Isotopic and Chemical Analysis of Nitrate Sources and Cycling in the San Joaquin River Near Stockton, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, S. R.; Kendall, C.; Bemis, B.; Wankel, S.; Bergamaschi, B.; Kratzer, C.; Dileanis, P.; Erickson, D.; Avery, E.; Paxton, K.

2002-12-01

Fish migration through the deep-water channel in the San Joaquin River at Stockton, California is inhibited by low oxygen concentrations during the summer months. The cause for this condition appears to be stagnation and decomposition of algae with attendant oxygen consumption. Algae growth in the San Joaquin River is promoted by nutrients entering the river mainly in the form of nitrate. Possible significant sources of nitrate include soil, fertilizer from agriculture, manure from dairy operations, and N derived from municipal sewage. A 2000 CALFED pilot study investigated the sources and cycling of nitrate at four sites along the San Joaquin River upstream of Stockton using the carbon and nitrogen isotopes of total dissolved and particulate organic matter, together with hydrological measurements and various concentration data, including chlorophyll-a. The nitrate source, its relationship to phytoplankton, and the effect of the nitrate source and cycling on the N isotopic composition of dissolved and particulate organic matter were the primary concerns of the study. The d15N values of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) were used as a proxy for nitrate d15N because nitrate comprised about 90% of DON. Chlorophyll-a and C:N ratios indicated that the particulate organic matter (POM) consisted largely of plankton and therefore the d15N of POM was used as a proxy for the d15N of plankton. A tentative interpretation of the pilot study was that nitrate was a major nutrient for the plankton and the nitrate was of anthropogenic origin, possibly sewage or animal waste. To test these assumptions and interpretations, we are currently analyzing a set of samples collected in 2001. In addition to the previous sample types, a subset of samples will be measured directly for nitrate d15N to assess the validity of using d15N of DON as a proxy for nitrate.

Identifying sources of dissolved organic carbon in agriculturally dominated rivers using radiocarbon age dating: Sacramento-San Joaquin River Basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sickman, James O.; DiGiorgio, Carol L.; Davisson, M. Lee; Lucero, Delores M.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.

2010-01-01

We used radiocarbon measurements of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to resolve sources of riverine carbon within agriculturally dominated landscapes in California. During 2003 and 2004, average Δ14C for DOC was −254‰ in agricultural drains in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, −218‰ in the San Joaquin River, −175‰ in the California State Water Project and −152‰ in the Sacramento River. The age of bulk DOC transiting the rivers of California’s Central Valley is the oldest reported for large rivers and suggests wide-spread loss of soil organic matter caused by agriculture and urbanization. Using DAX 8 adsorbent, we isolated and measured 14C concentrations in hydrophobic acid fractions (HPOA); river samples showed evidence of bomb-pulse carbon with average Δ14C of 91 and 76‰ for the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers, respectively, with older HPOA, −204‰, observed in agricultural drains. An operationally defined non-HPOA fraction of DOC was observed in the San Joaquin River with seasonally computed Δ14C values of between −275 and −687‰; the source of this aged material was hypothesized to be physically protected organic-matter in high clay-content soils and agrochemicals (i.e., radiocarbon-dead material) applied to farmlands. Mixing models suggest that the Sacramento River contributes about 50% of the DOC load in the California State Water Project, and agricultural drains contribute approximately one-third of the load. In contrast to studies showing stabilization of soil carbon pools within one or two decades following land conversion, sustained loss of soil organic matter, occurring many decades after the initial agricultural-land conversion, was observed in California’s Central Valley.

Streamflow, dissolved solids, suspended sediment, and trace elements, San Joaquin River, California, June 1985-September 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, B.R.; Gilliom, R.J.

1993-01-01

The 1985-88 study period included hydrologic extremes throughout most of central California. Except for an 11-month period during and after the 1986 flood, San Joaquin River streamflows during 1985-88 were generally less than median for 1975-88. The Merced Tuolumne, and Stanislaus Rivers together comprised 56 to 69 percent of the annual San Joaquin River flow, Salt and Mud Sloughs together comprised 6 to 19 percent, the upper San Joaquin River comprised 2 to 25 percent, and unmeasured sources from agricultural discharges and ground water accounted for 13 to 20 percent. Salt and Mud Sloughs and the unmeasured sources contribute most of the dissolved-solids load. The Merced, Tuolumne, and Stanislaus Rivers greatly dilute dissolved-solids concentrations. Suspended-sediment concentration peaked sharply at more than 600 milligrams per liter during the flood of February 1986. Concentrations and loads varied seasonally during low-flow conditions, with concentrations highest during the early summer irrigation season. Trace elements present primarily in dissolved phases are arsenic, boron, lithium, molybdenum, and selenium. Boron concentrations exceeded the irrigation water-quality criterion of 750 micrograms per liter more than 75 percent of the time in Salt and Mud Sloughs and more than 50 percent of the time at three sites on the San Joaquin River. Selenium concentrations exceeded the aquatic-life criterion of 5 micrograms per liter more than 75 percent of the time in Salt Slough and more than 50 percent of the time in Mud Slough and in the San Joaquin River from Salt Slough to the Merced River confluence. Concentrations of dissolved solids, boron, and selenium usually are highest during late winter to early spring, lower in early summer, higher again in mid-to-late summer, and the lowest in autumn, and generally correspond to seasonal inflows of subsurface tile-drain water to Salt and Mud Sloughs. Trace elements present primarily in particulate phases are aluminum

75 FR 20815 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment and to Conduct San Joaquin River Chinook...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-21

... Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment and to Conduct San Joaquin River Chinook Salmon Scoping... of spring-run Chinook salmon to the mainstem of the San Joaquin River. DATES: NMFS will conduct a..., Sacramento, CA 95814. Comments may also be submitted electronically to SJRSpringSalmon@nooa.gov . Comments...

Assessment of interim flow water-quality data of the San Joaquin River restoration program and implications for fishes, California, 2009-11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wulff, Marissa L.; Brown, Larry R.

2015-01-01

After more than 50 years of extensive water diversion for urban and agriculture use, a major settlement was reached among the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Commerce, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Friant Water Users Authority in an effort to restore the San Joaquin River. The settlement received Federal court approval in October 2006 and established the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, a multi-agency collaboration between State and Federal agencies to restore and maintain fish populations, including Chinook salmon, in the main stem of the river between Friant Dam and the confluence with the Merced River. This is to be done while avoiding or minimizing adverse water supply effects to all of the Friant Division contractors that could result from restoration flows required by the settlement. The settlement stipulates that water- and sediment-quality data be collected to help assess the restoration goals. This report summarizes and evaluates water-quality data collected in the main stem of the San Joaquin River between Friant Dam and the Merced River by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program during 2009-11. This summary and assessment consider sampling frequency for adequate characterization of variability, sampling locations for sufficient characterization of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program restoration reach, sampling methods for appropriate media (water and sediment), and constituent reporting limits. After reviewing the water- and sediment-quality results for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, several suggestions were made to the Fisheries Management Work Group, a division of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program that focuses solely on the reintroduction strategies and health of salmon and other native fishes in the river. Water-quality results for lead and total organic carbon exceeded the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program Basin Plan Objectives for the San Joaquin Basin

Organochlorine pesticide residues in bed sediments of the San Joaquin River and its tributary streams, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gilliom, R.J.; Clifton, D.G.

1987-01-01

The distribution and concentrations of organochlorine pesticide residues in bed sediments were assessed from samples collected at 24 sites in the San Joaquin River and its tributaries in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Sampling was designed to collect the finest grained bed sediments present in the vicinity of each site. One or more of the 14 pesticides analyzed were detected at every site. Pesticides detected at one or more sites were chlordane, DDD, DDE, DDT, dieldrin, endosulfan, mirex, and toxaphene. Pesticides not detected were endrin, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, lindane, methoxychlor, and perthane. The most frequently detected pesticides were DDD (83% of sites), DDE (all sites), DDT (33% of sites), and dieldrin (58% of sites). Maximum concentrations of these pesticides, which were correlated with each other and with the amount of organic carbon in the sample, were DDD, 260 micrograms/kg; DDE, 430 micrograms/kg; DDT, 420 micrograms/kg; and dieldrin, 8.9 micrograms/kg. Six small tributary streams that drain agricultural areas west of the San Joaquin River had the highest concentrations. Water concentrations and loads were estimated for each pesticide from its concentration in bed sediments, the concentration of suspended sediment, and streamflow. Estimated loadings of DDD, DDE, DDT, and dieldrin from tributaries to the San Joaquin River indicate that most of the loading to the river at the time of the study was probably from the westside tributaries. Estimated water concentrations exceeded the aquatic life criterion for the sum of DDD, DDE, and DDt of 0.001 microgram/L at nine of the 24 sites sampled. Five of the nine sites are westside tributaries and one is the San Joaquin River near Vernalis. (Author 's abstract)

Proposed Strategy for San Joaquin River Basin Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A Proposed Strategy for San Joaquin River Basin Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment was published in 2010, and a Strawman Proposal was developed in 2012 by the Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship, California Water Resources Board, EPA.

Dissolved pesticide concentrations entering the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta from the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, California, 2012-13

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orlando, James L.; McWayne, Megan; Sanders, Corey; Hladik, Michelle

2014-01-01

Surface-water samples were collected from the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers where they enter the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, and analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey for a suite of 99 current-use pesticides and pesticide degradates. Samples were collected twice per month from May 2012 through July 2013 and from May 2012 through April 2013 at the Sacramento River at Freeport, and the San Joaquin River near Vernalis, respectively. Samples were analyzed by two separate laboratory methods by using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry or liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Method detection limits ranged from 0.9 to 10.5 nanograms per liter (ng/L). A total of 37 pesticides and degradates were detected in water samples collected during the study (18 herbicides, 11 fungicides, 7 insecticides, and 1 synergist). The most frequently detected pesticides overall were the herbicide hexazinone (detected in 100 percent of the samples); 3,4-dichloroaniline (97 percent), which is a degradate of the herbicides diuron and propanil; the fungicide azoxystrobin (83 percent); and the herbicides diuron (72 percent), simazine (66 percent), and metolachlor (64 percent). Insecticides were rarely detected during the study. Pesticide concentrations varied from below the method detection limits to 984 ng/L (hexazinone). Twenty seven pesticides and (or) degradates were detected in Sacramento River samples, and the average number of pesticides per sample was six. The most frequently detected compounds in these samples were hexazinone (detected in 100 percent of samples), 3,4-dichloroaniline (97 percent), azoxystrobin (88 percent), diuron (56 percent), and simazine (50 percent). Pesticides with the highest detected maximum concentrations in Sacramento River samples included the herbicide clomazone (670 ng/L), azoxystrobin (368 ng/L), 3,4-dichloroaniline (364 ng/L), hexazinone (130 ng/L), and propanil (110 ng/L), and all but hexazinone are primarily associated with

San Joaquin River Riparian Habitat Below Friant Dam: Preservation and Restoration

Treesearch

Donn Furman

1989-01-01

Riparian habitat along California's San Joaquin River in the 25 miles between Friant Darn and Freeway 99 occurs on approximately 6 percent of its historic range. It is threatened directly and indirectly by increased urban encroachment such as residential housing, certain recreational uses, sand and gravel extraction, aquiculture, and road construction. The San...

Groundwater contributions of flow, nitrate, and dissolved organic carbon to the lower San Joaquin River, California, 2006-08

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zamora, Celia; Dahlgren, Randy A.; Kratzer, Charles R.; Downing, Bryan D.; Russell, Ann D.; Dileanis, Peter D.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.; Phillips, Steven P.

2013-01-01

groundwater samples collected from the in-stream wells as part of the synoptic surveys. Only 7 of the 113 cross-sectional transects had nitrate concentrations greater than 1 mg/L as N. In contrast, surface waters in the San Joaquin River tended to have nitrate concentrations in the 1–3 mg/L as N range. A zone of lower oxygen (less than 2 mg/L) in the streambed could limit nitrate contributions from regional groundwater flow because nitrate can be converted to nitrogen gas within this zone. Appreciable concentrations of ammonium (average concentration was 1.92 mg/L as N, and 95th percentile was 10.34 mg/L as N) in the shallow groundwater, believed to originate from anoxic mineralization of streambed sediments, could contribute nitrogen to the overlying stream as nitrate following in-stream nitrification, however. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations were highly variable in the shallow groundwater below the river (1 to 6 ft below streambed) and generally ranged between 1 and 5 mg/L, but had maximum concentrations in the 15–25 mg/L range. The longitudinal profile surveys were not particularly useful in identifying groundwater discharge areas. However, the longitudinal approach described in this report was useful as a baseline survey of measured water-quality parameters and for identifying tributary inflows that affect surface-water concentrations of nitrate. Results of the calibrated MODFLOW model indicated that the simulated groundwater discharge rate was approximately 1.0 cubic foot per second per mile (cfs/mi), and the predominant horizontal groundwater flow direction between the deep bank wells was westward beneath the river. The modeled (VS2DH) flux values (river gain versus river loss) were calculated for the irrigation and non-irrigation season, and these fluxes were an order of magnitude less than those from MODFLOW. During the irrigation season, the average river gain was 0.11 cfs/mi, and the average river loss was −0.05 cfs/mi. During the non-irrigation season

Algal Biomass as an Indicator for Biochemical Oxygen Demand in the San Joaquin River, California.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volkmar, E. C.; Dalhgren, R. A.

2005-12-01

Episodes of hypoxia (DO < 2 mg/L) occur in the lower San Joaquin River (SJR), California, and are typically most acute in the late summer and fall. The oxygen deficit can stress and kill aquatic organisms, and often inhibits the upstream migration of fall-run Chinook salmon. Hypoxia is most pronounced downstream from the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel, which has been dredged from a depth of 2-3 m to about 11 m to allow ocean-going ships to reach the Port of Stockton. To protect aquatic organisms and facilitate the upstream migration of fall-run Chinook salmon, the minimum water quality standard for DO is 6 mg/L during September through November, and 5 mg/L for the remainder of the year. A five year study examined components contributing to biochemical oxygen demand (BOD): ammonia, algal biomass, non-algal particulate organic matter, and dissolved organic carbon. BOD shows a significant increase in loading rates as the SJR flows downstream, which parallels the load of algal biomass due to instream growth. BOD loading rates from tributaries accounts for 28% in a wet year and 39% in a dry year. Regression analysis revealed that chlorophyll-a + pheophyton-a was the only significant (p<0.05) predictor for BOD (r2 = 0.71). Less than 20% of the BOD was found in the dissolved fraction (<0.45 μm). The average BOD decomposition rate of the SJR and tributaries is 0.0841 d-1. We conclude that algal biomass is the primary contributor to BOD loads in the San Joaquin River.

Invasive aquatic vegetation management in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta: status recommendations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Widespread growth of invasive aquatic vegetation is a major stressor to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a region of significant agricultural, industrial, and ecological importance. Total invaded area in the Delta is increasing, with the risk of new invasions a continual threat. However, inva...

Distribution and Joint Fish-Tag Survival of Juvenile Chinook Salmon Migrating through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California, 2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holbrook, Christopher M.; Perry, Russell W.; Adams, Noah S.

2009-01-01

Acoustic telemetry was used to obtain the movement histories of 915 juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) through the lower San Joaquin River and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, in 2008. Data were analyzed within a release-recapture framework to estimate survival, route distribution, and detection probabilities among three migration pathways through the Delta. The pathways included the primary route through the San Joaquin River and two less direct routes (Old River and Turner Cut). Strong inferences about survival were limited by premature tag failure, but estimates of fish distribution among migration routes should be unaffected by tag failure. Based on tag failure tests (N = 66 tags), we estimated that only 55-78 percent of the tags used in this study were still functioning when the last fish was detected exiting the study area 15 days after release. Due to premature tag failure, our 'survival' estimates represent the joint probability that both the tag and fish survived, not just survival of fish. Low estimates of fish-tag survival could have been caused by fish mortality or fish travel times that exceeded the life of the tag, but we were unable to differentiate between the two. Fish-tag survival through the Delta (from Durham Ferry to Chipps Island by all routes) ranged from 0.05 +or- 0.01 (SE) to 0.06 +or- 0.01 between the two weekly release groups. Among the three migration routes, fish that remained in the San Joaquin River exhibited the highest joint fish-tag survival (0.09 +or- 0.02) in both weeks, but only 22-33 percent of tagged fish used this route, depending on the week of release. Only 4-10 percent (depending on week) of tagged fish traveled through Turner Cut, but no tagged fish that used this route were detected exiting the Delta. Most fish (63-68 percent, depending on week of release) migrated through Old River, but fish-tag survival through this route (0.05 +or- 0.01) was only about one-half that of fish that

78 FR 6833 - Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for the San Joaquin River...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-31

...The Bureau of Reclamation and the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority have prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for a 25-Year Water Transfer Program, 2014-2038. The proposed new program would provide for the transfer and/or exchange of up to 150,000 acre-feet of substitute water from the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority to several potential users over a 25-year timeframe (water service years 2014-2038). A Notice of Availability of the joint Draft EIS/EIR was published in the Federal Register on Friday, May 4, 2012 (77 FR 26578). The written comment period on the Draft EIS/EIR ended Tuesday, July 3, 2012. The Final EIS/EIR contains responses to all comments received and reflects comments and additional information received during the review period.

A Multi-isotope Tracer Approach Linking Land Use With Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in the San Joaquin River System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, M. B.; Kendall, C.; Silva, S. R.; Dahlgren, R. A.; Stringfellow, W. T.

2008-12-01

The San Joaquin River (SJR) is a large hypereutrophic river located in the Central Valley, California, a major agricultural region. Nutrient subsidies, algae, and other organic material from the San Joaquin River contribute to periods of low dissolved oxygen in the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel, inhibiting salmon migration. We used a multi-isotope approach to link nitrate and particulate organic matter (POM) to different sources and related land uses. The isotope data was also used to better understand the physical and biological processes controlling the distribution of nitrate and POM throughout the river system. Samples collected from the mainstem SJR and tributaries twice-monthly to monthly between March 2005 and December 2007 were analyzed for nitrate, POM, and water isotopes. There are many land uses surrounding the SJR and its tributaries, including multiple types of agriculture, dairies, wetlands, and urban areas. Samples from SJR tributaries containing both major and minor contributions of wetland discharge generally had distinct nitrate and POM isotope signatures compared to other tributaries. Unique nitrate and POM isotope signatures associated with wetland discharges may reflect anaerobic biological processes occurring in flooded soils. For the mainstem SJR, we applied an isotope mass balance approach using nitrate and water isotopes to calculate the expected downstream isotope values based upon measured inputs from known water sources such as drains and tributaries. Differences between the calculated downstream isotope values and the measured values indicate locations and time periods when either biological processes such as algal uptake, or physical process such as the input of unidentified water sources, significantly altered the isotope signatures of water, POM, or nitrate within the SJR. This research will provide a better understanding of how different land uses affect the delivery of carbon and nitrogen to the SJR, and will provide a better

Estimating sediment budgets at the interface between rivers and estuaries with application to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wright, S.A.; Schoellhamer, D.H.

2005-01-01

[1] Where rivers encounter estuaries, a transition zone develops where riverine and tidal processes both affect sediment transport processes. One such transition zone is the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a large, complex system where several rivers meet to form an estuary (San Francisco Bay). Herein we present the results of a detailed sediment budget for this river/estuary transitional system. The primary regional goal of the study was to measure sediment transport rates and pathways in the delta in support of ecosystem restoration efforts. In addition to achieving this regional goal, the study has produced general methods to collect, edit, and analyze (including error analysis) sediment transport data at the interface of rivers and estuaries. Estimating sediment budgets for these systems is difficult because of the mixed nature of riverine versus tidal transport processes, the different timescales of transport in fluvial and tidal environments, and the sheer complexity and size of systems such as the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Sediment budgets also require error estimates in order to assess whether differences in inflows and outflows, which could be small compared to overall fluxes, are indeed distinguishable from zero. Over the 4 year period of this study, water years 1999-2002, 6.6 ?? 0.9 Mt of sediment entered the delta and 2.2 ?? 0.7 Mt exited, resulting in 4.4 ?? 1.1 Mt (67 ?? 17%) of deposition. The estimated deposition rate corresponding to this mass of sediment compares favorably with measured inorganic sediment accumulation on vegetated wetlands in the delta.

Distribution of algae in the San Joaquin River, California, in relation to nutrient supply, salinity and other environmental factors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leland, H.V.; Brown, L.R.; Mueller, D.K.

2001-01-01

1. The taxonomic composition and biomass of the phytoplankton and the taxonomic composition of the phytobenthos of the San Joaquin River and its major tributaries were examined in relation to water chemistry, habitat and flow regime. Agricultural drainage and subsurface flow contribute to a complex gradient of salinity and nutrients in this eutrophic, 'lowland type' river.2. Because of light-limiting conditions for growth, maintenance demands of the algae exceed production during summer and autumn in the San Joaquin River where there is no inflow from tributaries. In contrast to substantial gains in concentration of inorganic nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorus during the summer of normal-flow years, net losses of algal biomass (2-4 ??g L-1 day-1 chlorophyll a) occurred in a mid-river segment with no significant tributary inflow. However, downstream of a large tributary draining the Sierra Nevada, a substantial net gain in algal biomass (6-11 μg L-1 day-1) occurred in the summer, but not in the spring (loss of 1-6 μg L-1 day-1) or autumn (loss of 2-5 ??g L-1 day-1).3. The phytoplankton was dominated in summer by 'r-selected' centric diatoms (Thalassiosirales), species both tolerant of variable salinity and widely distributed in the San Joaquin River. Pennate diatoms were proportionally more abundant (in biomass) in the winter, spring and autumn. Abundant taxa included the diatoms Cyclotella meneghiniana, Skeletonema cf. potamos, Cyclostephanos invisitatus, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Nitzschia acicularis, N. palea and N. reversa, and the chlorophytes Chlamydomonas sp. and Scenesdesmus quadricauda. Patterns in the abundance of species indicated that assembly of the phytoplankton is limited more by light and flow regime than by nutrient supply.4. The phytobenthos was dominated by larger, more slowly reproducing pennate diatoms. Few of the abundant species are euryhaline. The diatoms Navicula recens and Nitzschia inconspicua and cyanophytes, Oscillatoria spp

Inputs of the Dormant-Spray Pesticide, Diazinon, to the San Joaquin River, California, February 1993

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Dubrovsky, Neil M.; Kratzer, Charles R.

1995-01-01

INTRODUCTION The objective of the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program of the U.S. Geological Survey is to describe the status and trends of the Nation's water quality with respect to natural features of the environment and human activities or land-use. Pesticides are a major water-quality issue in the San Joaquin Valley of California (fig. 1), and pesticide residues may be transported to rivers and streams in agricultural runoff following winter storms. Three sites in the western San Joaquin Valley were monitored during and after two February 1993 storms. The storms occurred after extensive spraying of organophosphate insecticides, mostly diazinon, on almond and other stone-fruit orchards.

Occurrence and accumulation of pesticides and organic contaminants in river sediment, water and clam tissues from the San Joaquin River and tributaries, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pereira, W.E.; Domagalski, Joseph L.; Hostettler, F.D.; Brown, L.R.; Rapp, J.B.

1996-01-01

A study was conducted in 1992 to assess the effects of anthropogenic activities and land use on the water quality of the San Joaquin River and its major tributaries. This study focused on pesticides and organic contaminants, looking at distributions of contaminants in water, bed and suspended sediment, and the bivalve Corbicula fluminea. Results indicated that this river system is affected by agricultural practices and urban runoff. Sediments from Dry Creek contained elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), possibly derived from urban runoff from the city of Modesto; suspended sediments contained elevated amounts of chlordane. Trace levels of triazine herbicides atrazine and simazine were present in water at most sites. Sediments, water, and bivalves from Orestimba Creek, a westside tributary draining agricultural areas, contained the greatest levels of DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2-2-bis[p-chlorophenyl]ethane), and its degradates DDD (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis[p-chlorophenyl]ethane), and DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2- bis[p-chlorophenyl]ethylene). Sediment adsorption co efficients (K(oc)), and bioconcentration factors (BCF) in Corbicula of DDT, DDD, and DDE at Orestimba Creek were greater than predicted values. Streams of the western San Joaquin Valley can potentially transport significant amounts of chlorinated pesticides to the San Joaquin River, the delta, and San Francisco Bay. Organochlorine compounds accumulate in bivalves and sediment and may pose a problem to other biotic species in this watershed.

The Use of Radar to Improve Rainfall Estimation over the Tennessee and San Joaquin River Valleys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petersen, Walter A.; Gatlin, Patrick N.; Felix, Mariana; Carey, Lawrence D.

2010-01-01

This slide presentation provides an overview of the collaborative radar rainfall project between the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Von Braun Center for Science & Innovation (VCSI), NASA MSFC and UAHuntsville. Two systems were used in this project, Advanced Radar for Meteorological & Operational Research (ARMOR) Rainfall Estimation Processing System (AREPS), a demonstration project of real-time radar rainfall using a research radar and NEXRAD Rainfall Estimation Processing System (NREPS). The objectives, methodology, some results and validation, operational experience and lessons learned are reviewed. The presentation. Another project that is using radar to improve rainfall estimations is in California, specifically the San Joaquin River Valley. This is part of a overall project to develop a integrated tool to assist water management within the San Joaquin River Valley. This involves integrating several components: (1) Radar precipitation estimates, (2) Distributed hydro model, (3) Snowfall measurements and Surface temperature / moisture measurements. NREPS was selected to provide precipitation component.

Environmental setting of the San Joaquin-Tulare basins, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gronberg, JoAnn A.; Dubrovsky, Neil M.; Kratzer, Charles R.; Domagalski, Joseph L.; Brown, Larry R.; Burow, Karen R.

1998-01-01

The National Water-Quality Assessment Program for the San Joaquin- Tulare Basins began in 1991 to study the effects of natural and anthropogenic influences on the quality of ground water, surface water, biology, and ecology. The San Joaquin-Tulare Basins study unit, which covers approximately 31,200 square miles in central California, is made up of the San Joaquin Valley, the eastern slope of the Coast Ranges to the west, and the western slope of the Sierra Nevada to the east. The sediments of the San Joaquin Valley can be divided into alluvial fans and basin deposits. The San Joaquin River receives water from tributaries draining the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges, and except for streams discharging directly to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, is the only surface- water outlet from the study unit. The surface-water hydrology of the San Joaquin-Tulare Basins study unit has been significantly modified by development of water resources. Almost every major river entering the valley from the Sierra Nevada has one or more reservoirs. Almost every tributary and drainage into the San Joaquin River has been altered by a network of canals, drains, and wasteways. The Sierra Nevada is predominantly forested, and the Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada are predominately rangeland. The San Joaquin Valley is dominated by agriculture, which utilized approximately 14.7 million acre-feet of water and 597 million pounds active ingredient of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers in 1990, and 88 million pounds active ingredient of pesticides in 1991. In addition, the livestock industry contributed 318 million pounds active ingredient of nitrogen and phosphorus from manure in 1987. This report provides the background information to assess the influence of these and other factors on water quality and to provide the foundation for the design and interpretation of all spatial data. These characterizations provide a basis for comparing the influences of human activities

Tracing seasonal nitrate sources and loads in the San Joaquin River using nitrogen and oxygen stable isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, M. B.; Kendall, C.; Silva, S.; Stringfellow, W. T.; Dahlgren, R. A.

2007-12-01

The San Joaquin River (SJR) is a heavily impacted river draining a major agricultural basin in central California. This river receives nitrate inputs from multiple point and non-point sources including agriculture, livestock, waste water treatment plants, septic systems, urban run-off, and natural soil leaching. Nitrate inputs to the SJR may play a significant role in driving algal blooms and reducing overall water quality. The San Joaquin River discharges into the San Francisco Bay-Delta ecosystem, and reduced water quality and large algal blooms in the SJR may play a significant role in driving critically low oxygen levels in the Stockton Deep Water Shipping Channel. Correct identification of the major nitrate sources to the SJR is important for coordinating mitigation efforts throughout the SJR-Delta-San Francisco Bay region. Measurements of the nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of nitrate were made monthly to bimonthly from 2005 through 2007 within the Lower SJR, major tributaries, and various other water input sources in order to assess spatial and temporal variations in nitrate inputs and cycling in this heavily impacted watershed. The oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of water was also measured to better distinguish water sources and identify changes in water inputs. A very wide range of δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 values were observed in the main stem SJR and tributaries. The δ15N values ranged from +2 to +17 ‰, and the δ18O values ranged from -1 to +18 ‰. Except for a major agricultural drain site (San Luis Drain), all the sites showed temporal changes in both δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 much greater than the differences seen between individual sites. In general, the δ15N values of nitrate in the larger tributary rivers (Merced, Tuolumne and Stanislaus) were much lower than those of the main stem SJR from April to May; however, after June the tributary values began to rise toward the values in the main stem river. Some of the highest δ15N-NO3

Transport of sediment-bound organochlorine pesticides to the San Joaquin River, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kratzer, C.R.

1999-01-01

Suspended sediment samples were collected in westside tributaries and the main stem of the San Joaquin River, California, in June 1994 during the irrigation season and in January 1995 during a winter storm. These samples were analyzed for 15 organochlorine pesticides to determine their occurrence and their concentrations on suspended sediment and to compare transport during the irrigation season (April to September) to transport during winter storm runoff (October to March). Ten organochlorine pesticides were detected during the winter storm runoff; seven during the irrigation season. The most frequently detected organochlorine pesticides during both sampling periods were p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, dieldrin, toxaphene, and chlordane. Dissolved samples were analyzed for three organochlorine pesticides during the irrigation season and for 15 during the winter storm. Most calculated total concentrations of p,p'-DDT, chlordane, dieldrin, and toxaphene exceeded chronic criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic life. At eight sites in common between sampling periods, suspended sediment concentrations and streamflow were greater during the winter storm runoff median concentration of 3,590 mg/L versus 489 mg/and median streamflow of 162 ft3/s versus 11 ft3/s. Median concentrations of total DDT (sum of p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDT), chlordane, dieldrin, and toxaphene on suspended sediment were slightly greater during the irrigation season, but instantaneous loads of organochlorine pesticides at the time of sampling were substantially greater during the winter storm. Estimated loads for the entire irrigation season exceeded estimated loads for the January 1995 storm by about 2 to 4 times for suspended transport and about 3 to 11 times for total transport. However, because the mean annual winter runoff is about 2 to 4 times greater than the runoff during the January 1995 storm, mean winter transport may be similar to irrigation season transport. This conclusion

78 FR 39597 - Safety Zone; Hilton Fourth of July Fireworks, San Joaquin River, Venice Island, CA

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-02

... Zone; Hilton Fourth of July Fireworks, San Joaquin River, Venice Island, CA AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS... the Hilton Fourth of July Fireworks in the Captain of the Port, San Francisco area of responsibility...'' W (NAD83) for the Hilton Fourth of July Fireworks in 33 CFR 165.1191, Table 1, Item number 17. This...

Modeling pesticide loadings from the San Joaquin watershed into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta using SWAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Zhang, M.

2016-12-01

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is an ecologically rich, hydrologically complex area that serves as the hub of California's water supply. However, pesticides have been routinely detected in the Delta waterways, with concentrations exceeding the benchmark for the protection of aquatic life. Pesticide loadings into the Delta are partially attributed to the San Joaquin watershed, a highly productive agricultural watershed located upstream. Therefore, this study aims to simulate pesticide loadings to the Delta by applying the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to the San Joaquin watershed, under the support of the USDA-ARS Delta Area-Wide Pest Management Program. Pesticide use patterns in the San Joaquin watershed were characterized by combining the California Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) database and GIS analysis. Sensitivity/uncertainty analyses and multi-site calibration were performed in the simulation of stream flow, sediment, and pesticide loads along the San Joaquin River. Model performance was evaluated using a combination of graphic and quantitative measures. Preliminary results indicated that stream flow was satisfactorily simulated along the San Joaquin River and the major eastern tributaries, whereas stream flow was less accurately simulated in the western tributaries, which are ephemeral small streams that peak during winter storm events and are mainly fed by irrigation return flow during the growing season. The most sensitive parameters to stream flow were CN2, SOL_AWC, HRU_SLP, SLSUBBSN, SLSOIL, GWQMN and GW_REVAP. Regionalization of parameters is important as the sensitivity of parameters vary significantly spatially. In terms of evaluation metric, NSE tended to overrate model performance when compared to PBIAS. Anticipated results will include (1) pesticide use pattern analysis, (2) calibration and validation of stream flow, sediment, and pesticide loads, and (3) characterization of spatial patterns and temporal trends of pesticide yield.

75 FR 71145 - San Joaquin River Restoration Program: Reach 4B, Eastside Bypass, and Mariposa Bypass Channel and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-22

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation San Joaquin River Restoration Program: Reach 4B...: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Revised notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact...., the NRDC, Friant Water Users Authority, and the Departments of the Interior and Commerce (Settling...

Measured flow and tracer-dye data for spring 1996 and 1997 for the south Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oltmann, Richard N.

1999-01-01

During the spring of years when the flow of the San Joaquin River is less than 7,000 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) a temporary rock barrier is installed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) at the head of Old River (HOR) in the south Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to prevent out migrating salmon in the San Joaquin River from entering Old River and being drawn to the State and federal pumping facilities (Figure 1). The export rate of the pumping facilities also is reduced during these migration periods to minimize the draw of fish to the export facilities through the other channels connected to the San Joaquin River north of the HOR such as Turner Cut, Columbia Cut, and Middle River.

Conceptual model of sedimentation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoellhamer, David H.; Wright, Scott A.; Drexler, Judith Z.

2012-01-01

Sedimentation in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta builds the Delta landscape, creates benthic and pelagic habitat, and transports sediment-associated contaminants. Here we present a conceptual model of sedimentation that includes submodels for river supply from the watershed to the Delta, regional transport within the Delta and seaward exchange, and local sedimentation in open water and marsh habitats. The model demonstrates feedback loops that affect the Delta ecosystem. Submerged and emergent marsh vegetation act as ecosystem engineers that can create a positive feedback loop by decreasing suspended sediment, increasing water column light, which in turn enables more vegetation. Sea-level rise in open water is partially countered by a negative feedback loop that increases deposition if there is a net decrease in hydrodynamic energy. Manipulation of regional sediment transport is probably the most feasible method to control suspended sediment and thus turbidity. The conceptual model is used to identify information gaps that need to be filled to develop an accurate sediment transport model.

Spatial and temporal variation of biological control agents associated with Eichhornia crassipes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Invasive aquatic weeds, such as water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), severely limit the ecosystem services provided by the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. As part of the biological control program in the Delta, two weevils, Neochetina bruchi and N. eichhorniae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and a...

Modeling Investigation of Spring Chinook Salmon Habitat in San Joaquin River Restoration Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, L.; Ramires, J.

2013-12-01

As the second longest river in California, the San Joaquin River (SJR) is a vital natural resource to numerous residents and industries and provides an array of activities within Central Valley, home to some of California's most productive agricultural areas. Originating in the high Sierra Nevada, mainly from snowmelt and runoff, and passing through the middle sections including Fresno and Madera counties, eventually the SJR conjoins with the Sacramento River, constructing the largest river delta on the west coast of North America. Along with human necessities, the river used to be crucial for the propagation and survivability of Chinook salmon and other aquatic and wildlife. However, the SJR has experienced hydraulic disconnection throughout certain reaches due to extensive water diversion. Indigenous salmon populations have been degraded over the years due to insufficient flows and anthropogenic activities. In 2006, to maintain salmon and other fish populations to a point of self-sustainment, the San Joaquin River Restoration Project (SJRRP) was established to restore flows along the SJR from Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River by routing the original SJR in different pathways. One of the major tasks of the SJRRP, so called 'Reach 4B Project', was to modify and improve channel capacity of reach 4B, east side bypass and Mariposa bypass of the SJR. Multiple scenarios for the alteration and modification of the SJR water pathway were designed to ensure fish passage by retrofitting existing channels and to provide adequate flow throughout the study area. The goal of the SJRRP project 4B was to provide an efficient passage for adult Chinook salmon to spawning beds further upstream and a safe route for yearling to the delta. The objective of this research project is to characterize the stream properties (current velocities, depth, etc.) of each proposed alternative in Project 4B2 under the same upstream conditions using a modeling method. A depth

Initial Development of Riparian and Marsh Vegetation on Dredged-material Islands in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California

Treesearch

A. Sidney England; Mark K. Sogge; Roy A. Woodward

1989-01-01

Natural vegetation establishment and development were monitored for 3 1/2 years on a new, dredged-material island located within the breached levees at Donlon Island in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Vegetation measurements and maps prepared annually indicate that marsh and riparian vegetation types have developed rapidly. Topographic data for the island has...

Bottom-up, decision support system development : a wetlandsalinity management application in California's San Joaquin Valley

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

Quinn, Nigel W.T.

Seasonally managed wetlands in the Grasslands Basin ofCalifornia's San Joaquin Valley provide food and shelter for migratorywildfowl during winter months and sport for waterfowl hunters during theannual duck season. Surface water supply to these wetland contain saltwhich, when drained to the San Joaquin River during the annual drawdownperiod, negatively impacts downstream agricultural riparian waterdiverters. Recent environmental regulation, limiting discharges salinityto the San Joaquin River and primarily targeting agricultural non-pointsources, now addresses return flows from seasonally managed wetlands.Real-time water quality management has been advocated as a means ofmatching wetland return flows to the assimilative capacity of the SanJoaquin River. Past attemptsmore » to build environmental monitoring anddecision support systems to implement this concept have failed forreasons that are discussed in this paper. These reasons are discussed inthe context of more general challenges facing the successfulimplementation of environmental monitoring, modelling and decisionsupport systems. The paper then provides details of a current researchand development project which will ultimately provide wetland managerswith the means of matching salt exports with the available assimilativecapacity of the San Joaquin River, when fully implemented. Manipulationof the traditional wetland drawdown comes at a potential cost to thesustainability of optimal wetland moist soil plant habitat in thesewetlands - hence the project provides appropriate data and a feedback andresponse mechanism for wetland managers to balance improvements to SanJoaquin River quality with internally-generated information on the healthof the wetland resource. The author concludes the paper by arguing thatthe architecture of the current project decision support system, whencoupled with recent advances in environmental data acquisition, dataprocessing and information dissemination technology, holds

Spatial variability in groundwater N2 and N2O in the San Joaquin River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinshaw, S.; Dahlgren, R. A.

2010-12-01

The San Joaquin River is surrounded by nearly 2 million acres of irrigated agricultural land. Groundwater inputs from agricultural areas can have severe negative effects on water quality with high nitrate concentrations being a major concern. Riparian zones are important ecological habitats that mitigate nitrogen loading from groundwater discharging into rivers primarily by denitrification. Denitrification is a permanent removal of nitrate by anaerobic microbial communities via the reduction to NO, N2O and N2. However, previous studies have shown that these areas can be source of N2O emissions. Although removal of nitrate through denitrification is advantageous from a water quality perspective, N2O is a harmful greenhouse gas. This study aimed to investigate nitrogen dynamics and dissolved N gases in surface and groundwater of the riparian zones of the San Joaquin River. Excess N2 and N2O concentrations were measured in surface and groundwater at 4 locations along a 33 km reach of the river. Samples were collected within bank sediments and 5 transect points across the river at depth intervals between 2-3 cm and 150 cm. Dissolved N2 and Ar were measured by membrane inlet mass spectrometry and used to estimate excess dissolved N2 concentrations. Dissolved N2O concentrations were measured using the headspace equilibrium technique and analyzed with a gas chromatograph. Both N2 uptake and excess N2 were present, ranging from -3.40 to 8.65 N2 mg/L with a median concentration of 1.20 N2 mg/L. Significantly lower concentrations of N2O were present ranging from 0.0 to 0.12 N2O mg/L. Deeper groundwater sites had significantly higher N2 and N2O concentrations coinciding with decreased O2. The presence of excess N2 and low N2O concentrations documents the importance of denitrification in removing nitrate from groundwater. Further investigation will examine N2O emissions from riparian soils and benthic sediments using static chambers and focus on nitrogen pathways that

Determination of traveltimes in the lower San Joaquin River basin, California, from dye-tracer studies during 1994-1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kratzer, Charles R.; Biagtan, Rhoda N.

1997-01-01

Dye-tracer studies were done in the lower San Joaquin River Basin in February 1994, June 1994, and February 1995. Dye releases were made in the Merced River (February 1994), Salt Slough (June 1994), Tuolumne River (February 1995), and Dry Creek (February 1995). The traveltimes determined in the studies aided the interpretation of pesticide data collected during storm sampling and guided sample collection during a Lagrangian pesticide study. All three studies used rhodamine WT 20-percent dye solution, which was released as a slug in midstream. The mean traveltime determined in the dye studies were compared to estimates based on regression equations of mean stream velocity as a function of streamflow. Dye recovery, the ratio of the calculated dye load at downstream sites to the initial amount of dye released, was determined for the 1994 studies and a dye-dosage formula was evaluated for all studies. In the February 1994 study, mean traveltime from the Merced River at River Road to the San Joaquin River near Vernalis (46.8 river miles) was 38.5 hours, and to the Delta-Mendota Canal at Tracy pumps (84.3 river miles) was 90.4 hours. In the June 1994 study, mean traveltime from Salt Slough at Highway 165 to Vernalis (64.0 river miles) was 80.1 hours. In the February 1995 study, the mean traveltime from the Tuolumne River at Roberts Ferry to Vernalis (51.5 river miles) was 35.8 hours. For the 1994 studies, the regression equations provided suitable estimates of travel-time, with ratios of estimated traveltime to mean dye traveltime of 0.94 to 1.08. However, for the 1995 dye studies, the equations considerably underestimated traveltime, with ratios of 0.49 to 0.73.In the February 1994 study, 70 percent of the dye released was recovered at Vernalis and 35percent was recovered at the Delta-Mendota Canal at Tracy pumps. In the June 1994 study, recovery was 61 percent at Patterson, 43 percent just upstream of the Tuolumne River confluence, and 37 percent at Vernalis. The dye

Organic Carbon Trends, Loads, and Yields to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, Water Years 1980 to 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saleh, Dina K.; Domagalski, Joseph L.; Kratzer, Charles R.; Knifong, Donna L.

2003-01-01

Organic carbon, nutrient, and suspended sediment concentration data were analyzed for the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins for the period 1980-2000. The data were retrieved from three sources: the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Information System, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Storage and Retrieval System, and the California Interagency Ecological Program's relational database. Twenty sites were selected, all of which had complete records of daily streamflow data. These data met the minimal requirements of the statistical programs used to estimate trends, loads, and yields. The seasonal Kendall program was used to estimate trends in organic carbon, nutrient, and suspended sediment. At all 20 sites, analyses showed that in the 145 analyses for the seven constituents, 95 percent of the analyses had no significant trend. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations were significant only for four sites: the American River at Sacramento, the Sacramento River sites near Freeport, Orestimba Creek at River Roads near Crows Landing, and the San Joaquin River near Vernalis. Loads were calculated using two programs, ESTIMATOR and LOADEST2. The 1998 water year was selected to describe loads in the Sacramento River Basin. Organic carbon, nutrient, and suspended sediment loads at the Sacramento River sites near Freeport included transported loads from two main upstream sites: the Sacramento River at Verona and the American River at Sacramento. Loads in the Sacramento River Basin were affected by the amount of water diverted to the Yolo Bypass (the amount varies annually, depending on the precipitation and streamflow). Loads at the Sacramento River sites near Freeport were analyzed for two hydrologic seasons: the irrigation season (April to September) and the nonirrigation season (October to March). DOC loads are lower during the irrigation season then they are during the nonirrigation season. During the irrigation season, water with low

Dissolved pesticide concentrations detected in storm-water runoff at selected sites in the San Joaquin River basin, California, 2000-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orlando, James L.; Kuivila, Kathryn; Whitehead, Andrew

2003-01-01

As part of a collaborative study involving the United States Geological Survey Toxics Substances Hydrology Project (Toxics Project) and the University of California, Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML), water samples were collected at three sites within the San Joaquin River Basin of California and analyzed for dissolved pesticides. Samples were collected during, and immediately after, the first significant rainfall (greater than 0.5 inch per day) following the local application of dormant spray, organophosphate insecticides during the winters of 2000 and 2001. All samples were collected in conjunction with fish-caging experiments conducted by BML researchers. Sites included two locations potentially affected by runoff of agricultural chemicals (San Joaquin River near Vernalis, California, and Orestimba Creek at River Road near Crows Landing, California, and one control site located upstream of pesticide input (Orestimba Creek at Orestimba Creek Road near Newman, California). During these experiments, fish were placed in cages and exposed to storm runoff for up to ten days. Following exposure, the fish were examined for acetylcholinesterase concentrations and overall genetic damage. Water samples were collected throughout the rising limb of the stream hydrograph at each site for later pesticide analysis. Concentrations of selected pesticides were measured in filtered water samples using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) at the U.S. Geological Survey organic chemistry laboratory in Sacramento, California. Results of these analyses are presented.

Diazinon and chlorpyrifos loads in precipitation and urban and agricultural storm runoff during January and February 2001 in the San Joaquin River basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zamora, Celia; Kratzer, Charles R.; Majewski, Michael S.; Knifong, Donna L.

2003-01-01

The application of diazinon and chlorpyrifos on dormant orchards in 2001 in the San Joaquin River Basin was 24 percent less and 3.2 times more than applications in 2000, respectively. A total of 16 sites were sampled during January and February 2001 storm events: 7 river sites, 8 precipitation sites, and 1 urban storm drain. The seven river sites were sampled weekly during nonstorm periods and more frequently during storm runoff from a total of four storms. The monitoring of storm runoff at a city storm drain in Modesto, California, occurred simultaneously with the collection of precipitation samples from eight sites during a January 2001 storm event. The highest concentrations of diazinon occurred during the storm periods for all 16 sites, and the highest concentrations of chlorpyrifos occurred during weekly nonstorm sampling for the river sites and during the January storm period for the urban storm drain and precipitation sites. A total of 60 samples (41 from river sites, 10 from precipitation sites, and 9 from the storm drain site) had diazinon concentrations greater than 0.08 ?g/L, the concentration being considered by the California Department of Fish and Game as its criterion maximum concentration for the protection of aquatic habitats. A total of 18 samples (2 from river sites, 9 from precipitation sites, and 7 from the storm drain site) exceeded the equivalent California Department of Fish and Game guideline of 0.02 ?g/L for chlorpyrifos. The total diazinon load in the San Joaquin River near Vernalis during January and February 2001 was 23.8 pounds active ingredient; of this amount, 16.9 pounds active ingredient were transported by four storms, 1.06 pounds active ingredient were transported by nonstorm events, and 5.82 pounds active ingredient were considered to be baseline loads. The total chlorpyrifos load in the San Joaquin River near Vernalis during January and February 2001 was 2.17 pounds active ingredient; of this amount, 0.702 pound active

Electrical resistivity investigation of fluvial geomorphology to evaluate potential seepage conduits to agricultural lands along the San Joaquin River, Merced County, California, 2012–13

USGS Publications Warehouse

Groover, Krishangi D.; Burgess, Matthew K.; Howle, James F.; Phillips, Steven P.

2017-02-08

Increased flows in the San Joaquin River, part of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, are designed to help restore fish populations. However, increased seepage losses could result from these higher restoration flows, which could exacerbate existing drainage problems in neighboring agricultural lands and potentially damage crops. Channel deposits of abandoned river meanders that are hydraulically connected to the river could act as seepage conduits, allowing rapid and widespread water-table rise during restoration flows. There is a need to identify the geometry and properties of these channel deposits to assess their role in potential increased seepage effects and to evaluate management alternatives for reducing seepage. Electrical and electromagnetic surface geophysical methods have provided a reliable proxy for lithology in studies of fluvial and hyporheic systems where a sufficient electrical contrast exists between deposits of differing grain size. In this study, direct-current (DC) resistivity was used to measure subsurface resistivity to identify channel deposits and to map their subsurface geometry. The efficacy of this method was assessed by using DC resistivity surveys collected along a reach of the San Joaquin River in Merced County, California, during the summers of 2012 and 2013, in conjunction with borings and associated measurements from a hydraulic profiling tool. Modeled DC resistivity data corresponded with data from cores, hand-auger samples, a hydraulic profiling tool, and aerial photographs, confirming that DC resistivity is effective for differentiating between silt and sand deposits in this setting. Modeled DC resistivity data provided detailed two-dimensional cross-sectional resistivity profiles to a depth of about 20 meters. The distribution of high-resistivity units in these profiles was used as a proxy for identifying areas of high hydraulic conductivity. These data were used subsequently to guide the location and depth of wells

Pyrethroid insecticide concentrations and toxicity in streambed sediments and loads in surface waters of the San Joaquin Valley, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Weston, Donald P.; Zhang, Minghua; Hladik, Michelle L.

2010-01-01

Pyrethroid insecticide use in California, USA, is growing, and there is a need to understand the fate of these compounds in the environment. Concentrations and toxicity were assessed in streambed sediment of the San Joaquin Valley of California, one of the most productive agricultural regions of the United States. Concentrations were also measured in the suspended sediment associated with irrigation or storm‐water runoff, and mass loads during storms were calculated. Western valley streambed sediments were frequently toxic to the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, with most of the toxicity attributable to bifenthrin and cyhalothrin. Up to 100% mortality was observed in some locations with concentrations of some pyrethroids up to 20 ng/g. The western San Joaquin Valley streams are mostly small watersheds with clay soils, and sediment‐laden irrigation runoff transports pyrethroid insecticides throughout the growing season. In contrast, eastern tributaries and the San Joaquin River had low bed sediment concentrations (<1 ng/g) and little or no toxicity because of the preponderance of sandy soils and sediments. Bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, and permethrin were the most frequently detected pyrethroids in irrigation and storm water runoff. Esfenvalerate, fenpropathrin, and resmethrin were also detected. All sampled streams contributed to the insecticide load of the San Joaquin River during storms, but some compounds detected in the smaller creeks were not detected in the San Joaquin River. The two smallest streams, Ingram and Hospital Creeks, which had high sediment toxicity during the irrigation season, accounted for less than 5% of the total discharge of the San Joaquin River during storm conditions, and as a result their contribution to the pyrethroid mass load of the larger river was minimal. 

Evaluating a Radar-Based, Non Contact Streamflow Measurement System in the San Joaquin River at Vernalis, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cheng, Ralph T.; Gartner, Jeffrey W.; Mason, Jr., Robert R.; Costa, John E.; Plant, William J.; Spicer, Kurt R.; Haeni, F. Peter; Melcher, Nick B.; Keller, William C.; Hayes, Ken

2004-01-01

Accurate measurement of flow in the San Joaquin River at Vernalis, California, is vital to a wide range of Federal and State agencies, environmental interests, and water contractors. The U.S. Geological Survey uses a conventional stage-discharge rating technique to determine flows at Vernalis. Since the flood of January 1997, the channel has scoured and filled as much as 20 feet in some sections near the measurement site resulting in an unstable stage-discharge rating. In response to recent advances in measurement techniques and the need for more accurate measurement methods, the Geological Survey has undertaken a technology demonstration project to develop and deploy a radar-based streamflow measuring system on the bank of the San Joaquin River at Vernalis, California. The proposed flow-measurement system consists of a ground-penetrating radar system for mapping channel geometries, a microwave radar system for measuring surface velocities, and other necessary infrastructure. Cross-section information derived from ground penetrating radar provided depths similar to those measured by other instruments during the study. Likewise, surface-velocity patterns and magnitudes measured by the pulsed Doppler radar system are consistent with near surface current measurements derived from acoustic velocity instruments. Since the ratio of surface velocity to mean velocity falls to within a small range of theoretical value, using surface velocity as an index velocity to compute river discharge is feasable. Ultimately, the non-contact radar system may be used to make continuous, near-real-time flow measurements during high and medium flows. This report documents the data collected between April 14, 2002 and May 17, 2002 for the purposes of testing this radar based system. Further analyses of the data collected during this field effort will lead to further development and improvement of the system.

The nature of organic carbon in density-fractionated sediments in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (California)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakeham, S. G.; Canuel, E. A.

2015-10-01

Rivers are the primary means by which sediments and carbon are transported from the terrestrial biosphere to the oceans but gaps remain in our understanding of carbon associations from source to sink. Bed sediments from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (CA) were fractionated according to density and analyzed for sediment mass distribution, elemental (C and N) composition, mineral surface area, and stable carbon and radiocarbon isotope compositions of organic carbon (OC) and fatty acids to evaluate the nature of organic carbon in river sediments. OC was unevenly distributed among density fractions. Mass and TOC were in general concentrated in mesodensity (1.6-2.0 and 2.0-2.5 g cm-3) fractions, comprising 84.0 ± 1.3 % of total sediment mass and 80.8 ± 13.3 % of total OC (TOC). Low density (< 1.6 g cm-3) material, although rich in OC (34.0 ± 2.0 % OC) due to woody debris, constituted only 17.3 ± 12.8 % of TOC. High density (> 2.5 g cm-3) organic-poor, mineral material made-up 13.7 ± 1.4 % of sediment mass and 2.0 ± 0.9 % of TOC. Stable carbon isotope compositions of sedimentary OC were relatively uniform across bulk and density fractions (δ13C -27.4 ± 0.5 ‰). Radiocarbon content varied from Δ14C values of -382 (radiocarbon age 3800 yr BP) to +94 ‰ (modern) indicating a~mix of young and pre-aged OC. Fatty acids were used to further constrain the origins of sedimentary OC. Short-chain n-C14-n-C18 fatty acids of algal origin were depleted in δ13C (δ13C -37.5 to -35.2 ‰) but were enriched in 14C (Δ14C > 0) compared to long-chain n-C24-n-C28 acids of vascular plant origins with higher δ13C (-33.0 to -31.0 ‰) but variable Δ14C values (-180 and 61 ‰). These data demonstrate the potentially complex source and age distributions found within river sediments and provide insights about sediment and organic matter supply to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Assessing the sources and magnitude of diurnal nitrate variability in the San Joaquin River (California) with an in situ optical nitrate sensor and dual nitrate isotopes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pellerin, Brian A.; Downing, Bryan D.; Kendall, Carol; Dahlgren, Randy A.; Kraus, Tamara E.C.; Saraceno, John Franco; Spencer, Robert G. M.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.

2009-01-01

1. We investigated diurnal nitrate (NO3−) concentration variability in the San Joaquin River using an in situ optical NO3− sensor and discrete sampling during a 5‐day summer period characterized by high algal productivity. Dual NO3− isotopes (δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3) and dissolved oxygen isotopes (δ18ODO) were measured over 2 days to assess NO3− sources and biogeochemical controls over diurnal time‐scales.2. Concerted temporal patterns of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations and δ18ODOwere consistent with photosynthesis, respiration and atmospheric O2 exchange, providing evidence of diurnal biological processes independent of river discharge.3. Surface water NO3− concentrations varied by up to 22% over a single diurnal cycle and up to 31% over the 5‐day study, but did not reveal concerted diurnal patterns at a frequency comparable to DO concentrations. The decoupling of δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3isotopes suggests that algal assimilation and denitrification are not major processes controlling diurnal NO3− variability in the San Joaquin River during the study. The lack of a clear explanation for NO3− variability likely reflects a combination of riverine biological processes and time‐varying physical transport of NO3− from upstream agricultural drains to the mainstem San Joaquin River.4. The application of an in situ optical NO3− sensor along with discrete samples provides a view into the fine temporal structure of hydrochemical data and may allow for greater accuracy in pollution assessment.

Measured flow and tracer-dye data showing the anthropogenic effects on the hydrodynamics of south Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, spring 1996 and 1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oltmann, Richard N.

1998-01-01

Tidal flows were measured using acoustic Doppler current profilers and ultrasonic velocity meters during spring 1996 and 1997 in south Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, when (1) a temporary barrier was installed at the head of Old River to prevent the entrance of migrating San Joaquin River salmon smolts, (2) the rate of water export from the south Delta was reduced for an extended period of time, and (3) a 30-day pulse flow was created on the San Joaquin River to move salmon smolts north away from the export facilities during spring 1997. Tracer-dye measurements also were made under these three conditions.

Isotopic Responses to Processes Related to Oxygen Cycling During Diel Studies in the San Joaquin River, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, S. R.; Young, M. B.; Kendall, C.; Dahlgren, R. A.; Stringfellow, W. T.

2008-12-01

Episodic conditions of low dissolved oxygen (DO) occurring in the San Joaquin River deep water shipping channel (DWSC) at Stockton, California inhibit salmon migration during late summer and early fall. As part of a CALFED study to determine the sources of organic matter and nutrients related to the low DO problem, four diel studies were undertaken: two at the DWSC in 2006 and 2007 and two about 40 miles upstream at Crows Landing in 2005 and 2007. The purpose of the diel studies was to gain a better understanding of the transient processes controlling oxygen concentrations and to compare the range of diel variations of various isotopic measurements with those collected on a less frequent basis. The DWSC is dredged to about 40 feet deep and is tidally influenced. The river at Crows Landing is about 5 feet deep and well above tidal influence. Crows Landing was therefore used for comparison with the DWSC as a hydrologically less complicated portion of the river that has not been dredged. Samples were collected at two hour intervals from a one meter depth at Crows Landing. Values of d18O-DO, DO concentrations and pH showed a strong diel response linked to photosynthesis and the effects of bacterial respiration. The d13C of POM (composed mostly of algae) increased at night as expected while the C:N ratio of POM unexpectedly decreases, possibly due to an increased presence of zooplankton at night. Opposing trends of d15N and d18O of nitrate unrelated to a diurnal cycle suggest that source mixing was largely responsible for nitrate composition and concentration through much of the study. Samples were collected at two hour intervals from 1, 5, and 8 meter depths at Rough and Ready Island in the DWSC. Isotope and concentration data showed a distinct diurnal photosynthetic response at the 1 meter depth only. The 2007 DIC and POM isotopic data suggested that nitrification was significantly responsible for oxygen consumption through the duration of the study. The particularly

Trends in nutrient concentrations, loads, and yields in streams in the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Santa Ana Basins, California, 1975-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kratzer, Charles R.; Kent, Robert; Seleh, Dina K.; Knifong, Donna L.; Dileanis, Peter D.; Orlando, James L.

2011-01-01

A comprehensive database was assembled for the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Santa Ana Basins in California on nutrient concentrations, flows, and point and nonpoint sources of nutrients for 1975-2004. Most of the data on nutrient concentrations (nitrate, ammonia, total nitrogen, orthophosphate, and total phosphorus) were from the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Information System database (35.2 percent), the California Department of Water Resources (21.9 percent), the University of California at Davis (21.6 percent), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's STOrage and RETrieval database (20.0 percent). Point-source discharges accounted for less than 1 percent of river flows in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, but accounted for close to 80 percent of the nonstorm flow in the Santa Ana River. Point sources accounted for 4 and 7 percent of the total nitrogen and total phosphorus loads, respectively, in the Sacramento River at Freeport for 1985-2004. Point sources accounted for 8 and 17 percent of the total nitrogen and total phosphorus loads, respectively, in the San Joaquin River near Vernalis for 1985-2004. The volume of wastewater discharged into the Santa Ana River increased almost three-fold over the study period. However, due to improvements in wastewater treatment, the total nitrogen load to the Santa Ana River from point sources in 2004 was approximately the same as in 1975 and the total phosphorus load in 2004 was less than in 1975. Nonpoint sources of nutrients estimated in this study included atmospheric deposition, fertilizer application, manure production, and tile drainage. The estimated dry deposition of nitrogen exceeded wet deposition in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys and in the basin area of the Santa Ana Basin, with ratios of dry to wet deposition of 1.7, 2.8, and 9.8, respectively. Fertilizer application increased appreciably from 1987 to 2004 in all three California basins, although manure production increased in the

Documentation of a groundwater flow model (SJRRPGW) for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program study area, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Traum, Jonathan A.; Phillips, Steven P.; Bennett, George L.; Zamora, Celia; Metzger, Loren F.

2014-01-01

To better understand the potential effects of restoration flows on existing drainage problems, anticipated as a result of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), developed a groundwater flow model (SJRRPGW) of the SJRRP study area that is within 5 miles of the San Joaquin River and adjacent bypass system from Friant Dam to the Merced River. The primary goal of the SJRRP is to reestablish the natural ecology of the river to a degree that restores salmon and other fish populations. Increased flows in the river, particularly during the spring salmon run, are a key component of the restoration effort. A potential consequence of these increased river flows is the exacerbation of existing irrigation drainage problems along a section of the river between Mendota and the confluence with the Merced River. Historically, this reach typically was underlain by a water table within 10 feet of the land surface, thus requiring careful irrigation management and (or) artificial drainage to maintain crop health. The SJRRPGW is designed to meet the short-term needs of the SJRRP; future versions of the model may incorporate potential enhancements, several of which are identified in this report. The SJRRPGW was constructed using the USGS groundwater flow model MODFLOW and was built on the framework of the USGS Central Valley Hydrologic Model (CVHM) within which the SJRRPGW model domain is embedded. The Farm Process (FMP2) was used to simulate the supply and demand components of irrigated agriculture. The Streamflow-Routing Package (SFR2) was used to simulate the streams and bypasses and their interaction with the aquifer system. The 1,300-square mile study area was subdivided into 0.25-mile by 0.25-mile cells. The sediment texture of the aquifer system, which was used to distribute hydraulic properties by model cell, was refined from that used in the CVHM to better represent

Ground water in the San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kunkel, Fred; Hofman, Walter

1966-01-01

Ladies and gentlemen, it is a pleasure to be invited to attend this Irrigation Institute conference and to describe the Geological Survey's program of ground-water studies in the San Joaquin Valley. The U.S. Geological Survey has been making water-resources studies in cooperation with the State of California and other agencies in California for more than 70 years. Three of the earliest Geological Survey Water-Supply Papers--numbers 17, 18, and 19--published in 1898 and 1899, describe "Irrigation near Bakersfield," "Irrigation near Fresno," and "Irrigation near Merced." However, the first Survey report on ground-water occurrence in the San Joaquin Valley was "Ground Water in the San Joaquin Valley," by Mendenhall and others. The fieldwork was done from 1905 to 1910, and the report was published in 1916 as U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 398.The current series of ground-water studies in the San Joaquin Valley was begun in 1952 as part of the California Department of Water Resources-U.S. Geological Survey cooperative water-resources program. The first report of this series is Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1469, "Ground-Water Conditions and Storage Capacity in the San Joaquin Valley." Other reports are Water-Supply Paper 1618, "Use of Ground-Water Reservoirs for Storage of Surface Water in the San Joaquin Valley;" Water-Supply Paper 1656, "Geology and Ground-Water Features of the Edison-Maricopa Area;" Water-Supply Paper 1360-G, "Ground- Water Conditions in the Mendota-Huron Area;" Water-Supply Paper 1457, "Ground-Water Conditions in the Avenal-McKittrick Area;" and an open-file report, "Geology, Hydrology, and Quality of Water in the Terra Bella-Lost Hills Area."In addition to the preceding published reports, ground-water studies currently are being made of the Kern Fan area, the Hanford- Visalia area, the Fresno area, the Merced area, and of the clays of Tulare Lake. Also, detailed studies of both shallow and deep subsidence in the southern part of

Effect of tides, river flow, and gate operations on entrainment of juvenile salmon into the interior Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perry, Russell W.; Brandes, Patricia L.; Burau, Jon R.; Sandstrom, Philip T.; Skalski, John R.

