges were detected. The fragrance components, galaxolide, indole, and tonalide, were the predominant waste indicator chemicals detected. Caffeine, the caffeine metabolite 1,7-dimethylxanthine, the nicotine metabolite cotinine, and the prescription pharmaceuticals carbamazepine, venlafaxine, and trimethoprim were detected at several sites. Natural and synthetic hormones were detected at a few sites with 17α-ethynylestradiol concentrations esimated up to 8.1 nanograms per liter. Screening of the POCIS extracts for estrogenic chemicals by using the yeast estrogen screen revealed estrogenicity similar to levels reported for rural areas with minor effect from wastewater effluents.

The solar dimming/brightening effect over the Mediterranean Basin in the period 1979-2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kambezidis, H. D.; Kaskaoutis, D. G.; Kalliampakos, G. K.; Rashki, A.; Wild, M.

2016-12-01

Numerous studies have shown that the solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface is subjected to multi-decadal variations with significant spatial and temporal heterogeneities in both magnitude and sign. Although several studies have examined the solar radiation trends over Europe, North America and Asia, the Mediterranean Basin has not been studied extensively. This work investigates the evolution and trends in the surface net short-wave radiation (NSWR, surface solar radiation - reflected) over the Mediterranean Basin during the period 1979-2012 using monthly re-analysis datasets from the Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) and aims to shed light on the specific role of clouds on the NSWR trends. The solar dimming/brightening phenomenon is temporally and spatially analyzed over the Mediterranean Basin. The spatially-averaged NSWR over the whole Mediterranean Basin was found to increase in MERRA by +0.36 Wm-2 per decade, with higher rates over the western Mediterranean (+0.82 Wm-2 per decade), and especially during spring (March-April-May; +1.3 Wm-2 per decade). However, statistically significant trends in NSWR either for all-sky or clean-sky conditions are observed only in May. The increasing trends in NSWR are mostly associated with decreasing ones in cloud optical depth (COD), especially for the low (<700 hPa) clouds. The decreasing COD trends (less opaque clouds and/or decrease in absolute cloudiness) are more pronounced during spring, thus controlling the increasing tendency in NSWR. The NSWR trends for cloudless (clear) skies are influenced by changes in the water-vapor content or even variations in surface albedo to a lesser degree, whereas aerosols are temporally constant in MERRA. The slight negative trend (not statistically significant) in NSWR under clear skies for nearly all months and seasons implies a slight increasing trend in water vapor under a warming and more humid climatic scenario over the Mediterranean.

Sources of nitrate yields in the Mississippi River Basin.

PubMed

David, Mark B; Drinkwater, Laurie E; McIsaac, Gregory F

2010-01-01

Riverine nitrate N in the Mississippi River leads to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Several recent modeling studies estimated major N inputs and suggested source areas that could be targeted for conservation programs. We conducted a similar analysis with more recent and extensive data that demonstrates the importance of hydrology in controlling the percentage of net N inputs (NNI) exported by rivers. The average fraction of annual riverine nitrate N export/NNI ranged from 0.05 for the lower Mississippi subbasin to 0.3 for the upper Mississippi River basin and as high as 1.4 (4.2 in a wet year) for the Embarras River watershed, a mostly tile-drained basin. Intensive corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] watersheds on Mollisols had low NNI values and when combined with riverine N losses suggest a net depletion of soil organic N. We used county-level data to develop a nonlinear model ofN inputs and landscape factors that were related to winter-spring riverine nitrate yields for 153 watersheds within the basin. We found that river runoff times fertilizer N input was the major predictive term, explaining 76% of the variation in the model. Fertilizer inputs were highly correlated with fraction of land area in row crops. Tile drainage explained 17% of the spatial variation in winter-spring nitrate yield, whereas human consumption of N (i.e., sewage effluent) accounted for 7%. Net N inputs were not a good predictor of riverine nitrate N yields, nor were other N balances. We used this model to predict the expected nitrate N yield from each county in the Mississippi River basin; the greatest nitrate N yields corresponded to the highly productive, tile-drained cornbelt from southwest Minnesota across Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. This analysis can be used to guide decisions about where efforts to reduce nitrate N losses can be most effectively targeted to improve local water quality and reduce export to the Gulf of Mexico.