2015-01-01

Juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha emigrating from natal tributaries of the Sacramento River, California, must negotiate the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (hereafter, the Delta), a complex network of natural and man-made channels linking the Sacramento River with San Francisco Bay. Fish that enter the interior and southern Delta—the region to the south of the Sacramento River where water pumping stations are located—survive at a lower rate than fish that use alternative migration routes. Consequently, total survival decreases as the fraction of the population entering the interior Delta increases, thus spurring management actions to reduce the proportion of fish that are entrained into the interior Delta. To better inform management actions, we modeled entrainment probability as a function of hydrodynamic variables. We fitted alternative entrainment models to telemetry data that identified when tagged fish in the Sacramento River entered two river channels leading to the interior Delta (Georgiana Slough and the gated Delta Cross Channel). We found that the probability of entrainment into the interior Delta through both channels depended strongly on the river flow and tidal stage at the time of fish arrival at the river junction. Fish that arrived during ebb tides had a low entrainment probability, whereas fish that arrived during flood tides (i.e., when the river's flow was reversed) had a high probability of entering the interior Delta. We coupled our entrainment model with a flow simulation model to evaluate the effect of nighttime closures of the Delta Cross Channel gates on the daily probability of fish entrainment into the interior Delta. Relative to 24-h gate closures, nighttime closures increased daily entrainment probability by 3 percentage points on average if fish arrived at the river junction uniformly throughout the day and by only 1.3 percentage points if 85% of fish arrived at night. We illustrate how our model can be used to

Innovation in monitoring: The U.S. Geological Survey Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, California, flow-station network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burau, Jon; Ruhl, Cathy; Work, Paul A.

2016-01-29

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) installed the first gage to measure the flow of water into California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta from the Sacramento River in the late 1800s. Today, a network of 35 hydro-acoustic meters measure flow throughout the delta. This region is a critical part of California’s freshwater supply and conveyance system. With the data provided by this flow-station network—sampled every 15 minutes and updated to the web every hour—state and federal water managers make daily decisions about how much freshwater can be pumped for human use, at which locations, and when. Fish and wildlife scientists, working with water managers, also use this information to protect fish species affected by pumping and loss of habitat. The data are also used to help determine the success or failure of efforts to restore ecosystem processes in what has been called the “most managed and highly altered” watershed in the country.

SAN JOAQUIN ROADLESS AREA, CALIFORNIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKee, Edwin H.; Capstick, Donald O.

1984-01-01

The San Joaquin Roadless Area is composed of three noncontiguous areas on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in Madera County, California. The results of geologic, geochemical, and mining-activity and production surveys in the central part of the area indicate little promise for the occurrence of metallic-mineral or energy resources in the area. Sand, gravel, and pumice exist in the area but occurrences are small and isolated and farther from major markets than similar deposits outside the roadless area. Rocks in the area are exhibited in exposures of unaltered and nonmineralized granitic and metavolcanic rock along the steep western wall of the glacially carved valley of the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River. Drainage in the area consists of seeps along fractures in the cliff or small cascading streams, a hydraulic setting not favorable for the development of placer deposits. No mines or prospect workings were found in the roadless area. Alteration zones within the granitic and metamorphic rock that crop out within the area are small, isolated, and consist only of limonitic staining and bleached quartzose rock.

Reconciliation Ecology, Rewilding and the San Joaquin River Restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraus-Polk, A.

2014-12-01

Recent events, perhaps reaching their climactic convergence in the current drought, have exposed the fragility and imbalances of the socioecological system of the San Joaquin river. We see that our triumphant march of progress onfolds on a thin, and unstable crust. What lies below is lava. Our agricultural systems progress only while extracting an ever-untenable social and ecological debt. Our successive regimes of accumulation by appropriation have brought us to the brink of ecological exhaustion. Have we reached our day of reckoning? This is not the first time this question has been asked of this particular system of irrigated agriculture? "Insurmountable" ecological barriers have been eyed down and promptly obliterated through magnificent features of physical and social engineering. But lets us consider for a moment that we have at last reached some sort of edge, a threshold past which we experience a sudden socioecological regime shift. Staring out over this edge can we begin to come to terms with the fallacies of our stories, our ignorance, our foolishness? We need an acknowledgement of the needs of the agriculture systems, it's connections and dependencies. What desperate measures are we willing to take in order to sustain this system? How much further can we go? How far is too far? Is there another way to produce and distribute food? We then turn to the past. We imagine the ecosystem as it once was. The pelagic fish species that formed the biological connection between this river system, the delta, the Ocean, the Mountains. What would it mean to restore this diversity and repair these relationships? What would it take to cede control to the non-human forces that sustain these connections? How do we reconcile restraint and the cessation of control with the human needs of the system? How do we rewild our river in such a way that our needs are met in a way that is more resilient and equitable? We will need systems of agriculture and flood control that serve

Effect of Land Cover Type and Structure on Water Cycling Dynamics for Agricultural and Wetland Sites in the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eichelmann, E.; Hemes, K. S.; Baldocchi, D. D.

2016-12-01

The Sacramento/San Joaquin river delta is an important source of fresh water for California. To reverse soil subsidence, which is linked to draining the natural wetlands for agriculture, parts of the Sacramento/San Joaquin river delta have been restored to managed wetlands. While these restored wetlands provide greenhouse gas benefits compared to agricultural use of the land, implications for the water balance of these ecosystems, specifically evapotranspiration, are not well known. Based on multiple years of eddy covariance measurements of water, CO2, and sensible energy fluxes we explored the water cycling dynamics for several sites under different land use covers in the Sacramento/San Joaquin river delta. We investigated four sites under agricultural use (rice, corn, and alfalfa crops and cow pasture) and three restored wetland sites of varying ages and structures to examine the influence of land cover type and structure on evapotranspiration, sensible energy flux, and water use efficiency. While the wetland and the rice sites are usually flooded for the majority of the year, the alfalfa, corn, and pasture sites have a water table that is maintained to be below ground level throughout the year. The three wetland sites also have different fractions of open water to vegetation, covering a gradient from very dense vegetation with no open water to a fairly open structure with large pools of open water. These differences in land cover (dry vs flooded and fraction of open water to vegetation) have an effect on the patterns of evapotranspiration on diurnal to annual timescales. Although the flooded sites (wetland sites and rice) tend to have larger annual evapotranspiration than the drained sites (cow pasture, alfalfa, and corn), the fraction of open water to vegetation affects the extend to which the flooded sites' evapotranspiration exceeds that of drained sites. On diurnal timescales, we found that flooded sites with a larger fraction of open water to vegetation

Assessing the contribution of wetlands and subsided islands to dissolved organic matter and disinfection byproduct precursors in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta: A geochemical approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kraus, T.E.C.; Bergamaschi, B.A.; Hernes, P.J.; Spencer, R.G.M.; Stepanauskas, R.; Kendall, C.; Losee, R.F.; Fujii, R.

2008-01-01

This study assesses how rivers, wetlands, island drains and open water habitats within the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta affect dissolved organic matter (DOM) content and composition, and disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation. Eleven sites representative of these habitats were sampled on six dates to encompass seasonal variability. Using a suite of qualitative analyses, including specific DBP formation potential, absorbance, fluorescence, lignin content and composition, C and N stable isotopic compositions, and structural groupings determined using CPMAS (cross polarization, magic angle spinning) 13C NMR, we applied a geochemical fingerprinting approach to characterize the DOM from different Delta habitats, and infer DOM and DBP precursor sources and estimate the relative contribution from different sources. Although river input was the predominant source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), we observed that 13-49% of the DOC exported from the Delta originated from sources within the Delta, depending on season. Interaction with shallow wetlands and subsided islands significantly increased DOC and DBP precursor concentrations and affected DOM composition, while deep open water habitats had little discernable effect. Shallow wetlands contributed the greatest amounts of DOM and DBP precursors in the spring and summer, in contrast to island drains which appeared to be an important source during winter months. The DOM derived from wetlands and island drains had greater haloacetic acid precursor content relative to incoming river water, while two wetlands contributed DOM with greater propensity to form trihalomethanes. These results are pertinent to restoration of the Delta. Large scale introduction of shallow wetlands, a proposed restoration strategy, could alter existing DOC and DBP precursor concentrations, depending on their hydrologic connection to Delta channels. ?? 2008 Elsevier Ltd.

Selenium and other elements in freshwater fishes from the irrigated San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saiki, M.K.; Jennings, M.R.; May, T.W.

1992-01-01

Arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), and selenium (Se) were measured in composite whole-body samples of five fishes — bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), and Sacramento blackfish (Orthodon microlepidotus) — from the San Joaquin River system to determine if concentrations were elevated from exposure to agricultural subsurface (tile) drainage. Except for Cr, the concentrations of these elements in fishes from one or more sites were elevated; however, only Se approached concentrations that may adversely affect survival, growth, or reproduction in warm water fishes. Moreover, only Se among the four measured elements exhibited a geographic (spatial) pattern that coincided with known inflows of tile drainage to the San Joaquin River and its tributaries. Historical data from the Grassland Water District (Grasslands; a region exposed to concentrated tile drainage) suggested that concentrations of Se in fishes were at maximum during or shortly after 1984 and have been slightly lower since then. The recent decline of Se concentrations in fishes from the Grasslands could be temporary if additional acreages of irrigated lands in this portion of the San Joaquin Valley must be tile-drained to protect agricultural crops from rising groundwater tables.

Evaluation of a floating fish guidance structure at a hydrodynamically complex river junction in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Romine, Jason G.; Perry, Russell W.; Pope, Adam C.; Stumpner, Paul; Liedtke, Theresa L.; Kumagai, Kevin K; Reeves, Ryan L

2016-01-01

Survival of out-migrating juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River delta, California, USA, varies by migration route. Survival of salmonids that enter the interior and southern Delta can be as low as half that of salmonids that remain in the main-stem Sacramento River. Reducing entrainment into the higher-mortality routes, such as Georgiana Slough, should increase overall survival. In spring 2014, a floating fish-guidance structure (FFGS) designed to reduce entrainment into Georgiana Slough was deployed just upstream of the Georgiana Slough divergence. We used acoustic telemetry to evaluate the effect of the FFGS on Chinook entrainment to Georgiana Slough. At intermediate discharge (200–400 m3 s–1), entrainment into Georgiana Slough was five percentage points lower when the FFGS was in the on state (19.1% on; 23.9% off). At higher discharge (>400 m3 s–1), entrainment was higher when the FFGS was in the on state (19.3% on; 9.7% off), and at lower discharge (0–200 m3 s–1) entrainment was lower when the FFGS was in the on state (43.7% on; 47.3% off). We found that discharge, cross-stream fish position, time of day, and proportion of flow remaining in the Sacramento River contributed to the probability of being entrained to Georgiana Slough.

Dispersion mechanisms of a tidal river junction in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California

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

Gleichauf, Karla T.; Wolfram, Philip J.; Monsen, Nancy E.

In branching channel networks, such as in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, junction flow dynamics contribute to dispersion of ecologically important entities such as fish, pollutants, nutrients, salt, sediment, and phytoplankton. Flow transport through a junction largely arises from velocity phasing in the form of divergent flow between junction channels for a portion of the tidal cycle. Field observations in the Georgiana Slough junction, which is composed of the North and South Mokelumne rivers, Georgiana Slough, and the Mokelumne River, show that flow phasing differences between these rivers arise from operational, riverine, and tidal forcing. A combination of Acoustic Dopplermore » Current Profile (ADCP) boat transecting and moored ADCPs over a spring–neap tidal cycle (May to June 2012) monitored the variability of spatial and temporal velocity, respectively. Two complementary drifter studies enabled assessment of local transport through the junction to identify small-scale intrajunction dynamics. We supplemented field results with numerical simulations using the SUNTANS model to demonstrate the importance of phasing offsets for junction transport and dispersion. Different phasing of inflows to the junction resulted in scalar patchiness that is characteristic of MacVean and Stacey’s (2011) advective tidal trapping. Furthermore, we observed small-scale junction flow features including a recirculation zone and shear layer, which play an important role in intra-junction mixing over time scales shorter than the tidal cycle (i.e., super-tidal time scales). Thus, the study period spanned open- and closed-gate operations at the Delta Cross Channel. Synthesis of field observations and modeling efforts suggest that management operations related to the Delta Cross Channel can strongly affect transport in the Delta by modifying the relative contributions of tidal and riverine flows, thereby changing the junction flow phasing.« less

Dispersion mechanisms of a tidal river junction in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California

DOE PAGES

Gleichauf, Karla T.; Wolfram, Philip J.; Monsen, Nancy E.; ...

2014-12-17

In branching channel networks, such as in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, junction flow dynamics contribute to dispersion of ecologically important entities such as fish, pollutants, nutrients, salt, sediment, and phytoplankton. Flow transport through a junction largely arises from velocity phasing in the form of divergent flow between junction channels for a portion of the tidal cycle. Field observations in the Georgiana Slough junction, which is composed of the North and South Mokelumne rivers, Georgiana Slough, and the Mokelumne River, show that flow phasing differences between these rivers arise from operational, riverine, and tidal forcing. A combination of Acoustic Dopplermore » Current Profile (ADCP) boat transecting and moored ADCPs over a spring–neap tidal cycle (May to June 2012) monitored the variability of spatial and temporal velocity, respectively. Two complementary drifter studies enabled assessment of local transport through the junction to identify small-scale intrajunction dynamics. We supplemented field results with numerical simulations using the SUNTANS model to demonstrate the importance of phasing offsets for junction transport and dispersion. Different phasing of inflows to the junction resulted in scalar patchiness that is characteristic of MacVean and Stacey’s (2011) advective tidal trapping. Furthermore, we observed small-scale junction flow features including a recirculation zone and shear layer, which play an important role in intra-junction mixing over time scales shorter than the tidal cycle (i.e., super-tidal time scales). Thus, the study period spanned open- and closed-gate operations at the Delta Cross Channel. Synthesis of field observations and modeling efforts suggest that management operations related to the Delta Cross Channel can strongly affect transport in the Delta by modifying the relative contributions of tidal and riverine flows, thereby changing the junction flow phasing.« less

Low-flow characteristics and profiles for the Deep River in the Cape Fear River basin, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weaver, J.C.

1997-01-01

Drainage area and low-flow discharge profiles are presented for the Deep River. The drainage-area profile shows downstream increases in basin size. At the mouth, the drainage area for the Deep River is 1,441 square miles. Low-flow discharge profiles for the Deep River include 7Q10, 30Q2, W7Q10, and 7Q2 discharges in a continuous profile with contributions from major tributaries included.

Benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and their relations with environmental variables in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River drainages, California, 1993-1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Larry R.; May, Jason T.

2000-01-01

Data were collected in the San Joaquin and Sacramento river drainages to evaluate associations between macroinvertebrate assemblages and environmental variables as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Samples were collected at 53 sites from 1993 to 1995 in the San Joaquin River drainage and in 1996 and 1997 in the Sacramento River drainage. Macroinvertebrates were collected from riffles or from large woody debris (snags) when riffles were absent. Macroinvertebrate taxa were aggregated to the family (or higher) level of taxonomic organization, resulting in 81 taxa for analyses. Only the 50 most common taxa were used for two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and canonical correspondence analysis. TWINSPAN analysis defined four groups of riffle samples and four groups of snag samples based on macroinvertebrate assemblages. Analysis of variance identified differences in environmental and biotic characteristics of the groups. These results combined with the results of canonical correspondence analysis indicated that patterns in riffle sample assemblage structure were highly correlated with a gradient in physical and chemical conditions associated with elevation. The results also suggested that flow regulation associated with large storage reservoirs has negative effects on the total number of taxa and density of macroinvertebrates below foothill dams. Analysis of the snag samples showed that, although elevation remained a significant variable, mean dominant substrate size, gradient, specific conductance, water temperature, percentage of the basin in agricultural land use, and percentage of the basin in combined agricultural and urban land uses were more important factors in explaining assemblage structure. Macroinvertebrate assemblages on snags may be useful in family level bioassessments of environmental conditions in valley floor habitats. In the Sierra Nevada and its foothills, the strong influence of elevation

Tracing Causes of Hypoxia in the San Joaquin River Using Isotopic Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kendall, C.; Silva, S. R.; Doctor, D. H.; Chang, C. C.; Fleenor, W. E.

2005-05-01

Fish migration through the deep-water shipping channel in the San Joaquin River near the city of Stockton CA is inhibited by periodic low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations during low flow conditions. There is considerable controversy regarding the relative roles of two mechanisms that can contribute to DO depletion: decomposition of algae from upstream locations and nitrification of ammonium from a nearby waste water treatment facility. Development of a successful remediation plan requires knowledge of the controls on spatial and temporal differences in oxygen-consuming mechanisms. To better understand the timing and relative importance of the mechanisms responsible for oxygen depletion, samples were collected for isotopic and chemical analysis during two intensive two-day sampling trips in August 2004. Samples were taken from a stationary houseboat in the channel, and from upstream and downstream traveling boats. Water samples at the houseboat were collected at five depths at 2-4 h intervals, and samples from 1 m were collected at about 4 h intervals from the traveling boats. All samples were analyzed for DO-d18O, seston-d15N/d13C, nitrate-d15N/d18O, DIC-d13C, water-d18O/d2H, DO, ammonium, and nitrate concentrations. Of all the measured parameters, ammonium, DO, and DO-d18O showed the strongest diurnal fluctuations, as well as significant changes with depth. Physico-chemical parameters indicated diurnal stratification and overturn of the channel. The general increase in the DO-d18O coincident with decreases in DO suggests that the night-time decrease in DO is caused largely by O2 consumption, either by respiration of organic matter or by nitrification. The DIC-d13C and nitrate-d15N data indicate that nitrification may affect DO concentrations as much or more than respiration. Preliminary principle components analysis indicates that photosynthesis is the main control over DO concentrations during this period of DO depletion, and that both nitrification and

Urban and agricultural sources of pyrethroid insecticides to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California.

PubMed

Weston, Donald P; Lydy, Michael J

2010-03-01

While studies have documented the presence of pyrethroid insecticides at acutely toxic concentrations in sediments, little quantitative data on sources exist. Urban runoff, municipal wastewater treatment plants and agricultural drains in California's Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta were sampled to understand their importance as contributors of these pesticides to surface waters. Nearly all residential runoff samples were toxic to the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, and contained pyrethroids at concentrations exceeding acutely toxic thresholds, in many cases by 10-fold. Toxicity identification evaluation data were consistent with pyrethroids, particularly bifenthrin and cyfluthrin, as the cause of toxicity. Pyrethroids passed through secondary treatment systems at municipal wastewater treatment facilities and were commonly found in the final effluent, usually near H. azteca 96-h EC(50) thresholds. Agricultural discharges in the study area only occasionally contained pyrethroids and were also occasional sources of toxicity related to the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos. Discharge of the pyrethroid bifenthrin via urban stormwater runoff was sufficient to cause water column toxicity in two urban creeks, over at least a 30 km reach of the American River, and at one site in the San Joaquin River, though not in the Sacramento River.

GPM Captures Hurricane Joaquin

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Joaquin became a tropical storm Monday evening (EDT) midway between the Bahamas and Bermuda and has now formed into Hurricane Joaquin, the 3rd of the season--the difference is Joaquin could impact the US East Coast. NASA's GPM satellite captured Joaquin Tuesday, September 29th at 21:39 UTC (5:39 pm EDT). Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio Data provided by the joint NASA/JAXA GPM mission. Download/read more: svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=4367 NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Water quality assessment of the San Joaquin--Tulare basins, California; analysis of available data on nutrients and suspended sediment in surface water, 1972-1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kratzer, Charles R.; Shelton, Jennifer L.

1998-01-01

Nutrients and suspended sediment in surface water of the San Joaquin-Tulare basins in California were assessed using 1972-1990 data from the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Information System and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's STOrage and RETrieval database. Loads of nutrients and suspended sediment were calculated at several sites and the contributions from point and nonpoint sources were estimated. Trends in nutrient and suspended-sediment concentrations were evaluated at several sites, especially at the basin outlet on the San Joaquin River. Comparisons of nutrient and suspended sediment concentrations were made among three environmental settings: the San Joaquin Valley--west side, the San Joaquin Valley--east side, and the Sierra Nevada.

27 CFR 9.164 - River Junction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

..., follow the levee along the San Joaquin River onto the Ripon, CA quadrangle map; (3) Then in a northerly... River Junction. (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this section is “River Junction..., CA 1969, photorevised 1980; (2) Vernalis, CA 1969, photorevised 1980. (c) Boundaries. The River...

27 CFR 9.164 - River Junction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

..., follow the levee along the San Joaquin River onto the Ripon, CA quadrangle map; (3) Then in a northerly... River Junction. (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this section is “River Junction..., CA 1969, photorevised 1980; (2) Vernalis, CA 1969, photorevised 1980. (c) Boundaries. The River...

27 CFR 9.164 - River Junction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., follow the levee along the San Joaquin River onto the Ripon, CA quadrangle map; (3) Then in a northerly... River Junction. (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this section is “River Junction..., CA 1969, photorevised 1980; (2) Vernalis, CA 1969, photorevised 1980. (c) Boundaries. The River...

27 CFR 9.164 - River Junction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., follow the levee along the San Joaquin River onto the Ripon, CA quadrangle map; (3) Then in a northerly... River Junction. (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this section is “River Junction..., CA 1969, photorevised 1980; (2) Vernalis, CA 1969, photorevised 1980. (c) Boundaries. The River...

27 CFR 9.164 - River Junction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., follow the levee along the San Joaquin River onto the Ripon, CA quadrangle map; (3) Then in a northerly... River Junction. (a) Name. The name of the viticultural area described in this section is “River Junction..., CA 1969, photorevised 1980; (2) Vernalis, CA 1969, photorevised 1980. (c) Boundaries. The River...

Evaluation of Diazinon and Chlorpyrifos Concentrations and Loads, and other Pesticide Concentrations, at Selected Sites in the San Joaquin Valley, California, April to August, 2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Munday, Cathy

2003-01-01

Twelve sites in the San Joaquin Valley of California were monitored weekly during the growing and irrigation season of 2001 for a total of 51 pesticides and pesticide degradation products, with primary interest on the concentration, load, and basin yield of organophosphorus insecticides, especially diazinon and chlorpyrifos. Diazinon was detected frequently, up to 100 percent of the time, at many of the sampling sites, but with generally low concentrations. For all sites, 75 percent of all measured diazinon concentrations were less than 0.02 mg/L, and 90 percent of all measured diazinon concentrations were less than 0.06 mg/L. The highest diazinon concentrations were measured in samples from two west-side tributaries to the San Joaquin River, Orestimba Creek, and Del Puerto Creek. The median concentration of chlorpyrifos was at or less than the laboratory reporting limit (0.005 mg/L) for most sites with the exceptions of two tributaries to the San Joaquin River: Orestimba Creek and the Tuolumne River. For all sites, 75 percent of all measured chlorpyrifos concentrations were less than 0.03 mg/L and 90 percent of all measured chlorpyrifos concentrations were less than 0.07 mg/L. The total load of diazinon out of the basin was just over 7 kilograms, which accounted for about 0.17 percent of the total agricultural applications. The diazinon load from the monitored upstream tributaries accounted for about 50 percent of the load at the mouth of the San Joaquin River. The streamflow from the selected monitored tributaries accounted for about 83 percent of the streamflow at the mouth of the San Joaquin River. The total load of chlorpyrifos out of the basin was 3.75 kilograms, and this accounted for approximately 0.007 percent of the total amount applied. Other pesticides that were frequently detected during this study included herbicides such as metolachlor, simazine, and trifluralin, and insecticides such as carbaryl, carbofuran, and propargite. At Orestimba Creek, DDE

The Cenozoic evolution of the San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartow, J. Alan

1991-01-01

The San Joaquin Valley, which is the southern part of the 700-km-long Great Valley of California, is an asymmetric structural trough that is filled with a prism of upper Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediments up to 9 km thick; these sediments rest on crystalline basement rocks of the southwestward-tilted Sierran block. The San Joaquin sedimentary basin is separated from the Sacramento basin to the north by the buried Stockton arch and associated Stockton fault. The buried Bakersfield arch near the south end of the valley separates the small Maricopa-Tejon subbasin at the south end of the San Joaquin basin from the remainder of the basin. Cenozoic strata in the San Joaquin basin thicken southeastward from about 800 m in the north to over 9,000 m in the south. The San Joaquin Valley can be subdivided into five regions on the basis of differing structural style. They are the northern Sierran block, the southern Sierran block, the northern Diablo homocline, the westside fold belt, and the combined Maricopa-Tejon subbasin and southmargin deformed belt. Considerable facies variation existed within the sedimentary basin, particularly in the Neogene when a thick section of marine sediment accumulated in the southern part of the basin, while a relatively thin and entirely nonmarine section was deposited in the northern part. The northern Sierran block, the stable east limb of the valley syncline between the Stockton fault and the San Joaquin River, is the least deformed region of the valley. Deformation consists mostly of a southwest tilt and only minor late Cenozoic normal faulting. The southern Sierran block, the stable east limb of the valley syncline between the San Joaquin River and the Bakersfield arch, is similar in style to the northern part of the block, but it has a higher degree of deformation. Miocene or older normal faults trend mostly north to northwest and have a net down-to-the-west displacement with individual offsets of as much as 600 m. The northern Diablo

Preliminary assessment of the effects of selenium in agricultural drainage on fish in the San Joaquin Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saiki, M.K.; Jennings, M.R.; Hamilton, S.J.; Dinar, A.; Zilberman, D.

1991-01-01

Concentrations of total selenium were measured in whole-body samples of seven fishes from the Sacramento and San Joaquin River systems and the San Francisco Bay complex. Concentrations of selenium (up to 11 µg/g dry weight in whole-body composite samples) were highest in fish from canals and sloughs in the Grassland Water District (Grasslands) that received large inflows of subsurface agricultural drainage water. Slightly lower selenium concentrations occurred in fish from the San Joaquin River immediately downstream from tributaries draining the Grasslands. Although circumstantial evidence suggests that selenium-sensitive species such as bluegills and largemouth bass are being excluded from the Grasslands, conclusive evidence of selenium toxicity is still lacking. In response to earlier reports of high concentrations of selenium in several species collected from the Grasslands, the California Department of Health Services has urged people to limit consumption of fish from this region.

Environmental Factors and Internal Processes Contributing to Interrupted Rapid Decay of Hurricane Joaquin (2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendricks, E. A.; Elsberry, R. L.; Velden, C.; Creasey, R.; Jorgensen, A.; Jordan, M.

2017-12-01

Hurricane Joaquin (2015) was the most intense Atlantic hurricane with a non-tropical origin during the satellite era. In addition to its rapid intensification, Joaquin was noteworthy for the difficulty in forecasting its post-recurvature track to the northeast after having struck the Bahama Islands. Such a track typically leads to a decay as the hurricane moves poleward over colder water, and Joaquin had an extreme decay rate from 135 kt to 65 kt in only 30 h. The focus of this study is on the environmental and internal factors that interrupted this extreme decay at 1800 UTC 4 October, and then how Joaquin re-intensified to 75 kt and maintained that intensity for 30 hours. The real-time Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction System (SHIPS) database is used to calculate each six hours six environmental variables that Hendricks et al. (2010) had found contributed to intensity change. Only the deep-layer vertical wind shear (VWS) from SHIPS, and also from the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), had a well-defined relationship with both the interrupted rapid decay and the subsequent constant intensity period. A special dataset of Atmospheric Motion Vectors (AMVs) at 15-minute intervals prepared by CIMSS is then utilized to create a continuous VWS record that documents the large ( 15 m s-1) VWS throughout most of the rapid decay period, and then a rapid decrease in VWS to moderate ( 8 m s-1) values at and following the rapid decay period. Horizontal distributions of these CIMSS VWSs demonstrate that during this period Joaquin was located in a large gradient region between large VWSs to the north and near-zero VWSs to the south, which was favorable for sustaining Joaquin at hurricane intensity.

Initial river test of a monostatic RiverSonde streamflow measurement system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Teague, C.C.; Barrick, D.E.; Lilleboe, P.M.; Cheng, R.T.; ,

2003-01-01

A field experiment was conducted on May 7-8, 2002 using a CODAR RiverSonde UHF radar system at Vernalis, California on the San Joaquin River. The monostatic radar configuration on one bank of the river, with the antennas looking both upriver and downriver, provided very high-quality data. Estimates of both along-river and cross-river surface current were generated using several models, including one based on normal-mode analysis. Along-river surface velocities ranged from about 0.6 m/s at the river banks to about 1.0 m/s near the middle of the river. Average cross-river surface velocities were 0.02 m/s or less.

A history of early geologic research in the Deep River Triassic Basin, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, T.W.

1998-01-01

The Deep River Triassic basin has one of the longest recorded histories of geologic research in North Carolina. A quick perusal of nineteenth century geologic literature in North Carolina reveals the Deep River basin has received a tremendous amount of attention, second only, perhaps, to the gold deposits of the Carolina slate belt. While these early researchers' primary interests were coal deposits, many other important discoveries, observations, and hypotheses resulted from their investigations. This article highlights many of the important advances made by these early geo-explorers by trying to include information from every major geologic investigation made in the Deep River basin from 1820 to 1955. This article also provides as thorough a consolidated history as is possible to preserve the exploration history of the Deep River basin for future investigators.

Adaptive Management Methods to Protect the California Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water Resource

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubenheim, David

2016-01-01

The California Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is the hub for California's water supply, conveying water from Northern to Southern California agriculture and communities while supporting important ecosystem services, agriculture, and communities in the Delta. Changes in climate, long-term drought, water quality changes, and expansion of invasive aquatic plants threatens ecosystems, impedes ecosystem restoration, and is economically, environmentally, and sociologically detrimental to the San Francisco Bay/California Delta complex. NASA Ames Research Center and the USDA-ARS partnered with the State of California and local governments to develop science-based, adaptive-management strategies for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The project combines science, operations, and economics related to integrated management scenarios for aquatic weeds to help land and waterway managers make science-informed decisions regarding management and outcomes. The team provides a comprehensive understanding of agricultural and urban land use in the Delta and the major water sheds (San Joaquin/Sacramento) supplying the Delta and interaction with drought and climate impacts on the environment, water quality, and weed growth. The team recommends conservation and modified land-use practices and aids local Delta stakeholders in developing management strategies. New remote sensing tools have been developed to enhance ability to assess conditions, inform decision support tools, and monitor management practices. Science gaps in understanding how native and invasive plants respond to altered environmental conditions are being filled and provide critical biological response parameters for Delta-SWAT simulation modeling. Operational agencies such as the California Department of Boating and Waterways provide testing and act as initial adopter of decision support tools. Methods developed by the project can become routine land and water management tools in complex river delta systems.

Elements of an environmental decision support system for seasonal wetland salt management in a river basin subjected to water quality regulation

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

Quinn, N.W.T.

Seasonally managed wetlands in the Grasslands Basin on the west-side of California's San Joaquin Valley provide food and shelter for migratory wildfowl during winter months and sport for waterfowl hunters during the annual duck season. Surface water supply to these wetlands contain salt which, when drained to the San Joaquin River during the annual drawdown period, can negatively impact water quality and cause concern to downstream agricultural riparian water diverters. Recent environmental regulation, limiting discharges salinity to the San Joaquin River and primarily targeting agricultural non-point sources, now also targets return flows from seasonally managed wetlands. Real-time water quality managementmore » has been advocated as a means of continuously matching salt loads discharged from agricultural, wetland and municipal operations to the assimilative capacity of the San Joaquin River. Past attempts to build environmental monitoring and decision support systems (EDSS's) to implement this concept have enjoyed limited success for reasons that are discussed in this paper. These reasons are discussed in the context of more general challenges facing the successful implementation of a comprehensive environmental monitoring, modelling and decision support system for the San Joaquin River Basin.« less

Modeling pesticide diuron loading from the San Joaquin watershed into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta using SWAT

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Quantitative information on pesticide loading into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta waterways of northern California is critical for water resource management in the region, and potentially useful for biological weed control planning. The San Joaquin watershed, an agriculturally intensive area, is a...

Mercury in sport fish from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region, California, USA.

PubMed

Davis, Jay A; Greenfield, Ben K; Ichikawa, Gary; Stephenson, Mark

2008-02-25

Total mercury (Hg) concentrations were determined in fillet tissue of sport fish captured in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and surrounding tributaries, a region particularly impacted by historic gold and mercury mining activity. In 1999 and 2000, mercury concentrations were measured in 767 samples from ten fish species. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), the primary target species, exhibited a median Hg concentration of 0.53 mug g(-1) (N=406). Only 23 largemouth bass (6%) were below a 0.12 mug g(-1) threshold corresponding to a 4 meals per month safe consumption limit. Most of the largemouth bass (222 fish, or 55% of the sample) were above a 0.47 mug g(-1) threshold corresponding to a 1 meal per month consumption limit. Striped bass (Morone saxatilis), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), white catfish (Ameirus catus), and Sacramento pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis) also had relatively high concentrations, with 31% or more of samples above 0.47 mug g(-1). Concentrations were lowest in redear (Lepomis microlophus) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) sunfish, with most samples below 0.12 mug g(-1), suggesting that targeting these species for sport and subsistence fishing may reduce human dietary exposure to Hg in the region. An improved method of analysis of covariance was performed to evaluate spatial variation in Hg in largemouth bass captured in 2000, while accounting for variability in fish length. Using this approach, Hg concentrations were significantly elevated in the Feather River, northern Delta, lower Cosumnes River, and San Joaquin River regions. In spite of elevated Hg concentrations on all of its tributaries, the central Delta had concentrations that were low both in comparison to safe consumption guidelines and to other locations.

The economic value of Trinity River water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Douglas, A.J.; Taylor, J.G.

1999-01-01

The Trinity River, largest tributary of the Klamath River, has its head-waters in the Trinity Alps of north-central California. After the construction of Trinity Dam in 1963, 90% of the Trinity River flow at Lewiston was moved to the Sacramento River via the Clear Creek Tunnel, a manmade conduit. Hydropower is produced at four installations along the route of Trinity River water that is diverted to the Sacramento River, and power production at three of these installations would diminish if no Trinity River water were diverted to the Sacramento River. After Trinity River water reaches the Sacramento River, it flows toward the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay. Trinity River water is pumped via Bureau of Reclamation canals and pumps to the northern San Joaquin Valley, where it is used for irrigated agriculture. The social cost of putting more water down the Trinity River is the sum of the value of the foregone consumer surplus from hydropower production as well as the value of the foregone irrigation water. Sharply diminished instream flows have also severely affected the size and robustness of Trinity River salmon, steelhead, shad and sturgeon runs. Survey data were used to estimate the non-market benefits of augmenting Trinity River instream flows by letting more water flow down the Trinity and moving less water to the Sacramento River. Preservation benefits for Trinity River instream flows and fish runs are $803 million per annum for the scenario that returns the most water down the Trinity River, a value that greatly exceeds the social cost estimate.The Trinity River, largest tributary of the Klamath River, has its headwaters in the Trinity Alps of north-central California. After the construction of Trinity Dam in 1963, 90% of the Trinity River flow at Lewiston was moved to the Sacramento River via the Clear Creek Tunnel, a manmade conduit. Hydropower is produced at four installations along the route of Trinity River water that is diverted to the

Appendix A The influence of junction hydrodynamics on entrainment of juvenile salmon into the interior Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramón Casañas, Cintia; Burau, Jon; Blake, Aaron; Acosta, Mario; Rueda, Francisco

2017-04-01

River junctions where water may follow two or more alternative pathways (diffluences) could be critical points in river networks where aquatic migratory species select different migration routes. Federally listed Sacramento River Chinook salmon juveniles must survive passage through the tidal Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta in order to successfully out-migrate to the ocean. Two of the four main migration routes identified for salmon in the Sacramento River direct them to the interior of the delta, where salmon survival is known to decrease dramatically. Migration route selection is thought to be advection-dominated, but the combination of physical and biological processes that control route selection is still poorly understood. The reach in the Sacramento-River where the entrances of the two lower-survival migration routes are located is strongly influenced by the tides, with flows reversing twice daily, and the two diffluences are located in the outside of the same Sacramento River bend where secondary circulation occurs. Three dimensional simulations are conducted, both in the Eularian and Lagrangian frame, to understand tidal and secondary-circulation effects on the migration route selection of juveniles within this reach of the Sacramento River. Although salmon behavior is reduced to the simplest (passively-driven neutrally-buoyant particles), the preliminary results here presented are consistent with previous studies that show that during the flood tide almost all the flow, and thus, all the salmon, are directed to the interior delta through these two migration routes. Simulated fish entrainment rates into the interior of the delta tend to be larger than those expected from flow entrainment calculations alone, particularly during ebb tides. Several factors account for these tendencies. First, the fraction of the flow diverted to the side channel in the shallowest layers tend to be higher than in the deeper layers, as a result of the secondary circulation

Fish communities and their associations with environmental variables, lower San Joaquin River drainage, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, L.R.

2000-01-01

Twenty sites in the lower San Joaquin River drainage, California, were sampled from 1993 to 1995 to characterize fish communities and their associations with measures of water quality and habitat quality. The feasibility of developing an Index of Biotic Integrity was assessed by evaluating four fish community metrics, including percentages of native fish, omnivorous fish, fish intolerant of environmental degradation, and fish with external anomalies. Of the thirty-one taxa of fish captured during the study, only 10 taxa were native to the drainage. Multivariate analyses of percentage data identified four site groups characterized by different groups of species. The distributions of fish species were related to specific conductance, gradient, and mean depth; however, specific conductance acted as a surrogate variable for a large group of correlated variables. Two of the fish community metrics - percentage of introduced fish and percentage of intolerant fish - appeared to be responsive to environmental quality but the responses of the other two metrics - percentage of omnivorous fish and percentage of fish with anomalies - were less direct. The conclusion of the study is that fish communities are responsive to environmental conditions, including conditions associated with human-caused disturbances, particularly agriculture and water development. The results suggest that changes in water management and water quality could result in changes in species distributions. Balancing the costs and benefits of such changes poses a considerable challenge to resource managers.

Using a non-physical behavioural barrier to alter migration routing of juvenile Chinook salmon in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perry, R.W.; Romine, J.G.; Adams, N.S.; Blake, A.R.; Burau, J.R.; Johnston, S.V.; Liedtke, T.L.

2012-01-01

Anthropogenic alterations to river systems, such as irrigation and hydroelectric development, can negatively affect fish populations by reducing survival when fish are routed through potentially dangerous locations. Non-physical barriers using behavioural stimuli are one means of guiding fish away from such locations without obstructing water flow. In the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, we evaluated a bio-acoustic fish fence (BAFF) composed of strobe lights, sound and a bubble curtain, which was intended to divert juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) away from Georgiana Slough, a low-survival migration route that branches off the Sacramento River. To quantify fish response to the BAFF, we estimated individual entrainment probabilities from two-dimensional movement paths of juvenile salmon implanted with acoustic transmitters. Overall, 7.7% of the fish were entrained into Georgiana Slough when the BAFF was on, and 22.3% were entrained when the BAFF was off, but a number of other factors influenced the performance of the BAFF. The effectiveness of the BAFF declined with increasing river discharge, likely because increased water velocities reduced the ability of fish to avoid being swept across the BAFF into Georgiana Slough. The BAFF reduced entrainment probability by up to 40 percentage points near the critical streakline, which defined the streamwise division of flow vectors entering each channel. However, the effect of the BAFF declined moving in either direction away from the critical streakline. Our study shows how fish behaviour and the environment interacted to influence the performance of a non-physical behavioural barrier in an applied setting.

Nitrification and Microbial Activity in Response to Wastewater Effluent in the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Challenor, T.; Damashek, J.; Tolar, B. B.; Francis, C.; Casciotti, K. L.

2016-12-01

Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonium (NH4+) to nitrate (NO3-) by a coterie of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA), is a crucial step in removing nitrogen from marine ecosystems. The Sacramento/San Joaquin River delta receives ammonium-laden effluent from the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (SRWTP) and nitrate from agriculture runoff. The system provides freshwater to irrigate the Central Valley and drinking water for many millions of people. In recent years, however, this environment has experienced ecological turmoil - the Pelagic Organism Decline (POD) refers to a die-out of fish and other species over the course of three decades. One explanation implicated excessive ammonium input, claiming it limited primary productivity and hurt pelagic fish down the line. A new hypothesis, however, posits that the ecosystem may soon face the opposite problem: over-productivity and hypoxia due to increased light availability and reduced turbidity. Studying the rate of nitrification and the makeup of the microbial community will further elucidate how nutrient loading has impacted this ecosystem. Nitrification rates were calculated from water samples collected in the Sacramento River starting at the SRWTP and moving downstream. Samples were spiked with 15N-labeled ammonium and incubated for 24 hours in triplicate. Four time-points were extracted and the "denitrifier" method was used to measure the isotopic ratio of N over time. DNA and RNA were extracted from filtered water at each site and PCR and qPCR assays were used targeting the amoA gene, which encodes the α-subunit of ammonia monooxygenase, responsible for oxidizing ammonium to nitrite (NO2-). Consistent with previous nitrification data, rates were highest in the lower river downstream of the SRWTP, where nitrate concentrations were correspondingly elevated. AOB predominated in the ammonia oxidizing community, and some clades were unique to this ecosystem. Nitrifying microbes provide an

Latest View of Hurricane Joaquin

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Hurricane Joaquin continued to intensify in the Bahamas on October 1 and NASA and NOAA satellites have been providing valuable data on the storm. NASA's GPM and Terra satellites and NOAA's GOES-East satellite provided rainfall, cloud extent, cloud height and other data to forecasters. Joaquin became a major hurricane today, October 1, reaching Category 3 status on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. On October 1 at 1330 UTC (9:30 a.m. EDT) NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this visible image of Hurricane Joaquin covering the southern Bahamas and extending over southeastern Cuba, and the island of Hispaniola (which includes Haiti and the Dominican Republic). Joaquin's eye had become completely visible now that the storm had reached Category 3 status. On October 1, a Hurricane Warning was in effect for the Central Bahamas, Northwestern Bahamas including the Abacos, Berry Islands, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and New Providence, The Acklins, Crooked Island, and Mayaguana in the southeastern Bahamas. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for Bimini and Andros Island, and a Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the remainder of the southeastern Bahamas excluding the Turks and Caicos Islands and Andros Island. According to NHC, at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC), the center of Hurricane Joaquin was located near latitude 23.2 North, longitude 73.7 West. That's just 10 miles (15 km) north of Samana Cays, Bahamas and about 75 miles (120 km) southeast of San Salvador, Bahamas. Joaquin was moving toward the west-southwest near 5 mph (7 kph), and this motion is expected to continue today. NHC noted that a turn toward the west- northwest is forecast tonight (Oct. 1), followed by a turn toward the north and an increase in forward speed on Friday, Oct. 2. On the forecast track, the center of Joaquin will move near or over portions of the central Bahamas today and tonight and pass near or over portions of the northwestern Bahamas on Friday. Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195 km

Effects of flow diversions on water and habitat quality: Examples from California's highly manipulated Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Monsen, Nancy E.; Cloern, James E.; Burau, Jon R.

2007-01-01

We use selected monitoring data to illustrate how localized water diversions from seasonal barriers, gate operations, and export pumps alter water quality across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (California). Dynamics of water-quality variability are complex because the Delta is a mixing zone of water from the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, agricultural return water, and the San Francisco Estuary. Each source has distinct water-quality characteristics, and the contribution of each source varies in response to natural hydrologic variability and water diversions. We use simulations with a tidal hydrodynamic model to reveal how three diversion events, as case studies, influence water quality through their alteration of Delta-wide water circulation patterns and flushing time. Reduction of export pumping decreases the proportion of Sacramento- to San Joaquin-derived fresh water in the central Delta, leading to rapid increases in salinity. Delta Cross Channel gate operations control salinity in the western Delta and alter the freshwater source distribution in the central Delta. Removal of the head of Old River barrier, in autumn, increases the flushing time of the Stockton Ship Channel from days to weeks, contributing to a depletion of dissolved oxygen. Each shift in water quality has implications either for habitat quality or municipal drinking water, illustrating the importance of a systems view to anticipate the suite of changes induced by flow manipulations, and to minimize the conflicts inherent in allocations of scarce resources to meet multiple objectives.

Late Cretaceous and Paleogene sedimentation along east side of San Joaquin basin, California

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

Reid, S.A.

1986-04-01

Depositional systems of the Late Cretaceous contrast with those of the Paleogene in the subsurface along the east side of the San Joaquin basin between Bakersfield and Fresno, California. Upper Cretaceous deposits include thick fan-delta and submarine fan facies of the Moreno and Panoche Formations, whereas the paleogene contains extensive nearshore, shelf, slope, and submarine fan deposits of the Lodo, Domengine, and Kreyenhagen Formations. These sediments were deposited on a basement surface having several west-trending ridges and valleys. West-flowing streams draining an ancestral Sierra Nevada of moderate relief formed prograding fan deltas that filled the valleys with thick wedges ofmore » nonmarine channel deposits, creating a bajada along the shoreline. Detrital material moved rapidly from the shoreline through a narrow shelf, into a complex of submarine fans in the subduction trough. During the early Eocene, a low sea level stand plus an end of Sierra Nevada uplift resulted in the erosion of the range to a peneplain. Stream-fed fan deltas were replaced by a major river system, which flowed west on about the present course of the Kern River. Following a rapid sea level increase, sand from the river system was deposited on the now broad shelf along a wide belt roughly coincident with California Highway 99. The river was also the point source for sand in a submarine fan northwest of Bakersfield. Both Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene depositional systems probably continue north along the east edge of the Great Valley. This proposed scenario for the east side of the San Joaquin is analogous to forearc deposits in the San Diego area, including the Cretaceous Rosario fan-delta and submarine fan system and the Eocene La Jolla and Poway nearshore, shelf, and submarine fan systems.« less

Hurricane Joaquin 9/30/15

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this visible image of Hurricane Joaquin east of the Bahamas on Sept. 30 at 1745 UTC (1:45 p.m. EDT). Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 the center of Hurricane Joaquin was located near latitude 24.7 North, longitude 72.6 West. That puts the center of Joaquin about 215 miles (345 km) east-northeast of the Central Bahamas. Joaquin became a tropical storm Monday evening (EDT), September 29 when it was midway between the Bahamas and Bermuda. By 8 a.m. EDT on September 30, it strengthened into a hurricane and has become the third hurricane of the Atlantic Hurricane season. On September 30, the National Hurricane Center issued a Hurricane Warning for the central Bahamas including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the northwestern Bahamas including the Abacos, Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and New Providence, but excluding Andros Island. NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Assemblages of fishes and their associations with environmental variables, lower San Joaquin River drainage, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Larry R.

1998-01-01

Twenty sites in the lower San Joaquin River drainage, California, were sampled from 1993 to 1995 to characterize fish assemblages and their associations with measures of water quality and habitat quality. In addition, four fish community metrics were assessed, including percentages of native fish, omnivorous fish, fish intolerant of environmental degradation, and fish with external anomalies. Of the 31 taxa of fish captured during the study, only 10 taxa were native to the drainage. Multivariate analyses of percentage data identified four site groups characterized by characterized by different groups of species. The distributions of fish species were related to specific conductance, gradient, and mean depth; however, specific conductance acted as a surrogate variable for a large group of correlated variables. Two of the fish community metrics--percentage of introduced fish and percentage of intolerant fish--appeared to be responsive to environmental quality but the responses of the other two metrics--percentage of omnivorous fish and percentage of fish with anomalies--were less direct. The conclusion of the study is that fish assemblages are responsive to environmental conditions, including conditions associated with human-caused disturbances, particularly agriculture and water development. The results suggest that changes in water management and water quality could result in changes in species distributions. Balancing the costs and benefits of such changes poses a considerable challenge to resource managers. different groups of species.

The nature of organic carbon in density-fractionated sediments in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (California)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakeham, S. G.; Canuel, E. A.

2016-02-01

Rivers are the primary means by which sediments and carbon are transported from the terrestrial biosphere to the oceans but gaps remain in our understanding of carbon associations from source to sink. Bed sediments from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (CA) were fractionated according to density and analyzed for sediment mass distribution, elemental (C and N) composition, mineral surface area, and stable carbon and radiocarbon isotope compositions of organic carbon (OC) and fatty acids to evaluate the nature of organic carbon in river sediments. OC was unevenly distributed among density fractions. Mass and OC were in general concentrated in mesodensity (1.6-2.0 and 2.0-2.5 g cm-3) fractions, comprising 84.0 ± 1.3 % of total sediment mass and 80.8 ± 13.3 % of total OC (TOC). Low-density (< 1.6 g cm-3) material, although rich in OC (34.0 ± 2.0 % OC) due to woody debris, constituted only 17.3 ± 12.8 % of TOC. High-density (> 2.5 g cm-3) organic-poor, mineral-rich material made-up 13.7 ± 1.4 % of sediment mass and 2.0 ± 0.9 % of TOC. Stable carbon isotope compositions of sedimentary OC were relatively uniform across bulk and density fractions (δ13C -27.4 ± 0.5 ‰). Radiocarbon content varied from Δ14C values of -382 (radiocarbon age 3800 yr BP) to +94 ‰ (modern) indicating a mix of young and old OC. Fatty acids were used to further constrain the origins of sedimentary OC. Short-chain n-C14-n-C18 fatty acids of algal origin were depleted in 13C (δ13C -37.5 to -35.2 ‰) but were enriched in 14C (Δ14C > 0) compared to long-chain n-C24-n-C28 acids of vascular plant origins with higher δ13C (-33.0 to -31.0 ‰) but variable Δ14C values (-180 and 61 ‰). These data demonstrate the potentially complex source and age distributions found within river sediments and provide insights about sediment and organic matter supply to the Delta.

Hurricane Joaquin 9/30/15

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

The MODIS instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captured Hurricane Joaquin off the Bahamas at 15:45 UTC (11:45 a.m. EDT) on September 30, 2015. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 the center of Hurricane Joaquin was located near latitude 24.7 North, longitude 72.6 West. That puts the center of Joaquin about 215 miles (345 km) east-northeast of the Central Bahamas. Joaquin became a tropical storm Monday evening (EDT), September 29 when it was midway between the Bahamas and Bermuda. By 8 a.m. EDT on September 30, it strengthened into a hurricane and has become the third hurricane of the Atlantic Hurricane season. On September 30, the National Hurricane Center issued a Hurricane Warning for the central Bahamas including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the northwestern Bahamas including the Abacos, Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and New Providence, but excluding Andros Island. NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Floods of 1952 in California. Flood of January 1952 in the south San Francisco Bay region; Snowmelt flood of 1952 in Kern River, Tulare Lake, and San Joaquin River basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rantz, S.E.; Stafford, H.M.

1956-01-01

Two major floods occurred in California in 1952. The first was the flood of January 11-13 in the south San Francisco Bay region that resulted from heavy rains which began on the morning of January 11 and ended about noon January 13. This flood was notable for the magnitude of the peak discharges, although these discharges were reduced by the controlling effect of reservoirs for conservation and flood-control purposes. The flood damage was thereby reduced, and no lives were lost; damage, nevertheless, amounted to about $1.400.000. The second flood was due, not to the immediate runoff of heavy rain, but to the melting of one of the largest snow packs ever recorded in the Sierra Nevada range. In the spring and summer of 1952, flood runoff occurred on all the major streams draining the Sierra Nevada. In the northern half of the Central Valley basin?the Sacramento River basin?flood volumes and maximum daily discharges were not exceptional. and flood damage was not appreciable. However, in the southern half, which is formed by the Kern River, Tulare Lake, and San Joaquin River basins, new records for snowmelt runoff were established for some streams; but for below-normal temperatures and shorter, less warm hot spells, record flood discharges would have occurred on many others. In the three basins an area of 200,000 acres. largely cropland. was inundated, and damage was estimated at $11,800,000.

Determination of channel capacity of the Mokelumne River downstream from Camanche Dam, San Joaquin and Sacramento Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simpson, R.G.

1972-01-01

This study evaluates the adequacy of a 39-mile reach of the Mokelumne River in San Joaquin and Sacramento Counties, California, to carry planned flood releases between Camanche Reservoir and the Bensons Ferry Bridge near Thornton. The flood releases from Camanche Reservoir are to be restricted, insofar as possible, so that the flows in the Mokelumne River will not exceed 5,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) as measured at the gaging station below Camanche Dam. Areas of inundation and computed floodwater profiles are based on channel conditions in late 1970 and on observed water-surface profiles during flood releases of about 5,000 cfs in January 1969 and January 1970. The inundated area shown on the maps (appendix A) and the water-surface elevations indicated on the cross sections (appendix G) are for the flood releases of those dates. The following conclusions are contingent on there being no levee failures during periods of high flow and no significant channel changes since the flood release of January 1970. 1. High tides in San Francisco Bay and, to a greater degree, flood stages on the Cosumnes River, cause backwater in the study reach. Severe backwater conditions occurring simultaneously with a flow of 5,000 cfs in the Mokelumne River can increase the flood stage 4 to 6 feet at Bensons Ferry Bridge (cross section 1). Backwater effects decrease in an upstream direction and are less than 0.5 foot at cross section 35, a river distance of 8.6 miles upstream from cross section 1, and 1.5 miles downstream from the Peltier Road bridge. 2. In the reach between cross sections 1 and 35, a 5,000 cfs release from Camanche Reservoir with maximum backwater effect (measured at cross section 1 at the mouth of the Cosumnes River) is confined within the natural or leveed banks except on the right bank flood plain between cross sections 12 and 19. 3. Upstream from cross section 35, there is overbank flooding at a flow of 5,000 cfs between cross sections 48 and 51, and 62 and 67

Four Major South Korea's Rivers Using Deep Learning Models.

PubMed

Lee, Sangmok; Lee, Donghyun

2018-06-24

Harmful algal blooms are an annual phenomenon that cause environmental damage, economic losses, and disease outbreaks. A fundamental solution to this problem is still lacking, thus, the best option for counteracting the effects of algal blooms is to improve advance warnings (predictions). However, existing physical prediction models have difficulties setting a clear coefficient indicating the relationship between each factor when predicting algal blooms, and many variable data sources are required for the analysis. These limitations are accompanied by high time and economic costs. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence and deep learning methods have become increasingly common in scientific research; attempts to apply the long short-term memory (LSTM) model to environmental research problems are increasing because the LSTM model exhibits good performance for time-series data prediction. However, few studies have applied deep learning models or LSTM to algal bloom prediction, especially in South Korea, where algal blooms occur annually. Therefore, we employed the LSTM model for algal bloom prediction in four major rivers of South Korea. We conducted short-term (one week) predictions by employing regression analysis and deep learning techniques on a newly constructed water quality and quantity dataset drawn from 16 dammed pools on the rivers. Three deep learning models (multilayer perceptron, MLP; recurrent neural network, RNN; and long short-term memory, LSTM) were used to predict chlorophyll-a, a recognized proxy for algal activity. The results were compared to those from OLS (ordinary least square) regression analysis and actual data based on the root mean square error (RSME). The LSTM model showed the highest prediction rate for harmful algal blooms and all deep learning models out-performed the OLS regression analysis. Our results reveal the potential for predicting algal blooms using LSTM and deep learning.

Joaquin moves away from East Coast

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this visible image of Hurricane Joaquin east of the Bahamas on Oct. 3 at 1615 UTC (12:15 p.m. EDT). The national weather forecast for October 3, 2015: Joaquin is no threat for now, but the nor'easter on the East Coast is causing massive flooding. Heavy rain hit Charleston, South Carolina., and much of the Southeast on Saturday, giving the region little relief from the threat of Hurricane Joaquin as it moved to the northeast away from the East Coast. Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Hurricane Joaquin on 9/29/15

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA's Aqua satellite captured this image of Joaquin near the Bahamas on Sept. 29 at 18:10 UTC (2:10 p.m. EDT). Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 the center of Hurricane Joaquin was located near latitude 24.7 North, longitude 72.6 West. That puts the center of Joaquin about 215 miles (345 km) east-northeast of the Central Bahamas. Joaquin became a tropical storm Monday evening (EDT), September 29 when it was midway between the Bahamas and Bermuda. By 8 a.m. EDT on September 30, it strengthened into a hurricane and has become the third hurricane of the Atlantic Hurricane season. On September 30, the National Hurricane Center issued a Hurricane Warning for the central Bahamas including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the northwestern Bahamas including the Abacos, Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and New Providence, but excluding Andros Island. NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Paleohydrogeology of the San Joaquin basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, A.M.; Garven, G.; Boles, J.R.

1999-01-01

Mass transport can have a significant effect on chemical diagenetic processes in sedimentary basins. This paper presents results from the first part of a study that was designed to explore the role of an evolving hydrodynamic system in driving mass transport and chemical diagenesis, using the San Joaquin basin of California as a field area. We use coupled hydrogeologic models to establish the paleohydrogeology, thermal history, and behavior of nonreactive solutes in the basin. These models rely on extensive geological information and account for variable-density fluid flow, heat transport, solute transport, tectonic uplift, sediment compaction, and clay dehydration. In our numerical simulations, tectonic uplift and ocean regression led to large-scale changes in fluid flow and composition by strengthening topography-driven fluid flow and allowing deep influx of fresh ground water in the San Joaquin basin. Sediment compaction due to rapid deposition created moderate overpressures, leading to upward flow from depth. The unusual distribution of salinity in the basin reflects influx of fresh ground water to depths of as much as 2 km and dilution of saline fluids by dehydration reactions at depths greater than ???2.5 km. Simulations projecting the future salinity of the basin show marine salinities persisting for more than 10 m.y. after ocean regression. Results also show a change from topography-to compaction-driven flow in the Stevens Sandstone at ca. 5 Ma that coincides with an observed change in the diagenetic sequence. Results of this investigation provide a framework for future hydrologic research exploring the link between fluid flow and diagenesis.

Master Contract: San Joaquin Delta College Teachers Association/CTA/NEA and San Joaquin Delta Community College District, July 1987-June 1990.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Joaquin Delta Community Coll. District, CA.

The collective bargaining agreement between the San Joaquin Delta Community College District Board of Trustees and the San Joaquin Delta College Teachers Association/California Teachers Association/National Education Association is presented. This contract, covering the period from July 1987 through June 1990, deals with the following topics:…

Landslide oil field, San Joaquin Valley, California

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

Collins, B.P.; March, K.A.; Caballero, J.S.

1988-03-01

The Landslide field, located at the southern margin of the San Joaquin basin, was discovered in 1985 by a partnership headed by Channel Exploration Company, on a farm out from Tenneco Oil Company. Initial production from the Tenneco San Emidio 63X-30 was 2064 BOPD, making landslide one of the largest onshore discoveries in California during the past decade. Current production is 7100 BOPD from a sandstone reservoir at 12,500 ft. Fifteen wells have been drilled in the field, six of which are water injectors. Production from the Landslide field occurs from a series of upper Miocene Stevens turbidite sandstones thatmore » lie obliquely across an east-plunging structural nose. These turbidite sandstones were deposited as channel-fill sequences within a narrowly bounded levied channel complex. Both the Landslide field and the larger Yowlumne field, located 3 mi to the northwest, comprise a single channel-fan depositional system that developed in the restricted deep-water portion of the San Joaquin basin. Information from the open-hole logs, three-dimensional surveys, vertical seismic profiles, repeat formation tester data, cores, and pressure buildup tests allowed continuous drilling from the initial discovery to the final waterflood injector, without a single dry hole. In addition, the successful application of three-dimensional seismic data in the Landslide development program has helped correctly image channel-fan anomalies in the southern Maricopa basin, where data quality and severe velocity problems have hampered previous efforts. New exploration targets are currently being evaluated on the acreage surrounding the Landslide discovery and should lead to an interesting new round of drilling activity in the Maricopa basin.« less

Groundwater quality in the Madera and Chowchilla subbasins of the San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shelton, Jennifer L.; Fram, Miranda S.; Belitz, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s untreated groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The Madera and Chowchilla subbasins of the San Joaquin Valley constitute one of the study units being evaluated. The Madera-Chowchilla study unit is about 860 square miles and consists of the Madera and Chowchilla groundwater subbasins of the San Joaquin Valley Basin (California Department of Water Resources, 2003; Shelton and others, 2009). The study unit has hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Average annual rainfall ranges from 11 to 15 inches, most of which occurs between November and February. The main surface-water features in the study unit are the San Joaquin, Fresno, and Chowchilla Rivers, and the Madera and Chowchilla canals. Land use in the study unit is about 69 percent (%) agricultural, 28% natural (mainly grasslands), and 3% urban. The primary crops are orchards and vineyards. The largest urban area is the city of Madera. The primary aquifer system is defined as those parts of the aquifer corresponding to the perforated intervals of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database. In the Madera-Chowchilla study unit, these wells typically are drilled to depths between 200 and 800 feet, consist of a solid casing from land surface to a depth of about 140 to 400 feet, and are perforated below the solid casing. Water quality in the primary aquifer system may differ from that in the shallower and deeper parts of the aquifer system. The primary aquifer system in the study unit consists of Quaternary-age alluvial-fan and fluvial deposits that were formed by the rivers draining the Sierra Nevada. Sediments consist of gravels, sands

Sources, bioavailability, and photoreactivity of dissolved organic carbon in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stepanauskas, R.; Moran, M.A.; Bergamaschi, B.A.; Hollibaugh, J.T.

2005-01-01

We analyzed bioavailability, photoreactivity, fluorescence, and isotopic composition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) collected at 13 stations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta during various seasons to estimate the persistence of DOC from diverse shallow water habitat sources. Prospective large-scale wetland restorations in the Delta may change the amount of DOC available to the food web as well as change the quality of Delta water exported for municipal use. Our study indicates that DOC contributed by Delta sources is relatively refractory and likely mostly the dissolved remnants of vascular plant material from degrading soils and tidal marshes rather than phytoplankton production. Therefore, the prospective conversion of agricultural land into submerged, phytoplankton-dominated habitats may reduce the undesired export of DOC from the Delta to municipal users. A median of 10% of Delta DOC was rapidly utilizable by bacterioplankton. A moderate dose of simulated solar radiation (286 W m-2 for 4 h) decreased the DOC bioavailability by an average of 40%, with a larger relative decrease in samples with higher initial DOC bioavailability. Potentially, a DOC-based microbial food web could support ???0.6 ?? 109 g C of protist production in the Delta annually, compared to ???17 ?? 109 g C phytoplankton primary production. Thus, DOC utilization via the microbial food web is unlikely to play an important role in the nutrition of Delta zooplankton and fish, and the possible decrease in DOC concentration due to wetland restoration is unlikely to have a direct effect on Delta fish productivity. ?? Springer 2005.

234U/238U and δ87Sr in peat as tracers of paleosalinity in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drexler, Judith Z.; Paces, James B.; Alpers, Charles N.; Windham-Myers, Lisamarie; Neymark, Leonid; Bullen, Thomas D.; Taylor, Howard E.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the history of paleosalinity over the past 6000+ years in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (the Delta), which is the innermost part of the San Francisco Estuary. We used a combination of Sr and U concentrations, d87Sr values, and 234U/238U activity ratios (AR) in peat as proxies for tracking paleosalinity. Peat cores were collected in marshes on Browns Island, Franks Wetland, and Bacon Channel Island in the Delta. Cores were dated using 137Cs, the onset of Pb and Hg contamination from hydraulic gold mining, and 14C. A proof of concept study showed that the dominant emergent macrophyte and major component of peat in the Delta, Schoenoplectus spp., incorporates Sr and U and that the isotopic composition of these elements tracks the ambient water salinity across the Estuary. Concentrations and isotopic compositions of Sr and U in the three main water sources contributing to the Delta (seawater, Sacramento River water, and San Joaquin River water) were used to construct a three-end-member mixing model. Delta paleosalinity was determined by examining variations in the distribution of peat samples through time within the area delineated by the mixing model. The Delta has long been considered a tidal freshwater marsh region, but only peat samples from Franks Wetland and Bacon Channel Island have shown a consistently fresh signal (<0.5 ppt) through time. Therefore, the eastern Delta, which occurs upstream from Bacon Channel Island along the San Joaquin River and its tributaries, has also been fresh for this time period. Over the past 6000+ years, the salinity regime at the western boundary of the Delta (Browns Island) has alternated between fresh and oligohaline (0.5-5 ppt).

I am Joaquin. Yo Soy Joaquin. An Epic Poem with a Chronology of People and Events in Mexican and Mexican American History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzales, Rodolfo

Both Spanish and English versions of the epic poem "I Am Joaquin" are given in this book. "I Am Joaquin" is the first work of poetry to be published by Chicanos for Chicanos. It is a historical essay of the greatness and weakness of the Chicano people. Their psychological wounds, cultural genocide, social castration, nobility, courage,…

Pesticides in Surface and Ground Water of the San Joaquin-Tulare Basins, California: Analysis of Available Data, 1966 Through 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.

1997-01-01

Available pesticide data (1966-92) for surface and ground water were analyzed for the San Joaquin-Tulare Basins, California, one of 60 large hydrologic systems being studied as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey. Most of the pesticide data were for the San Joaquin Valley, one of the most intensively farmed and irrigated areas of the United States. Data were obtained from the Storage and Retrieval data base of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the water-quality data base of the U.S. Geological Survey, and from data files of State agencies. Pesticides detected in surface water include organochlorine pesticides, organophosphate pesticides, carbamate pesticides, and triazine herbicides. Pesticides detected in ground water include triazine and other organonitrogen herbicides and soil fumi gants. Surface-water data indicate seasonal patterns for the detection of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides, which are attributed to their use on almond orchards and alfafa fields. Organochlorine pesticides were detected primarily in river-bed sediments. Concentrations detected in bed sediments of the San Joaquin River near Vernalis are among the highest of any major river system in the United States. Patterns and timing of pesticide use indicate that pesticides might be present in surface-water systems during most months of a year. The most commonly detected pesticide in ground water is the soil fumigant, dibromochloropropane. Dibromochloropropane, used primarily on vineyards and orchards, was detected in ground water near the city of Fresno. Triazine and other organonitrogen herbicides were detected near vineyards and orchards in the same general locations as the detections of dibromochloropropane. Pesticides were detected in ground water of the east side of the valley floor, where the soils are sandy or coarsegrained, and water-soluble pesticides with long environmental half-lives were used. In contrast, fewer

Pilot-Scale Selenium Bioremediation of San Joaquin Drainage Water with Thauera selenatis

PubMed Central

Cantafio, A. W.; Hagen, K. D.; Lewis, G. E.; Bledsoe, T. L.; Nunan, K. M.; Macy, J. M.

1996-01-01

This report describes a simple method for the bioremediation of selenium from agricultural drainage water. A medium-packed pilot-scale biological reactor system, inoculated with the selenate-respiring bacterium Thauera selenatis, was constructed at the Panoche Water District, San Joaquin Valley, Calif. The reactor was used to treat drainage water (7.6 liters/min) containing both selenium and nitrate. Acetate (5 mM) was the carbon source-electron donor reactor feed. Selenium oxyanion concentrations (selenate plus selenite) in the drainage water were reduced by 98%, to an average of 12 (plusmn) 9 (mu)g/liter. Frequently (47% of the sampling days), reactor effluent concentrations of less than 5 (mu)g/liter were achieved. Denitrification was also observed in this system; nitrate and nitrite concentrations in the drainage water were reduced to 0.1 and 0.01 mM, respectively (98% reduction). Analysis of the reactor effluent showed that 91 to 96% of the total selenium recovered was elemental selenium; 97.9% of this elemental selenium could be removed with Nalmet 8072, a new, commercially available precipitant-coagulant. Widespread use of this system (in the Grasslands Water District) could reduce the amount of selenium deposited in the San Joaquin River from 7,000 to 140 lb (ca. 3,000 to 60 kg)/year. PMID:16535401

Hydrocarbon Source Rocks in the Deep River and Dan River Triassic Basins, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reid, Jeffrey C.; Milici, Robert C.

2008-01-01

This report presents an interpretation of the hydrocarbon source rock potential of the Triassic sedimentary rocks of the Deep River and Dan River basins, North Carolina, based on previously unpublished organic geochemistry data. The organic geochemical data, 87 samples from 28 drill holes, are from the Sanford sub-basin (Cumnock Formation) of the Deep River basin, and from the Dan River basin (Cow Branch Formation). The available organic geochemical data are biased, however, because many of the samples collected for analyses by industry were from drill holes that contained intrusive diabase dikes, sills, and sheets of early Mesozoic age. These intrusive rocks heated and metamorphosed the surrounding sediments and organic matter in the black shale and coal bed source rocks and, thus, masked the source rock potential that they would have had in an unaltered state. In places, heat from the intrusives generated over-mature vitrinite reflectance (%Ro) profiles and metamorphosed the coals to semi-anthracite, anthracite, and coke. The maximum burial depth of these coal beds is unknown, and depth of burial may also have contributed to elevated thermal maturation profiles. The organic geochemistry data show that potential source rocks exist in the Sanford sub-basin and Dan River basin and that the sediments are gas prone rather than oil prone, although both types of hydrocarbons were generated. Total organic carbon (TOC) data for 56 of the samples are greater than the conservative 1.4% TOC threshold necessary for hydrocarbon expulsion. Both the Cow Branch Formation (Dan River basin) and the Cumnock Formation (Deep River basin, Sanford sub-basin) contain potential source rocks for oil, but they are more likely to have yielded natural gas. The organic material in these formations was derived primarily from terrestrial Type III woody (coaly) material and secondarily from lacustrine Type I (algal) material. Both the thermal alteration index (TAI) and vitrinite reflectance data

Effect of Climate Extremes, Seasonal Change, and Agronomic Practices on Measured Evapotranspiration and CO2 Exchange in Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Alfalfa Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clay, J.; Kent, E. R.; Leinfelder-Miles, M.; Paw U, K. T.; Little, C.; Lambert, J. J.

2017-12-01

Evapotranspiration and CO2 exchange was measured in five alfalfa fields in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta region from 2016 to 2017 using eddy covariance and surface renewal methods. Seasonal changes of evapotranspiration and CO2 fluxes were compared between 2016, a drought year, and 2017, a high rainfall year. Additionally, changes in evapotranspiration and CO2 flux were investigated across various agronomic considerations, such as irrigation methods (border-check flood and sub-surface), stand life, and herbicide programs. Components of the energy balance, including net radiation, latent heat, ground heat flux, and sensible heat, were evaluated considering correlations to wind speed measured by three sonic anemometers, irrigation frequency, and crop cutting cycle. Comparisons between two different types of radiometers were also carried out. Under drought conditions, we observed higher amounts of evapotranspiration in a field having a stand life of less than two years of age compared to older stands, and in a sub-surface irrigated field compared to flood irrigated fields.

Biogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of the San Joaquin River in California (USA), and current paradigms on their formation.

PubMed

Wakeham, Stuart G; Canuel, Elizabeth A

2016-06-01

Biogenic perylene and higher plant pentacyclic triterpenoid-derived alkylated and partially aromatized tetra- and pentacyclic derivatives of chrysene (3,4,7-trimethyl- and 3,3,7-trimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrochrysene, THC) and picene (1,2,9-trimethyl- and 2,2,9-trimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropicene, THP) were two- to four-fold more abundant than pyrogenic PAH in two sediment cores from the San Joaquin River in Northern California (USA). In a core from Venice Cut (VC), located in the river, PAH concentrations varied little downcore and the whole-core PAH concentration (biogenics + pyrogenics) was 250.6 ± 73.7 ng g(-1) dw; biogenic PAH constituted 67 ± 4 % of total PAH. THC were 26 ± 9 % of total biogenic PAH, THP were 36 ± 7 %, and perylene was 38 ± 7 %. PAH distributions in a core from Franks Tract (FT), a former wetland that was converted to an agricultural tract in the late 1800s and flooded in 1938, were more variable. Surface sediments were dominated by pyrogenic PAH so that biogenic PAH were only ~30 % of total PAH. Deeper in the core, biogenic PAH constituted 60-93 % of total PAH; THC, THP and perylene were 31 ± 28 %, 24 ± 32 %, and 45 ± 36 % of biogenic PAH. At 100-103 cm depth, THP constituted 80 % of biogenic PAH and at 120-123 cm perylene was 95 % of biogenic PAH. Current concepts related to precursors and transformation processes responsible for the diagenetic generation of perylene and triterpenoid-derived PAH are discussed. Distributions of biogenic PAH in VC and FT sediments suggest that they may not form diagenetically within these sediments but rather might be delivered pre-formed from the river's watershed.

Geological literature on the San Joaquin Valley of California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maher, J.C.; Trollman, W.M.; Denman, J.M.

1973-01-01

The following list of references includes most of the geological literature on the San Joaquin Valley and vicinity in central California (see figure 1) published prior to January 1, 1973. The San Joaquin Valley comprises all or parts of 11 counties -- Alameda, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare (figure 2). As a matter of convenient geographical classification the boundaries of the report area have been drawn along county lines, and to include San Benito and Santa Clara Counties on the west and Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties on the east. Therefore, this list of geological literature includes some publications on the Diablo and Temblor Ranges on the west, the Tehachapi Mountains and Mojave Desert on the south, and the Sierra Nevada Foothills and Mountains on the east.

Implications for future survival of delta smelt from four climate change scenarios for the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Larry R.; Bennett, William A.; Wagner, R. Wayne; Morgan-King, Tara; Knowles, Noah; Feyrer, Frederick; Schoellhamer, David H.; Stacey, Mark T.; Dettinger, Mike

2013-01-01

Changes in the position of the low salinity zone, a habitat suitability index, turbidity, and water temperature modeled from four 100-year scenarios of climate change were evaluated for possible effects on delta smelt Hypomesus transpacificus, which is endemic to the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. The persistence of delta smelt in much of its current habitat into the next century appears uncertain. By mid-century, the position of the low salinity zone in the fall and the habitat suitability index converged on values only observed during the worst droughts of the baseline period (1969–2000). Projected higher water temperatures would render waters historically inhabited by delta smelt near the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers largely uninhabitable. However, the scenarios of climate change are based on assumptions that require caution in the interpretation of the results. Projections like these provide managers with a useful tool for anticipating long-term challenges to managing fish populations and possibly adapting water management to ameliorate those challenges.

Habitat and Populations of the Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle Along the Sacramento River

Treesearch

F. Jordan Lang; James D. Jokerst; Gregory E. Sutter

1989-01-01

Prior to 1985, the valley elderberry longhorn beetle, a threatened species protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, was known only from northern California riparian areas along the American River and Putah Creek in the Sacramento Valley, and along several rivers in the northern San Joaquin Valley. During 1985-1987, our study extended the known range of the...

California GAMA Special Study: Importance of River Water Recharge to Selected Groundwater Basins

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

Visser, Ate; Moran, Jean E.; Singleton, Michael J.

River recharge represents 63%, 86% and 46% of modern groundwater in the Mojave Desert, Owens Valley, and San Joaquin Valley, respectively. In pre-modern groundwater, river recharge represents a lower fraction: 36%, 46%, and 24% respectively. The importance of river water recharge in the San Joaquin valley has nearly doubled and is likely the result of a total increase of recharge of 40%, caused by river water irrigation return flows. This emphasizes the importance of recharge of river water via irrigation for renewal of groundwater resources. Mountain front recharge and local precipitation contribute to recharge of desert groundwater basins in partmore » as the result of geological features focusing scarce precipitation promoting infiltration. River water recharges groundwater systems under lower temperatures and with larger water table fluctuations than local precipitation recharge. Surface storage is limited in time and volume, as evidenced by cold river recharge temperatures resulting from fast recharge, compared to the large capacity for subsurface storage. Groundwater banking of seasonal surface water flows therefore appears to be a natural and promising method for increasing the resilience of water supply systems. The distinct isotopic and noble gas signatures of river water recharge, compared to local precipitation recharge, reflecting the source and mechanism of recharge, are valuable constraints for numerical flow models.« less

Selenium and other elements in juvenile striped bass from the San Joaquin Valley and San Francisco Estuary, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saiki, Michael K.; Palawski, Donald U.

1990-01-01

Concentrations of selenium and other trace elements were determined in 55 whole body samples of juvenile anadromous striped bass (Morone saxatilis) from the San Joaquin Valley and San Francisco Estuary, California. The fish (≤1 yr old—the predominant life stage in the San Joaquin Valley) were collected in September–December 1986 from 19 sites in the Valley and 3 sites in the Estuary, and analyzed for the following elements: aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), boron (B), barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), magnesium (Mg), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn). When compared to concentrations in whole freshwater fish measured by surveys from other waters, a few samples contained higher levels, of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Se. The median concentrations of Al, As, Cu, Fe, Mg, Se, and Sr also differed significantly (P⩽0.05) among sites. However, only Se concentrations were highest (up to 7.9 μg/g dry weight) in samples from Valley sites exposed to agricultural subsurface (tile) drainwater; concentrations were lower in samples collected elsewhere. Water quality variables—especially those strongly influenced by tile drainwater (conductivity, total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, and total hardness)—were also significantly correlated (P⩽0.05) with Se concentrations in fish. Selenium concentrations in striped bass from the Estuary were only one-fourth to one-half the concentrations measured in the most contaminated fish from the San Joaquin River.

76 FR 68103 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-03

... the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District... revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD) portion of the... State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District Rule 4692...

Diel activity patterns of juvenile late fall-run Chinook salmon with implications for operation of a gated water diversion in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plumb, John M.; Adams, Noah S.; Perry, Russell W.; Holbrook, Christopher; Romine, Jason G.; Blake, Aaron R.; Burau, Jon R.

2016-01-01

In the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California, tidal forces that reverse river flows increase the proportion of water and juvenile late fall-run Chinook salmon diverted into a network of channels that were constructed to support agriculture and human consumption. This area is known as the interior delta, and it has been associated with poor fish survival. Under the rationale that the fish will be diverted in proportion to the amount of water that is diverted, the Delta Cross Channel (DCC) has been prescriptively closed during the winter out-migration to reduce fish entrainment and mortality into the interior delta. The fish are thought to migrate mostly at night, and so daytime operation of the DCC may allow for water diversion that minimizes fish entrainment and mortality. To assess this, the DCC gate was experimentally opened and closed while we released 2983 of the fish with acoustic transmitters upstream of the DCC to monitor their arrival and entrainment into the DCC. We used logistic regression to model night-time arrival and entrainment probabilities with covariates that included the proportion of each diel period with upstream flow, flow, rate of change in flow and water temperature. The proportion of time with upstream flow was the most important driver of night-time arrival probability, yet river flow had the largest effect on fish entrainment into the DCC. Modelling results suggest opening the DCC during daytime while keeping the DCC closed during night-time may allow for water diversion that minimizes fish entrainment into the interior delta.

Adaptive Management Using Remote Sensing and Ecosystem Modeling in Response to Climate Variability and Invasive Aquatic Plants for the California Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water Resource

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bubenheim, D.; Potter, C. S.; Zhang, M.; Madsen, J.

2017-12-01

The California Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is the hub for California's water supply and supports important ecosystem services, agriculture, and communities in Northern and Southern California. Expansion of invasive aquatic plants in the Delta coupled with impacts of changing climate and long-term drought is detrimental to the San Francisco Bay/California Delta complex. NASA Ames Research Center and the USDA-ARS partnered with the State of California to develop science-based, adaptive-management strategies for invasive aquatic plant management in the California Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Specific mapping tools developed utilizing satellite and airborne platforms provide regular assessments of population dynamics on a landscape scale and support both strategic planning and operational decision making for resource managers. San Joaquin and Sacramento River watersheds water quality input to the Delta is modeled using the Soil-Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and a modified SWAT tool has been customized to account for unique landscape and management of agricultural water supply and drainage within the Delta. Environmental response models for growth of invasive aquatic weeds are being parameterized and coupled with spatial distribution/biomass density mapping and water quality to study ecosystem response to climate and aquatic plant management practices. On the water validation and operational utilization of these tools by management agencies and how they improve decision making, management effectiveness and efficiency will be discussed. The project combines science, operations, and economics related to integrated management scenarios for aquatic weeds to help land and water resource managers make science-informed decisions regarding management and outcomes.

Adaptive Management Using Remote Sensing and Ecosystem Modeling in Response to Climate Variability and Invasive Aquatic Plants for the California Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Water Resource

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubenheim, David; Potter, Christopher; Zhang, Minghua; Madsen, John

2017-01-01

The California Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is the hub for California's water supply and supports important ecosystem services, agriculture, and communities in Northern to Southern California. Expansion of invasive aquatic plants in the Delta coupled with impacts of changing climate and long-term drought is detrimental to the San Francisco Bay/California Delta complex. NASA Ames Research Center and the USDA-ARS partnered with the State of California to develop science-based, adaptive-management strategies for invasive aquatic plant in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Specific mapping tools developed utilizing satellite and airborne platforms provide regular assessments of population dynamics on a landscape scale and support both strategic planning and operational decision making for resource managers. San Joaquin and Sacramento River watersheds water quality input to the Delta is modeled using the Soil-Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and a modified SWAT tool has been customized to account for unique landscape and management of agricultural water supply and drainage within the Delta. Environmental response models for growth of invasive aquatic weeds are being parameterized and coupled with spatial distribution/biomass density mapping and water quality to study ecosystem response to climate and aquatic plant management practices. On the water validation and operational utilization of these tools by management agencies and how they are improving decision making, management effectiveness and efficiency will be discussed. The project combines science, operations, and economics related to integrated management scenarios for aquatic weeds to help land and water resource managers make science-informed decisions regarding management and outcomes.

75 FR 4759 - Withdrawal of Proposed Rule Revising the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-29

... Proposed Rule Revising the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution... approval of revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District portion of the... revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (``District'') portion of the...

75 FR 28509 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-21

... the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District... approve revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD) portion of... Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District, No. 08-17309 (9th Circuit)). In that case, NAHB...

Estimates of deep percolation beneath native vegetation, irrigated fields, and the Amargosa-River Channel, Amargosa Desert, Nye County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stonestrom, David A.; Prudic, David E.; Laczniak, Randell J.; Akstin, Katherine C.; Boyd, Robert A.; Henkelman, Katherine K.

2003-01-01

The presence and approximate rates of deep percolation beneath areas of native vegetation, irrigated fields, and the Amargosa-River channel in the Amargosa Desert of southern Nevada were evaluated using the chloride mass-balance method and inferred downward velocities of chloride and nitrate peaks. Estimates of deep-percolation rates in the Amargosa Desert are needed for the analysis of regional ground-water flow and transport. An understanding of regional flow patterns is important because ground water originating on the Nevada Test Site may pass through the area before discharging from springs at lower elevations in the Amargosa Desert and in Death Valley. Nine boreholes 10 to 16 meters deep were cored nearly continuously using a hollow-stem auger designed for gravelly sediments. Two boreholes were drilled in each of three irrigated fields in the Amargosa-Farms area, two in the Amargosa-River channel, and one in an undisturbed area of native vegetation. Data from previously cored boreholes beneath undisturbed, native vegetation were compared with the new data to further assess deep percolation under current climatic conditions and provide information on spatial variability.The profiles beneath native vegetation were characterized by large amounts of accumulated chloride just below the root zone with almost no further accumulation at greater depths. This pattern is typical of profiles beneath interfluvial areas in arid alluvial basins of the southwestern United States, where salts have been accumulating since the end of the Pleistocene. The profiles beneath irrigated fields and the Amargosa-River channel contained more than twice the volume of water compared to profiles beneath native vegetation, consistent with active deep percolation beneath these sites. Chloride profiles beneath two older fields (cultivated since the 1960’s) as well as the upstream Amargosa-River site were indicative of long-term, quasi-steady deep percolation. Chloride profiles beneath the

Preliminary assessment of sources, distribution, and mobility of selenium in the San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gilliom, R.J.

1989-01-01

Selenium in tile drain water from parts of the western San Joaquin Valley, California, has adversely affected fish and waterfowl where drain water was impounded. Soils in these drained areas were derived from Coast Range marine sedimentary formations, were naturally saline and probably contained abundant soluble selenium. Decades of irrigation have redistributed the most soluble forms of selenium from the soil into groundwater and have caused the water table to rise 1 to 4 ft/year. Selenium in shallow groundwater has been further concentrated because of evapotranspiration. The rising water table has caused a large area of farmland to require artificial drainage of groundwater that contains high concentrations of selenium. The present areal distribution of selenium in shallow groundwater reflects the natural distribution of saline soils. The depth distribution of selenium in groundwater reflects the history of irrigation. The highest concentrations of selenium in groundwater (50 to more than 1,000 micrograms/L) are in a zone of variable thickness located between 20 and 150 ft below the water table. The toxic water in this zone was recharged during the first few decades of irrigation. The large volume of high selenium groundwater makes it desirable to leave this water where it is, rather than bring it to the land surface or allow it to move into parts of the aquifer that may be used for water supply. Selenium concentrations in the San Joaquin River depend on the magnitude of the selenium load from drain water and dilution by water with low concentrations of selenium from all other sources of streamflow. The San Joaquin Valley is a regional-scale example of how manipulation of the hydrologic system can cause water quality problems if naturally occurring toxic substances are mobilized. (USGS)

The effect of submerged aquatic vegetation expansion on a declining turbidity trend in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hestir, E.L.; Schoellhamer, David H.; Jonathan Greenberg,; Morgan-King, Tara L.; Ustin, S.L.

2016-01-01

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) has well-documented effects on water clarity. SAV beds can slow water movement and reduce bed shear stress, promoting sedimentation and reducing suspension. However, estuaries have multiple controls on turbidity that make it difficult to determine the effect of SAV on water clarity. In this study, we investigated the effect of primarily invasive SAV expansion on a concomitant decline in turbidity in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The objective of this study was to separate the effects of decreasing sediment supply from the watershed from increasing SAV cover to determine the effect of SAV on the declining turbidity trend. SAV cover was determined by airborne hyperspectral remote sensing and turbidity data from long-term monitoring records. The turbidity trends were corrected for the declining sediment supply using suspended-sediment concentration data from a station immediately upstream of the Delta. We found a significant negative trend in turbidity from 1975 to 2008, and when we removed the sediment supply signal from the trend it was still significant and negative, indicating that a factor other than sediment supply was responsible for part of the turbidity decline. Turbidity monitoring stations with high rates of SAV expansion had steeper and more significant turbidity trends than those with low SAV cover. Our findings suggest that SAV is an important (but not sole) factor in the turbidity decline, and we estimate that 21–70 % of the total declining turbidity trend is due to SAV expansion.

SRTM Perspective View with Landsat Overlay: San Joaquin Valley, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

San Joaquin, the name given to the southern portion of California's vast Central Valley, has been called the world's richest agricultural valley. In this perspective view generated using data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission and an enhanced Landsat image, we are looking toward the southwest over a checkerboard pattern of agricultural fields. Mt. Pinos, a popular location for stargazing at 2,692 meters (8,831 feet) looms above the valley floor and is visible on the left side of the image. The productive southern San Joaquin is in reality a desert, averaging less than 12.7 cm (5 inches) of rain per year. Through canals and irrigation, the region nurtures some two hundred crops including grapes, figs, apricots, oranges, and more than 4,047 square-km (1,000,000 acres) of cotton. The California Aqueduct, transporting water from the Sacramento River Delta through the San Joaquin, runs along the base of the low-lying Wheeler Ridge on the left side of the image. The valley is not all agriculture though. Kern County, near the valley's southern end, is the United States' number one oil producing county, and actually produces more crude oil than Oklahoma. For visualization purposes, topographic heights displayed in this image are exaggerated two times. Colors, from Landsat data, approximate natural color.

The elevation data used in this image was acquired by SRTM aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of Earth's land surface. To collect the 3-D SRTM data, engineers added a mast 60 meters (about 200 feet)long, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the NASA, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) of the U

Sources and transport of algae and nutrients in a Californian river in a semi-arid climate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ohte, N.; Dahlgren, R.A.; Silva, S.R.; Kendall, C.; Kratzer, C.R.; Doctor, D.H.

2007-01-01

1. To elucidate factors contributing to dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion in the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel in the lower San Joaquin River, spatial and temporal changes in algae and nutrient concentrations were investigated in relation to flow regime under the semiarid climate conditions. 2. Chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration and loads indicated that most algal biomass was generated by in-stream growth in the main stem of the river. The addition of algae from tributaries and drains was small (c.15% of total chl-a load), even though high concentrations of chl-a were measured in some source waters. 3. Nitrate and soluble-reactive phosphorus (SRP) were available in excess as a nutrient source for algae. Although nitrate and SRP from upstream tributaries contributed (16.9% of total nitrate load and 10.8% of total SRP load), nutrients derived from agriculture and other sources in the middle and lower river reaches were mostly responsible (20.2% for nitrate and 48.0% for SRP) for maintaining high nitrate and SRP concentrations in the main stem. 4. A reduction in nutrient discharge would attenuate the algal blooms that accelerate DO depletion in the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel. The N : P ratio, in the main stem suggests that SRP reduction would be a more viable option for algae reduction than nitrogen reduction. 5. Very high algal growth rates in the main stem suggest that reducing the algal seed source in upstream areas would also be an effective strategy. ?? 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Determination of pesticides associated with suspended sediments in the San Joaquin River, California, USA, using gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bergamaschi, B.A.; Baston, D.S.; Crepeau, K.L.; Kuivila, K.M.

1999-01-01

An analytical method useful for the quantification of a range of pesticides and pesticide degradation products associated with suspended sediments was developed by testing a variety of extraction and cleanup schemes. The final extraction and cleanup methods chosen for use are suitable for the quantification of the listed pesticides using gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry and the removal of interfering coextractable organic material found in suspended sediments. Methylene chloride extraction followed by Florisil cleanup proved most effective for separation of coextractives from the pesticide analytes. Removal of elemental sulfur was accomplished with tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfite. The suitability of the method for the analysis of a variety of pesticides was evaluated, and the method detection limits (MDLs) were determined (0.1-6.0 ng/g dry weight of sediment) for 21 compounds. Recovery of pesticides dried onto natural sediments averaged 63%. Analysis of duplicate San Joaquin River suspended-sediment samples demonstrated the utility of the method for environmental samples with variability between replicate analyses lower than between environmental samples. Eight of 21 pesticides measured were observed at concentrations ranging from the MDL to more than 80 ng/g dry weight of sediment and exhibited significant temporal variability. Sediment-associated pesticides, therefore, may contribute to the transport of pesticides through aquatic systems and should be studied separately from dissolved pesticides.

33 CFR 162.205 - Suisun Bay, San Joaquin River, Sacramento River, and connecting waters, CA.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... executing river and harbor improvement work for the United States, and displaying the signals prescribed by... exercise special caution to avoid interference with the work on which the plant is engaged. Dredges...); a wharf or other structure; work under construction; plant engaged in river and harbor improvement...

Timber resource statistics for the San Joaquin and southern resource areas of California.

Treesearch

Karen L. Waddell; Patricia M. Bassett

1997-01-01

This report is a summary of timber resource statistics for the San Joaquin and Southern Resource Areas of California, which include Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne Counties. Data were collected as part...

A brief history of oil and gas exploration in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California: Chapter 3 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Takahashi, Kenneth I.; Gautier, Donald L.

2007-01-01

The Golden State got its nickname from the Sierra Nevada gold that lured so many miners and settlers to the West, but California has earned much more wealth from so-called “black gold” than from metallic gold. The San Joaquin Valley has been the principal source for most of the petroleum produced in the State during the past 145 years. In attempting to assess future additions to petroleum reserves in a mature province such as the San Joaquin Basin, it helps to be mindful of the history of resource development. In this chapter we present a brief overview of the long and colorful history of petroleum exploration and development in the San Joaquin Valley. This chapter relies heavily upon the work of William Rintoul, who wrote extensively on the history of oil and gas exploration in California and especially in the San Joaquin Valley. No report on the history of oil and gas exploration in the San Joaquin Valley would be possible without heavily referencing his publications. We also made use of publications by Susan Hodgson and a U.S. Geological Survey Web site, Natural Oil and Gas Seeps in California (http://seeps.wr.usgs.gov/seeps/index.html), for much of the material describing the use of petroleum by Native Americans in the San Joaquin Valley. Finally, we wish to acknowledge the contribution of Don Arnot, who manages the photograph collection at the West Kern Oil Museum in Taft, California. The collection consists of more than 10,000 photographs that have been scanned and preserved in digital form on CD-ROM. Many of the historical photographs used in this paper are from that collection. Finally, to clarify our terminology, we use the term “San Joaquin Valley” when we refer to the geographical or topographical feature and the term “San Joaquin Basin” when we refer to geological province and the rocks therein.

Multi-scale Sensitivity and Predictability of Hurricane Joaquin (2015) Illuminated Through Adjoint Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doyle, J. D.; Holdaway, D.; Amerault, C. M.

2017-12-01

Hurricane Joaquin (2015) was a strong category 4 hurricane (maximum winds of 135 kts) that developed from an upper-level low over the western Atlantic and was noteworthy because of its large impact in the Bahamas, as well as the sinking of the cargo ship El Farroand loss of her 33 crew members. Joaquin initially moved southwest towards the Bahamas and rapidly intensified before sharply turning northeastward. Nearly all operational model forecasts failed to provide an accurate prediction of the rapid intensification and track, even at short lead times. As a result, the National Hurricane Center forecasted landfall in the mid-Atlantic, while in reality the storm moved well offshore. In this study, we utilize two adjoint modeling systems, the Navy COAMPS and the NASA GEOS-5, to investigate the role of initial condition errors that may have led to the relatively poor track and intensity predictions of Hurricane Joaquin. Adjoint models can provide valuable insight into the practical limitations of our ability to predict the path of tropical cyclones and their strength. An adjoint model can be used for the efficient and rigorous computation of numerical weather forecast sensitivity to changes in the initial state. The adjoint sensitivity diagnostics illustrate complex influences on the evolution of Joaquin that occur over a wide range of spatial scales. The sensitivity results highlight the importance of an upper-level trough to the northeast that provided the steering flow for the poorly-predicted southwesterly movement of the hurricane in its early phase. The steering flow and hurricane track are found to be very sensitive to relatively small changes in the initial state to the east-northeast of the hurricane. Additionally, the intensity prediction of Hurricane Joaquin is found to be very sensitive to the initial state moisture including highly structured regions around the storm and in remote regions as well. Hurricane Joaquin was observed in four NASA WB-57 research

Effects of hydrologic infrastructure on flow regimes of California's Central Valley rivers: Implications for fish populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Larry R.; Bauer, Marissa L.

2010-01-01

Alteration of natural flow regimes is generally acknowledged to have negative effects on native biota; however, methods for defining ecologically appropriate flow regimes in managed river systems are only beginning to be developed. Understanding how past and present water management has affected rivers is an important part of developing such tools. In this paper, we evaluate how existing hydrologic infrastructure and management affect streamflow characteristics of rivers in the Central Valley, California and discuss those characteristics in the context of habitat requirements of native and alien fishes. We evaluated the effects of water management by comparing observed discharges with estimated discharges assuming no water management ("full natural runoff"). Rivers in the Sacramento River drainage were characterized by reduced winter–spring discharges and augmented discharges in other months. Rivers in the San Joaquin River drainage were characterized by reduced discharges in all months but particularly in winter and spring. Two largely unaltered streams had hydrographs similar to those based on full natural runoff of the regulated rivers. The reduced discharges in the San Joaquin River drainage streams are favourable for spawning of many alien species, which is consistent with observed patterns of fish distribution and abundance in the Central Valley. However, other factors, such as water temperature, are also important to the relative success of native and alien resident fishes. As water management changes in response to climate change and societal demands, interdisciplinary programs of research and monitoring will be essential for anticipating effects on fishes and to avoid unanticipated ecological outcomes.

San Joaquin, California, High-Speed Rail Grade Crossing Data Acquisition Characteristics, Methodology, and Risk Assessment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-11-01

This report discusses data acquisition and analysis for grade crossing risk analysis at the proposed San Joaquin High-Speed Rail Corridor in San Joaquin, California, and documents the data acquisition and analysis methodologies used to collect and an...

Understanding Public Views about Air Quality and Air Pollution Sources in the San Joaquin Valley, California.

PubMed

Cisneros, Ricardo; Brown, Paul; Cameron, Linda; Gaab, Erin; Gonzalez, Mariaelena; Ramondt, Steven; Veloz, David; Song, Anna; Schweizer, Don

2017-01-01

The San Joaquin Valley of California has poor air quality and high rates of asthma. Surveys were collected from 744 residents of the San Joaquin Valley from November 2014 to January 2015 to examine the public's views about air quality. The results of this study suggest that participants exposed to high PM 2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in size) concentrations perceived air pollution to be of the worst quality. Air quality in the San Joaquin Valley was primarily perceived as either moderate or unhealthy for sensitive groups. Females perceived air pollution to be of worse quality compared to males. Participants perceived unemployment, crime, and obesity to be the top three most serious community problems in the San Joaquin Valley. Participants viewed cars and trucks, windblown dust, and factories as the principle contributors to air pollution in the area. There is a need to continue studying public perceptions of air quality in the San Joaquin Valley with a more robust survey with more participants over several years and seasons.

Understanding Public Views about Air Quality and Air Pollution Sources in the San Joaquin Valley, California

PubMed Central

Brown, Paul; Cameron, Linda; Gaab, Erin; Gonzalez, Mariaelena; Ramondt, Steven; Veloz, David; Song, Anna; Schweizer, Don

2017-01-01

The San Joaquin Valley of California has poor air quality and high rates of asthma. Surveys were collected from 744 residents of the San Joaquin Valley from November 2014 to January 2015 to examine the public's views about air quality. The results of this study suggest that participants exposed to high PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in size) concentrations perceived air pollution to be of the worst quality. Air quality in the San Joaquin Valley was primarily perceived as either moderate or unhealthy for sensitive groups. Females perceived air pollution to be of worse quality compared to males. Participants perceived unemployment, crime, and obesity to be the top three most serious community problems in the San Joaquin Valley. Participants viewed cars and trucks, windblown dust, and factories as the principle contributors to air pollution in the area. There is a need to continue studying public perceptions of air quality in the San Joaquin Valley with a more robust survey with more participants over several years and seasons. PMID:28469673

76 FR 67369 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-01

... the California State Implementation Plan, Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District and Imperial County Air Pollution Control District AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: EPA is finalizing approval of revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Geochemical correlation and 40Ar/39Ar dating of the Kern River ash bed and related tephra layers: Implications for the stratigraphy of petroleum-bearing formations in the San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baron, D.; Negrini, R.M.; Golob, E.M.; Miller, D.; Sarna-Wojcicki, A.; Fleck, R.J.; Hacker, B.; Erendi, A.

2008-01-01

The Kern River ash (KRA) bed is a prominent tephra layer separating the K and G sands in the upper part of the Kern River Formation, a major petroleum-bearing formation in the southern San Joaquin Valley (SSJV) of California. The minimum age of the Kern River Formation was based on the tentative major-element correlation with the Bishop Tuff, a 0.759??0.002 Ma volcanic tephra layer erupted from the Long Valley Caldera. We report a 6.12??0.05 Ma 40Ar/39Ar date for the KRA, updated major-element correlations, trace-element correlations of the KRA and geochemically similar tephra, and a 6.0??0.2 Ma 40Ar/39Ar age for a tephra layer from the Volcano Hills/Silver Peak eruptive center in Nevada. Both major and trace-element correlations show that despite the similarity to the Bishop Tuff, the KRA correlates most closely with tephra from the Volcano Hills/Silver Peak eruptive center. This geochemical correlation is supported by the radiometric dates which are consistent with a correlation of the KRA to the Volcano Hills/Silver Peak center but not to the Bishop Tuff. The 6.12??0.05 Ma age for the KRA and the 6.0??0.2 Ma age for the tephra layer from the Volcano Hills/Silver Peak eruptive center suggest that the upper age of the Kern River Formation is over 5 Ma older than previously thought. Re-interpreted stratigraphy of the SSJV based on the new, significantly older age for the Kern River Formation opens up new opportunities for petroleum exploration in the SSJV and places better constraints on the tectonostratigraphic development of the SSJV. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.

Nitrate removal in deep sediments of a nitrogen-rich river network: A test of a conceptual model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stelzer, Robert S.; Bartsch, Lynn

2012-01-01

Many estimates of nitrogen removal in streams and watersheds do not include or account for nitrate removal in deep sediments, particularly in gaining streams. We developed and tested a conceptual model for nitrate removal in deep sediments in a nitrogen-rich river network. The model predicts that oxic, nitrate-rich groundwater will become depleted in nitrate as groundwater upwelling through sediments encounters a zone that contains buried particulate organic carbon, which promotes redox conditions favorable for nitrate removal. We tested the model at eight sites in upwelling reaches of lotic ecosystems in the Waupaca River Watershed that varied by three orders of magnitude in groundwater nitrate concentration. We measured denitrification potential in sediment core sections to 30 cm and developed vertical nitrate profiles to a depth of about 1 m with peepers and piezometer nests. Denitrification potential was higher, on average, in shallower core sections. However, core sections deeper than 5 cm accounted for 70%, on average, of the depth-integrated denitrification potential. Denitrification potential increased linearly with groundwater nitrate concentration up to 2 mg NO3-N/L but the relationship broke down at higher concentrations (> 5 mg NO3-N/L), a pattern that suggests nitrate saturation. At most sites groundwater nitrate declined from high concentrations at depth to much lower concentrations prior to discharge into the surface water. The profiles suggested that nitrate removal occurred at sediment depths between 20 and 40 cm. Dissolved oxygen concentrations were much higher in deep sediments than in pore water at 5 cm sediment depth at most locations. The substantial denitrification potential in deep sediments coupled with the declines in nitrate and dissolved oxygen concentrations in upwelling groundwater suggest that our conceptual model for nitrate removal in deep sediments is applicable to this river network. Our results suggest that nitrate removal rates

Quantifying shallow and deep groundwater inputs to rivers with groundwater dating in hydrological observatories.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aquilina, Luc; Marçais, Jean; Gauvain, Alexandre; Kolbe, Tamara; de Dreuzy, Jean-Raynald; Labasque, Thierry; Abbott, Benjamin W.; Vergnaud, Virginie; Chatton, Eliot; Thomas, Zahra; Ruiz, Laurent; Bour, Olivier; Pinay, Gilles

2017-04-01

River water derives in part from groundwater—water that has spent some time in the subsurface (e.g. soil, unsaturated zone, saturated zone). However, because groundwater residence times vary from months to millennia, determining the proportion of shallow and deep groundwater contribution can be challenging. Groundwater dating with anthropogenic gases and natural geochemical tracers can decipher the origin of groundwater contribution to rivers, particularly when repeat samplings are carried out in different hydrological conditions. Here, we present two different applications of this approach from three hydrological observatories (H+ hydrogeological network; Aghrys and Armorique observatories) in western France, all these observatories belonging to the OZCAR national network. We carried out a regional investigation of mean groundwater ages in hard rock aquifers in Brittany, using long-term chronicles from hydrological observatories and regional monitoring sites. We determined the mean residence-time (RT) and annual renewal rate (RR) of four compartments of these aquifers: the direct contribution of a very young water component (i.e. RT less than 1-2 yr), the upper variably saturated zone (RR 27-33%), the weathered layer (RR 1.8-2.1%) and the fractured zone (RR 0.1%). From these values and a nitrate chronicle, we were able to determine the respective contributions of each compartment to the largest river in Brittany, the Vilaine, which drains 30% of the region. We found that the deep fractured compartment with very slow renewal times contributed to 25-45% of river water in winter and 30-60% in summer. The very young water which includes direct precipitation and soil fluxes constituted 40-65% of the winter river water (Aquilina et al., 2012). To complement these estimates, we investigated the relationship between dissolved silica and groundwater age in the Armorique hydrological observatory in northern Brittany. We computed the silica concentration expected along the

Diurnal variability in riverine dissolved organic matter composition determined by in situ optical measurement in the San Joaquin River (California, USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spencer, R.G.M.; Pellerin, B.A.; Bergamaschi, B.A.; Downing, B.D.; Kraus, T.E.C.; Smart, D.R.; Dahlgren, R.A.; Hernes, P.J.

2007-01-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration and composition in riverine and stream systems are known to vary with hydrological and productivity cycles over the annual and interannual time scales. Rivers are commonly perceived as homogeneous with respect to DOM concentration and composition, particularly under steady flow conditions over short time periods. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of short term variability ( < 1 day) on DOM dynamics. This study examined whether diurnal processes measurably altered DOM concentration and composition in the hypereutrophic San Joaquin River (California) during a relatively quiescent period. We evaluated the efficacy of using optical in situ measurements to reveal changes in DOM which may not be evident from bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) measurement alone. The in situ optical measurements described in this study clearly showed for the first time diurnal variations in DOM measurements, which have previously been related to both composition and concentration, even though diurnal changes were not well reflected in bulk DOC concentrations. An apparent asynchronous trend of DOM absorbance and chlorophyll-a in comparison to chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) fluorescence and spectral slope S290-350 suggests that no one specific CDOM spectrophotometric measurement explains absolutely DOM diurnal variation in this system; the measurement of multiple optical parameters is therefore recommended. The observed diurnal changes in DOM composition, measured by in situ optical instrumentation likely reflect both photochemical and biologically-mediated processes. The results of this study highlight that short-term variability in DOM composition may complicate trends for studies aiming to distinguish different DOM sources in riverine systems and emphasizes the importance of sampling specific study sites to be compared at the same time of day. The utilization of in situ optical technology allows short

77 FR 7536 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

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2012-02-13

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2012-02-06

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Use of Sediment Core Records to Understand Anthropogenic Impacts on Carbon Delivery to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canuel, E. A.; Lerberg, E.; Kuehl, S. S.; Dickhut, R. M.; Bianchi, T. S.; Wakeham, S. G.; Smith, R.

2008-12-01

Anthropogenic activities, including climate change, will influence connections between the hydrologic and carbon cycles as well as the exchange of materials between terrestrial and aquatic systems. Altered precipitation will influence the delivery of water, suspended sediment and carbon, while construction of dams and reservoirs and changes in land use alter the flow paths and transport of sediment and associated materials to downstream ecosystems. We used the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta CA (Delta, hereafter) as a model system for understanding how human activities influenced the delivery and composition of organic carbon (OC) over the past 50-60 years. Sediment cores from the Delta were used to examine human impacts on carbon sources, amounts, and ages. Sediment and carbon accumulation rates were four to eight-fold higher pre-1972 relative to post-1972, coincident with completion of several large reservoirs and increased agriculture and urbanization in the Delta watershed. Several classes of biomarkers demonstrate that terrigenous OC has decreased since the 1940s. Radiocarbon isotopes of TOC and fatty acids in surface sediments indicate that much of the OC is highly reworked (900-1400 years BP) and vascular plant biomarkers have the oldest ages suggesting erosion of soils. Together, these data suggest that human activities have altered the amount, sources, and ages of carbon accumulating in the Delta. Projected increases in aridity and changes in the timing and amounts of freshwater delivery associated with anthropogenic climate change are likely to exacerbate these modifications to the delivery of carbon and sediment.

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2011-01-31

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Erosion Characteristics and Horizontal Variability for Small Erosion Depths in the Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta, California, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoellhamer, D. H.; Manning, A. J.; Work, P. A.

2015-12-01

Cohesive sediment in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta affects pelagic fish habitat, contaminant transport, and marsh accretion. Observations of suspended-sediment concentration in the delta indicate that about 0.05 to 0.20 kg/m2 are eroded from the bed during a tidal cycle. If erosion is horizontally uniform, the erosion depth is about 30 to 150 microns, the typical range in diameter of suspended flocs. Application of an erosion microcosm produces similarly small erosion depths. In addition, core erodibility in the microcosm calculated with a horizontally homogeneous model increases with depth, contrary to expectations for a consolidating bed, possibly because the eroding surface area increases as applied shear stress increases. Thus, field observations and microcosm experiments, combined with visual observation of horizontally varying biota and texture at the surface of sediment cores, indicate that a conceptual model of erosion that includes horizontally varying properties may be more appropriate than assuming horizontally homogeneous erosive properties. To test this hypothesis, we collected five cores and measured the horizontal variability of shear strength within each core in the top 5.08 cm with a shear vane. Small tubes built by a freshwater worm and macroalgae were observed on the surface of all cores. The shear vane was inserted into the sediment until the top of the vane was at the top of the sediment, torque was applied to the vane until the sediment failed and the vane rotated, and the corresponding dial reading in Nm was recorded. The dial reading was assumed to be proportional to the surface strength. The horizontal standard deviation of the critical shear stress was about 30% of the mean. Results of the shear vane test provide empirical evidence that surface strength of the bed varies horizontally. A numerical simulation of erosion with an areally heterogeneous bed reproduced erosion characteristics observed in the microcosm.

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2011-06-24

... the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District... approve revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD) portion of... Glass Manufacturing'', US EPA, June 1994. 7. ``Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC...

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2012-11-05

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2011-07-15

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2011-09-14

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Deep-sea coral record of human impact on watershed quality in the Mississippi River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prouty, N.; Roark, B.; Koenig, A.; Batista, F. C.; Kocar, B. D.; Selby, D. S.; Mccarthy, M. D.; Mienis, F.; Ross, S. W.; Demopoulos, A. W.

2015-12-01

One of the greatest drivers of historical nutrient and sediment transport into the Gulf of Mexico is the unprecedented scale and intensity of land use change in the Mississippi River Basin. These landscape changes are linked to enhanced fluxes of carbon and nitrogen pollution from the Mississippi River, and persistent eutrophication and hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Increased terrestrial runoff is one hypothesis for recent enrichment in bulk nitrogen isotope (δ15N) values, a tracer for nutrient source, observed in a Gulf of Mexico deep-sea coral record. However, unambiguously linking anthropogenic land use change to whole scale shifts in downstream Gulf of Mexico biogeochemical cycles is difficult. Here we present a novel approach, coupling a new tracer of agro-industrialization to a multiproxy record of nutrient loading in long-lived deep-sea corals collected in the Gulf of Mexico. We found that coral bulk δ15N values are enriched over the last 150-200 years relative to the last millennia, and compound-specific amino acid δ15N data indicate a strong increase in baseline δ15N of nitrate as the primary cause. Coral rhenium (Re) values are also strongly elevated during this period, suggesting that 34% of Re is of anthropogenic origin, consistent with Re enrichment in major world rivers. However, there are no pre-anthropogenic measurements of Re to confirm this observation. For the first time, an unprecedented record of natural and anthropogenic Re variability is documented through coral Re records. Taken together, these novel proxies link upstream changes in water quality to impacts on the deep-sea coral ecosystem.

Deep-sea coral record of human impact on watershed quality in the Mississippi River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prouty, Nancy G.; Roark, E. Brendan; Koenig, Alan E.; Demopoulos, Amanda W. J.; Batista, Fabian C.; Kocar, Benjamin D.; Selby, David; McCarthy, Matthew D.; Mienis, Furu

2014-01-01

One of the greatest drivers of historical nutrient and sediment transport into the Gulf of Mexico is the unprecedented scale and intensity of land use change in the Mississippi River Basin. These landscape changes are linked to enhanced fluxes of carbon and nitrogen pollution from the Mississippi River, and persistent eutrophication and hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Increased terrestrial runoff is one hypothesis for recent enrichment in bulk nitrogen isotope (δ15N) values, a tracer for nutrient source, observed in a Gulf of Mexico deep-sea coral record. However, unambiguously linking anthropogenic land use change to whole scale shifts in downstream Gulf of Mexico biogeochemical cycles is difficult. Here we present a novel approach, coupling a new tracer of agro-industrialization to a multiproxy record of nutrient loading in long-lived deep-sea corals collected in the Gulf of Mexico. We found that coral bulk δ15N values are enriched over the last 150-200 years relative to the last millennia, and compound-specific amino acid δ15N data indicate a strong increase in baseline δ15N of nitrate as the primary cause. Coral rhenium (Re) values are also strongly elevated during this period, suggesting that 34% of Re is of anthropogenic origin, consistent with Re enrichment in major world rivers. However, there are no pre-anthropogenic measurements of Re to confirm this observation. For the first time, an unprecedented record of natural and anthropogenic Re variability is documented through coral Re records. Taken together, these novel proxies link upstream changes in water quality to impacts on the deep-sea coral ecosystem.

Deep-sea coral record of human impact on watershed quality in the Mississippi River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prouty, Nancy G.; Roark, E. Brendan; Koenig, Alan E.; Demopoulos, Amanda W. J.; Batista, Fabian C.; Kocar, Benjamin D.; Selby, David; McCarthy, Matthew D.; Mienis, Furu

2014-01-01

One of the greatest drivers of historical nutrient and sediment transport into the Gulf of Mexico is the unprecedented scale and intensity of land use change in the Mississippi River Basin. These landscape changes are linked to enhanced fluxes of carbon and nitrogen pollution from the Mississippi River, and persistent eutrophication and hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Increased terrestrial runoff is one hypothesis for recent enrichment in bulk nitrogen isotope (δ15N) values, a tracer for nutrient source, observed in a Gulf of Mexico deep-sea coral record. However, unambiguously linking anthropogenic land use change to whole scale shifts in downstream Gulf of Mexico biogeochemical cycles is difficult. Here we present a novel approach, coupling a new tracer of agro-industrialization to a multiproxy record of nutrient loading in long-lived deep-sea corals collected in the Gulf of Mexico. We found that coral bulk δ15N values are enriched over the last 150–200 years relative to the last millennia, and compound-specific amino acid δ15N data indicate a strong increase in baseline δ15N of nitrate as the primary cause. Coral rhenium (Re) values are also strongly elevated during this period, suggesting that 34% of Re is of anthropogenic origin, consistent with Re enrichment in major world rivers. However, there are no pre-anthropogenic measurements of Re to confirm this observation. For the first time, an unprecedented record of natural and anthropogenic Re variability is documented through coral Re records. Taken together, these novel proxies link upstream changes in water quality to impacts on the deep-sea coral ecosystem.

Land subsidence along the Delta-Mendota Canal in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley, California, 2003-10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sneed, Michelle; Brandt, Justin; Solt, Mike

2013-01-01

seasonal periods of subsidence and of uplift that resulted in little or no longer-term elevation loss. Many groundwater levels in this northern area did not reach historical lows during 2003–10, indicating that deformation in this region was primarily elastic. Although the northern portion of the Delta-Mendota Canal was relatively stable, land-surface deformation measurements indicated the southern portion of the Delta-Mendota Canal (Checks 15–21) subsided as part of a large subsidence feature centered about 15 kilometers northeast of the Delta-Mendota Canal, south of the town of El Nido. Results of InSAR analysis indicated at least 540 millimeters of subsidence near the San Joaquin River and the Eastside Bypass during 2008–10, which is part of a 3,200 square-kilometer area—including the southern part of the Delta-Mendota Canal—affected by 20 millimeters or more of subsidence during the same period. Calculations indicated that the subsidence rate doubled in 2008 in some areas. The GPS surveys done in 2008 and 2010 confirmed the high subsidence rate measured by using InSAR for the same period. Water levels in many shallow and deep wells in this area declined during 2007–10; water levels in many deep wells reached historical lows, indicating that subsidence measured during this period was largely inelastic. InSAR-derived subsidence maps for various periods during 2003–10 showed that the area of maximum active subsidence (that is, the largest rates of subsidence) shifted from its historical (1926–70) location southwest of Mendota to south of El Nido. Continued groundwater-level and land-subsidence monitoring in the San Joaquin Valley is important because (1) regulatory- and drought-related reductions in surface-water deliveries since 1976 have resulted in increased groundwater pumping and associated land subsidence, and (2) land use and associated groundwater pumping continue to change throughout the valley. The availability of surface water remains uncertain

76 FR 69135 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

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2011-11-08

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76 FR 76046 - Interim Final Determination To Defer Sanctions, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control...

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2011-12-06

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77 FR 64427 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

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2012-10-22

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2011-03-25

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2010-05-05

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2010-01-13

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2011-11-03

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76 FR 45212 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

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2011-07-28

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Examining Dimethyl Sulfide Emissions in California's San Joaquin Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, D.; Hughes, S.; Blake, D. R.

2017-12-01

Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) is a sulfur-containing compound that leads to the formation of aerosols which can lead to the formation of haze and fog. Whole air samples were collected on board the NASA C-23 Sherpa aircraft during the 2017 Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) over dairies and agricultural fields in the San Joaquin Valley. Analysis of the samples indicate average DMS concentrations of 23 ± 9 pptv, with a maximum concentration of 49 pptv. When compared with DMS concentrations from previous SARP missions (2009-2016), 2017 by far had the highest frequency of elevated DMS in this region. For this study, agricultural productivity of this region was analyzed to determine whether land use could be contributing to the elevated DMS. Top down and bottom up analysis of agriculture and dairies were used to determine emission rates of DMS in the San Joaquin Valley. Correlations to methane and ethanol were used to determine that DMS emissions were strongly linked to dairies, and resulted in R2 values of 0.61 and 0.43, respectively. These values indicate a strong correlation between dairies and DMS emissions. Combined with NOAA HySPLIT back trajectory data and analysis of ground air samples, results suggest that the contribution of dairies to annual DMS emissions in the San Joaquin Valley exceeds those from corn and alfalfa production.

Regional skew for California, and flood frequency for selected sites in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Basin, based on data through water year 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parrett, Charles; Veilleux, Andrea; Stedinger, J.R.; Barth, N.A.; Knifong, Donna L.; Ferris, J.C.

2011-01-01

Improved flood-frequency information is important throughout California in general and in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Basin in particular, because of an extensive network of flood-control levees and the risk of catastrophic flooding. A key first step in updating flood-frequency information is determining regional skew. A Bayesian generalized least squares (GLS) regression method was used to derive a regional-skew model based on annual peak-discharge data for 158 long-term (30 or more years of record) stations throughout most of California. The desert areas in southeastern California had too few long-term stations to reliably determine regional skew for that hydrologically distinct region; therefore, the desert areas were excluded from the regional skew analysis for California. Of the 158 long-term stations used to determine regional skew, 145 have minimally regulated annual-peak discharges, and 13 stations are dam sites for which unregulated peak discharges were estimated from unregulated daily maximum discharge data furnished by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. Station skew was determined by using an expected moments algorithm (EMA) program for fitting the Pearson Type 3 flood-frequency distribution to the logarithms of annual peak-discharge data. The Bayesian GLS regression method previously developed was modified because of the large cross correlations among concurrent recorded peak discharges in California and the use of censored data and historical flood information with the new expected moments algorithm. In particular, to properly account for these cross-correlation problems and develop a suitable regression model and regression diagnostics, a combination of Bayesian weighted least squares and generalized least squares regression was adopted. This new methodology identified a nonlinear function relating regional skew to mean basin elevation. The regional skew values ranged from -0.62 for a mean basin elevation of zero to 0.61 for a mean basin elevation

Determination of bench-mark elevations at Bethel Island and vicinity, Contra Costa and San Joaquin counties, California, 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blodgett, J.C.; Ikehara, M.E.; McCaffrey, William F.

1988-01-01

Elevations of 49 bench marks in the southwestern part of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta were determined during October and November 1987. A total of 58 miles of level lines were run in the vicinity of Bethel Island and the community of Discovery Bay. The datum of these surveys is based on a National Geodetic Survey bench mark T934 situated on bedrock 10.5 mi east of Mount Diablo and near Marsh Creek Reservoir. The accuracy of these levels, based on National Geodetic Survey standards, was of first, second, and third order, depending on the various segments surveyed. Several bench marks were noted as possibly being stable, but most show evidence of instability. (USGS)

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2011-09-12

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2011-08-29

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2011-09-12

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2012-01-04

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2010-09-23

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2012-09-20

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2010-01-26

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2011-07-28

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Analysis of High Temporal and Spatial Observations of Hurricane Joaquin During TCI-15

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Creasey, Robert; Elsberry, Russell L.; Velden, Chris; Cecil, Daniel J.; Bell, Michael; Hendricks, Eric A.

2016-01-01

Objectives: Provide an example of why analysis of high density soundings across Hurricane Joaquin also require highly accurate center positions; Describe technique for calculating 3-D zero-wind center positions from the highly accurate GPS positions of sequences of High-Density Sounding System (HDSS) soundings as they fall from 10 km to the ocean surface; Illustrate the vertical tilt of the vortex above 4-5 km during two center passes through Hurricane Joaquin on 4 October 2015.

Chemical analyses for selected wells in San Joaquin County and part of Contra Costa County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keeter, Gail L.

1980-01-01

The study area of this report includes the eastern valley area of Contra Costa County and all of San Joaquin County, an area of approximately 1,600 square miles in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley, Calif. Between December 1977 and December 1978, 1,489 wells were selectively canvassed. During May and June in 1978 and 1979, water samples were collected for chemical analysis from 321 of these wells. Field determinations of alkalinity, conductance, pH, and temperature were made, and individual constituents were analyzed. This report is the fourth in a series of baseline data reports on wells in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. (USGS)

Recent research on the hydrodynamics of the Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta and north San Francisco Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burau, J.R.; Monismith, S.G.; Stacey, M.T.; Oltmann, R.N.; Lacy, J.R.; Schoellhamer, D.H.

1999-01-01

This article presents an overview of recent findings from hydrodynamic research on circulation and mixing in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) (Figure 1) and North San Francisco Bay (North Bay) (Figure 2). For the purposes of this article, North Bay includes San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, and Suisun Bay. The findings presented are those gained from field studies carried out by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as part of the Interagency Ecological Program (IEP), and Stanford University beginning about 1993. The premise behind these studies was that a basic understanding of circulation and mixing patterns in the Bay and Delta is an essential part of understanding how biota and water quality are affected by natural hydrologic variability, water appropriation, and development activities. Data collected for the field studies described in this article have significantly improved our understanding of Bay and Delta hydrodynamics. Measured flows ,in the Delta have provided valuable information on how water moves through the Delta's network of channels and how export pumping affects flows. Studies of the shallows and shallow-channel exchange processes conducted in Honker Bay have shown that the water residence time in Honker Bay is much shorter than previously reported (on the order of hours to several tidal cycles instead ofweeks). Suisun Bay studies have provided data on hydrodynamic transport and accumulation mechanisms that operate primarily in the channels. The Suisun Bay studies have caused us to revise our understanding of residual circulation in the channels of North Bay and of "entrapment" mechanisms in the low salinity zone. Finally, detailed tidal and residual (tidally averaged) time-scale studies of the mechanisms that control gravitational circulation in the estuary show that density-driven transport in the channels is governed by turbulence time-scale (seconds) interactions between the mean flow and stratification. The hydrodynamic research

Climate change and other stressors change modeled population size and hybridization potential for San Joaquin kit fox

EPA Science Inventory

The San Joaquin kit fox was once widely distributed across the southern San Joaquin Valley, but agriculture and development have replaced much of the endangered subspecies’ habitat. We modeled impacts of climate change, land-use change, and rodenticide exposure on kit fox p...