Hydro-climatic simulation of Spring Creek Basin under dynamic C02 atmospheric concentration

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Climate factors monitoring have indicated that global atmospheric C02 concentration rose in the past, and further rise should be expected in the future as indicated by projections. SWAT is a hydro-climatic distributed model used to assess the efficiency of agricultural and land use best management p...

Effects of a spring prescribed burn on the soil seed bank in sagebrush steppe exhibiting pinyon-juniper expansion

Treesearch

Elizabeth A. Allen; Jeanne C. Chambers; Robert S. Nowak

2008-01-01

Pinyon-juniper (Pinus monophylla-Juniperus osteosperma) woodlands are expanding into shrubsteppe ecosystems in western portions of the Great Basin. Often, highly competitive trees displace the understory, and prescribed fire is increasingly used as a restoration tool. To inform management decisions about post-fire recovery, we...

AgRISTARS: Supporting research. Spring small grains planting date distribution model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodges, T.; Artley, J. A. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

A model was developed using 996 planting dates at 51 LANDSAT segments for spring wheat and spring barley in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in 1979. Daily maximum and minimum temperatures and precipitation were obtained from the cooperative weather stations nearest to each segment. The model uses a growing degree day summation modified for daily temperature range to estimate the beginning of planting and uses a soil surface wetness variable to estimate how a fixed number of planting days are distributed after planting begins. For 1979, the model predicts first, median, and last planting dates with root mean square errors of 7.91, 6.61, and 7.09 days, respectively. The model also provides three or four dates to represent periods of planting activity within the planting season. Although the full model was not tested on an independent data set, it may be suitable in areas other than the U.S. Great Plains where spring small grains are planted as soon as soil and air temperatures become warm enough in the spring for plant growth.

Simulated effects of ground-water pumpage on stream-aquifer flow in the vicinity of federally protected species of freshwater mussels in the lower Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin (Subarea 4), southeastern Alabama, northwestern Florida, and southwestern Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albertson, Phillip N.; Torak, Lynn J.

2002-01-01

Simulation results indicate that ground-water withdrawal in the lower Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin during times of drought could reduce stream-aquifer flow and cause specific stream reaches to go dry. Of the 37 reaches that were studied, 8 reaches ranked highly sensitive to pumpage, 13 reaches ranked medium, and 16 reaches ranked low. Of the eight reaches that ranked high, seven contain at least one federally protected mussel species. Small tributary streams such as Gum, Jones, Muckalee, Spring, and Cooleewahee Creeks would go dry at lower pumping rates than needed to dry up larger streams. Other streams that were ranked high may go dry depending on the amount of upstream flow entering the reach; this condition is indicated for some reaches on Spring Creek. A dry stream condition is of particular concern to water and wildlife managers because adequate streamflow is essential for mussel survival.

Stock-specific migration timing of adult spring-summer Chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keefer, M.L.; Peery, C.A.; Jepson, M.A.; Tolotti, K.R.; Bjornn, T.C.; Stuehrenberg, L.C.

2004-01-01

An understanding of the migration timing patterns of Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. and steelhead O. mykiss is important for managing complex mixed-stock fisheries and preserving genetic and life history diversity. We examined adult return timing for 3,317 radio-tagged fish from 38 stocks of Columbia River basin spring-summer Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha over 5 years. Stock composition varied widely within and between years depending on the strength of influential populations. Most individual stocks migrated at similar times each year relative to overall runs, supporting the hypotheses that run timing is predictable, is at least partially due to genetic adaptation, and can be used to differentiate between some conspecific populations. Arrival timing of both aggregated radio-tagged stocks and annual runs was strongly correlated with river discharge; stocks arrived earlier at Bonneville Dam and at upstream dams in years with low discharge. Migration timing analyses identified many between-stock and between-year differences in anadromous salmonid return behavior and should and managers interested in protection and recovery of evolutionary significant populations.