76 FR 56116 - Interim Final Determination To Stay and Defer Sanctions, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-12

... Determination To Stay and Defer Sanctions, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District AGENCY... on a proposed approval of revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District... Part 52 Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental...

76 FR 56114 - Interim Final Determination to Stay and Defer Sanctions, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-12

... Determination to Stay and Defer Sanctions, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District AGENCY... on a proposed approval of revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District... Part 52 Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental...

77 FR 74355 - Approval of Air Quality Implementation Plans; California; San Joaquin Valley; Attainment Plan for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-14

... update the air quality modeling in the San Joaquin Valley 8-Hour Ozone SIP by December 31, 2014. DATES... modeling in the San Joaquin Valley 8-Hour Ozone SIP to reflect emissions inventory improvements and any...) * * * (396) * * * (ii) * * * (A) * * * (2) * * * (ii) Commitment to update the air quality modeling in the...

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES SUPPLEMENTAL TO AND RELATED TO THE ART PROGRAM AT DEEP RIVER OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gary City Public School System, IN.

A CURRICULUM GUIDE DEALING WITH VARIOUS SUBJECT AREAS WAS PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE STUDY ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD USE THE LEARNING RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT THE DEEP RIVER OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER IN GARY, INDIANA. ACTIVITIES GUIDES ARE PRESENTED FOR (1) ART ACTITIVIES RELATED TO DESIGN, COLOR, LANDSCAPE REPRESENTATION, PAPER CONSTRUCTION, DRAWING, PRINT…

Mapping deep aquifer salinity trends in the southern San Joaquin Valley using borehole geophysical data constrained by chemical analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillespie, J.; Shimabukuro, D.; Stephens, M.; Chang, W. H.; Ball, L. B.; Everett, R.; Metzger, L.; Landon, M. K.

2016-12-01

The California State Water Resources Control Board and the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources are collaborating with the U.S. Geological Survey to map groundwater resources near oil fields and to assess potential interactions between oil and gas development and groundwater resources. Groundwater resources having salinity less than 10,000 mg/L total dissolved solids may be classified as Underground Sources of Drinking Water (USDW) and subject to protection under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. In this study, we use information from oil well borehole geophysical logs, oilfield produced water and groundwater chemistry data, and three-dimensional geologic surfaces to map the spatial distribution of salinity in aquifers near oil fields. Salinity in the southern San Joaquin Valley is controlled primarily by depth and location. The base of protected waters occurs at very shallow depths, often < 300 meters, in the western part of the valley where aquifer recharge is low in the rain shadow of the Coast Ranges. The base of protected water is much deeper, often >1,500 meters, in the eastern part of the San Joaquin Valley where higher runoff from the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada provide relatively abundant aquifer recharge. Stratigraphy acts as a secondary control on salinity within these broader areas. Formations deposited in non-marine environments are generally fresher than marine deposits. Layers isolated vertically between confining beds and cut off from recharge sources may be more saline than underlying aquifers that outcrop in upland areas on the edge of the valley with more direct connection to regional recharge areas. The role of faulting is more ambiguous. In some areas, abrupt changes in salinity may be fault controlled but, more commonly, the faults serve as traps separating oil-bearing strata that are exempt from USDW regulations, from water-bearing strata that are not exempt.

The Crescent Bypass: A Riparian Restoration Project on the Kings River (Fresno County)

Treesearch

Jonathan A. Oldham; Bradley E. Valentine

1989-01-01

The Kings River Conservation District planted over 1200 plants of 19 riparian species in the first of two phases of a riparian revegetation project in the San Joaquin Valley. To date, tree survival rates vary from 17 to 96 percent among species, with an overall rate of 62 percent. Shrub survival averages 57 percent and ranges from 23 to 73 percent. Factors affecting...

A project summary: Water and energy budget assessment for a non-tidal wetland in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Frank E.; Snyder, R.L.; Paw, U.K.T.; Drexler, Judith Z.

2004-01-01

The methods used to obtain universal cover coefficient (Kc) values for a non-tidal restored wetland in the Sacramento-San Joaquin river delta, US, during the summer of the year 2002 and to investigate possible differences during changing wind patterns are described. A micrometeorological tower over the wetland was established to quantify actual evapotranspiration (ETa) rates and surface energy fluxes for water and energy budget analysis. The eddy-covariance (EC) system was used to measure the surface energy budget data in the period from May 23 to November 6, 2002. The results show that K c values should be lower during westerly than northerly wind events during the midseason period due to the reduced vapor pressure deficit.

Comparing Multiple Evapotranspiration-calculating Methods, Including Eddy Covariance and Surface Renewal, Using Empirical Measurements from Alfalfa Fields in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clay, J.; Kent, E. R.; Leinfelder-Miles, M.; Lambert, J. J.; Little, C.; Paw U, K. T.; Snyder, R. L.

2016-12-01

Eddy covariance and surface renewal measurements were used to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) over a variety of crop fields in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta during the 2016 growing season. However, comparing and evaluating multiple measurement systems and methods for determining ET was focused upon at a single alfalfa site. The eddy covariance systems included two systems for direct measurement of latent heat flux: one using a separate sonic anemometer and an open path infrared gas analyzer and another using a combined system (Campbell Scientific IRGASON). For these methods, eddy covariance was used with measurements from the Campbell Scientific CSAT3, the LI-COR 7500a, the Campbell Scientific IRGASON, and an additional R.M. Young sonic anemometer. In addition to those direct measures, the surface renewal approach included several energy balance residual methods in which net radiation, ground heat flux, and sensible heat flux (H) were measured. H was measured using several systems and different methods, including using multiple fast-response thermocouple measurements and using the temperatures measured by the sonic anemometers. The energy available for ET was then calculated as the residual of the surface energy balance equation. Differences in ET values were analyzed between the eddy covariance and surface renewal methods, using the IRGASON-derived values of ET as the standard for accuracy.

Animation of Tropical Storm Joaquin right before it intensified into a hurricane on September 29, 2015

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

-- Joaquin became a tropical storm Monday evening (EDT) midway between the Bahamas and Bermuda and has now formed into a hurricane, the 3rd of the season--the difference is Joaquin could impact the US East Coast. GPM captured Joaquin Tuesday, September 29th at 21:39 UTC (5:39 pm EDT) as the hurricane moved slowly towards the west-southwest about 400 miles east of the northwestern Bahamas. At the time, Joaquin had been battling northerly wind shear, which was impeding the storm's ability to strengthen. However, compared to earlier in the day, the system was beginning to gain the upper hand as the shear began to relax its grip. At the time of this data visualization, Joaquin's low-level center of circulation was located further within the cloud shield, and the rain area was beginning to wrap farther around the center on the eastern side of the storm while showing signs of increased banding and curvature, a sure sign that Joaquin's circulation was intensifying. GPM shows a large area of very intense rain with rain rates ranging from around 50 to 132 mm/hr (~2 to 5 inches, shown in red and magenta) just to the right of the center. This is a strong indication that large amounts of heat are being released into the storm's center, fueling its circulation and providing the means for its intensification. Associated with the area of intense rain is an area of tall convective towers, known as a convective burst, with tops reaching up to 16.3 km (shown in orange). These towers when located near the storm's core are a strong indication that the storm is poised to strengthen as they too reveal the release of heat into the storm. At the time this data was taken, the National Hurricane Center reported that Joaquin's maximum sustained winds had increased to 65 mph from 40 mph earlier in the day, making Joaquin a strong tropical storm but poised to become a hurricane, which occurred this morning at 8:00 am EDT. With the inhibiting wind shear expected to continue to diminish and the

76 FR 59254 - Interim Final Determination To Stay and Defer Sanctions, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-26

... Determination To Stay and Defer Sanctions, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District AGENCY... on a proposed approval of revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District...)(2)). List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52 Environmental protection, Air pollution control...

77 FR 24857 - Interim Final Determination To Stay and Defer Sanctions, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-26

... Determination To Stay and Defer Sanctions, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District AGENCY... on a proposed approval of revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District... Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52 Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Intergovernmental regulations...

78 FR 6814 - Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Sacramento-San Joaquin...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-31

... an Environmental Impact Statement for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Islands and Levees Feasibility... Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Islands and Levees Feasibility Study (Delta Study). The EIS will be prepared in... environmental analysis should be received at (see ADDRESSES) by March 15, 2013. ADDRESSES: Written comments...

Hurricane Joaquin North of Bermuda

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Hurricane Joaquin is seen in the Atlantic Ocean north of Bermuda in this image taken by GOES East at 1315 UTC (9:15 a.m. EDT) on October 5, 2015. Credit: NOAA/NASA GOES Project NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

The influence of water depth and flow regime on phytoplankton biomass and community structure in a shallow, lowland river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leland, H.V.

2003-01-01

The taxonomic composition and biomass of phytoplankton in the San Joaquin River, California, were examined in relation to water depth, flow regime, and water chemistry. Without substantial tributary inflow, maintenance demands exceeded algal production during summer and autumn in this eutrophic, 'lowland type' river due to light-limiting conditions for algal growth. Streamflow from tributaries that drain the Sierra Nevada contributed to a substantial net gain in algal production during the spring and summer by increasing water transparency and the extent of turbulence. Abundances of the major taxa (centric diatoms, pennate diatoms and chlorophytes) indicated differing responses to the longitudinal variation in water depth and flow regime, with the areal extent of pools and other geomorphic features that influence time-for-development being a major contributing factor to the selection of species. Tychoplanktonic species were most abundant upstream and in tributaries that drain the San Joaquin Valley. Seasonally-varying factors such as water temperature that influence algal growth rates also contributed significantly to the selection of species. Nutrient limitation appears not to be a primary constraint on species selection in the phytoplankton of this river.

Crustal structure revealed by a deep seismic sounding profile of Baijing-Gaoming-Jinwan in the Pearl River Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiang; Ye, Xiuwei; Lv, Jinshui; Sun, Jinlong; Wang, Xiaona

2018-02-01

The Pearl River Estuary area, located in the middle part of the southern China coastal seismic belt, has long been considered a potential source of strong earthquakes above magnitude 7.0. To scientifically assess the potential strong earthquake risk in this area, a three-dimensional artificial seismic sounding experiment, consisting of a receiving array and seabed seismograph, was performed to reveal the deep crustal structure in this region. We used artificial ship-borne air-gun excitation shots as sources, and fixed and mobile stations as receivers to record seismic data from May to August 2015. This paper presents results along a line from the western side of the Pearl River Estuary to the western side of the Baijing-Gaoming-Jinwan profile. A two-dimensional velocity structure was constructed using seismic travel-time tomography. The inversion results show that the Moho depth is 27 km in the coastal area and 30 km in the northwest of the Pearl River Estuary area, indicating that the crust thins from land to sea. Two structural discontinuities and multiple low-velocity anomalies appear in the crustal section. Inside both discontinuity zones, a low-velocity layer, with a minimum velocity of 6.05 km s-1, exists at a depth of about 15 km, and another, with a minimum velocity of 6.37 km s-1, exists at a depth of about 21.5 km between the middle and lower crust. These low velocities suggest that the discontinuities may consist of partly molten material. Earthquakes with magnitudes higher than 5.0 occurred in the low-velocity layer along the profile. The deep Kaiping-Enping fault, rooted in the crust, may be one of the most important channels for deep material upwelling and is related to tectonic movement since the Cretaceous in the Pearl River Delta tectonic rift basin.

Erosion characteristics and horizontal variability for small erosion depths in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoellhamer, David H.; Manning, Andrew J.; Work, Paul A.

2017-06-01

Erodibility of cohesive sediment in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (Delta) was investigated with an erosion microcosm. Erosion depths in the Delta and in the microcosm were estimated to be about one floc diameter over a range of shear stresses and times comparable to half of a typical tidal cycle. Using the conventional assumption of horizontally homogeneous bed sediment, data from 27 of 34 microcosm experiments indicate that the erosion rate coefficient increased as eroded mass increased, contrary to theory. We believe that small erosion depths, erosion rate coefficient deviation from theory, and visual observation of horizontally varying biota and texture at the sediment surface indicate that erosion cannot solely be a function of depth but must also vary horizontally. We test this hypothesis by developing a simple numerical model that includes horizontal heterogeneity, use it to develop an artificial time series of suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) in an erosion microcosm, then analyze that time series assuming horizontal homogeneity. A shear vane was used to estimate that the horizontal standard deviation of critical shear stress was about 30% of the mean value at a site in the Delta. The numerical model of the erosion microcosm included a normal distribution of initial critical shear stress, a linear increase in critical shear stress with eroded mass, an exponential decrease of erosion rate coefficient with eroded mass, and a stepped increase in applied shear stress. The maximum SSC for each step increased gradually, thus confounding identification of a single well-defined critical shear stress as encountered with the empirical data. Analysis of the artificial SSC time series with the assumption of a homogeneous bed reproduced the original profile of critical shear stress, but the erosion rate coefficient increased with eroded mass, similar to the empirical data. Thus, the numerical experiment confirms the small-depth erosion hypothesis. A linear

Erosion characteristics and horizontal variability for small erosion depths in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schoellhamer, David H.; Manning, Andrew J.; Work, Paul A.

2017-01-01

Erodibility of cohesive sediment in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (Delta) was investigated with an erosion microcosm. Erosion depths in the Delta and in the microcosm were estimated to be about one floc diameter over a range of shear stresses and times comparable to half of a typical tidal cycle. Using the conventional assumption of horizontally homogeneous bed sediment, data from 27 of 34 microcosm experiments indicate that the erosion rate coefficient increased as eroded mass increased, contrary to theory. We believe that small erosion depths, erosion rate coefficient deviation from theory, and visual observation of horizontally varying biota and texture at the sediment surface indicate that erosion cannot solely be a function of depth but must also vary horizontally. We test this hypothesis by developing a simple numerical model that includes horizontal heterogeneity, use it to develop an artificial time series of suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) in an erosion microcosm, then analyze that time series assuming horizontal homogeneity. A shear vane was used to estimate that the horizontal standard deviation of critical shear stress was about 30% of the mean value at a site in the Delta. The numerical model of the erosion microcosm included a normal distribution of initial critical shear stress, a linear increase in critical shear stress with eroded mass, an exponential decrease of erosion rate coefficient with eroded mass, and a stepped increase in applied shear stress. The maximum SSC for each step increased gradually, thus confounding identification of a single well-defined critical shear stress as encountered with the empirical data. Analysis of the artificial SSC time series with the assumption of a homogeneous bed reproduced the original profile of critical shear stress, but the erosion rate coefficient increased with eroded mass, similar to the empirical data. Thus, the numerical experiment confirms the small-depth erosion hypothesis. A linear

Petroleum systems of the San Joaquin Basin Province -- geochemical characteristics of gas types: Chapter 10 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lillis, Paul G.; Warden, Augusta; Claypool, George E.; Magoon, Leslie B.

2008-01-01

The San Joaquin Basin Province is a petroliferous basin filled with predominantly Late Cretaceous to Pliocene-aged sediments, with organic-rich marine rocks of Late Cretaceous, Eocene, and Miocene age providing the source of most of the oil and gas. Previous geochemical studies have focused on the origin of the oil in the province, but the origin of the natural gas has received little attention. To identify and characterize natural gas types in the San Joaquin Basin, 66 gas samples were analyzed and combined with analyses of 15 gas samples from previous studies. For the purpose of this resource assessment, each gas type was assigned to the most likely petroleum system. Three general gas types are identified on the basis of bulk and stable carbon isotopic composition—thermogenic dry (TD), thermogenic wet (TW) and biogenic (B). The thermogenic gas types are further subdivided on the basis of the δ13C values of methane and ethane and nitrogen content into TD-1, TD-2, TD-Mixed, TW-1, TW-2, and TW-Mixed. Gas types TD-1 and TD-Mixed, a mixture of biogenic and TD-1 gases, are produced from gas fields in the northern San Joaquin Basin. Type TD-1 gas most likely originated from the Late Cretaceous to Paleocene Moreno Formation, a gas-prone source rock. The biogenic component of the TD-Mixed gas existed in the trap prior to the influx of thermogenic gas. For the assessment, these gas types were assigned to the Winters- Domengine Total Petroleum System, but subsequent to the assessment were reclassified as part of the Moreno-Nortonville gas system. Dry thermogenic gas produced from oil fields in the southern San Joaquin Basin (TD-2 gas) most likely originated from the oil-prone source rock of Miocene age. These samples have low wetness values due to migration fractionation or biodegradation. The thermogenic wet gas types (TW-1, TW-2, TW-Mixed) are predominantly associated gas produced from oil fields in the southern and central San Joaquin Basin. Type TW-1 gas most likely

Hurricane Joaquin North of Bermuda

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Hurricane Joaquin is seen in the Atlantic Ocean north of Bermuda in this image taken by GOES East at 1315 UTC (9:15 a.m. EDT) on October 5, 2015. Credit: NASA/NOAA via NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory Credit: NOAA/NASA GOES Project NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

A hybrid deep neural network and physically based distributed model for river stage prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

hitokoto, Masayuki; sakuraba, Masaaki

2016-04-01

We developed the real-time river stage prediction model, using the hybrid deep neural network and physically based distributed model. As the basic model, 4 layer feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN) was used. As a network training method, the deep learning technique was applied. To optimize the network weight, the stochastic gradient descent method based on the back propagation method was used. As a pre-training method, the denoising autoencoder was used. Input of the ANN model is hourly change of water level and hourly rainfall, output data is water level of downstream station. In general, the desirable input of the ANN has strong correlation with the output. In conceptual hydrological model such as tank model and storage-function model, river discharge is governed by the catchment storage. Therefore, the change of the catchment storage, downstream discharge subtracted from rainfall, can be the potent input candidate of the ANN model instead of rainfall. From this point of view, the hybrid deep neural network and physically based distributed model was developed. The prediction procedure of the hybrid model is as follows; first, downstream discharge was calculated by the distributed model, and then estimates the hourly change of catchment storage form rainfall and calculated discharge as the input of the ANN model, and finally the ANN model was calculated. In the training phase, hourly change of catchment storage can be calculated by the observed rainfall and discharge data. The developed model was applied to the one catchment of the OOYODO River, one of the first-grade river in Japan. The modeled catchment is 695 square km. For the training data, 5 water level gauging station and 14 rain-gauge station in the catchment was used. The training floods, superior 24 events, were selected during the period of 2005-2014. Prediction was made up to 6 hours, and 6 models were developed for each prediction time. To set the proper learning parameters and network

Seismic Tomography of the Sacramento -- San Joaquin River Delta: Joint P-wave/Gravity and Ambient Noise Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teel, Alexander C.

The Sacramento -- San Joaquin River Delta (SSJRD) is an area that has been identified as having high seismic hazard but has resolution gaps in the seismic velocity models of the area due to a scarcity of local seismic stations and earthquakes. I present new three-dimensional (3D) P-wave velocity (Vp) and S-wave velocity (Vs) models for the SSJRD which fill in the sampling gaps of previous studies. I have created a new 3D seismic velocity model for the SSJRD, addressing an identified need for higher resolution velocity models in the region, using a new joint gravity/body-wave tomography algorithm. I am able to fit gravity and arrival-time residuals jointly using an empirical density-velocity relationship to take advantage of existing gravity data in the region to help fill in the resolution gaps of previous velocity models in the area. I find that the method enhances the ability to resolve the relief of basin structure relative to seismic-only tomography at this location. I find the depth to the basement to be the greatest in the northwest portion of the SSJRD and that there is a plateau in the basement structure beneath the southeast portion of the SSJRD. From my findings I infer that the SSJRD may be prone to focusing effects and basin amplification of ground motion. A 3D, Vs model for the SSJRD and surrounding area was created using ambient noise tomography. The empirical Green's functions are in good agreement with published cross-correlations and match earthquake waveforms sharing similar paths. The group velocity and shear velocity maps are in good agreement with published regional scale models. The new model maps velocity values on a local scale and successfully recovers the basin structure beneath the Delta. From this Vs model I find the maximum depth of the basin to reach approximately 15 km with the Great Valley Ophiolite body rising to a depth of 10 km east of the SSJRD. We consider our basement-depth estimates from the Vp model to be more robust than

Regional nitrate and pesticide trends in ground water in the eastern San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burow, K.R.; Shelton, James L.; Dubrovsky, N.M.

2008-01-01

Protection of ground water for present and future use requires monitoring and understanding of the mechanisms controlling long-term quality of ground water. In this study, spatial and temporal trends in concentrations of nitrate and pesticides in ground water in the eastern San Joaquin Valley, California, were evaluated to determine the long-term effects of agricultural and urban development on regional ground-water quality. Trends in concentrations of nitrate, the nematocide 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, and the herbicide simazine during the last two decades are generally consistent with known nitrogen fertilizer and pesticide use and with the position of the well networks in the regional ground-water flow system. Concentrations of nitrate and pesticides are higher in the shallow part of the aquifer system where domestic wells are typically screened, whereas concentrations are lower in the deep part of the aquifer system where public-supply wells are typically screened. Attenuation processes do not seem to significantly affect concentrations. Historical data indicate that concentrations of nitrate have increased since the 1950s in the shallow and deep parts of the aquifer system. Concentrations of nitrate and detection of pesticides in the deep part of the aquifer system will likely increase as the proportion of highly affected water contributed to these wells increases with time. Because of the time of travel between the water table and the deep part of the aquifer system, current concentrations in public-supply wells likely reflect the effects of 40- to 50-yr-old management practices. Copyright ?? 2008 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

Dual-RiverSonde measurements of two-dimensional river flow patterns

USGS Publications Warehouse

Teague, C.C.; Barrick, D.E.; Lilleboe, P.M.; Cheng, R.T.; Stumpner, P.; Burau, J.R.

2008-01-01

Two-dimensional river flow patterns have been measured using a pair of RiverSondes in two experiments in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta system of central California during April and October 2007. An experiment was conducted at Walnut Grove, California in order to explore the use of dual RiverSondes to measure flow patterns at a location which is important in the study of juvenile fish migration. The data available during the first experiment were limited by low wind, so a second experiment was conducted at Threemile Slough where wind conditions and surface turbulence historically have resulted in abundant data. Both experiments included ADCP near-surface velocity measurements from either manned or unmanned boats. Both experiments showed good comparisons between the RiverSonde and ADCP measurements. The flow conditions at both locations are dominated by tidal effects, with partial flow reversal at Walnut Grove and complete flow reversal at Threemile Slough. Both systems showed complex flow patterns during the flow reversals. Quantitative comparisons between the RiverSondes and an ADCP on a manned boat at Walnut Grove showed mean differences of 4.5 cm/s in the u (eastward) and 7.6 cm/s in the v (northward) components, and RMS differences of 14.7 cm/s in the u component and 21.0 cm/s in the v component. Quantitative comparisons between the RiverSondes and ADCPs on autonomous survey vessels at Threemile Slough showed mean differences of 0.007 cm/s in the u component and 0.5 cm/s in the v component, and RMS differences of 7.9 cm/s in the u component and 13.5 cm/s in the v component after obvious outliers were removed. ?? 2008 IEEE.

Preliminary assessment of DOC and THM precursor loads from a freshwater restored wetland, an agricultural field, and a tidal wetland in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fujii, R.; Bergamaschi, B.A.; Ganju, N.K.; Fleck, J.A.; Burow-Fogg, K.R.; Schoellhamer, D.; Deverel, S.J.

2003-01-01

Water exported from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta supplies drinking water to more than 22 million people in California. At certain times of the year, Delta waters contain relatively high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and bromide. During these times, chlorination of Delta water for drinking water disinfection will form disinfection byproducts, such as trihalomethanes (THMs), that can exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's maximum contaminant level for THMs of 80 mg/L. Important sources of DOC and THM precursors (types of DOC that form THMs when chlorinated) to the Delta include rivers, drainage water from peat islands, water from wetlands and areas with extensive riparian vegetation, and in-channel growth of algae and macrophytes. Due to proposed ecosystem restoration and creation of wetlands in the Delta, there is an urgent need for information on the relative loads of DOC and THM precursors produced from three different land uses: restored wetlands constructed for subsidence mitigation, tidal wetlands, and agricultural operations. We have been conducting research in the Delta to provide this information. A restored wetland and agricultural field located on Twitchell Island, and a tidal wetland on Browns Island have been monitored for flow, DOC, and THM precursors. Initial results indicate that the loads of DOC and THM precursors are similar for the restored wetland (surface water only) and the agricultural field. These land uses produce DOC loads of about 14 and 11 g C/m2/yr, respectively, and THM precursor loads of about 1.7 and 1.0 g THM/m2/yr, respectively. Estimates of DOC and THM precursor loads for the tidal wetland site on Browns Island and seepage associated with the restored wetland are being developed.

South Belridge fields, Borderland basin, U. S. , San Joaquin Valley

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

Miller, D.D.; McPherson, J.G.

1991-03-01

South Belridge is a giant field in the west San Joaquin Valley, Kern County. Cumulative field production is approximately 700 MMBO and 220 BCFG, with remaining recoverable reserves of approximately 500 MMBO. The daily production is nearly 180 MBO from over 6100 active wells. The focus of current field development and production is the shallow Tulare reservoir. Additional probable diatomite reserves have been conservatively estimated at 550 MMBO and 550 BCFG. South Belridge field has two principal reservoir horizons; the Mio-Pliocene Belridge diatomite of the upper Monterey Formation, and the overlying Plio-Pleistocene Tulare Formation. The field lies on the crestmore » of a large southeast-plunging anticline, sub-parallel to the nearby San Andreas fault system. The reservoir trap in both the Tulare and diatomite reservoir horizons is a combination of structure, stratigraphic factors, and tar seals; the presumed source for the oil is the deeper Monterey Formation. The diatomite reservoir produces light oil (20-32{degree} API gravity) form deep-marine diatomite and diatomaceous shales with extremely high porosity (average 60%) and low permeability (average 1 md). In contrast, the shallow ({lt}1000 ft (305 m) deep) overlying Tulare reservoir produces heavy oil (13-14{degree} API gravity) from unconsolidated, arkosic, fluviodeltaic sands of high porosity (average 35%) and permeability (average 3000 md). The depositional model is that of a generally prograding fluviodeltaic system sourced in the nearby basin-margin highlands. More than 6000 closely spaced, shallow wells are the key to steamflood production from hundreds of layered and laterally discontinuous reservoir sands which create laterally and vertically discontinuous reservoir flow units.« less

Hurricane Joaquin Seen From GOES West

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

Major Hurricane Joaquin is shown at the far eastern periphery of the GOES West satellite's full disk extent, taken at 1200Z on October 1, 2015. Credit: NASA/NOAA via NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Mobility of major and trace elements in a coupled groundwater-surface water system: Merced River, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wildman, R. A.; Domagalski, J. L.; Hering, J. G.

2004-12-01

Trace element transport in coupled surface water/groundwater systems is controlled not only by advective flow, but also by redox reactions that affect the partitioning of various elements between mobile and immobile phases. These processes have been examined in the context of a field project conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. The Merced River flows out of Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada foothills and into California's Central Valley, where it joins the San Joaquin River. Our field site is approximately twenty river kilometers from the confluence with the San Joaquin River. This deep alluvial plain has minimal topography. Agricultural development characterizes the land surrounding this reach of river; consequently, the hydrology is heavily influenced by irrigation. Riverbed groundwater samples were collected from ten wells aligned in two transects across the river located approximately 100 m apart. The wells were sampled from depths of 0.5 m, 1 m, and 3 m below the sediment-water interface. Groundwater flowpath samples were taken from wells positioned on a path perpendicular to the river and located 100 m, 500 m, and 1000 m from the river. The saturated groundwater system exists from 7 to 40 m below the surface and is confined below by a clay layer. Each well location samples from 3-5 depths in this surface aquifer. Samples were collected in December 2003, March-April, June-July, and October 2004. This served to provide an evenly-spaced sampling frequency over the course of a year, and also to allow observation of trends coinciding with the onset of winter, the spring runoff, and early and late summer irrigation. An initial survey of the elements in the riverbed samples was conducted using Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Elements for further study were selected based on variability in this survey, either with respect to depth or location, as well as to

Geologic logs of geotechnical cores from the subsurface Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maier, Katherine L.; Ponti, Daniel J.; Tinsley, John C.; Gatti, Emma; Pagenkopp, Mark

2014-01-01

This report presents and summarizes descriptive geologic logs of geotechnical cores collected from 2009–12 in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, by the California Department of Water Resources. Graphic logs are presented for 1,785.7 ft of retained cores from 56 borehole sites throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Most core sections are from a depth of ~100–200 feet. Cores primarily contain mud, silt, and sand lithologies. Tephra (volcanic ash and pumice), paleosols, and gravels are also documented in some core sections. Geologic observations contained in the core logs in this report provide stratigraphic context for subsequent sampling and data for future chronostratigraphic subsurface correlations.

Mercury concentrations and loads in a large river system tributary to San Francisco Bay, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

David, N.; McKee, L.J.; Black, F.J.; Flegal, A.R.; Conaway, C.H.; Schoellhamer, D.H.; Ganju, N.K.

2009-01-01

In order to estimate total mercury (HgT) loads entering San Francisco Bay, USA, via the Sacramento-San Joaquin River system, unfiltered water samples were collected between January 2002 and January 2006 during high flow events and analyzed for HgT. Unfiltered HgT concentrations ranged from 3.2 to 75 ng/L and showed a strong correlation (r2 = 0.8, p < 0.001, n = 78) to suspended sediment concentrations (SSC). During infrequent large floods, HgT concentrations relative to SSC were approximately twice as high as observed during smaller floods. This difference indicates the transport of more Hg-contaminated particles during high discharge events. Daily HgT loads in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River at Mallard Island ranged from below the limit of detection to 35 kg. Annual HgT loads varied from 61 ?? 22 kg (n = 5) in water year (WY) 2002 to 470 ?? 170 kg (n = 25) in WY 2006. The data collected will assist in understanding the long-term recovery of San Francisco Bay from Hg contamination and in implementing the Hg total maximum daily load, the long-term cleanup plan for Hg in the Bay. ?? 2009 SETAC.

California GAMA Program: Ground-Water Quality Data in the Northern San Joaquin Basin Study Unit, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennett, George L.; Belitz, Kenneth; Milby Dawson, Barbara J.

2006-01-01

Growing concern over the closure of public-supply wells because of ground-water contamination has led the State Water Board to establish the Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. With the aid of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the program goals are to enhance understanding and provide a current assessment of ground-water quality in areas where ground water is an important source of drinking water. The Northern San Joaquin Basin GAMA study unit covers an area of approximately 2,079 square miles (mi2) across four hydrologic study areas in the San Joaquin Valley. The four study areas are the California Department of Water Resources (CADWR) defined Tracy subbasin, the CADWR-defined Eastern San Joaquin subbasin, the CADWR-defined Cosumnes subbasin, and the sedimentologically distinct USGS-defined Uplands study area, which includes portions of both the Cosumnes and Eastern San Joaquin subbasins. Seventy ground-water samples were collected from 64 public-supply, irrigation, domestic, and monitoring wells within the Northern San Joaquin Basin GAMA study unit. Thirty-two of these samples were collected in the Eastern San Joaquin Basin study area, 17 in the Tracy Basin study area, 10 in the Cosumnes Basin study area, and 11 in the Uplands Basin study area. Of the 32 samples collected in the Eastern San Joaquin Basin, 6 were collected using a depth-dependent sampling pump. This pump allows for the collection of samples from discrete depths within the pumping well. Two wells were chosen for depth-dependent sampling and three samples were collected at varying depths within each well. Over 350 water-quality field parameters, chemical constituents, and microbial constituents were analyzed and are reported as concentrations and as detection frequencies, by compound classification as well as for individual constituents, for the Northern San Joaquin Basin study unit as a whole and for each individual study area

Adjusting survival estimates for premature transmitter failure: A case study from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holbrook, Christopher M.; Perry, Russell W.; Brandes, Patricia L.; Adams, Noah S.

2013-01-01

In telemetry studies, premature tag failure causes negative bias in fish survival estimates because tag failure is interpreted as fish mortality. We used mark-recapture modeling to adjust estimates of fish survival for a previous study where premature tag failure was documented. High rates of tag failure occurred during the Vernalis Adaptive Management Plan’s (VAMP) 2008 study to estimate survival of fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) during migration through the San Joaquin River and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California. Due to a high rate of tag failure, the observed travel time distribution was likely negatively biased, resulting in an underestimate of tag survival probability in this study. Consequently, the bias-adjustment method resulted in only a small increase in estimated fish survival when the observed travel time distribution was used to estimate the probability of tag survival. Since the bias-adjustment failed to remove bias, we used historical travel time data and conducted a sensitivity analysis to examine how fish survival might have varied across a range of tag survival probabilities. Our analysis suggested that fish survival estimates were low (95% confidence bounds range from 0.052 to 0.227) over a wide range of plausible tag survival probabilities (0.48–1.00), and this finding is consistent with other studies in this system. When tags fail at a high rate, available methods to adjust for the bias may perform poorly. Our example highlights the importance of evaluating the tag life assumption during survival studies, and presents a simple framework for evaluating adjusted survival estimates when auxiliary travel time data are available.

Using remote sensing to monitor past changes and assess future scenarios for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta waterways, California USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Maria J.; Hestir, Erin; Khanna, Shruti; Ustin, Susan L.

2017-04-01

Historically, deltas have been extensively affected both by natural processes and human intervention. Thus, understanding drivers, predicting impacts and optimizing solutions to delta problems requires a holistic approach spanning many sectors, disciplines and fields of expertise. Deltas are ideal model systems to understand the effects of the interaction between social and ecological domains, as they face unprecedented disturbances and threats to their biological and ecological sustainability. The challenge for deltas is to meet the goals of supporting biodiversity and ecosystem processes while also provisioning fresh water resources for human use. We provide an overview of the last 150 years of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta, where we illustrate the parallel process of an increase in disturbances, by particularly zooming in on the current cascading effects of invasive species on geophysical and biological processes. Using remote sensing data coupled with in situ measurements of water quality, turbidity, and species presence we show how the spread and persistence of aquatic invasive species affects sedimentation processes and ecosystem functioning. Our results show that the interactions between the biological and physical conditions in the Delta affect the trajectory of dominance by native and invasive aquatic plant species. Trends in growth and community characteristics associated with predicted impacts of climate change (sea level rise, warmer temperatures, changes in the hydrograph with high winter and low summer outflows) do not provide simple predictions. Individually, the impact of specific environmental changes on the biological components can be predicted, however it is the complex interactions of biological communities with the suite of physical changes that make predictions uncertain. Systematic monitoring is critical to provide the data needed to document and understand change of these delta systems, and to identify successful adaptation

Age, distribution, and stratigraphic relationship of rock units in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California: Chapter 5 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hosford Scheirer, Allegra; Magoon, Leslie B.

2008-01-01

The San Joaquin Basin is a major petroleum province that forms the southern half of California’s Great Valley, a 700-km-long, asymmetrical basin that originated between a subduction zone to the west and the Sierra Nevada to the east. Sedimentary fill and tectonic structures of the San Joaquin Basin record the Mesozoic through Cenozoic geologic history of North America’s western margin. More than 25,000 feet (>7,500 meters) of sedimentary rocks overlie the basement surface and provide a nearly continuous record of sedimentation over the past ~100 m.y. Further, depositional geometries and fault structures document the tectonic evolution of the region from forearc setting to strike-slip basin to transpressional margin. Sedimentary architecture in the San Joaquin Basin is complicated because of these tectonic regimes and because of lateral changes in depositional environment and temporal changes in relative sea level. Few formations are widespread across the basin. Consequently, a careful analysis of sedimentary facies is required to unravel the basin’s depositional history on a regional scale. At least three high-quality organic source rocks formed in the San Joaquin Basin during periods of sea level transgression and anoxia. Generated on the basin’s west side, hydrocarbons migrated into nearly every facies type in the basin, from shelf and submarine fan sands to diatomite and shale to nonmarine coarse-grained rocks to schist. In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed a geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources and future additions to reserves in the San Joaquin Valley of California (USGS San Joaquin Basin Province Assessment Team, this volume, chapter 1). Several research aims supported this assessment: identifying and mapping the petroleum systems, modeling the generation, migration, and accumulation of hydrocarbons, and defining the volumes of rock to be analyzed for additional resources. To better understand the three dimensional

Monitoring of Deep Foundation Pit Support and Construction Process in Soft Soil Area of Pearl River Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiyi, Xie; Pengcheng

2018-03-01

The deep foundation pit supporting technology in the soft soil area of the Pearl River Delta is more complicated, and many factors influence and restrict it. In this project as an example, according to the geological conditions and the surrounding circumstances, the main foundation using bored piles and pre-stressed anchor cable supporting structure + five axis cement mixing pile curtain supporting form; partial use of double row piles supporting structure + five axis cement mixing pile curtain support type. Through the monitoring results of construction show that the foundation pit, the indicators of environmental changes are in the design range, the supporting scheme of deep foundation pit technology is feasible and reliable.

Forest area and timber resources of the San Joaquin area, California.

Treesearch

Charles L. Bolsinger

1978-01-01

This report presents statistics on forest area and timber volume and a description of the recent and future timber situations in Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne Counties, California.

75 FR 26749 - Adequacy Status of Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets In Submitted San Joaquin Valley PM2.5

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-12

... Madera 0.6 14.1 0.5 11.4 Merced 1.5 33.6 1.2 26.7 San Joaquin 1.6 39.1 1.4 32.8 Stanislaus 1.0 25.8 0.9...) 1.4 41.6 Kings 0.3 8.1 Madera 0.3 6.7 Merced 0.6 14.8 San Joaquin 0.9 20.3 Stanislaus 0.5 12.4...

Winters-Domengine Total Petroleum System—Northern Nonassociated Gas Assessment Unit of the San Joaquin Basin Province: Chapter 21 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hosford Scheirer, Allegra; Magoon, Leslie B.

2008-01-01

The Northern Nonassociated Gas Assessment Unit (AU) of the Winters-Domengine Total Petroleum System of the San Joaquin Basin Province consists of all nonassociated gas accumulations in Cretaceous, Eocene, and Miocene sandstones located north of township 15 South in the San Joaquin Valley. The northern San Joaquin Valley forms a northwest-southeast trending asymmetrical trough. It is filled with an alternating sequence of Cretaceous-aged sands and shales deposited on Franciscan Complex, ophiolitic, and Sierran basement. Eocene-aged strata unconformably overlie the thick Cretaceous section, and in turn are overlain unconformably by nonmarine Pliocene-Miocene sediments. Nonassociated gas accumulations have been discovered in the sands of the Panoche, Moreno, Kreyenhagen, andDomengine Formations and in the nonmarine Zilch formation of Loken (1959) (hereafter referred to as Zilch formation). Most hydrocarbon accumulations occur in low-relief, northwest-southeast trending anticlines formed chiefly by differential compaction of sediment and by northeast southwest directed compression during the Paleogene (Bartow, 1991) and in stratigraphic traps formed by pinch out of submarine fan sands against slope shales. To date, 176 billion cubic feet (BCF) of nonassociated recoverable gas has been found in fields within the assessment unit (table 21.1). A small amount of biogenic gas forms near the surface of the AU. Map boundaries of the assessment unit are shown in figures 21.1 and 21.2; in plan view, this assessment unit is identical to the Northern Area Nonassociated Gas play 1007 considered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in its 1995 National Assessment (Beyer, 1996). The AU is bounded on the east by the mapped limits of Cretaceous sandstone reservoir rocks and on the west by the east flank of the Diablo Range. The southern limit of the AU is the southernmost occurrence of nonassociated thermogenic-gas accumulations. The northern limit of the AU corresponds to the

Radiocarbon Depression in Aquatic Foodwebs of the Colorado River, USA: Coupling Between Carbonate Weathering and the Biosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sickman, J. O.; Huang, W.; Lucero, D.; Anderson, M.

2012-12-01

The 14C isotopic composition of living organisms is generally considered to be in isotopic equilibrium with atmosphere CO2. During the course of investigations of aquatic foodwebs of the Colorado River, we measured substantial radiocarbon depression of organisms within planktonic and benthic foodwebs of Copper Basin Reservoir, a short residence-time water body at the intake to the Colorado River Aqueduct. All trophic levels had depressed radiocarbon content with inferred "age" of ca. 1,200 radiocarbon years (range: 0.85 to 0.87 fraction modern carbon (fmc)). Additional measurements of the radiocarbon content of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) were made in other major rivers in California (New (near Salton Sea), Santa Ana (near Riverside), San Joaquin (near Fresno) and Salinas (near San Luis Obispo)). In the New River (which is composed primarily of irrigation tailwater derived from the Colorado River), the radiocarbon values for DIC closely matched those found in biota of the Copper Basin Reservoir (0.85 to 0.87 fmc), but radiocarbon values for DOC were slightly higher (0.91 to 0.95 fmc). In the other California rivers, radiocarbon concentrations in DIC were generally below modern and lower than corresponding levels in DOC; in the case of the Santa Ana River, DOC was older than DIC as a result of wastewater inputs from upstream treatment plants. Together these data suggest that the carbonate equilibrium of California rivers is influenced by weathering of carbonate minerals which produces HCO3- with no 14C. We hypothesize that this dead carbon can move into aquatic foodwebs via algae and phytoplankton uptake during photosynthesis, depressing the 14C content of aquatic foodwebs below that of the atmosphere. Based on a simple two-component mixing model incorporating carbonate weathering and atmospheric CO2, we estimate that 15-17% of the carbon in the aquatic foodweb of Copper Basin is derived directly from mineral weathering of

Fish communities of the Sacramento River Basin: Implications for conservation of native fishes in the Central Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

May, J.T.; Brown, L.R.

2002-01-01

The associations of resident fish communities with environmental variables and stream condition were evaluated at representative sites within the Sacramento River Basin, California between 1996 and 1998 using multivariate ordination techniques and by calculating six fish community metrics. In addition, the results of the current study were compared with recent studies in the San Joaquin River drainage to provide a wider perspective of the condition of resident fish communities in the Central Valley of California as a whole. Within the Sacramento drainage, species distributions were correlated with elevational and substrate size gradients; however, the elevation of a sampling site was correlated with a suite of water-quality and habitat variables that are indicative of land use effects on physiochemical stream parameters. Four fish community metrics - percentage of native fish, percentage of intolerant fish, number of tolerant species, and percentage of fish with external anomalies - were responsive to environmental quality. Comparisons between the current study and recent studies in the San Joaquin River drainage suggested that differences in water-management practices may have significant effects on native species fish community structure. Additionally, the results of the current study suggest that index of biotic integrity-type indices can be developed for the Sacramento River Basin and possibly the entire Central Valley, California. The protection of native fish communities in the Central Valley and other arid environments continues to be a conflict between human needs for water resources and the requirements of aquatic ecosystems; preservation of these ecosystems will require innovative management strategies.

Influence of the Amazon River on the Nd isotope composition of deep water in the western equatorial Atlantic during the Oligocene-Miocene transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Joseph A.; Gutjahr, Marcus; James, Rachael H.; Anand, Pallavi; Wilson, Paul A.

2016-11-01

Dissolved and particulate neodymium (Nd) are mainly supplied to the oceans via rivers, dust, and release from marine sediments along continental margins. This process, together with the short oceanic residence time of Nd, gives rise to pronounced spatial gradients in oceanic 143Nd/144Nd ratios (εNd). However, we do not yet have a good understanding of the extent to which the influence of riverine point-source Nd supply can be distinguished from changes in mixing between different water masses in the marine geological record. This gap in knowledge is important to fill because there is growing awareness that major global climate transitions may be associated not only with changes in large-scale ocean water mass mixing, but also with important changes in continental hydroclimate and weathering. Here we present εNd data for fossilised fish teeth, planktonic foraminifera, and the Fe-Mn oxyhydroxide and detrital fractions of sediments recovered from Ocean Drilling Project (ODP) Site 926 on Ceara Rise, situated approximately 800 km from the mouth of the River Amazon. Our records span the Mi-1 glaciation event during the Oligocene-Miocene transition (OMT; ∼23 Ma). We compare our εNd records with data for ambient deep Atlantic northern and southern component waters to assess the influence of particulate input from the Amazon River on Nd in ancient deep waters at this site. εNd values for all of our fish teeth, foraminifera, and Fe-Mn oxyhydroxide samples are extremely unradiogenic (εNd ≈ - 15); much lower than the εNd for deep waters of modern or Oligocene-Miocene age from the North Atlantic (εNd ≈ - 10) and South Atlantic (εNd ≈ - 8). This finding suggests that partial dissolution of detrital particulate material from the Amazon (εNd ≈ - 18) strongly influences the εNd values of deep waters at Ceara Rise across the OMT. We conclude that terrestrially derived inputs of Nd can affect εNd values of deep water many hundreds of kilometres from source. Our

Statistical models of temperature in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta under climate-change scenarios and ecological implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, R.W.; Stacey, M.; Brown, L.R.; Dettinger, M.

2011-01-01

Changes in water temperatures caused by climate change in California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will affect the ecosystem through physiological rates of fishes and invertebrates. This study presents statistical models that can be used to forecast water temperature within the Delta as a response to atmospheric conditions. The daily average model performed well (R2 values greater than 0.93 during verification periods) for all stations within the Delta and San Francisco Bay provided there was at least 1 year of calibration data. To provide long-term projections of Delta water temperature, we forced the model with downscaled data from climate scenarios. Based on these projections, the ecological implications for the delta smelt, a key species, were assessed based on temperature thresholds. The model forecasts increases in the number of days above temperatures causing high mortality (especially along the Sacramento River) and a shift in thermal conditions for spawning to earlier in the year. ?? 2011 The Author(s).

Site Management and Monitoring Plan (SMMP) for the Mouth of Columbia River- Deep and Shallow Water Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Sites, OR/WA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This SMMP is intended to provide management and monitoring strategies for disposal in the Mouth of Columbia River- Deep and Shallow Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Sites on the border of Oregon and Washington.

Remote sensing research for agricultural applications. [San Joaquin County, California and Snake River Plain and Twin Falls area, Idaho

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colwell, R. N. (Principal Investigator); Wall, S. L.; Beck, L. H.; Degloria, S. D.; Ritter, P. R.; Thomas, R. W.; Travlos, A. J.; Fakhoury, E.

1984-01-01

Materials and methods used to characterize selected soil properties and agricultural crops in San Joaquin County, California are described. Results show that: (1) the location and widths of TM bands are suitable for detecting differences in selected soil properties; (2) the number of TM spectral bands allows the quantification of soil spectral curve form and magnitude; and (3) the spatial and geometric quality of TM data allows for the discrimination and quantification of within field variability of soil properties. The design of the LANDSAT based multiple crop acreage estimation experiment for the Idaho Department of Water Resources is described including the use of U.C. Berkeley's Survey Modeling Planning Model. Progress made on Peditor software development on MIDAS, and cooperative computing using local and remote systems is reported as well as development of MIDAS microcomputer systems.

Combined use of stable isotopes and hydrologic modeling to better understand nutrient sources and cycling in highly altered systems (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, M. B.; Kendall, C.; Guerin, M.; Stringfellow, W. T.; Silva, S. R.; Harter, T.; Parker, A.

2013-12-01

The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers provide the majority of freshwater for the San Francisco Bay Delta. Both rivers are important sources of drinking and irrigation water for California, and play critical roles in the health of California fisheries. Understanding the factors controlling water quality and primary productivity in these rivers and the Delta is essential for making sound economic and environmental water management decisions. However, these highly altered surface water systems present many challenges for water quality monitoring studies due to factors such as multiple potential nutrient and contaminant inputs, dynamic source water inputs, and changing flow regimes controlled by both natural and engineered conditions. The watersheds for both rivers contain areas of intensive agriculture along with many other land uses, and the Sacramento River receives significant amounts of treated wastewater from the large population around the City of Sacramento. We have used a multi-isotope approach combined with mass balance and hydrodynamic modeling in order to better understand the dominant nutrient sources for each of these rivers, and to track nutrient sources and cycling within the complex Delta region around the confluence of the rivers. High nitrate concentrations within the San Joaquin River fuel summer algal blooms, contributing to low dissolved oxygen conditions. High δ15N-NO3 values combined with the high nitrate concentrations suggest that animal manure is a significant source of nitrate to the San Joaquin River. In contrast, the Sacramento River has lower nitrate concentrations but elevated ammonium concentrations from wastewater discharge. Downstream nitrification of the ammonium can be clearly traced using δ15N-NH4. Flow conditions for these rivers and the Delta have strong seasonal and inter-annual variations, resulting in significant changes in nutrient delivery and cycling. Isotopic measurements and estimates of source water contributions

Biostratigraphy of the San Joaquin Formation in borrow-source area B-17, Kettleman Hills landfill, North Dome, Kettleman Hills, Kings County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Powell, Charles L.; Fisk, Lanny H.; Maloney, David F.; Haasl, David M.

2010-01-01

The stratigraphic occurrences and interpreted biostratigraphy of invertebrate fossil taxa in the upper San Joaquin Formation and lower-most Tulare Formation encountered at the Chemical Waste Management Kettleman Hills waste disposal facility on the North Dome of the Kettleman Hills, Kings County, California are documented. Significant new findings include (1) a detailed biostratigraphy of the upper San Joaquin Formation; (2) the first fossil occurrence of Modiolus neglectus; (3) distinguishing Ostrea sequens from Myrakeena veatchii (Ostrea vespertina of authors) in the Central Valley of California; (4) differentiating two taxa previously attributed to Pteropurpura festivus; (5) finding a stratigraphic succession between Caesia coalingensis (lower in the section) and Catilon iniquus (higher in the section); and (6) recognizing Pliocene-age fossils from around Santa Barbara. In addition, the presence of the bivalves Anodonta and Gonidea in the San Joaquin Formation, both restricted to fresh water and common in the Tulare Formation, confirm periods of fresh water or very close fresh-water environments during deposition of the San Joaquin Formation.

Riverine based eco-tourism: Trinity River non-market benefits estimates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Douglas, A.J.; Taylor, J.G.

1998-01-01

California's Central Valley Project (CVP) was approved by voters in a statewide referendum in 1933. CVP referendum approval initiated funding for construction of important water development projects that had far reaching effects on regional water supplies. The construction of Trinity Dam in 1963 and the subsequent transbasin diversion of Trinity River flow was one of several CVP projects that had noteworthy adverse environmental and regional economic impacts. The Trinity River is the largest tributary of the Klamath River, and has its headwaters in the Trinity Alps of north-central California. After the construction of Trinity Dam in 1963, 90% of the Trinity River flow at Lewiston was moved to the Sacramento River via the Clear Creek Tunnel. Before 1963, the Trinity River was a major recreation resource of Northern California. The loss of streamflow has had a marked adverse impact on Trinity River-related recreation activities and the size and robustness of Trinity River salmon, steelhead, shad, and sturgeon runs. Trinity River water produces hydropower during its transit via Bureau of Reclamation canals and pumps to the northern San Joaquin Valley, where it is used for irrigated agriculture. The benefits provided by Trinity River instream flow-related environmental amenities were estimated with the travel cost method (TCM). Trinity River non-market benefits are about $406 million per annum, while the social cost of sending water down the Trinity River ranges from $17 to $42 million per annum, depending on the exact flow. We also discuss the relative magnitude of Trinity River survey data contingent value method (CVM) benefits estimates.

Wetland Flow and Salinity Budgets and Elements of a Decision Support System toward Implementation of Real-Time Seasonal Wetland Salinity Management

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

Quinn, N.W.T.; Ortega, R.; Rahilly, P.

2011-12-17

The project has provided science-based tools for the long-term management of salinity in drainage discharges from wetlands to the San Joaquin River. The results of the project are being used to develop best management practices (BMP) and a decision support system to assist wetland managers adjust the timing of salt loads delivered to the San Joaquin River during spring drawdown. Adaptive drainage management scheduling has the potential to improve environmental compliance with salinity objectives in the Lower San Joaquin River by reducing the frequency of violation of Vernalis salinity standards, especially in dry and critically dry years. The paired approachmore » to project implementation whereby adaptively managed and traditional practices were monitored in a side-by-side fashion has provided a quantitative measure of the impacts of the project on the timing of salt loading to the San Joaquin River. The most significant accomplishments of the project has been the technology transfer to wetland biologists, ditch tenders and water managers within the Grasslands Ecological Area. This “learning by doing” has build local community capacity within the Grassland Water District and California Department of Fish and Game providing these institutions with new capability to assess and effectively manage salinity within their wetlands while simultaneously providing benefits to salinity management of the San Joaquin River.« less

Temporally intensive study of trace metals in sediments and bivalves from a large river-estuarine system: Suisun Bay/delta in San Francisco Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Luoma, S.N.; Dagovitz, R.; Axtmann, E.

1990-01-01

Distributions in time and space of Ag, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were determined in fine-grained sediments and in the filter-feeding bivalve Corbicula sp. of Suisun Bay/delta at the mouth of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers in North San Francisco Bay. Samples were collected from seven stations at near-monthly intervals for 3 years. Aggregated data showed little chronic contamination with Ag, Zn and Pb in the river and estuary. Substantial chronic contamination with Cd, Cu and Cr in Suisun Bay/delta occurred, especially in Corbicula, compared with the lower San Joaquin River. Salinity appeared to have secondary effects, if any, on metal concentrations in sediments and metal bioavailability to bivalves. Space/time distributions of Cr were controlled by releases from a local industry. Analyses of time series suggested substantial inputs of Cu might originate from the Sacramento River during high inflows to the Bay, and Cd contamination had both riverine and local sources. Concentrations of metals in sediments correlated with concentrations in Corbicula only in annually or 3-year aggregated data. Condition index for Corbicula was reduced where metal contamination was most severe. The biological availability of Cu and Cd to benthos was greater in Suisun Bay than in many other estuaries. Thus small inputs into this system could have greater impacts than might occur elsewhere; and organisms were generally more sensitive indicators of enrichment than sediments in this system.

Groundwater quality in the western San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fram, Miranda S.

2017-06-09

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The Western San Joaquin Valley is one of the study units being evaluated. 

Tracing Sources of Organic Matter and Nitrate in the San Francisco Bay-Delta-River Ecosystem Using Isotopic Techniques: Comparison of Insights Gained from Fixed-site, Synoptic, and Diel Sampling Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kendall, C.; Silva, S. R.; Doctor, D. H.; Wankel, S. D.; Chang, C. C.; Bergamaschi, B. A.; Kratzer, C. R.; Dahlgren, R. A.; Fleenor, W. E.

2005-12-01

Understanding the sources and sinks for organics and nitrate is critical for devising effective strategies to reduce their loads in ecosystems and mitigate local problems of low dissolved oxygen levels and/or production of disinfection byproducts during water treatment. Since isotopic techniques are effective methods for quantifying the sources and sinks of organics and nutrients, we have analyzed particulate organic matter (POM), nitrate, dissolved inorganic and organic carbon (DIC, DOC), and water isotope samples from selected sites since 2000. Our studies indicate that isotope data are a useful adjunct to traditional methods for assessing and monitoring sources of organics and nutrients. The original sampling in 2000-2001 used the classical fixed-site and fixed-time interval sampling approach, where sites on the San Joaquin River and its major tributaries were sampled bimonthly from July to October for chemistry and isotopes (Kratzer et al., 2004: see URL below). Subsequently, samples were collected during 4 transects along the San Joaquin River (10/02, 3/03, 9/03, and 7/04); the first and last of these transects extended through the Delta to the Bay. Several sites were sampled during diel studies in 8/04 and 7/05. Although fixed-site sampling is the norm in watershed studies, we have found that isotope and chemical data collected during longitudinal transects of the river and diel sampling of several sites along short river reaches have been more useful in convincing colleagues that isotope measurements are extremely useful adjuncts to traditional methods for assessing and monitoring sources of organics and nutrients during ecosystem restoration programs. Furthermore, we have concluded that while the obvious value of isotopes for water resources management is to tell us things about water resources that we didn't know before, what convinces the skeptic is when the isotopes tell us things about water resources that contradict what we thought we knew before. This

Adaption of egg and larvae sampling techniques for lake sturgeon and broadcast spawning fishes in a deep river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roseman, Edward F.; Kennedy, Gregory W.; Craig, Jaquelyn; Boase, James; Soper, Karen

2011-01-01

In this report we describe how we adapted two techniques for sampling lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) and other fish early life history stages to meet our research needs in the Detroit River, a deep, flowing Great Lakes connecting channel. First, we developed a buoy-less method for sampling fish eggs and spawning activity using egg mats deployed on the river bottom. The buoy-less method allowed us to fish gear in areas frequented by boaters and recreational anglers, thus eliminating surface obstructions that interfered with recreational and boating activities. The buoy-less method also reduced gear loss due to drift when masses of floating aquatic vegetation would accumulate on buoys and lines, increasing the drag on the gear and pulling it downstream. Second, we adapted a D-frame drift net system formerly employed in shallow streams to assess larval lake sturgeon dispersal for use in the deeper (>8 m) Detroit River using an anchor and buoy system.

Adaption of egg and larvae sampling techniques for lake sturgeon and broadcast spawning fishes in a deep river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roseman, E.F.; Boase, J.; Kennedy, G.; Craig, J.; Soper, K.

2011-01-01

In this report we describe how we adapted two techniques for sampling lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) and other fish early life history stages to meet our research needs in the Detroit River, a deep, flowing Great Lakes connecting channel. First, we developed a buoy-less method for sampling fish eggs and spawning activity using egg mats deployed on the river bottom. The buoy-less method allowed us to fish gear in areas frequented by boaters and recreational anglers, thus eliminating surface obstructions that interfered with recreational and boating activities. The buoy-less method also reduced gear loss due to drift when masses of floating aquatic vegetation would accumulate on buoys and lines, increasing the drag on the gear and pulling it downstream. Second, we adapted a D-frame drift net system formerly employed in shallow streams to assess larval lake sturgeon dispersal for use in the deeper (>8m) Detroit River using an anchor and buoy system. ?? 2011 Blackwell Verlag, Berlin.

Improving Aquatic Plant Management in the California Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bubenheim, David L.; Potter, Chris

2018-01-01

Management of aquatic weeds in complex watersheds and river systems present many challenges to assessment, planning and implementation of management practices for floating and submerged aquatic invasive plants. The Delta Region Areawide Aquatic Weed Project (DRAAWP), a USDA sponsored area-wide project, is working to enhance planning, decision-making and operational efficiency in the California Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Satellite and airborne remote sensing are used map (area coverage and biomass), direct operations, and assess management impacts on plant communities. Archived satellite records going are used to review results from previous climate and management events and aide in developing long-term strategies. Modeling at local and watershed scales provides insight into land-use effects on water quality. Plant growth models informed by remote sensing are being applied spatially across the Delta to balance location and type of aquatic plant, growth response to altered environments, phenology, environmental regulations, and economics in selection of management practices. Initial utilization of remote sensing tools developed for mapping of aquatic invasive weeds improved operational efficiency by focusing limited chemical use to strategic areas with high plant-control impact and incorporating mechanical harvesting when chemical use is restricted. These assessment methods provide a comprehensive and quantitative view of aquatic invasive plants communities in the California Delta, both spatial and temporal, informed by ecological understanding with the objective of improving management and assessment effectiveness.

Vertebrate fauna of the San Joaquin Experimental Range, California: a checklist

Treesearch

Thomas F. Newman; Don A. Duncan

1973-01-01

This report updates an earlier checklist, published in 1955, of vertebrate fauna found on the San Joaquin Experimental Range, in Madera County, California. Nineteen new species have been recorded since 1955. This report records the occurrences of seven fish, eight amphibians, 19 reptiles, 38 mammals, and 149 buds. References to research on individual species are...

What hydrological dynamics emerge from the interaction of land conversion and flood levee construction? Using dynamical systems models to explore the development of California's Sacramento-San Joaquin Watersheds.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, S. E.; Hutton, P.; Sivapalan, M.; MacVean, L. J.

2016-12-01

The hydrological impacts of land development include the simultaneous modifications of land cover, water abstraction and hydraulics. While reservoir construction and irrigation offer water managers de facto control of the hydrologic budget in the upper and middle reaches of river basins, the pattern of development in lowland areas incorporates drainage of wetlands, leveeing of flood plains, and rain-fed agriculture. The resulting hydrological function is then an emergent property of the interaction of land use change with flood control infrastructure. Using the lowland areas of California's Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers as a motivating case study, we showed that this emergent behavior arises from two key interacting stochastic processes: one governing the water available to and used by dryland agriculture, and one governing the spatial dynamics of near-channel flooding impounded by levees. Comparable annual water balance dynamics can arise under managed and unmanaged conditions. Similarities in water balance, however, can mask large differences in seasonality and channel hydraulics.

A water balance model to estimate flow through the Old and Middle River corridor

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andrews, Stephen W.; Gross, Edward S.; Hutton, Paul H.

2016-01-01

We applied a water balance model to predict tidally averaged (subtidal) flows through the Old River and Middle River corridor in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. We reviewed the dynamics that govern subtidal flows and water levels and adopted a simplified representation. In this water balance approach, we estimated ungaged flows as linear functions of known (or specified) flows. We assumed that subtidal storage within the control volume varies because of fortnightly variation in subtidal water level, Delta inflow, and barometric pressure. The water balance model effectively predicts subtidal flows and approaches the accuracy of a 1–D Delta hydrodynamic model. We explore the potential to improve the approach by representing more complex dynamics and identify possible future improvements.

Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the northern San Joaquin Basin, 2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennett, George L.; Fram, Miranda S.; Belitz, Kenneth; Jurgens, Bryant C.

2010-01-01

Groundwater quality in the 2,079 square mile Northern San Joaquin Basin (Northern San Joaquin) study unit was investigated from December 2004 through February 2005 as part of the Priority Basin Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin Project was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 that was passed by the State of California and is being conducted by the California State Water Resources Control Board in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The Northern San Joaquin study unit was the third study unit to be designed and sampled as part of the Priority Basin Project. Results of the study provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of raw (untreated) groundwater, as well as a statistically consistent basis for comparing water quality throughout California. Samples were collected from 61 wells in parts of Alameda, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus Counties; 51 of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based approach to provide statistical representation of the study area (grid wells), and 10 of the wells were sampled to increase spatial density and provide additional information for the evaluation of water chemistry in the study unit (understanding/flowpath wells). The primary aquifer systems (hereinafter, primary aquifers) assessed in this study are defined by the depth intervals of the wells in the California Department of Public Health database for each study unit. The quality of groundwater in shallow or deep water-bearing zones may differ from quality of groundwater in the primary aquifers; shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to contamination from the surface. Two types of assessments were made: (1) status, assessment of the current quality of the groundwater resource; and (2) understanding, identification of the natural and human factors

Studying the Processes Contributed to the Hairpin Turn of Hurricane Joaquin with WRF numerical simulations and TCI-2015 observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Z.; Yu, Y.

2016-12-01

The prediction of Hurricane Joaquin's hairpin clockwise during 1 and 2 October 2015 presents a forecasting challenge during real-time numerical weather prediction, as tracks of several major numerical weather prediction models differ from each other. To investigate the large-scale environment and hurricane inner-core structures related to the hairpin turn of Joaquin, a series of high-resolution mesoscale numerical simulations of Hurricane Joaquin had been performed with an advanced research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The outcomes were compared with the observations obtained from the US Office of Naval Research's Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) Experiment during 2015 hurricane season. Specifically, five groups of sensitivity experiments with different cumulus, boundary layer, and microphysical schemes as well as different initial and boundary conditions and initial times in WRF simulations had been performed. It is found that the choice of the cumulus parameterization scheme plays a significant role in reproducing reasonable track forecast during Joaquin's hairpin turn. The mid-level environmental steering flows can be the reason that leads to different tracks in the simulations with different cumulus schemes. In addition, differences in the distribution and amounts of the latent heating over the inner-core region are associated with discrepancies in the simulated intensity among different experiments. Detailed simulation results, comparison with TCI-2015 observations, and comprehensive diagnoses will be presented.

Hydrogeologic Heterogeneity Enhances the Transfer of Salt Toward the High-Quality Deep Aquifers of the Western San Joaquin Valley (CA, USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henri, C. V.; Harter, T.; Zhang, H.

2016-12-01

Increasing anthropogenic and drought stresses lead salinity to be of serious concern within regard to with the sustainability of regional groundwater quality. Agricultural basins of the Central Valley, CA (USA) are, and will continue to be, impacted by salinity issues in the coming future decades and or centuries. The aquifer system below the Western San Joaquin Valley is characterized by a shallow unconfined aquifer with high salinity overlying high quality semi-confined and deeper confined aquifers. A key challenge in the area is to predict if, when and how water traveling from the the low-quality shallow groundwater will reach and degrade the deeper semi-confined and confined aquifers. Previous studies, accounting for a simplified description of the aquifer hydraulic properties in their flow model, concluded that saline shallow groundwater would need 200-400 years to reach the semi-confined aquifer and 250-600 years to impact the deeper confined aquifer. However, well known heterogeneities in aquifer hydraulic properties significantly impact contaminant transport due to preferential flow paths and increased dispersion. Our study aims to (1) better understand the impact of heterogeneous hydraulic properties on the distribution of travel times from non-point source contamination, and (2) reassess the temporal scale of salt transfer into the deeper aquifers of the Western San Joaquin Valley. A detailed non-stationary geostatistical model was developed to describe the spatial variability of hydrofacies in great detail at the basin scale. The hydraulic properties corresponding to each hydrofacies are then calibrated in order to reproduce water fluxes previously modeled and calibrated. Subsequently, we use the random-walk particle tracking method to simulate the advective-dispersive transport of salt throughout the study area from a non-point source zone represented by the entire top layer of the model. The flux concentrations of solute crossing a series of monitoring

Environmental factors associated with long-term changes in chlorophyll concentration in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta and Suisun Bay, California

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

Lehman, P.W.

Long-term changes in chlorophyll concentration were predicted from environmental variables using Box-Jenkins transfer function models for the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and Suisun Bay. The indication that oceanic phytoplankton biomass for the California regions is associated with climatic phenomena produced by El Nino and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was one of several factors used to standardize the dataset. Data used for the analyses were collected continuously on a semimonthly or monthly basis over the 17-yr period between 1971 and 1987. Groups of highly correlated environmental variables were summarized along three environmental axes using principal component analysis. The first environmentalmore » axis summarized river flow and specific conductance. The second environmental axis summarized water transparency and the third environmental axis summarized air and water temperature. Chlorophyll concentration was significantly cross-correlated with environmental axes and individual environmental variables. Transfer function models developed to describe changes in chlorophyll concentration over time were characterized by lag responses and described between 41% and 51% of the data variation. Significant cross-correlations between environmental axes and the California climate index (CA SLP) were used to develop a conceptual model of the link between regional climate and estuarine production. 50 refs., 5 figs.« less

Agricultural Chemical Concentrations and Loads in Rivers Draining the Central Valley, California, to the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary: Before and During an Extended Drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domagalski, J. L.

2016-12-01

Drought or near drought conditions have occurred in California since 2012. Although some parts of the State received near normal precipitation in water year 2016, other locations were still below average. Extended drought can impact aquatic organisms in a variety of ways because of decreased flows and elevated water temperature. However, lower precipitation and availability of irrigation water may limit subsequent runoff, resulting in reduced concentrations and loads of certain environmental toxicants, such as pesticides and ammonia, thereby limiting their toxic effects. In this study, funded by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Program, the occurrence of 227 pesticides and degradation products, and nutrients was assessed before and during this current drought in the two largest rivers draining to the San Francisco Bay: the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. The watersheds of both rivers include substantial agricultural and urban land use. Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and ammonia were detected throughout the study (2010 to 2016) and models of daily concentration using the seasonal wave model (rloadest) were formulated to assess the amount of time that concentrations may have exceeded benchmark levels known to be toxic to aquatic organisms. Frequently detected pesticides included the fungicide azoxystrobin, herbicides or their degradation products such as diuron, glyphosate, and metolachlor, and insecticides such as imidacloprid. Compounds that are transported primarily by surface runoff generally showed decreasing concentrations as the drought progressed, especially in the San Joaquin River. Compounds mainly transported by groundwater, as indicated by seasonal concentration profiles, had more stable concentrations in the rivers. Mass loads to the Bay all decreased, as expected, because of the lower river discharge. When compared to aquatic-life benchmarks, modeled concentrations indicated that individual compounds were not contributing to

Factors influencing the biogeochemistry of sedimentary carbon and phosphorus in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nilsen, E.B.; Delaney, M.L.

2005-01-01

This study characterizes organic carbon (Corganic) and phosphorus (P) geochemistry in surface sediments of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California. Sediment cores were collected from five sites on a sample transect from the edge of the San Francisco Bay eastward to the freshwater Consumnes River. The top 8 cm of each core were analyzed (in 1-cm intervals) for Corganic, four P fractions, and redox-sensitive trace metals (uranium and manganese). Sedimentary Corganic concentrations and Corganic:P ratios decreased, while reactive P concentrations increased moving inland in the Delta. The fraction of total P represented by organic P increased inland, while that of authigenic P was higher bayward than inland reflecting increased diagenetic alteration of organic matter toward the bayward end of the transect. The redox indicator metals are consistent with decreasing sedimentary suboxia inland. The distribution of P fractions and C:P ratios reflect the presence of relatively labile organic matter in upstream surface sediments. Sediment C and P geochemistry is influenced by site-specific particulate organic matter sources, the sorptive power of the sedimentary material present, physical forcing, and early diagenetic transformations presumably driven by Corganic oxidation. ?? 2005 Estuarine Research Federation.

Functional variability of habitats within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: Restoration implications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lucas, L.V.; Cloern, J.E.; Thompson, J.K.; Monsen, N.E.

2002-01-01

We have now entered an era of large-scale attempts to restore ecological functions and biological communities in impaired ecosystems. Our knowledge base of complex ecosystems and interrelated functions is limited, so the outcomes of specific restoration actions are highly uncertain. One approach for exploring that uncertainty and anticipating the range of possible restoration outcomes is comparative study of existing habitats similar to future habitats slated for construction. Here we compare two examples of one habitat type targeted for restoration in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. We compare one critical ecological function provided by these shallow tidal habitats - production and distribution of phytoplankton biomass as the food supply to pelagic consumers. We measured spatial and short-term temporal variability of phytoplankton biomass and growth rate and quantified the hydrodynamic and biological processes governing that variability. Results show that the production and distribution of phytoplankton biomass can be highly variable within and between nearby habitats of the same type, due to variations in phytoplankton sources, sinks, and transport. Therefore, superficially similar, geographically proximate habitats can function very differently, and that functional variability introduces large uncertainties into the restoration process. Comparative study of existing habitats is one way ecosystem science can elucidate and potentially minimize restoration uncertainties, by identifying processes shaping habitat functionality, including those that can be controlled in the restoration design.

San Joaquin kit fox Vulpes macrotis mutica program, Camp Roberts, California

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

Not Available

Camp Roberts is a California Army National Guard Training Site located in central California. The San Joaquin kit fox, an endangered subspecies of kit fox, has been known to occur at Camp Roberts since 1960. The population of foxes began to increase in the early 1970's when use of rodenticides decreased. In 1987 the California Army National Guard contracted EG G Energy Measurements to conduct a 3-year study to assess the effects of Camp Roberts activities on the kit fox population. The major objective of the Camp Roberts Environmental Studies Program is to prepare a comprehensive Biological Assessment of themore » effects of all NGB-authorized activities (includes military training, anticipated construction projects, repair and maintenance activities, and all NGB-authorized non-military activities such as hunting and fishing programs, grazing leases, etc.) on San Joaquin kit fox. The program also provides NGB with the scientific expertise necessary to insure compliance with the Endangered Species Act. The specific objective of this report is to summarize progress and results of the Environmental Studies Program made during Fiscal Years 1989 and 1990 (FY89/90). 32 refs., 9 figs., 14 tabs.« less

Land subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley, California, as of 1980

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ireland, R.L.; Poland, J.F.; Riley, F.S.

1982-01-01

Land subsidence due to ground-water overdraft in the San Joaquin Valley began in the mid-1920 's and continued at alarming rates until surface was imported through major canals and aqueducts in the 1950 's and late 1960's. In areas where surface water replaced withdrawal of ground-water, water levels in the confined system rose sharply and subsidence slowed. In the late 1960 's and early 1970 's water levels in wells recovered to levels of the 1940 's and 1950 's throughout most of the western and southern parts of the Valley, in response to the importation of surface water through the California aqueduct. During the 1976-77 drought data collected at water-level and extensometer sites showed the effect of heavy demand on the ground-water resevoir. With the ' water of compaction ' gone, artesian head declined 10 to 20 times as fast as during the first cycle of long-term drawdown that ended in the late 1960's. In the 1978-79 water levels recovered to or above the 1976 pre-drought levels. The report suggests continued monitoring of land subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley. (USGS)

Fog and Haze in California's San Joaquin Valley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

This illustration features images of southern California and southwestern Nevada acquired on January 3, 2001 (Terra orbit 5569), and includes data from three of MISR's nine cameras. The San Joaquin Valley, which comprises the southern extent of California's Central Valley, covers much of the viewed area. Also visible are several of the Channel Islands near the bottom, and Mono and Walker Lakes, which stand out as darker patches near the top center, especially in the vertical and backward oblique images. Near the lower right of each image is the Los Angeles Basin, with the distinctive chevron shape of the Mojave Desert to its north.

The Central Valley is a well-irrigated and richly productive agricultural area situated between the Coast Range and the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas. During the winter, the region is noted for its hazy overcasts and a low, thick ground fog known as the Tule. Owing to the effects of the atmosphere on reflected sunlight, dramatic differences in the MISR images are apparent as the angle of view changes. An area of thick, white fog in the San Joaquin Valley is visible in all three of the images. However, the pervasive haze that fills most of the valley is only slightly visible in the vertical view. At the oblique angles, the haze is highly distinguishable against the land surface background, particularly in the forward-viewing direction. Just above image center, the forward view also reveals bluish-tinged plumes near Lava Butte in Sequoia National Forest, where the National Interagency Coordination Center reported an active forest fire.

The changing surface visibility in the multi-angle data allows us to derive the amount of atmospheric haze. In the lower right quadrant is a map of haze amount determined from automated processing of the MISR imagery. Low amounts of haze are shown in blue, and a variation in hue through shades of green, yellow, and red indicates progressively larger amounts of airborne particulates. Due to the

Characterization of VOC Emissions from Various Components of Dairy Farming and their effect on San Joaquin Valley Air Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, M. M.; Meinardi, S.; Krauter, C.; Blake, D.

2008-12-01

The San Joaquin Valley Air Basin in Central California is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a serious non-attainment area for health-based eight-hour federal ozone (smog) standard (1). In August 2005, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District issued a report identifying dairies as a main source of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and fine particulate matter in the valley (2). Among these compounds, we have found that ethanol, methanol, acetone and acetaldehyde are produced in major quantities throughout the San Joaquin valley as by-products of yeast fermentation of silage and photochemical oxidation. These oxygenates, especially ethanol, play an important role in ozone (O3) formation within the valley. Three different types of sampling protocols were employed in order to determine the degree of enhancement of the four oxygenates in the valley air shed, as well as to determine their sources, emission profiles and emission rates. An assessment of the emissions of these oxygenates in the valley was achieved using data obtained on low altitude flights through the valley and from ground level samples collected thoughout the valley. The photochemical production of ozone was calculated for each of the four oxygenates and approximately one hundred other quantified VOCs. Based on the Maximum Incremental Reactivity (MIR) scale and concentrations of each oxygenate in the atmosphere, as much as 20% of O3 production in the valley is from ethanol and its photochemical by-product acetaldehyde. Our findings suggest that improvement to the valley air quality may be obtained by focusing on instituting new silage containment practices and regulations. 1. Lindberg, J. "Analysis of the San Joaquin Valley 2007 Ozone Plan." State of California Air Resources Board. Final Draft Staff Report. 5/30/2007. 2. Crow, D., executive director/APCO. "Air Pollution Control Officer's Determination of VOC Emisison Factors for Dairies." San Joaquin Valley Air

Population biology of bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus, in lotic habitats on the irrigated San Joaquin Valley floor

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saiki, M.K.; Schmitt, C.J.

1985-01-01

Rapid expansion of irrigated agriculture in the western United States has prompted concerns for aquatic resources. Although the impacts of irrigation activities on quality and quantity of river water are well documented (e.g., high turbidity from soil erosion, eutrophication from nutrient runoff, pesticide contamination, reduced dis- charge), their effects on fish populations are still poorly understood. We studied the food, growth, and relative weight (a measure of body condition) of bluegills, Lepo- mis macrochirus, in relation to environmental factors in reaches of the San Joaquin and Merced rivers that have been affected to varying degrees by irrigation return flows. Fry of bluegills ate mostly cladocerans and copepods; fingerlings and larger fish ate immature aquatic insects, terrestrial insects, amphipods, and mollusks. Bluegill stomachs were fuller and contained a higher diversity of forage taxa in habitats with low turbidity and conductivity, weak buffering capacity, and low nutrient levels; bluegills also ate a more diverse diet where the potential forage supply (benthic macroinvertebrates) was most diverse. Bluegills attained mean total lengths of about 42 mm at age I, 86 mm at age 11, 116 mm at age III, 153 mm at age IV, and 166 mm at age V. Mean relative weight ranged from 96-111. Growth rate and relative weight were not significantly correlated with environmental or dietary variables. On the basis of our study, we concluded that environmental degradation from irrigation activities affected the diet of bluegills primarily by modifying the food supply, but growth rate and body condition were not affected.

River-corridor habitat dynamics, Lower Missouri River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jacobson, Robert B.

2010-01-01

Intensive management of the Missouri River for navigation, flood control, and power generation has resulted in substantial physical changes to the river corridor. Historically, the Missouri River was characterized by a shifting, multithread channel and abundant unvegetated sandbars. The shifting channel provided a wide variety of hydraulic environments and large areas of connected and unconnected off-channel water bodies.Beginning in the early 1800s and continuing to the present, the channel of the Lower Missouri River (downstream from Sioux City, Iowa) has been trained into a fast, deep, single-thread channel to stabilize banks and maintain commercial navigation. Wing dikes now concentrate the flow, and revetments and levees keep the channel in place and disconnect it from the flood plain. In addition, reservoir regulation of the Missouri River upstream of Yankton, South Dakota, has substantially changed the annual hydrograph, sediment loads, temperature regime, and nutrient budgets.While changes to the Missouri River have resulted in broad social and economic benefits, they have also been associated with loss of river-corridor habitats and diminished populations of native fish and wildlife species. Today, Missouri River stakeholders are seeking ways to restore some natural ecosystem benefits of the Lower Missouri River without compromising traditional economic uses of the river and flood plain.

Resolving the interactions between population density and air pollution emissions controls in the San Joaquin Valley, USA.

PubMed

Hixson, Mark; Mahmud, Abdullah; Hu, Jianlin; Kleeman, Michael J

2012-05-01

The effectiveness of emissions control programs designed to reduce concentrations of airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 microm (PM2.5) in California's San Joaquin Valley was studied in the year 2030 under three growth scenarios: low, medium, and high population density. Base-case inventories for each choice of population density were created using a coupled emissions modeling system that simultaneously considered interactions between land use and transportation, area source, and point source emissions. The ambient PM2.5 response to each combination of population density and emissions control was evaluated using a regional chemical transport model over a 3-week winter stagnation episode. Comparisons between scenarios were based on regional average and population-weighted PM2.5 concentrations. In the absence of any emissions control program, population-weighted concentrations of PM2.5 in the future San Joaquin Valley are lowest undergrowth scenarios that emphasize low population density. A complete ban on wood burning and a 90% reduction in emissions from food cooking operations and diesel engines must occur before medium- to high-density growth scenarios result in lower population-weighted concentrations of PM2.5. These trends partly reflect the fact that existing downtown urban cores that naturally act as anchor points for new high-density growth in the San Joaquin Valley are located close to major transportation corridors for goods movement. Adding growth buffers around transportation corridors had little impact in the current analysis, since the 8-km resolution of the chemical transport model already provided an artificial buffer around major emissions sources. Assuming that future emissions controls will greatly reduce or eliminate emissions from residential wood burning, food cooking, and diesel engines, the 2030 growth scenario using "as-planned" (medium) population density achieves the lowest population-weighted average PM2

Long-term historical analysis of benthic communities and physical habitat in an agricultural stream in California's San Joaquin River watershed.

PubMed

Hall, Lenwood W; Killen, William D; Alden, Raymond

2009-05-01

This study was designed to characterize long-term annual temporal and spatial trends (2001 to 2007) in physical habitat and benthic communities and to determine relationships of habitat and benthic communities during this 7-year period in an agricultural stream in the San Joaquin River watershed in California (Del Puerto Creek). The canonical discriminant analysis indicated that there were no overall significant temporal patterns for the habitat metrics although spatial patterns were prominent for nearly all the habitat metrics. Channel alteration, riparian vegetative zone, bank stability, vegetative protection and frequency of riffles/bends were the primary habitat metrics associated with these site effects. Approximately 3,700 to 4,500 individual macroinvertebrates were picked and identified from five Del Puerto Creek sites sampled annually from 2001 to 2007. The total number of taxa by year ranged from 81 in 2003 to 106 in 2007. These benthic assemblages were generally comprised of tolerant to moderately tolerant taxa such as blackflies, oligochaetes, snails and chironomids. The metrics % predators, % EPT index, % collectors/filterers and % shredders were the benthic metrics that were most associated with the temporal effects. Ephemeroptera taxa, trichoptera taxa, and % sensitive EPT index were the benthic metrics that were most associated with the site effects. The most upstream site in Del Puerto Creek had the most robust and healthy benthic communites. Strong statistical relationships were reported between certain benthic metrics and habitat metrics. Overall, samples taken from site-year combinations with sediments that were qualitatively less muddy (less fines) and that had higher habitat metric scores for embeddedness, riparian vegetative zone, and channel alteration tended to have benthic communities characterized by higher values of the benthic metrics such as EPT taxa, Ephemeroptera taxa, EPT index, abundance, and taxonomic richness, among others

Development and Testing of Physically-Based Methods for Filling Gaps in Remotely Sensed River Data: Annual Report Year 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

near Deerlodge Park to support a USGS surface-water modeling study. Similar modeling projects on the San Joaquin and Sheboygan River were aided over...September 5-7, 2012, San Jose, Costa Rica, 8p. Nelson, J.M., McDonald, R.R., Kinzel, P.J., and Legleiter, C.J., 2011, Using computational models to...of the International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics, September 5-7, 2012, San Jose, Costa Rica, 8p. *Nelson, J.M., McDonald, R.R., Kinzel, P.J

Deep soil dynamics of floodplain carbon in the Central Valley of California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steger, Kristin; Kim, Amy T.; Viers, Joshua H.; Fiener, Peter; Smart, David R.

2017-04-01

Active floodplains can putatively store large amounts of organic carbon (SOC) in subsoils originating from catchment erosion processes with subsequent floodplain deposition. Changes in catchment land use patterns and river management to optimize agricultural use of the floodplain or to restore the floodplain back to natural systems may alter SOC stocks in these soils. Our study focussed on the assessment of SOC pools associated with alluvial floodplain soils converting from conventional arable use to restored flooding and floodplain vegetation. We evaluated depth-dependent SOC contents using 21 drillings down to 3m and 10 drillings down to 7m along a transect through a floodplain area of the lower Cosumnes River, a non-constrained tributary to the Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta in California. In general, our data underline the importance of carbon stocks in subsoils >1m, which represent up to 19 and 6% of SOC stocks at the different sampling locations accounting for drillings down to 3 and 7m, respectively. All of our sampling sites revealed a SOC-rich buried A horizon between 70 and 130cm with SOC concentrations between 11 and 17g/kg, representative of the functioning floodplain system pre-disturbance. Radiocarbon dating showed that the 14C age in the buried horizon was younger than in the overlaying soils, indicating a substantial sedimentation phase with sediments of low SOC concentrations and higher carbon age. This sedimentation phase was probably associated with the huge upstream sediment production resulting from the hydraulic gold mining at the Cosumnes River starting around 1860. Apart from larger SOC contents in the buried horizon compared to the recent topsoil, its 13C and 15N isotopic signature also differed suggesting a change in long-term input of plant organic matter as well as different fertilization regimes during the agricultural use of the area from approx. 1890 onwards. In summary, deep alluvial soils in floodplains store large amounts of SOC

Sources of High-Chloride Water to Wells, Eastern San Joaquin Ground-Water Subbasin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Izbicki, John A.; Metzger, Loren F.; McPherson, Kelly R.; Everett, Rhett; Bennett, George L.

2006-01-01

As a result of pumping and subsequent declines in water levels, chloride concentrations have increased in water from wells in the Eastern San Joaquin Ground-Water Subbasin, about 80 miles east of San Francisco (Montgomery Watson, Inc., 2000). Water from a number of public-supply, agricultural, and domestic wells in the western part of the subbasin adjacent to the San Joaquin Delta exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) for chloride of 250 milligrams per liter (mg/L) (fig. 1) (link to animation showing chloride concentrations in water from wells, 1984 to 2004). Some of these wells have been removed from service. High-chloride water from delta surface water, delta sediments, saline aquifers that underlie freshwater aquifers, and irrigation return are possible sources of high-chloride water to wells (fig. 2). It is possible that different sources contribute high-chloride water to wells in different parts of the subbasin or even to different depths within the same well.

Emissions of organic carbon and methane from petroleum and dairy operations in California's San Joaquin Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gentner, D. R.; Ford, T. B.; Guha, A.; Boulanger, K.; Brioude, J.; Angevine, W. M.; de Gouw, J. A.; Warneke, C.; Gilman, J. B.; Ryerson, T. B.; Peischl, J.; Meinardi, S.; Blake, D. R.; Atlas, E.; Lonneman, W. A.; Kleindienst, T. E.; Beaver, M. R.; St. Clair, J. M.; Wennberg, P. O.; VandenBoer, T. C.; Markovic, M. Z.; Murphy, J. G.; Harley, R. A.; Goldstein, A. H.

2014-05-01

Petroleum and dairy operations are prominent sources of gas-phase organic compounds in California's San Joaquin Valley. It is essential to understand the emissions and air quality impacts of these relatively understudied sources, especially for oil/gas operations in light of increasing US production. Ground site measurements in Bakersfield and regional aircraft measurements of reactive gas-phase organic compounds and methane were part of the CalNex (California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change) project to determine the sources contributing to regional gas-phase organic carbon emissions. Using a combination of near-source and downwind data, we assess the composition and magnitude of emissions, and provide average source profiles. To examine the spatial distribution of emissions in the San Joaquin Valley, we developed a statistical modeling method using ground-based data and the FLEXPART-WRF transport and meteorological model. We present evidence for large sources of paraffinic hydrocarbons from petroleum operations and oxygenated compounds from dairy (and other cattle) operations. In addition to the small straight-chain alkanes typically associated with petroleum operations, we observed a wide range of branched and cyclic alkanes, most of which have limited previous in situ measurements or characterization in petroleum operation emissions. Observed dairy emissions were dominated by ethanol, methanol, acetic acid, and methane. Dairy operations were responsible for the vast majority of methane emissions in the San Joaquin Valley; observations of methane were well correlated with non-vehicular ethanol, and multiple assessments of the spatial distribution of emissions in the San Joaquin Valley highlight the dominance of dairy operations for methane emissions. The petroleum operations source profile was developed using the composition of non-methane hydrocarbons in unrefined natural gas associated with crude oil. The observed source profile is

Pollutants' Release, Redistribution and Remediation of Black Smelly River Sediment Based on Re-Suspension and Deep Aeration of Sediment.

PubMed

Zhu, Lin; Li, Xun; Zhang, Chen; Duan, Zengqiang

2017-04-01

Heavily polluted sediment is becoming an important part of water pollution, and this situation is particularly acute in developing countries. Sediment has gradually changed from being the pollution adsorbent to the release source and has influenced the water environment and public health. In this study, we evaluated the pollutant distribution in sediment in a heavily polluted river and agitated the sediment in a heavily polluted river to re-suspend it and re-release pollutants. We found that the levels of chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH₄⁺-N, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in overlying water were significantly increased 60 min after agitation. The distribution of the pollutants in the sediment present high concentrations of pollutants congregated on top of the sediment after re-settling, and their distribution decreased with depth. Before agitation, the pollutants were randomly distributed throughout the sediment. Secondly, deep sediment aeration equipment (a micro-porous air diffuser) was installed during the process of sedimentation to study the remediation of the sediment by continuous aeration. The results revealed that deep sediment aeration after re-suspension significantly promoted the degradation of the pollutants both in overlying water and sediment, which also reduced the thickness of the sediment from 0.9 m to 0.6 m. Therefore, sediment aeration after suspension was efficient, and is a promising method for sediment remediation applications.

Executive Summary -- assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the San Joaquin Basin Province of California, 2003: Chapter 1 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gautier, Donald L.; Scheirer, Allegra Hosford; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Peters, Kenneth E.; Magoon, Leslie B.; Lillis, Paul G.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Cook, Troy A.; French, Christopher D.; Klett, Timothy R.; Pollastro, Richard M.; Schenk, Christopher J.

2007-01-01

In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of the oil and gas resource potential of the San Joaquin Basin Province of California (fig. 1.1). The assessment is based on the geologic elements of each Total Petroleum System defined in the province, including hydrocarbon source rocks (source-rock type and maturation and hydrocarbon generation and migration), reservoir rocks (sequence stratigraphy and petrophysical properties), and hydrocarbon traps (trap formation and timing). Using this geologic framework, the USGS defined five total petroleum systems and ten assessment units within these systems. Undiscovered oil and gas resources were quantitatively estimated for the ten assessment units (table 1.1). In addition, the potential was estimated for further growth of reserves in existing oil fields of the San Joaquin Basin.

Characterizing Drought Impacted Soils in the San Joaquin Valley of California Using Remote Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahab, L. M.; Miller, D.; Roberts, D. A.

2017-12-01

California's San Joaquin Valley is an extremely agriculturally productive region of the country, and understanding the state of soils in this region is an important factor in maintaining this high productivity. In this study, we quantified changing soil cover during the drought and analyzed spatial changes in salinity, organic matter, and moisture using unique soil spectral characteristics. We used data from the Airborne Visible / Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) from Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) campaign flights in 2013 and 2014 over the San Joaquin Valley. A mixture model was applied to both images that identified non- photosynthetic vegetation, green vegetation, and soil cover fractions through image endmembers of each of these three classes. We optimized the spectral library used to identify these classes with Iterative Endmember Selection (IES), and the images were unmixed using Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA). Maps of soil electrical conductivity, organic matter, soil saturated moisture, and field moisture were generated for the San Joaquin Valley based on indices developed by Ben-Dor et al. [2002]. Representative polygons were chosen to quantify changes between years. Maps of spectrally distinct soils were also generated for 2013 and 2014, in order to determine the spatial distribution of these soil types as well as their temporal dynamics between years. We estimated that soil cover increased by 16% from 2013-2014. Six spectrally distinct soil types were identified for the region, and it was determined that the distribution of these soil types was not constant for most areas between 2013 and 2014. Changes in soil pH, electrical conductivity, and soil moisture were strongly tied in the region between 2013 and 2014.

Organochlorine chemical residues in bluegills and common carp from the irrigated San Joaquin Valley floor, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saiki, Michael K.; Schmitt, Christopher J.

1986-01-01

Samples of bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) collected from the San Joaquin River and two tributaries (Merced River and Salt Slough) in California were analyzed for 21 organochlorine chemical residues by gas chromatography to determine if pesticide contamination was confined to downstream sites exposed to irrigated agriculture, or if nonirrigated upstream sites were also contaminated. Residues ofp,p′-DDE were detected in all samples of both species. Six other contaminants were also present in both species at one or more of the collection sites: chlordane (cis-chlordane +trans-nonachlor);p,p′-DDD;o,p′-DDT;p,p′-DDT; DCPA (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate); and dieldrin. Concentrations of most of these residues were generally higher in carp than in bluegills; residues of other compounds were found only in carp: α-BHC (α-benzenehexachloride), Aroclor® 1260, and toxaphene. Concentrations of most organochlorines in fish increased from upstream to downstream. Water quality variables that are influenced by irrigation return flows (e.g., conductivity, turbidity, and total alkalinity) also increased from upstream to downstream and were significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with organochlorine residue levels in the fish. In carp, concentrations of two residues-⌆DDT (p,p′-DDD +p,p′-DDE + +p,p′-DDT; 1.43 to 2.21 mg/kg wet weight) and toxaphene (3.12 mg/kg wet weight)-approached the highest levels reported by the National Pesticide Monitoring Program for fish from other intensively farmed watersheds of the United States in 1980 to 1981, and surpassed criteria for whole-body residue concentrations recomended by the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineers for the protection of piscivorous wildlife.

The "Roar of Chatter" in the Library at San Joaquin Delta College. Research Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Richard B.

Quiet signs and verbal cautioning by library staff do not decrease library noise levels as revealed by two tests using sound measuring equipment at San Joaquin Delta College. The levels in fact increased, confirming previous opinions that signs and staff intervention have little effect on patron behavior. Test methods, data, and five references…

Thermal history of rocks in southern San Joaquin Valley, California: evidence from fission-track analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naeser, N.D.; Naeser, C.W.; McCulloh, T.H.

1990-01-01

Fission-track analysis has been used to study the thermal and depositional history of the subsurface Tertiary sedimentary rocks on both sides of the active White Wolf reverse fault in the southern San Joaquin Valley. The distinctly different thermal histories of the rocks in the two structural blocks are clearly reflected in the apatite fission-track data, which suggest that rocks in the rapidly subsiding basin northwest of the fault have been near their present temperature for only about 1 m.y. compared with about 10 m.y. for rocks southeast of the fault. These estimates of heating time agree with previous estimates for these rocks. Zircon fission-track data indicate that the Tertiary sediments were derived from parent rocks of more than one age. However, from at least the Eocene to late Miocene or Pliocene, the major sediment source was rocks related to the youngest Sierra Nevada Mesozoic intrusive complexes, which are presently exposed east and south of the southern San Joaquin Valley. -from Authors

Methods of analysis and quality-assurance practices of the U.S. Geological Survey organic laboratory, Sacramento, California; determination of pesticides in water by solid-phase extraction and capillary-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crepeau, Kathryn L.; Domagalski, Joseph L.; Kuivila, Kathryn

1994-01-01

Analytical method and quality-assurance practices were developed for a study of the fate and transport of pesticides in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the Sacramento and San Joaquin River. Water samples were filtered to remove suspended parti- culate matter and pumped through C-8 solid-phase extraction cartridges to extract the pesticides. The cartridges were dried with carbon dioxide, and the pesticides were eluted with three 2-milliliter aliquots of hexane:diethyl ether (1:1). The eluants were analyzed using capillary-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in full-scan mode. Method detection limits for analytes determined per 1,500-milliliter samples ranged from 0.006 to 0.047 microgram per liter. Recoveries ranged from 47 to 89 percent for 12 pesticides in organic-free, Sacramento River and San Joaquin River water samples fortified at 0.05 and 0.26 microgram per liter. The method was modified to improve the pesticide recovery by reducing the sample volume to 1,000 milliliters. Internal standards were added to improve quantitative precision and accuracy. The analysis also was expanded to include a total of 21 pesticides. The method detection limits for 1,000-milliliter samples ranged from 0.022 to 0.129 microgram per liter. Recoveries ranged from 38 to 128 percent for 21 pesticides in organic-free, Sacramento River and San Joaquin River water samples fortified at 0.10 and 0.75 microgram per liter.

Increasing vertical resolution in US models to improve track forecasts of Hurricane Joaquin with HWRF as an example

PubMed Central

Zhang, Banglin; Tallapragada, Vijay; Weng, Fuzhong; Liu, Qingfu; Sippel, Jason A.; Ma, Zaizhong; Bender, Morris A.

2016-01-01

The atmosphere−ocean coupled Hurricane Weather Research and Forecast model (HWRF) developed at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) is used as an example to illustrate the impact of model vertical resolution on track forecasts of tropical cyclones. A number of HWRF forecasting experiments were carried out at different vertical resolutions for Hurricane Joaquin, which occurred from September 27 to October 8, 2015, in the Atlantic Basin. The results show that the track prediction for Hurricane Joaquin is much more accurate with higher vertical resolution. The positive impacts of higher vertical resolution on hurricane track forecasts suggest that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/NCEP should upgrade both HWRF and the Global Forecast System to have more vertical levels. PMID:27698121

Petroleum systems of the San Joaquin Basin Province, California -- geochemical characteristics of oil types: Chapter 9 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lillis, Paul G.; Magoon, Leslie B.

2007-01-01

New analyses of 120 oil samples combined with 139 previously published oil analyses were used to characterize and map the distribution of oil types in the San Joaquin Basin, California. The results show that there are at least four oil types designated MM, ET, EK, and CM. Most of the oil from the basin has low to moderate sulfur content (less than 1 weight percent sulfur), although a few unaltered MM oils have as much as 1.2 weight percent sulfur. Reevaluation of source rock data from the literature indicate that the EK oil type is derived from the Eocene Kreyenhagen Formation, and the MM oil type is derived, in part, from the Miocene to Pliocene Monterey Formation and its equivalent units. The ET oil type is tentatively correlated to the Eocene Tumey formation of Atwill (1935). Previous studies suggest that the CM oil type is derived from the Late Cretaceous to Paleocene Moreno Formation. Maps of the distribution of the oil types show that the MM oil type is restricted to the southern third of the San Joaquin Basin Province. The composition of MM oils along the southern and eastern margins of the basin reflects the increased contribution of terrigenous organic matter to the marine basin near the Miocene paleoshoreline. EK oils are widely distributed along the western half of the basin, and ET oils are present in the central and west-central areas of the basin. The CM oil type has only been found in the Coalinga area in southwestern Fresno County. The oil type maps provide the basis for petroleum system maps that incorporate source rock distribution and burial history, migration pathways, and geologic relationships between hydrocarbon source and reservoir rocks. These petroleum system maps were used for the 2003 U.S. Geological Survey resource assessment of the San Joaquin Basin Province.

Effects of the proposed California WaterFix North Delta Diversion on survival of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perry, Russell W.; Pope, Adam C.

2018-05-11

The California Department of Water Resources and Bureau of Reclamation propose new water intake facilities on the Sacramento River in northern California that would convey some of the water for export to areas south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (hereinafter referred to as the Delta) through tunnels rather than through the Delta. The collection of water intakes, tunnels, pumping facilities, associated structures, and proposed operations are collectively referred to as California WaterFix. The water intake facilities, hereinafter referred to as the North Delta Diversion (NDD), are proposed to be located on the Sacramento River downstream of the city of Sacramento and upstream of the first major river junction where Sutter Slough branches from the Sacramento River. The NDD can divert a maximum discharge of 9,000 cubic feet per second (ft3 /s) from the Sacramento River, which reduces the amount of Sacramento River inflow into the Delta. In this report, we conduct four analyses to investigate the effect of the NDD and its proposed operation on survival of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). All analyses used the results of a Bayesian survival model that allowed us to simulate travel time, migration routing, and survival of juvenile Chinook salmon migrating through the Delta in response to NDD operations, which affected both inflows to the Delta and operation of the Delta Cross Channel (DCC). For the first analysis, we evaluated the effect of the NDD bypass rules on salmon survival. The NDD bypass rules are a set of operational rule curves designed to provide adaptive levels of fish protection by defining allowable diversion rates as a function of (1) Sacramento River discharge as measured at Freeport, and (2) time of year when endangered runs requiring the most protection are present. We determined that all bypass rule curves except constant low-level pumping (maximum diversion of 900 ft3 /s) could cause a sizeable decrease in survival by as

Rapid Weakening of Hurricane Joaquin in Strong Vertical Wind Shear and Cold SSTs: Numerical Simulations with Assimilation of High-Definition Sounding System Dropsondes During Tropical Cyclone Intensity Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Z.; Zhang, S.

2017-12-01

Observations from High-Definition Sounding System (HDSS) Dropsondes, collected for Hurricane Joaquin (2005) during the Office of Naval Research Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) Experiment in 2015, are assimilated into the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI)-based hybrid data assimilation systems embedded in the NCEP Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) system. A three-dimensional and a four-dimensional ensemble-variational hybrid (3DEnVAR and 4DEnVar) data assimilation configuration are used. It is found that the experiments with assimilation of the HDSS dropsonde observations capture well the intensity changes during the rapid weakening (RW) of Hurricane Joaquin. Compared with 3DEnVAR, 4DEnVar leads to better assimilation results and subsequent forecasts and thus offers a set of simulations to diagnose the processes associated with the RW of Hurricane Joaquin. A drastic increase in the vertical wind shear (VWS, with a magnitude of 12 m s-1) is found before the RW. This high VWS is persistent during the 0-12 h period of RW, inducing changes in the vortex structure of Hurricane Joaquin through dry air intrusion in the mid-level and the dilution of the upper-level warm core. The transport of low air from above into the boundary layer occurs at the same time, resulting in depressed values in the storm inflow layer and reduced eyewall values through the updraft. As a consequence, downdrafts flush the boundary layer with low air, leading to the weakening of inflow in the boundary layers. When Hurricane Joaquin moves over an area where the SSTs are below 28oC within the hurricane inner core during the 18-30 h period of RW, the cold SSTs significantly inhibit latent and sensible heat release within the hurricane inner core and its vicinity, thus resulting in the continuous weakening of Hurricane Joaquin.

Rapid Weakening of Hurricane Joaquin in Strong Vertical Wind Shear and Cold SSTs: Numerical Simulations with Assimilation of High-Definition Sounding System Dropsondes During Tropical Cyclone Intensity Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pikelnaya, O.; Polidori, A.; Tisopulos, L.; Mellqvist, J.; Samuelsson, J.; Robinson, R. A.; Innocenti, F.; Perry, S.

2016-12-01

Observations from High-Definition Sounding System (HDSS) Dropsondes, collected for Hurricane Joaquin (2005) during the Office of Naval Research Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) Experiment in 2015, are assimilated into the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI)-based hybrid data assimilation systems embedded in the NCEP Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) system. A three-dimensional and a four-dimensional ensemble-variational hybrid (3DEnVAR and 4DEnVar) data assimilation configuration are used. It is found that the experiments with assimilation of the HDSS dropsonde observations capture well the intensity changes during the rapid weakening (RW) of Hurricane Joaquin. Compared with 3DEnVAR, 4DEnVar leads to better assimilation results and subsequent forecasts and thus offers a set of simulations to diagnose the processes associated with the RW of Hurricane Joaquin. A drastic increase in the vertical wind shear (VWS, with a magnitude of 12 m s-1) is found before the RW. This high VWS is persistent during the 0-12 h period of RW, inducing changes in the vortex structure of Hurricane Joaquin through dry air intrusion in the mid-level and the dilution of the upper-level warm core. The transport of low air from above into the boundary layer occurs at the same time, resulting in depressed values in the storm inflow layer and reduced eyewall values through the updraft. As a consequence, downdrafts flush the boundary layer with low air, leading to the weakening of inflow in the boundary layers. When Hurricane Joaquin moves over an area where the SSTs are below 28oC within the hurricane inner core during the 18-30 h period of RW, the cold SSTs significantly inhibit latent and sensible heat release within the hurricane inner core and its vicinity, thus resulting in the continuous weakening of Hurricane Joaquin.

Middle Tertiary stratigraphic sequences of the San Joaquin Basin, California: Chapter 6 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Cari L.; Graham, Stephan A.

2007-01-01

An integrated database of outcrop studies, borehole logs, and seismic-reflection profiles is used to divide Eocene through Miocene strata of the central and southern San Joaquin Basin, California, into a framework of nine stratigraphic sequences. These third- and higher-order sequences (<3 m.y. duration) comprise the principal intervals for petroleum assessment for the basin, including key reservoir and source rock intervals. Important characteristics of each sequence are discussed, including distribution and stratigraphic relationships, sedimentary facies, regional correlation, and age relations. This higher-order stratigraphic packaging represents relatively short-term fluctuations in various forcing factors including climatic effects, changes in sediment supply, local and regional tectonism, and fluctuations in global eustatic sea level. These stratigraphic packages occur within the context of second-order stratigraphic megasequences, which mainly reflect long-term tectonic basin evolution. Despite more than a century of petroleum exploration in the San Joaquin Basin, many uncertainties remain regarding the age, correlation, and origin of the third- and higher-order sequences. Nevertheless, a sequence stratigraphic approach allows definition of key intervals based on genetic affinity rather than purely lithostratigraphic relationships, and thus is useful for reconstructing the multiphase history of this basin, as well as understanding its petroleum systems.

San Joaquin River Up-Stream DO TMDL Project Task 4: MonitoringStudy Interim Task Report #3

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

Stringfellow, William; Borglin, Sharon; Dahlgren, Randy

2007-03-30

The purpose of the Dissolved Oxygen Total Maximum Daily LoadProject (DO TMDLProject) is to provide a comprehensive understanding ofthe sources and fate of oxygen consuming materials in the San JoaquinRiver (SJR) watershed between Channel Point and Lander Avenue (upstreamSJR). When completed, this study will provide the stakeholders anunderstanding of the baseline conditions of the basin, provide input foran allocation decision, and provide the stakeholders with a tool formeasuring the impact of any waterquality management program that may beimplemented as part of the DO TMDL process. Previous studies haveidentified algal biomass as the most significant oxygen-demandingsubstance in the DO TMDL Projectmore » study-area between of Channel Point andLander Ave onthe SJR. Other oxygen-demanding substances found in theupstream SJR include ammonia and organic carbon from sources other thanalgae. The DO TMDL Project study-area contains municipalities, dairies,wetlands, cattle ranching, irrigated agriculture, and industries thatcould potentially contribute biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) to the SJR.This study is designed to discriminate between algal BOD and othersources of BOD throughout the entire upstream SJR watershed. Algalbiomass is not a conserved substance, but grows and decays in the SJR;hence, characterization of oxygen-demanding substances in the SJR isinherently complicated and requires an integrated effort of extensivemonitoring, scientific study, and modeling. In order to achieve projectobjectives, project activities were divided into a number of Tasks withspecific goals and objectives. In this report, we present the results ofmonitoring and research conducted under Task 4 of the DO TMDL Project.The major objective of Task 4 is to collect sufficient hydrologic (flow)and water quality (WQ) data to characterize the loading of algae, otheroxygen-demanding materials, and nutrients fromindividual tributaries andsub-watersheds of the upstream SJR between Mossdale

76 FR 35167 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-16

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R09-OAR-2011-0312; FRL-9319-8] Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District... Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52 Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Intergovernmental relations...

Comparison of Oxygenate Mixing Ratios Observed in the San Joaquin Valley, California, as a Consequence of Dairy Farming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, M. M.; Blake, D. R.

2009-12-01

The San Joaquin Valley Air Basin in Central California is plagued with air quality problems, and is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a serious non-attainment area for health-based eight-hour federal ozone (smog) standard (1). One of the main sources of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and indirect sources of ozone in the Valley, has been identified as dairy farming (2). Among these compounds, we have found that several OVOCs such as ethanol, methanol, acetone and acetaldehyde are produced in major quantities throughout the San Joaquin valley as by-products of yeast fermentation of silage and photochemical oxidation. These oxygenates, especially ethanol, play an important role in ozone (O3) formation within the valley. Since 2008, several different types of sampling protocols have been employed by our group in order to determine the degree of enhancement of the four oxygenates in the valley air shed, as well as to determine their sources, emission profiles and emission rates (2). In 2008 and 2009, samples were in early summer, allowing us to compare the difference in concentration levels between both years.The photochemical production of ozone was calculated for each of the four oxygenates and approximately one hundred other quantified VOCs. Based on the Maximum Incremental Reactivity (MIR) scale and concentrations of each oxygenate in the atmosphere, for both 2008 and 2009, as much as 15% of O3 production in the valley is from ethanol and its photochemical by-product acetaldehyde. Our findings suggest that the data observed in 2008 is consistent with that observed in 2009, with a slight decrease in concentrations overall for 2009. 1. Lindberg, J. Analysis of the San Joaquin Valley 2007 Ozone Plan. State of California Air Resources Board. Final Draft Staff Report. 5/30/2007. 2. M. Yang, S. Meinardi, C. Krauter, D.R. Blake. Characterization of VOC Emissions from Various Components of Dairy Farming and their effect on San Joaquin

Groundwater Quality in the Central Eastside San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belitz, Kenneth; Landon, Matthew K.

2010-01-01

The Central Eastside study unit is located in California's San Joaquin Valley. The 1,695 square mile study unit includes three groundwater subbasins: Modesto, Turlock, and Merced (California Department of Water Resources, 2003). The primary water-bearing units consist of discontinuous lenses of gravel, sand, silt, and clay, which are derived largely from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the east. Public-supply wells provide most of the drinking water supply in the Central Eastside. Consequently, the primary aquifer in the Central Eastside study unit is defined as that part of the aquifer corresponding to the perforated interval of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health database. Public-supply wells are typically drilled to depths of 200 to 350 feet, consist of solid casing from the land surface to a depth of about 100 to 200 feet, and they are perforated below the solid casing. Water quality in the shallower and deeper parts of the aquifer system may differ from that in the primary aquifer. The Central Eastside study unit has hot and dry summers and cool, moist, winters. Average annual rainfall ranges from 11 to 15 inches. The Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced Rivers, with headwaters in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, are the primary streams traversing the study unit. Land use in the study unit is approximately 59 percent (%) agricultural, 34% natural (primarily grassland), and 7% urban. The primary crops are almonds, walnuts, peaches, grapes, grain, corn, and alfalfa. The largest urban areas (2003 population in parentheses) are the cities of Modesto (206,872), Turlock (63,467), and Merced (69,512). Municipal water use accounts for about 5% of the total water use in the Central Eastside study unit, with the remainder used for irrigated agriculture. Groundwater accounts for about 75% of the municipal supply, and surface water accounts for about 25%. Recharge to the groundwater flow system is primarily from percolation of irrigation return

A numerical investigation of the impacts of river and floodplain restoration on the process of floodwave attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stone, M. C.; Byrne, C.; Morrison, R.

2015-12-01

It is widely recognized that past river engineering, flood control, and floodplain development activities have tended to work against nature rather than with it. The consequence in many cases has been severe degradation of our natural ecosystems. This, combined with an increased appreciation for the benefits of properly functioning ecosystems, has prompted efforts to restore rivers to a more natural state. However, most restoration projects currently focus on a narrow set of goals, such as endangered species recovery or channel stabilization. In order to shift the restoration community towards more holistic perspectives and approaches, it is necessary to improve understanding of river and floodplain hydrogeomorphic processes and their role in supporting healthy ecosystems. The goal of this research was to investigate the impacts of river engineering and restoration practices on the process of floodwave attenuation. This goal was addressed through numerical investigations that allowed us to: (1) quantify mass and momentum fluxes between river channels and floodplains; (2) investigate the influence of mass and momentum fluxes on floodwave attenuation processes; and (3) evaluate the impacts of river and floodplain restoration on floodwave attenuation. Two-dimensional hydrodynamic models were applied to the Rio Grande, San Joaquin, and Gila rivers in the Southwestern United States using novel modeling approaches to describe dynamic floodplain roughness, fluxes at channel/floodplain interfaces, and attenuation along river corridors. The results provide important insights into the role of floodplain characteristics on floodwave movement and the potential for enhancing floodwave attenuation through river restoration.

Floods in the English River basin, Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heinitz, A.J.; Riddle, D.E.

1981-01-01

Information describing floods is essential for proper planning, design, and operation of bridges and other structures on or over streams and their flood plains. This report provides information on flood stages and discharges, flood magnitude and frequency, bench mark data, and flood profiles for the English River and some of its tributaries. It covers the English River, the North English River to near Guernsey, the south Eaglish River to Barnes City and the lower reaches of the Biddle English and Deep Rivers

Subsurface flow in lowland river gravel bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bray, E. N.; Dunne, T.

2017-09-01

Geomorphic and hydraulic processes, which form gravel bars in large lowland rivers, have distinctive characteristics that control the magnitude and spatial patterns of infiltration and exfiltration between rivers and their immediate subsurface environments. We present a bedform-infiltration relation together with a set of field measurements along two reaches of the San Joaquin River, CA to illustrate the conditions required for infiltration and exfiltration of flow between a stream and its undulating bed, and a numerical model to investigate the factors that affect paths and residence times of flow through barforms at different discharges. It is shown that asymmetry of bar morphology is a first-order control on the extent and location of infiltration, which would otherwise produce equal areas of infiltration and exfiltration under the assumption of sinusoidal bedforms. Hydraulic conductivity varies by orders of magnitude due to fine sediment accumulation and downstream coarsening related to the process of bar evolution. This systematic variability not only controls the magnitude of infiltration, but also the residence time of flow through the bed. The lowest hydraulic conductivity along the reach occurred where the difference between the topographic gradient and the water-surface gradient is at a maximum and thus where infiltration would be greatest into a homogeneous bar, indicating the importance of managing sand supply to maintain the ventilation and flow through salmon spawning riffles. Numerical simulations corroborate our interpretation that infiltration patterns and rates are controlled by distinctive features of bar morphology.

76 FR 9709 - Water Quality Challenges in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-22

... Bay Delta Estuary is the hub of California's water distribution system, supplying some or all of the... Water Quality Challenges in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary AGENCY... interested parties on possible EPA actions to address water quality conditions affecting aquatic resources in...

Recommended Financial Plan for the Construction of a Permanent Campus for San Joaquin Delta College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bortolazzo, Julio L.

The financial plan for the San Joaquin Delta College (California) permanent campus is presented in a table showing the gross square footage, the unit cost (including such fixed equipment as workbenches, laboratory tables, etc.), and the estimated total cost for each department. The unit costs per square foot vary from $18.00 for warehousing to…

Emissions of organic carbon and methane from petroleum and dairy operations in California’s San Joaquin Valley

EPA Science Inventory

Petroleum and dairy operations are prominent sources of gas-phase organic compounds in California's San Joaquin Valley. It is essential to understand the emissions and air quality impacts of these relatively understudied sources, especially for oil/gas operations in light of incr...

77 FR 745 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-06

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R09-OAR-2011-0547; FRL-9480-1] Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD) Correction In rule document 2011-33660 appearing on pages 214-217 in the issue of Wednesday...

Factors affecting the abundance and distribution of European starlings at the San Joaquin Experimental Range

Treesearch

Kathryn L. Purcell; Jared Verner; Sylvia R. Mori

2002-01-01

We examined population trends and factors related to the abundance and presence of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) at the San Joaquin Experimental Range in the foothills of the western Sierra Nevada, 31 km east of Madera, California. Starlings first appeared there in low numbers in the late 1960s and are now abundant breeders. Simple models...

Population Structure of Xylella fastidiosa Associated with Almond Leaf Scorch Disease in the San Joaquin Valley of California.

PubMed

Lin, Hong; Islam, Md Sajedul; Cabrera-La Rosa, Juan C; Civerolo, Edwin L; Groves, Russell L

2015-06-01

Xylella fastidiosa causes disease in many commercial crops, including almond leaf scorch (ALS) disease in susceptible almond (Prunus dulcis). In this study, genetic diversity and population structure of X. fastidiosa associated with ALS disease were evaluated. Isolates obtained from two almond orchards in Fresno and Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley of California were analyzed for two successive years. Multilocus simple-sequence repeat (SSR) analysis revealed two major genetic clusters that were associated with two host cultivars, 'Sonora' and 'Nonpareil', respectively, regardless of the year of study or location of the orchard. These relationships suggest that host cultivar selection and adaptation are major driving forces shaping ALS X. fastidiosa population structure in the San Joaquin Valley. This finding will provide insight into understanding pathogen adaptation and host selection in the context of ALS disease dynamics.

The Impact of the Aerosol Direct Radiative Forcing on Deep Convection and Air Quality in the Pearl River Delta Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Z.; Yim, Steve H. L.; Wang, C.; Lau, N. C.

2018-05-01

Literature has reported the remarkable aerosol impact on low-level cloud by direct radiative forcing (DRF). Impacts on middle-upper troposphere cloud are not yet fully understood, even though this knowledge is important for regions with a large spatial heterogeneity of emissions and aerosol concentration. We assess the aerosol DRF and its cloud response in June (with strong convection) in Pearl River Delta region for 2008-2012 at cloud-resolving scale using an air quality-climate coupled model. Aerosols suppress deep convection by increasing atmospheric stability leading to less evaporation from the ground. The relative humidity is reduced in middle-upper troposphere due to induced reduction in both evaporation from the ground and upward motion. The cloud reduction offsets 20% of the aerosol DRF. The weaker vertical mixing further increases surface aerosol concentration by up to 2.90 μg/m3. These findings indicate the aerosol DRF impact on deep convection and in turn regional air quality.

Long-term avian research at the San Joaquin Experimental Range: recommendations for monitoring and managing oak woodlands

Treesearch

Kathryn L. Purcell

2011-01-01

Experimental forests and ranges are living laboratories that provide opportunities for conducting scientific research and transferring research results to partners and stakeholders. They are invaluable for their long-term data and capacity to foster collaborative, interdisciplinary research. The San Joaquin Experimental Range (SJER) was established to develop...

A Transpacific Voyage: The Representation of Asia in Jose Joaquin Fernandez de Lizardi's "El Periquillo Sarniento"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagimoto, Koichi

2012-01-01

This essay seeks to explore the representation of Asia in Jose Joaquin Fernandez de Lizardi's "El Periquillo Sarniento" (1816), which is often considered the first novel produced in Latin America. Although many scholars have examined the picaresque element as well as the nationalist aspect of the novel, the Asian presence in Fernandez de…

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conflict: Strategic Insights for California's Policymakers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moazezi, M. R.

2013-12-01

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta - a major water supply source in California and a unique habitat for many native and invasive species--is on the verge of collapse due to a prolonged conflict over how to manage the Delta. There is an urgent need to expedite the resolution of this conflict because the continuation of the status quo would leave irreversible environmental consequences for the entire state. In this paper a systematic technique is proposed for providing strategic insights into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta conflict. Game theory framework is chosen to systematically analyze behavioral characteristics of decision makers as well as their options in the conflict with respect to their preferences using a formal mathematical language. The Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR), a recent game-theoretic technique, is applied to model and analyze the Delta conflict in order to better understand the options, preferences, and behavioral characteristics of the major decision makers. GMCR II as a decision support system tool based on GMCR concept is used to facilitate the analysis of the problem through a range of non-cooperative game theoretic stability definitions. Furthermore, coalition analysis is conducted to analyze the potential for forming partial coalitions among decision makers, and to investigate how forming a coalition can influence the conflict resolution process. This contribution shows that involvement of the State of California is necessary for developing an environmental-friendly resolution for the Delta conflict. It also indicates that this resolution is only achievable through improving the fragile levee systems and constructing a new water export facility.

Assessing effects of seasonality on the epidemiology of Pierce’s disease in the southern San Joaquin Valley

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction of the glassy-winged sharpshooter to California resulted in epidemics of Pierce’s disease in the Temecula Valley and the southern San Joaquin Valley in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, respectively. In response, an area-wide suppression program was initiated that successfully suppresse...

Subsidence due to Excessive Groundwater Withdrawal in the San Joaquin Valley, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbett, F.; Harter, T.; Sneed, M.

2011-12-01

Francis Corbett1, Thomas Harter1 and Michelle Sneed2 1Department of Land Air and Water Resources, University of California, Davis. 2U.S. Geological Survey Western Remote Sensing and Visualization Center, Sacramento. Abstract: Groundwater development within the Central Valley of California began approximately a century ago. Water was needed to supplement limited surface water supplies for the burgeoning population and agricultural industries, especially within the arid but fertile San Joaquin Valley. Groundwater levels have recovered only partially during wet years from drought-induced lows creating long-term groundwater storage overdraft. Surface water deliveries from Federal and State sources led to a partial alleviation of these pressure head declines from the late 1960s. However, in recent decades, surface water deliveries have declined owing to increasing environmental pressures, whilst water demands have remained steady. Today, a large portion of the San Joaquin Valley population, and especially agriculture, rely upon groundwater. Groundwater levels are again rapidly declining except in wet years. There is significant concern that subsidence due to groundwater withdrawal, first observed at a large scale in the middle 20th century, will resume as groundwater resources continue to be depleted. Previous subsidence has led to problems such as infrastructure damage and flooding. To provide a support tool for groundwater management on a naval air station in the southern San Joaquin Valley (Tulare Lake Basin), a one-dimensional MODFLOW subsidence model covering the period 1925 to 2010 was developed incorporating extensive reconstruction of historical subsidence and water level data from various sources. The stratigraphy used for model input was interpreted from geophysical logs and well completion reports. Gaining good quality data proved problematic, and often values needed to be estimated. In part, this was due to the historical lack of awareness/understanding of

Projecting cumulative benefits of multiple river restoration projects: an example from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River system in California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kondolf, G. Mathias; Angermeier, Paul L.; Cummins, Kenneth; Dunne, Thomas; Healey, Michael; Kimmerer, Wim; Moyle, Peter B.; Murphy, Dennis; Patten, Duncan; Railsback, Steve F.; Reed, Denise J.; Spies, Robert B.; Twiss, Robert

2008-01-01

Despite increasingly large investments, the potential ecological effects of river restoration programs are still small compared to the degree of human alterations to physical and ecological function. Thus, it is rarely possible to “restore” pre-disturbance conditions; rather restoration programs (even large, well-funded ones) will nearly always involve multiple small projects, each of which can make some modest change to selected ecosystem processes and habitats. At present, such projects are typically selected based on their attributes as individual projects (e.g., consistency with programmatic goals of the funders, scientific soundness, and acceptance by local communities), and ease of implementation. Projects are rarely prioritized (at least explicitly) based on how they will cumulatively affect ecosystem function over coming decades. Such projections require an understanding of the form of the restoration response curve, or at least that we assume some plausible relations and estimate cumulative effects based thereon. Drawing on our experience with the CALFED Bay-Delta Ecosystem Restoration Program in California, we consider potential cumulative system-wide benefits of a restoration activity extensively implemented in the region: isolating/filling abandoned floodplain gravel pits captured by rivers to reduce predation of outmigrating juvenile salmon by exotic warmwater species inhabiting the pits. We present a simple spreadsheet model to show how different assumptions about gravel pit bathymetry and predator behavior would affect the cumulative benefits of multiple pit-filling and isolation projects, and how these insights could help managers prioritize which pits to fill.

Social Disparities in Drinking Water Quality in California's San Joaquin Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, I.; Balazs, C.; Hubbard, A.; Morello-Frosch, R.