Influences of Climate Change on Water Resources Availability in Jinjiang Basin, China

PubMed Central

Wang, Jie; Li, Zhanjie; Yao, Xiaolei

2014-01-01

The influences of climate change on water resources availability in Jinjiang Basin, China, were assessed using the Block-wise use of the TOPmodel with the Muskingum-Cunge routing method (BTOPMC) distributed hydrological model. The ensemble average of downscaled output from sixteen GCMs (General Circulation Models) for A1B emission scenario (medium CO2 emission) in the 2050s was adopted to build regional climate change scenario. The projected precipitation and temperature data were used to drive BTOPMC for predicting hydrological changes in the 2050s. Results show that evapotranspiration will increase in most time of a year. Runoff in summer to early autumn exhibits an increasing trend, while in the rest period of a year it shows a decreasing trend, especially in spring season. From the viewpoint of water resource availability, it is indicated that it has the possibility that water resources may not be sufficient to fulfill irrigation water demand in the spring season and one possible solution is to store more water in the reservoir in previous summer. PMID:24701192

Reproductive Ecology of Yakima River Hatchery and Wild Spring Chinook and Juvenile-to-Adult PIT-tag Retention; Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project Monitoring and Evaluation, 2001 Annual Report.

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

Knudsen, Curtis M.

2002-11-01

This report is intended to satisfy two concurrent needs: (1) provide a contract deliverable from Oncorh Consulting to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), with emphasis on identification of salient results of value to ongoing Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) planning, and (2) summarize results of research that have broader scientific relevance. This is the first in an anticipated series of reports that address reproductive ecological research and monitoring of spring chinook in the Yakima River basin. In addition to within-year comparisons, between-year comparisons will be made to determine if traits of the wild Naches basin control population, themore » naturally spawning population in the upper Yakima River and the hatchery control population are diverging over time. This annual report summarizes data collected between April 1, 2001 and March 31, 2002. In the future, these data will be compared to previous years to identify general trends and make preliminary comparisons.« less

Summary of Findings from Coded Wire Tag Analysis from Spring Chinook Salmon Spawning Surveys in the Clearwater Basin, Technical Report 2001.

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

S.P. Cramer & Associates, Inc.

2002-05-31

We recently received data on the decoded coded wire tags (CWT's) recovered from spring chinook snouts we collected during spawning surveys in the Clearwater Basin last fall (2001). We were curious about what could be learned from the tags recovered (even though our project is over), so we did some cursory analyses and have described our findings in the attached memo. Snouts were processed and codes determined by Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Most snouts did not contain CWTs, because most ad-clipped fish were not given a CWT. Further, because adults were outplanted live, we do not know whatmore » codes they contained. Each of the hatcheries from which outplanted adults were obtained had several CWT code groups returning. That means that the best we can do with the codes recovered is compare the hatchery of origin for the tag with the hatchery from which outplants were taken. The results are interesting and not exactly as we would have predicted.« less

Water use and availability in the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck River basins, north-central Rhode Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nimiroski, Mark T.; Wild, Emily C.

2005-01-01

The Woonasquatucket River Basin includes 51.0 square miles, and the Moshassuck River Basin includes 23.8 square miles in north-central Rhode Island. The study area comprises these two basins. The two basins border each other with the Moshassuck River Basin to the northeast of the Woonasquatucket River Basin. Seven towns are in the Woonasquatucket River Basin, and six towns are in the Moshassuck River Basin. To determine the water use and availability in the study area, water supply and discharge data were collected for these river basins for the 1995–99 period, and compared to estimated long-term water available. The study area is unique in the State of Rhode Island, because no withdrawals from major public suppliers were made during the study period. Withdrawals were, therefore, limited to self-supplied domestic use, two minor suppliers, and one self-supplied industrial user. Because no metered data were available, the summer water withdrawals were assumed to be the same as the estimates for the rest of the year. Seven major water suppliers distribute an average of 17.564 million gallons per day for use in the study area from sources outside of the study area. The withdrawals from minor water suppliers were 0.017 million gallons per day in the study area, all in the town of Smithfield in the Woonasquatucket River Basin. The remaining withdrawals in the study area were estimated to be 0.731 million gallons per day by self-supplied domestic, commercial, industrial, and agricultural users. Return flows in the study area included self-disposed water and disposal from permitted dischargers, including the Smithfield Sewage Treatment Plant. Return flows accounted for 4.116 million gallons per day in the study area. Most public-disposed water (15.195 million gallons per day) is collected by the Narragansett Bay Commission and is disposed outside of the basin in Narragansett Bay. The PART program, a computerized hydrograph-separation application, was used at one index stream-gaging station to determine water availability based on the 75th, 50th, and 25th percentiles of the total base flow, the base flow minus the 7-day, 10-year flow criteria, and the base flow minus the Aquatic Base Flow criteria. The index station selected was the Branch River at Forestdale, which is close to the study area and has a similar percentage of sand and gravel area. Water availability was estimated on the basis of baseflow contributions from sand and gravel deposits and till deposits at the index station. Flows were computed for June, July, August, and September 1957–2000, and a percentage of the total flow was determined to come from either sand and gravel deposits, or till, by using a regression equation. The base-flow contributions were converted to a flow per unit area at the station for the till and for the sand and gravel deposits and then applied to the deposits in the study area basins. These values were used to estimate the gross yield of base flow, as well as to subtract the two low flows (7-day, 10-year flow, and Aquatic Base Flow criteria). The results from the Branch River stream-gaging station were lowest in August at the 75th, 50th, and 25th percentile for total flow with either flow criteria subtracted. The estimated August gross yield at the 50th percentile from the Woonasquatucket River Basin was 12.94 million gallons per day, and 5.91 million gallons per day from the Moshassuck River Basin.A ratio was calculated that is equal to total withdrawals divided by water availability. Water-availability flow scenarios at the 75th, 50th, and 25th percentiles for the basins, which are based on total water available from base-flow contributions from till and sand and gravel deposits in the basins, were assessed. The ratios were the highest in July for the 50th percentile estimated gross yield minus Aquatic Base Flow (ABF) flow criteria, where withdrawals are close to the available water. Ratios are not presented if the available water is less than the flow criteria. The ratio of withdrawals to the July gross yield at the 50th percentile minus Aquatic Base Flow was 0.796 for the Woonasquatucket and 0.275 for the Moshassuck River Basin. A long-term hydrologic budget was calculated for the period of 1956–2000 for the Woonasquatucket River Basin and the period of 1964–2000 for the Moshassuck River Basin. The water withdrawals and return flows used in the budget were from 1995 through 1999. For the hydrologic budget, inflow was assumed to equal outflow and was about 120 million gallons per day in the Woonasquatucket River Basin and 56 million gallons per day in the Moshassuck River Basin. The estimated inflows from precipitation and water return flow were 97.3 and 2.7 percent, respectively, in the Woonasquatucket River Basin, and 98.3 and 1.7 percent, respectively, in the Moshassuck River Basin. The estimated outflows from evapotranspiration, streamflow, and water withdrawals were 43.4, 56.1, and 0.5 percent, respectively, in the Woonasquatucket River Basin, and 49.8, 50, and 0.2 percent, respectively, in the Moshassuck River Basin.

The saltiest springs in the Sierra Nevada, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, James G.; Diggles, Michael F.; Evans, William C.; Klemic, Karin

2017-07-20

The five saltiest springs in the Sierra Nevada in California are found between 38.5° and 38.8° N. latitude, on the South Fork American River; on Caples Creek, a tributary of the Silver Fork American River; and on the North Fork Mokelumne River. The springs issue from Cretaceous granitic rocks in the bottoms of these major canyons, between 1,200- and 2,200-m elevation. All of these springs were well known to Native Americans, who excavated meter-sized basins in the granitic rock, within which they produced salt by evaporation near at least four of the five spring sites. The spring waters are dominated by Cl, Na, and Ca; are enriched relative to seawater in Ca, Li, and As; and are depleted in SO4, Mg, and K. Tritium analyses indicate that the spring waters have had little interaction with rainfall since about 1954. The waters are apparently an old groundwater of meteoric origin that resided at depth before moving up along fractures to the surface of the exhumed granitic rocks. However, along the way these waters incorporated salts from depth, the origin of which could have been either from marine sedimentary rocks intruded by the granitic magmas or from fluid inclusions in the granitic rocks. Prolonged storage at depth fostered water-rock interactions that undoubtedly modified the fluid compositions.

Assessment of spring cranioplasty biomechanics in sagittal craniosynostosis patients.