2011-12-01

Social Disparities in Drinking Water Quality in California's San Joaquin Valley Carolina Balazs, Rachel Morello-Frosch, Alan Hubbard and Isha Ray Little attention has been given to research on social disparities and environmental justice in access to safe drinking water in the USA. We examine the relationship between nitrate and arsenic concentrations in community water systems (CWS) and the ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics of their customers. We hypothesized that systems in the San Joaquin Valley that serve a higher proportion of minority (especially Latino) residents, and/or lower socioeconomic status (proxied by rates of home ownership) residents, have higher nitrate levels and higher arsenic levels. We used water quality monitoring datasets (1999-2001) to estimate nitrate as well as arsenic levels in CWS, and source location and Census block group data to estimate customer demographics. We found that percent Latino was associated with a .04 mg NO3/L increase in a CWS' estimated nitrate ion concentration (95% CI, -.08, .16) and rate of home ownership was associated with a .16 mg NO3/L decrease (95% CI, -.32, .002). We also found that each percent increase in home ownership rate was associated with a .30 ug As/L decrease in arsenic concentrations (p<.05), but our data showed no significant correlation between arsenic concentration and percent Latino. These results show that exposure disparities and compliance burdens in accordance with EPA standards fell most heavily on socio-economically disadvantaged communities. Selected References Cory DC, Rahman T. 2009. Environmental justice and enforcement of the safe drinking water act: The arizona arsenic experience. Ecological Economics 68: 1825-1837. Krieger N, Williams DR, Moss NE. 1997. Measuring social class in us public health research: Concepts, methodologies, and guidelines. Annual Review of Public Health 18(341-378). Moore E, Matalon E, Balazs C, Clary J, Firestone L, De Anda S, Guzman, M. 2011. The

Revision of the biostratigraphy of the Chatham Group (Upper Triassic), Deep River basin, North Carolina, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Litwin, R.J.; Ash, S.R.

1993-01-01

Paleontological evidence from the Upper Triassic Chatham Group in the three subbasins of the Deep River basin (North Carolina, USA) supports a significant revision of the ages assigned to most of this non-marine continental sedimentary sequence. This study confirms an early(?) or mid-Carnian age in the Sanford subbasin for the base of the Pekin Formation, the lowest unit of the Chatham Group. However, diagnostic late Carnian palynomorphs have been recovered from coals in the lower part of the Cumnock Formation in the Sanford subbasin, and from a sample of the Cumnock Formation equivalent in the Wadesboro subbasin. Plant megafossils and fossil verebrates from rocks in the Sanford subbasin also support a late Carnian age for the Cumnock Formation and its equivalents. The overlying Sanford Formation, which has not yet been dated paleontologically, probably includes beds of Norian age, as over 1000 m of strata may be present between the Cumnock Formation coals (dated here as late Carnian) and the top of the Sanford Formation. This chronostratigraphic interval appears similar to, but slightly longer than, that preserved in the Dan River-Danville and Davie County basins 100 km to the northwest. Our evidence, therefore, indicates that the Chatham Group was deposited over a much longer time interval [early(?) to mid-Carnian through early Norian] than previously was believed. ?? 1993.

Distribution and movements of female northern pintails radiotagged in San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fleskes, Joseph P.; Jarvis, Robert L.; Gilmer, David S.

2002-01-01

To improve understanding of northern pintail (Anas acuta) distribution in central California (CCA), we radiotagged 191 Hatch-Year (HY) and 228 After-Hatch-Year (AHY) female northern pintails during late August-early October, 1991-1993, in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) and studied their movements through March each year. Nearly all (94.3%) wintered in CCA, but 5.7% went to southern California, Mexico, or unknown areas; all that went south left before hunting season. Of the 395 radiotagged pintails that wintered in CCA, 83% flew from the SJV north to other CCA areas (i.e., Sacramento Valley [SACV], Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta [Delta], Suisun Marsh, San Francisco Bay) during September-January; most went during December. Movements coincid- ed with start of hunting seasons and were related to pintail age, mass, capture location, study year, and weather. Among pintails with less than average mass, AHY individuals tended to leave the SJV earlier than HY individuals. Weekly distribution was similar among capture locations and years but a greater percentage of pintails radiotagged in Tulare Basin (south part of SJV) were known to have (10.3% vs. 0.9%) or probably (13.8% vs. 4.6%) wintered south of CCA than pintails radiotagged in northern SJV areas (i.e., Grassland Ecological Area [EA] and Mendota Wildlife Area [WA]). Also, a greater percentage of SJV pintails went to other CCA areas before hunting season in the drought year of 1991-1992 than later years (10% vs. 3-5%). The percent of radiotagged pintails from Grass- land EA known to have gone south of CCA also was greater during 1991-1992 than later years (2% vs. 0%), but both the known (19% vs. 4%) and probable (23% vs. 12%) percent from Tulare Basin that went south was greatest during 1993-1994, when availability of flooded fields there was lowest. The probability of pintails leaving the SJV was 57% (95% CI = 8-127%) greater on days with than without rain, and more movements per bird out of SJV occurred in years

Understanding Particulate Matter Dynamics in the San Joaquin Valley during DISCOVER-AQ, 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prabhakar, G.; Zhang, X.; Kim, H.; Parworth, C.; Pusede, S. E.; Wooldridge, P. J.; Cohen, R. C.; Zhang, Q.; Cappa, C. D.

2015-12-01

Air quality in the California San Joaquin Valley (SJV) during winter continues to be the worst in the state, failing EPA's 24-hour standard for particulate matter. Despite our improved understanding of the sources of particulate matter (PM) in the valley, air-quality models are unable to predict PM concentrations accurately. We aim to characterize periods of high particulate matter concentrations in the San Joaquin Valley based on ground and airborne measurements of aerosols and gaseous pollutants, during the DISCOVER-AQ campaign, 2013. A highly instrumented aircraft flew across the SJV making three transects in a repeatable pattern, with vertical spirals over select locations. The aircraft measurements were complemented by ground measurements at these locations, with extensive chemically-speciated measurements at a ground "supersite" at Fresno. Hence, the campaign provided a comprehensive three-dimensional view of the particulate and gaseous pollutants around the valley. The vertical profiles over the different sites indicate significant variability in the concentrations and vertical distribution of PM around the valley, which are most likely driven by differences in the combined effects of emissions, chemistry and boundary layer dynamics at each site. The observations suggest that nighttime PM is dominated by surface emissions of PM from residential fuel combustion, while early morning PM is strongly influenced by mixing of low-level, above-surface, nitrate-rich layers formed from dark chemistry overnight to the surface.

Alaska Glaciers and Rivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this image on October 7, 2007, showing the Alaska Mountains of south-central Alaska already coated with snow. Purple shadows hang in the lee of the peaks, giving the snow-clad land a crumpled appearance. White gives way to brown on the right side of the image where the mountains yield to the lower-elevation Susitna River Valley. The river itself cuts a silver, winding path through deep green forests and brown wetlands and tundra. Extending from the river valley, are smaller rivers that originated in the Alaska Mountains. The source of these rivers is evident in the image. Smooth white tongues of ice extend into the river valleys, the remnants of the glaciers that carved the valleys into the land. Most of the water flowing into the Gulf of Alaska from the Susitna River comes from these mountain glaciers. Glacier melt also feeds glacier lakes, only one of which is large enough to be visible in this image. Immediately left of the Kahiltna River, the aquamarine waters of Chelatna Lake stand out starkly against the brown and white landscape.

Flood frequency matters: Why climate change degrades deep-water quality of peri-alpine lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fink, Gabriel; Wessels, Martin; Wüest, Alfred

2016-09-01

Sediment-laden riverine floods transport large quantities of dissolved oxygen into the receiving deep layers of lakes. Hence, the water quality of deep lakes is strongly influenced by the frequency of riverine floods. Although flood frequency reflects climate conditions, the effects of climate variability on the water quality of deep lakes is largely unknown. We quantified the effects of climate variability on the potential shifts in the flood regime of the Alpine Rhine, the main catchment of Lake Constance, and determined the intrusion depths of riverine density-driven underflows and the subsequent effects on water exchange rates in the lake. A simplified hydrodynamic underflow model was developed and validated with observed river inflow and underflow events. The model was implemented to estimate underflow statistics for different river inflow scenarios. Using this approach, we integrated present and possible future flood frequencies to underflow occurrences and intrusion depths in Lake Constance. The results indicate that more floods will increase the number of underflows and the intensity of deep-water renewal - and consequently will cause higher deep-water dissolved oxygen concentrations. Vice versa, fewer floods weaken deep-water renewal and lead to lower deep-water dissolved oxygen concentrations. Meanwhile, a change from glacial nival regime (present) to a nival pluvial regime (future) is expected to decrease deep-water renewal. While flood frequencies are not expected to change noticeably for the next decades, it is most likely that increased winter discharge and decreased summer discharge will reduce the number of deep density-driven underflows by 10% and favour shallower riverine interflows in the upper hypolimnion. The renewal in the deepest layers is expected to be reduced by nearly 27%. This study underlines potential consequences of climate change on the occurrence of deep river underflows and water residence times in deep lakes.

Neogene Gas Total Petroleum System -- Neogene Nonassociated Gas Assessment Unit of the San Joaquin Basin Province: Chapter 22 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hosford Scheirer, Allegra; Magoon, Leslie B.

2009-01-01

The Neogene Nonassociated Gas Assessment Unit (AU) of the Neogene Total Petroleum System consists of nonassociated gas accumulations in Pliocene marine and brackish-water sandstone located in the south and central San Joaquin Basin Province (Rudkin, 1968). Traps consist mainly of stratigraphic lenses in low-relief, elongate domes that trend northwest-southeast. Reservoir rocks typically occur as sands that pinch out at shallow depths (1,000 to 7,500 feet) within the Etchegoin and San Joaquin Formations. Map boundaries of the assessment unit are shown in figures 22.1 and 22.2; this assessment unit replaces the Pliocene Nonassociated Gas play 1001 (shown by purple line in fig. 22.1) considered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in its 1995 National Assessment (Beyer, 1996). The AU is drawn to include all existing fields containing nonassociated gas accumulations in the Pliocene to Pleistocene section, as was done in the 1995 assessment, but it was greatly expanded to include adjacent areas believed to contain similar source and reservoir rock relationships. Stratigraphically, the AU extends from the topographic surface to the base of the Etchegoin Formation (figs. 22.3 and 22.4). The boundaries of the AU explicitly exclude gas accumulations in Neogene rocks on the severely deformed west side of the basin and gas accumulations in underlying Miocene rocks; these resources, which primarily consist of a mixture of mostly thermogenic and some biogenic gas, are included in two other assessment units. Lillis and others (this volume, chapter 10) discuss the geochemical characteristics of biogenic gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province. Primary fields in the assessment unit are defined as those containing hydrocarbon resources greater than the USGS minimum threshold for assessment—3 billion cubic feet (BCF) of gas; secondary fields contain smaller volumes of gas but constitute a significant show of hydrocarbons. Although 12 fields meet the 3 BCF criterion for inclusion in

Sedimentological and Micropaleontological Characteristics of the 2015 Hurricane Joaquin Deposit and their Implications for Long-Term Records of Storms and Tsunamis Impacting the Caribbean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosciuch, T. J.; Pilarczyk, J.; Reinhardt, E. G.; Mauviel, A.; Aucoin, C. D.

2017-12-01

The uncertainty of extreme wave events in the Caribbean was highlighted in October 2015 when Hurricane Joaquin tracked through, or near, several islands (e.g., Bahamas, Haiti, Turks and Caicos) as a Category 4 storm. The short observational record of landfalling hurricanes is insufficient in preparing many of these islands for such a rare, intense storm. Examining the sediments deposited by recent landfalling hurricanes assists the understanding of the long-term spatial and temporal variations in storm frequency and intensity. However, the interpretation of prehistoric hurricane deposits in the Caribbean is complicated by the possibility of tsunami deposits (e.g., Puerto Rico Trench, 1755 Lisbon Tsunami), which are similar in composition and difficult to differentiate from storm sediments. To circumvent this problem, we describe the microfossil and sedimentary characteristics of a modern storm analogue, the Hurricane Joaquin deposit, from San Salvador Island in the Bahamas and use it as a basis for interpreting a series of 10 anomalous sand deposits found in a coastal pond. San Salvador is a small (160 km2) island in the Bahamas with a history of landfalling hurricanes and tsunamis. On 4 October 2015, Hurricane Joaquin came within 7 km of San Salvador, inundating most of its coastline and depositing two distinct layers: a sand layer and a boulder layer. The sand layer was 12 to 104 cm thick, extended 135 m inland, and consisted of fine to medium sand. The sand layer contained high abundances of foraminifera, including Homotrema rubra, a foraminifer that lives on the reef and is detached by large waves. The presence of well-preserved fragments of Homotrema within the Joaquin deposit suggests transport from the reef and rapid burial. The boulder layer included large clasts (30 to 200 cm in length) that were imbricated perpendicular to the shoreline and extended 135 m inland. The boulder layer was more laterally extensive (1020 m) than the sand layer (110 m). The

Proposed Approval of California Air Plan Revision; San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District; Reasonably Available Control Technology Demonstration

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA isproposing to approve revisions to the SJVUAPCD portion of the California SIP applying to the San Joaquin Valley of California concerning demonstration regarding RACT requirements for the 2008 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)

Managing Environmental Flows for Impounded Rivers in Semi-Arid Regions- A Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) Approach for the Assessment of River Habitat for Salmonid Populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, H.; Sivakumaran, K.; Villamizar, S. R.; Flanagan, J.; Guo, Q.; Harmon, T. C.

2013-12-01

Balancing ecosystem health in water-scarce, agriculturally dominated river basins remains a challenge. In dry water years, maintaining conditions for restored and sustained indigenous fish populations (a frequently used indicator for ecosystem health) is particularly challenging. Competing human demands include urban and agricultural water supplies, hydropower, and flood control. In many semi-arid regions, increasing drought intensity and frequency under future climate scenarios will combine with population increases to water scarcity. The goal of this work is to better understand how reservoir releases affect fish habitat and overall river aquatic ecosystem quality. Models integrating a diverse array of physical and biological processes and system state are used to forecast the river ecosystem response to changing drivers. We propose a distributed parameter-based Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) approach for assessing fish habitat quality. Our river ecosystem HSI maps are based on a combination of the following: (1) In situ data describing stream flow and water quality conditions; (2) Spatial observations, including surveyed cross-sections, aerial imagery and digital elevation maps (DEM) of the river and its riparian corridor; and (3) Simulated spatially distributed water depths, flow velocities, and temperatures estimated from 1D and 2D river flow and temperature models (HEC-RAS and CE-QUAL-W2, respectively). With respect to (2), image processing schemes are used to classify and map key habitat features, namely riparian edge and shallow underwater vegetation. HSI maps can be modified temporally to address specific life cycle requirements of indicator fish species. Results are presented for several reaches associated with the San Joaquin River Restoration Project, focusing on several components of the Chinook salmon life cycle. HSI maps and interpretations are presented in the context of a range of prescribed reservoir release hydrographs linked to California water

High Frequency Monitoring of Isotopic Signatures Elucidates Potential Effects of Restoring Floodplain Habitat in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamoto, B. J.; Fogel, M. L.; Jeffres, C.; Viers, J. H.

2017-12-01

Increasing the quality and quantity of habitat for native species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a high priority for California water managers. The McCormack-Williamson Tract (MWT) is a subsided island (38.253° N -121.284° W) situated at the confluence of the Cosumnes and Mokelumne rivers, near the inland extent of tidal influence. MWT experienced unexpected levee failure on February 11, 2017, during the wettest year of record for the Mokelumne-Cosumnes river system, which provided a unique opportunity to examine the potential trajectory of future restoration actions within the Delta. We carried out high frequency sampling (n=32, 13% of days) of suspended particulate organic matter (SPOM) and waters in the Mokelumne and Cosumnes river systems, including nearby sloughs, and the post-failure, flooded interior of MWT. Carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes in SPOM and δ2H and δ18O of waters were analyzed and in situ water quality data were collected in tandem, thus contextualizing isotopic data. Sampling was confined to an 8 km2 region surrounding MWT (6.7 km2 interior). This unintentional flooding provided a natural before-after-control-impact experiment to study the effect that sudden inundation of a Delta island can have on food web development and ecosystem function. Source waters were isotopically distinct (p<.01), and co-varied along the Global Meteoric Water Line (R2>0.9), providing a semi-conservative tracer of mixing. The δ13C values of SPOM varied between -37.3 and -23.9‰ and were significantly more negative on the flooded island by 1.2‰ (p<.01), possibly due to increased recycling of organic carbon concomitant with accelerated ecosystem metabolism. Concurrently, δ15N values varied between 1.0 and 12.4‰ and were not significantly different between riverine and flooded island sites. Our data indicate that this river system is highly dynamic over short periods of flood inundation (13 weeks) with new freshwater habitats exhibiting

The effect of topography, vegetation, and weather on cattle distribution at the San Joaquin Experimental Range, California

Treesearch

Norman R. Harris; Douglas E. Johnson; Melvin R. George; Neil K. McDougald

2002-01-01

In this study livestock distribution on the landscape was mapped during two seasons, summer and winter, for two years to determine where livestock congregate and to model factors that influence livestock distribution. Two small herds of cows were observed in separate range units on the San Joaquin Experimental Range for a total of twenty-four 24-hour observation...

Hydraulic and mechanical properties affecting ground-water flow and aquifer-system compaction, San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sneed, Michelle

2001-01-01

This report summarizes hydraulic and mechanical properties affecting ground-water flow and aquifer-system compaction in the San Joaquin Valley, a broad alluviated intermontane structural trough that constitutes the southern two-thirds of the Central Valley of California. These values will be used to constrain a coupled ground-water flow and aquifer-system compaction model of the western San Joaquin Valley called WESTSIM. A main objective of the WESTSIM model is to evaluate potential future land subsidence that might occur under conditions in which deliveries of imported surface water for agricultural use are reduced and ground-water pumping is increased. Storage values generally are components of the total aquifer-system storage and include inelastic and elastic skeletal storage values of the aquifers and the aquitards that primarily govern the potential amount of land subsidence. Vertical hydraulic conductivity values generally are for discrete thicknesses of sediments, usually aquitards, that primarily govern the rate of land subsidence. The data were compiled from published sources and include results of aquifer tests, stress-strain analyses of borehole extensometer observations, laboratory consolidation tests, and calibrated models of aquifer-system compaction.

Source-rock geochemistry of the San Joaquin Basin Province, California: Chapter 11 in Petroleum systems and geologic assessment of oil and gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, Kenneth E.; Magoon, Leslie B.; Valin, Zenon C.; Lillis, Paul G.

2007-01-01

Source-rock thickness and organic richness are important input parameters required for numerical modeling of the geohistory of petroleum systems. Present-day depth and thickness maps for the upper Miocene Monterey Formation, Eocene Tumey formation of Atwill (1935), Eocene Kreyenhagen Formation, and Cretaceous-Paleocene Moreno Formation source rocks in the San Joaquin Basin were determined using formation tops data from 266 wells. Rock-Eval pyrolysis and total organic carbon data (Rock-Eval/TOC) were collected for 1,505 rock samples from these source rocks in 70 wells. Averages of these data for each well penetration were used to construct contour plots of original total organic carbon (TOCo) and original hydrogen index (HIo) in the source rock prior to thermal maturation resulting from burial. Sufficient data were available to construct plots of TOCo and HIo for all source-rock units except the Tumey formation of Atwill (1935). Thick, organic-rich, oil-prone shales of the upper Miocene Monterey Formation occur in the Tejon depocenter in the southern part of the basin with somewhat less favorable occurrence in the Southern Buttonwillow depocenter to the north. Shales of the upper Miocene Monterey Formation generated most of the petroleum in the San Joaquin Basin. Thick, organic-rich, oil-prone Kreyenhagen Formation source rock occurs in the Buttonwillow depocenters, but it is thin or absent in the Tejon depocenter. Moreno Formation source rock is absent from the Tejon and Southern Buttonwillow depocenters, but thick, organic-rich, oil-prone Moreno Formation source rock occurs northwest of the Northern Buttonwillow depocenter adjacent to the southern edge of Coalinga field.

Pelagic nekton abundance and distribution in the northern Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Feyrer, Frederick; Slater, Steven B.; Portz, Donald E.; Odom, Darren; Morgan-King, Tara L.; Brown, Larry R.

2017-01-01

Knowledge of the habitats occupied by species is fundamental for the development of effective conservation and management actions. The collapse of pelagic fish species in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, has triggered a need to better understand factors that drive their distribution and abundance. A study was conducted in summer–fall 2014 in an attempt to identify physical and biological habitat conditions that drive the abundance and distribution of pelagic species in the northern region of the system. The study was conducted in the three largest channels in the northern Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta by dimension, volume, and flow capacity. The pelagic community was dominated by three nonnative species, Siberian prawn Exopalaemon modestus, which comprised 56% of the total number of organisms, and two fish species, Threadfin Shad Dorosoma petenense and Mississippi Silversides Menidia audens, which together comprised 43% of the total number of organisms. Total fish and total shrimp abundance were sensitive to the most extreme values of turbidity and temperature encountered and positively associated with total zooplankton biomass. The results suggested that habitat conditions in terminal channels, historically a common feature on the landscape, support higher abundances of pelagic species and zooplankton than open-ended channels. These results provide resource managers with useful information on the habitat associations of pelagic species and on how the future distribution and abundance of pelagic species will likely change in response to climate or other ecological factors.

Mapping invasive aquatic vegetation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta using hyperspectral imagery.

PubMed

Underwood, E C; Mulitsch, M J; Greenberg, J A; Whiting, M L; Ustin, S L; Kefauver, S C

2006-10-01

The ecological and economic impacts associated with invasive species are of critical concern to land managers. The ability to map the extent and severity of invasions would be a valuable contribution to management decisions relating to control and monitoring efforts. We investigated the use of hyperspectral imagery for mapping invasive aquatic plant species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in the Central Valley of California, at two spatial scales. Sixty-four flightlines of HyMap hyperspectral imagery were acquired over the study region covering an area of 2,139 km(2) and field work was conducted to acquire GPS locations of target invasive species. We used spectral mixture analysis to classify two target invasive species; Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa), a submerged invasive, and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), a floating emergent invasive. At the relatively fine spatial scale for five sites within the Delta (average size 51 ha) average classification accuracies were 93% for Brazilian waterweed and 73% for water hyacinth. However, at the coarser, Delta-wide scale (177,000 ha) these accuracy results were 29% for Brazilian waterweed and 65% for water hyacinth. The difference in accuracy is likely accounted for by the broad range in water turbidity and tide heights encountered across the Delta. These findings illustrate that hyperspectral imagery is a promising tool for discriminating target invasive species within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta waterways although more work is needed to develop classification tools that function under changing environmental conditions.

Yield, pollination aspects and kernel qualities of almond (Prunus amygdalus Batsch) selections trialed in the Southern San Joaquin Valley

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A field trial was established in the Southern San Joaquin Valley to determine yield potential for nine almond selections grown under commercial conditions. Kernel yields were first quantified in 2008, at the end of the third growing season, and continued through the 2010 harvest. Harvested tonnage...

Status of White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, 1863) throughout the species range, threats to survival, and prognosis for the future

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hildebrand, L. R.; Drauch Schreier, Andrea; Lepla, K.; McAdam, S. O.; McLellan, J; Parsley, Michael J.; Paragamian, V L; Young, S P

2016-01-01

White Sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus (WS), are distributed throughout three major river basins on the West Coast of North America: the Sacramento-San Joaquin, Columbia, and Fraser River drainages. Considered the largest North American freshwater fish, some WS use estuarine habitat and make limited marine movements between river basins. Some populations are listed by the United States or Canada as threatened or endangered (upper Columbia River above Grand Coulee Dam; Kootenai River; lower, middle and, upper Fraser River and Nechako River), while others do not warrant federal listing at this time (Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers; Columbia River below Grand Coulee Dam; Snake River). Threats that impact WS throughout the species’ range include fishing effects and habitat alteration and degradation. Several populations suffer from recruitment limitations or collapse due to high early life mortality associated with these threats. Efforts to preserve WS populations include annual monitoring, harvest restrictions, habitat restoration, and conservation aquaculture. This paper provides a review of current knowledge on WS life history, ecology, physiology, behavior, and genetics and presents the status of WS in each drainage. Ongoing management and conservation efforts and additional research needs are identified to address present and future risks to the species.

Installation Development Environmental Assessment Travis Air Force Base, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

United States Code USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service USGS United States...kilometers) north to south, its northern half referred to as the Sacramento Valley and its southern half as the San Joaquin Valley . This area is...Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, fans and floodplains of tributary streams, and terraces and foothills around the edge of the valleys . Elevation

Texture and depositional history of near-surface alluvial deposits in the central part of the western San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Laudon, Julie; Belitz, Kenneth

1989-01-01

Saline conditions and associated high levels of selenium and other soluble trace elements in soil, shallow ground water, and agricultural drain water of the western San Joaquin Valley, California, have prompted a study of the texture of near-surface alluvial deposits in the central part of the western valley. Texture is characterized by the percentage of coarse-grained sediment present within a specified subsurface depth interval and is used as a basis for mapping the upper 50 feet of deposits. Resulting quantitative descriptions of the deposits are used to interpret the late Quaternary history of the area. Three hydrogeologic units--Coast Range alluvium, flood-basin deposits, and Sierran sand--can be recognized in the upper 50 feet of deposits in the central part of the western San Joaquin Valley. The upper 30 feet of Coast Range alluvium and the adjacent 5 to 35 feet of flood-basin deposits are predominantly fine grained. These fine-grained Coast Range deposits are underlain by coarse-grained channel deposits. The fine-grained flood basin deposits are underlain by coarse-grained Sierran sand. The extent and orientation of channel deposits below 20 feet in the Coast Range alluvium indicate that streams draining the Coast Range may have been tributary to the axial stream that deposited the Sierran sand and that streamflow may have been to the southeast. The fining-upward stratigraphic sequence in the upper 50 feet of deposits and the headward retreat of tributary stream channels from the valley trough with time support a recent hypothesis of climatic control of alluviation in the western San Joaquin Valley.

Factors Motivating Latino College Students to Pursue STEM Degrees on CSU Campuses in the Southern San Joaquin Valley

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Gabriel

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine what factors were motivating Latino/a students in the southern San Joaquin Valley to pursue STEM degrees and whether these factors were specific to the Latino/a culture. A 12-question survey was administered to STEM majors at California State University, Bakersfield and California State University, Fresno…

Interactions between deep bedrock aquifers and surface water in function of recharge and topography: a numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goderniaux, P.; Davy, P.; Le Borgne, T.; Bresciani, E.; Jimenez-Martinez, J.

2011-12-01

In crystalline rock regions, such as Brittany (France), important reserves of groundwater into deep fractured aquifers are increasingly used and provide high quality water compared to shallow aquifers which can be subject to agricultural contamination. However, recharge processes of these deep aquifers and interactions with surface water are not yet fully understood. In some areas, intensive pumping is carried out without guarantee of the resource quantity and quality. Understanding these processes is crucial for sustainable management of the resource. In this study, we study how deep groundwater fluxes, pathways, ages, and river-aquifer interactions vary according to recharge. We assume that water flowing from the ground surface is distributed between shallow more permeable layers and deep layers. This repartition mostly depends on recharge rates. With high recharge, groundwater levels are high and subsurface streamlines are relatively short between recharge areas and existing draining rivers, which constitutes a very dense network. Therefore, most of the groundwater fluxes occur through the more permeable shallow layers. With low recharge, groundwater levels are lower, and river and shallow permeable levels are partly disconnected from each other. This induces a general increase of the groundwater streamlines length from the recharge areas to more sporadic discharge areas, and more fluxes occur through the deep layers. Recharge conditions and river-aquifer interactions have changed over the last thousands of years, due to change in precipitation, temperatures, existence of permafrost, etc. They have strongly influenced deep groundwater fluxes and can explain current groundwater age and flux distribution. To study these interactions, a regional-scale finite difference flow model was implemented. The model covers an area of 1400 km 2 , a depth of 1 km, and the topography is characteristic of Brittany. As rivers are mainly fed by groundwater drainage, seepages faces

Comparative Developmental Toxicity of Desalination Brine and Sulfate-Dominated Saltwater in a Euryhaline Fish.

PubMed

Kupsco, Allison; Sikder, Rafid; Schlenk, Daniel

2017-02-01

Desalination is a promising sustainable solution to meet growing water needs of cities across the United States. However, the environmental impacts of the resulting filtrate (brine) discharged to surface water need to be evaluated before large-scale desalination can be successful in the United States. Developing fish are especially sensitive to changes in salinity and varying ionic composition. Limited research is available on the impacts of hypersalinity on chronic vertebrate embryonic development, particularly on sublethal effects. To investigate this, Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryos were treated with: (1) graphite filtered freshwater; (2) artificial seawater [17, 35, 42, 56, and 70 parts per thousand (ppt)]; (3) effluent from a desalination facility at Monterey Bay Aquarium, CA, diluted to 75, 50, and 25% with 35 ppt artificial seawater to simulate mixing (39, 42, 46, and 50 ppt); (4) artificial San Joaquin River water (CA, USA) (9, 13, and 17 ppt); and (5) artificial San Joaquin River water diluted to 75, 50, and 25% with artificial seawater to simulate estuarine mixing in the San Francisco Bay (13, 19, 24, and 30 ppt). Percent hatch, survival post hatch, deformities, swim bladder inflation, and median day to hatch were recorded to calculate EC 50 (50% effect concentration) and NOEC (no observable effect concentration) values. No significant difference was observed between artificial seawater and Monterey Bay aquarium effluent (EC 50  = 45-55 ppt). However, San Joaquin River water decreased survival post hatch and increased deformities in comparison to artificial seawater and San Joaquin River water mixed with seawater, suggesting that unique ion compositions may play a role in embryo and larval toxicity.

Forecasting Selenium Discharges to the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary: Ecological Effects of A Proposed San Luis Drain Extension

USGS Publications Warehouse

Presser, Theresa S.; Luoma, Samuel N.

2006-01-01

Selenium discharges to the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta) could change significantly if federal and state agencies (1) approve an extension of the San Luis Drain to convey agricultural drainage from the western San Joaquin Valley to the North Bay (Suisun Bay, Carquinez Strait, and San Pablo Bay); (2) allow changes in flow patterns of the lower San Joaquin River and Bay-Delta while using an existing portion of the San Luis Drain to convey agricultural drainage to a tributary of the San Joaquin River; or (3) revise selenium criteria for the protection of aquatic life or issue criteria for the protection of wildlife. Understanding the biotransfer of selenium is essential to evaluating effects of selenium on Bay-Delta ecosystems. Confusion about selenium threats to fish and wildlife stem from (1) monitoring programs that do not address specific protocols necessary for an element that bioaccumulates; and (2) failure to consider the full complexity of the processes that result in selenium toxicity. Past studies show that predators are more at risk from selenium contamination than their prey, making it difficult to use traditional methods to predict risk from environmental concentrations alone. This report presents an approach to conceptualize and model the fate and effects of selenium under various load scenarios from the San Joaquin Valley. For each potential load, progressive forecasts show resulting (1) water-column concentration; (2) speciation; (3) transformation to particulate form; (4) particulate concentration; (5) bioaccumulation by invertebrates; (6) trophic transfer to predators; and (7) effects on those predators. Enough is known to establish a first-order understanding of relevant conditions, biological response, and ecological risks should selenium be discharged directly into the North Bay through a conveyance such as a proposed extension of the San Luis Drain. The approach presented here, the Bay-Delta selenium model, determines the mass, fate

Flooding in the middle Koyukuk River basin, Alaska, August 1994

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meyer, David F.

1995-01-01

During August 1994, a flood on the Koyukuk River, Alaska, inundated the villages of Allakaket and Alatna and parts of Hughes. Topographic maps of the inundated areas, showing peak water-surface elevations and depths of water, indicate that flooding ranged from 2 to more than 10 feet deep in Allakaket, from 8 to more than 10 feet deep in Alatna, and from 0 to more than 10 feet deep in Hughes. Severe damage to buildings occurred in Allakaket and Alatna; minor damage occurred in Hughes, although some homes were irreparably damaged by inundation. Between the mouth of the Kanuti River, about 10 miles downstream from Allakaket, to Hughes, the peak discharge was about 330,000 cubic feet per second. A flow of that magnitude at Hughes has an annual probability of occurrence of 1 percent.

78 FR 53113 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; California; San Joaquin Valley; Contingency...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-28

...EPA is proposing to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of California to address Clean Air Act nonattainment area contingency measure requirements for the 1997 annual and 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards in the San Joaquin Valley. Final approval of this SIP revision would terminate the sanctions clocks and a federal implementation plan clock that were triggered by EPA's partial disapproval of a related SIP submission on November 9, 2011 (76 FR 69896).

Chemical quality of ground water in San Joaquin and part of Contra Costa Counties, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sorenson, Stephen K.

1981-01-01

Chemical water-quality conditions were investigated in San Joaquin and part of Contra Costa Counties by canvassing available wells and sampling water from 324 representative wells. Chemical water types varied, with 73 percent of the wells sampled containing either calcium-magnesium bicarbonate, or calcium-sodium bicarbonate type water. Substantial areas contain ground water exceeding water-quality standards for boron, manganese, and nitrate. Trace elements, with the exception of boron and manganese, were present in negligible amounts. (USGS)

Floods of November-December 1950 in the Central Valley basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paulsen, C.G.

1953-01-01

The flood of November-December 1950 in the Central Valley basin was the greatest in most parts of the basin since the turn of the century and probably was exceeded in the lower San Joaquin River basin only by the historic flood of 1862. In respect to monetary loss, the 1950 flood was the most disastrous in the history of the basin. Loss of life was remarkably small when one considers the extensive damage and destruction to homes and other property, which is estimated at 33 million dollars. Outstanding features of the flood were its unprecedented occurrence so early in the winter flood season, its magnitude in respect to both peak and volume in most major tributaries, and the occurrence of a succession of near-peak flows with a period of three weeks. The flood was caused by a series of storms during the period November 16 to December 8, which brought exceptionally warm, moisture-laden air inland against the Sierra Nevada range and caused intense rainfall, instead of snowfall, at unusually high altitudes. Basin-wide totals of rainfall during the period ranged from 30 inches over the Yuba and American River basins to 13 inches over the upper Sacramento and Feather River basins. Based on continuous records of discharge on major tributaries for periods ranging from 22 to 55 years and averaging about 43 years, the 1950 flood peaks were the greatest of record on the American, Cosumnes, Mokelumne, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Merced, Chowchilla, Fresno, lower San Joaquin, Kings, Kaweah, Tule, and Kern Rivers. Second highest peak of record occurred during the flood of March 1928 on the Yuba, American and Mokelumne Rivers; the flood of Marcn 1940 on Cosumnes River; the flood of January 1911 on the Stanislaus and Tuolumne Rivers; the flood of December 1937 on the Merced, Kings, and Kaweah Rivers; the flood of March 1938 on the Chowchilla, Fresno, and lower San Joaquin Rivers; and the flood of March 1943 on the Tule and Kern Rivers. Peak discharges for 1950 did not exceed previous

Impact of reclaimed water in the watercourse of Huai River on groundwater from Chaobai River basin, Northern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yilei; Song, Xianfang; Zhang, Yinghua; Zheng, Fandong; Liu, Licai

2017-12-01

Reclaimed water is efficient for replenishing the dry rivers in northern China, but regional groundwater may be at risk from pollution. Therefore, samples of reclaimed water, river water, and groundwater were collected at the Huai River in the Chaobai River basin in 2010. The water chemistry and isotopic compositions of the samples were analyzed in the laboratory. The reclaimed water had stable compositions of water chemistry and isotopes, and the Na·Ca-HCO3·Cl water type. The water chemistry of the river water was consistent with that of the reclaimed water. A June peak of total nitrogen was the prominent characteristic in the shallow groundwater, which also had the Na·Ca-HCO3·Cl water type. However, the water chemistry and isotopes in most of the deep groundwater remained stable, and the water type was Ca·Mg-HCO3. The amount of reclaimed water recharging the groundwater was about 2.5 × 107 m3/yr. All of the shallow groundwater was impacted by the reclaimed water, with the mixing proportion of reclaimed water ranging from 42% to 80 % in the dry season and from 20% to 86% in the wet season. Only one deep well, with proportions of 67% (dry season) and 28% (wet season), was impacted. TDS, EC, and major ions (Na, K, Cl, NH4-N, NO2-N, and NO3-N) were increased in the impacted wells.

Quaternary tephrochronology and deposition in the subsurface Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maier, Katherine L.; Gatti, Emma; Wan, Elmira; Ponti, Daniel J.; Pagenkopp, Mark; Starratt, Scott W.; Olson, Holly A.; Tinsley, John

2015-01-01

We document characteristics of tephra, including facies and geochemistry, from 27 subsurface sites in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, to obtain stratigraphic constraints in a complex setting. Analyzed discrete tephra deposits are correlative with: 1) an unnamed tephra from the Carlotta Formation near Ferndale, California, herein informally named the ash of Wildcat Grade (<~1.450 - >~0.780 Ma), 2) the Rockland ash bed (~0.575 Ma), 3) the Loleta ash bed (~0.390 Ma), and 4) a middle Pleistocene tephra resembling volcanic ash deposits at Tulelake, California, and Pringle Falls, Bend, and Summer Lake, Oregon, herein informally named the dacitic ash of Hood (<~0.211 to >~0.180 Ma, correlated age). All four tephra are derived from Cascades volcanic sources. The Rockland ash bed erupted from the southern Cascades near Lassen Peak, California, and occurs in deposits up to >7 m thick as observed in core samples taken from ~40 m depth below land surface. Tephra facies and tephra age constraints suggest rapid tephra deposition within fluvial channel and overbank settings, likely related to flood events shortly following the volcanic eruption. Such rapidly deposited tephra are important chronostratigraphic markers that suggest varying sediment accumulation rates (~0.07-0.29 m/1000 yr) in Quaternary deposits below the modern Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This study provides the first steps in developing a subsurface Quaternary stratigraphic framework necessary for future hazard assessment.

Bedform movement recorded by sequential single-beam surveys in tidal rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dinehart, R.L.

2002-01-01

A portable system for bedform-mapping was evaluated in the delta of the lower Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, California, from 1998 to 2000. Bedform profiles were surveyed with a two-person crew using an array of four single-beam transducers on boats about 6 m in length. Methods for processing the bedform profiles into maps with geographic coordinates were developed for spreadsheet programs and surface-contouring software. Straight reaches were surveyed every few days or weeks to determine locations of sand deposition, net transport directions, flow thresholds for bedform regimes, and bedform-transport rates. In one channel of unidirectional flow, the portable system was used to record changes in bedform regime through minor fluctuations of low discharge, and through high discharges near channel capacity. In another channel with reversing flows from tides, the portable system recorded directions of net bedload-transport that would be undetectable by standard bedload sampling alone.

Sediment Transportation Induced by Deep-Seated Landslides in a Debris Flow Basin in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Meei Ling; Chen, Te Wei; Chen, Yong Sheng; Sin Jhuang, Han

2016-04-01

Typhoon Morakot brought huge amount of rainfall to the southern Taiwan in 2009 and caused severe landslides and debris flow hazard. After Typhoon Morakot, it was found that the volume of sediment transported by the debris flow and its effects on the affected area were much more significant compared to previous case history, which may due to the huge amount of rainfall causing significant deep-seated landslides in the basin. In this study, the effects and tendency of the sediment transportation in a river basin following deep-seated landslides caused by typhoon Morakot were evaluated. We used LiDAR, DEM, and aerial photo to identify characteristics of deep-seated landslides in a debris flow river basin, KSDF079 in Liuoguey District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. Eight deep-seated landslides were identified in the basin. To estimate the potential landslide volume associated with the deep-seated landslides, the stability analysis was conducted to locate the critical sliding surface, and the potential landside volume was estimated based on the estimation equation proposed by the International Geotechnical Societies' UNESCO Working Party on World Landslide Inventory (WP/WLI, 1990). The total potential landslide volume of the eight deep-seated landslides in KSDF079 basin was about 28,906,856 m3. Topographic analysis was performed by using DEM before and LiDAR derived DEM after typhoon Morakot to calculate the landslide volume transported. The result of erosion volume and deposition volume lead to a run out volume of 5,832,433 m3. The results appeared to consist well with the field condition and aerial photo. Comparing the potential landslide volume and run out volume of eight deep-seated landslides, it was found that the remaining potential landslide volume was about 80%. Field investigation and topographic analysis of the KSDF079 debris flow revealed that a significant amount of sediment deposition remained in the river channel ranging from the middle to the downstream

Past leaded gasoline emissions as a nonpoint source tracer in riparian systems: A study of river inputs to San Francisco Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dunlap, C.E.; Bouse, R.; Flegal, A.R.

2000-01-01

Variations in the isotopic composition of lead in 1995-1998 river waters flowing into San Francisco Bay trace the washout of lead deposited in the drainage basin from leaded gasoline combustion. At the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers where they enter the Bay, the isotopic compositions of lead in the waters define a linear trend away from the measured historical compositions of leaded gas in California. The river waters are shifted away from leaded gasoline values and toward an isotopic composition similar to Sierra Nevadan inputs which became the predominant source of sedimentation in San Francisco Bay following the onset of hydraulic gold mining in 1853. Using lead isotopic compositions of hydraulic mine sediments and average leaded gasoline as mixing end members, we calculate that more than 50% of the lead in the present river water originated from leaded gasoline combustion. The strong adsorption of lead (log K(d) > 7.4) to particulates appears to limit the flushing of gasoline lead from the drainage basin, and the removal of that lead from the system may have reached an asymptotic limit. Consequently, gasoline lead isotopes should prove to be a useful nonpoint source tracer of the environmental distribution of particle- reactive anthropogenic metals in freshwater systems.

Kootenai River Fisheries Investigations : Rainbow Trout Recruitment : Period Covered: 1997.

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

Downs, Chris

1999-02-02

The objective of this study was to determine if juvenile production is limiting the population of rainbow trout Oncorbynchus mykiss in the Idaho reach of the Kootenai River. We used snorkeling and electrofishing techniques to estimate juvenile rainbow trout abundance in, and outmigration from, the Deep, Boulder, and Myrtle creek drainages in Idaho. The total population estimates for the three drainages estimated in 1997 were 30,023; 763; and 235; respectively. A rotary-screw trap was utilized to capture juvenile outmigrants for quantification of age at outmigration and total outmigration from the Deep Creek drainage to the Kootenai River. The total outmigrantmore » estimate for 1997 from the Deep Creek drainage was 38,206 juvenile rainbow trout. Age determination based largely on scales suggests that most juvenile rainbow trout outmigration from the Deep Creek drainage occurs at age-l, during the spring runoff period. Forty-three adult rainbow trout captured in the Deep Creek drainage were tagged with $10.00 reward T-bar anchor tags in 1997. A total of three of these fish were harvested, all in Kootenay Lake, British Columbia. This suggests the possibility of an adfluvial component in the spawning population of the Deep Creek drainage.« less

Habitat associations of juvenile Burbot in a tributary of the Kootenai River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beard, Zachary S.; Quist, Michael C.; Hardy, Ryan S.; Ross, Tyler J.

2017-01-01

Burbot Lota lota in the lower Kootenai River, Idaho, have been the focus of extensive conservation efforts, particularly conservation aquaculture. One of the primary management strategies has been the release of Burbot into small tributaries in the Kootenai River basin, such as Deep Creek. Since 2012, approximately 12,000 juvenile Burbot have been stocked into Deep Creek; however, little is known about the habitat use of stocked Burbot. The objective of this study was to evaluate habitat associations of juvenile Burbot in Deep Creek. Fish and habitat were sampled from 58 reaches of the creek. Regression models suggested that Burbot moved little after stocking and were associated with areas of high mean depth and coarse substrate. This study provides additional knowledge on habitat associations of juvenile Burbot and suggests that managers should consider selecting deep habitats with coarse substrate for stocking locations.

Concentrations of chlorinated organic compounds in biota and bed sediment in streams of the lower San Joaquin River drainage, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Larry R.

1998-01-01

Samples of resident biota and bed sediments were collected in 1992 from 18 sites on or near the floor of the San Joaquin Valley, California, for analysis of 33 organochlorine compounds. The sites were divided into five groups on the basis of physiographic region and land use. Ten compounds were detected in tissue, and 16 compounds were detected in bed sediment. The most frequently detected compound in both media was p,p'-DDE. Concentrations of total DDT (sum of o,p'- and p,p'-forms of DDD, DDE, and DDT) were statistically different among groups of sites for tissue and sediment (Kruskal-Wallis, P < 0.05). Concentrations in both media were highest in streams draining the west side of the valley. Concentrations of total DDT in tissue were significantly correlated with specific conductance, pH, and total alkalinity (P < 0.05), which are indicators of the proportion of irrigation-return flows in stream discharge. Concentrations in sediment on a dry-weight basis were not correlated with these water-quality parameters, but total-organic- carbon (TOC) normalized concentrations were significantly correlated with specific conductance and pH (P < 0.05). Regressions of the concentration of total DDT in tissue as a function of total DDT in bed sediment were significant and explained as much as 76 percent of the variance in the data. The concentration of total DDT in sediment may be related to mechanisms of soil transport to surface water with bioavailability of compounds related to the concentration of TOC in sediment.

Data on dissolved pesticides and volatile organic compounds in surface and ground waters in the San Joaquin-Tulare basins, California, water years 1992-1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinsey, Willie B.; Johnson, Mark V.; Gronberg, JoAnn M.

2005-01-01

This report contains pesticide, volatile organic compound, major ion, nutrient, tritium, stable isotope, organic carbon, and trace-metal data collected from 149 ground-water wells, and pesticide data collected from 39 surface-water stream sites in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Included with the ground-water data are field measurements of pH, specific conductance, alkalinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. This report describes data collection procedures, analytical methods, quality assurance, and quality controls used by the National Water-Quality Assessment Program to ensure data reliability. Data contained in this report were collected during a four year period by the San Joaquin?Tulare Basins Study Unit of the United States Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Surface-water-quality data collection began in April 1992, with sampling done three times a week at three sites as part of a pilot study conducted to provide background information for the surface-water-study design. Monthly samples were collected at 10 sites for major ions and nutrients from January 1993 to March 1995. Additional samples were collected at four of these sites, from January to December 1993, to study spatial and temporal variability in dissolved pesticide concentrations. Samples for several synoptic studies were collected from 1993 to 1995. Ground-water-quality data collection was restricted to the eastern alluvial fans subarea of the San Joaquin Valley. Data collection began in 1993 with the sampling of 21 wells in vineyard land-use settings. In 1994, 29 wells were sampled in almond land-use settings and 9 in vineyard land-use settings; an additional 11 wells were sampled along a flow path in the eastern Fresno County vineyard land-use area. Among the 79 wells sampled in 1995, 30 wells were in the corn, alfalfa, and vegetable land-use setting, and 1 well was in the vineyard land-use setting; an additional 20 were flow-path wells. Also sampled in 1995

Geologic maps of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Atwater, Brian F.

1982-01-01

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the arm of the San Francisco Bay estuary that reaches into the Central Valley of California, differs from typical coastal-plain deltas in three important respects.  First, rather than meeting the ocean individually and directly, all major waterways of this delta discharge via a single constricted outlet into a chain of estuarine bays and straits.  Second, in the most common vertical sequence of deposits, peat and mud deposited in tidal marshes and swamps (tidal wetlands) directly overlie alluvium or eolian sand, a sequence recording a landward spread of tidal environments rather than the seaward migration of fluvial environments that is typical of coastal-plain deltas (Cosby, 1941, p. 43; Thompson, 1957, p. 12; Shlemon and Begg, 1975, p. 259; Atwater and Belknap, 1980).  Finally, intensive human use has led to a peculiar set of conflicts involving rights to water and responsibilities for flood-control levees (Kockelman and other, 1982).

Hugli River Delta, India

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-10-22

The western-most part of the Ganges Delta is seen in this 54.5 by 60 km ASTER sub-scene acquired on January 6, 2005. The Hugli River branches off from the Ganges River 300 km to the north, and flows by the city of Calcutta before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. High sediment load is evident by the light tan colors in the water, particularly downstream from off-shore islands. The deep green colors of some of these islands are mangrove swamps. The image is centered at 21.9 degrees north latitude, 88 degrees east longitude. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11158

An evaluation of the regional acid deposition model surface module for ozone uptake at three sites in the San Joaquin Valley of California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massman, W. J.; Pederson, J.; Delany, A.; Grantz, D.; Hertog, G. Den; Neumann, H. H.; Oncley, S. P.; Pearson, R., Jr.; Shaw, R. H.

1994-01-01

Plants and soils act as major sinks for the destruction of tropospheric ozone, especially during daylight hours when plant stomata open and are thought to provide the dominant pathway for the uptake of ozone. The present study, part of the California Ozone Deposition Experiment, compares predictions of the regional acid deposition model ozone surface conductance module with surface conductance data derived from eddy covariance measurements of ozone flux taken at a grape, a cotton, and a grassland site in the San Joaquin Valley of California during the summer of 1991. Results indicate that the model (which was developed to provide long-term large-area estimates for the eastern United States) significantly overpredicts the surface conductance at all times of the day for at least two important types of plant cover of the San Joaquin Valley and that it incorrectly partitions the ozone flux between transpiring and nontranspiring components of the surface at the third site. Consequently, the model either overpredicts or inaccurately represents the observed deposition velocities. Other results indicate that the presence of dew does not reduce the rate of ozone deposition, contradicting to model assumptions, and that model assumptions involving the dependency of stomata upon environmental temperature are unnecessary. The effects of measurement errors and biases, arising from the presence of the roughness sublayer and possible photochemical reactions, are also discussed. A simpler model for ozone surface deposition (at least for the San Joaquin Valley) is proposed and evaluated.

Environmental Impact Study of the Northern Section of the Upper Mississippi River. Pool 5A.

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-11-01

the 1930’s the river bottoms were primarily wooded islands separated by deep sloughs. Hundreds of lakes and ponds were scattered through the wooded ...and the old condition of deep sloughs and wooded islands is found. In the middle of each pool, water backs up over the islands and old hay meadows...Each impoundment consists of three distinct ecological areas. The tailweter areas just downstream from the dams show the river in relatively unmodified

77 FR 35327 - Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-13

...EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the manufacture of polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene products. We are approving a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

Deep Geothermal Reservoir Temperatures in the Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho using Multicomponent Geothermometry

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

Ghanashyam Neupane; Earl D. Mattson; Travis L. McLing

2014-02-01

The U.S. Geological survey has estimated that there are up to 4,900 MWe of undiscovered geothermal resources and 92,000 MWe of enhanced geothermal potential within the state of Idaho. Of particular interest are the resources of the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) which was formed by volcanic activity associated with the relative movement of the Yellowstone Hot Spot across the state of Idaho. This region is characterized by a high geothermal gradient and thermal springs occurring along the margins of the ESRP. Masking much of the deep thermal potential of the ESRP is a regionally extensive and productive cold-water aquifer.more » We have undertaken a study to infer the temperature of the geothermal system hidden beneath the cold-water aquifer of the ESRP. Our approach is to estimate reservoir temperatures from measured water compositions using an inverse modeling technique (RTEst) that calculates the temperature at which multiple minerals are simultaneously at equilibrium while explicitly accounting for the possible loss of volatile constituents (e.g., CO2), boiling and/or water mixing. In the initial stages of this study, we apply the RTEst model to water compositions measured from a limited number of wells and thermal springs to estimate the regionally extensive geothermal system in the ESRP.« less

Groundwater Discharges to Rivers in the Western Canadian Oil Sands Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, J.; Jasechko, S.

2016-12-01

Groundwater discharges into rivers impacts the movement and fate of nutrients and contaminants in the environment. Understanding groundwater-surface water interactions is especially important in the western Canadian oil sands, where groundwater contamination risks are elevated and baseline water chemistry data is lacking, leading to substantial uncertainties about anthropogenic influences on local river quality. High salinity groundwater springs sourced from deep aquifers, comprised of Pleistocene-aged glacial meltwater, are known to discharge into many rivers in the oil sands. Understanding connections between deep aquifers and surficial waterways is important in order to determine natural inputs into these rivers and to assess the potential for injected wastewater or oil extraction fluids to enter surface waters. While these springs have been identified, their spatial distribution along rivers has not been fully characterized. Here we present river chemistry data collected along a number of major river corridors in the Canadian oil sands region. We show that saline groundwater springs vary spatially along the course of these rivers and tend to be concentrated where the rivers incise Devonian- or Cretaceous-aged aquifers along an evaporite dissolution front. Our results suggest that water sourced from Devonian aquifers may travel through bitumen-bearing Cretaceous units and discharge into local rivers, implying a strong groundwater-surface water connection in specialized locations. These findings indicate that oil sands process-affected waters that are injected at depth have the potential to move through these aquifers and reach the rivers at the surface at some time in the future. Groundwater-surface water interactions remain key to understanding the risks oil sands activities pose to aquatic ecosystems and downstream communities.

Habitat evaluation using GIS a case study applied to the San Joaquin Kit Fox

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gerrard, R.; Stine, P.; Church, R.; Gilpin, M.

2001-01-01

Concern over the fate of plant and animal species throughout the world has accelerated over recent decades. Habitat loss is considered the main culprit in reducing many species' abundance and range, leading to numerous efforts to plan and manage habitat preservation. Our work uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data and modeling to define a spatially explicit analysis of habitat value, using the San Joaquin Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) of California (USA) as an example. Over the last 30 years, many field studies and surveys have enhanced our knowledge of the life history, behavior, and needs of the kit fox, which has been proposed as an umbrella or indicator species for grassland habitat in the San Joaquin Valley of California. There has yet been no attempt to convert much of this field knowledge into a model of spatial habitat value useful for planning purposes. This is a significant omission given the importance and visibility of the imperiled kit fox and increasing trends toward spatially explicit modeling and planning. In this paper we apply data from northern California to derive a small-cell GIS raster of habitat value for the kit fox that incorporates both intrinsic habitat quality and neighborhood context, as well the effects of barriers such as roads. Such a product is a useful basis for assessing the presence and amounts of good (and poor) quality habitat and for eventually constructing GIS representations of viable animal territories that could be included in future reserves. ?? 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.

Estimating the permanent loss of groundwater storage in the southern San Joaquin Valley, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R. G.; Knight, R.; Chen, J.; Reeves, J. A.; Zebker, H. A.; Farr, T.; Liu, Z.

2017-03-01

In the San Joaquin Valley, California, recent droughts starting in 2007 have increased the pumping of groundwater, leading to widespread subsidence. In the southern portion of the San Joaquin Valley, vertical subsidence as high as 85 cm has been observed between June 2007 and December 2010 using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). This study seeks to map regions where inelastic (not recoverable) deformation occurred during the study period, resulting in permanent compaction and loss of groundwater storage. We estimated the amount of permanent compaction by incorporating multiple data sets: the total deformation derived from InSAR, estimated skeletal-specific storage and hydraulic parameters, geologic information, and measured water levels during our study period. We used two approaches, one that we consider to provide an estimate of the lowest possible amount of inelastic deformation, and one that provides a more reasonable estimate. These two approaches resulted in a spatial distribution of values for the percentage of the total deformation that was inelastic, with the former estimating a spatially averaged value of 54%, and the latter a spatially averaged value of 98%. The former corresponds to the permanent loss of 4.14 × 108 m3 of groundwater storage, or roughly 5% of the volume of groundwater used over the study time period; the latter corresponds to the loss of 7.48 × 108 m3 of groundwater storage, or roughly 9% of the volume of groundwater used. This study demonstrates that a data-driven approach can be used effectively to estimate the permanent loss of groundwater storage.

Deep River Velocity and Sediment Profiles and the Suspended Sand Load,

DTIC Science & Technology

1963-02-01

sippi / ( I D DC 11 Prepared for Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference of the Subcommittee on Sedimentation, ICWR Jackson, Mississippi 28 January-i...in the Atchaf- a]. aya River at Simmesport and in the Mississippi River at Vicksburg to de- fine the vertical velocity distribution. Examination of...l.l5~~(~~) (1) in which y is distance above the bed, d is the depth of a mean-depth A 14 -- - - section, i~ is the average velocity of flow in the

75 FR 74517 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; State of California; 2008 San Joaquin Valley...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

...EPA is proposing to approve in part and disapprove in part state implementation plan (SIP) revisions submitted by California to provide for attainment of the 1997 annual and 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) nonattainment area. The SIP revisions are the SJV 2008 PM2.5 Plan (revised 2010) and portions of the 2007 State Strategy (revised 2009). Specifically, EPA is proposing to approve the emissions inventories as meeting the requirements of the Clean Air Act and EPA's fine particle implementing rule and to approve commitments to implement specific measures and meet specific aggregate emissions reductions by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the California Air Resource Board. In addition, we are proposing to find that volatile organic compounds are a PM2.5 attainment plan precursor in the SJV for which controls should be evaluated. EPA is proposing to disapprove the attainment demonstration. EPA is also proposing to disapprove the reasonably available control measures/reasonably available control technology demonstration, the air quality modeling, the reasonable further progress (RFP) demonstration, the contingency measures, and the attainment and RFP conformity motor vehicle emissions budgets. EPA is also proposing to not grant California's request to extend to April 5, 2015 the deadline for the SJV nonattainment area to attain the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS.

Imaging P and S attenuation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region, northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eberhart-Phillips, Donna; Thurber, Clifford; Fletcher, Jon Peter B.

2014-01-01

We obtain 3-D Qp and Qs models for the Delta region of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, a large fluvial-agricultural portion of the Great Valley located between the Sierra Nevada batholith and the San Francisco Bay - Coast Ranges region of active faulting. Path attenuation t* values have been obtained for P and S data from 124 distributed earthquakes, with a longer variable window for S based on the energy integral. We use frequency dependence of 0.5 consistent with other studies, and weakly favored by the t* S data. A regional initial model was obtained by solving for Q as a function of velocity. In the final model, the Great Valley basin has low Q with very low Q (<50) for the shallowest portion of the Delta. There is an underlying strong Q contrast to the ophiolite basement which is thickest with highest Q under the Sacramento basin, and a change in structure is apparent across the Suisun Bay as a transition to thinner ophiolite. Moderately low Q is found in the upper crust west of the Delta region along the faults in the eastern North Bay Area, while, moderately high Q is found south of the Delta, implying potentially stronger ground motion for earthquake sources to the south. Very low Q values in the shallow crust along parts of the major fault zones may relate to sediment and abundant microfractures. In the lower crust below the San Andreas and Calaveras-Hayward-Rodgers Creek fault zones, the observed low Q is consistent with grain-size reduction in ductile shear zones and is lowest under the San Andreas which has large cumulative strain. Similarly moderately low Q in the ductile lower crust of the Bay Area block between the major fault zones implies a broad distributed shear zone.

Sensitivity of agricultural runoff loads to rising levels of CO2 and climate change in the San Joaquin Valley watershed of California.

PubMed

Ficklin, Darren L; Luo, Yuzhou; Luedeling, Eike; Gatzke, Sarah E; Zhang, Minghua

2010-01-01

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to assess the impact of climate change on sediment, nitrate, phosphorus and pesticide (diazinon and chlorpyrifos) runoff in the San Joaquin watershed in California. This study used modeling techniques that include variations of CO(2), temperature, and precipitation to quantify these responses. Precipitation had a greater impact on agricultural runoff compared to changes in either CO(2) concentration or temperature. Increase of precipitation by +/-10% and +/-20% generally changed agricultural runoff proportionally. Solely increasing CO(2) concentration resulted in an increase in nitrate, phosphorus, and chlorpyrifos yield by 4.2, 7.8, and 6.4%, respectively, and a decrease in sediment and diazinon yield by 6.3 and 5.3%, respectively, in comparison to the present-day reference scenario. Only increasing temperature reduced yields of all agricultural runoff components. The results suggest that agricultural runoff in the San Joaquin watershed is sensitive to precipitation, temperature, and CO(2) concentration changes.

78 FR 79674 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-31

... and eggs from the Feather River Fish Hatchery (FRFH) and their release into the San Joaquin River or... eggs produced or reared at either the interim facility or the permanent SCARF (from broodstock...,400 CV spring-run Chinook salmon juveniles or 80,000 CV spring-run Chinook salmon eggs originating...

Extending the Concept and Practice of Classroom Based Research to California Community Colleges. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sacramento City Coll., CA. Learning Resources Div.

With support from the California Community College Fund for Instructional Improvement, 14 classroom-based research studies were conducted in fall 1991 at American River College (ARC), Consumnes River College (CRC), Sacramento City College (SCC), San Joaquin Delta College (SJDC), Solano Community College (SoCC), and Yuba Community College (YCC).…

Organic matter sources and rehabilitation of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (California, USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jassby, A.D.; Cloern, J.E.

2000-01-01

1. The Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta, a complex mosaic of tidal freshwater habitats in California, is the focus of a major ecosystem rehabilitation effort because of significant long-term changes in critical ecosystem functions. One of these functions is the production, transport and transformation of organic matter that constitutes the primary food supply, which may be sub-optimal at trophic levels supporting fish recruitment. A long historical data set is used to define the most important organic matter sources, the factors underlying their variability, and the implications of ecosystem rehabilitation actions for these sources. 2. Tributary-borne loading is the largest organic carbon source on an average annual Delta-wide basis; phytoplankton production and agricultural drainage are secondary; wastewater treatment plant discharge, tidal marsh drainage and possibly aquatic macrophyte production are tertiary; and benthic microalgal production, urban run-off and other sources are negligible. 3. Allochthonous dissolved organic carbon must be converted to particulate form - with losses due to hydraulic flushing and to heterotroph growth inefficiency - before it becomes available to the metazoan food web. When these losses are accounted for, phytoplankton production plays a much larger role than is evident from a simple accounting of bulk organic carbon sources, especially in seasons critical for larval development and recruitment success. Phytoplankton-derived organic matter is also an important component of particulate loading to the Delta. 4. The Delta is a net producer of organic matter in critically dry years but, because of water diversion from the Delta, transport of organic matter from the Delta to important, downstream nursery areas in San Francisco Bay is always less than transport into the Delta from upstream sources. 5. Of proposed rehabilitation measures, increased use of floodplains probably offers the biggest increase in organic matter sources. 6

Spatial relationships among dairy farms, drinking water quality, and maternal-child health outcomes in the San Joaquin Valley.