PubMed

Borghi, Alessandro; Schievano, Silvia; Rodriguez Florez, Naiara; McNicholas, Roisin; Rodgers, Will; Ponniah, Allan; James, Greg; Hayward, Richard; Dunaway, David; Jeelani, N U Owase

2017-11-01

OBJECTIVE Scaphocephaly secondary to sagittal craniosynostosis has been treated in recent years with spring-assisted cranioplasty, an innovative approach that leverages the use of metallic spring distractors to reshape the patient skull. In this study, a population of patients who had undergone spring cranioplasty for the correction of scaphocephaly at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children was retrospectively analyzed to systematically assess spring biomechanical performance and kinematics in relation to spring model, patient age, and outcomes over time. METHODS Data from 60 patients (49 males, mean age at surgery 5.2 ± 0.9 months) who had received 2 springs for the treatment of isolated sagittal craniosynostosis were analyzed. The opening distance of the springs at the time of insertion and removal was retrieved from the surgical notes and, during the implantation period, from planar radiographs obtained at 1 day postoperatively and at the 3-week follow-up. The force exerted by the spring to the patient skull at each time point was derived after mechanical testing of each spring model-3 devices with the same geometry but different wire thicknesses. Changes in the cephalic index between preoperatively and the 3-week follow-up were recorded. RESULTS Stiffer springs were implanted in older patients (p < 0.05) to achieve the same opening on-table as in younger patients, but this entailed significantly different-higher-forces exerted on the skull when combinations of stiffer springs were used (p < 0.001). After initial force differences between spring models, however, the devices all plateaued. Indeed, regardless of patient age or spring model, after 10 days from insertion, all the devices were open. CONCLUSIONS Results in this study provide biomechanical insights into spring-assisted cranioplasty and could help to improve spring design and follow-up strategy in the future.

Hydrogeological delineation of groundwater potential zones in the Nabogo basin, Ghana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nsiah, Emmanuel; Appiah-Adjei, Emmanuel K.; Adjei, Kwaku A.

2018-07-01

This study has delineated groundwater potential zones of the Nabogo basin and categorized the northern and eastern parts, representing about 35% of the total basin, as the most suitable areas for groundwater prospecting. The inhabitants of the basin depend on rainfall and small surface reservoirs for their various water supply needs, which become very scarce and unsustainable in the dry seasons due to the arid to semi-arid conditions of the basin. Thus, groundwater is increasingly being exploited to supplement the water needs of the populace. However, groundwater development in the basin is sometimes hindered by relatively low success rate of boreholes. Therefore, this study was aimed at delineating the groundwater potential zones of the basin to improve on development of the resource for supply to the populace. The methodology used involved acquisition of data on well-distributed boreholes in the basin, computation of transmissivity and specific capacity values from the data, and delineation of potential groundwater zones through integration of borehole yields, regolith thickness, static water level and transmissivity using the weighted overlay technique in a GIS environment. The study results indicate that transmissivity ranges from 0.1 to 535 m2/day with a mean of 19.7 m2/day while the specific capacity ranges from 0.25 to 170.88 m3/day/m with a mean of 13.42 m3/day/m. A groundwater potential map generated categorizes the basin into poor, moderate and high zones covering 652.52 km2, 1250.45 km2 and 1002.23 km2 respectively, which would be very useful for groundwater development.

Relationship between passive microwave-derived snowmelt and surface-measured discharge, Wheaton River, Yukon Territory, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramage, J. M.; McKenney, R. A.; Thorson, B.; Maltais, P.; Kopczynski, S. E.

2006-03-01

Snow volume and melt timing are major factors influencing the water cycle at northern high altitudes and latitudes, yet both are hard to quantify or monitor in remote mountainous regions. Twice-daily special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I) passive microwave observations of seasonal snow melt onset in the Wheaton River basin, Yukon Territory, Canada (60 ° 0805N, 134 ° 5345W), are used to test the idea that melt onset date and duration of snowpack melt-refreeze fluctuations control the timing of the early hydrograph peaks with predictable lags. This work uses the SSM/I satellite data from 1988 to 2002 to evaluate the chronology of melt and runoff patterns in the upper Yukon River basin. The Wheaton River is a small (875 km2) tributary to the Yukon, and is a subarctic, partly glacierized heterogeneous basin with near-continuous hydrographic records dating back to 1966. SSM/I pixels are sensitive to melt onset due to the strong increase in snow emissivity, and have a robust signal, in spite of coarse (>25 × 25 km2) pixel resolution and varied terrain. Results show that Wheaton River peak flows closely follow the end of large daily variations in brightness temperature of pixels covering the Wheaton River, but the magnitude of flow is highly variable, as might be expected from interannual snow mass variability. Spring rise in the hydrograph follows the end of high diurnal brightness temperature (Tb) amplitude variations (DAV) by 0 to 5 days approximately 90% of the time for this basin. Subsequent work will compare these findings for a larger (7250 km2), unglacierized tributary, the Ross River, which is farther northeast (61 ° 5940N, 132 ° 2240W) in the Yukon Territory. These techniques will also be used to try to determine the improvement in melt detection and runoff prediction from the higher resolution (15 × 15 km2) advanced microwave scanning radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) sensor.

Recent increase in aerosol loading over the Australian arid zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, R. M.; Campbell, S. K.; Qin, Y.

2009-10-01

Collocated sun photometer and nephelometer measurements at Tinga Tingana in the Australian Outback over the decade 1997-2007 show a significant increase in aerosol loading following the onset of severe drought conditions in 2002. The mean mid-visible scattering coefficient obtained from nephelometer measurements over the period 2003-2007 is approximately double that recorded over the preceding 5 yr, with consistent trends in the column aerosol optical depth derived from the sun photometer. This increase is confined to the season of dust activity, particularly September to March. In contrast, background aerosol levels during May, June and July remained stable. The enhanced aerosol loadings during the latter 5 yr of the study period can be understood as a combination of dune destabilisation through loss of ephemeral vegetation and surface crust, and the changing supply of fluvial sediments to ephemeral lakes and floodplains within the Lake Eyre Basin. Major dust outbreaks are generally highly localised, although significant dust activity was observed at Tinga Tingana on 50% of days when a major event occurred elsewhere in the Lake Eyre Basin, suggesting frequent basin-wide dust mobilisation. Combined analysis of aerosol optical depth and scattering coefficient shows weak correlation between the surface and column aerosol (R2=0.24). The aerosol scale height is broadly distributed with a mode typically between 2-3 km, with clearly defined seasonal variation. Climatological analysis reveals bimodal structure in the annual cycle of aerosol optical depth, with a summer peak related to maximal dust activity, and a spring peak related to lofted fine-mode aerosol. There is evidence for an increase in near-surface aerosol during the period 2003-2007 relative to 1997-2002, consistent with an increase in dust activity. This accords with an independent finding of increasing aerosol loading over the Australian region as a whole, suggesting that rising dust activity over the Lake Eyre Basin may be a significant contributor to changes in the aerosol budget of the continent.

Observed changes in extremes of daily rainfall and temperature in Jemma Sub-Basin, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worku, Gebrekidan; Teferi, Ermias; Bantider, Amare; Dile, Yihun T.

2018-02-01

Climate variability has been a threat to the socio-economic development of Ethiopia. This paper examined the changes in rainfall, minimum, and maximum temperature extremes of Jemma Sub-Basin of the Upper Blue Nile Basin for the period of 1981 to 2014. The nonparametric Mann-Kendall, seasonal Mann-Kendall, and Sen's slope estimator were used to estimate annual trends. Ten rainfall and 12 temperature indices were used to study changes in rainfall and temperature extremes. The results showed an increasing trend of annual and summer rainfall in more than 78% of the stations and a decreasing trend of spring rainfall in most of the stations. An increase in rainfall extreme events was detected in the majority of the stations. Several rainfall extreme indices showed wetting trends in the sub-basin, whereas limited indices indicated dryness in most of the stations. Annual maximum and minimum temperature and extreme temperature indices showed warming trend in the sub-basin. Presence of extreme rainfall and a warming trend of extreme temperature indices may suggest signs of climate change in the Jemma Sub-Basin. This study, therefore, recommended the need for exploring climate induced risks and implementing appropriate climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.