PubMed

Blake, Sarah Brown

2014-01-01

Access to clean and affordable water is a significant public health issue globally, in the United States, and in California where land is heavily used for agriculture and dairy operations. The purpose of this study was to explore the geographic relationships among dairy farms, nitrate levels in drinking water, low birth weight, and socioeconomic data at the ZIP code level in the San Joaquin Valley. This ecological study used a Geographic Information System (GIS) to explore and analyze secondary data. A total of 211 ZIP codes were analyzed using spatial autocorrelation and regression analysis methods in ArcGIS version 10.1. ZIP codes with dairies had a higher percentage of Hispanic births (p = .001). Spatial statistics revealed that ZIP codes with more dairy farms and a higher dairy cow density had higher levels of nitrate contamination. No correlation was detected between LBW and unsafe nitrate levels at the ZIP code level. Further research examining communities that use private and small community wells in the San Joaquin Valley should be conducted. Birth data from smaller geographic areas should be used to continue exploring the relationship between birth outcomes and nitrate contamination in drinking water. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Organic carbon sources and sinks in San Francisco Bay: variability induced by river flow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jassby, Alan D.; Powell, T.M.; Cloern, James E.

1993-01-01

Sources and sinks of organic carbon for San Francisco Bay (California, USA) were estimated for 1980. Sources for the southern reach were dominated by phytoplankton and benthic microalgal production. River loading of organic matter was an additional important factor in the northern reach. Tidal marsh export and point sources played a secondary role. Autochthonous production in San Francisco Bay appears to be less than the mean for temperate-zone estuaries, primarily because turbidity limits microalgal production and the development of seagrass beds. Exchange between the Bay and Pacific Ocean plays an unknown but potentially important role in the organic carbon balance. Interannual variability in the organic carbon supply was assessed for Suisun Bay, a northern reach subembayment that provides habitat for important fish species (delta smelt Hypomesus transpacificus and larval striped bass Morone saxatilus). The total supply fluctuated by an order of magnitude; depending on the year, either autochthonous sources (phytoplankton production) or allochthonous sources (riverine loading) could be dominant. The primary cause of the year-to-year change was variability of freshwater inflows from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, and its magnitude was much larger than long-term changes arising from marsh destruction and point source decreases. Although interannual variability of the total organic carbon supply could not be assessed for the southern reach, year-to-year changes in phytoplankton production were much smaller than in Suisun Bay, reflecting a relative lack of river influence.

Thermal history determined by fission-track dating for three sedimentary basins in California and Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naeser, Nancy D.

1984-01-01

The use of fission-tracks is demonstrated in studies of time-temperature relationships in three sedimentary basins in the western United States; in the Tejon Oil Field area of the southern San Joaquin Valley, California; in the northeastern Green River basin, Wyoming, and in drill holes in the southern Powder River Basin, Wyoming.

Aquifer-test compilation for the San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

McClelland, E.J.

1962-01-01

This report is the first of a series the purpose of which is to make available in standard tabular form the results of aquifer tests that have been made by various private and public agencies in California. The scope of the compilation is to describe systematically, in a form agreed upon by the California Department of Water Resources and the Geological Survey, the (1) test location, (2) pumping data, (3) well data, and (4) summary of results. The results of these tests sometimes have been published but most frequently have been used only as a step in obtaining other information, consequently the results and even the location of aquifer tests have not been readily available.This report has been prepared by the Geological Survey under the immediate supervision of Fred Kunkel, district geologist for California, in cooperation with the California Department of Water Resources, and tabulates through October 1962 all tests analyzed by the Geological Survey for the San Joaquin Valley. The report is designed to be expanded when additional tests are analyzed or new tests are made.

The Geomorphology, Hydrology and Evolution of a Chain of Ponds River System: A Poorly Recognised and Unique River Planform Type.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, R.; Fryirs, K.

2016-12-01

Chain-of-ponds river types are alluvial, discontinuous watercourses that contain irregularly spaced, deep, steep-sided ponds separated by an ephemeral flow path. Despite being widespread, chains of ponds are now rare in Australia, having experienced extensive channelisation since European settlement and landuse intensification. The Mulwaree system is one of the largest remaining chain of ponds systems in the country. Little is known about its geomorphic structure, Quaternary evolution or hydrological function. The valley fill of the Mulwaree River contains layers of gravel and cobble clast-supported sediments at a depth of 20 m. Atop, silt and fine sand sediments are 1-3 m deep. The ponds, which sit in this valley-fill, are large (1000-4000 m2 and up to 8 m deep), and are relic form from a much larger and more energetic gravel-bed river that occurred in this valley in the past. Optically-stimulated luminescence ages date the change from high-energy gravel bed to the very low energy system seen today at approximately 20-25 ka. The oldest dates for the gravel bed system at 5-7 m deep are 60-90 ka. The coarser substrate beneath the fine-grained floodplain is mostly saturated, forming a near-surface aquifer in the valley fill/floodplain. The water levels in the floodplain are similar to the level of the adjacent ponds (within 0.2 m) and this water level adjusts readily (within 0.5-2 days) to rain/flow. There is significant hydrological connectivity between the ponds and adjacent floodplain. During high flow conditions, stable isotope (δ18O and δ2H) results from the ponds show no deviation through the profile as the water column is being mixed. However, during low-flow conditions, water in the ponds is enriched near the surface due to evaporation, and has a similar signal to the adjacent near-surface, floodplain aquifer below a weak thermocline. This shows that these systems have a dual function, behaving more as groundwater dependent systems during low flow

Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Dairy Farming and their effect on San Joaquin Valley Air Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blake, D. R.; Yang, M.; Meinardi, S.; Krauter, C.; Rowland, F. S.

2009-05-01

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District of California issued a report identifying dairies as a main source of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). A dairy study funded by the California Air Resources Board commenced shortly after the report was issued. Our University of California Irvine group teamed with California State University Fresno to determine the major sources of VOCs from various dairy operations and from a variety of dairy types. This study identified ethanol and methanol as two gases produced in major quantities throughout the dairies in the San Joaquin valley as by-products of yeast fermentation of silage. Three different types of sampling protocols were employed in order to determine the degree of enhancement of the target oxygenates in the valley air shed. Their sources, emission profiles, and emission rates were determined from whole air samples collected at various locations at the six dairies studied. An assessment of the impact of dairy emissions in the valley was achieved by using data obtained on low altitude NASA DC-8 flights through the valley, and from ground level samples collected though out the valley in a grid like design. Our data suggest that a significant amount of O3 production in the valley may come from methanol, ethanol, and acetaldehyde (a photochemical by-product ethanol oxidation). Our findings indicate that improvement to valley air quality may be obtained by focusing on instituting new silage containment practices and regulations.

13. Photocopy of a photographca. 1896showing wooden arch bridge over ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. Photocopy of a photograph--ca. 1896--showing wooden arch bridge over the North Fork of the San Joaquin River northeast of Fresno, CA. This structure was designed by Eastwood as part of the San Joaquin Electric Company's hydro-electric plant; it is a design that indicates his interest in the structural capabilities of the arch before he began building multiple arch dams. Courtesy Mr. Charles Allan Whitney. - Little Rock Creek Dam, Little Rock Creek, Littlerock, Los Angeles County, CA

Mono Lake, California as seen from STS-59

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-04-14

STS059-154-160 (9-20 April 1994) --- Orient with Mono Lake, California at the lower right; then the view is westward across the Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin River drainage. A tiny network of ski trails can be seen on the Mono Lake side of the Sierras, on a line between Mono Lake and the snow-free San Joaquin headwaters. The ski trails mark Mammoth Mountain, where SRL investigators are studying microwave measurements of the water content of snowpacks. Linhof camera.

Using Deep Learning to Assess Future Flood Magnitude and Frequency in the Semi-arid and Snowmelt-dominated Missouri River Headwater Catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francois, B.; Wi, S.; Brown, C.

2017-12-01

There has been growing interest for hydrologists and water resources managers about the emergence of non-stationarities associated with the hydro-meteorological processes driving floods. Among the potential causes of non-stationarity, climate change is deemed a major one. Understanding the effects of climate change on hydrological regimes of the Missouri River is challenging. In this region, floods are mainly triggered by snow melting, either when temperatures get mild in spring/summer, or when rain falls over snow in early spring and fall. The sparsely gauged and topographically complex area degrades the value of hydrological modeling that otherwise might foreshadow the evolution of hydro-meteorological interactions between precipitation, temperature and snow. In this work, we explore the utility of Deep Learning (DL) for assessing flood magnitude change under climate change. By using multiple hidden layers within artificial neural networks (ANNs), DL allows modeling complex interactions between inputs (i.e. precipitation, temperature and snow water equivalent) and outputs (i.e. water discharge). The objective is to develop a parsimonious model of the flood processes that maintain the contribution of nonstationary factors and their potential evolution under climate change, while reducing extraneous factors not central to flood generation. By comparing ANN's performance with outputs from two hydrological models of differing complexity (i.e. VIC, SAC-SMA), we evaluate the modeling capability of ANNs for three snow-dominated catchments that represent different flood regimes (Yellowstone River at Billings (MT; USGS 06214500), Powder River near Locate (MT; USGS 06326500) and James River near Scotland (SD; USGS 06478500)). Nonstationary inputs for each flood process model are derived from dynamically downscaled climate projections (from the NARCCAP experiment) to project floods in the three selected catchments. The uncertainty of future snow projections as well as its

Groundwater quality in the shallow aquifers of the Madera–Chowchilla and Kings subbasins, San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fram, Miranda S.; Shelton, Jennifer L.

2018-01-08

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Program’s Priority Basin Project assesses the quality of groundwater resources used for drinking-water supply and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. Many households and small communities in the Madera– Chowchilla and Kings subbasins of the San Joaquin Valley rely on private domestic wells for their drinking-water supplies.

USGS science at work in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta estuary

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shouse, Michelle K.; Cox, Dale A.

2013-01-01

The San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta form one of the largest estuaries in the United States. The “Bay-Delta” system provides water to more than 25 million California residents and vast farmlands, as well as key habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife. To help ensure the health of this crucial estuary, the U.S. Geological Survey, in close cooperation with partner agencies and organizations, is providing science essential to addressing societal issues associated with water quantity and quality, sediment transportation, environmental contamination, animal health and status, habitat restoration, hazards, ground subsidence, and climate change.

Hydrogeologic characterization of the Modesto Area, San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burow, Karen R.; Shelton, Jennifer L.; Hevesi, Joseph A.; Weissmann, Gary S.

2004-01-01

Hydrogeologic characterization was done to develop an understanding of the hydrogeologic setting near Modesto by maximizing the use of existing data and building on previous work in the region. A substantial amount of new lithologic and hydrologic data are available that allow a more complete and updated characterization of the aquifer system. In this report, geologic units are described, a database of well characteristics and lithology is developed and used to update the regional stratigraphy, a water budget is estimated for water year 2000, a three-dimensional spatial correlation map of aquifer texture is created, and recommendations for future data collection are summarized. The general physiography of the study area is reflected in the soils. The oldest soils, which have low permeability, exist in terrace deposits, in the interfan areas between the Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced Rivers, at the distal end of the fans, and along the San Joaquin River floodplain. The youngest soils have high permeability and generally have been forming on the recently deposited alluvium along the major stream channels. Geologic materials exposed or penetrated by wells in the Modesto area range from pre-Cretaceous rocks to recent alluvium; however, water-bearing materials are mostly Late Tertiary and Quaternary in age. A database containing information from more than 3,500 drillers'logs was constructed to organize information on well characteristics and subsurface lithology in the study area. The database was used in conjunction with a limited number of geophysical logs and county soil maps to define the stratigraphic framework of the study area. Sequences of red paleosols were identified in the database and used as stratigraphic boundaries. Associated with these paleosols are very coarse grained incised valley-fill deposits. Some geophysical well logs and other sparse well information suggest the presence of one of these incised valley-fill deposits along and adjacent to the

Big River Reservoir Project. Pawcatuck River and Narragansett Bay Drainage Basins. Water and Related Land Resources Study. Volume I. Main Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

blueberry , beech, laurel, wintergreen and scrub oak. Wetland types found in the study area include wooded and shrub swamps, deep and shallow marshes, and...temporary I Impacts io reservoir area, c) Les disruption in reservoir vicinity due to more negative Impacts in areas of pipeline river m02"t...19.7 miles of stream habitat (54.5% of the 36.2 nfiles in the big River Basin) Lnd at least IO small ponds totalling about 45 acres would be inundated

Analysis of the Causes of a Decline in the San Joaquin Kit Fox Population on the Elk Hills, Naval Petroleum Reserve #1, California

EPA Science Inventory

EPA is announcing the availability of the final report, Analysis of the Causes of a Decline in the San Joaquin Kit Fox Population on the Elk Hills, Naval Petroleum Reserve #1, California. This report describes a causal assessment of the decline in the abundance of San Joaq...

Assessment of metal and nutrient concentrations in river water and sediment collected from the cities in the Pearl River Delta, South China.

PubMed

Cheung, K C; Poon, B H T; Lan, C Y; Wong, M H

2003-09-01

The effects of anthropogenic activities, industrialization and urbanization on the accumulation of heavy metals and nutrients in sediments and water of rivers in the Pearl River Delta region were examined. Most sediments were seriously contaminated with Cd, Pb, and Zn in accordance with the classification by Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department. Total phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) concentrations in sediments ranged from 0.02% to 0.12% and 0.06% to 0.64%, respectively. High carbon (C), N, P and sulphur (S) levels at Yuen Long Creek were related to the discharge of industrial effluents along the river. The enrichment of P and ammoniacal-nitrogen (NH4+-N) in water were obvious. For most sites, the P concentration exceeded 0.1 mg/l, which is the recommended concentration in flowing water to encourage excessive growth of aquatic plants. Nine out of the 16 sites studied had NH4+-N concentration over 2 mg/l. The rivers in the south of Deep Bay (Hong Kong) had high nutrient exports compared with the rivers in the east region and western oceanic water. The concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen NO3--N in surface water were under the maximum contaminant level in public drinking water supplies (10 mg/l) except for one site. Although the concentrations of heavy metals in overlying water were low, their accumulations were significant. High contents of nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) in water were found at certain locations, suggesting the occurrence of some local contamination. These preliminary results indicated that river and sediment transported pollutants is likely one of the factors for the water quality degradation of Deep Bay water.

Supporting Priority State Activities in the Bay Delta

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA written comments on the Bay Delta Strategic Workplan and EPA comments at SWRCB March 19, 2008 public workshop on development of San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Strategic Workplan.

Survival, movement, and distribution of juvenile Burbot in a tributary of the Kootenai River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beard, Zachary S.; Quist, Michael C.; Hardy, Ryan S.; Ross, Tyler J.

2017-01-01

Burbot Lota lota in the lower Kootenai River, Idaho, have been the focus of extensive conservation efforts, particularly the release of hatchery-reared juvenile Burbot into small tributaries. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game installed a fixed PIT antenna on Deep Creek, a tributary of the Kootenai River, to evaluate movement of juvenile Burbot to the Kootenai River. Since then, approximately 12,000 juvenile Burbot have been PIT-tagged and released into Deep Creek, but few Burbot have been detected at the antenna, thus raising questions about their fate in the creek. The objectives of this study were to evaluate survival, movement, and distribution of Burbot released into Deep Creek. During 2014, 3,000 age-0, 200 age-1, 16 age-2, and 16 age-4 Burbot were released at two different locations; during 2015, 3,000 age-0 Burbot were released at six different locations (i.e., 500 fish/site). Five additional stationary PIT tag antennas were installed on Deep Creek prior to stocking in 2014. Mobile PIT tag antennas were used to survey the creek in 2015 and 2016. A Barker model in Program MARK was used to estimate survival. Stationary and mobile PIT tag antennas relocated 3,372 (56%) of the Burbot released in Deep Creek during 2014 and 2015. Eighty-eight percent of PIT tags relocated during mobile surveys were relocated within 1 km of a release location. Mobile surveys of release locations in Deep Creek suggested poor dispersal from stocking locations. Survival did not vary across years or release groups. Initial 7-month survival in Deep Creek was 0.27, and survival improved to 0.63 after the first 7 months. Although survival did not differ between years or among release groups, managers may consider releasing Burbot at lower densities across multiple locations.

Long-term trends in alkalinity in large rivers of the conterminous US in relation to acidification, agriculture, and hydrologic modification

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stets, Edward G.; Kelly, Valerie J.; Crawford, Charles G.

2014-01-01

Alkalinity increases in large rivers of the conterminous US are well known, but less is understood about the processes leading to these trends as compared with headwater systems more intensively examined in conjunction with acid deposition studies. Nevertheless, large rivers are important conduits of inorganic carbon and other solutes to coastal areas and may have substantial influence on coastal calcium carbonate saturation dynamics. We examined long-term (mid-20th to early 21st century) trends in alkalinity and other weathering products in 23 rivers of the conterminous US. We used a rigorous flow-weighting technique which allowed greater focus on solute trends occurring independently of changes in flow. Increasing alkalinity concentrations and yield were widespread, occurring at 14 and 13 stations, respectively. Analysis of trends in other weathering products suggested that the causes of alkalinity trends were diverse, but at many stations alkalinity increases coincided with decreasing nitrate + sulfate and decreasing cation:alkalinity ratios, which is consistent with recovery from acidification. A positive correlation between the Sen–Thiel slopes of alkalinity increases and agricultural lime usage indicated that agricultural lime contributed to increasing solute concentration in some areas. However, several stations including the Altamaha, Upper Mississippi, and San Joaquin Rivers exhibited solute trends, such as increasing cation:alkalinity ratios and increasing nitrate + sulfate, more consistent with increasing acidity, emphasizing that multiple processes affect alkalinity trends in large rivers. This study was unique in its examination of alkalinity trends in large rivers covering a wide range of climate and land use types, but more detailed analyses will help to better elucidate temporal changes to river solutes and especially the effects they may have on coastal calcium carbonate saturation state.

Long-term trends in alkalinity in large rivers of the conterminous US in relation to acidification, agriculture, and hydrologic modification.

PubMed

Stets, E G; Kelly, V J; Crawford, C G

2014-08-01

Alkalinity increases in large rivers of the conterminous US are well known, but less is understood about the processes leading to these trends as compared with headwater systems more intensively examined in conjunction with acid deposition studies. Nevertheless, large rivers are important conduits of inorganic carbon and other solutes to coastal areas and may have substantial influence on coastal calcium carbonate saturation dynamics. We examined long-term (mid-20th to early 21st century) trends in alkalinity and other weathering products in 23 rivers of the conterminous US. We used a rigorous flow-weighting technique which allowed greater focus on solute trends occurring independently of changes in flow. Increasing alkalinity concentrations and yield were widespread, occurring at 14 and 13 stations, respectively. Analysis of trends in other weathering products suggested that the causes of alkalinity trends were diverse, but at many stations alkalinity increases coincided with decreasing nitrate+sulfate and decreasing cation:alkalinity ratios, which is consistent with recovery from acidification. A positive correlation between the Sen-Thiel slopes of alkalinity increases and agricultural lime usage indicated that agricultural lime contributed to increasing solute concentration in some areas. However, several stations including the Altamaha, Upper Mississippi, and San Joaquin Rivers exhibited solute trends, such as increasing cation:alkalinity ratios and increasing nitrate+sulfate, more consistent with increasing acidity, emphasizing that multiple processes affect alkalinity trends in large rivers. This study was unique in its examination of alkalinity trends in large rivers covering a wide range of climate and land use types, but more detailed analyses will help to better elucidate temporal changes to river solutes and especially the effects they may have on coastal calcium carbonate saturation state. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Relations Among River Stage, Rainfall, Ground-Water Levels, and Stage at Two Missouri River Flood-Plain Wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelly, Brian P.

2001-01-01

The source of water is important to the ecological function of Missouri River flood-plain wetlands. There are four potential sources of water to flood-plain wetlands: direct flow from the river channel during high river stage, ground-water movement into the wetlands in response to river-stage changes and aquifer recharge, direct precipitation, and runoff from surrounding uplands. Concurrent measurements of river stage, rainfall, ground-water level, and wetland stage were compared for two Missouri River flood-plain wetlands located near Rocheport, Missouri, to characterize the spatial and temporal relations between river stage, rainfall, ground-water levels and wetland stage, determine the source of water to each wetland, and compare measured and estimated stage and ground-water levels at each site. The two sites chosen for this study were wetland NC-5, a non-connected, 50 feet deep scour constantly filled with water, formed during the flood of 1993, and wetland TC-1, a shallow, temporary wetland intermittently filled with water. Because these two wetlands bracket a range of wetland types of the Missouri River flood plain, the responses of other Missouri River wetlands to changes in river stage, rainfall, and runoff should be similar to the responses exhibited by wetlands NC-5 and TC-1. For wetlands deep enough to intersect the ground-water table in the alluvial aquifer, such as wetland NC-5, the ground-water response factor can estimate flood-plain wetland stage changes in response to known river-stage changes. Measured maximum stage and ground-water-level changes at NC-5 fall within the range of estimated changes using the ground-water response factor. Measured maximum ground-water-level changes at TC-1 are similar to, but consistently greater than the estimated values, and are most likely the result of alluvial deposits with higher than average hydraulic conductivity located between wetland TC-1 and the Missouri River. Similarity between ground-water level and

Using Satellite Remote Sensing to Map Changes in Aquatic Invasive Plant Cover in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta of California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, Christopher

2017-01-01

Waterways of the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta have recently become infested with invasive aquatic weeds such as floating water hyacinth (Eichhoria crassipes) and water primrose (Ludwigia peploides). These invasive plants cause many negative impacts, including, but not limited to: the blocking of waterways for commercial shipping and boating; clogging of irrigation screens, pumps and canals; and degradation of biological habitat through shading. Zhang et al. (1997, Ecological Applications, 7(3), 1039-1053) used NASA Landsat satellite imagery together with field calibration measurements to map physical and biological processes within marshlands of the San Francisco Bay. Live green biomass (LGB) and related variables were correlated with a simple vegetation index ratio of red and near infra-red bands from Landsat images. More recently, the percent (water area) cover of water hyacinth plotted against estimated LGB of emergent aquatic vegetation in the Delta from September 2014 Landsat imagery showed a 80% overall accuracy. For the past two years, we have partnered with the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Plant Sciences, University of California at Davis to conduct new validation surveys of water hyacinth and water primrose coverage and LGB in Delta waterways. A plan is underway to transfer decision support tools developed at NASA's Ames Research Center based on Landsat satellite images to improve Delta-wide integrated management of floating aquatic weeds, while reducing chemical control costs. The main end-user for this application project will be the Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) of the California Department of Parks and Recreation, who has the responsibility for chemical control of water hyacinth in the Delta.

Organic Biomarkers Along the River-Coastal Ocean Continuum: Human Activities and their Influence on Carbon Delivery (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canuel, E. A.; Pondell, C. R.

2010-12-01

Human-induced changes in land-use and water diversion have modified the connectivity between upstream sources of organic carbon (OC) and their delivery to the coastal ocean. This connectivity will likely be further modified by climate variability. Biomarkers provide useful tools for tracing the delivery of terrigeous OC from the watershed to downstream environments. In this study, we used the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta CA and its watershed as a model system for understanding how human activities influenced delivery and composition of organic carbon (OC) over the past 50-60 years. Biomarker records, stable isotopes, and radiocarbon ages of bulk carbon signatures preserved in sediment cores were used to examine human impacts on carbon sources, amounts, and ages. Our presentation will discuss: 1) alterations in the sources of carbon preserved in the historical sedimentary record; and 2) environmental implications of such changes.

1967-1968 Project Reports by Faculty Members of San Joaquin Delta College: A Project under Title III, Higher Education Act of 1965.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bullard, Richard F., Ed.

These 17 curriculum studies by faculty members of San Joaquin Delta Junior College were funded under Title III of The Higher Education Act of 1965. They were intended to help initiate new courses, improve existing ones, or plan for future ones. Each project report gave its objective(s), the general methods for its development and completion, the…

Molecular signatures of biogeochemical transformations in dissolved organic matter from ten World Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riedel, Thomas; Zark, Maren; Vähätalo, Anssi; Niggemann, Jutta; Spencer, Robert; Hernes, Peter; Dittmar, Thorsten

2016-09-01

Rivers carry large amounts of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to the oceans thereby connecting terrestrial and marine element cycles. Photo-degradation in conjunction with microbial turnover is considered a major pathway by which terrigenous DOM is decomposed. To reveal globally relevant patterns behind this process, we performed photo-degradation experiments and year-long bio-assays on DOM from ten of the largest world rivers that collectively account for more than one-third of the fresh water discharge to the global ocean. We furthermore tested the hypothesis that the terrigenous component in deep ocean DOM may be far higher than biomarker studies suggest, because of the selective photochemical destruction of characteristic biomolecules from vascular plants. DOM was molecularly characterized by a combination of non-targeted ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry and quantitative molecular tracer analyses. We show that the reactivity of DOM is globally related to broad catchment properties. Basins that are dominated by forest and grassland export more photo-degradable DOM than other rivers. Chromophoric compounds are mainly vascular plant-derived polyphenols, and partially carry a pyrogenic signature from vegetation fires. These forest and grassland dominated rivers lost up to 50% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during irradiation, and up to 85% of DOC was lost in total if subsequently bio-incubated for one year. Basins covered by cropland, on the other hand, export DOM with a higher proportion of photo-resistant and bio-available DOM which is enriched in nitrogen. In these rivers, 30% or less of DOC was photodegraded. Consistent with previous studies, we found that riverine DOM resembled marine DOM in its broad molecular composition after extensive degradation, mainly due to almost complete removal of aromatics. More detailed molecular fingerprinting analysis (based on the relative abundance of >4000 DOM molecular formulae), however, revealed clear differences

Report of the Preliminary Archaeological Reconnaissance of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Site 300, San Joaquin County, California

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

Busby, C

2009-11-24

The area subject to this investigation is the existing Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Site 300, located in the region north of Corral Hollow; approximately eight and one half miles southwest of Tracy, San Joaquin County, California. Cartographic location can be determined from the Tracy and Midway USGS 7.5 minute topographic quadrangles, the appropriate portions of which are herein reproduced as Maps 1 and 2. The majority of the approximate 7000 acres of the location lies within San Joaquin County. This includes all of the area arbitrarily designated the 'Eastern Portion' on Map 2 and the majority of the area designated themore » 'Western Portion' on Map 1. The remaining acreage, along the western boundary of the location, lies within Alameda County. The area is located in the region of open rolling hills immediately north of Corral Hollow, and ranges in elevation from approximately 600 feet, on the flood plain of Corral Hollow Creek, to approximately 1700 feet in the northwest portion of the project location. Proposed for the area under investigation are various, unspecified improvements or modifications to the existing Site 300 facilities. Present facilities consist of scattered buildings, bunkers and magazines, utilized for testing and research purposes, including the necessary water, power, and transportation improvements to support them. The vast majority of the 7000 acres location is presently open space, utilized as buffer zones between test locations and as firing ranges.« less

Holocene history of deep-seated landsliding in the North Fork Stillaguamish River valley from surface roughness analysis, radiocarbon dating, and numerical landscape evolution modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, Adam M.; LaHusen, Sean R.; Duvall, Alison R.; Montgomery, David R.

2017-02-01

Documenting spatial and temporal patterns of past landsliding is a challenging step in quantifying the effect of landslides on landscape evolution. While landslide inventories can map spatial distributions, lack of dateable material, landslide reactivations, or time, access, and cost constraints generally limit dating large numbers of landslides to analyze temporal patterns. Here we quantify the record of the Holocene history of deep-seated landsliding along a 25 km stretch of the North Fork Stillaguamish River valley, Washington State, USA, including the 2014 Oso landslide, which killed 43 people. We estimate the ages of more than 200 deep-seated landslides in glacial sediment by defining an empirical relationship between landslide deposit age from radiocarbon dating and landslide deposit surface roughness. We show that roughness systematically decreases with age as a function of topographic wavelength, consistent with models of disturbance-driven soil transport. The age-roughness model predicts a peak in landslide frequency at 1000 calibrated (cal) years B.P., with very few landslide deposits older than 7000 cal years B.P. or younger than 100 cal years B.P., likely reflecting a combination of preservation bias and a complex history of changing climate, base level, and seismic shaking in the study area. Most recent landslides have occurred where channels actively interact with the toes of hillslopes composed of glacial sediments, suggesting that lateral channel migration is a primary control on the location of large deep-seated landslides in the valley.

Late Holocene forest dynamics, volcanism, and climate change at Whitewing Mountain and San Joaquin Ridge, Mono County, Sierra Nevada, CA, USA

Treesearch

Constance I. Millar; John C. King; Robert D. Westfall; Harry A. Alden; Diane L. Delany

2006-01-01

Deadwood tree stems scattered above treeline on tephra-covered slopes of Whitewing Mtn (3051 m) and San Joaquin Ridge (3122 m) show evidence of being killed in an eruption from adjacent Glass Creek Vent, Inyo Craters. Using tree-ring methods, we dated deadwood to AD 815-1350 and infer from death dates that the eruption occurred in late summer AD 1350. Based on wood...

Technical Analysis of In-Valley Drainage Management Strategies for the Western San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Presser, Theresa S.; Schwarzbach, Steven E.

2008-01-01

The western San Joaquin Valley is one of the most productive farming areas in the United States, but salt-buildup in soils and shallow groundwater aquifers threatens this area?s productivity. Elevated selenium concentrations in soils and groundwater complicate drainage management and salt disposal. In this document, we evaluate constraints on drainage management and implications of various approaches to management considered in: *the San Luis Drainage Feature Re-Evaluation (SLDFRE) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (about 5,000 pages of documentation, including supporting technical reports and appendices); *recent conceptual plans put forward by the San Luis Unit (SLU) contractors (i.e., the SLU Plans) (about 6 pages of documentation); *approaches recommended by the San Joaquin Valley Drainage Program (SJVDP) (1990a); and *other U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) models and analysis relevant to the western San Joaquin Valley. The alternatives developed in the SLDFRE EIS and other recently proposed drainage plans (refer to appendix A for details) differ from the strategies proposed by the San Joaquin Valley Drainage Program (1990a). The Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) in March 2007 signed a record of decision for an in-valley disposal option that would retire 194,000 acres of land, build 1,900 acres of evaporation ponds, and develop a treatment system to remove salt and selenium from drainwater. The recently proposed SLU Plans emphasize pumping drainage to the surface, storing approximately 33% in agricultural water re-use areas, treating selenium through biotechnology, enhancing the evaporation of water to concentrate salt, and identifying ultimate storage facilities for the remaining approximately 67% of waste selenium and salt. The treatment sequence of reuse, reverse osmosis, selenium bio-treatment, and enhanced solar evaporation is unprecedented and untested at the scale needed to meet plan requirements. All drainage management strategies that have been proposed

Phenomena and characteristics of barrier river reaches in the middle and lower Yangtze River, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Xingying; Tang, Jinwu

2017-06-01

Alluvial river self-adjustment describes the mechanism whereby a river that was originally in an equilibrium state of sediment transport encounters some disturbance that destroys the balance and results in responses such as riverbed deformation. A systematic study of historical and recent aerial photographs and topographic maps in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River (MLYR) shows that river self-adjustment has the distinguishing feature of transferring from upstream to downstream, which may affect flood safety, waterway morphology, bank stability, and aquatic environmental safety over relatively long reaches downstream. As a result, it is necessary to take measures to control or block this transfer. Using the relationship of the occurrence time of channel adjustments between the upstream and downstream, 34 single-thread river reaches in the MLYR were classified into four types: corresponding, basically corresponding, basically not corresponding, not corresponding. The latter two types, because of their ability to prevent upstream channel adjustment from transferring downstream, are called barrier river reaches in this study. Statistics indicate that barrier river reaches are generally single thread and slightly curved, with a narrow and deep cross-sectional morphology, and without flow deflecting nodes in the upper and middle parts of reaches. Moreover, in the MLYR, barrier river reaches have a hydrogeometric coefficient of {<}{4}, a gradient {>}1.2‱, a silty clay content of the concave bank {>}{9.5}%, and a median diameter of the bed sediment {>}{0.158} mm. The barrier river reach mechanism lies in that can effectively centralise the planimetric position of the main stream from different upstream directions, meaning that no matter how the upper channel adjusts, the main stream shows little change, providing relatively stable inflow conditions for the lower reaches. Regarding river regulation, it is necessary to optimise the benefits of barrier river

"Twentytwo horses struggling with the 30,000 pound load on the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

"Twenty-two horses struggling with the 30,000 pound load on the mountain road. Eighteen animals are in front and four are on the push-pole behind." San Joaquin Light and Power Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 12, December 1913, p. 551 - Tule River Hydroelectric Complex, CA Highway 190 at North Fork of Middle Fork of Tule River, Springville, Tulare County, CA

"A shape bend in the road, showing how the horses ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

"A shape bend in the road, showing how the horses are hitched in 'blocking.' The remainder of the team has been hitched to the block and tackle." San Joaquin Light and Power Magazine, Vol. I, No. 12, December 1913, p. 553 - Tule River Hydroelectric Complex, CA Highway 190 at North Fork of Middle Fork of Tule River, Springville, Tulare County, CA

Agricultural drainwater effects on wildlife in central California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ohlendorf, Harry M.; Hothem, Roger L.; Hoffman, David J.; Rattner, Barnett A.; Burton, G. Allen; Cairns, John

1995-01-01

In California's San Joaquin Valley and in numerous other agricultural areas in the western U.S., irrigation wastewater may accumulate in confined shallow aquifers, eventually rising to levels that adversely affect crops. To sustain long-term agricultural  productivity in these regions, systems for the drainage and disposal of this subsurface wastewater must be installed.1,2 the drained water may contain an array of soluble chemicals that have been applied to the crops, as well as those that have been leached from native soils. Agricultural drainwater is frequently disposed of by discharging it to surface aquatic systems where these constituents may be directly toxic to aquatic organisms, or they may bioaccumulate through the aquatic food webs upon which birds and other wildlife feed. The focus of this chapter is research conducted since 1983 to assess the effects of wildlife exposure to subsurface agricultural drainwater in the San Joaquin Valley.Agricultural drainwater is discharged primarily to tributaries and wetlands of the San Joaquin River system or, especially in the southern San Joaquin Valley, to evaporation ponds.3 Because of high nutrient content in the drainwater, evaporation ponds have high levels of biological productivity and provide an abundant food supply for aquatic birds. Aquatic birds (primarily waterfowl and shorebirds) have been the main focus of wildlife research at the evaporation ponds, and at managed wetlands (primarily hunting clubs) within the San Joaquin River system, but mammals, snakes, and frogs have also been studied. Findings of those studies are summarized in this chapter. Other studies have been conducted on fish and aquatic invertebrates in areas receiving agricultural drainwater, but in this review those findings are described only as they relate to dietary exposure of wildlife.

Allogenic and Autogenic Signals in the Stratigraphic Record of the Deep-Sea Bengal Fan.

PubMed

Blum, Mike; Rogers, Kimberly; Gleason, James; Najman, Yani; Cruz, Jarrett; Fox, Lyndsey

2018-05-22

The Himalayan-sourced Ganges-Brahmaputra river system and the deep-sea Bengal Fan represent Earth's largest sediment-dispersal system. Here we present detrital zircon U-Pb provenance data from Miocene to middle Pleistocene Bengal Fan turbidites, and evaluate the influence of allogenic forcing vs. autogenic processes on signal propagation from the Himalaya to the deep sea. Our data record the strong tectonic and climatic forcing characteristic of the Himalayan system: after up to 2500 km of river transport, and >1400 km of transport by turbidity currents, the U-Pb record faithfully represents Himalayan sources. Moreover, specific U-Pb populations record Miocene integration of the Brahmaputra drainage with the Asian plate, as well as the rapid Plio-Pleistocene incision through, and exhumation of, the eastern Himalayan syntaxis. The record is, however, biased towards glacial periods when rivers were extended across the shelf in response to climate-forced sea-level fall, and discharged directly to slope canyons. Finally, only part of the record represents a Ganges or Brahmaputra provenance end-member, and most samples represent mixing from the two systems. Mixing or the lack thereof likely represents the fingerprint of autogenic delta-plain avulsions, which result in the two rivers delivering sediment separately to a shelf-margin canyon or merging together as they do today.

Plant community, primary productivity, and environmental conditions following wetland re-establishment in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, R.L.; Fujii, R.

2010-01-01

Wetland restoration can mitigate aerobic decomposition of subsided organic soils, as well as re-establish conditions favorable for carbon storage. Rates of carbon storage result from the balance of inputs and losses, both of which are affected by wetland hydrology. We followed the effect of water depth (25 and 55 cm) on the plant community, primary production, and changes in two re-established wetlands in the Sacramento San-Joaquin River Delta, California for 9 years after flooding to determine how relatively small differences in water depth affect carbon storage rates over time. To estimate annual carbon inputs, plant species cover, standing above- and below-ground plant biomass, and annual biomass turnover rates were measured, and allometric biomass models for Schoenoplectus (Scirpus) acutus and Typha spp., the emergent marsh dominants, were developed. As the wetlands developed, environmental factors, including water temperature, depth, and pH were measured. Emergent marsh vegetation colonized the shallow wetland more rapidly than the deeper wetland. This is important to potential carbon storage because emergent marsh vegetation is more productive, and less labile, than submerged and floating vegetation. Primary production of emergent marsh vegetation ranged from 1.3 to 3.2 kg of carbon per square meter annually; and, mid-season standing live biomass represented about half of the annual primary production. Changes in species composition occurred in both submerged and emergent plant communities as the wetlands matured. Water depth, temperature, and pH were lower in areas with emergent marsh vegetation compared to submerged vegetation, all of which, in turn, can affect carbon cycling and storage rates. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.

Deposition and Burial Efficiency of Terrestrial Organic Carbon Exported from Small Mountainous Rivers to the Continental Margin, Southwest of Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, F.; Lin, S.; Wang, C.; Huh, C.

2007-12-01

Terrestrial organic carbon exported from small mountainous river to the continental margin may play an important role in global carbon cycle and it?|s biogeochemical process. A huge amount of suspended materials from small rivers in southwestern Taiwan (104 million tons per year) could serve as major carbon source to the adjacent ocean. However, little is know concerning fate of this terrigenous organic carbon. The purpose of this study is to calculate flux of terrigenous organic carbon deposited in the continental margin, offshore southwestern Taiwan through investigating spatial variation of organic carbon content, organic carbon isotopic compositions, organic carbon deposition rate and burial efficiency. Results show that organic carbon compositions in sediment are strongly influenced by terrestrial material exported from small rivers in the region, Kaoping River, Tseng-wen River and Er-jan Rver. In addition, a major part of the terrestrial materials exported from the Kaoping River may bypass shelf region and transport directly into the deep sea (South China Sea) through the Kaoping Canyon. Organic carbon isotopic compositions with lighter carbon isotopic values are found near the Kaoping River and Tseng-wen River mouth and rapidly change from heavier to lighter values through shelf to slope. Patches of lighter organic carbon isotopic compositions with high organic carbon content are also found in areas west of Kaoping River mouth, near the Kaoshiung city. Furthermore, terrigenous organic carbons with lighter isotopic values are found in the Kaoping canyon. A total of 0.028 Mt/yr of terrestrial organic carbon was found in the study area, which represented only about 10 percent of all terrestrial organic carbon deposited in the study area. Majority (~90 percent) of the organic carbon exported from the Kaoping River maybe directly transported into the deep sea (South China Sea) and become a major source of organic carbon in the deep sea.

Hydrologic responses of a tropical catchment in Thailand and two temperate/cold catchments in north America to global warming

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

Gan, T.Y.; Ahmad, Z.

The hydrologic impact or sensitivities of three medium-sized catchments to global warming, one of tropical climate in Northern Thailand and two of temperate climate in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins of California, were investigated.

Levee Monitoring with Radar Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Cathleen E.

2012-01-01

Topics in this presentation are: 1. Overview of radar remote sensing 2. Surface change detection with Differential Interferometric Radar Processing 3. Study of the Sacramento - San Joaquin levees 4. Mississippi River Levees during the Spring 2011 floods.

Water quality in the lower Puyallup River valley and adjacent uplands, Pierce County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ebbert, J.C.; Bortleson, Gilbert C.; Fuste, L.A.; Prych, E.A.

1987-01-01

The quality of most ground and surface water within and adjacent to the lower Puyallup River valley is suitable for most typical uses; however, some degradation of shallow groundwater quality has occurred. High concentrations of iron and manganese were found in groundwater, sampled at depths of < 40 ft, from wells tapping alluvial aquifers and in a few wells tapping deeper aquifers. Volatile and acid- and base/neutral-extractable organic compounds were not detected in either shallow or deep groundwater samples. The quality of shallow groundwater was generally poorer than that of deep water. Deep ground water (wells set below 100 ft) appears suitable as a supplementary water supply for fish-hatchery needs. Some degradation of water quality, was observed downstream from river mile 1.7 where a municipal wastewater-treatment plant discharges into the river. In the Puyallup River, the highest concentrations of most trace elements were found in bed sediments collected downstream from river mile 1.7. Median concentrations of arsenic, lead, and zinc were higher in bed sediments from small streams compared with those from the Puyallup River, possibly because the small stream drainages, which are almost entirely within developed areas, receive more urban runoff as a percentage of total flow. Total-recoverable trace-element concentrations exceeded water-quality criteria for acute toxicity in the Puyallup River and in some of the small streams. In most cases, high concentrations of total-recoverable trace elements occurred when suspended-sediment concentrations were high. Temperatures in all streams except Wapato Creek and Fife Dutch were within limits (18 C) for Washington State class A water. Minimum dissolved oxygen concentrations were relatively low at 5.6 and 2.0 mg/L, respectively, for Wapato Creek and Fife Dutch. The poorest surface-water quality, which can be characterized as generally unsuitable for fish, was in Fife Dutch, a manmade channel and therefore

Hydrological and pollution processes in mining area of Fenhe River Basin in China.

PubMed

Yang, Yonggang; Meng, Zhilong; Jiao, Wentao

2018-03-01

The hydrological and pollution processes are an important science problem for aquatic ecosystem. In this study, the samples of river water, reservoir water, shallow groundwater, deep groundwater, and precipitation in mining area are collected and analyzed. δD and δ 18 O are used to identify hydrological process. δ 15 N-NO 3 - and δ 18 O-NO 3 - are used to identify the sources and pollution process of NO 3 - . The results show that the various water bodies in Fenhe River Basin are slightly alkaline water. The ions in the water mainly come from rock weathering. The concentration of SO 4 2- is high due to the impact of coal mining activity. Deep groundwater is significantly less affected by evaporation and human activity, which is recharged by archaic groundwater. There are recharge and discharge between reservoir water, river water, soil water, and shallow groundwater. NO 3 - is the main N species in the study area, and forty-six percent of NO 3 - -N concentrations exceed the drinking water standard of China (NO 3 - -N ≤ 10 mg/L content). Nitrification is the main forming process of NO 3 - . Denitrification is also found in river water of some river branches. The sources of NO 3 - are mainly controlled by land use type along the riverbank. NO 3 - of river water in the upper reaches are come from nitrogen in precipitation and soil organic N. River water in the lower reaches is polluted by a mixture of soil organic N and fertilizers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterizing Land Surface Change and Levee Stability in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Using UAVSAR Radar Imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Cathleen; Bawden, Gerald; Deverel, Steven; Dudas, Joel; Hensley, Scott

2011-01-01

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is one of the primary water sources for the state of California and represents a complex geographical area comprised of tidal marshland, levee rimmed islands that are used primarily for agriculture, and urban encroachment. Land subsidence has dropped many of the Delta islands 3 to >7 meters below mean sea level and requires nearly 1700 km of levees to maintain the integrity of the islands and flow of water through the Delta. The current average subsidence rates for each island varies, with 1.23 cm/yr on Sherman Island and 2.2 cm/yr for Bacon Island, as determined by ground-based instruments located at isolated points in the Delta. The Delta's status as the most critical water resource for the state, an endangered ecosystem, and an area continuously threatened with levee breakage from hydrostatic pressure and the danger of earthquakes on several major faults in the San Francisco area make it a focus of monitoring efforts by both the state and national government. This activity is now almost entirely done by ground-based efforts, but the benefits of using remote sensing for wide scale spatial coverage and frequent temporal coverage is obvious. The UAVSAR airborne polarimetric and differential interferometric L-band synthetic aperture radar system has been used to collected monthly images of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and much of the adjacent Suisun Marsh since July 2009 to characterize levee stability, image spatially varied subsidence, and assess how well the UAVSAR performs in an area with widespread agriculture production.

Kootenai River Fisheries Investigations; Rainbow and Bull Trout Recruitment, 2003-2004 Annual Report.

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

Walters, Jody P.

2005-08-01

Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss provide the most important sport fishery in the Kootenai River, Idaho, but densities and catch rates are low. Low recruitment is one possible factor limiting the rainbow trout population. Bull trout Salvelinus confluentus also exist in the Kootenai River, but little is known about this population. Research reported here addresses the following objectives for the Kootenai River, Idaho: identify sources of rainbow and bull trout recruitment, monitor the rainbow trout population size structure to evaluate regulation changes initiated in 2002, and identify factors potentially limiting rainbow trout recruitment. A screw trap was used to estimate juvenilemore » redband and bull trout out-migration from the Callahan Creek drainage, and electrofishing was conducted to estimate summer densities of bull trout rearing in the Idaho portion of the drainage. An estimated 1,132 juvenile redband trout and 68 juvenile bull trout out-migrated from Callahan Creek to the Kootenai River from April 7 through July 15, 2003. Densities of bull trout {ge} age-1 in North and South Callahan creeks ranged from 1.6 to 7.7 fish/100m{sup 2} in August. Bull trout redd surveys were conducted in North and South Callahan creeks, Boulder Creek, and Myrtle Creek. Thirty-two bull trout redds were located in North Callahan Creek, while 10 redds were found in South Callahan Creek. No redds were found in the other two streams. Modeling of culverts in the Deep Creek drainage identified two as upstream migration barriers, preventing rainbow trout from reaching spawning and rearing habitat. Water temperature monitoring in Deep Creek identified two sites where maximum temperatures exceeded those suitable for rainbow trout. Boulder Creek produces the most rainbow trout recruits to the Kootenai River in Idaho upstream of Deep Creek, but may be below carrying capacity for rearing rainbow trout due to nutrient limitations. Monthly water samples indicate Boulder Creek is nutrient

Detection of Flooding Responses at the River Basin Scale Enhanced by Land use Change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCormick, Brian C.; Eshleman, Keith N.; Griffith, Jeff L.; Townsend, Philip A.

2009-01-01

The Georges Creek watershed (area 187.5 sq km) in western Maryland (United States) has experienced land use changes (>17% of area) associated with surface mining of coal. The adjacent Savage River watershed (area 127.2 sq km) is unmined. Moments of flood frequency distributions indicated that climatic variability affected both watersheds similarly. Normalizing annual maximum flows by antecedent streamflow and causative precipitation helped identify trends in flooding response. Analysis of contemporary storm events using Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) stage III precipitation data showed that Georges Creek floods are characterized by higher peak runoff and a shorter centroid lag than Savage River floods, likely attributable to differences in current land use. Interestingly, Georges Creek produces only two thirds of the storm-flow volume as Savage River, apparently because of infiltration into abandoned deep mine workings and an associated transbasin diversion constructed circa 1900. Empirical trend analysis is thus complicated by both hydroclimatic variability and the legacy of deep mining in the basin.

Use of Hyperspectral Remote Sensing to Evaluate Efficacy of Aquatic Plant Management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Invasive aquatic weeds negatively affect biodiversity, fluvial dynamics, water quality, and water storage and conveyance for a variety of human resource demands. In California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta one submersed species - Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa) - and one floating species ...

78 FR 79622 - Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of a Nonessential Experimental Population of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-31

... Experimental Population of Central Valley Spring-Run Chinook Salmon Below Friant Dam in the San Joaquin River..., the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), designate a nonessential experimental population of... experimental population for particular activities inside the experimental population's geographic range and...

Is it restoration or reconciliation? California's experience restoring the Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta provides lessons learned and pathways forward to sustain critical ecosystem functions and services in a highly managed riverine delta.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viers, J. H.; Kelsey, R.

2014-12-01

Reconciling the needs of nature and people in California's Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta represents one of the most critical ecosystem management imperatives in western North America. Over 150 years the Delta has been managed for near-term human benefits and in the process 95% of riverine and deltaic wetlands have been lost throughout the region. Despite extensive land conversion and alteration of hydrological and physical processes, the Delta remains important habitat for migratory birds and is home to over 60% of California's native fish species. It is also the waterwheel for the state's vast water distribution network and is maintained by a system of constructed levees that are at risk from catastrophic failure due to sea level rise, floods, and/or seismic activity. Such a collapse would have dire consequences for > 25M humans and world's 10th largest economy that depend on its freshwater. Thus, the ultimate cost of this ecosystem alteration and simplification is a riverscape that is no longer reliable for nature or people. For 30 years, attempts to 'restore' Delta ecosystems and improve reliability have met with mixed results. For example, reconnection of floodplains to floodwaters has resulted in improved ecological health for native fishes and recharge to localized aquifers. Uncoordinated releases of discharges below dams, however, have resulted in diminished water quality and populations of indicator species. Attempts to create wildlife friendly farms have been countered by an increase in perennial agriculture and commensurate increases in irrigation water demand. From these lessons learned, we demonstrate three key components of a reconciled Delta that will be necessary in the future: 1) full restoration of critical habitats, reconnecting land and water to rebuild ecosystem function; 2) landscape redesign, incorporating natural and engineered infrastructure to create a biologically diverse, resilient landscape to support both agriculture and natural

Hydrologic data for the Obed River watershed, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knight, Rodney R.; Wolfe, William J.; Law, George S.

2014-01-01

The Obed River watershed drains a 520-square-mile area of the Cumberland Plateau physiographic region in the Tennessee River basin. The watershed is underlain by conglomerate, sandstone, and shale of Pennsylvanian age, which overlie Mississippian-age limestone. The larger creeks and rivers of the Obed River system have eroded gorges through the conglomerate and sandstone into the deeper shale. The largest gorges are up to 400 feet deep and are protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act as part of the Obed Wild and Scenic River, which is managed by the National Park Service. The growing communities of Crossville and Crab Orchard, Tennessee, are located upstream of the gorge areas of the Obed River watershed. The cities used about 5.8 million gallons of water per day for drinking water in 2010 from Lake Holiday and Stone Lake in the Obed River watershed and Meadow Park Lake in the Caney Fork River watershed. The city of Crossville operates a wastewater treatment plant that releases an annual average of about 2.2 million gallons per day of treated effluent to the Obed River, representing as much as 10 to 40 percent of the monthly average streamflow of the Obed River near Lancing about 35 miles downstream, during summer and fall. During the past 50 years (1960–2010), several dozen tributary impoundments and more than 2,000 small farm ponds have been constructed in the Obed River watershed. Synoptic streamflow measurements indicate a tendency towards dampened high flows and slightly increased low flows as the percentage of basin area controlled by impoundments increases.

Intermittent ephemeral river-breaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reniers, A. J.; MacMahan, J. H.; Gallagher, E. L.; Shanks, A.; Morgan, S.; Jarvis, M.; Thornton, E. B.; Brown, J.; Fujimura, A.

2012-12-01

In the summer of 2011 we performed a field experiment in Carmel River State Beach, CA, at a time when the intermittent natural breaching of the ephemeral Carmel River occurred due to an unusually rainy period prior to the experiment associated with El Nino. At this time the river would fill the lagoon over the period of a number of days after which a breach would occur. This allowed us to document a number of breaches with unique pre- and post-breach topographic surveys, accompanying ocean and lagoon water elevations as well as extremely high flow (4m/s) velocities in the river mouth during the breaching event. The topographic surveys were obtained with a GPS-equipped backpack mounted on a walking human and show the evolution of the river breaching with a gradually widening and deepening river channel that cuts through the pre-existing beach and berm. The beach face is qualified as a steep with an average beach slope of 1:10 with significant reflection of the incident waves (MacMahan et al., 2012). The wave directions are generally shore normal as the waves refract over the deep canyon that is located offshore of the beach. The tide is mixed semi-diurnal with a range on the order of one meter. Breaching typically occurred during the low-low tide. Grain size is highly variable along the beach with layers of alternating fine and coarse material that could clearly be observed as the river exit channel was cutting through the beach. Large rocky outcroppings buried under the beach sand are also present along certain stretches of the beach controlling the depth of the breaching channel. The changes in the water level measured within the lagoon and the ocean side allows for an estimate of the volume flux associated with the breach as function of morphology, tidal elevation and wave conditions as well as an assessment of the conditions and mechanisms of breach closure, which occurred on the time scale of O(0.5 days). Exploratory model simulations will be presented at the

Permafrost Mobilization from the Watershed to the Colville River Delta: Evidence from Biomarkers and 14C Ramped Pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.; Bianchi, T. S.; Cui, X.; Rosenheim, B. E.; Ping, C. L.; Kanevskiy, M. Z.; Hanna, A. M.; Allison, M. A.

2016-12-01

As temperatures in the Arctic rise abnormally fast, permafrost in the region is vulnerable to extensive thawing. This could release previously frozen organic carbon (OC) into the contemporary carbon cycle, giving a positive feedback on global warming. Recent research has found the presence of particulate permafrost in rivers, deltas, and continental shelves in the Arctic, but little direct evidence exists on the mechanism of transportation of previously frozen soils from watershed to the coast. The Colville River in northern Alaska is the largest North American Arctic River with a continuous permafrost within its watershed. Previous work has found evidence for the deposition of previously frozen soils in the Colville River delta (Schreiner et al., 2014). Here, we compared the bulk organic carbon thermal properties, ages of soils and river and delta sediments from the Colville River drainage system using 14C Ramped Pyrolysis and chemical biomarkers. Our data show that deep permafrost soils as well as river and delta sediments had similar pyrograms and biomarker signatures, reflecting transport of soils from watershed to the delta. Surface soil had pyrograms indicative of less stable (more biodegradable) OC than deeper soil horizons. Similarity in pyrograms of deep soils and river sediment indicated the limited contribution of surface soils to riverine particulate OC inputs. Sediments in the delta showed inputs of yedoma (ice-rich syngenetic permafrost with large ice wedges) from the watershed sources (e.g., river bank erosion) in addition to peat inputs, that were largely from coastal erosion.

Permafrost Organic Carbon Mobilization From the Watershed to the Colville River Delta: Evidence From 14C Ramped Pyrolysis and Lignin Biomarkers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaowen; Bianchi, Thomas S.; Cui, Xingqian; Rosenheim, Brad E.; Ping, Chien-Lu; Hanna, Andrea J. M.; Kanevskiy, Mikhail; Schreiner, Kathryn M.; Allison, Mead A.

2017-11-01

The deposition of terrestrial-derived permafrost particulate organic carbon (POC) has been recorded in major Arctic river deltas. However, associated transport pathways of permafrost POC from the watershed to the coast have not been well constrained. Here we utilized a combination of ramped pyrolysis-oxidation radiocarbon analysis (RPO 14C) along with lignin biomarkers, to track the linkages between soils and river and delta sediments. Surface and deep soils showed distinct RPO thermographs which may be related to degradation and organo-mineral interaction. Soil material in the bed load of the river channel was mostly derived from deep old permafrost. Both surface and deep soils were transported and deposited to the coast. Hydrodynamic sorting and barrier island protection played important roles in terrestrial-derived permafrost POC deposition near the coast. On a large scale, ice processes (e.g., ice gauging and strudel scour) and ocean currents controlled the transport and distribution of permafrost POC on the Beaufort Shelf.

Comparative water-quality assessment of the Hai He River basin in the People's Republic of China and three similar basins in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Xinquan, Zhou; Chao, Lin; Deguo, Zhi; Chi, Fan Lan; Kaitai, Xu; Ying, Lu; Luo, Yang; Shide, Liu; Dewen, Liu; Yong, Guo; Qi, Tian; Jing, Liu; Weidong, Yu; Shedlock, Robert; Knifong, Donna

2001-01-01

Ground-water quality with respect to nitrate, major inorganic constituents, pesticides, stable isotopes, and tritium was assessed in the agricultural Tangshan region in the Hai He River basin of the People's Republic of China and compared with three similar regions in the United States: the Delmarva Peninsula of the States of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, and the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys of the State of California. These four regions are considered similar with respect to size, land use, or climate. Median nitrate concentrations were found to be similar in the four regions in most instances, and those median concentrations were below the American nitrate drinking water standard of 10 milligrams per liter, however, higher concentrations, and a greater range of concentration, were evident for the Tangshan region.

Route study of the proposed Western Divide highway between Greenhorn Summit and South Boundary of Sequoia National Park, Sequoia National Forest, and proposed extension to Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park Kern and Tulare counties, California.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1935-08-01

For a number of years there has been administrative need for a connected system of roads in Sequoia National Forest along the ridge which separates Kern River and San Joaquin Valley water-sheds. Some development roads, or rather truck trails, have al...

78 FR 3381 - Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of a Nonessential Experimental Population of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-16

... Experimental Population of Central Valley Spring-Run Chinook Salmon Below Friant Dam in the San Joaquin River... Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose a rule to designate a nonessential experimental population of Central... nonessential experimental population for particular activities inside the experimental population's geographic...

Occurrence, habitat, and movements of the endangered northern madtom (Noturus stigmosus) in the Detroit River, 2003-2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manny, Bruce A.; Daley, Bryon A.; Boase, James C.; Horne, Ashlee N.; Chiotti, Justin A.

2014-01-01

The northern madtom (Noturus stigmosus or NOM) is a small catfish, native to North America. It is globally vulnerable and endangered in Canada, Ontario, and Michigan. In 1994 and 1996, it was found in the St. Clair River and in Lake St. Clair, respectively. However, it had not been found downstream in the Detroit River since 1978. We report catches of 304 NOM from 2003 to 2011 and describe their mud and sand habitats in the deep (10 m), dark, Detroit River. We found adult NOM, including 3 ripe males (90–107 mm SL) in head waters of the river near Belle Isle in Michigan waters, and both adult and 4 juvenile NOM (21–30 mm SL) near Peche Island in Ontario waters. From 2009 to 2011, in the river's middle reach, we caught 7 adult NOM for the first time near Fighting Island in Ontario waters, but no NOM in the river's lower reach. Our mark–recapture results showed that within 6 weeks, 2 adult NOM moved east 2.0 km from Michigan waters near Belle Isle across the deep (10 m) Fleming Channel of the Detroit River to Canadian waters near Peche Island. Analysis of annuli from pectoral spines of 7 dead NOM revealed that they live to at least 6 years of age in the Detroit River. This is the first age data that we could find for a NOM population. Our findings extended our knowledge of habitat, reproductive ecology, age, and distribution of NOM in the Detroit River corridor.

Characterizing land surface change and levee stability in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta using UAVSAR radar imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, C.; Bawden, G.; Deverel, S.; Dudas, J.; Hensley, S.

2011-01-01

The islands of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta have been subject to subsidence since they were first reclaimed from the estuary marshlands starting over 100 years ago, with most of the land currently lying below mean sea level. This area, which is the primary water resource of the state of California, is under constant threat of inundation from levee failure. Since July 2009, we have been imaging the area using the quad-polarimetric UAVSAR L-band radar, with eighteen data sets collected as of April 2011. Here we report results of our polarimetric and differential interferometric analysis of the data for levee deformation and land surface change. ?? 2011 IEEE.

Delineation of spatial-temporal patterns of groundwater/surface-water interaction along a river reach (Aa River, Belgium) with transient thermal modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anibas, Christian; Tolche, Abebe Debele; Ghysels, Gert; Nossent, Jiri; Schneidewind, Uwe; Huysmans, Marijke; Batelaan, Okke

2018-05-01

Among the advances made in analytical and numerical analysis methods to quantify groundwater/surface-water interaction, one methodology that stands out is the use of heat as an environmental tracer. A large data set of river and riverbed temperature profiles from the Aa River in Belgium has been used to examine the spatial-temporal variations of groundwater/surface-water interaction. Exchange fluxes were calculated with the numerical heat-transport code STRIVE. The code was applied in transient mode to overcome previous limitations of steady-state analysis, and allowed for the calculation of model quality. In autumn and winter the mean exchange fluxes reached -90 mm d-1, while in spring and early summer fluxes were -42 mm d-1. Predominantly gaining conditions occurred along the river reach; however, in a few areas the direction of flow changed in time. The river banks showed elevated fluxes up to a factor of 3 compared to the center of the river. Higher fluxes were detected in the upstream section of the reach. Due to the influence of exchange fluxes along the river banks, larger temporal variations were found in the downstream section. The exchange fluxes at the river banks seemed more driven by variable local exchange flows, while the center of the river was dominated by deep and steady regional groundwater flows. These spatial and temporal differences in groundwater/surface-water exchange show the importance of long-term investigations on the driving forces of hyporheic processes across different scales.

Soil Moisture Flow and Nitrate Movement Simulation through Deep and Heterogeneous Vadose Zone using Dual-porosity Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, B. K.; Tomar, J.; Harter, T.

2014-12-01

We investigate nitrate movement from non-point sources in deep, heterogeneous vadose zones, using multi-dimensional variably saturated flow and transport simulations. We hypothesize that porous media heterogeneity causes saturation variability that leads to preferential flow systems such that a significant portion of the vadose zone does not significantly contribute to flow. We solve Richards' equation and the advection-dispersion equation to simulate soil moisture and nitrate transport regimes in plot-scale experiments conducted in the San Joaquin Valley, California. We compare equilibrium against non-equilibrium (dual-porosity) approaches. In the equilibrium approach we consider each soil layer to have unique hydraulic properties as a whole, while in the dual-porosity approach we assume that large fractions of the porous flow domain are immobile. However we consider exchange of water and solute between mobile and immobile zone using the appropriate mass transfer terms. The results indicate that flow and transport in a nearly 16 m deep stratified vadose zone comprised of eight layers of unconsolidated alluvium experiences highly non-uniform, localized preferential flow and transport patterns leading to accelerated nitrate transfer. The equilibrium approach largely under-predicted the leaching of nitrate to groundwater while the dual-porosity approach showed higher rates of nitrate leaching, consistent with field observations. The dual-porosity approach slightly over-predicted nitrogen storage in the vadose zone, which may be the result of limited matrix flow or denitrification not accounted for in the model. Results of this study may be helpful to better predict fertilizer and pesticide retention times in deep vadose zone, prior to recharge into the groundwater flow system. Keywords: Nitrate, Preferential flow, Heterogeneous vadose zone, Dual-porosity approach

Interpretation of snowcover from satellite imagery for use in water supply forecasts in the Sierra Nevada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, A. J.; Hannaford, J. F.

1975-01-01

The California ASVT test area is composed of two study areas; one in Northern California covering the Upper Sacramento and Feather River Basins, and the other covering the Southern Sierra Basins of the San Joaquin, Kings, Kaweah, Tule, and Kern Rivers. Experiences of reducing snowcover from satellite imagery; the accuracy of present water supply forecast schemes; and the potential advantages of introducing snowcover into the forecast procedures are described.

Sediment geochemistry of Corte Madera Marsh, San Francisco Bay, California: have local inputs changed, 1830-2010?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Takesue, Renee K.; Jaffe, Bruce E.

2013-01-01

Large perturbations since the mid-1800s to the supply and source of sediment entering San Francisco Bay have disturbed natural processes for more than 150 years. Only recently have sediment inputs through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (the Delta) decreased to what might be considered pre-disturbance levels. Declining sediment inputs to San Francisco Bay raise concern about continued tidal marsh accretion, particularly if sea level rise accelerates in the future. The aim of this study is to explore whether the relative amount of local-watershed sediment accumulating in a tidal marsh has changed as sediment supply from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers has decreased. To address this question, sediment geochemical indicators, or signatures, in the fine fraction (silt and clay) of Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, San Francisco Bay, and Corte Madera Creek sediment were identified and applied in sediment recovered from Corte Madera Marsh, one of the few remaining natural marshes in San Francisco Bay. Total major, minor, trace, and rare earth element (REE) contents of fine sediment were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass and atomic emission spectroscopy. Fine sediment from potential source areas had the following geochemical signatures: Sacramento River sediment downstream of the confluence of the American River was characterized by enrichments in chromium, zirconium, and heavy REE; San Joaquin River sediment at Vernalis and Lathrop was characterized by enrichments in thorium and total REE content; Corte Madera Creek sediment had elevated nickel contents; and the composition of San Francisco Bay mud proximal to Corte Madera Marsh was intermediate between these sources. Most sediment geochemical signatures were relatively invariant for more than 150 years, suggesting that the composition of fine sediment in Corte Madera Marsh is not very sensitive to changes in the magnitude, timing, or source of sediment entering San Francisco Bay through the Delta. Nor

Use of radars to monitor stream discharge by noncontact methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Costa, J.E.; Cheng, R.T.; Haeni, F.P.; Melcher, N.; Spicer, K.R.; Hayes, E.; Plant, W.; Hayes, K.; Teague, C.; Barrick, D.

2006-01-01

Conventional measurements of river flows are costly, time‐consuming, and frequently dangerous. This report evaluates the use of a continuous wave microwave radar, a monostatic UHF Doppler radar, a pulsed Doppler microwave radar, and a ground‐penetrating radar to measure river flows continuously over long periods and without touching the water with any instruments. The experiments duplicate the flow records from conventional stream gauging stations on the San Joaquin River in California and the Cowlitz River in Washington. The purpose of the experiments was to directly measure the parameters necessary to compute flow: surface velocity (converted to mean velocity) and cross‐sectional area, thereby avoiding the uncertainty, complexity, and cost of maintaining rating curves. River channel cross sections were measured by ground‐penetrating radar suspended above the river. River surface water velocity was obtained by Bragg scattering of microwave and UHF Doppler radars, and the surface velocity data were converted to mean velocity on the basis of detailed velocity profiles measured by current meters and hydroacoustic instruments. Experiments using these radars to acquire a continuous record of flow were conducted for 4 weeks on the San Joaquin River and for 16 weeks on the Cowlitz River. At the San Joaquin River the radar noncontact measurements produced discharges more than 20% higher than the other independent measurements in the early part of the experiment. After the first 3 days, the noncontact radar discharge measurements were within 5% of the rating values. On the Cowlitz River at Castle Rock, correlation coefficients between the USGS stream gauging station rating curve discharge and discharge computed from three different Doppler radar systems and GPR data over the 16 week experiment were 0.883, 0.969, and 0.992. Noncontact radar results were within a few percent of discharge values obtained by gauging station, current meter, and hydroacoustic methods

An Assessment of Irrigation Technology Performance in the Southern San Joaquin Valley of California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaux, H. J., Jr.; Handley, Dale F.; Giboney, Paul M.

1990-01-01

Seasonal applied water measurements were obtained for 1710 irrigated fields in the southern San Joaquin Valley of California. Most of the fields were planted to one of five major crops: citrus, almonds, grapes, cotton, and small grains. These crops were irrigated with a wide array of irrigation technologies, including drip, sprinkler, furrows with tailwater reuse facilities, conventional furrows, and border irrigation systems. The data were analyzed within an accounting framework to standardize for a variety of climatic and cultural variations. Analyses of the mean depths of applied water by crop and irrigation technology and of the standardized results reveal that drip irrigation systems were associated with the lowest levels of applied water on permanent crops and that the levels of water applied with sprinklers did not differ significantly from those applied with surface systems on either permanent or annual crops.

First establishment of the planthopper Megamelus scutellaris Berg 1883 (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) released for biological control of water hyacinth in California

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms-Laubach) is a non-native, invasive floating aquatic weed in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta and associated river watersheds of northern California. Prior efforts to control water hyacinth biologically in this region have not led to sustained cont...

75 FR 9202 - Pacific Gas & Electric Company; Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Assessment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-01

... Assessment (FEA) regarding Pacific Gas & Electric Company's (PG&E) proposal to perform seismic remediation..., in the San Joaquin River Basin. The FEA analyzes the environmental effects of the seismic remediation... environmental effects. The FEA concludes that the proposed seismic remediation and resource plans, with the...

Water Carcinogenicity and Prevalence of HPV Infection in Esophageal Cancer Patients in Huaihe River Basin, China

PubMed Central

Li, Jintao; Khodahemmati, Sara; Wang, Minglian; Wang, Yangjunqi; Zhao, Lijiao; Jia, Runqing; Chen, Su

2018-01-01

Objective The incidence of the upper gastrointestinal tumor has increased rapidly during recent decades. The relationship between local water pollution and the tumor is still not much clear, so this study was conducted to further investigate the local water pollution and its influence on the malignant cell transformation. Prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in local esophageal cancer (EC) patients was also analyzed in Shenqiu County for the first time. Methods Two-step cell transformation was used to study different sources of water in the malignant cell transformation, and the existence of 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) in water was analyzed from the river and shallow and deep wells. HPV DNA in tissue samples of EC patients was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and HPV diagnostic kit. Results The river water has higher cytotoxicity than the shallow well water and induced significant cell malignant transformation, while deep well water has not shown the malignant cell transformation. In Huaihe River water, the 3-MC concentration was found higher than shallow and deep wells. An HPV infection rate was found high in patients with esophageal cancer. Conclusion Long-term consumption of polluted water can induce malignant cell transformation, and the presence of HPV may be an important cause of cancer. PMID:29853858

Formation of hydroxyl radical from San Joaquin Valley particles extracted in a cell-free solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, H.; Anastasio, C.

2011-06-01

Previous studies have suggested that the adverse health effects from ambient particulate matter (PM) are linked to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by PM. While hydroxyl radical (•OH) is the most reactive of the ROS species, there are few quantitative studies of •OH generation from PM. Here we report on •OH formation from PM collected at an urban (Fresno) and rural (Westside) site in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California. We quantified •OH in PM extracts using a cell-free, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution with or without 50 μM ascorbate (Asc). The results show that generally the urban Fresno PM generates much more •OH than the rural Westside PM. The presence of Asc at a physiologically relevant concentration in the extraction solution greatly enhances •OH formation from all the samples. Fine PM (PM2.5) generally makes more •OH than the corresponding coarse PM (PMcf, i.e., 2.5 to 10 μm) normalized by air volume collected, while the coarse PM typically generates more •OH normalized by PM mass. •OH production by SJV PM is reduced on average by (97 ± 6) % when the transition metal chelator desferoxamine (DSF) is added to the extraction solution, indicating a dominant role of transition metals. By measuring calibration curves of •OH generation from copper and iron, and quantifying copper and iron concentrations in our particle extracts, we find that PBS-soluble copper is primarily responsible for •OH production by the SJV PM, while iron often makes a significant contribution. Extrapolating our results to expected burdens of PM-derived •OH in human lung lining fluid suggests that typical daily PM exposures in the San Joaquin Valley are unlikely to result in a high amount of pulmonary •OH, although high PM events could produce much higher levels of •OH, which might lead to cytotoxicity.

Subsidence Serves as an Indicator of Groundwater Arsenic Risk in the San Joaquin Valley, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R.; Knight, R. J.; Fendorf, S. E.

2016-12-01

Groundwater arsenic concentrations dominantly result from anaerobic conditions. Within aquifers, clays are typically the major hosts of solid-phase arsenic, and clay layers often have restricted oxygen supply, resulting in anaerobic conditions and the concomitant relase of arsenic to groundwater. But it is not until water is drawn from the clay layers, through over-pumping of aquifers, that arsenic enters the water supply. Due to the mechanical properties of clays, the volume of groundwater withdrawn is effectively approximated by their vertical deformation, the sum of which is expressed at the surface as subsidence. As a result, subsidence can serve as an indicator, or "early warning system", of the presence of arsenic in the pumped groundwater. In the San Joaquin Valley of California, there has been significant subsidence due to groundwater extraction from clays for nearly a century. Historical subsidence in this area has been measured with leveling surveys, GPS and extensometers, and has been reproduced in groundwater models. More recent subsidence can be measured directly using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). We use recent (post-2007) arsenic level data from the southern portion of the San Joaquin Valley to train a random forest model. Predictors in the model include historical (pre-2002) estimates of subsidence, more recent (2007-2011) InSAR estimates of subsidence, and other predictors representing additional mechanisms that could affect arsenic levels in groundwater, such as groundwater flow, redox potential and position in the basin. We find that recent subsidence is a strong predictor of arsenic levels; historical subsidence could have some impact but is less significant. These results indicate that avoiding over-pumping of the aquifer may improve water quality over a time period on the order of 10 years. Incorporating subsidence into arsenic prediction maps can improve our ability to identify and manage areas that have a higher risk of

Long Valley Caldera Lake and reincision of Owens River Gorge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hildreth, Wes; Fierstein, Judy

2016-12-16

Owens River Gorge, today rimmed exclusively in 767-ka Bishop Tuff, was first cut during the Neogene through a ridge of Triassic granodiorite to a depth as great as its present-day floor and was then filled to its rim by a small basaltic shield at 3.3 Ma. The gorge-filling basalt, 200 m thick, blocked a 5-km-long reach of the upper gorge, diverting the Owens River southward around the shield into Rock Creek where another 200-m-deep gorge was cut through the same basement ridge. Much later, during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 22 (~900–866 ka), a piedmont glacier buried the diversion and deposited a thick sheet of Sherwin Till atop the basalt on both sides of the original gorge, showing that the basalt-filled reach had not, by then, been reexcavated. At 767 ka, eruption of the Bishop Tuff blanketed the landscape with welded ignimbrite, deeply covering the till, basalt, and granodiorite and completely filling all additional reaches of both Rock Creek canyon and Owens River Gorge. The ignimbrite rests directly on the basalt and till along the walls of Owens Gorge, but nowhere was it inset against either, showing that the basalt-blocked reach had still not been reexcavated. Subsidence of Long Valley Caldera at 767 ka produced a steep-walled depression at least 700 m deeper than the precaldera floor of Owens Gorge, which was beheaded at the caldera’s southeast rim. Caldera collapse reoriented proximal drainages that had formerly joined east-flowing Owens River, abruptly reversing flow westward into the caldera. It took 600,000 years of sedimentation in the 26-km-long, usually shallow, caldera lake to fill the deep basin and raise lake level to its threshold for overflow. Not until then did reestablishment of Owens River Gorge begin, by incision of the gorge-filling ignimbrite.

Tracking Agricultural Land Degradation with Landsat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, K.; Jimenez, U.; Mclean, A.

2013-12-01

Land preservation and in particular, soil preservation, is key to maintaining the stability of wildlife on earth. The necessity to maintain land quality isn't unique to any specific area, it is a global issue. Land degradation can be witnessed across the globe, from the Heihe River Basin, China to the San Joaquin River in Central Valley, California. Large-scale 'traditional' agricultural practices such as widespread monoculture, overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and over-farming, have been found to cause significant land degradation in many regions. Once the causes of land degradation have been established, it is important to research preventative and rehabilitative measures. This is where the popularization of agricultural sustainability has proven wildly important, manifesting in a world-wide phenomenon. This research used Landsat and ENVI to: (1) identify changes in vegetation, over time, along the Heihe River, in an effort to measure the effectiveness of a new mandate focused on rehabilitating this desertification-prone area; and (2) show changes in the San Joaquin River through three droughts (1986 to present). The sudden spur of interest in agricultural sustainability and land preservation has led to changes in legislation, such as the Heihe River Basin Mandate, increased concern over the use of land degrading techniques, tools, chemicals, and more research on extreme weather events.

Persistence of historical population structure in an endangered species despite near-complete biome conversion in California's San Joaquin Desert

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richmond, Jonathan Q.; Wood, Dustin A.; Westphal, Michael F.; Vandergast, Amy; Leache, Adam D.; Saslaw, Lawrence; Butterfield, H. Scott; Fisher, Robert N.

2017-01-01

Genomic responses to habitat conversion can be rapid, providing wildlife managers with time-limited opportunities to enact recovery efforts that use population connectivity information that reflects predisturbance landscapes. Despite near-complete biome conversion, such opportunities may still exist for the endemic fauna and flora of California's San Joaquin Desert, but comprehensive genetic data sets are lacking for nearly all species in the region. To fill this knowledge gap, we studied the rangewide population structure of the endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard Gambelia sila, a San Joaquin Desert endemic, using restriction site-associated DNA (RAD), microsatellite and mtDNA data to test whether admixture patterns and estimates of effective migration surfaces (EEMS) can identify land areas with high population connectivity prior to the conversion of native xeric habitats. Clustering and phylogenetic analyses indicate a recent shared history between numerous isolated populations and EEMS reveals latent signals of corridors and barriers to gene flow over areas now replaced by agriculture and urbanization. Conflicting histories between the mtDNA and nuclear genomes are consistent with hybridization with the sister species G. wislizenii, raising important questions about where legal protection should end at the southern range limit of G. sila. Comparative analysis of different data sets also adds to a growing list of advantages in using RAD loci for genetic studies of rare species. We demonstrate how the results of this work can serve as an evolutionary guidance tool for managing endemic, arid-adapted taxa in one of the world's most compromised landscapes.

Health care access, concentrated poverty, and pediatric asthma hospital care use in California's San Joaquin Valley: A multilevel approach.

PubMed

Alcala, Emanuel; Cisneros, Ricardo; Capitman, John A

2017-12-20

California's San Joaquin Valley is a region with a history of poverty, low health care access, and high rates of pediatric asthma. It is important to understand the potential barriers to care that challenge vulnerable populations. The objective was to describe pediatric asthma-related utilization patterns in the emergency department (ED) and hospital by insurance coverage as well as to identify contributing individual-level indicators (age, sex, race/ethnicity, and insurance coverage) and neighborhood-level indicators of health care access. This was a retrospective study based on secondary data from California hospital and ED records 2007-2012. Children who used services for asthma-related conditions, were aged 0-14 years, Hispanic or non-Hispanic white, and resided in the San Joaquin Valley were included in the analysis. Poisson multilevel modeling was used to control for individual- and neighborhood-level factors. The effect of insurance coverage on asthma ED visits and hospitalizations was modified by the neighborhood-level percentage of concentrated poverty (RR = 1.01, 95% CI = 1.01-1.02; RR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.02-1.04, respectively). The effect of insurance coverage on asthma hospitalizations was completely explained by the neighborhood-level percentage of concentrated poverty. Observed effects of insurance coverage on hospital care use were significantly modified by neighborhood-level measures of health care access and concentrated poverty. This suggests not only an overall greater risk for poor children on Medi-Cal, but also a greater vulnerability or response to neighborhood social factors such as socioeconomic status, community cohesiveness, crime, and racial/ethnic segregation.

Source to sink: Evolution of lignin composition in the Madre de Dios River system with connection to the Amazon basin and offshore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Xiaojuan; Feakins, Sarah J.; Liu, Zongguang; Ponton, Camilo; Wang, Renée. Z.; Karkabi, Elias; Galy, Valier; Berelson, William M.; Nottingham, Andrew T.; Meir, Patrick; West, A. Joshua

2016-05-01

While lignin geochemistry has been extensively investigated in the Amazon River, little is known about lignin distribution and dynamics within deep, stratified river channels or its transformations within soils prior to delivery to rivers. We characterized lignin phenols in soils, river particulate organic matter (POM), and dissolved organic matter (DOM) across a 4 km elevation gradient in the Madre de Dios River system, Peru, as well as in marine sediments to investigate the source-to-sink evolution of lignin. In soils, we found more oxidized lignin in organic horizons relative to mineral horizons. The oxidized lignin signature was maintained during transfer into rivers, and lignin was a relatively constant fraction of bulk organic carbon in soils and riverine POM. Lignin in DOM became increasingly oxidized downstream, indicating active transformation of dissolved lignin during transport, especially in the dry season. In contrast, POM accumulated undegraded lignin downstream during the wet season, suggesting that terrestrial input exceeded in-river degradation. We discovered high concentrations of relatively undegraded lignin in POM at depth in the lower Madre de Dios River in both seasons, revealing a woody undercurrent for its transfer within these deep rivers. Our study of lignin evolution in the soil-river-ocean continuum highlights important seasonal and depth variations of river carbon components and their connection to soil carbon pools, providing new insights into fluvial carbon dynamics associated with the transfer of lignin biomarkers from source to sink.

Optimal pumping strategies for managing shallow, poorquality groundwater, western San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barlow, P.; Wagner, B.; Belitz, K.

1995-01-01

Continued agricultural productivity in the western San Joaquin Valley, California, is threatened by the presence of shallow, poor-quality groundwater that can cause soil salinization. We evaluate the management alternative of using groundwater pumping to control the altitude of the water table and provide irrigation water requirements. A transient, three-dimensional, groundwater flow model was linked with nonlinear optimization to simulate management alternatives for the groundwater flow system. Optimal pumping strategies have been determined that substantially reduce the area subject to a shallow water table and bare-soil evaporation (that is, areas with a water table within 2.1 m of land surface) and the rate of drainflow to on-farm drainage systems. Optimal pumping strategies are constrained by the existing distribution of wells between the semiconfined and confined zones of the aquifer, by the distribution of sediment types (and associated hydraulic conductivities) in the western valley, and by the historical distribution of pumping throughout the western valley.

Source, Distribution, and Management of Arsenic in Water from Wells, Eastern San Joaquin Ground-Water Subbasin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Izbicki, John A.; Stamos, Christina L.; Metzger, Loren F.; Halford, Keith J.; Kulp, Thomas R.; Bennett, George L.

2008-01-01

Between 1974 and 2001 water from as many as one-third of wells in the Eastern San Joaquin Ground Water Subbasin, about 80 miles east of San Francisco, had arsenic concentrations greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic of 10 micrograms per liter (ug/L). Water from some wells had arsenic concentrations greater than 60 ug/L. The sources of arsenic in the study area include (1) weathering of arsenic bearing minerals, (2) desorption of arsenic associated with iron and manganese oxide coatings on the surfaces of mineral grains at pH's greater than 7.6, and (3) release of arsenic through reductive dissolution of iron and manganese oxide coatings in the absence of oxygen. Reductive dissolution is responsible for arsenic concentrations greater than the MCL. The distribution of arsenic varied areally and with depth. Concentrations were lower near ground-water recharge areas along the foothills of the Sierra Nevada; whereas, concentrations were higher in deeper wells at the downgradient end of long flow paths near the margin of the San Joaquin Delta (fig. 1). Management opportunities to control high arsenic concentrations are present because water from the surface discharge of wells is a mixture of water from the different depths penetrated by wells. On the basis of well-bore flow and depth-dependent water-quality data collected as part of this study, the screened interval of a public-supply well having arsenic concentrations that occasionally exceed the MCL was modified to reduce arsenic concentrations in the surface discharge of the well. Arsenic concentrations from the modified well were about 7 ug/L. Simulations of ground-water flow to the well showed that although upward movement of high-arsenic water from depth within the aquifer occurred, arsenic concentrations from the well are expected to remain below the MCL.

Using high-resolution topography and hyperspectral data to classify tree species at the San Joaquin Experimental Range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dibb, S. D.; Ustin, S.; Grigsby, S.

2015-12-01

Air- and space-borne remote sensing instruments allow for rapid and precise study of the diversity of the Earth's ecosystems. After atmospheric correction and ground validation are performed, the gathered hyperspectral and topographic data can be assembled into a stack of layers for land cover classification. Data for this project were collected in multiple field campaigns, including the 2013 NSF NEON California campaign and 2015 NASA SARP campaign. Using hyperspectral and high resolution topography data, 25 discriminatory attributes were processed in Exelis' ENVI software and collected for use in a decision forest to classify the four major tree species (Blue Oak, Live Oak, California Buckeye, and Foothill Pine) at the San Joaquin Experimental Range near Fresno, CA. These attributes include 21 classic vegetation indices and a number of other spectral characteristics, such as color and albedo, and four topographic layers, including slope, aspect, elevation, and tree height. Additionally, a number of nearby terrain classes, including bare earth, asphalt, water, rock, shadow, structures, and grass were created. Fifty training pixels were used for each class. The training pixels for each tree species came from collected GPS points in the field. Ensemble bootstrap aggregation of decision trees was performed in MATLAB, and an arbitrary number of 500 trees were selected to be grown. The tree that produced the minimum out-of-bag classification error (4.65%) was selected to classify the entire scene. Classification results accurately distinguished between oak species, but was suboptimal in dense areas. The entire San Joaquin Experimental Range was mapped with an overall accuracy of 94.7% and a Kappa coefficient 0.94. Finally, the Commission and Omission percentage averages were 5.3% each. A highly accurate map of tree species at this scale supports studies on drought effects, disease, and species-specific growth traits.

Simulation of Multiscale Ground-Water Flow in Part of the Northeastern San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Steven P.; Green, Christopher T.; Burow, Karen R.; Shelton, Jennifer L.; Rewis, Diane L.

2007-01-01

The transport and fate of agricultural chemicals in a variety of environmental settings is being evaluated as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program. One of the locations being evaluated is a 2,700-km2 (square kilometer) regional study area in the northeastern San Joaquin Valley surrounding the city of Modesto, an area dominated by irrigated agriculture in a semi-arid climate. Ground water is a key source of water for irrigation and public supply, and exploitation of this resource has altered the natural flow system. The aquifer system is predominantly alluvial, and an unconfined to semiconfined aquifer overlies a confined aquifer in the southwestern part of the study area; these aquifers are separated by the lacustrine Corcoran Clay. A regional-scale 16-layer steady-state model of ground-water flow in the aquifer system in the regional study area was developed to provide boundary conditions for an embedded 110-layer steady-state local-scale model of part of the aquifer system overlying the Corcoran Clay along the Merced River. The purpose of the local-scale model was to develop a better understanding of the aquifer system and to provide a basis for simulation of reactive transport of agricultural chemicals. The heterogeneity of aquifer materials was explicitly incorporated into the regional and local models using information from geologic and drillers? logs of boreholes. Aquifer materials were differentiated in the regional model by the percentage of coarse-grained sediments in a cell, and in the local model by four hydrofacies (sand, silty sand, silt, and clay). The calibrated horizontal hydraulic conductivity values of the coarse-grained materials in the zone above the Corcoran Clay in the regional model and of the sand hydrofacies used in the local model were about equal (30?80 m/d [meter per day]), and the vertical hydraulic conductivity values in the same zone of the regional model (median of 0.012 m/d), which is

Timing and process of river and lake terrace formation in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgette, Reed J.; Weldon, Ray J.; Abdrakhmatov, Kanatbek Ye.; Ormukov, Cholponbek; Owen, Lewis A.; Thompson, Stephen C.

2017-03-01

Well-preserved flights of river and lake terraces traverse an actively deforming rangefront, and form a link between glaciated mountains and a large intermontane lake in the Issyk-Kul basin of the Kyrgyz Tien Shan. We investigated the history and geometry of these lake and river terraces using geologic mapping, surveying, and radiocarbon and terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide dating. A prominent late Pleistocene highstand of the lake occurred over at least the period of 43-25 ka, followed by a period of deep regression and subsequent rise of the lake to the modern sill level in the late Holocene. Major aggradation of the most prominent latest Quaternary river terrace along the Ak-Terek and Barskaun rivers likely started at ∼70-60 ka, coincident to the local last glacial maximum in this region. In contrast to some models of aggradation and incision, the rivers appear to have stayed near the top of the fill for >20 ka, incising subtly below the top of this fill by ∼37 ka, locally. Deep incision likely did not occur until the peak deglaciation in the latest Pleistocene. Older dated terrace surfaces are consistent with one major terrace-forming event per glacial, constant deformation and incision rates, and typical fluvial gradients lower than the modern incising streams. The dating confirms regional terrace correlations for the most prominent late Quaternary terraces, but correlating higher terraces is complicated by spatially varying uplift rates and preferential terrace preservation between basins in the Tien Shan.

Assessing climate change impacts on soil salinity development with proximal and satellite sensors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Changes in climate patterns have dramatically influenced some agricultural areas. Examples include the historic 5-year drought in California’s San Joaquin Valley (SJV) and the 20-year above average annual rainfall in the Red River Valley (RRV) of the Midwestern USA. Climate change may have impacted ...

Ozone, nitric acid, and ammonia air pollution is unhealthy for people and ecosystems in southern Sierra Nevada, California

Treesearch

R. Cisneros; A. Bytnerowicz; D. Schweizer; S. Zhong; S. Traina; D.H. Bennett

2010-01-01

Two-week average concentrations of ozone (O3), nitric acid vapor (HNO3) and ammonia (NH3) were measured with passive samplers during the 2002 summer season across the central Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, along the San Joaquin River drainage. Elevated concentrations of the pollutants were...

SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY PROJECT COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN

EPA Science Inventory

The Estuary, a significant natural resource, San Francisco Bay and the Delta combine to form the West Coast's largest estuary. The Estuary conveys the waters of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers to the Pacific Ocean. It encompasses roughly 1,600 square miles, drains over 40 p...

Incorporating Lower Mississippi River port assets into emergency preparedness and response initiatives.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

The Lower Mississippi River (LMR) and its 5 deep water ports represent a significant national asset as well as a critical portion of a major transportation corridor from the heartland of the country to the Gulf of Mexico. The lower portion of the Mis...

Summer habitat use by Columbia River redband trout in the Kootenai River drainage, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Bennett, David H.

2001-01-01

The reported decline in the abundance, distribution, and genetic diversity of Columbia River redband trout Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri (a rainbow trout subspecies) has prompted fisheries managers to investigate their habitat requirements, identify critical habitat, and develop effective conservation and recovery programs. We analyzed the microhabitat, mesohabitat, and macrohabitat use and distribution of Columbia River redband trout by means of snorkel surveys in two watersheds in the Kootenai River drainage, Montana and Idaho, during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Juvenile (36–125 mm total length, TL) and adult (>=126 mm TL) fish preferred deep microhabitats (>=0.4 m) with low to moderate velocities (<=0.5 m/s) adjacent to the thalweg. Conversely, age-0 (<=35 mm) fish selected slow water (<=0.1 m/s) and shallow depths (<=0.2 m) located in lateral areas of the channel. Age-0, juvenile, and adult fish strongly selected pool mesohabitats and avoided riffles; juveniles and adults generally used runs in proportion to their availability. At the macrohabitat scale, density of Columbia River redband trout (35 mm) was positively related to the abundance of pools and negatively related to stream gradient. The pool: riffle ratio, gradient, and stream size combined accounted for 80% of the variation in density among 23 stream reaches in five streams. Our results demonstrate that low-gradient, medium-elevation reaches with an abundance of complex pools are critical areas for the production of Columbia River redband trout. These data will be useful in assessing the impacts of land-use practices on the remaining populations and may assist with habitat restoration or enhancement efforts.

Quality of ground water in the Payette River basin, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parliman, D.J.

1986-01-01

As part of a study to obtain groundwater quality data in areas of Idaho were land- and water-resource development is expected to increase, water quality, geologic, and hydrologic data were collected for 74 wells in the Payette River basin, west-central Idaho, from July to October 1982. Historical (pre-1982) data from 13 wells were compiled with more recent (1982) data to define, on a reconnaissance level, water quality conditions in major aquifers and to identify factors that may have affected groundwater quality. Water from the major aquifers generally contains predominantly calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate plus carbonate ions. Sodium and bicarbonate or sulfate are the predominant ions in groundwater from 25% of the 1982 samples. Areally, groundwater from the upper Payette River basin has proportionately lower ion concentrations than water from the lower Payette River basin. Water samples from wells < 100 ft deep generally have lower ion concentrations than samples from wells > 100 ft deep. Variations in groundwater quality probably are most affected by differences in aquifer composition and proximity to source(s) of recharge. Groundwater in the study area is generally suitable for most uses. In localized areas, pH and concentrations of hardness, alkalinity, dissolved solids, or dissolved nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen, sulfate, fluoride, iron, or manganese exceed Federal drinking water limits and may restrict some uses of the water.

California coastal processes study: Skylab. [San Pablo and San Francisco Bays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pirie, D. M.; Steller, D. D. (Principal Investigator)

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. In San Pablo Bay, the patterns of dredged sediment discharges were plotted over a three month period. It was found that lithogenous particles, kept in suspension by the fresh water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin, were transported downstream to the estuarine area at varying rates depending on the river discharge level. Skylab collected California coastal imagery at limited times and not at constant intervals. Resolution, however, helped compensate for lack of coverage. Increased spatial and spectral resolution provided details not possible utilizing Landsat imagery. The S-192 data was reformatted; band by band image density stretching was utilized to enhance sediment discharge patterns entrainment, boundaries, and eddys. The 26 January 1974 Skylab 4 imagery of San Francisco Bay was taken during an exceptionally high fresh water and suspended sediment discharge period. A three pronged surface sediment pattern was visible where the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers entered San Pablo Bay through Carquinez Strait.

Habitat use and movement patterns by adult saugers from fall to summer in an unimpounded small-river system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kuhn, K.M.; Hubert, W.A.; Johnson, K.; Oberlie, D.; Dufek, D.

2008-01-01

The Little Wind River drainage in Wyoming is a relatively small unimpounded river system inhabited by native saugers Sander canadensis. Radio telemetry was used to assess habitat use and movement patterns by adult saugers in the river system from fall through early summer. Fifty-four adult saugers were captured during fall 2004, surgically implanted with radio transmitters, and tracked through mid-July 2005. Tagged saugers selected large and deep pools. Such pools were abundant throughout the Little Wind River system and led to saugers being widely dispersed from fall to early spring. During fall, winter, and early spring, tagged saugers remained sedentary and moved short distances among pools in close proximity to each other. Longer movements by tagged saugers occurred from mid-spring to early summer, and were associated with both upstream and downstream movements to and from two river segments believed to be used for spawning. During early summer, most saugers returned to locations where they had been tagged the previous fall and had spent the winter. Our results provide evidence that preservation of the sauger fishery in the Wind River system will depend on maintaining fish passage throughout the portion of the watershed inhabited by saugers and preserving natural fluvial processes that maintain large and deep pools. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2008.

Evolution of Metallic Trace Elements in Contaminated River Sediments: Geochemical Variation Along River Linear and Vertical Profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanbar, Hussein; Montarges-Pelletier, Emmanuelle; Mansuy-Huault, Laurence; Losson, Benoit; Manceau, Luc; Bauer, Allan; Bihannic, Isabelle; Gley, Renaud; El Samrani, Antoine; Kobaissi, Ahmad; Kazpard, Veronique; Villieras, Frédéric

2015-04-01

ICP-MS and ICP-OES for trace and major elements respectively. Well crystallized minerals were detected by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), while amorphous and poorly crystallized phases were identified with scanning and transmission electron microscope (SEM and TEM respectively), combined with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDXS). Such microscopic techniques also provided information about metal carriers. To have an insight about the metal speciation at molecular level, X-Ray Absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was performed at Zn K-edge. The first analyses of Orne sediment cores evidenced different particle size distribution and sediment consolidation levels. Yet the cores showed that below a layer of apparently recent sediments (about 10-20 cm), lie highly contaminated ones. Zn and Pb content in deep sediment layers reach several thousands ppm, where they appeared mainly as Zn and Pb sulphides. Also, the high content of iron in deep sediments resulted in the presence of different iron phases: hematite, wuestite, magnetite, goethite, sulphides (pyrite), as well as undefined iron-silicate. In addition, interstitial waters contained high values of available metals (Zn: 500-35000 ppm, Pb: 150-5700 ppm, Cd: 1-10ppm), which might cause a greater concern than solid-bound metals, especially when river bed sediments are disturbed.

Detritus fuels ecosystem metabolism but not metazoan food webs in San Francisco estuary's freshwater delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sobczak, W.V.; Cloern, J.E.; Jassby, A.D.; Cole, B.E.; Schraga, T.S.; Arnsberg, A.

2005-01-01

Detritus from terrestrial ecosystems is the major source of organic matter in many streams, rivers, and estuaries, yet the role of detritus in supporting pelagic food webs is debated. We examined the importance of detritus to secondary productivity in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Delta (California, United States), a large complex of tidal freshwater habitats. The Delta ecosystem has low primary productivity but large detrital inputs, so we hypothesized that detritus is the primary energy source fueling production in pelagic food webs. We assessed the sources, quantity, composition, and bioavailability of organic matter among a diversity of habitats (e.g., marsh sloughs, floodplains, tidal lakes, and deep river channels) over two years to test this hypothesis. Our results support the emerging principle that detritus dominates riverine and estuarine organic matter supply and supports the majority of ecosystem metabolism. Yet in contrast to prevailing ideas, we found that detritus was weakly coupled to the Delta's pelagic food web. Results from independent approaches showed that phytoplankton production was the dominant source of organic matter for the Delta's pelagic food web, even though primary production accounts for a small fraction of the Delta's organic matter supply. If these results are general, they suggest that the value of organic matter to higher trophic levels, including species targeted by programs of ecosystem restoration, is a function of phytoplankton production. ?? 2005 Estuarine Research Federation.

Effects of two contrasting agricultural land uses on shallow groundwater quality in the San Joaquin Valley, California; design and preliminary interpretation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dubrovsky, N.M.; Burow, Karen R.; Gronberg, Jo Ann M.

1995-01-01

From 1992 through 1994, the San Joaquin-Tulare Basins Study team of the USGS National Water Quality Assessment program investigated the occurrence and distribution of water quality con- stituents in shallow groundwater underlying two areas of different agricultural land uses: almond orchards and vineyards. The study was restricted to the alluvial fans of the eastern San Joaquin Valley, the area of most groundwater use in the valley. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to delineate the distribution of the two target land uses, to evaluate ancillary data, and to select candidate wells that fit prescribed criteria. Twenty domestic water supply wells were sampled in each of the two areas. In addition, pairs of observation wells were installed and sampled at five of the sites in each area to evaluate whether the water quality in the domestic wells reflects that of the shallow groundwater underlying the target land use. A preliminary evaluation of the results shows that nitrate concentrations in the shallow groundwater are significantly higher in the almond orchard areas than in the vineyard area (p=0.005). In contrast, concentrations of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) were higher in the vineyard area than in the almond orchard area (p=0.032). The most frequently detected pesticides in groundwater underlying both areas were simazine, atrazine, and desethylatrazine (an atrazine degradation product). These observations are explained, in part, by differences in chemical application and hydrogeologic factors.

Environmental Impact Study of the Northern Section of the Upper Mississippi River. Pool 5.

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-11-01

Prior to the 1930’s the river bottoms were primarily wooded islands separated by deep sloughs. Hundreds of lakes and ponds were scattered through the... wooded bottoms. Bay meadows and small farming areas occupied some areas on larger islands. Marshes were limited to the shores of lakes and guts...the old condition of deep sloughs and wooded islands is found. In the middle of each pool, water backs up over the islands and old hay meadows

Assessing the impact of climate change on soil salinity development in agricultural areas using ground and satellite sensors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Changes in climatic patterns have impacted some agricultural areas. Examples include the historic drought in California’s San Joaquin Valley (2011-2015) and the recent 18-year above average annual rainfall and snowfall in the Red River Valley of the Midwestern USA (1993-2011). Climate change has imp...

Seasonal movement and habitat use by sub-adult bull trout in the upper Flathead River system, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Marotz, Brian

2005-01-01

Despite the importance of large-scale habitat connectivity to the threatened bull trout Salvelinus confluentus, little is known about the life history characteristics and processes influencing natural dispersal of migratory populations. We used radiotelemetry to investigate the seasonal movements and habitat use by subadult bull trout (i.e., fish that emigrated from natal streams to the river system) tracked for varying durations from 1999 to 2002 in the upper Flathead River system in northwestern Montana. Telemetry data revealed migratory (N = 32 fish) and nonmigratory (N = 35 fish) behavior, indicating variable movement patterns in the subadult phase of bull trout life history. Most migrating subadults (84%) made rapid or incremental downriver movements (mean distance, 33 km; range, 6–129 km) to lower portions of the river system and to Flathead Lake during high spring flows and as temperatures declined in the fall and winter. Bull trout subadults used complex daytime habitat throughout the upper river system, including deep runs that contained unembedded boulder and cobble substrates, pools with large woody debris, and deep lake-influenced areas of the lower river system. Our results elucidate the importance of maintaining natural connections and a diversity of complex habitats over a large spatial scale to conserve the full expression of life history traits and processes influencing the natural dispersal of bull trout populations. Managers should seek to restore and enhance critical river corridor habitat and remove migration barriers, where possible, for recovery and management programs.

Decision analysis framing study; in-valley drainage management strategies for the western San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Presser, Theresa S.; Jenni, Karen E.; Nieman, Timothy; Coleman, James

2010-01-01

Constraints on drainage management in the western San Joaquin Valley and implications of proposed approaches to management were recently evaluated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS found that a significant amount of data for relevant technical issues was available and that a structured, analytical decision support tool could help optimize combinations of specific in-valley drainage management strategies, address uncertainties, and document underlying data analysis for future use. To follow-up on USGS's technical analysis and to help define a scientific basis for decisionmaking in implementing in-valley drainage management strategies, this report describes the first step (that is, a framing study) in a Decision Analysis process. In general, a Decision Analysis process includes four steps: (1) problem framing to establish the scope of the decision problem(s) and a set of fundamental objectives to evaluate potential solutions, (2) generation of strategies to address identified decision problem(s), (3) identification of uncertainties and their relationships, and (4) construction of a decision support model. Participation in such a systematic approach can help to promote consensus and to build a record of qualified supporting data for planning and implementation. In December 2008, a Decision Analysis framing study was initiated with a series of meetings designed to obtain preliminary input from key stakeholder groups on the scope of decisions relevant to drainage management that were of interest to them, and on the fundamental objectives each group considered relevant to those decisions. Two key findings of this framing study are: (1) participating stakeholders have many drainage management objectives in common; and (2) understanding the links between drainage management and water management is necessary both for sound science-based decisionmaking and for resolving stakeholder differences about the value of proposed drainage management solutions. Citing

Diazotrophy in the Deep: An analysis of the distribution, magnitude, geochemical controls, and biological mediators of deep-sea benthic nitrogen fixation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dekas, Anne Elizabeth

Biological nitrogen fixation (the conversion of N2 to NH3) is a critical process in the oceans, counteracting the production of N2 gas by dissimilatory bacterial metabolisms and providing a source of bioavailable nitrogen to many nitrogen-limited ecosystems. One currently poorly studied and potentially underappreciated habitat for diazotrophic organisms is the sediments of the deep-sea. Although nitrogen fixation was once thought to be negligible in non-photosynthetically driven benthic ecosystems, the present study demonstrates the occurrence and expression of a diversity of nifH genes (those necessary for nitrogen fixation), as well as a widespread ability to fix nitrogen at high rates in these locations. The following research explores the distribution, magnitude, geochemical controls, and biological mediators of nitrogen fixation at several deep-sea sediment habitats, including active methane seeps (Mound 12, Costa Rica; Eel River Basin, CA, USA; Hydrate Ridge, OR, USA; and Monterey Canyon, CA, USA), whale-fall sites (Monterey Canyon, CA), and background deep-sea sediment (off-site Mound 12 Costa Rica, off-site Hydrate Ridge, OR, USA; and Monterey Canyon, CA, USA). The first of the five chapters describes the FISH-NanoSIMS method, which we optimized for the analysis of closely associated microbial symbionts in marine sediments. The second describes an investigation of methane seep sediment from the Eel River Basin, where we recovered nifH sequences from extracted DNA, and used FISH-NanoSIMS to identify methanotrophic archaea (ANME-2) as diazotrophs, when associated with functional sulfate-reducing bacterial symbionts. The third and fourth chapters focus on the distribution and diversity of active diazotrophs (respectively) in methane seep sediment from Mound 12, Costa Rica, using a combination of 15N-labeling experiments, FISH-NanoSIMS, and RNA and DNA analysis. The fifth chapter expands the scope of the investigation by targeting diverse samples from methane

Persistence of historical population structure in an endangered species despite near-complete biome conversion in California's San Joaquin Desert.

PubMed

Richmond, Jonathan Q; Wood, Dustin A; Westphal, Michael F; Vandergast, Amy G; Leaché, Adam D; Saslaw, Lawrence R; Butterfield, H Scott; Fisher, Robert N

2017-07-01

Genomic responses to habitat conversion can be rapid, providing wildlife managers with time-limited opportunities to enact recovery efforts that use population connectivity information that reflects predisturbance landscapes. Despite near-complete biome conversion, such opportunities may still exist for the endemic fauna and flora of California's San Joaquin Desert, but comprehensive genetic data sets are lacking for nearly all species in the region. To fill this knowledge gap, we studied the rangewide population structure of the endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard Gambelia sila, a San Joaquin Desert endemic, using restriction site-associated DNA (RAD), microsatellite and mtDNA data to test whether admixture patterns and estimates of effective migration surfaces (EEMS) can identify land areas with high population connectivity prior to the conversion of native xeric habitats. Clustering and phylogenetic analyses indicate a recent shared history between numerous isolated populations and EEMS reveals latent signals of corridors and barriers to gene flow over areas now replaced by agriculture and urbanization. Conflicting histories between the mtDNA and nuclear genomes are consistent with hybridization with the sister species G. wislizenii, raising important questions about where legal protection should end at the southern range limit of G. sila. Comparative analysis of different data sets also adds to a growing list of advantages in using RAD loci for genetic studies of rare species. We demonstrate how the results of this work can serve as an evolutionary guidance tool for managing endemic, arid-adapted taxa in one of the world's most compromised landscapes. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Fish depth distributions in the Lower Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Killgore, K. J.; Miranda, Leandro E.

2014-01-01

A substantial body of literature exists about depth distribution of fish in oceans, lakes and reservoirs, but less is known about fish depth distribution in large rivers. Most of the emphasis on fish distributions in rivers has focused on longitudinal and latitudinal spatial distributions. Knowledge on depth distribution is necessary to understand species and community habitat needs. Considering this void, our goal was to identify patterns in fish benthic distribution along depth gradients in the Lower Mississippi River. Fish were collected over 14 years in depths down to 27 m. Fish exhibited non-random depth distributions that varied seasonally and according to species. Species richness was highest in shallow water, with about 50% of the 62 species detected no longer collected in water deeper than 8 m and about 75% no longer collected in water deeper than 12 m. Although richness was highest in shallow water, most species were not restricted to shallow water. Rather, most species used a wide range of depths. A weak depth zonation occurred, not as strong as that reported for deep oceans and lakes. Larger fish tended to occur in deeper water during the high-water period of an annual cycle, but no correlation was evident during the low-water period. The advent of landscape ecology has guided river research to search for spatial patterns along the length of the river and associated floodplains. Our results suggest that fish assemblages in large rivers are also structured vertically. 

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Pacific Southwest). Coho Salmon.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-08-01

through the Scientific name ....... Oncorhynchus Aleutians, and from the Anadyr kisutch (Walbaum) River, U.S.S.R., south to Hokkdido, Preferred common name...Coho salmon (0. nerka ); the low pyloric silmon do not enter the San Joaquin caeca count (k 83) sepdrdtes the coho River. from any Sal-mon except the...Part 9: Coho Blahm. 1986. Food of juvenile salmon in offshore waters. Int. chinook ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) North Pac. Fish. Comm. Bull. 16:1- and coho

Temporal and spatial assessment of water quality, physical habitat, and benthic communities in an impaired agricultural stream in California's San Joaquin Valley.

PubMed

Hall, Lenwood W; Killen, William D

2005-01-01

The goal of this study was to characterize and discuss the relationships among water quality, physical habitat, and benthic community data collected annually over a three-year period (2000--2002) in an impaired agricultural stream (Orestimba Creek) in California's San Joaquin River watershed. Conductivity, pH, and turbidity were the most important water quality conditions influencing the various benthic metrics. Significantly higher flow conditions and lower dissolved oxygen values were reported in Orestimba Creek in 2001; increased turbidity conditions were reported in 2002. Channel alteration, riparian buffer, sediment deposition, and channel flow were the most important physical habitat metrics influencing the various benthic metrics. Higher total physical habitat scores were reported in 2001 when compared with 2002. The most dominant benthic taxa collected during all three years of sampling were oligochaetes and chironomids. Oligochaetes are found in stressful environments while chironomids can be either sensitive or tolerant to environmental stressors depending on the species. Populations of both daphnids and the exotic clam Corbicula were reported to increase over time. Both of these taxa are generally tolerant to most types of environmental degradation. The exception is that daphnids are highly sensitive to organophosphate insecticides. The % filterers increased over time, which suggests an increase in environmental disturbance. The % collectors decreased from 2000 to 2002, which suggests an improvement in environmental conditions. The presence of approximately 100 taxa in Orestimba Creek during each of the three years of sampling implies that benthic communities in this stream are fairly diverse, considering their ephemeral environment, but without a clear definition of benthic community expectations based on established referenc conditions it is unknown if this water body is actually impaired.

Reservoir geology of Landslide field, southern San Joaquin basin, California

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

Carr, T.R.; Tucker, R.D.; Singleton, M.T.

1991-02-01

The Landslide field, which is located on the southern margin of the San Joaquin basin, was discovered in 1985 and consists of 13 producers and six injectors. Cumulative production as of mid-1990 was approximately 10 million bbl of oil with an average daily production of 4700 BOPD. Production is from a series of late Miocene turbidite sands (Stevens Sand) that were deposited as a small constructional submarine fan (less than 2 mi in diameter). Based on interpretation of wireline logs and engineering data, deposition of the fan and of individual lobes within the fan was strongly influenced by preexisting paleotopographymore » and small syndepositional slump features. Based on mapping of individual depositional units and stratigraphic dipmeter analysis, transport direction of the sand was to the north-north across these paleotopographic breaks in slope. Dipmeter data and pressure data from individual sands are especially useful for recognition and mapping of individual flow units between well bores. Detailed engineering, geophysical and geological studies have increased our understanding of the dimensions, continuity, geometry, and inherent reservoir properties of the individual flow units within the reservoir. Based on the results of these studies a series of water isolation workovers and extension wells were proposed and successfully undertaken. This work has increased recoverable reserves and arrested the rapid production decline.« less

The sinking of the El Faro: predicting real world rogue waves during Hurricane Joaquin.

PubMed

Fedele, Francesco; Lugni, Claudio; Chawla, Arun

2017-09-11

We present a study on the prediction of rogue waves during the 1-hour sea state of Hurricane Joaquin when the Merchant Vessel El Faro sank east of the Bahamas on October 1, 2015. High-resolution hindcast of hurricane-generated sea states and wave simulations are combined with novel probabilistic models to quantify the likelihood of rogue wave conditions. The data suggests that the El Faro vessel was drifting at an average speed of approximately 2.5 m/s prior to its sinking. As a result, we estimated that the probability that El Faro encounters a rogue wave whose crest height exceeds 14 meters while drifting over a time interval of 10 (50) minutes is ~1/400 (1/130). The largest simulated wave is generated by the constructive interference of elementary spectral components (linear dispersive focusing) enhanced by bound nonlinearities. Not surprisingly then, its characteristics are quite similar to those displayed by the Andrea, Draupner and Killard rogue waves.

A note on the effect of wind waves on vertical mixing in Franks Tract, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, Janet K.; Jones, Nicole L.; Stephen G. Monismith,

2008-01-01

A one-dimensional numerical model that simulates the effects of whitecapping waves was used to investigate the importance of whitecapping waves to vertical mixing at a 3-meter-deep site in Franks Tract in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta over an 11-day period. Locally-generated waves of mean period approximately 2 s were generated under strong wind conditions; significant wave heights ranged from 0 to 0.3 m. A surface turbulent kinetic energy flux was used to model whitecapping waves during periods when wind speeds > 5 m s-1 (62% of observations). The surface was modeled as a wind stress log-layer for the remaining 38% of the observations. The model results demonstrated that under moderate wind conditions (5–8 m s-1 at 10 m above water level), and hence moderate wave heights, whitecapping waves provided the dominant source of turbulent kinetic energy to only the top 10% of the water column. Under stronger wind (> 8 m s-1), and hence larger wave conditions, whitecapping waves provided the dominant source of turbulent kinetic energy over a larger portion of the water column; however, this region extended to the bottom half of the water column for only 7% of the observation period. The model results indicated that phytoplankton concentrations close to the bed were unlikely to be affected by the whitecapping of waves, and that the formation of concentration boundary layers due to benthic grazing was unlikely to be disrupted by whitecapping waves. Furthermore, vertical mixing of suspended sediment was unlikely to be affected by whitecapping waves under the conditions experienced during the 11-day experiment. Instead, the bed stress provided by tidal currents was the dominant source of turbulent kinetic energy over the bottom half of the water column for the majority of the 11-day period.

Quaternary geology of Alameda County, and parts of Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties, California: a digital database

USGS Publications Warehouse

Helley, E.J.; Graymer, R.W.

1997-01-01

Alameda County is located at the northern end of the Diablo Range of Central California. It is bounded on the north by the south flank of Mount Diablo, one of the highest peaks in the Bay Area, reaching an elevation of 1173 meters (3,849 ft). San Francisco Bay forms the western boundary, the San Joaquin Valley borders it on the east and an arbitrary line from the Bay into the Diablo Range forms the southern boundary. Alameda is one of the nine Bay Area counties tributary to San Francisco Bay. Most of the country is mountainous with steep rugged topography. Alameda County is covered by twenty-eight 7.5' topographic Quadrangles which are shown on the index map. The Quaternary deposits in Alameda County comprise three distinct depositional environments. One, forming a transgressive sequence of alluvial fan and fan-delta facies, is mapped in the western one-third of the county. The second, forming only alluvial fan facies, is mapped in the Livermore Valley and San Joaquin Valley in the eastern part of the county. The third, forming a combination of Eolian dune and estuarine facies, is restricted to the Alameda Island area in the northwestern corner of the county.

Modern Sedimentation off the Kaoping River, SW Taiwan: A Comparison with Eel River's S2S System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huh, C.; Lin, H.; Lin, S.

2006-12-01

The Kaoping (KP) River in SW Taiwan has a watershed area of 3257 km2 and an annual sediment discharge of 49 MT. Although the sediment yield of the KP River basin (1.5×104 ton km-2 yr^{- 1}) is the 4th highest among Taiwan's catchment basins, it is nearly one order of magnitude higher than that of the Eel River's basin (~1.8×103 ton km-2 yr-1; the highest in the U.S.). The KP canyon extends almost immediately seaward from the river's mouth and terminates in the northwestern corner of the South China Sea. The head of the canyon is characterized by high and steep walls exceeding 600 m. The KP river's source-to-sink system offers a dramatic case of mountainous rivers at active margins for S2S study. Here we report some results about modern sedimentation in KP river's dispersal system. Seventy-six sediment cores collected from an area of ~3000 km2 were analyzed for fallout nuclides 7Be, 137Cs and 210Pb by gamma spectrometry. From profiles of excess 210Pb and 137Cs sediment accumulation rates in the coring sites were estimated, which vary from 0.06 to 1.6 cm/yr, with the highest rates (>1 cm/yr) distributed in the upper slope (<600 m) on both sides of the KP canyon. The area with high sedimentation rates on Pb-210 time scale coincides with the area covered by a flood layer resulting from Typhoon Haitang during July 18-20, 2005. This suggests that the open margin on the upper slope is a depocenter for sediment dispersed via a surface component of the river's plume on various timescales (from events to centennial). With a total of 76 sampling points laid out, a framework consisting of 105 triangular grids is configured to calculate the budget of sediment in the study area. The calculated budget, at 7.2 MT/yr, accounts for only ~15% of KP river's sediment discharge. We speculate that most of the remainder is exported out of the study area via the KP canyon to the deep sea by gravity-driven turbidity or hyperpycnal flows.

HYPERSPECTRAL TECHNIQUE AS AN INDICATOR OF EUTROPHICATION AND SEDIMENT LOAD FOR DEEP RIVERS

EPA Science Inventory

Remote sensing techniques were used to characterize and quantify spatial and temporal variation in water quality of the Great Miami River in Ohio. An initial feasibility study was conducted in the summer of 1999 using a non-imaging hand-held spectroradiometer to ascertain the pre...

Geologic map of the Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area, Pacific and Wahkiakum counties, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wells, R.E.

1989-01-01

The Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area is in southwestern Washington at the mouth of the Columbia River.  The area encompasses several major estuaries and their adjacent highlands, which reach elevations of about 2,000 feet.  Rainfall is abundant and produces heavy vegetation and deep weathering of the bedrock.  Natural bedrock exposures are restricted to stream courses along larger drainages, although a network of logging roads provides excellent access to most of the area and widespread, but somewhat ephemeral, exposures of bedrock.

Palynofacies reveal fresh terrestrial organic matter inputs in the terminal lobes of the Congo deep-sea fan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnyder, Johann; Stetten, Elsa; Baudin, François; Pruski, Audrey M.; Martinez, Philippe

2017-08-01

The Congo deep-sea fan is directly connected to the Congo River by a unique submarine canyon. The Congo River delivers up to 2×1012gPOC/yr, a part of which is funnelled by the submarine canyon and feeds the deep-sea environments. The more distal part of the Congo deep-sea fan, the terminal lobe area, has a surface of 2500 km2 and is situated up to 800 km offshore at depths of 4750-5000 m. It is a remarkable place to study the fate and distribution of the organic matter transferred from the continent to the deep ocean via turbidity currents. Forty-two samples were analyzed from the terminal lobes, including sites from the active channel, one of its levees and an abandoned distal channel. Samples were collected using multitube cores and push-cores using a Victor 6000 ROV, which surveyed the dense chemosynthetic habitats that locally characterize the terminal lobes. Palynofacies reveal a remarkably well-preserved, dominantly terrestrial particulate organic matter assemblage, that has been transferred from the continent into the deep-sea by turbidity currents. Delicate plant structures, cuticle fragments and plant cellular material is often preserved, highlighting the efficiency of turbidity currents to transfer terrestrial organic matter to the sea-floor, where it is preserved. Moreover, the palynofacies data reveal a general sorting by density or buoyancy of the organic particles, as the turbulent currents escaped the active channel, feeding the levees and the more distal, abandoned channel area. Finally, in addition to aforementioned hydrodynamic factors controlling the organic matter accumulation, a secondary influence of chemosynthetic habitats on organic matter preservation is also apparent. Palynofacies is therefore a useful tool to record the distribution of organic matter in recent and ancient deep-sea fan environments, an important topic for both academic and petroleum studies.

Enhanced Geothermal System Potential for Sites on the Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho

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

Robert K Podgorney; Thomas R. Wood; Travis L McLing

2013-09-01

The Snake River volcanic province overlies a thermal anomaly that extends deep into the mantle and represents one of the highest heat flow provinces in North America (Blackwell and Richards, 2004). This makes the Snake River Plain (SRP) one of the most under-developed and potentially highest producing geothermal districts in the United States. Elevated heat flow is typically highest along the margins of the topographic SRP and lowest along the axis of the plain, where thermal gradients are suppressed by the Snake River aquifer. Beneath this aquifer, however, thermal gradients rise again and may tap even higher heat flows associatedmore » with the intrusion of mafic magmas into the mid-crustal sill complex (e.g., Blackwell, 1989).« less

Groundwater quality in the shallow aquifers of the Tulare, Kaweah, and Tule Groundwater Basins and adjacent highlands areas, Southern San Joaquin Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fram, Miranda S.

2017-01-18

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The shallow aquifers of the Tulare, Kaweah, and Tule groundwater basins and adjacent highlands areas of the southern San Joaquin Valley constitute one of the study units being evaluated.

Accumulation of artificial radionuclides in deep sediments of the Mediterranean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Orellana, J.; Sanchez-Cabeza, J. A.; Masque, P.; Costa, E.; Bruach, J. M.; Morist, A.; Luna, J. A.

2003-04-01

Concentrations and inventories of artificial radionuclides (90Sr, 137Cs and 239,40Pu) were determined in deep sediment cores (3.000 m) collected in the western and eastern basins of the Mediterranean Sea in the frame of the ADIOS project. Artificial radionuclides enter the Mediterranean Sea mainly though atmospheric deposition after nuclear weapons tests and the Chernobyl accident, but also through the river discharge of effluents of nuclear facilities (e.g. Rhone and Ebro rivers). The aim of this work is to investigate the degree by which pollutants are transferred to the deep environment of the Mediterranean Sea as a basis to elucidate their effects on benthic organisms. The mean inventories of 239+240Pu, 137Cs and 90Sr in the Western basin are 2.77 ± 0.26, 68 ± 12 and < 7 Bq\\cdotm-2 respectively and 3.29 ± 0.60, 115 ± 33 and 249±154 Bq\\cdotm-2 in the Eastern basin. The activity - depth profiles of 210Pb, together with 14C dating, indicate that sediment mixing redistributes the artificial radionuclides within the first 2 cm of the sedimentary column. Artificial radionuclides inventories in the deep-sea sediments were used to calculate the fraction of the total inventory of artificial radionuclides that is accumulated in the deep sea sediments after scavenging from the water column. Indeed, a balance of the radionuclide distributions in the water column allows evaluating the importance of lateral transport of particulate matter from the continental margins on the accumulation of artificial radionuclides in the deep, open Mediterranean Sea. This is achieved in i) comparison with reported data from coastal areas at different locations in the Mediterranean Sea, and ii) balance of the distribution of the natural radionuclide 210Pb in studied areas (vertical profiles of dissolved and particulate activities, fluxes determined by using sediment trap deployed at different depths and inventories in the bottom sediments). The results, taking into account radioactive

Radon in the fluvial aquifers of the White River Basin, Indiana, 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fenelon, Joseph M.; Moore, Rhett C.

1996-01-01

Water samples collected in 1995 from 57 monitoring wells (48 shallow and 9 deep) in the fluvial aquifers of the White River Basin were analyzed for radon. Radon concentrations in the shallow wells ranged from 140 to 1,600 pCi/L (picocuries per liter); the median concentration was 420 pCi/L. In comparison, analyses of the samples from the nine deep wells indicate that radon concentrations decrease with depth within the fluvial aquifers; the median concentration was 210 pCi/L. No areal trends in radon concentrations are evident in the water of the shallow fluvial aquifers of the basin

Formation of hydroxyl radical from San Joaquin Valley particles extracted in a cell-free surrogate lung fluid

PubMed Central

Shen, H.; Anastasio, C.

2011-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that the adverse health effects from ambient particulate matter (PM) are linked to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by PM in cardiopulmonary tissues. While hydroxyl radical (•OH) is the most reactive of the ROS species, there are few quantitative studies of •OH generation from PM. Here we report on •OH formation from PM collected at an urban (Fresno) and rural (Westside) site in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California. We quantified •OH in PM extracts using a cell-free, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution with or without 50μM ascorbate (Asc). The results show that generally the urban Fresno PM generates much more •OH than the rural Westside PM. The presence of Asc at a physiologically relevant concentration in the extraction solution greatly enhances •OH formation from all the samples. Fine PM (PM2.5) generally makes more •OH than the corresponding coarse PM (PMcf, i.e. with diameters of 2.5 to 10 μm) normalized by air volume collected, while the coarse PM typically generates more •OH normalized by PM mass. •OH production by SJV PM is reduced on average by (97±6)% when the transition metal chelator desferoxamine (DSF) is added to the extraction solution, indicating a dominant role of transition metals. By measuring calibration curves of •OH generation from copper and iron, and quantifying copper and iron concentrations in our particle extracts, we find that PBS-soluble copper is primarily responsible for •OH production by the SJV PM, while iron often makes a significant contribution. Extrapolating our results to expected burdens of PM-derived •OH in human lung lining fluid suggests that typical daily PM exposures in the San Joaquin Valley are unlikely to result in a high amount of pulmonary •OH, although high PM events could produce much higher levels of •OH, which might lead to cytotoxicity. PMID:22121357

Formation of hydroxyl radical from San Joaquin Valley particles extracted in a cell-free surrogate lung fluid